NOVEL WEB Chapter 39: Chapter 40: Debate
Chapter 40: Debate
No matter how much time passed, Ramba Ral would never think he could be mistaken.
That past, once his source of longing, was not only the glory of the Ral family but also the time when he harbored lofty ideals.
It was a time when he followed Deikun's leadership, striving for true independence.
The man who proposed the Newtype theory, advocating for space colonists to reclaim the economic and navigational rights that rightfully belonged to them from the Federation—Deikun—had a son and a daughter.
There was no way he could be wrong. The girl standing before him was undoubtedly Deikun's daughter, Artesia Deikun.
It couldn't be anyone else.
"Your... Your Highness, Princess?"
Ramba Ral struggled to lower his voice, his hesitation evident.
After Deikun's downfall, first came news of Casval's death, followed by the complete disappearance of Artesia.
Conspiracy theories claimed they had both been murdered by the Zabi family.
Ramba Ral had once believed the same.
Yet, the girl before him was unmistakably wearing a Federation uniform, standing right in front of him.
Seeing Ramba Ral successfully recognize her, Sayla visibly sighed in relief.
"Why are you here... aboard a Federation ship?"
Ramba Ral looked at Sayla in disbelief, desperate for answers.
"We'll discuss this later. Let me ask you—where is Char? Where is he now?"
"Char? He should have returned to the homeland by now... Why are you asking about him?"
Ramba Ral furrowed his brow, recalling the ace pilot of Zeon.
When it came to Char, the most notable features were his ever-present mask and his striking blonde hair.
Looking at Sayla's golden locks hanging over her face, and considering her interest in Char—
"Could it be... Char is—?"
"Yes, I suspect he is my brother, Casval."
After dropping this revelation, Sayla stood up and went to retrieve some disinfectant and bandages.
She noticed that Eli had snapped out of his daze and realized the two had been whispering together for a long time.
Ramba Ral, too, quickly adjusted his posture, allowing a pained expression to mask the shock of learning that Casval was still alive.
Though, perhaps, the pain was genuine, a mixture of regret for having been so close to Deikun's descendants for years without recognizing them.
In any case, neither of them dared to continue the conversation.
Once his wounds were bandaged, Eli raised his pistol and walked over to Sayla.
"Let's go, Ramba Ral."
He motioned for Ramba Ral to get up, intending to escort him to the brig.
During the short walk from the medical bay, Eli's mind was racing.
He had overheard their conversation, and even if he hadn't, he could piece together most of it.
The question was, if he were to act on this information, what should he do?
Should he openly declare, "Hey, I know you're Deikun's heir. Let's overthrow the Zabis, seize control of Zeon, and work together inside and out to secure the well-being of space colonists!"
Not to mention that Sayla likely wasn't interested in such a course of action, just the potential reaction from Ramba Ral could give Eli pause.
He might risk everything to silence Eli on the spot and protect Sayla's true identity.
After much deliberation, Eli concluded that being direct wasn't an option.
But giving up on this opportunity felt equally frustrating...
"Ramba Ral, I've heard you were once a trusted confidant of Deikun. Is that true?"
Just before exiting the medical bay, Eli abruptly asked the question.
Ramba Ral's footsteps halted. Slowly, he turned to face the young man holding a gun on him.
As his gaze shifted, he caught Sayla's eye. She gave a subtle shake of her head, signaling him not to act rashly.
"Yes, I was. What of it?"
Ramba Ral's tone was slightly stiff.
"Don't be so tense. We in the Federation treat our prisoners well... I've recently become curious about his ideology."
Eli stepped back slightly to ensure Ramba Ral couldn't snatch his gun before continuing.
"There's been talk in the Federation about Amuro being a Newtype... So it's inevitable I'd be curious about the man who pioneered that theory."
Eli explained his inquiry to Ramba Ral, providing a convenient justification for a similar question he had previously posed to Sayla.
"You're asking about Newtypes? Sorry, but I don't know much about that."
Hearing Eli's reasoning, Ramba Ral visibly relaxed.
No matter what, it was heartening that someone still remembered Deikun.
"No, that's not my question. What I want to know is—how would Deikun view this war?"
Silence. A long, oppressive silence.
Ramba Ral opened his mouth several times, tempted to utter idealistic platitudes about this war being the future Deikun had envisioned—a struggle for independence by the space colonists.
But every time he was about to speak, he couldn't bring himself to meet Sayla's gaze.
"I don't know..."
In the end, Ramba Ral could only mutter those unconvincing words.
"Judging by your expression, you also believe Deikun would disapprove of this war, don't you?"
Ramba Ral clenched his fists tightly, but his face visibly darkened.
He clearly understood that the actions of the Zabi family would never be endorsed by Deikun.
"Why do you think that?"
As Ramba Ral remained silent, the question came from behind him.
Sayla Mass locked eyes with Eli, trying to discern the truth behind his every word.
"Because I'm from Iffish Island—a space colonist—and yet, here I am, standing aboard a Federation ship."
Eli met Sayla's gaze calmly.
"Or do you think the leader of the space colonists would ever turn their habitat into a weapon of war?"
"He wouldn't. Mr. Deikun would never do such a thing."
This time, Ramba Ral responded.
"Neither would I."
As Eli turned his gaze toward him, Ramba Ral added firmly.
The room fell into a long silence.
Despite standing between Sayla and the princess, the older man felt overwhelmed by Eli's presence.
"I know. Otherwise, when the beam pierced your mobile suit, I wouldn't have hesitated to bring my beam saber down on you."
Eli's tone grew increasingly calm, as though the colony satellite he had just mentioned was not his own homeland.