In this vast universe, where bright stars exploded into black holes that sucked the remaining light around them and galaxies collided into each other every eon, nothing was predictable. At one time, a misfortune could strike a planet that'd been worshipping their Aeon—God—at every given opportunity. On the far end, someone might receive a tremendous blessing only to be used just like a curse, purging those who met them in the eyes.

Such anomalies occurred everywhere and at every time.

After all, galaxy is vast beyond compare, containing an infinite number of possibilities—both good and bad.

The incident befalling Jarilo-VI was an example of the latter.

Unseen and forgotten by many roaming from star to star, Jarilo-VI was a planet where coldness prevailed, casting what would be called as "Eternal Freeze" lasting for 700 years.

Life didn't prosper, and the survivors had to clutch their only last hope within the wall of Belobog—the sole standing city on the entire planet. It was until the Nameless—the crew of Astral Express—lent their help, destroying Stellaron, Cancer of All Worlds.

The path of Preservation shone a light of hope for them.

That was the end of Eternal Freeze, which also became the mark of Belobog's—no, Jarilo-VI's—new start.

However, the road leading to a hopeful future was far from being a smooth one….


"Supreme Guardian, our scouts have been detecting some abnormal activities from the fragmentum monsters in the Snow Plains. What should we do?"

"Set up our defenses. No need to attack, just focus on protecting our area. For now, we should aim for maximum security with no casualty."

"Understood, Supreme Guardian!"

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"Ma'am Supreme Guardian, p-please help us! M-many robots are attacking our miners! S-seems like there's been some malfunction with them!"

"Underworld, isn't it? Then please ask for Miss Clara and Mr. Svarog's help! With them everything should be fine, and there's her too….But keep updating me on the situation."

"T-thank you, Supreme Guardian!"

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"Supreme Guardian, sorry for suddenly barging in, but there's a pack of fragmentum monsters getting closer. There's a chance battle is unavoidable."

"What are they aiming now?"

"From the looks of it, they're marching towards Pillar of Creation."

"Right on the opposite side, now?! Tch, ask Gepard to lead the squad. Make sure to avoid battle at any cost, but if that's not possible, I won't tolerate any casualty!"

"Understood, Supreme Guardian! We'll be on our way!"

"Wait! While at it, ask Miss Serval to help with the maintenance in case there's something broken. May the luck be with you all."

"Thank you, Supreme Guardian!"

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"S-Supreme Guardian, s-sorry for interrupting y-you at night like t-this…, b-but…."

"Please slow down. Catch your breath first."

"T-thank you. I'm just feeling s-so nervous."

"What happened?"

"T-there's something on the Boulder Town—a-ah, I mean U-Underworld. I-it's now threatening e-everyone around. P-please help us."

"What does it look like?"

"I-I was too scared to look back, b-but since it spoke, I think it's a h-human. But other than that, I d-don't really know. I-I'm truly sorry!"

"There's no need to apologize. It's only because of your bravery that now I know about this danger. For that, I thank you."

"Supreme Guardian….I didn't d-deserve any of those words."

The Supreme Guardian showed a reassuring smile, also her way to say that everything would be okay. "I'll look into this one. Please wait for a second."

She stood up. Her grey-colored hair followed along, her drill curls bouncing in the air for a second before coming to a halt. It hung down past her waist, just a few inches away, before touching the floor.

The girl who sought help gazed at the Supreme Guardian before her eyes in awe. From her body gestures to the determined look in her eyes, nothing about her was ordinary. On top of that, she was strikingly beautiful, like a painting made by a virtuoso coming to life. She radiated the glow that no other people had—one befitting the title she held now.

While awe still struck her, that very same Supreme Guardian had finished her preparation. Her trusty musket, with the same color adorning her attire, was within her right hand's grasp. She walked to a Silvermane guard—Belobog's own peacemaker—stationed near the door connecting Qlipoth Fort and the outside Administrative District.

"Please hold the fort for me. If you haven't heard anything from me in an hour, prepare a small unit. Five people are enough. Can I count you on that?"

"Yes, Supreme Guardian!"

Although her voice posed a clear authority of someone from a higher stature, it didn't even come close to being imposing. She wasn't putting herself above everyone else. Her tone commanded respect and grace, enveloping the surrounding others with compassion.

After her brief conversation with that guard, she turned around, back to facing the scared lady.

