Volume 3 Chapter 13 Probe
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
In the end, with no progress on the Stanford case, Mr. George brought me, Ms. Claudel, and Sheena to the secret base in Nevada, as we couldn’t just wait around in Japan.
It’s been over a decade since Ms. Claudel and Stanford last saw each other, and he wouldn’t have recognized him if not told.
His hair and beard were unkempt, and his face was gaunt and haggard.
Apparently, he was found wandering in the snowy mountains of Quebec, Canada, and taken onto a train.
According to Dr. Mathius, Stanford is adamant about going to New Jersey and refuses to talk about anything else.
The only thing he has is a small urn, presumably containing the ashes of his loved one.
New Jersey was the hometown of his lover, Dr. Cattleya Moore.
Perhaps he intends to build a grave there…or maybe he plans to die there himself.
The military, with the cooperation of the Canadian government, searched the area around where Stanford was found for a gate, but nothing has been found.
Well, it’s a remote area, deep in the mountains, and it’s winter, so it’s not surprising if it’s not easily found.
Stanford glanced at Ms. Claudel and quickly averted his gaze.
”Hey, Mr. Stanford. My face should be familiar to you, right? I’m also from the other side, like Ms. Claudel here. Please, tell us how you got here. We want to use that information to return home.”
”……I have only one request. Take me and Cattleya to New Jersey. I won’t say another word about anything else.”
Dr. Mathius speaks up.
”Mr. Stanford, depending on your level of cooperation, the military is willing to accept your terms. It’s not a plea deal, but if you’re willing to cooperate with the AWC, we’ll do our best to accommodate your request.”
”I refuse. I won’t let my tails waggle any of the people involved. I have nothing to hate them. So if you don’t like me, just execute me quickly. So with Cattleya I wish you could just bury me.”
”Oh dear. You’re being awfully stubborn, aren’t you?”
According to Dr. Mathius, this has been the pattern; the conversation goes around in circles.
”Dr. Mathius, could you please leave me alone with Mr. Stanford? I’d like to talk to him privately.”
”Mr. Yuuta, do you have a plan? I don’t mind, but no violence, please.”
The interpreter remained, while Dr. Mathius and Ms. Claudel left the room.
”Mr. Stanford, I’m begging you. Please tell me what you know… tell me, please!” I said, bowing my head to the floor.
”Hmph. So this is the famous Japanese ‘dogeza,’ huh? Well, whether you bow or get punched, my feelings won’t change. I hate everything related to the Gate that took Cattleya away from me!”
”I think I understand how you feel.”
”Hmph. What do you know? You managed to survive over there and made it back here safely. That should be enough for you!”
”But my dearest love is over there… and my daughter too. To be honest, I don’t care about you or what happens to you. But please, I beg you. I want to go back there. I want to meet and hold Ms. Akari and Karin! Please, tell me what you know. I’m begging you…”
”……”
I continued my bowing, and it must have been more than 5 minutes.
Stanford, who had been silent all this time, stood up and placed his hand on my shoulder.
”So, you feel the same way I do… no, it’s different. You know your loved one is alive over there… I envy you… Alright, Yuuta, I’ll help you because of you.”
”Oh… thank you… Thank you so much!”
* * *
”I see. So, the interpreter back then was your wife, and you two were sent to the other side alone, and that’s where you had your child. I can understand why Yuuta wants to go back. So, because of Yuuta, I’ll tell you what I know. After this, set me free and send me back to New Jersey.”
Dr. Mathius responded to Stanford saying that he understood.
Stanford has already been moved to a large room, where we, the labs and military personnel gather.
And Stanford has begun talking about how this story is going chronologically.
”I was picked up by the Imperial Army, and joined the teleportation research team as a gate engineer and worked on research into capturing naturally occurring gates.”
”Oh, but I don’t know about you,” Sheena says.
”Ah. You’re the little sister of Liutenant Reina who was sent to you. I’m probably not aligned with you. But even so, she lived well. If she find out that, the second lieutenant will be happy.
The second lieutenant wants to find you. So, it’s no exaggeration to say that she was continuing her research on the gates.”
”We’ll talk about the details later. First, let me explain the main points”
Dr. Mathius encouraged Stanford to continue the conversation.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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