New Novel: Tokyo Ghoul: A Hunter in Tokyo
...
..
.
Chapter 115 – The Weight of Winning
Gale returned to his mansion after achieving another breakthrough in his research, making every sleepless night of studying feel worthwhile.
"Sleep, study, work, sleep, study, work…" Gale murmured as he walked through the long hallways of his lonely mansion.
This place, once his home, felt empty, since all the members of the Hawthorne family had been sentenced to death for attempting to bury a powerless young heir.
If it weren't for his will to live—to feel that everything he had done was worth it—Gale wouldn't have been able to accomplish things that were now considered miracles for the Island.
Although he had no one with whom to share all his happiness and burdens, Gale felt glad that the future might not be as bleak as he once imagined.
"I can do it…" Gale murmured, when he suddenly felt dizzy and staggered.
"Huu…"
As the tension left his emotions, the strain in Gale's muscles eased, and the exhaustion he had been suppressing suddenly flooded his senses.
The painful throbbing in his head nearly made him lose consciousness.
Yes, Gale felt terrible. But this was entirely due to his own actions, as he had even forgotten to eat in order to meet his goals.
His vision swayed. The moment Gale realized he was about to faint, he relaxed his body. He staggered, and his body tilted to one side.
"Gale!" Historia, who had come to look for him, ran over and caught him, wrapping her arms around his shoulder to support him.
Her warmth was comforting. The softness pressing against his upper body. The familiar scent of the oils she applied daily. And the concern in her gaze.
Little by little, they were both no longer children, and their bond had become much more natural.
Exhausted, Gale tried to calm himself. However, he did not reject Historia's help—on the contrary, he leaned into her, comforted by her presence.
"This is terrible! Are you alright? No, forget that… How could you let yourself get into this state? You should have taken a break!"
"I'm fine. You know I do all of this to keep bad people away from our lives. We're all working very hard and dedicating our lives to this." Gale thought of Erwin, a man who devoted himself entirely to the cause to ensure everyone's survival.
Levi, a man who was the sharpest blade, driving new generations to become extraordinary soldiers and to dedicate their hearts to the battlefield.
Gale was different—he completely lacked the qualities of a warrior. His strength lay in his intelligence. Only by guiding the strong with ingenuity could he ensure that fewer people would die.
He had not killed a single Titan with swords, nor had he been wounded in battle. All the injuries on his hands and body came from failed experiments—steps he had attempted over and over again until he succeeded.
Everyone was waiting for his new projects, and Gale could not afford to fall behind.
"How can you say that…? Never mind, let's go to your room."
"What? My room? Don't you think we're too young?"
"What are you thinking? I'm just going to give you a proper shoulder massage and then force you to eat like I've done before. Stop talking—stay still!"
Her tone left no room for argument as she began pulling Gale toward his room.
Probably due to all the accumulated exhaustion, Gale didn't even realize how he ended up lying on the bed in his room.
"Thank you, Historia…"
"Again… this…"
"What's wrong with that? Just like before, this time it's nothing serious." Gale smiled reassuringly as he gently touched Historia's golden hair that fell over his face.
She looked more and more beautiful in Gale's eyes—perhaps because of the long periods of time they spent apart.
"Come on, eat something." Historia personally went to prepare some food and fed Gale herself.
Seeing how determined she was, Gale didn't refuse. He ate without hesitation from the spoon she held, and only after eating did he speak with her about the things he had seen.
"The sea is beautiful…" Historia could not go to the sea, expose herself to danger, or move beyond the walls.
Her importance to Paradis was what supported the entire people, and that was why she did not have much freedom.
Gale had always thought about that, so after a moment, he said, "I promise I'll let you experience true freedom…"
"I know, Gale. I know you will," Historia murmured through tears as she looked at Gale's hands, covered in cuts, calluses, burns, and bruises.
She knew that even though Gale was not a soldier, he was also fighting difficult battles to give everyone far more than they could imagine.
That was why Historia did not want to become a burden to Gale. She simply stayed by his side in silence, trying not to be an obstacle to him and his efforts.
"Rest… I'm here."