"Sorry for making you wait. Can you please led the way?"

"O-of course, Miss Supreme Guardian!"

The scared lady went to the door. Her heart didn't thump as fast as before. She knew exactly why. It was the first time she saw Belobog's Supreme Guardian with her eyes, but it was enough to trust her completely.

With her, she felt everything would be okay.

That nothing would scare her any—

Brak!

"H-hiiiii!"

Just as she reached the door handle, it swung open abruptly from the opposite side in a manner far from gentle. No one expected it, and being the person closest to the door—just an inch away from being struck by it—the girl jumped in fear and fell.

Walking through the door was another girl, this time looking way fiercer than everyone else in the room.

"Bronya!" she shouted. "Where are—"

"Seele, I'm here. There's no need to shout."

Upon hearing Bronya's voice, Seele—the girl who barged in such a dramatic way—turned her attention towards her. Her long purple hair.

"I heard you asked for help from Clara and—" Before finishing her words, she noticed the weapon on Bronya's hand. She squinted her eyes, brows furrowed. "Where are you going?"

"Underworld. There seems to be a commotion down there."

With no hesitation, Seele answered. "I'll go with you."

Bronya delayed her answer. She looked at Seele, observing her up and down only to see bruises on her body, some dirt, and even small wounds where a drop of thick, red liquid streamed down.

"H-hey, don't stare at me too much," Seele remarked, sensing how intense Bronya's gaze was now.

"Where did you get those scars?" Bronya asked.

"Hmm?" Seele looked all over her body, as if she'd just noticed those wounds. "Ah, these? Just ignore them."

"Seele, where did you get them?" she repeated her words, this time a bit intense than before.

"Alright, alright! As I mentioned, you asked for Clara and Svarog's assistance, right? I happened to be there as well, so I lent my support just a bit."

"Enough to wind you up with those wounds?" Bronya's concern was visible, contrasting with Seele's nonchalant demeanor.

"Hey, blame those corrupted robots! It's not like I asked to be punched! Besides, these are nothing. You, of all people, should know I've faced a much more troublesome bunch than this."

As much as Seele was being overconfident with her own ability, no one could refute it. Even a quick glance at her cloth, black top and short, emphasized her role as a fighter—rather a good one at that. In terms of raw power and technique, she might stand above the rest. Combined that with her bravery and she became a powerhouse to be reckoned with.

Then again, she was still a human. It didn't make her immune to any pain.

"C'mon!" Seele exclaimed after no one replied. She hadn't noticed the fallen girl who was witnessing everything. "I'll tag along, so just show me the way."

There was a short pause before Bronya's response.

"No, it's too dangerous. You should stay here."

"Huh?!"

"Want it or not, you're too reckless. As someone who has injury all over her body, you should go to medic and get some rest."

"Seriously? Are you even my mother now?"

"Seele, I'm serious."

"And I'm also serious about helping you! Do you hate it that much?"

"That's not what I'm saying, but no is still no."

"Y-you!"

Their quarrel went on for a while. None of them backed down, arguing about something they believed as the right thing to do. Their voices echoed across the room, as words attacking and countering each other just like invisible weapons.

At the same time, the girl who hadn't stood up found her voice in the midst of chaos. She looked around, puzzled by the guards' hesitant expression, wondering why they weren't intervening in that heated argument.

"P-please don't f-fight…."


Albeit the Overworld and Underworld of Belobog had declared their truce, it was impossible to unite them in just a night. With a bad blood between these two factions, getting rid of that stigma proved to be the most troublesome part of Belobog's restoration plan.

Of course, some people had begun to see past the differences. But humans were emotional beings—ones couldn't instill an idea and hoped they would change overnight.

It required a long process, and the one sitting as everyone's ruler understood that the best.

Because of that, she had no reason to fear stepping into the Underworld.

Or, more accurately, she couldn't be scared.

"I-it was around here," the frightened girl stammered.

She stood in front of Bronya and Seele. Every time she glanced back, all she saw were those two girls avoiding each other's eyes. The Supreme Guardian had her arms hung on the sides while the valiant member of Wildfire crossed them on her chest.

Ignoring them would probably be the best, but that would burden her even more.

After all, if she hadn't asked for help, the scene happening behind her wouldn't have occurred.

"Just make sure to stay with me," Bronya said, sounded defeated.

"Those should be my words."

