Music plays softly in the background.

It’s the kind of solemn yet lively music you’d expect at a formal ceremony, subtly filling the Secret Room. There was no host or master of ceremonies, just five people gathered in the room. Henry Brayton cleared his throat lightly and began speaking in a voice more serious than ever before.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to offer a prayer on this special day."

"Lord, our protector and guide, we gather here to offer our prayers. Bless this ceremony today through Your grace."

As Henry's voice filled the room, everyone except for Eugene stood up. Logan, Henry, Lorentina, and Owens all looked ahead solemnly, with all traces of the earlier lightheartedness gone from their eyes. Only Eugene, still bewildered, swallowed nervously and carefully moved to stand beside Henry.

"Sergeant Eugene Lee is a brave soldier, an outstanding member of Task Force Dagger, and a friend. Through her efforts in operations North Spears, Torch, Steel Rain, and countless others, she played a pivotal role in restoring America's freedom. Even after going missing, she fought relentlessly on the front lines."

The speech had been rehearsed countless times, despite Henry's packed schedule filled with debates and preparations as a key figure in his presidential campaign. He had barely managed to find time to practice these words.

If only her dedication had been in this world, how wonderful that would have been. But Henry was not yet president, and this was not a public ceremony meant to be broadcast to the world. It was a secret gathering, never to be revealed.

Yet, in front of him, the Medal of Honor waited inside a simple wooden box labeled "MOH," a testament to the struggle and effort the Secretary of the Army, the Department of Defense, and the Undersecretary of Defense had poured their careers and lives into.

It wasn't just the four people in this room who recognized her dedication. To this day, she was remembered by countless individuals holding critical positions that upheld the very foundation of America.

The speech continued.

"...Such dedication will be honored through the greatest honor we can bestow, the Medal of Honor. She risked her life to protect her comrades until the very last moment. By presenting her with this highest of honors, we hope her legacy will continue to inspire others."

Eugene swallowed hard. Her face flushed red. Her breathing became more ragged, and she opened her mouth as if to speak, but no words came out. This was the moment when the first and greatest gift, which everyone but Eugene had carefully hidden, was finally revealed to her.

Despite trying to suppress it, she couldn’t hide her dramatic change in expression. With each word from Henry, the truth that had been hidden began to unravel, unlocking the emotions she'd kept tightly sealed.

Henry’s prepared speech was nearing its conclusion.

"...For freedom, for those who defended it, and for the blessings of God, we give our thanks. Amen."

Thud.

Everyone but Henry sat down.

Eugene, too, still unable to fully express her emotions, sat with her breathing uneven, her gaze fixed on Henry, who was overseeing the ceremony.

After the speech, Henry, the future presidential candidate who would soon rise to the highest office in this nation, wet his throat with sparkling water in preparation for his next address. Everyone in the room, like Eugene, felt the weight of the moment.

"...I extend a heartfelt welcome to all those gathered here today. It is truly an honor to stand alongside Task Force Dagger, a group that fought on the front lines to bring freedom and justice back to a fallen America, even if not everyone remembers the past."

At that moment, Henry took Eugene’s hand.

His hand was firm, bearing the weight of years. It couldn’t match the overwhelming strength of a Manifestor, but it carried decades of life and experience. Time itself seemed to weigh down Eugene’s hand.

But all the gratitude was directed at her. The way Henry, a senator and future leader of the United States, looked at her was not just as one person to another, but as a solemn and sincere gesture from a leader of a great nation to a true hero.

Tears began to stream down her face.

At that moment, a hologram appeared from the white walls of the octagonal room, which had previously held nothing but a painting.

As if it had been planned, Henry spoke again.

"Vice President, Secretary of State, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, Secretary of Defense, USSOCOM Commander, and all military personnel... today we are honoring a true hero. Without your dedication, this moment would not have been possible."

"Secretary Janet..."

Task Force Dagger.

