"Supreme Guardian, there've been more sightings of fragmentum regrouping in the Snow Plain. At this rate, conflict is inevitable."
"Then have Gepard leading. Increase the number of people stationed around the fate, and also equip all of them with any weapon—long-range ones, preferably."
"Understood!"
.
.
.
"Miss Supreme Guardian, Miss Serval has identified the problem with Engine of Creation. She is in the process of repairing it."
"Thank you for the information."
"But…."
"Is there any problem?"
"She said it'd need a substantial amount of resources. We've been searching for the spare parts, but none of them fits the requirement."
"…."
"M-Miss?"
"….It's fine. Please ask her again. It may cost a lot, but Engine of Creation is our biggest hope for Belobog's restoration. Please ask Miss Serval right away."
.
.
.
"Lady Bronya, there's a little crisis happening with our recourse."
"Please elaborate."
"Our geomarrow supply is decreasing rapidly. If that keeps happening, we won't make it a year."
"…."
"The worst scenario is we won't be having any heater…."
"….Meaning death by cold. We've seen that many times. We can't afford that from happening again."
"With all due respect, Lady Bronya, we can reduce the usage by giving less to Under—"
"That won't happen! Absolutely not! Instead, increase the number of miners. Both Overworld and Underworld must help each other!"
.
.
.
"T-there's a fight that's broken out between someone from O-Overworld and Underworld! C-can you please help us, S-Supreme Guardian?!"
"What exactly happened?"
"They were a-arguing about something. S-sorry, I don't know the f-full context, but they are making a c-commotion out there."
"What about the guards?"
"T-they tried to handle the problem, but it remains tense."
"I'll be there soon. Try to keep the situation contained until I arrive."
"T-thank you so much, S-supreme Guardian!"
.
.
.
"L-Lady Bronya!"
"Supreme Guardian"
"M-Miss Guardian!"
"O-our Lord—"
"Lady—"
"—"
.
.
.
Brak!
"K.O.!"
The crowd erupted in cheers. Their voices were thunderous, echoing within the confined space and even spilling to the outside. Everything shook, as if a mini earthquake struck the ground with its mighty force. But no one ran in panic. Instead, they cheered even louder.
Screams.
Shouts.
Yells.
All of them combined into a roar that could deafen anyone, especially as people had to squeeze into one another with how crowded the place was. At this point, however, no one cared, and no one blamed them—not even mothers with crying babies or the guards stationed outside for hours.
After all, that'd happened numerous times with the one and only Fight Club, one of Jarilo-VI's biggest entertainment industry.
Given the circumstances, though, that wasn't really much of a choice.
Anyway.
They formed a circle, all eyes fixed on the stage in the middle. Iron bar isolated two people inside—one young girl with minor injury while her opponent lying down with face kissing his own sweat on the floor. There wasn't even any visible scratched on her body, different from her unfortunate match, whose body was aching in pain.
That was already impressive, but victory wasn't the only thing that captivated everyone..
It was the fact that the young girl had just won her fifth consecutive win.
"WOAAAA!"
It was such really a one-of-a-kind show, one that people didn't come across often. Adrenaline rushed through their veins, pumping blood nonstop until screaming was all they could do. Hearts were thumping so fast in ecstasy, just like being injected by never ending dopamine.
Someone entered the ring. He had a mic in his hand. A big smile adorned his face, knowing he'd just made a bank just from this girl alone.
"Truly unbelievable! I didn't think this day would've ever come, but as you can see, everyone, The Knocker is down! Just after five minutes since the fight began, our legendary The Knocker became the fifth victim of this fierce young lady!"
He stretched his hand towards the girl, who had a sour face.
"Can you just finish this up already?" she asked, her right hand on her hips.
Of course, for someone incapable of fighting, the announcer took it as a threat. Words got stuck in his throat before he was able to speak again.
"B-but that's something given since h-his enemy is the renowned member of Wildfire! She won't back out from any fight. She won't cower before her enemies. Not only that, her beauty is always mesmerizing to witness!"
