God Eater 3 Character Novel | In the Name of the White Flower: Chapter 7
[image id: A novel cover. Hilda Henriquez from God Eater 3 stands in the foreground. In the background are profile shots of Abraham Gadolin (top left) and Werner Gadolin (bottom right). Separating the two are a pair of red armlets, streaks of dried blood overlaid on top of them. The text, when translated into English, reads, “God Eater 3 Character Novel | Chapter 5: Hilda Edition | In the Name of the White Flower”. /end id]
This is a fan translation. Original text here.
Masterpost 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9
Finally, using existing satellite bases as footholds, a new safe haven for humanity was born.
"To be a beacon of hope even amidst an invisible sea of ash."
With this wish in mind, the bases came to be known as "Ports".
As more and more Ports were built, those who had lost their homes were gradually taken in and protected, but...
The chaos in various regions had still not subsided completely. Coupled with the sloppy and hasty transfer to Ports, much of the technology monopolized by Fenrir had leaked.
Those not accepted into Ports and forced to live in fear of death clung to a glimmer of hope, using leaked technology to carry out aptitude tests in poorly maintained environments.
These aptitude tests resulted in a large number of casualties among the civilian population. At the same time, the growing number of unregulated God Eaters not under Gleipnir's control started to cause problems.
To resolve the situation, it was necessary to establish the development of AGEs as soon as possible.
However, even the second-generation AGE aptitude test targeting children had failed to produce stable results over the long term.
Taking advantage of the increase in unregulated God Eaters, Gleipnir set a high reward for any information regarding AGE development and internal information on the Ashlands.
A combination of factors had led to an outbreak of child hunting across northern Europe with no end in sight.
The loss of so many lives slowly but surely clouded regular God Eaters' sense of value for life.
But still.
Even now, finally, people could grasp hope.
After repeated second-generation experiments, we succeeded in developing the "P53-c Bias Factor", adjusted for use in the Ashlands.
Regular God Eaters, who had only been able to sit on their hands thus far, could now operate within the Ashlands.
The AGEs who had survived early aptitude tests had improved their skills as soldiers. Gleipnir could finally organize a unit tasked with conquering the Ashlands.
The "Anti-Ashland Armored Wall" developed during research into adaptive bias factor.
This was used in the construction of mobile fortresses called "Ash Crawlers".
The "Resonance Radar" was the culmination of Oracle communication technology perfected by my father.
With all preparations complete, Gleipnir announced the execution of the "First Ashlands Conquest Operation".
As Gleipnir's primary base of operations, Port Arrowhead continued undergoing expansion.
It was there that I now stood.
"Werner..."
Just before the operation began, I rushed to my lover.
Having been administered with P53-c bias factor, the one taking command of the Ashlands Conquest Operation was none other than him.
"Hilda... You came to see me off..."
It had been a long time since we last spoke like this.
Since the incident where the children from the facility had been forced to take the AGE aptitude test, we had gradually begun to see each other less and less.
"...How are the children in your care? Are they alright?"
"...Yes, thanks to you."
I now lived in a shelter where I took in orphans, including Amy, as well as children too young to take the AGE aptitude test.
Perhaps because Werner had helped arrange things, no one had come to ask me to hand them over.
Amy, almost as if in imitation of Iris, had begun to look out for the younger children. Her speech was also showing signs of improvement, little by little.
"They are precious lives that will live on into the future. With you, I am certain they will grow up happy and healthy."
Werner smiled gently, as though his words had come from the bottom of his heart.
"Werner, please be careful..."
"Of course. I'll make sure this operation is a success, and that they remember the AGEs we fight alongside are the true hope that will lead humanity. They aren't to be taken lightly."
Werner clenched his fists as he spoke, a fiery look in his eyes.
The operation would be broadcasted live. It was widely reported that the AGEs taking part in this battle were new heroes born out of countless sacrifices.
If this operation was successful, the treatment of AGEs would undoubtedly improve.
"Finally... The day of atonement has finally arrived. With this operation, I will set everything right."
"So then, you still..."
To repay the children who died...
"...It's time. Please wait for me, Hilda. I'll take everything back."
Werner's hand was on my shoulder as he spoke. Then he set off, his footsteps heavy.
I could only stare at his back as it receded into the distance.
The large fleet departed, heading for Fenrir HQ, swallowed up by the Ashlands.
My feet carried me to Governor-General Gadolin.
"Hilda..."
The control room was filled with countless large monitors.
Though it wasn't perfect, you could get a good look at the battlefield from here.
"Governor-General, I know this is a selfish request, but..."
"Are you prepared to see your loved ones on the battlefield?"
