Chapter 20: Undersea.
The next day Leila was watching TV in her living room, when suddenly a voice called her:
"Leila!"
She looked up and saw Akito in the company of Oscar Hammel.
"Lieutenant Colonel Hammel has come to visit you."
"Yeah, I'd like to talk to you ... In private."
"I leave you alone." The boy bowed and took his leave.
Oscar sat down on an armchair and said:
"I'm sorry to disturb you."
"There is no reason. To what do I owe your visit?"
"I'm afraid we're at a dead end ..."
"I'm afraid too ..."
"Can I suggest, Colonel Breisgau, that a republic certainly cannot survive in such a troubled world?"
Leila looked at him bewildered.
"I'm sorry?"
"The old republic has collapsed as much for Britannia's attacks as for internal ailments, as widespread corruption and inefficient bureaucracy. To prevent the mistakes of the past from happening again ... If we want the nation to thrive and become great, its weakness must be balanced from within by the strength of a powerful and charismatic personality, which would be ennobled in the eyes of the world if only it assumed the title of empress of Europe."
"And that personality should be me, right?"
"There is no better person than you. The people venerate you, and would gladly accept your coronation." The man said.
Leila snorted, then stood up and looked firmly at her interlocutor.
"Lieutenant Colonel, I think I can answer you in all honesty. Your proposal would cause the worst possible damage to my poor homeland. You could not have found a person less prone to your intrigues. For this I beg you: if you have respect for your homeland, for yourself and for posterity, and maybe even for me ... To throw these thoughts out of your mind, and never to confess, neither to yourself nor to anyone other, feelings of such nature. "
Hammel was silent for about a minute, then raised his hands in surrender:
"As you wish, I will not insist. Now sorry, but I have to go back to my duties."
"I wish you a good day." She greeted him coldly.
The man stood up, greeted militarily and left the room.
At the same time, a helicopter was flying over the Atlantic Ocean; on board was Ayano, who at one point said:
"Stop, here will be fine!"
"Ok!" Replied the pilot.
When he stopped, the girl opened the door and threw the apple into the sea; she watched her as she disappeared into the waves, without saying a word.
"Are we finished?" The man asked.
"Yes, now we can go back to Paris!" She replied, closing the door.
After a few moments the aircraft turned on itself and headed for the mainland.
END