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After the Continental War, the international order faced a wave of great change.
To address the postwar issues, a peace conference was held in Launceston, the capital of Padania. The primary purpose of the peace conference was to signal the beginning of a full-fledged period of peaceful exchange.
However, the foreign ministries of the victorious countries participating in this conference focused their energies on the struggle for vested interests, including the issues of territorial cession and reparations.
In response, Heiner Valdemar, commander-in-chief of the Padanian military, submitted a peace petition to the Peace Conference, urging efforts to prevent a recurrence of such wars and achieve the primary goal of world peace.
The petition was published in domestic and international newspapers and gained support from people around the world.
Meanwhile, discussions on a plan for cooperation between the ministries of the Entente countries, led by Heiner Valdemar, ended successfully.
The League of Nations was founded, and Padanian was recognized as an official language at this conference.
Even in the midst of chaos, time passed.
Military trials for war criminals were still ongoing. The Frances soldiers involved in the Huntingham Massacre were all sentenced to life imprisonment for mass murder.
They were transferred to a prison camp on the island and forced to work for the rest of their lives. They were not eligible for parole or special pardons. Citizens, feeling this was insufficient, demanded the death penalty.
The arrows of wrath were not limited to the soldiers who had directly participated in the battle. The Padanian Restoration forces, which had fled to Frances after the revolution and served the enemy, were also completely destroyed.
The restorationists, including Ansgar Stetter, were severely condemned as traitors to the nation. Strictly speaking, they were exiles, so their actions were not considered treasonous and therefore not subject to legal punishment.
But they had fallen so far from social success that they were beyond recovery. The current atmosphere, if we compare it to the hostility directed at Annette Valdemar immediately after the revolution, is comparable to it.
Ansgar Stetter, with his sagging fortune, took refuge in a small provincial town in France. Unlike Annette, he lacked the protection of the Commander-in-Chief's residence.
Ansgar Stetter, harassed by reporters, eventually moved again. And when public interest began to wane, he committed suicide by shooting himself with a pistol.
Everything was flowing.
There was nothing we could do to turn back the clock. We could only pave the way forward.
Ansgar Stetter
Annette smoothed out the crumpled business card. His contact information and hotel address were written in one corner.
It was the business card she received when she met Ansgar at the official residence. Heiner took it, but it was returned to her when she left the residence after the divorce.
She only received the business card and kept it, but she never contacted Ansgar again. Annette looked at the name on the card with sunken eyes.
She thought he'd live happily ever after somewhere. They'd leave the past behind as memories and go their separate ways.
If she had known he would leave like that, she would have contacted him as a friend at least once.
She should have asked how him were doing one time.
[...Annette?]
A mysterious call came over the receiver. Only then did Annette come to her senses, placing her business card on the table and answering.
“Oh, yes. I’m listening.”
[It is said that his legacy will be returned to the restoration forces. Regarding their treatment, Ansgar Stetter left me a letter...with a message he asked me to convey to you.]
“What are you telling me? Ansgar?”
[Yes, I'll just read it as it is.]
That characteristic low, indifferent voice continued through the phone line without any pitch.
[To my old friend Annette. I'm writing this in the hope that the person I'm conveying these words to isn't your only salvation. I'm sorry. For many things. But I'm not lying when I say I hope you're happier.]
“Take my hand, Annette.”
"Was my mistake still stuck in the past? Our times were ones of chaos and upheaval, so future generations will judge whether my life was ultimately a mistake."
“You can be happier.”
[Annette, you've kept moving forward. I hope the world you see at the end is beautiful... Ansgar Stetter.]
A dry but neat voice put a period.
Annette sat motionless for a long time, holding the phone.
Her friend's suggestion to go with him to Frances felt like a long time ago. Annette stared out the window, mulling over Heiner's voice, which lingered in her ears like a lingering echo.
She couldn't yet be certain whether the world she'd see at the end would be as beautiful as Ansgar had hoped. Perhaps she wouldn't see it in her lifetime.
Whether that world will be beautiful, whether it will be better than before, as he said, will be judged by future generations.
[...what are you thinking about?]
