History & Guilt

Aether's voice turned icy, causing Flora to halt her movements in the kitchen abruptly.

She cast a concerned gaze at Aether, who sat slumped on the sofa, his head bowed.

Her expression was clouded with sadness, and she let out a small sigh.

"Yes, it's true that the news spread rapidly recently, and many people had a hard time believing it, but the reality is that the three federations accepted the peace request from the Alvers Empire on Mars," Flora replied softly.

She carefully removed her apron, draping it over a hook.

Stepping into the living room, she settled beside Aether, whose face was etched with gloom.

With tenderness, she wrapped her arms around him and affectionately ran her fingers through his white hair.

"Are you still carrying the weight of guilt and blame for Mom's death?" Flora asked, her voice tinged with melancholy.

Aether clenched his teeth, the memories of thirteen years ago flooding back into his mind.

"Yes... I still can't shake those feelings of guilt because it's my fault that Mom died."

The devastating fire left people and cars in its vicinity incinerated and destroyed, and the source of this havoc was one of the Genesis machines, which had come to invade Earth.

"Genesis," as the name implies, was a technology discovered by the humans dispatched to Mars in 2050.

This group of a hundred people embarked on a mission, serving as a test to determine whether Mars could sustain life and potentially become humanity's next home.

The mission was based on environmental studies, advanced technology, and an ample supply of various foods sufficient to ensure their survival for decades, as the project aimed to assess Mars' habitability.

This ambitious endeavor received worldwide support, with countries uniting to fund projects designed to offer humanity a chance at a future on the red planet.

However, what most hadn't anticipated was that on the red, desolate planet, there lay remnants of ancient powers and advanced civilizations hidden deep beneath its surface.

This development spurred the hundred humans sent as test subjects to delve into its study.

Remarkably, within a mere century, they mastered the astonishingly advanced technology, establishing the first human civilization on Mars.

They proudly christened themselves "high-level humans" and founded the initial Martian empire, known as the Alvers Empire.

Their most formidable achievement was the discovery of the technology named "Genesis," an ancient technology that allowed them to harness the full potential of Mars.

Regrettably, despite their advancements, Mars lacked the resources to satisfy their ambitions, leading to growing discontent.

Their gaze shifted back to their homeworld, Earth.

Intent on conquering Earth and converting it into a base for their expanding civilization, the Martians viewed Earthlings with disdain, considering them a separate species due to their arrogance and overwhelming power.

Facing the might of the Martians, all nations on Earth attempted to unite, but their efforts proved futile against the Martians' advanced Genesis technology.

As a result, the powerful nations of the world were annihilated, and the remnants came together to form a union known as the Federation.

The war had raged on for fifty long years, and the human race on Earth had not only advanced but also adapted to the Genesis invasion.

They established a renowned robot unit tasked with protecting Earth, known as the "Dremon," with those who piloted these machines being called "Guardians."

Among the Guardians was Flora, Aether's own sister, serving in the eastern region battalion under the jurisdiction of one of the three federations, the Arcana Federation.

Upon seeing Aether, who appeared even more distraught, Flora tenderly kissed his forehead and gently raised his face to meet her gaze.

"Aether! Please listen to me!" Flora's eyes radiated deep concern.

"I'll say it again: Mom's death wasn't your fault. If you keep blaming yourself, how do you think Mom would feel in the afterlife? Do you want to keep causing her pain by tormenting yourself like this?" Flora's tears flowed freely as she wiped away hers and caressed Aether's face gently.

"So, please, don't do this to yourself and find your happiness, okay?" Flora's gentle plea sparked a realization in Aether, and he let out a small sigh, guilt washing over him for making his big sister cry.

"Alright, I'm sorry, big sister." He took Flora's hand and offered his apology.

Seeing Aether's improvement, Flora immediately smiled and nodded.

"Alright, then let's have breakfast. If you delay, you'll be late," Flora said as she rose from the sofa and began preparing food at the dining table.

Aether nodded and got up from his seat.

The two of them enjoyed their meal in silence until the television in the living room suddenly broadcast news that made Aether freeze.

"Tomorrow, one of the two imperial princesses of Alvers, Princess Sharon, will arrive on Earth to serve as a witness and representative of Mars in the peace negotiations between the two planets!"