Mission 97 (
Summary[]
A morning after Eden Academy's end-of-term party, the students have left for their break, leaving the staff at the campus. Henry Henderson greets Cecile Hall's Dorm Mother, who teases him about his dance with Martha Marriott during the gala, to which Henry replies that Martha is simply an old friend.
A young Martha's ballet performance
Going back to the past, Henry, an eleventh-year student in Cecile Hall, attended a talent show for his dorm's New Year's party. There, he witnessed Martha, who was in her eighth year and transferred through a scholarship thanks to her talent for ballet. Henry was greatly impressed by her performance and loudly applauded it, being the first time he ever said "elegant." After the talent show, Martha gained many friends, while Henry lost some for his outburst and was nicknamed "Mr. Elegant."
The two reunited when Martha encountered Henry during his private teatime at the school garden. When questioned, Henry explained to Martha that, as an Imperial Scholar, he is allowed this privilege, which amazed her. Henry reluctantly invited Martha to join him for a cup, which she eagerly accepted. From that point on, Martha would visit Henry at his spot in the mornings before her dance practice to hang out, and although Henry's quiet and lonely world was intruded upon, he did not mind her company.
Martha saves Henry
During Henry's final year as a student, he was attacked by a fellow student, Falco, and his two friends, who disliked him. While Henry was adamant about not fighting back, he was rescued by Martha, who fought off the delinquents, and Henry ended up punching one of them to protect her. Henry scolded her for her actions and became distraught when she pointed out that he did the same, running to his teacher and reporting his and the delinquents' inelegant acts.
Henry decides to become a teacher
To Henry's surprise, his teacher decided to let the incident slide due to Falco's family being an important supplier of munitions for the military. He also reminded the young man to stop boycotting his military training courses, making him remember the current tension between the East and West. After the incident, Henry pondered how he could claim to be a gentleman now. He came to the conclusion that, through education, he could help end conflicts, whether it be petty fights or global war, by properly educating the youth into proper characters. As such, he decided to become a teacher and attend the Berlint University of Education. Henry asked Martha if she would pursue a career in ballet, but Martha told him that it would depend on how she does in her ballet competition, noting that she does not come from a wealthy family like Henry, though Henry corrected that statement.
Shortly before Henry's graduation, he and Martha once again sat together for tea like usual. They chatted about how their tea parties would end after Henry graduated, and he instructed her to work hard to become an Imperial Scholar so she could continue their tradition with her friends. Suddenly, Martha asked Henry if he had plans to invite anyone to the dance at his class graduation party. Henry obliviously rejected the notion, too focused on his ideals and goal to change the world to notice Martha's feelings.
Martha and Henry reunite
In the present, Martha is telling her and Henry's story to Becky, though she does not disclose Henry's identity. Becky is shocked that she let him leave without ever confessing her love. Martha explains that she did not understand "love" or realize her feelings toward him until he left.
Two and a half years after Henry's graduation, Martha, now a thirteenth-year student and an Imperial Scholar, attended an assembly with her peers for their final term. The assembly introduced new faculty, starting off with Henry, who has now become a History teacher. While Martha was surprised by his reappearance, their reunion would be interrupted by the war.
Characters[]
Trivia[]
- On page 8, Martha tells Henry that "Human beings are animals," something Becky similarly told him in Chapter 25.
- During Henry's graduation ceremony, what appears to be a younger Matthew McMahon can be seen behind him.
- The chapter illustration is a reference to Chapter 72's illustration.
- According to Endo, the story featured in this chapter was originally intended to be an extra chapter, but it was too long, so he converted it into main chapters.[2]
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