Heiner asked cautiously, perhaps feeling uneasy after the long silence. Annette lightly joked back.
“What do you think?”
[Lie.]
“Yes, that’s a lie.”
[Why don't you admit it right away?]
“Should I have gone to Ansgar’s funeral?”
A brief silence followed the sudden question. Heiner then responded calmly.
[There is no need to give reporters useless bait.]
“...Right?”
Annette smiled bitterly. It wasn't comforting, but it was a realistic answer. The atmosphere had become heavy, so she changed the subject.
“By the way, what is Joseph doing?”
[He'll be in the room.]
“Please change the child.”
[No, I can't. He's doing homework.]
“Homework? What kind of homework?”
[It seems like the teacher asked him to write something like an analysis of his favorite book.]
“What analysis report...?”
"If you enjoyed reading it, why bother analyzing it again?" Annette urged, worried that the child might become unnecessarily stressed about studying.
"Go help him with his homework. Tell him to ask questions if he has any questions. And check his grammar on his homework."
[Homework is done alone.]
“Don’t you remember when you did my public language homework for me?”
During their relationship, Heiner occasionally helped Annette with her foreign language homework. Sometimes, it was more like offering up something than helping.
While Heiner was speechless and closed his mouth, Annette urged him again.
“Quickly.”
[...Yes.]
“...”
[...]
“Aren’t you going?”
[I will go.]
“But why don’t you hang up?”
[You're not quitting either.]
“Hang up first.”
[I don't like it.]
“...”
[I miss you.]
Annette blinked rapidly at the sudden confession, then let out a soft laugh. She spoke with a smile on her face.
“Heiner, spring is coming. What does that mean?”
[My scarf is coming.]
“But do you have time to come to Santa Molino?”
[Even if you can't go, I have to go.]
“What are you talking about? If you don’t have time, don’t come.”
[But the scarf...]
"I can go to the capital, so why do you keep asking me to come? Check your schedule and come when you have time, yes? Otherwise, I'll kick you out. So hurry up and help Joseph with his homework."
Before he could reply, Annette added briefly,
“...I’ll miss you.”
And then she immediately hung up the phone.
Annette hung up the phone and touched her cheek, feeling a bit embarrassed. Her face flushed slightly.
After taking a sip of coffee, she went out to the front door. Opening it, she saw a gate surrounded by a white picket fence. Heiner had personally sent someone to set it up.
Annette took the newspaper and letter from the mailbox and returned inside. She sat down at the table, sipped her remaining coffee, and read the newspaper.
The front page of the newspaper reported the progress of the peace agreement and the official recognition of Padanian as an official language. She read the article carefully and then turned to the next page.
Annette's eyes, scanning the entire second page, were immediately drawn to the right side. She had noticed his last name mentioned in the article's title.
Annette lifted her coffee cup, checking the title. And at that very moment, her hand holding the cup stopped.
Her eyes widened as she double-checked the title. The coffee cup she'd placed carelessly clattered against the stand, making a loud clank.
The coffee splashed loudly and spilled a bit onto the table. Annette grabbed the newspaper with both hands and began reading the article.
The newspaper crumpled in her grip, her hands clenched with all their might. She read the last word, then looked up blankly, then back at the headline.
Commander-in-Chief Valdemar Witnessed at the Hearing Rehabilitation Center
Heiner knocked twice in front of the child's room, waited a moment, and then opened the door.
Joseph, who had been lying face down on the bed doing his homework, raised his head. Heiner sat down on the edge of the bed and said.
“Homework must be done sitting down.”
Joseph shook his head repeatedly. Heiner couldn't tell what he was displeased with.
Heiner tilted his head to check Joseph's homework. Something was scribbled in large letters on the notebook.
“What kind of homework is it exactly?”
Joseph handed Heiner a notebook. Heiner took it and read it.
"1. Who is the main character?
William
2. What does the flower of happiness mean in the work?
Be happy
3. What hardships did the protagonist go through to find the flower?
Hiking, swimming in the river, being cold, being hot...
There was something odd about the answers, but Heiner didn't bother pointing it out. Except for the last question, all of them had been answered. He read the tenth question.
"10. Why did the protagonist return home without picking the flower of happiness?"
