Cocolia's afterimage was not strong; although it was a Fragmentum afterimage, its strength was equivalent to a replication of her own power. Although in battle, Cocolia's afterimage displayed power that the Supreme Guardian should not possess, it was still defeated by the combined efforts of the group.
And the path to the Stellaron's location was thus revealed before everyone.
However, Takatsuki felt that the greatest gain from defeating Cocolia's afterimage was not finding the path, but the change in everyone's mindset.
"Cocolia… are you really dead… are you just a puppet of the Stellaron now…"
Serval slumped to the ground, holding an electric guitar, staring blankly at the spot where Cocolia's afterimage had vanished.
Fragmentum afterimages are a natural phenomenon in the Fragmentum. Usually, afterimages left by living people do not interact with the outside world, as they are merely records, like slides.
However, if the owner of an afterimage dies within the Fragmentum, then the afterimage will come alive like the ghost of the deceased, able to interact with the outside world, but their time and consciousness will forever remain at the moment the afterimage was left.
And Cocolia's afterimage appeared here, clearly without Cocolia's memories, more like a puppet manipulated by the Stellaron…
Does that mean that the real Cocolia has long since vanished, and what everyone has seen all this time was merely Cocolia being impersonated by the Stellaron?
"Lady Supreme Guardian…"
"Has even Lady Supreme Guardian betrayed us…"
"Then what meaning does our Preservation have…"
The appearance of Cocolia's afterimage filled the guards who came with Gepard with confusion.
Even the resolute Gepard fell into contemplation after fighting Cocolia's afterimage.
"How ridiculous. Is this Belobog's Silvermane Guards? Belobog's hope? Do you not even know what you should do?"
Just as everyone else was dispirited, Takatsuki spoke in an irritating tone.
"What did you say!"
"I don't need you to insult the glory of the Silvermane Guards!"
Takatsuki's words provoked several people who were already frustrated by the Cocolia matter and had nowhere to vent, and even Gepard couldn't stand it.
"Mr. Takatsuki, although I am grateful for your help to Belobog, please do not say such words that insult the glory of the City builders."
Looking at the angry people in front of him, if he weren't holding little Seele, Takatsuki would have really wanted to cross his arms and listen to what they could possibly say.
"Glory? Is your glory blindly following one person, obediently carrying out her orders, and then falling into despair after realizing it was all wrong??"
"The Supreme Guardian is Belobog's governor, and a tradition that has been passed down for thousands of years in Belobog. Is there anything wrong with obeying the Supreme Guardian's orders and protecting the people of Belobog?!"
"Then what if the Supreme Guardian's orders conflict with protecting the people of Belobog? Do you choose to follow orders and harm others, or defy orders and fulfill your duty to protect the people?"
Gepard took a deep breath: "That's impossible! Protecting the people of Belobog is the duty of every City builder…"
"But what about now? How will you deal with Cocolia's orders and actions? The reality is already before your eyes."
Takatsuki's words silenced Gepard, and also silenced the other guards who wanted to shout, because the facts were already laid bare.
"I am also saddened by Lady Cocolia's betrayal, but even so, I will protect the people of Belobog…"
"Idiot!"
Takatsuki loudly interrupted Gepard: "Who told you Cocolia betrayed us!"
"Just now wasn't…"
"An enemy disguised as a comrade ambushed you, did your comrade betray you?!"
Gepard opened his mouth, but couldn't speak.
"I said it from the beginning, didn't I? Cocolia, she's already dead. What you've been seeing all this time is just a puppet manipulated by the Stellaron. In other words, all those suicidal orders and orders to persecute the Underworld residents that you've been obeying were all instructed by the Stellaron. She never betrayed you, because from the very beginning, she was the enemy…"
"The Supreme Guardian Cocolia, whom you thought betrayed you, never existed from the beginning!"
Only then did the others understand Takatsuki's true purpose in beating around the bush.
People always prefer a compromise, or rather, choose the answer that benefits them.
Even reality is like this.
To be betrayed by someone you trust, or for that trusted person to have never existed from the beginning?
Both are very painful answers, but with the former as a prelude, the latter… is not entirely unacceptable.
No, it's more like the latter is actually better.
Even the stubborn Gepard realized Takatsuki's intention, and the subsequent discussions among the guards confirmed his idea.
"That's right, the Supreme Guardian didn't betray us, she was killed by the Stellaron!"
"Damn Stellaron! It deceived us for so many years!"
"We must avenge the Supreme Guardian!"
"Exactly! Avenge!"
"Avenge!"
Thus, the confusing path ahead converged into one road, and the guards' long spears pointed towards a single target: revenge against the Stellaron that had desecrated the City builders's glory.
"Everyone…"
Bronya hadn't expected things to escalate to this point. She had originally wanted to work with others to resolve the Stellaron crisis and try to save her mother, but now, Takatsuki had pushed this goal to an extremely difficult height.
The guards' conviction was solidified, but at the same time, they no longer believed in Cocolia Rand.
Even if Cocolia appeared before them, they would only see her as an enemy, because in their hearts, Cocolia was already dead, and there was concrete evidence.
It must be said that preconceived notions are terrifying, but Bronya could not, and dared not, refute anything.
She knew that if she spoke up to stop it now, there might still be some chance to salvage the situation, but then what?
Would it make them lose their faith again?
This was an overt scheme, one that everyone present understood. Bronya understood, the Astral Express crew understood, and even the Silvermane Guards understood.
But what did it matter? At least it pointed them in a direction.
Gepard took a deep breath, watching this scene, and loudly declared: "Guards! Form ranks!"
As his words fell, his shield heavily struck the ground, and the several guards in front of him quickly stood in formation.
"Next, we will face the Stellaron directly! It is the culprit that has plagued our Belobog for hundreds of years, and it is also the enemy who killed the Supreme Guardian Cocolia! These past years, the Fragmentum's erosion has grown more severe, and countless warriors have sacrificed themselves. Therefore, this battle is not just for revenge, but also an important battle for us to preserve Belobog! The Amber Lord is with us!"
"The Amber Lord is with us!"