Everyone clapped even harder upon hearing the announcer's last remark. The only one who could hear the young girl clicking her tongue was herself.
"Just a few hours from now, she'll be facing our champion," he said, lowering his tone to create a more intense and serious atmosphere. "Will she lose against out mighty fighter or win and become the next Underworld's undefeatable champion?!"
There was a short pause, as he quickly inhaled his breath—preparing the finest end to his speech.
"Her. Name. Is. SEELE!"
"Seele! Seele! Seele!"
Everyone chanted that name in unison, louder than ever. Nothing else came out of their mouths, just that one name over and over. At this point, even their sound could reach the Overworld.
Albeit basking in glory, Seele found it irritating. Her ears rang with unpleasant noises, buzzing straight to her brain.
She walked closer to the announcer, her steps were long. "I'll go now. Call me back for the next fight."
"A-ah, okay," he agreed quietly before turning back to face the audience, once again raising his hand until the mic was just an inch away from his lips. "The next match will start in an hour. Everyone, play stay tune for the match of the century!"
As Seele walked away, everyone around her was too hyped up to notice her departure. She was really good at it, lowering her presence and blending into the background until no one could perceive her. When she chose to, her steps emitted almost no sound, and she knew where to avoid the suspicious, wandering eyes.
Ambushing might be her greatest strength, catching off guard her unbeknownst enemies. That combined with her physical strength and flexibility, few could handle her in a combat.
Then again, it wasn't as if she completely disappeared. She was still flesh and bone. With enough focus, one could notice her presence.
And that exactly happened now.
As soon as Seele stepped outside the Fight Club, a voice called out to her.
"You didn't even break a sweat," someone said to her, a female voice. "I thought I'd be needed here, but I'm glad that's not true."
"Natasha, what are you doing here?"
The woman standing in front of her was Natasha, the renowned doctor of the Underworld. Her long blue-gray hair was neatly tied in the middle—different from Seele, who let her purple hair danced with the wind.
More than that, she was also the leader of Wildfire.
"Oleg told me to watch you," Natasha answered.
"So, you've been spying on me?"
"He's worried about you."
"Why?"
"Since it was me whom he asked, I think he doesn't want you to get hurt."
"Well, as you can see, I'm more than just fine," Seele said, quickly cutting off the conversation. She intended to walk past Natasha. "Now if you'll excuse me, I've a fight in an hour and I need to—"
But before she could make a step, Natasha stretched her hand to the side, blocking Seele's path. She wasn't going to quit, though. The other side was left opened, so she aimed for that.
Similar to the previous attempt, however, Natasha blocked her path. At this point, she wasn't planning to let Seele go.
"What?" Seele asked. Her voice portrayed disobedience. "I didn't get hurt or anything. Or do you want me to strip naked now so can check one by one?"
"Sure, if that's what you want."
Her provocation failed, and what left was embarrassment.
"W-wait! I was joking!"
"Me too, but…." Natasha pointed her hand at Seele's chest. "You may be fine from the outside, but not so much on the inside."
Her finger stopped when it came to contact with Seele's body.
"What does that even mean?"
"You'll know about it soon. Meanwhile…." Natasha said while smiling. It was warm and kind, but to Seele, she couldn't help feeling something ominous from it. "….Why don't we have a short chat?"
"I get the feeling it won't be short…."
Natasha's clinic was never without a patient. Although their number had decreased since the arrival of the new Supreme Guardian, injuries always came unexpectedly, both minor and severe ones.
Despite scarce resources and a challenging environment, she'd saved many lives, one whose skill couldn't be underestimated just from her surrounding. It'd been her daily lives. After all, a lively clinic wasn't something that a doctor wished for.
Everyone loved Natasha, and Natasha loved everyone too—of course, except for the thick-headed troublemakers.
Because of that, Seele couldn't help but feel nervous now.
She found herself inside Natasha's clinic, sitting down like a good girl. Natasha went to the back to do something Seele didn't know about.
