Three days passed in the blink of an eye!
December City District 1
Felix's Military Apartment at Headquarters
Hearing the beeping notification sound while gaming, Felix set down his controller and picked up his phone from the table. His fingers swiped across the screen, revealing the message content. After quickly scanning through it, Felix smiled.
'Time to proceed to the next step.'
...
Junius City, District 7
Meer's Residence
"Miss Clyne!"
A voice filled with surprise and excitement echoed through the house.
Lacus stared blankly at the woman who looked almost identical to her, though her upbringing allowed her to calmly shake hands and greet Meer.
"Hello!"
Turning to Felix, Lacus asked with a serious expression mixed with confusion and slight displeasure.
"Felix, you owe me a reasonable explanation for this."
"This is the body double I found for you!"
Felix stated frankly.
Hearing this, Lacus was momentarily stunned before immediately rejecting the idea.
"No!"
"Miss Clyne, I'm doing this voluntarily."
Before Felix could respond, Meer expressed her stance. Lacus looked at Meer, her expression still stern as she maintained her refusal.
"This is my own matter. How can I drag you into it? If anything were to happen to you, I could never forgive myself."
"Lacus!"
Felix's voice grew stern.
When Lacus turned to face him and saw his serious expression, she started to speak but Felix continued first.
"Lacus, these preparations aren't just for your sake - I've made them for myself too. I've had several encounters with your Clyne family before. After we complete what needs to be done, Patrick will inevitably grow suspicious of me as well.
I need to completely eliminate any doubts in his mind!"
Taking a deep breath, Felix added.
"And the best way to dispel that slight suspicion is to capture you afterward. Me personally arresting you would be the perfect proof."
Looking calmly at Lacus, Felix then asked.
"Are you planning to abandon what you want to accomplish and let me capture you directly?"
"I..."
Her lips parted to form the word "I," but no further words emerged. Glancing between Felix and Meer, Lacus silently bowed her head.
Sensing Lacus's inner conflict, Meer smiled, took Lacus's hand, and comforted her.
"Miss Clyne, I understand you're reluctant to involve me in this matter. But I'm participating voluntarily - I also want to contribute my part to peace."
Hearing this, Lacus looked up at Meer and noticed the faint shadow of sorrow in her eyes. Just as she was about to speak, Meer's slightly melancholic voice sounded again.
"I'm not as intelligent and capable as you, Miss Clyne. The only thing I can do is help you safely continue your struggle for peace."
Looking at Lacus, Meer spoke in a subdued voice tinged with pleading as she made her request.
"Please don't refuse my goodwill, alright? Miss Clyne."
Hearing this, Lacus pressed her lips together before speaking with deep regret in her voice.
"I'm very sorry for involving you in this."
Meer shook her head, a sincere smile appearing on her face.
"Miss Clyne, I'm doing this voluntarily. And I'm genuinely happy to be able to help you."
As she spoke, Meer suddenly remembered something. Releasing Lacus's hand, she turned and ran toward her room. Watching Meer return to her room, Lacus glanced at Felix.
"What's her name?"
"Meer Campbell."
Felix replied after looking at Lacus.
Hearing this, Lacus silently repeated Meer's name several times in her mind before raising her head to look at Felix with a hint of reproach in her eyes.
"You handled this matter quite abruptly. If I hadn't agreed, were you planning to proceed with that matter through Meer anyway?"
"Exactly!"
"Your answer is quite straightforward. Aren't you afraid it might damage our cooperation?"
Hearing Felix's blunt response, Lacus smiled and countered. Turning to face Lacus, Felix wore a confident smile and spoke with conviction.
"I believe our cooperation won't be broken."
Hearing this, Lacus fell silent.
Seeing her silent expression, Felix knew she understood perfectly well who held the dominant position in this cooperation.
Just as Lacus remained silent, Meer emerged from her room carrying several posters in her arms. Holding these posters, she approached Lacus with eyes full of anticipation.
"Miss Clyne, could you give me your autograph?"
"Of course, no problem."
Snapping back to attention, Lacus looked at the posters in Meer's arms and responded with a gentle smile, agreeing readily. Just as she was about to look for a pen, she saw that the well-prepared Meer had already handed one over.
Taking the pen Meer offered, Lacus began signing each of the posters one by one.
After signing the last poster, Lacus suggested taking a photo with Meer. Meer temporarily declined this request and asked,
"Miss Clyne, could we wait until after this matter is settled and I've had my appearance restored through plastic surgery before taking the photo?"
Hearing this, Lacus smiled gently and nodded.
"Of course we can."
Saying this, Lacus turned to look at Felix and spoke without ceremony,
"I'm going to chat with Meer in her room. You can wait outside."
"Fine! Fine!"
Looking at Lacus, Felix knew some of his ideas hadn't been entirely fair to her, so he agreed readily. Hearing this, Lacus took Meer's hand and went into Meer's room.
Seeing the two enter the room, Felix sat on the sofa and quietly watched television.
While watching the program, Felix took his phone from his pocket and swiped his finger across the screen.
「Is everything secure outside?」
「Don't worry, Captain. Everything's secure.」
「Good. Report immediately if there's any suspicious activity.」
After replying, Felix put his phone back in his pocket and turned his attention to the television program before him.
Over an hour later,
Lacus emerged from Meer's room.
"Meer, rest well here for now. Once everything is settled, we'll have a proper chat."
Lacus paused, looking at Meer beside her and speaking gently. Meer nodded in response.
"Mm!"
Gazing at Lacus, Meer expressed her concern.
"Lacus, please be careful."
"I will."
