Dialogue/(Old) Rose that Blooms atop of Lotus 2-6

Translated by Khosen

Ev 2-6 - Rose that Blooms atop of Lotus

Commander:

With the thick smoke covering my vision, they were nowhere to be seen.

JangHwa! HongRyeon! (Choice)

I yelled towards the smoke that seemed like it ate away their existence.

Steel Draco:

They’re both fine!

Commander:

As the haze slowly began clearing up, Draco showed up wielding her shield as high as ever.

HongRyeon:

Draco, thanks for protecting us.

JangHwa:

But I am your enemy, why are you protecting me? I was literally going to kill you all!

And yet, why are you all doing this to me?

Steel Draco:

I protected you because I wanted to. That’s all.

JangHwa:

You don’t understand it do you?

This feeling when I’m protected from a being I despise the most, especially when I haven’t been able to accomplish anything…

This void I’m feeling right now, where everything I tried so hard all went in vain!

Bulgasari:

Urgh, they’re still coming at us.

Team Leader, I don’t think we can hold them off any longer.

HongRyeon:

JangHwa, we should really retreat now.

Commander:

And yet, she took out her explosives, and started walking towards the Iron Parasites.

JangHwa:

You guys go.

HongRyeon:

You’re being ridiculous! You’ll just die like this!

JangHwa:

Don’t you get it?

Because of you I lost my sole purpose in life.

So what am I supposed to live up to now?

I really don’t want to think right now, I just want to rest...

Commander:

She spoke in a very weary, soft voice.

HongRyeon:

No! That can’t be!

JangHwa:

Stay where you are!

One more step, and I’ll blow this up.

So just leave me alone, and get out of here.

Commander:

With that, she headed to face the overwhelming wave of Iron Parasites by herself.

It was only a matter of time until her body got covered with wounds from the attacks she received.

She seemed so fragile, and just a single touch seemed like it could break her apart.

We’ll back you up! Go help her! (Choice)

HongRyeon:

Yes Commander! Mongus Team! Commencing with resque plan S.

Bulgasari:

I’ll open up a path, cover me.

Commander:

Bulgasari began charging towards the Iron Parasites.

Bulgasari:

Draco, a little help!

Steel Draco:

I got this side covered!

Mom! Go save her!

HongRyeon:

Thank you everyone.

Commander:

HongRyeon grabbed the short window of opportunity created by those two and ran towards JangHwa.

JangHwa:

Shit, these things are endless!

HongRyeon:

JangHwa!

JangHwa:

You...what are you, I told you not to come.

HongRyeon:

I’m here to bring you home.

JangHwa:

Bring me back home? You mean you want to accompany me in the afterlife?

Get lost! Just seeing your face drives me crazy!

HongRyeon:

I’ll take your fears, and your pains.

So don’t give up!

JangHwa:

I don’t want to live anymore. My life’s over…

HongRyeon:

Are you really going to give up like this?

Perishing without resisting, is that what you really want?

What do you want to do? What do you truly desire!?

JangHwa:

What I desire?

Commander:

JangHwa slowly closed her eyes.

JangHwa:

I want to feel…

I want to know what it’s like being loved by someone.

HongRyeon:

I’ve been waiting to hear that from you.

It’s better late than never, come with us.

JangHwa:

But I, who’s been just destroying everyone’s life...am I worthy…?

Am I worthy of being loved?

HongRyeon:

You don’t have to prove your worth to be loved.

Everyone who’s seen the light of this world all deserves it. And that includes you too…

Commander:

HongRyeon reached out towards her again.

JangHwa:

I, I deserve it?

HongRyeon:

Of course.

So don’t give up and fight. You need to be alive to repent, and be loved by someone.

Commander:

JangHwa slowly held HongRyeon’s hand

JangHwa:

…! Move!

Commander:

Suddenly, JangHwa pushed HongRyeon away.

HongRyeon:

Get hold of yourself JangHwa!

Commander:

Despite their relentless efforts, Mongus Team was slowly getting out numbered.

Steel Draco:

There’re just too many of them, it's too much!

Bulgasari:

Team Leader!

HongRyeon:

We secured JangHwa, it’s time to pull back!

After the battle

Commander:

The team managed to break through the enemy line and returned.

But JangHwa was dead quiet, in the arms of HongRyeon.

HongRyeon:

We’ve returned, Commander.

She got hit pretty hard. She was trying to protect me…

Commander:

HongRyeon seemed like she was about to burst into tears.

I told the members onboard Orca to prepare to take JangHwa and treat her.

Take her back so she can get proper treatment. (Choice)

HongRyeon:

Thank you very much, Sir…

Pinto:

I’ll stay around and take care of the rest, you can head back first with Draco.

HongRyeon:

Everyone, I’m sorry…

Commander:

I gave orders to the troops to pull back to the designated location.

Pinto, would you check if any of our members are Isolated? (Choice)

After a few skirmishes, Pinto reached out.

Pinto:

Commander, everyone made it.