Seele believed that Natasha, as a doctor, knew the most effective way how to inflict pain on others, and she definitely didn't want to be on the receiving end of it.
As her thoughts ran wild, Natasha came back. She was holding a tray with a teapot and two regular cups.
"Here you go." She stopped in front of Seele before placing a steaming cup. The liquid inside it rippled.
"What is this?" she asked.
"Green tea. I got it from Overworld. It's good to reduce exhaustion."
"….Is there any poison in it?"
"What's with that sudden question?"
"I mean, you're a doctor. Wouldn't be weird if you know one or two poisons…."
"Is that how you see me?
"No, that's not it. I just…I just thought you were mad at me."
"Why would I?"
"I….I don't know." Seele said. She sounded uncertain, didn't even know what bothered her. "So there's no poison, right? Or other…, shady stuff…?"
"Try it first, then I'll tell you."
Seele became even more hesitant. She grabbed one of the cups, bringing it closer to her face. The heat brushed against her skin, especially the hand she used to hold the cup. She was also unfamiliar with the aroma. It wasn't delicious nor disgusting. It just smelled…, weird.
Steeling her heart, Seele brought the cup to her lips. The pale green-colored liquid poured into her mouth, and as soon as it splashed on her tongue, she coughed.
"W-what the h-hell is this?" Seele asked while sticking out her tongue. "W-why did it taste l-like that?"
"It's only bitter. You'll get used to it soon."
Natasha began to drink it as well from her own cup, but their fate was different. Its flavor on Natasha's tongue tasted like a melody that calmed her down, and the warmth helped to ease her entire body.
She found comfort in it, while Seele found misery.
For some reason, though, she kept drinking it.
"If you don't like it, just place it back on the table. I'll drink it for myself."
"N-no," Seele said. Her tongue had been out for almost a minute now. "You t-took your time to make it. T-there's no way I would w-waste it."
Her words made Natasha smile.
"Well, tell me if you need a second. I'll be more than happy to pour it for you."
"T-thank you, but no."
"You're welcome."
None of them stopped sipping on their tea. As the quiet moments passed, Seele began to feel the effects. The taste was still a bit foul to her liking, but with every sip, she felt the worries stuck on her mind melting. The weight burdening her back lightened, as if the invisible anvil that had pushed her down slowly disappearing into nothingness.
Natasha finished her cup first. Seele was following behind, taking only one sip at a time.
"How do you feel now?" Natasha asked.
"It still tastes weird. But…, I don't dislike it," Seele said. The comforting warmth in his hand mellowed soothed not just her body, but also her mind.
"I'll take that as positive, then."
It'd been around ten minutes since they sat down face to face. Seele didn't even realize how fast the passage of time was. She stretched her arms, raising them high to the ceiling. She also twisted her body left and right to feel the burn around the back area. It wouldn't beat a massage, but it still did the job—making sure her body was prepared enough before hitting the ring for her sixth time.
After one final stretch—rotating her head both clockwise and counter clockwise—she stood up, ready to leave the place with a body that was brimming with energy.
"Thanks, Natasha. I think I'm ready for my final match."
"Wait, what?"
"What?"
An awkward silence enveloped the clinic. Several coughs of her patients could be heard.
"Don't go yet," Natasha said. She was still smiling. "We haven't finished our small talk, have we?"
"Eh?" Seele exclaimed. "I thought you were just warming me up for my next fight."
"I didn't say anything along that line, however."
"S-so you tricked me?!"
Natasha chuckled. "You only have your assumption to blame for. Now, I gave you the tea, right? So you owe me a conversation, don't you?"
"What?! Y-you're being quite a sly one today."
"Considering how stubborn you are, think it as something necessary to do."
"Thank you…." Seele felt the hint of sarcasm in Natasha's tone. "But I told you already and will tell you again that I'm fine. Look, do you think there's anything weird with me?"
The purple-haired girl spread her arms to the side, trying to make her point even clearer. Natasha wasn't going to back down, though. In fact, she had no plan of doing so.
