Edwin Lunar Chapter 88: The Lost Headquarters

Read chapter 88 of Edwin Lunar by MananTayal on NovelPedia.

Nobody spoke for several seconds after Groader revealed the existence of the original Orion headquarters. The place had become a legend. According to every history record, the headquarters had been destroyed during the final stages of the Great War. Entire documentaries had been made about its fall. Military academies taught it as one of the greatest losses in galactic history. Yet Groader had just dismissed all of that with four words. "That's another lie." Carl finally broke the silence. "I am officially tired of history." Groader laughed. "You and me both." Humming folded his arms. "I suspected the headquarters survived." Groader raised an eyebrow. "You did?" "The records surrounding its destruction never matched." A faint smile appeared on Groader's face. "Good. At least one of us was paying attention." For the first time since his release, the atmosphere felt almost normal. Almost. Then Groader's expression became serious. "We leave tomorrow." Edwin frowned. "Tomorrow?" "Yes." "The Observer already knows I'm free." The room became silent. Nobody doubted that statement. If the Observer truly had manipulated events for centuries, the destruction of the Red Box would not go unnoticed. "The headquarters contains information you need." Groader looked directly at Edwin. "Information Wingard intended you to discover." The mention of his father immediately caught Edwin's attention. "What kind of information?" Groader hesitated. "Answers." That was all he said. Yet somehow Edwin understood. The original headquarters wasn't simply another location. It was the next step. Perhaps the final step before learning the complete truth. The next morning spread through the academy like wildfire. Groader's existence was no longer a secret. Nobody knew the details. Nobody knew where he had come from. Nobody knew why Headmaster Humming suddenly appeared beside a mysterious warrior wearing ancient Orion armor. But rumors traveled quickly. Very quickly. By breakfast, half the academy was talking about it. By lunch, everyone was. Students filled the corridors whispering excitedly. Some stared openly whenever Groader walked past. Others looked confused. A few looked frightened. Most simply looked curious. The man himself seemed completely unaffected. He moved through the academy with calm confidence, as though he had never spent decades trapped inside the Red Box. Edwin eventually found him standing near one of the academy gardens. Groader was looking at a memorial statue. Wingard's statue. The largest monument on campus. For several moments neither spoke. Groader simply studied the statue. Finally he smiled. "They made him taller." Edwin blinked. "What?" "Your father." Groader pointed. "He wasn't that tall." For the first time Edwin laughed. The image of someone complaining about a legendary hero's statue height felt absurd. Groader chuckled. "History always exaggerates." His smile slowly faded. "He would have hated this." The statement surprised Edwin. "Why?" "Because Wingard never cared about being remembered." Groader looked toward the sky. "He only cared about protecting people." The words felt genuine. Not the stories found in books. Not the legends. A real memory. A real friend remembering someone he had lost. For a moment neither spoke. Then Edwin asked the question that had been bothering him. "Did you know my mother well?" Groader became quiet. His expression softened slightly. "Yes." The answer came immediately. "She was one of the smartest people I've ever met." A faint smile appeared. "She also terrified politicians." Edwin laughed. "Really?" "Oh yes." Groader nodded. "Edlin had a habit of asking questions nobody wanted answered." The smile disappeared. "And eventually she asked the wrong one." The atmosphere changed instantly. Edwin noticed. "The Observer." Groader nodded. "The Observer." Silence followed. The name seemed heavier every time it was spoken. Eventually Groader looked directly at Edwin. "Your mother saved the galaxy more