To address the postwar issues, a peace conference was held in Launceston, the capital of Padania. The primary purpose of the peace conference was to signal the beginning of a full-fledged period of peaceful exchange.
However, the foreign ministries of the victorious countries participating in this conference focused their energies on the struggle for vested interests, including the issues of territorial cession and reparations.
In response, Heiner Valdemar, commander-in-chief of the Padanian military, submitted a peace petition to the Peace Conference, urging efforts to prevent a recurrence of such wars and achieve the primary goal of world peace.
The petition was published in domestic and international newspapers and gained support from people around the world.
Meanwhile, discussions on a plan for cooperation between the ministries of the Entente countries, led by Heiner Valdemar, ended successfully.
The League of Nations was founded, and Padanian was recognized as an official language at this conference.
Even in the midst of chaos, time passed.
Military trials for war criminals were still ongoing. The Frances soldiers involved in the Huntingham Massacre were all sentenced to life imprisonment for mass murder.
They were transferred to a prison camp on the island and forced to work for the rest of their lives. They were not eligible for parole or special pardons. Citizens, feeling this was insufficient, demanded the death penalty.
The arrows of wrath were not limited to the soldiers who had directly participated in the battle. The Padanian Restoration forces, which had fled to Frances after the revolution and served the enemy, were also completely destroyed.
The restorationists, including Ansgar Stetter, were severely condemned as traitors to the nation. Strictly speaking, they were exiles, so their actions were not considered treasonous and therefore not subject to legal punishment.
But they had fallen so far from social success that they were beyond recovery. The current atmosphere, if we compare it to the hostility directed at Annette Valdemar immediately after the revolution, is comparable to it.
Ansgar Stetter, with his sagging fortune, took refuge in a small provincial town in France. Unlike Annette, he lacked the protection of the Commander-in-Chief's residence.
Ansgar Stetter, harassed by reporters, eventually moved again. And when public interest began to wane, he committed suicide by shooting himself with a pistol.
Everything was flowing.
There was nothing we could do to turn back the clock. We could only pave the way forward.
***
Ansgar Stetter
Annette smoothed out the crumpled business card. His contact information and hotel address were written in one corner.
It was the business card she received when she met Ansgar at the official residence. Heiner took it, but it was returned to her when she left the residence after the divorce.
She only received the business card and kept it, but she never contacted Ansgar again. Annette looked at the name on the card with sunken eyes.
She thought he'd live happily ever after somewhere. They'd leave the past behind as memories and go their separate ways.
If she had known he would leave like that, she would have contacted him as a friend at least once.
She should have asked how him were doing one time.
[...Annette?]
A mysterious call came over the receiver. Only then did Annette come to her senses, placing her business card on the table and answering.
“Oh, yes. I’m listening.”
[It is said that his legacy will be returned to the restoration forces. Regarding their treatment, Ansgar Stetter left me a letter...with a message he asked me to convey to you.]
“What are you telling me? Ansgar?”
[Yes, I'll just read it as it is.]
That characteristic low, indifferent voice continued through the phone line without any pitch.
[To my old friend Annette. I'm writing this in the hope that the person I'm conveying these words to isn't your only salvation. I'm sorry. For many things. But I'm not lying when I say I hope you're happier.]
“Take my hand, Annette.”
"Was my mistake still stuck in the past? Our times were ones of chaos and upheaval, so future generations will judge whether my life was ultimately a mistake."
“You can be happier.”
[Annette, you've kept moving forward. I hope the world you see at the end is beautiful... Ansgar Stetter.]
A dry but neat voice put a period.
Annette sat motionless for a long time, holding the phone.
Her friend's suggestion to go with him to Frances felt like a long time ago. Annette stared out the window, mulling over Heiner's voice, which lingered in her ears like a lingering echo.
She couldn't yet be certain whether the world she'd see at the end would be as beautiful as Ansgar had hoped. Perhaps she wouldn't see it in her lifetime.
Whether that world will be beautiful, whether it will be better than before, as he said, will be judged by future generations.
[...what are you thinking about?]
Heiner asked cautiously, perhaps feeling uneasy after the long silence. Annette lightly joked back.
