Cocolia did not sleep all night, and neither did Bronya.
"Mother, the Everfrost has receded, the Rift monsters have vanished, and Preservation has manifested. Are you... really going to tell the people everything?"
Bronya hesitated before asking such a question.
If the matter of the Stellaron were revealed, the Supreme Guardian's credibility would be completely destroyed.
"Bronya, it is precisely because of this that you should take over the position of Supreme Guardian."
Cocolia said.
"In the morning, go and tell the people that I was deluded by the Stellaron and committed atrocities that nearly brought about Belobog's destruction. Tell them that you and the outsiders, under the gaze of Preservation, defeated me. Until now, you were unaware of my actions—and that is the truth, because I never intended to tell you about the Stellaron before."
"Mother... but..."
Bronya shook her head, her face pale.
"Do you remember the story of the eighth Supreme Guardian, Bronya?"
Cyrille 'the Fool'...
"You mean... you want to be treated by others like the one from back then who tried to use the Supreme Guardian to sideline her and achieve dictatorial control... Minister of Internal Affairs Stepan?"
Cocolia nodded calmly.
"The eighth Supreme Guardian, Cyrille, was controlled by Stepan her entire life. Her end was being stuffed into an armament box by a Silvermane Guardian Officer and thrown off a cliff. Because she was born with intellectual disabilities, she only became the Supreme Guardian because she was easy to control. When the people mention her, they only remember her as a dull person, while Stepan's name is nailed to the pillar of shame."
"Mother, you can't do this."
Bronya's voice trembled violently. She gripped the edge of the desk tightly, her legs feeling unsteady.
Cocolia walked up to Bronya, raised her hand, and gently tucked a stray lock of hair behind her daughter's ear.
"But I don't want you to be nailed to the pillar of shame!"
Tears welled up in the young girl's eyes.
"Mother, we can... You made those decisions to fight the Stellaron, to protect Belobog. We can..."
"And then what?"
Cocolia turned around and looked directly into her daughter's eyes.
"The people will think: if the Supreme Guardian did those things to protect us, then why didn't she let the Silvermane Guards know the truth? Why didn't she let the people know the truth? Why did she keep the Upper and Lower Districts separated for so many years? Bronya, lies require more lies to cover them up. Everyone has lived in lies for too long; I don't want you to live in a lie too."
Bronya opened her mouth but could not find the words.
"Besides," Cocolia's tone softened slightly, "do you think I want to see my name carved on a monument of shame, cursed by future generations?"
She reached out to brush away the tear tracks on her daughter's face.
"But Bronya, look out the window."
Bronya followed her gaze.
The morning light pierced through the clouds, spilling onto the streets of Belobog.
"They have waited for this day for too long. I cannot let them continue living in lies because of my own selfishness."
The girl bit her lower lip hard.
"And you, my daughter, Bronya—you will become the greatest Supreme Guardian in Belobog's history, the one who ended the Everfrost and the Rift. Tell them that I was blinded by an evil power, and that you stood up under the guidance of Preservation to save everyone. The people's faith will not crumble; instead, it will become even firmer. And you, carrying this brand-new faith, will become their most solid pillar of support."
"But this is so unfair to you!" Bronya's eyes were red. "There are many things that were clearly the Stellaron..."
"Don't talk nonsense, Bronya," Cocolia interrupted her. "Having sat in this position for so long, my hands have long since been unclean. Whether or not I was deluded by the Stellaron, the decisions were mine. I was the one who closed the gates to the Lower District, and innocent people suffered because of my orders."
She turned and walked toward the window.
"Go and prepare. Put on the formal attire of the Supreme Guardian and take up the Flame Lance of the first Supreme Guardian. Go to the plaza and tell them that Belobog's long winter is over. This is an order from the Supreme Guardian, Commander Bronya."
— — —
In an inconspicuous corner at the edge of the plaza, Aidan and several members of the Astral Express Crew were leaning against a wall, including Sam, of course.
"That was a good speech, full of emotion. She really has a talent for it." Aidan smacked his lips. "Now Cocolia has completely turned into the villain. But that works too; she wasn't exactly a saint anyway. Now the conflict has shifted, faith is consolidated, and the new leader's prestige is established."
Stelle squatted nearby.
"So, that auntie named Cocolia can only be the bad guy from now on?"
"That's right." Aidan nodded. "The history books will say: 'The eighteenth Supreme Guardian, Cocolia, a tyrant blinded by darkness.' Then they'll add a black-and-white photo where she looks really fierce."
"Then she's actually quite pitiful." Stelle held a cup. "We clearly know she only ended up like that because she couldn't stand the Stellaron's noise anymore. If the Stellaron inside my body chanted scriptures in my ear every day, I wouldn't be able to take it either."
Dan Heng stood to the side with his arms crossed, his gaze falling on the girl holding the Flame Lance in the center of the plaza.
"This was her own choice. As a ruler, she chose the method most beneficial to the city."
"Yeah, yeah, righteous and awe-inspiring." Aidan raised an eyebrow. "Quite responsible of her, not bad."
"So... what will her ending be?"
"Bronya will probably protect her and have Cocolia imprisoned," Aidan said after thinking for a moment, then rubbed his own backside.
Hiss.
At midnight, he had been ambushed by that evil cane weirdo.
Aidan had originally switched his Path to Elation at exactly 12:00 AM and returned to his room, but he was ambushed by Welt, who was lying in wait in the room.
"You've fallen into a trap!"
That naturally evil cane weirdo actually sat in my room for several system hours just to ambush me!
How despicable.
"Speaking of which, where is Cocolia?" Stelle stood on her tiptoes to look toward the center of the plaza. "Where is she right now?"
"In this kind of situation, she will only let Bronya bear all the attention alone, placing all hope on her. That's the effect Cocolia wants... or do you want to see Cocolia getting criticized in public?"
"She's actually quite..." Stelle thought for a moment and squeezed out a word, "Great?"
"I wouldn't say great, but she's certainly responsible." Aidan shrugged. "Part of it is because she knows she has no way out, so she might as well make a graceful exit and leave the stage to her daughter. Plus, she can build up a wave of public support for Bronya—killing two birds with one stone."
"Can't you put it a bit more warmly?"
"Warmly?" Aidan raised an eyebrow. "Cocolia is about to become a name in a history book; we have to evaluate her objectively."
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I do have ₱, but it's honestly not worthy, same name, maybe add bookmark or make a note on your phone, just in case if i become the Unlucky one among many.
I am not going to copy paste this note to future chapter.