Azimuth: The Elden Throne (New Version)

Chapter 290 To Control one's Emotions

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/Later, in the real world…/

/Beep…/

[User has disconnected, initiating log-out procedures] 

/Bloop.../

Inside a large white room full of strange machines and computer servers, a girl could be seen floating the Neuryne Solution.

[Quick System Check: All systems normal]

[Current body condition: Within expected parameters, considerable increase in mental stress since last diagnosis scan]

[A progressive increase in the mental state has been documented]

[Further scans show no immediate signs of concern, if it continues to rise, seek medical attention]

[It's safe to continue]

/Bloop! Blub.../

/Shuaa!/

Under the order of the system's operatives, the solution was drained rapidly as bubbles rose chaotically from the bottom of the machine.

Within a few seconds, it all went away into the drains, leaving the girl floating in the air, her black hair swaying around.

/Open…/

Her eyes were the first and only thing to move, opening slowly as she blinked gently.

She didn't try to do anything else, knowing full well it would only interfere with her recovery.

[Initiating motion recovery functions]

/Zip…/

The girl felt a tingling sensation all throughout her body, something that always made her laugh because it was no different from a tickle.

But now, for some reason, she wondered…

When was the last time she had actually laughed at it?

/Beep!/

At that moment, from the other side of the room, a fortified, sliding double door opened, and a woman wearing a strange suit stepped out from within.

She looked middle-aged, her hair was slightly gray at the roots but she wasn't elderly yet.

She had perfect posture and her steps were rhythmic.

She had a gentle look on her face, and her glasses made her look kind, but from her appearance as a whole, she was definitely a strict person.

/Bzzz!/

Behind her, a small but cute circular robot robot flew in the air as it spun around, it seemed rather playful but the woman paid it no heed.

/Stop…/

She stopped beside the glass pod the girl was suspended in, turning her head to look at a terminal before she started typing at high speeds.

/Open… SHUAAA…/

With a few commands, the Pod opened, releasing the pressure within like a torrent of air in a storm.

/Float…/

With it, the girl slowly descended to the ground, stepping on it with one foot at a time in a rather fantastical and elegant way.

"Welcome back Miss Mei." She said in a low and formal tone as she gave the girl her hand so she could stabilize herself

"... Thank you." Mei replied 

"Hm?... Is something the matter dear, you look a bit pensive." She asked with some concern as she approached Mei, taking a look at her complexion

/Bzz!/

Meanwhile, the robot flew behind her had several appendages unloaded from within its body, from there on it started to dry her hair while humming… Terribly.

Albeit neither of the two paid it any heed, already far too used with the robot's terrible habits.

"Hum... Is it the reason you logged off early?"

"... I lost." The girl said in a low and slightly trembling tone, as if embarrassed by her own words

She could still feel it.

In their final bout, the two of them went at each other with their own strongest attacks.

But in the end, she was overwhelmed by the light, and with it, a feeling of emptiness struck her body.

Pain... A lot of it, but only momentarily.

Following that, she logged off.

"?!"

/BZ-BZ-BZZZ?!/

Both the woman and the robot seemed shocked to hear what Mei just said.

However, the maid kept her calm and instead smiled. Seemingly proud.

"I see, you lost."

"..."

/Pat/

"Don't be discouraged, failure is just part of the journey, reflecting and improving upon one's loss is what turns a mistake into a learning experience." She said as she touched her head gently

"..."

"Hum... It looks like to me you need something sweet to brighten your day, how about I prepare you a nice lunch while you go talk with your father?" She asked as she touched her shoulder

"... Okay."

The girl felt like a little child, but honestly…

It wasn't so bad.

/BZZ!/

With the little robot spinning around her head excitedly, she couldn't help but blurt out a small smile as well, surprising both again.

But they did not say anything about that this time.

…

Under the guidance of the robot, she walked around the confines of her home through a multitude of metallic white corridors before eventually stopping by a large wooden door.

It didn't quite fit in with the rest of the aesthetics of the place, as if she had gone from Sci-Fi to a Traditional Rustic setting…

/Knock…/

"Enter." 

/Creak…/

But as she walked inside, her feelings were exacerbated.

A large Office with dozens of shelves and spacious enough to be used as a classroom, decorated with all kinds of old artifacts and strange objects encased in protective glass and metal.

She had many memories of the place… Both good and bad ones. Though the bad ones were just memories of her being scolded for touching some of the restricted items and relics on the shelves, which led to her breaking most of them…

Together with memories of... People she could not forget.

Never.

"Hm?... Ah, Mei Me… Cough..."

"Hm… Are you well? It's been a while… Cough..."

Sitting in front of a massive window stood a man with broad shoulders and wide muscles.