“What do you think?”
[Lie.]
“Yes, that’s a lie.”
[Why don't you admit it right away?]
“Should I have gone to Ansgar’s funeral?”
A brief silence followed the sudden question. Heiner then responded calmly.
[There is no need to give reporters useless bait.]
“...Right?”
Annette smiled bitterly. It wasn't comforting, but it was a realistic answer. The atmosphere had become heavy, so she changed the subject.
“By the way, what is Joseph doing?”
[He'll be in the room.]
“Please change the child.”
[No, I can't. He's doing homework.]
“Homework? What kind of homework?”
[It seems like the teacher asked him to write something like an analysis of his favorite book.]
“What analysis report...?”
"If you enjoyed reading it, why bother analyzing it again?" Annette urged, worried that the child might become unnecessarily stressed about studying.
"Go help him with his homework. Tell him to ask questions if he has any questions. And check his grammar on his homework."
[Homework is done alone.]
“Don’t you remember when you did my public language homework for me?”
During their relationship, Heiner occasionally helped Annette with her foreign language homework. Sometimes, it was more like offering up something than helping.
While Heiner was speechless and closed his mouth, Annette urged him again.
“Quickly.”
[...Yes.]
“...”
[...]
“Aren’t you going?”
[I will go.]
“But why don’t you hang up?”
[You're not quitting either.]
“Hang up first.”
[I don't like it.]
“...”
[I miss you.]
Annette blinked rapidly at the sudden confession, then let out a soft laugh. She spoke with a smile on her face.
“Heiner, spring is coming. What does that mean?”
[My scarf is coming.]
“But do you have time to come to Santa Molino?”
[Even if you can't go, I have to go.]
“What are you talking about? If you don’t have time, don’t come.”
[But the scarf...]
"I can go to the capital, so why do you keep asking me to come? Check your schedule and come when you have time, yes? Otherwise, I'll kick you out. So hurry up and help Joseph with his homework."
Before he could reply, Annette added briefly,
“...I’ll miss you.”
And then she immediately hung up the phone.
Annette hung up the phone and touched her cheek, feeling a bit embarrassed. Her face flushed slightly.
After taking a sip of coffee, she went out to the front door. Opening it, she saw a gate surrounded by a white picket fence. Heiner had personally sent someone to set it up.
Annette took the newspaper and letter from the mailbox and returned inside. She sat down at the table, sipped her remaining coffee, and read the newspaper.
The front page of the newspaper reported the progress of the peace agreement and the official recognition of Padanian as an official language. She read the article carefully and then turned to the next page.
Annette's eyes, scanning the entire second page, were immediately drawn to the right side. She had noticed his last name mentioned in the article's title.
Annette lifted her coffee cup, checking the title. And at that very moment, her hand holding the cup stopped.
Her eyes widened as she double-checked the title. The coffee cup she'd placed carelessly clattered against the stand, making a loud clank.
The coffee splashed loudly and spilled a bit onto the table. Annette grabbed the newspaper with both hands and began reading the article.
The newspaper crumpled in her grip, her hands clenched with all their might. She read the last word, then looked up blankly, then back at the headline.
Commander-in-Chief Valdemar Witnessed at the Hearing Rehabilitation Center
***
Heiner knocked twice in front of the child's room, waited a moment, and then opened the door.
Joseph, who had been lying face down on the bed doing his homework, raised his head. Heiner sat down on the edge of the bed and said.
“Homework must be done sitting down.”
Joseph shook his head repeatedly. Heiner couldn't tell what he was displeased with.
Heiner tilted his head to check Joseph's homework. Something was scribbled in large letters on the notebook.
“What kind of homework is it exactly?”
Joseph handed Heiner a notebook. Heiner took it and read it.
"1. Who is the main character?
William
2. What does the flower of happiness mean in the work?
Be happy
3. What hardships did the protagonist go through to find the flower?
Hiking, swimming in the river, being cold, being hot...
There was something odd about the answers, but Heiner didn't bother pointing it out. Except for the last question, all of them had been answered. He read the tenth question.
"10. Why did the protagonist return home without picking the flower of happiness?"
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