Icarus’ sharpest sword, the firefighters of the front lines, the torchbearers of freedom... Despite the overwhelming odds brought on by the inherent manpower shortages, the original four core members had succeeded in countless operations without losing a single life.

They patched up a shattered New York, reclaimed Connecticut and Maine, and restored order in Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington, D.C.

The same four people who had never once wavered since the beginning were gathered in this octagonal room—it was, in a sense, like awarding the entire Task Force Dagger the Medal of Honor, with Eugene as their representative.

As the hologram’s mute lifted, the numerous American leaders present began to speak to Task Force Dagger.

After the Vice President and Secretary of State, Janet G. Harper, the Secretary of Defense, spoke.

"...Eugene. Logan. I still remember when the temporary Department of Defense building was attacked. Although I don’t have scars on my body, I remember how a steel beam pierced through my ribs and narrowly missed my spine. I also remember how the two of you shielded me from the incoming rocket with your bodies."

Gulp.

In the quiet that followed, Janet held up a piece of paper.

It was the official approval form for the Medal of Honor.

"The only thing you needed to stand here today was a pen and my signature. But the ink I used to sign it was the blood you shed while helping America stand back on its feet. I won’t forget that. May freedom, honor, and God’s blessing always be with you."

As the hologram began to fade, a digital signature hovered in the air.

It had been projected by Eugene’s Icarus Gear, which was strapped to her wrist. It glittered in front of Henry, waiting for him to act. Though he wasn’t yet the president, Icarus Gear didn’t seem to care.

The device had been set with Henry registered as the 48th President of the United States.

Thus, he now held presidential authority that he technically shouldn’t have, wielding control over the great ship of America one year and one month ahead of schedule.

His thumbprint was scanned, and the Icarus Gear confirmed.

-[Notice: Thumbprint verified // Henry Michael Brayton.] -[Notice: Do you approve the awarding of the Medal of Honor to Sergeant Eugene ‘Viper’ Lee in your capacity as President?]

"I approve."

Simultaneously, the digital signature dissolved into the air, and Eugene officially earned the right to wear the Medal of Honor.

Henry exchanged glances with Owens. Slowly, he rose from his seat, gently picking up the Medal of Honor that had been quietly resting without a rightful owner.

Tears streamed down Eugene’s face, no longer just a few drops but a full flood.

"And now... it is my great honor to present the Medal of Honor to Sergeant Eugene Lee."

Henry carefully passed the medal to her.

Eugene bit her lip, trying not to make any noise as she cried, but tears continued to pour down her face, her flushed skin, and tear-streaked eyes betraying her emotions completely.

After handing over the medal, Owens gently placed his hand on Eugene’s head.

"You’ve worked so hard."

"Sob... Thank... you..."

Overcome with emotion, unable to hold herself up, with tears still streaming down her face, Eugene felt Henry's trembling hands reach behind her neck, fastening the Medal of Honor around her.

It rested over the black suit she had sent in advance, the blue ribbon gently encircling her neck, and beneath it, thirteen stars glistened. Below them was the brilliant eagle, clutching the stars of the Medal of Honor.

The highest honor of the United States, awarded to so few, now hung around Eugene’s neck.

───!

The sound of applause from the four people filled the room like a massive wave, as Henry, smiling, wiped Eugene’s tear-streaked face with a handkerchief.

"Haha, the medal suits you well. Now, stop crying. I have no interest in making a girl cry."

Sniff.

Eugene reached out and pulled Henry into an embrace. His large frame enveloped her, and she buried her face in his suit, sobbing openly. The weight of everything she'd been carrying finally dissolved into tears.

No one dared to pull them apart. Even Lorentina and Logan were wiping away their own tears, while Owens and Henry looked on with bittersweet smiles.

Even as Eugene continued crying, the night pressed on.

"It seems like we won’t be going home tonight. I hope you don’t mind if the main course is a bit delayed?"

Of course, no one objected.

It was only about 20 minutes later that Eugene finally stopped crying.