He had short brown hair pulled back into a sleek style together with a formal black uniform that seemed a bit too small for his body.

But despite his size, he had a rather welcoming look as he took off his small glasses, placing them aside.

Strangely enough, this man seemed a bit embarrassed to face the girl, he had difficulty stringing together the words to give his daughter, trying to speak in a way he couldn't quite nail down.

He seemed to have a lot going on in his mind, and he just couldn't pull forth any into the world.

"I… I lost." The girl said slowly but firmly this time as she looked directly into his eyes

"..."

/Smile…/

The moment she said that, the man's worries all washed away as he relaxed on his chair, looking at her with a fatherly smile, saying:

"Congratulations."

"..."

Seeing her stupefied gaze, the man couldn't help but feel a bit emotional as well, but after thinking for a while, he got up from his seat, taking a step towards her.

/Hug/

He gave her a strong and wide bear hug, pulling the girl into his embrace.

And although she resisted at first, there was no way she could use any strength... Not against him.

Though even if she could, would she be able to free herself from his grasp?

"... Child, you've put too much weight on your shoulders, you should spare some of it to me." He said deeply as he patted her back

"Don't take it as a breach of your promise, I still remember it all too well..."

"Take it as the beginning of a new story, the first line on a new page, the progression of a Chapter into a new one."

"Heroic fairy tales do not begin with the Hero winning, they all start with a loss."

"This is the end of the Prologue... Congratulations on writing the first line of this Chapter." He said with a smile as he patted her head

/Ring Ring Ring!/

Just when it seemed the girl was going to hug the man back, atop his office table, something started to ring continuously.

"... I'm sorry child, father is still in the middle of work." He said with a half-broken smile as he took a step back

"If you wish to talk more about it… I'll wrap things up here and open some time for tomorrow."

"For now… Rest a little and log back in… I'll settle things here for your re-entry into the Tower." He said as he looked around the place

"... Thank you." Mei said with a light nod as she turned around

"Father."

/Clack/

"..."

Hearing her call him that almost made the man cry, how long had it been since she called him that?

He hadn't heard it ever since…

"Hm… Sigh."

'Anyway… Who's calling at this time?…'

/Bzz!/

Suddenly, a video projection opened on its own in front of his face, revealing an old man with a sharp expression.

"So it was you… Couldn't you have chosen a worst time to call? I was in the middle of important business, Roger." The man said in a snarky tone as he sat down on his chair

"As if, the only thing you do all day is stamp those boring papers, you look more like a retired veteran than me."

"You should reconsider your life choices while you're still young." Roger replied as he shook his head

"Young you say… I already have a daughter over 20, I'm not at that age anymore, my time adventuring ended long ago." He said with some melancholy as he shook his head

His time fighting had long since ended and he looked at the past fondly, but he still felt very proud of everything he built, and above all, his daughter.

"Here in ten years, you'll understand what I'm talking about." Roger added as he crossed his arms

"In any case, you must've heard the news by now."

"I did... I was in the middle of hearing them directly from one of the involved." The man said with some annoyance as he tapped on the table

"Hm… I see, so I have indeed interrupted you, I apologize."

"At least you have some conscience in you… But in any case, what is this call about? You know that I'm busy, I can't speak like this for long."

"Can't speak... You're so stingy…"

"But well, I imagine you haven't forgotten what we talked about last time, did you?" Roger asked with a faint smile

"..."

The man remained silent, knowing full well where this conversation was going now.

"Well, I'll give you time to think, I'm not obliging you into anything, but do take it into consideration." 

"... I will, that was my promise after all."

"Good… That was all I wanted to say."

"Take care of yourself up there, just because you're far away, that doesn't mean you'll remain unaffected." Roger said as he turned to the side, looking somewhere outside of the camera's field of view

"You can't run away from this… No one can."

"Everyone's moving already, you should as well, before it's too late to catch up."

"..."

"I hope you have a nice week… Former Third Ranker." Roger said with a chuckle as he closed the video call

"... Don't call me that…" The man said as he turned his chair around, looking at the scenery outside the window

There, a wide modern city expanded to the horizon, and above him, a bright 'star' shone strongly.

Earth.

'Not when I failed… I've abandoned that Title.' He thought silently as his face twisted

/Tremble…/

His anger continued to rise, more and more, his eyes eventually turned red, and the entire Office started to shake.

[DIN DIN DIN DIN]

[EMERGENCY]

/~Music~/

"... Phew…"

When dozens of lights started to sparkle around his Office, and a piece of soothing music started to play, he closed his eyes, calming down.

And when he did so, he turned around, going back to his work.

He needed to pull his attention away, otherwise, he wouldn't be able to keep his cool.

His Curse and Blessing.

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Notes