Hearing this, Lacus smiled warmly, tucking the concern deep in her heart as she replied.
...
More than ten minutes later,
At Kira's location
"Kira?"
Seeing Kira there, Lacus showed a hint of surprise in her expression, exclaiming softly.
Kira was equally surprised to see Lacus.
"Lacus?"
"Since you two have met before, I won't waste words on introductions."
Noting their mutual surprise, Felix spoke up at that moment. Upon hearing him, both turned their gazes toward Felix.
Kira's gaze was particularly intense.
Felix glanced at Kira and continued.
"Kira, when the time comes, Lacus will take you to retrieve the power I've entrusted to you. Your task will be to use that power to go to Earth and, when necessary, prevent ZAFT's attack on Josh-A Base."
"What exactly constitutes 'when necessary'?"
Kira asked in response.
Felix explained to Kira,
"That necessary moment is when you learn of the Cyclops System—you must issue a full military broadcast to ZAFT."
"Cyclops System?"
Hearing the system's name, Kira felt a strong sense of unfamiliarity and couldn't help muttering under his breath.
Seeing the confusion on Kira's face, Felix smiled slightly before explaining the Cyclops System to him in detail.
As the explanation gradually sank in, Kira fully grasped the terrifying implications of the system's activation. His expression turning serious, Kira looked firmly at Felix and vowed,
"Bro... brother, don't worry. I will definitely inform ZAFT and do everything I can to stop their attack."
"If it doesn't feel natural, you don't have to call me that."
Hearing Kira's awkward address of "brother" again, Felix reminded him with a light laugh. Lacus, overhearing this, glanced at Felix and teased playfully,
"Felix, I recall you used to deny it before! How come you're suddenly acknowledging the relationship now?"
"We only confirmed it recently."
Meeting Lacus's teasing smile with an unchanged expression, Felix replied calmly. Noting her lingering curiosity, he added,
"Our situation is rather complicated. I'll explain it to you in detail when we have more time."
"Alright then!"
Hearing this, Lacus tucked her curiosity away and asked no further questions.
Over ten minutes later,
Kira stood up and returned to his room.
After Kira left, Lacus turned to Felix, a trace of worry rising in her heart.
"With all the preparations we've made, I wonder if we'll succeed."
"Don't worry, we will definitely succeed."
Looking at her, Felix smiled confidently and replied with certainty. Hearing this, the worry on Lacus's face did not diminish as she glanced at Felix and said,
"I'm not talking about the preparations we've made so far, but about ending the war and achieving peace."
"That's what I'm talking about too," Felix replied, continuing, "You've already done so much. Naturally, I won't let your efforts go to waste. What you hope for, I will definitely make it succeed."
Hearing this, Lacus looked up at Felix and saw the confident and sincere smile on his face. Seeing such a smile and recalling Felix's words, she couldn't help but feel a surge of emotion.
"Are you moved by me?"
Noticing the expression on Lacus's face, Felix's smile shifted as he teased her.
Hearing this, Lacus looked at the teasing smile on Felix's face, and the emotion in her heart instantly vanished. Rolling her eyes at Felix, Lacus retorted,
"You've already shattered it."
"What a pity."
Hearing this, Felix shrugged and expressed regret.
After this exchange, the atmosphere between them suddenly fell into silence. They sat quietly on the sofa, neither wanting to break the calm.
Time passed minute by minute, until the chime of the clock on the hour shattered the quiet between them. Lacus glanced at the clock, stood up, and said,
"It's getting late. I should go now."
"Be careful on your way."
Looking up at Lacus, Felix reminded her.
Nodding, Lacus looked at Felix and asked,
"Aren't you leaving yet?"
"I'm taking a different route, so don't worry about me."
Looking at her, Felix replied with a smile.
Hearing this, Lacus didn't ask further. She nodded to Felix, adjusted her disguise completely, and strode out of the house.
After Lacus left, Kira, who had been hiding in the room, came out. Sensing Kira's movement, Felix turned to look at him.
Meeting Felix's gaze, Kira spoke directly.
"Brother..."
"I told you, you don't have to call me that if it doesn't feel natural."
Seeing the slightly awkward expression on Kira's face, Felix reminded him again. Reminded, Kira smiled awkwardly and continued,
"What's your relationship with Lacus?"
"Like-minded companions!"
Seeing the gossipy look on his face, Felix rolled his eyes and replied.
Hearing this, Kira seemed somewhat skeptical and pressed further.
"Really?"
"Do I look like someone who's interested in another person's fiancée?" Felix looked at Kira with exasperation.
As he spoke, Felix stood up, straightened his clothes, glanced at Kira, and said,
"I've already told you everything you need to know. All you have to do now is wait for Lacus to arrange for someone to take you away from here." At this point, Felix's tone shifted as he added a reminder. "As for what to do afterward, I think you already understand."
"Yeah, I understand."
Nodding, Kira replied with a serious expression.
Then, Kira suddenly remembered something he had wanted to ask earlier and immediately spoke up.
"There's one more thing I wanted to ask you."
"Ask away!"
Looking at him, Felix spoke calmly.
Hearing this, Kira voiced the question in his heart.
"It's about what you said earlier about knowing me very well."
"What's there to ask about that?" Felix replied, looking at him, then added. "Knowing you well means exactly what it says. Beyond the literal meaning, there's no other implication."
At this point, Felix looked at Kira and continued calmly.
"Kira, I've known of your existence since long ago. My understanding of you began very, very early." As he spoke, Felix's smile carried profound meaning. "And this 'early' is earlier than you could possibly imagine."