Siverfale
Auto-translated
Before Sapphiros's death, Parphinora visited him in his cell. They talked for a long time – about morality, about good and evil, about honor, about duty. All these things were discussed as abstract concepts; no one's name or personal experience was ever mentioned. As the girl was about to leave, Sapphiros asked her a naive question, one that was not typical of him:
-Where is justice, Parphinora?
The aristocrat was silent for a moment, and then gave the answer that Sapphiros had known all along:
-There is none.
***
Parphinora did not ask the Empress for anything. The only thing she truly and sincerely desired was something Rynze could not give her. Very soon, she left the armed forces of the Rhemic Empire. After returning the money she had once borrowed from Moriner, she visited the military cemetery, where she paid her last respects to her classmates, colleagues, and teachers.
***
Using the money she had saved from her officer's salary, as well as the proceeds from the sale of the "Lacuna," Parphinora went to Thiaral, where she founded a private military company. "Black Hearts" proved to be extremely effective mercenaries, always completing any task they undertook. Nevertheless, their reputation was tarnished by the fact that they had no moral boundaries in their work – no task was too dirty, no victim too innocent.
Many subordinates knew about Parphinora's military career, and one day someone called her "Major." The nickname stuck and soon became the aristocrat's official title within the organization.
There are unconfirmed rumors that if, during an operation, the Major encounters a girl who resembles the Empress of Rhema in appearance or manner, she orders her to be dealt with with particular cruelty.
***
***
***
***
Initially, I had two other endings in mind – a "happy ending," where Parphinora fulfills her life's quest, marries a wealthy aristocrat, restores the glory of the von Fleckss name, and, as a bonus, names her first son Imir, and a "bad ending," where she experiences a complete psychological breakdown and, unable to live in the new, happy world, puts on her military uniform, shoots students at the academy of idols, and commits suicide. Both of these endings seemed not quite right to me and did not fully satisfy me. Fortunately, I remembered Thiaral and realized that Parphinora had a third path.
-Where is justice, Parphinora?
The aristocrat was silent for a moment, and then gave the answer that Sapphiros had known all along:
-There is none.
***
Parphinora did not ask the Empress for anything. The only thing she truly and sincerely desired was something Rynze could not give her. Very soon, she left the armed forces of the Rhemic Empire. After returning the money she had once borrowed from Moriner, she visited the military cemetery, where she paid her last respects to her classmates, colleagues, and teachers.
***
Using the money she had saved from her officer's salary, as well as the proceeds from the sale of the "Lacuna," Parphinora went to Thiaral, where she founded a private military company. "Black Hearts" proved to be extremely effective mercenaries, always completing any task they undertook. Nevertheless, their reputation was tarnished by the fact that they had no moral boundaries in their work – no task was too dirty, no victim too innocent.
Many subordinates knew about Parphinora's military career, and one day someone called her "Major." The nickname stuck and soon became the aristocrat's official title within the organization.
There are unconfirmed rumors that if, during an operation, the Major encounters a girl who resembles the Empress of Rhema in appearance or manner, she orders her to be dealt with with particular cruelty.
***
***
***
***
Initially, I had two other endings in mind – a "happy ending," where Parphinora fulfills her life's quest, marries a wealthy aristocrat, restores the glory of the von Fleckss name, and, as a bonus, names her first son Imir, and a "bad ending," where she experiences a complete psychological breakdown and, unable to live in the new, happy world, puts on her military uniform, shoots students at the academy of idols, and commits suicide. Both of these endings seemed not quite right to me and did not fully satisfy me. Fortunately, I remembered Thiaral and realized that Parphinora had a third path.
Where do we go?
Where do we end up when we save the world?
Where do we end up when we save the world?