"Then why did you enter Fight Club without telling anyone? Oleg was very against it. Or when you entered rivet Town and caused a havoc around the area? Clara had to clear up the mess for you. Oh, have I mentioned that you were literally impossible to communicate yet? Not to forget the number of times you stare into something while zoning out."
"Y-you really did stalk me!" Seele's cheeks turned red.
"Thank you. I do try to be thorough." Again, Natasha chuckled with her soft voice, sounded gentle yet the same as before. Seele couldn't help but shudder upon hearing it. "First, why don't you sit down again? Clearly, something is bothering you."
"That's…."
"Besides, it's not like your match will start anytime soon. Knowing the Fight Club, your match will probably be delayed, and I'm sure you know it better than me."
Being quiet was all Seele could do. She clicked her tongue before sitting back on her previous spot with an annoyed expression on her face.
"Fine!" She crossed one leg over the other. "So what was it? The problem is on my inside, not outside?"
"I'm surprised you still remember."
"Well, that was confusing, and it got stuck in my head."
"Nothing about it is confusing at all. It truly is, as I described, simple as that," Natasha explained. "It's complicated for you because you make it complicated, or to put it more simply, you're trying to ignore it as much as possible."
"Emm, okay?"
Natasha stood up and made her way to the nearby window. Through it, she could see the people of Boulder Town roaming around. When she spoke again, her volume was higher than before so that Seele could catch it.
"Just be honest with me." Natasha paused, adding to the dramatic element. "When did the last time you met Bronya?"
Brak!
The loud noise surprised Natasha, causing her entire body to jolt like a static shock. She turned around only to witness Seele, who seemed normal previously, lying down on the floor. Her chair had toppled over, leaving her head on the ground and legs in the air.
"…" Natasha was speechless.
Literally.
"….Sorry," Seele said, but since Natasha couldn't see her mouth moving, it felt as if a mysterious voice just appeared out of nowhere.
"How did that even happen?"
Seele was already standing up again. The chair came back to its position as well after suffering from a devastating damage.
"I'd like to know myself."
"Is that so?" Natasha asked. Despite of Seele's lack of helpful answer, she had a little guess. She decided to experiment with it. "Speaking of which, have you noticed the new miners around the area?"
"Oh yeah?" Seele said while brushing the dust off her thighs and arms. "I think I saw one or two people more, don't really know the exact number, though. What about it?"
"Well…." This time, before finishing her sentence, Natasha made sure to sneak a peek at Seele—trying to catch her reaction.
Rip!
Another incident happened, and Natasha witnessed it with her own very eyes.
Seele—with a surprised look on her face, both eyebrows were raised—had just ripped her short pants. It didn't go all the way, just a little noticeable tear on one side. It was quiet—too quiet, even, for anyone of them to start talking.
As they stared at each other, several seconds had passed.
Natasha was the one who broke the silence first.
"Are you becoming fat—"
"Stop right there!"
Saying that Seele was merely embarrassed would be an understatement. She was thoroughly flustered. Both movements and expression were stiff. Unless it was some kind of disease Natasha had never encountered before, the only plausible explanation for Seele's strange behaviors would be simple—that being whenever Bronya was mentioned.
It didn't go unnoticed by Natasha, who quickly addressed it.
"You can stop lying now."
Having been caught two times, not to mention in a row, Seele couldn't act ignorant again.
"Alright, alright!" She raised both arms, as if she'd been just convicted a serious crime. "I'll admit that I haven't been myself for a while now."
"When was it?""
"Well…, around one…."
"One day?"
"One week ago…."
"That answers everything…."
Natasha face palmed herself while shaking her head. Everything became clear now, just like a jigsaw falling into place perfectly without any visible gap.
"Hey, it has nothing to do with Bronya, okay?!" Seele said, denying every thought Natasha had now. "I'm just not feeling myself. That's it."
"Seele, even Sampo can lie better than you."
"Really? You're comparing me to him? A conman?"
In another place, the mentioned blue-haired man sneezed.
"But you understand my point, don't you? Feel free to lie about it as many times as you want. Everything is already written on your face," Natasha continued.
