Chapter 81

“…… You’ve had precipitation.”
The godmother mumbled something incoherent upon receiving the news.
A mass purge of the Mountain Faction. Princess Ainoa made no attempt to hide what she had done. Rather, she maintained the attitude that she had no shame.
All the blame was focused on the princess. At the same time, the aristocracy was on fire, as the crimes of the deceased nobles were clearly exposed.
It was a major flaw, however justified.
No family will marry a princess who has murdered a dozen nobles with her own hands. The possibility of an heir to the throne is closed. That is, unless you kill the prince.
Bastitera was caught in the middle of the chaos.
However, this was not the direction the Legion wanted to take. In time, the Prince’s forces would naturally unite Bastitera.
Ainoa gets blood on her hands and Adrian calms her nerves. By doing the opposite of what they’ve been doing, the domestic situation will quickly stabilize.
Someday, a new enemy will arise, but at least until then, Bastila will be stronger. By embracing change, it will improve its constitution.
This was not what the godmother had hoped for.
“Princess Ainoa should have died.”
“…….”
“Bastitera must be divided, and Pecatum’s filthy blood must be spilled across the land. Mutants should have chewed up and devoured women and children, knights should have decapitated civilians, slaves should have burned royal castles and stabbed nobles with spears.”
The shadows lurched at the Godmother’s feet.
A chill ran down the lieutenant’s spine. It was easy to imagine his anger at the way his carefully crafted plan had come crashing down.
“Something isn’t working as expected.”
“……Celebrogix Labs is the one that made the difference for Princess Ainoa. I don’t know who holds the leash, but there’s no doubt they played a big part.”
“Isn’t it a wonder.”
The godmother laughed hysterically.
“What is it about the lab that makes it so disruptive every time?”
The Legion is not sitting on its hands. The Godmother confirmed that the men posing as Dustborn mercenaries were actually agents of Celbrox Labs and Redwood.
Given the circumstances, the key would be the Celbrosix labs.
The ghosts of the fallen Shalem. The Godmother understands the rap so well. It seems to have a deeper connection to the Legion’s archon, but she couldn’t care less.
I kind of liked the Wraith’s Mourning.
“It’s annoying.”
Something unknown. A living, breathing creature that thinks differently from you. Others whose skin color, appearance, upbringing, and natural abilities do not match yours.
They were swarming like ants outside of her control. There was nothing more disgusting and nauseating to the godmother than that fact.
“Still no word from Camelia.”
“That’s right, you said you had a quick stop to make….”
“Where?”
“It’s a small town called Andalusia.”
Andalusia. My godmother said, “Oh,” and laughed through her nose.
“There’s another wraith.”
The home of the Snowfields. They’re not that old, so Camelia doesn’t know what Andalusia used to be like.
And yet, he was so sincere. Weird people attract weird people. Camellia was one of her godmother’s most disagreeable hitters, but she had her uses.
“So much for being a dick.”
Bam!
The staff hit the stone floor.
“Tell them to prepare for the invasion.”
“Are you sure it’s okay if I don’t ask him to ……?”
A term used to refer to the arch-enemy of the Legion. Most of the members, including the officers, refrained from mentioning him. As a godmother, it made little sense.
“What difference does it make if you tell them?”
No, perhaps it was fit to be deified, or rather, it was becoming fit. To fulfill a long-held cause.
But he won’t know.
“No one in the Legion would throw themselves into a cause for nothing.
They are worse than Pekatum. Their nails, weathered and sharpened by the winds, cut them to pieces. They were soldiers the godmother could control without trouble.
“No princesses, no Pecatums, no Celbrox Labs. Let’s wipe them all out.”
The godmother smiled graciously. I felt cooler after speaking.
We should have done this from the beginning.
* * *
Footprints carved into the deep snow. Asterique walked beside Kim. With each exhalation, she blew out a puff of pure white breath.
“It seems like forever.”
“It’s actually been a while, hasn’t it, because I’m back after a couple years.”
“Yeah, I have that too.”
She blushed, the tip of her nose bright red.
“Here you are with the strings. You’ve been busy lately.”
“I was supposed to be busy.”
Kim yawned softly as he answered. I was tired. I’d been on my toes, but now that the work was done, I felt tired all at once.
‘It still sucks.’
Every day is a public execution, and there’s no fuss about it. The culprits have been purged, but that’s not the end of the story. In a monarchy, treason is a capital offense.
The rapidly changing situation has swept the general population into the mix. It’s like a surgical operation where the affected area is cut out. It’s bound to be painful for a while.
Honestly, I didn’t care.
“Let them do as they please.
I’m not going to meddle in your internal affairs anymore, my brain is tired from all the hard work. I’ll have to get something out of it as a rapper, but I’ll leave that to Kushan.
Of course, it’s too early to call it all over.
“I wonder what Legion will look like.
The lab was all but robbed. The people, money, and connections are gone. With their position at a disadvantage, they have the option to remain calm and plan for the future.
But, well.
‘I don’t think you’re the type to take a beating.