"Thank you for waiting. The main dish is Miyazaki wagyu."

"Sorry for the delay. There was a lot to process. Now, I’m feeling hungry again—could I get a portion as big as what you serve the Manifestors?"

"Understood."

Henry’s comment, which wasn’t entirely a joke, made those who had been wiping their tears just moments earlier chuckle. After all, Logan, Eugene, and Lorentina had received massive steaks, while Henry and Owens were left with relatively meager portions.

As the server left to fetch their plates, Henry, clearing his throat, added with a grin.

"Talking for over an hour has worked up my appetite. I’ve always wanted to try eating this way at a fancy restaurant, and now I have the chance."

"You’ll be paying quite a bit today."

"I don’t want to sound arrogant, but in my position, I don’t usually check the bill too closely."

After laughing heartily, Henry looked around at the team, each wearing a bemused expression. None of them had much experience in politics, so they found it a little strange.

But that was the end of that conversation. Eugene, her eyes still puffy but more composed, was chewing on her steak as Henry casually brought up the next topic.

"If I had more resources, I’d arrange the most comfortable transport to Washington, but sadly, I don’t have that kind of magical power in this position. At least I can get you a ride to JFK Airport."

"...Thank you."

"Anyway, although I personally placed the medal around your neck, I trust you understand you can never wear it in public. It’s a secret that must go to the grave with you."

"I understand."

She nodded.

The ceremony they’d just held was never supposed to exist. Everyone in the room knew why.

Henry’s next words, half-joking, half-serious.

"Of course, if you were to re-enlist in the military and receive the medal officially through proper channels, that would make me crazy, wouldn’t it?"

"Sending our youngest to some place like Pakistan, are you? Shall I deal with you right here?"

"Haha, scary! Just kidding, of course. It’s a shame, really. I would have liked to announce it to the world."

They all shared similar sentiments.

As Eugene quietly chewed her steak, she finally added.

"...After things settle down, if nothing comes up, I might return to my original work."

"Haha, stop joking."

Lorentina shot down her comment immediately, though Eugene didn’t object much. As always, these were people who wanted nothing more than for her to live as comfortably as possible from now on.

The conversation then returned to the main topic.

"When you get to Washington D.C., Janet will be waiting for you. Be sure to catch up with her. She’s probably going to treat you like a VVIP, even though it’s not a hotel. After all, you dropped a massive gift on DARPA’s doorstep."

"You mean the item from the Icarus Gear?"

"What else would it be? Janet’s term as Secretary of Defense is almost up, so she’ll likely wrap up what she needs to and prepare to take the secret to her grave unless the next secretary is on board."

As the main course ended and the desserts began to arrive, Henry casually added.

"So, you came to New York for that Dark Zone game?"

"Yes. Officially, I’m here for the final championship, but I also plan to investigate the real nature of the game."

"Keep me posted. I’ll leave you my personal contact information. It’ll be useful in about a year and two months when you have a direct line to the President of the United States. Quite a paper to hold on to, don’t you think?"

"I might sell it on eBay."

"Haha! Scary!"

Seeing everyone relaxed enough to joke, Henry sipped his sweet, cream-filled coffee, feeling content.

After a brief pause, he spoke again.

"I don’t have much else to say, so I’ll wrap it up. I hope you all achieve your goals. I’d love for us to meet again under better circumstances."

"Of course, Majority Leader."

"Rest well. I’m getting old, so I’ll leave first. The servers have been instructed, so feel free to leave at your convenience."

With a soft click, the door closed.

Eugene gently touched the Medal of Honor around her neck, smiled softly, and stood up. She took off the medal and passed it around for everyone to hold for a moment.

After some time, the ornate box containing the medal closed with a soft thud. Eugene bowed her head and added quietly.

"...I won’t forget this night."

"Neither will we."

"Give my regards to Secretary Janet."

Cradling the precious box carefully, they all left, leaving behind the empty plates and cups.

The snow had long since stopped falling.