"Did~n't~ I~ give~ you~ guys~ mines~?"
Aidan asked Cocolia.
"You~ guys~ did~n't~ use~ the~ mines~ to~ build~ walls~?"
Cocolia was dumbfounded.
Mines?
...geomarrow?
Isn't that fuel?
"Did~n't~ you~ guys~ use~ geomarrow~ to~ build~ structures~ be~fore~?"
Aidan was referring to the blue geomarrow crystals representing the Eternal Freeze next to the Monument of Everwinter; of course, the Monument of Everwinter also contained the Weeping Stone of Glory from the Sorrowful Bard, which were brilliant gems shaped like tears.
Interestingly, gears represent the people of Belobog, while geomarrow represents the Eternal Freeze.
Well, it was truly a bit dramatic.
By the way, some Silvermane Guards actually have equipment like bracers made of geomarrow, but not many; for example, Gepard has a pair of geomarrow vambraces on his arms that symbolize honor.
Cocolia's expression became quite colorful.
But that was a commemorative monument.
Aidan had actually said that on purpose, simply wanting to mess with her head.
"Us~ing~ it~ for~ burn~ing~ is~ fine~ too~,"
Aidan said slowly, finally letting the people of Belobog breathe a sigh of relief.
"But~ why~ not~ use~ it~ to~ build~ walls~ first~, City builders~?"
Cocolia was stunned.
City builders.
Those who follow the Aeon of Preservation, Qlipoth, and build high defensive walls... but the people of Belobog had always used geomarrow as fuel and had never thought of using it to reinforce the city walls—except during that earliest period of history.
After all, no one would think of using fuel as a building material...
She made a decision.
"Stop transporting newly mined geomarrow to the fuel depots. Send it all to the front lines, mobilize the engineering corps, and prepare to rebuild the outer city walls."
The herald stood there dazed.
"But... if we stop using the fuel, the city's heating will collapse within three days."
"The Lord in the sky is building a wall for us. Heating is no longer the primary issue."
Although, perhaps aside from Svarog in the Lower District, no one knew that the city's heating was essentially useless; the heating equipment maintained every year was basically more symbolic than practical.
Well, even the maintenance workers for the heating devices didn't know.
"Mother, the engineering corps has finished assembling. The lockdown gates of the Lower District have been partially opened to transport raw geomarrow ore directly to the wall reinforcement points. The geomarrow from the fuel depots has also been mobilized."
Bronya stood still, looking at her mother's back.
"Mother, if the citizens find out that the fuel supply has stopped, it will cause a panic."
Cocolia turned around.
"There won't be a panic, Bronya." Cocolia walked to the desk. "They only need to look up to see the Aeon of Preservation. In the face of such a sight, the cold is no longer a priority."
"But, that... existence in the sky, is it really..." Bronya hesitated.
"Go carry out the orders." Cocolia interrupted her. "Mobilize all reserves to support Gepard's team. What about those outsiders?"
"The outsiders have gone to Everwinter Peak with Captain Gepard."
"Good... Bronya, wait a moment, you come with me."
"Mother, you...?"
"Aside from the successive Supreme Guardians, no one knows about the Stellaron."
Cocolia pondered for a long time.
"Bring the Supreme Guardian's lance."
At this moment, she suddenly seemed to realize why, for so many years, no one had been able to make the Flame Lance of the first Supreme Guardian, Alisa Rand, light up with fire again.
Since Alisa Rand, no one had been able to truly unleash the power of that legendary weapon. Every generation of Supreme Guardian had tried to awaken it, but all had failed. It had been passed down from generation to generation, becoming a symbol, a ritual, a tradition that gradually lost its meaning.
"Let's go, Bronya, to assemble the remaining Silvermane Guards. Tell them that Belobog no longer needs to wait for the Eternal Freeze to end. We are going to end it once and for all."
---
"This is the Stellaron, the source of the Eternal Freeze."
Cocolia led everyone to Everwinter Peak.
The Silvermane Guards stood guard at the rear, wary of the Rift monsters, although the Rift had already been smashed away by that hammer blow this morning.
"Mother, regarding this... I knew nothing."
"...Because this is something only the Supreme Guardian can know. The Eternal Freeze was actively summoned by the Supreme Guardian to freeze the Antimatter Legion."
Bronya's pupils dilated instantly, and she nearly dropped the heavy lance in her hand.
"Bronya, steady your breathing."
Cocolia said in a low voice without looking back.
"No matter how much sacrifice the truth contains, you are the future Supreme Guardian; your shoulders must be able to carry the weight of the entire city. Now is not the time for you to stand there dazed."
"...Yes, Mother."
"Although I don't know how to judge those things, let's go seal the Stellaron first," March 7th said.
This sentence almost gave Cocolia a stress reaction.
Well, yesterday Aidan had been like a brain-piercing magic sound, saying "Let's go seal the Stellaron" in Cocolia's ear; even when she closed her eyes to rest, she seemed to hear Aidan's voice echoing.
Arriving before the Stellaron, which was controlled by a containment device, the red greatsword in Stelle's hand dispelled the whispers and temptations for her.
Beep beep beep beep beep...
The simple Stellaron radar in Stelle's hand, made by Aidan, beeped an alarm and then exploded.
"I heard it talking. If it buzzed in my ear all day, it would indeed be very uncomfortable." Stelle looked at the golden sphere. "Maybe one would even go insane after listening for too long."
Cocolia's body trembled violently, her face appearing somewhat pale in the wind and snow.
She... could also hear it.
"It promises salvation, promises to create a new world. As long as... one stops resisting."
"But those are all lies." Bronya gripped the lance in her hand tightly and stepped forward, standing by Cocolia's side. "Mother, we end this now."
Stelle took out a small silver cube, which Aidan had given her in advance before he turned into Preservation.
"I think it's used like this..."
Go, Poké Ball!
Beep~ Beep~ Beep~
Ding~
The small silver cube became transparent, completely binding the golden sphere inside. Not a single trace of imaginary energy leaked out, nor was there any fluctuation of imaginary energy.
The howling cold wind of Everwinter Peak came to a standstill. The small golden sphere bumped restlessly against the barrier inside the transparent cube, but every touch triggered a ring of silver energy circuits that firmly suppressed it.
Bronya thrust the lance in her hand into the snow and stepped forward quickly to support her mother's shoulder.
"...Preservation above."
She took a deep breath and then stood up.
"Bronya, I have an important matter to tell you now."
"From today on, you are the Supreme Guardian."
"Raise the Flame Lance, and let the Aeon witness your will of Preservation."
"Raise it."
The girl shook her head: "Mother, but... but I still..."
"No one is born knowing how, Bronya... my daughter, you can do it."
Bronya took a deep breath, exerted force with both hands, and pulled the lance out of the snow.
The tip of the lance pointed toward the gray sky.
One second.
Two seconds.
Three seconds.
Nothing happened.
A thin layer of snow fell on Bronya's eyelashes, and her breath condensed into a white mist in the cold air. She held that silent Flame Lance, just like the countless Supreme Guardians over the past few hundred years who had tried to awaken it.
"It... still doesn't recognize me."
"..."
Stelle stared at the Flame Lance in Bronya's hand, having an inexplicable feeling.
"..."