Every arrow now pointed at Seele, who found herself unable to speak back. It was clear to her that nothing would get her out of this embarrassing situation, so she just sat back while gritting her teeth. Her cheeks were still red, and it seemed that would be the case throughout the following conversation.
"I mean…." Something began to swell up, bursting out from Seele's mouth. "T-that dumb Overworld Princess!"
That was her first shout of the day, loud and clear in every syllable. It sounded as if she'd been wanting to say that this entire time. She didn't even try to cover up the tear on her pants that slightly revealed her skin.
"What did you even mean by it was your responsibility?! You're practically killing yourself, goddammit! And you know what? She had the audacity to say, 'then why don't you do it' to my face even though she always rejected my help! Selfish, so selfish! Ughhhh! I really want to slap something now!"
"Don't take it out on the chair again."
"I know!"
Natasha observed Seele's frantic behavior. It might be her strongest moment yet, but without enemies in sight, there was no way to prove that, and sacrificing clinic's property wasn't in the option for sure.
Naturally, the patients were excluded from the selection as well.
"At least you're honest now," Natasha said, smiling yet again. "That's your strength, after all."
"Is that your way of saying I'm bad at lying?"
"I'm just stating the truth."
As soon as she caught with her breath after those rapid fire of words, Seele sat back, leaving Natasha to standalone.
"I just can't believe it, you know?" Seele crossed her arms over her chest. "When we first met, I thought she was your typical Overworld Princess who spoiled herself beyond belief. So I was happy to know that wasn't the case."
Seele recalled some of the fond memories she had—mostly about her insulting Bronya. But they still put a smile on her face. Through struggles and hardships, they became closer, becoming a partner that had each other's back.
Despite the contrast separating them, their presence became important to one another.
"We once made a promise to support each other, and to be honest, that made me happy, knowing that another girl—around the same age as me—was also fighting for what she believed."
An afflicted smile appeared on her face. She tries to suppress it, head was also hanging down low, but it was no use.
"I know that she's strong, much stronger than me. But…, but it wouldn't hurt to have some rest, right? Am I actually the crazy one here for thinking that?"
Moments passed. Her voice grew softer when Bronya's face flashed in her mind….
"….Just please worry about yourself first."
The sound of the clock clicking chimed, surrounding the air with stillness. All conflicting emotions within her turned into a sigh that escaped her lips. Natasha was there to hear her from start to finish. She was able to hear the frustration in Seele's voice.
After all, as someone who'd also lost a cherished individual, that feeling of longing still lingered. Try to ignore it and it'd only get worse—much worse.
"You really like Bronya, don't you?"
Just like a whip, Seele tossed her upper body backward. It amused Natasha to see how fast the blue-haired girl's expression changed.
"W-what?! No no no, what are you talking about?! That's not the case at all!"
"Really? Because that's the impression I got from hearing the way you talked about her."
"I was talking about her normally, though!"
"You should've listened to yourself." Natasha smirked.
"J-just stop with any weird delusion you have in your brain! Geez…."
After a chuckle, Natasha went back to her chair and sat down. Her posture was refined, with both legs closed and her back straight. Seele was the complete opposite, with legs spread out, not minding her own ripped shorts.
"All jokes aside, don't blame her," Natasha said while also pouring another cup of green tea for herself. "Do you want one?"
"After your jokes, I certainly need it," Seele answered, still with an annoyed face.
The green tea flowed out of the teapot. It gently caressed the inner wall of the cups without a single drop escaped. It wasn't as hot as before, but Seele still looked forward to the warmth.
Natasha continued as soon as she took a sip. "No one can deny how busy Bronya is now, especially after what happened with IPC."
"That's true…."
Just a month before, a group from Interastral Peace Corporation paid a visit to Jarilo-VI with the plan to take the entire planet under their belt. As promising as it sounded—considering how impoverished Belobog was—nothing was without a risk. The sweetest deal sometimes became the most poisonous—venomous disease injected bloodstreams until every flickering life succumbed to the illness.