As the governor-general spoke, I couldn't help but clench my fists.
As if I'd ever wish to see such a sight.
But this was as close as I could be to him as he fought under an enormous pressure he couldn't hope to bear.
I leveled a determined gaze toward the governor-general.
"...I see. Very well. You may stay."
Was it just my imagination, or was his face tinged with an unfathomable sadness?
The operation had begun.
The route of the Ash Crawlers was cleared by the resonance radar.
Beacons were placed at safe relay points.
Sighs of admiration were exhaled as AGEs, red armlets shining on both arms, sliced through Aragami with such skill that it was hard to remember they were children.
Werner, leading the young heroes in their charge, seemed quite spirited as well, even through the monitor.
Without a doubt, Werner had been eagerly anticipating this bout.
He must have staked everything he had on this day.
The regular God Eaters seemed fired up as well, returning to combat for the first time after so long.
After so many sacrifices, God Eaters had once again united in the Ashlands.
One of the monitors showed people outside watching the live broadcast with bated breath.
The return of their heroes brought cheers from the spectators.
For a single moment, everyone shared a sense of unity, soaring through despair as they sought the same hope.
Then it happened.
"...! We're getting abnormal readings from the AGEs' vital signs! What is this...?"
The monitor showing the troops marching to the front lines detected something unusual.
"The AGEs' Oracle Cells are becoming extremely activated! These numbers... They're far greater than the armlets' control capabilities! What... It's spreading!"
In the chaotic control room, a single AGE was displayed on the monitors.
As their scream pierced the air that had been filled with hope, both of their armlets shattered.
The AGE's body was devoured by Oracle Cells from the inside out. In the blink of an eye, they transformed into something grotesque, letting out a terrifying roar.
Two, three... like ripples on a pond, the AGEs transformed into Aragami one after another and began running wild.
"All of the deployed AGEs are going berserk! All Ash Crawlers, cease operations immediately! If this continues...!"
I couldn't move a single muscle as the tragedy unfolded on the other side of the screen.
The AGEs that had undergone Aragami transformation had taken on an eerie appearance, shaped by the resentment of discarded children. With a ferociousness that could only be described as vengeful, they advanced on the regular God Eaters.
Within a matter of minutes, the entire unit was wiped out.
"...Werner?"
"Communications lost; status unknown!"
Fresh blood and a system error. The large monitors were all dyed a brilliant red.
The control room was filled with nothing but alarms and warning sounds. A great despair took hold.
"No..."
None of us could accept the reality before our eyes.
"...You can't be serious."
One of the regular God Eaters watching the broadcast spoke.
"This is supposed to be the hope of humanity? This is what so many of our comrades died to create?!"
"No... There's no way all our efforts produced monsters like this!"
Voices filled with doubt and hatred spread through the people, all directed toward AGEs.
The hearts of those who had been filled with hope just a few minutes ago.
They had taken on an ugly hue.
"...Father, can you hear me?"
At that moment, a heavy voice echoed through the control room.
Governor-General Gadolin, who had been silent up until this point, rose to his feet, as though being pulled by strings.
"I'm alive... All the rampaging AGEs... have been dealt with."
I gasped as the full weight of his words hit me.
The video feed still displayed nothing, but a voice that seemed to echo from the depths of hell continued to explain the situation with an eerie calm.
"My ship is still operational. I'll follow the beacons and return."
"Werner!"
I couldn't help but shout his name.
But he didn't respond.
After a silence that seemed to last for an eternity, communications were cut off.
A few hours later, a half-destroyed Ash Crawler returned to Arrowhead.
Werner, completely changed, descended from the ship alone.
His uniform was completely stained with blood. A cross-shaped wound marred his face. The fiery red of his hair was now mixed with the color of ash.
And finally, an additional red armlet adorned his left arm.
"...Welcome back, Werner."
Governor-General Gadolin was the first to greet Werner.
No other voices welcomed the hero's return, however.
Voices of accusation—laying blame for this historic defeat—echoed instead.
"...Enough."
Werner's voice, commanding as it was, was lost in the desolate rage.
"Werner... Did you take the AGE aptitude test?"
"...The only way to stop the transformed AGEs was to use their own God Arcs to slay them. ...Without the adaptive bias factor, there would have been no way for me to wield them all safely."
Werner's voice was horse as he spoke. As I listened, a trickle of tears rolled down my cheeks.
He had wished to save the AGEs more than anyone else.
And yet, to slay those very same AGEs, transformed into Aragami, he had been forced to become an AGE himself.
"Father, please... Put an end to this cycle that twists people's hearts."
Father and son locked gazes. An unyielding silence ensued.