Godmothers are the embodiment of narcissism. She’s not one to go quietly. That’s why she’s in constant communication with Kushan, asking for reinforcements.
It’s just a brief respite.
“I need to track down the root of the intrusion.
Kim noticed the pocket of her jumper. Inside was a finger-sized plastic bottle. A syringe with a cap that could be removed to reveal a needle.
It contains some Helixivir, which I siphoned off before delivering it to the lab.
It’s insurance.
I’ve seen it in combat. A weapon that can turn the tide in a single move. This gave Kim’s hand a great tactical value.
Hesitation, yes.
‘I don’t think I’ll think about it much when the time comes.
Kim has been able to look at herself objectively. I’ve always been decisive. I’ve been in trouble for making rash decisions before.
In most cases, I’d rather deal with the consequences than regret them. If I end up with a foreign object on my tongue, it’s better than dying. I have no intention of abusing it anytime soon.
“I guess it all depends on the situation at the time.
A prediction is a prediction. They can be off by any amount.
Sabak, Sabak.
Asterike walked away, stomping her feet in the snow.
Winter jumpers and fleece shawls. I’m no stranger to layers. I used to always wear layers when I went out.
Unlike Asterike, the other Bastitheans were thinly dressed for winter. Aside from their horns and hair color, there was little in common between her and them.
“Is there a culture of that here?”
“What?”
“People don’t wear outerwear very often.”
I thought it might be because they prioritize being active over staying warm…. I thought it was a plausible reason, but when I asked out of the corner of my eye, I got a chuckle.
“No, it’s not like that. Where I used to live is a little corner over there, and it’s colder than here. Enough to get snow sometimes, even in the summer. But look at this.”
Hold the shawl wrapped tightly around you with both hands. Her hands are also covered in wool gloves. The slender woman with the long limbs was gone, and there was some sort of dongle.
“I don’t like being cold.”
“It looks like it.”
“You don’t want to be hated, but I think it’s kind of silly, and I think it’s cool that you persevere. Whether it’s being sick, cold, or anything that’s hard.”
He’s just a little more honest than others, Asterike said.
“Ugh, I’m cold.”
I watched him fumble with his breath. By his own admission, Asterike was straightforward. If he was worried about something, he didn’t show it.
“Do you mind if I don’t go back?”
Even though he’s acting cheerful now, he’s been noticeably less talkative since coming to Bastitera. No, maybe it had been since they brought Ainoa.
I couldn’t let it go unnoticed.
I burned the house down with my own hands, though they said it was due to a spell run amok. The past would sometimes come back to haunt me here.
“……Come to think of it, there were other hypotheses.
The possibility that the spike wasn’t just carelessness. Some users speculated that [Rebirth Fire] could have been triggered by something.
It’s not official, of course, just an assumption. No matter how much the so-called Astartes defend it, Ast is nothing more than an arsonist in Bastitera.
Asterique understood my predicament, which is why she never forgot to disguise herself when traveling. Chapter and lenses are all it takes to change my appearance.
“Nope. Not now.”
Everyone is preparing for war in their own way. Asterike was no different. It’s a time to rest your mind and body. You can’t add to the headaches.
“I don’t want to think of it in terms of, ‘I’ve come this far,’ and I don’t want to think of it in terms of…. I didn’t think I’d be back this soon in the first place. I guess I’m not the only one.”
“Who else?”
“Carmen Mobillet. I asked her, too.”
“Oh, I see.”
Clearly, they were in similar situations. In that they left their home countries, established a presence on the continent, and then came back, no matter what the process.
“He said he was just an operative for Redwood. I didn’t ask him how he got out of the house, but I figured it was just like that, because I was just following the string.”
Asterike spun in a half circle.
“I’ll leave it at that for now.”
Snow glistening white in the sun. An unobstructed view without skyscrapers. A forest of sturdy winter trees, birdsong on the wind.
She and Kim walked side by side, gazing at the scenery of her hometown. It was enough to make Asterike happy. Even if the problems she’d put off were still there.
“So next time, I want the string to follow me.”
“Whatever.”
It was easy for Kim to accept. It wasn’t something to be stingy about. She didn’t return home with a clear purpose, but rather to tie the knot within herself. She just wanted to be with him.
Not bad for a short vacation.
“It’ll feel like a behind-the-scenes peek.
There’s also the selfishness of wanting to watch as a player. Even now that we’ve grown closer outside of the game, Ast is still one of my favorite characters.
In games, it’s easy to get into unnecessary trouble like that, but…….
“No way.
The worry of the moment is blown away with a fresh laugh. Whatever it is, it’s a ‘someday’ story. Until that day comes, we’ll just have to pray that we can keep our necks together.
“Oh, that reminds me.”
It suddenly dawned on me.
Kim fumbled in the pockets of her jumper, the cold air filling her clothes. Shivering unnecessarily, she pulled out her walkie-talkie.
Chick, chizzy.
By some coincidence, the noise came out at the right time.
“You’re no good.”
“Strings sometimes make weird noises.”
It’s so bottomless and endless, you just have to explain it as you go.
“Let’s get back to work.”
It’s time for a long-overdue reunion with them.