With the help from Astral Express Crew for the second time, and the kindness of IPC's representative at that time—Miss Topaz—the problem was settled without any unwanted conflicts. But at the core, it was Bronya whose role as Supreme Guardian made the final call.
"But you did influence her, didn't you?" Natasha said. "Your opinion helped Bronya to decide. It was something significant."
"Quite the opposite, actually. I just told her to choose whatever, and I'd follow her. It was rather indecisive of me."
"In hindsight, maybe. But you answered that because you understood Bronya the best."
"But it was because everyone from Astral Express…."
"Even then, you still stayed beside her."
Seele lifted her head. Her right arm aimed at the ceiling, trying to reach it. "Is that enough…, though?"
Natasha nodded. "I'm sure she cherishes you, the same way as you cherish her. For now, give her sometime, but don't abandon her completely. She needs someone to push her back whenever needed to."
"That's given, Natasha," Seele replied without delay. "That's been my plan this whole time. I'm not someone who would back down on her own promise."
Those words, one by one, conveyed her conviction, with no hint of a lie at all. She truly meant it. Natasha, although had already expected that answer, was caught off guard. Her eyes weren't lying too.
"Such a fast answer," Natasha said. To say she wasn't happy with that outcome would be far from the truth. "That does answer my curiosity, though."
"About what?"
"That you really like Bronya."
"F-for the hundred and millionth times, that's not the case!"
Seele's cheeks were red as tomato—no, even tomato would be jealous of her rosy cheeks.
"W-we're not even l-like that…."
"So you hate her?"
"W-well…, let's just say I don't d-dislike her…."
Those words were the quietest so far.
"You know what, Seele?"
"W-what?"
"That's usually what people are saying when they fall in love."
"Again, that's not it! L-listen to people when they speak!"
"So this is what young people usually call a lover's quarrel, isn't it?"
"I'll leave!"
"You haven't touched your tea—"
"I'LL LEAVE!"
Seele jerked up, this time did not hesitate at all. That almost made the chair fall again, but at the same time, she caught it just in time.
She began to walk towards the exit, only to stop as soon as the door was within her reach, just one movement away from grabbing the door handle.
"Emmm….Natasha?"
"Yes?"
"….Thank you."
"I did nothing."
"Still….How to say this? You're very helpful. That's what I want to say."
"You're welcome." She heard a soft laugh, could almost imagine the gentle smile Natasha had now. "Just do a favor for me."
"What is it?"
"Make up with her as soon as possible. You don't want to make your princess waiting for too long, do you?"
"Ughh…." Under the surrounding lamps' soft glow, Seele's cheeks reddened again. Then again, this time, she didn't refute it. "I will."
Her last words marked the end of their conversation. Seele moved again, but just as she was about to grab the handle—only a few centimeters away—it moved on its own. Someone opened it from the other side, and it was a woman Seele, as well as Natasha, were familiar with.
It was a tall woman. Her striking blond hair, with dark blue streaks and light blue tips at the ends, reached her waist. Bold would be the perfect word to describe her whole appearance, from head to toe.
"S-Seele?! Didn't expect…, to see you here, too," Serval said. "Is Natasha…, here?"
Serval was the eldest daughter of Landau family, one whose history ran back to when Cocolia—the previous Supreme Guardian—ruled over Belobog. Although now she merely attended a small shop named Neverwinter Workshop, her skill and knowledge became indispensable assets, so her help was still often needed.
She was running out of breath, and with sweats glistening all over her skin, it was easy to tell that she'd been running just to get here.
"What is it, Serval?" Natasha asked, closing the distance between them with several steps.
"I really need y-your help," Serval said, still inhaling for air.
"Calm down. Let's get inside and—"
"There's no time!"
Her voice startled both Seele and Natasha. The fact she had to scream like that proved something urgent was happening—or the worst scenario, it'd happened.
"What is it?" Natasha asked while Seele stood anxiously.
Serval looked at Natasha, then darted her sight to Seele, looking at that girl right in the eyes. "Bronya fainted."