Then—
"...My path won't change, Werner."
Hearing his father's words, Werner quietly closed his eyes.
"...In that case, I want nothing more to do with you."
As though he had reached his limit, Werner collapsed to the ground and lost consciousness.
I followed closely as he was carried away by the medics.
Only the governor-general remained, standing alone in the center of endless vitriol.
The cause of the AGEs going berserk was a lack of control on the part of the armlets.
The Oracle Cells of the AGEs, who possessed stronger combat and resonance abilities than previous God Eaters, had been activated beyond expectation by prolonged fighting within the Ashlands.
It was believed that the armlets' control had been disrupted, and the Oracle anomaly was transmitted through the Ashlands, causing a chain reaction.
In response to these results, an enhanced armlet was quickly developed. Aptitude tests for third-generation AGEs using paired armlets began in various locations.
The new armlets were fitted with a function meant to restrain AGEs, similar to handcuffs. Apparently, this had been a top priority.
In Ports all over the region, the treatment of AGEs had become harsher than ever. The utopia we had envisioned had become a prison, where children were sent off to a hell known as the Ashlands, and more were built every day.
"...How did you know I'd be here?"
When I received the news that Werner, who had been asleep and not allowed visitors, had woken up, I headed here instead of his hospital room.
A hangar lined with Ash Crawlers.
He'd come at midnight, under the light of the green moon, just as the guards had finished their rounds.
"...Are you leaving?"
I had known he would.
As long as he resided within a Port, his wish would never come true.
I had come here determined to stop him, no matter what.
But when I saw him standing before me, my resolve wavered.
Wounded and worn, yet there was still a flicker of obsessive fire in his eyes.
Only within such flames would he be able to forgive himself.
"...How ironic. The happiness we spoke of that day... I never thought this would be the true form of our utopia."
Werner looked down and muttered to himself in a scathing tone.
I didn't want him to leave.
I wanted to cling to him, beg him to stay by my side.
But then I realized how much that would hurt him.
If I took his hand, one of us would have to abandon our wish.
Werner met my gaze, his eyes filled with countless emotions.
Because we knew each other deeply. Because we respected each other more than anyone else.
Neither of us could close the distance.
After a long, long silence, both of us trying to clamp down on our hearts.
I slowly looked away from Werner.
"I'm sorry..."
His back receded into the distance.
The remains of our dream disappeared into the ashes of this burnt-out world.
I was certain I would regret this moment for the rest of my life.
Even so... I had to accept it.
Perhaps this was my punishment for being unable to do anything.
Around dawn, I finally returned to my room.
Inside, Amy and the children were sleeping, huddled together.
I was relieved. I didn't want the children to see my face right now.
Exhausted, I sat down in a corner of the room.
Only now did I realize how much their presence had saved my heart.
Everything... Everything was gone.
All I had left was my own sense of helplessness.
Even the sleeping faces of the children, who kept my fraying heart from unraveling completely, now seemed to bring about anxiety for the days to come.
I had no idea how to protect them from people's hatred.
My burnt-out dream had crumbled to ashes within me. Would I ever be able to bring smiles to these children's faces again?
Just as I felt my empty heart would be crushed by the weight of reality—
Suddenly, my eyes landed on Amy's sketchbook.
Although she was slowly regaining her ability to speak, her sketchbook was still an important part of her, helping her express her thoughts and feelings. Normally, I tried to avoid touching it as much as possible.
But right now, even if only for a moment.
I wanted to touch someone's heart.
"...!"
The moment I opened it, I saw Iris's gentle smile as she reached her hand out to me.
Was this Amy's memory of her first day at the facility?
Every detail was carefully and meticulously drawn.
The children who had lived in the facility.
It depicted fragments of memories that I had forgotten without even realizing.
Amy must have understood what the children were going through right now.
The drawings were filled with dreamlike scenes, overflowing with kindness.
I turned to the last page. There, I found—
"Amy..."
Me, Werner, Iris, and the other children.
The picture showed our smiling faces surrounded by blooming white flowers.
It depicted the utopia I had once envisioned.
The dream entrusted to this child by her family still lived on in her heart.
That dream was surely being conveyed to the sleeping children huddled together.
Nothing was lost. The dream I shared with my family was still here.
"Please... Don't give up."
An encouraging voice filled my mind. I could feel the warmth of a promise coming back to life in the palm of my hand.
If I gave up now.
Those irreplaceable days. The smiles of those who saw hope within our dream. All of it would be lost.
I couldn't let that happen. I would never let it happen.
"I...!"
On my own feet. By my own will. I would stand up with my own strength.
I felt a small flower sprout within my ashen heart.