Commander:

I’ve confirmed her words and opened my mouth.

Then wipe them out. (Choice)

As soon as my sentence ended, the Iron Parasites met their maker through carpet bombing.

When the dust settled, the scene was dead quiet, filled with nothing but ashes.

Bulgasari:

They’re gone, that’s for sure…

Miho:

It’s not over, some of them made it alive.

Commander:

Why don’t we leave the rest to others, let’s go back. (Choice)

I asked the others to take care of the rest, and came back to Orca with the Mongus Team.

As soon as JangHwa arrived, she was sent to the restoration room immediately.

All the procedure went flawlessly, but with all the fatigue her system was experiencing, JangHwa didn’t wake up for a while.

Just in case of emergency, I decided to disarm her, and have the Mongus Team guard the doors.

And as I was about to forget that everything happened, I heard a knock on my door.

Come in. (Choice)

HongRyeon opened the door and came in and...

JangHwa:

…

HongRyeon:

I brought her as per your request Sir.

Commander:

As soon as my aide-de-camp saw her, she immediately protected me from any potential danger.

JangHwa:

I have no intention to fight. If I did, I would have done so as soon as I woke up.

Commander:

Think you can walk now? (Choice)

JangHwa:

I was just tired. My motor skills weren’t compromised.

Commander:

Then how about you and I have a little conversation?

I signalled both of them to take a seat

JangHwa:

About what?

Commander:

Mind sharing how your life was like before the Iron Parasites appeared? (Choice)

JangHwa:

I engaged in terrorist activity as a part of Empress’ Hound, a team created for the sole purpose of serving our Empress.

I wanted to gain her recognition, but she never gave me any attention.

When I first saw HongRyeon - someone who looked exactly like me - and was getting recognition and appreciation I never got, it

really got on my nerves.

I was always ignored and looked down upon, and yet her sole existence would gain recognition from others.

So…

HongRyeon:

That’s when your obsession began…

JangHwa:

Yeah, guess it was just a tantrum.

Commander:

And after the Iron Parasites appeared?

JangHwa:

I was ordered to protect my Empress so I stood tall and fought till the end.

But despite my efforts, my Empress just fell into an endless sleep.

After that, I was wandering the world, and just ended up here.

Commander:

You weren’t with the others? (Choice)

JangHwa:

I always worked in solitude. Even the rare occasion when I did work with another Hound member, it was for a brief moment, when we

were told our mission.

And since the team only existed to serve the Empress, we neither had a way of communicating nor thought of a reason to do so.

Commander:

Think the rest of the team will be hostile? (Choice)

JangHwa:

I do not know what their final orders were, so I can’t confirm nor deny.

Commander:

It’s better safe than sorry, I should probably investigate them.

HongRyeon:

What do you want to do now JangHwa?

JangHwa:

Well, I will try to live that’s for sure.

But with the Empress gone, I don’t know how to fill this emptiness.

He may not be the one who used to give you orders, but we do have our Commander here.

I’m sure he’ll give you the attention and love you were desperately seeking for.

No matter what you’ve done in the past, our Commander will understand, and treat you fairly.

As he does to everyone else.

Commander:

They both stared at me.

JangHwa:

You trust him a lot don’t you.

HongRyeon:

He’s always so caring, and respectful to us.

He’ll be there for you when you're at the lowest, and he’ll also celebrate when something good happens…

Myself and my children will be with you too, you have nothing to worry about.

Commander:

Why don’t you stick around for a while. (Choice)

JangHwa:

Uh Sure-

…

HongRyeon:

I’ll leave you alone for now and bring her back with me.

Commander:

Tell me if you need anything. (Choice)

JangHwa didn’t say anything, and simply hung her head.

She spent some time with the Mongus Team as she decided to stick around for the time being.

But when we thought she was beginning to open up, she told us that she had decided to leave.

Though bummed out from her request, we did our best to prepare for her departure.

HongRyeon:

Take this bag with you, it has the necessary supplies you might need.

JangHwa:

...Yeah.

HongRyeon:

Are you sure you don’t want to reconsider? Do you really want to leave?

JangHwa:

...There’s just too much blood on these hands, so how can I have the audacity to chase my own happiness.

I don’t deserve it…

I was really happy when I was with you guys, but I just need some time for now.

HongRyeon:

We’ll be around here for a while, so feel free to reach out if something happens.

JangHwa:

Yeah. One day…

You’re acting like a mom… stop it, I’m leaving now.

... See you again, big sis.

Commander:

As the two departed towards their own different path, the two sisters exchanged their goodbyes.

But on her way back, HongRyeon was wearing a smile, rather than sorrow.

Don’t you think it’s a shame that she’s not joining us? (Choice)

HongRyeon:

I would be lying if I wasn’t feeling the same way.

But that’s okay. I’m sure we’ll see her again some day…

I can just tell.

Like you and the children, JangHwa and I are…

Family.

Rose that Blooms atop of Lotus END