Qlipoth Fort, Supreme Guardian's Office.
"Is everything... over?"
[Cocolia] put down the document she was halfway through reviewing regarding the "Follow-up Disposal Plan for Street Lamp Decorations." She looked up at the travel-worn Bronya who had just returned. Her icy blue eyes held a hint of fatigue, but more so, a look of relieved expectation.
Bronya's face carried the lightness of completing a major mission and a trace of subtle excitement as she nodded vigorously: "Yes, Mother, it's over. The Rift in the Everwinter Plains is dissipating, and the stellaron core... has been 'dealt with.' The blizzard of Jarilo-VI will truly begin to recede soon."
"Well done, Bronya."
[Cocolia] stood up, walked over to Bronya, reached out to pat her shoulder, and showed a sincere, cloudless smile.
"You did better than anyone could have expected."
These words, coming from this "Acting Guardian," carried extraordinary weight.
"So..."
A faint, resentful voice came from the corner of the office.
Cocolia was still "placed" on that specially made chair, the shackles on her ankles shimmering slightly. Before her was a mountain-like pile of documents, already sorted into categories.
She looked up, gazing at [Cocolia] with a "weary of life" look.
"Great Lord Acting Guardian, the stellaron core has been subdued, the crisis is resolved... Now, can you release me? I feel my 'reflection' has been deep enough."
Especially when sorting through those stupid documents she had signed back then; the effect of the reflection was doubled.
[Cocolia] looked back at her, raised an eyebrow, and then nodded readily: "Sure, no problem. Since the stellaron core itself is gone, the nagging in your head should stop too. I doubt you can cause much of a stir now anyway."
She walked over to Cocolia, crouched down, and tapped the runes on the shackles a few times. The intricate lock popped open with a "click."
Then, she did the same, retrieving the "Simulated Stellaron Core" that had been inserted into Cocolia's body to suppress the connection with the stellaron core. The icy blue orb of light obediently melted back into her palm.
"Phew..."
With the shackles removed and the "external core" taken out of her body, Cocolia let out a long sigh of relief, feeling an unprecedented lightness—both physically and the loosening of some heavy spiritual yoke.
She moved her somewhat stiff ankles and slowly stood up, looking with a complex gaze at Bronya, who stood beside [Cocolia] with a completely different aura.
"Bronya..."
Cocolia's voice was filled with guilt, emotion, and an indescribable sense of pride.
"I..."
"Mother."
Bronya softly interrupted her, her eyes clear and firm.
"Everything is in the past. We have a new beginning."
Cocolia nodded, her myriad words eventually turning into a sigh.
She looked at [Cocolia], then at Bronya, and seemed to make up her mind, speaking in a solemn tone:
"Then, I officially announce that from this moment on, I will resign from the position of Supreme Guardian. And Bronya Rand, my daughter, commander of Belobog's Silvermane Guards, has shown extraordinary courage, wisdom, and leadership in resolving the stellaron core crisis... You are the new Supreme Guardian of Belobog."
Bronya: "...Eh???"
She froze instantly, her eyes wide and round, as she pointed to herself: "Me? Supreme Guardian? Now? Mother, isn't this... a bit too fast? I haven't yet..."
"No, Bronya, you are ready."
Cocolia gave a rare, gentle but unquestionable smile.
"As for any potential, stale resistance or objections..."
She turned her head to look at [Cocolia], who was playing with that "Simulated Stellaron Core" nearby, a "you know what to do" glint flashing in her eyes.
[Cocolia] received the signal, took the stellaron core back into her body, brushed off non-existent dust from her hands, and curled her lips into a "kind" arc: "Don't worry, leave it to me. After all, the 'former Supreme Guardian' personally coming forward to clear the path for the 'new Supreme Guardian' and 'persuade' certain stubborn elements... it's perfectly reasonable, right?"
She specifically emphasized the word "persuade," her fist clenching slightly, the knuckles making a faint cracking sound.
Bronya: "..."
She suddenly felt a chill for those old nobles who might hold opposing views.
——————
Lower District, Stellaron Town, near Natasha's clinic (temporary resting point).
March 7th was munching on a roasted potato she got from somewhere. Listening to Stelle's recount, she asked with her cheeks stuffed: "So, to summarize: Bronya upgraded to 'Supreme Guardian,' and her mom, the former boss, has now changed jobs to 'daughter's exclusive path-clearer' and 'opposition physical persuader'?"
"A very precise summary, March."
Stelle nodded, munching on a potato herself.
"Yeah, that's pretty much the process."
[Cocolia], resting on a crate nearby, nodded, confirming this statement.
She looked much more relaxed than when she was at Qlipoth Fort; after all, she no longer had to worry about mountains of paperwork.
"By the way."
[Cocolia] seemed to remember something and looked around.
"Where is [Bronya]?"
She remembered her daughter's resentment about not being able to see her biological mother.
Stelle swallowed the potato in her mouth and replied: "Oh, Stella said that since it feels like you'special summons' big shots might not be able to stay for long, she let [Bronya] seize the final moments to give [Jing Yuan] some'special training.' She called it... a 'parting gift, something memorable'?"
Stelle's tone was a bit uncertain, but thinking of [Bronya]'s "special training" style, she couldn't help but mourn for [Jing Yuan] for half a second.
"..."
Hearing this, [Cocolia]'s lips twitched subtly, as if she could imagine [Jing Yuan]'s screams in the training ground and [Bronya]'s resentful rifle butt.
She nodded helplessly: "Alright... making the best use of everything isn't bad either."
"Wait!"
March 7th suddenly raised her hand like a good student asking a question in class.
"What did you mean by 'leaving soon' and 'not staying long'? Aren't you Stella's clones... er, summoned characters? You can 'leave'?"
Her imagination ran wild.
[Cocolia] looked at her and patiently explained: "We are a bit different from [Little Herta] and [Jing Yuan]. They are permanent summoned units that Stella 'nurtures' and 'maintains' through her own abilities. Although limited by her level, they are relatively stable. But [Bronya] and I are support-type characters 'temporarily summoned' under specific circumstances."
She paused to let March 7th digest this: "The advantage of this 'temporary summon' is that our strength can directly reference or even exceed the level we should originally have, without being too limited by Stella's current level. For example, I can use nearly my full power."
"But the price is—the duration is limited and cannot be sustained. When the predetermined task for summoning us is complete, we will return... well, you can understand it as returning to our original'state' or 'position,' waiting for the next possible summon. So, we are indeed 'temporary'; we have to 'leave' after the job is done."
"Oh—! I see!"
March 7th realized, then felt a bit regretful.
"That's a bit of a pity. We're losing a big shot who can both fight and roast nobles..."
Just then—
"Holy—crap—!!!!"
A highly penetrating, sharp explosion of sound filled with shock, wild joy, and disbelief came from the direction of a small workshop temporarily occupied by Stella and [Little Herta] in the distance, startling a few Icefield Sparrows on the roofs of the nearby shantytown.
"What is Stella shouting about now?"
March 7th was startled, her potato almost falling to the ground. She curiously craned her neck to look toward the source of the sound.
[Cocolia] listened to the lingering echoes, which seemed to contain vague words like "I'm rich!", "Invincible!", and "Hahaha!" Based on her understanding of Stella, she made a reasonable deduction:
"Maybe..."
Her lips curled into a knowing arc.
"She summoned some 'new friend' that makes her both pleasantly surprised and gives her a headache."
After all, given that fellow Stella's constitution, surprises and trouble usually come as a package deal.