They were in a rather secluded area of Boulder Town. There were people, but not as many as the main hub.

"That's w-weird….I swear t-this is the place."

The scared girl looked around, but could find nothing related to the entity she'd described in Qlipoth Fort. She became even more nervous, especially with Seele glaring at her now. Her piercing stare could cut the wind.

"Aren't you being a pretty suspicious, Miss?" Seele asked, gripping onto her scythe.

"Seele,

"HA HA HA!"

A sudden laughter burst, cutting her off.

"T-that laughter! T-that's the one!"

The moment she heard that sound, the girl's legs gave up. She fell again, her expression trembled in horror. Once witnessing that, both Bronya and Seele were convinced that something dangerous was approaching.

"Stay behind me, Bronya," Seele said.

"Be careful." Bronya answered, raising her musket in an instant towards where the sound came from. "I'll support you from behind."

Her aim was steady, the testament of her extensive training. She didn't leave the scope even for a second, holding it where it should be with such a high-concentration, as if the surrounding air had vanished for that brief, intense moment.

Before her eyes, Seele also raised her alarm. She clutched onto her scythe tighter than before, not planning to let it go until she knew it was safe to do so. At a glance, she was full of openings, standing unguarded without assuming any stance. But those with trained eyes could see the danger that would come once they stepped into that girl's range, leaving no blind spots for enemies.

With their combined readiness and vigilance, any would-be attacker would think twice before making a move.

They waited for this mysterious being to reveal itself while at the same time covering the frightening girl behind them. A few seconds passed, and the sound of footsteps followed along.

"It's close." Seele was the first one to react. Her stare stayed at that one spot.

Their breaths grew heavier.

The silence enveloped surrounding air.

Their hearts thumbed in different rhythms.

Then, in just a split second, another sound erupted, interrupting the dense quietness.

"Be ready!"

From that same corner, a human revealed themselves, making a grand entrance by jumping into their view. They locked their sight to that figure, observing everything they could before commencing an attack.

That silhouette placed their hands on their waist, striking a pose that could instill fear in those who gazed into them. Despite their smaller stature compared to the others, they exuded a domineering aura, hooking their attention as they stood tall—or at least as tall as they could.

If one didn't look close enough, that figure would look like a kid with her childlike appearance.

Even then, assuming that wouldn't be wrong.

After all, it was indeed just a child.

One that both Bronya and Seele recognized, especially the latter.

"Hook?!" Seele shouted, her face showed disbelief.

"No!" the little girl named Hook shouted back, trying to be more intimidating, which failed miserably with her cutesy voice. "It's Pitch-Dark Hook the Great! Especially the last part, that's so important! Don't miss that!"

As she pouted, her cheeks became puffy. Her hat, although two times larger than her head, added a bonus point of cuteness to her overall appearance.

"P-Pitch-Dark Hook the G-Great?!" The frightened girl, still stuck in that position, cowered in fear.

Those words reached Hook's ear, and in an instant, her pout transformed into a smug. Bronya didn't fully pay attention, but she swore she could see that little girl's ears and noses expanding.

"Yes! That's correct, I'm the one and only Pitch-Great the Dark Hook!"

"You messed that up," Seele said.

"N-nghh! I-I mean Pitch-Dark Hook the Great!" Just like before, her smile twisted into a pout. "You should all bow before me, for your new leader has arrived! Hey, you!"

Hook pointed at the scared girl. Her eyes widened, still not understanding the situation.

"Hook, pointing at someone older isn't polite." This time, it was Bronya who scolded her.

"S-shut up! I-I'm talking with her!"

"M-me?!" the frightened girl answered.

"Yes, you!" Hook tried to put up an intimidating face. "Because you called my name right, I'll let you join The Moles! We'll conquer the world together!"

"W-what on Earth is that?"

Seele let out a sigh. She couldn't handle the scene currently unfolding in front of her. Her hand snatched Hook's hat in a flash. It was seconds before the self-proclaimed leader realized. As soon as she felt something was missing on top of her head, she begun to cry.

"N-no, my h-hattt!" She tried to reach it, but her worst enemy—the height difference—prevented her from doing so. Even as much as she tried to be fearsome, she couldn't hide her childish side.

She kept jumping up and down. When Seele noticed that, she raised her arm while smirking.

"E-evil! G-give. It. B-back!"

From her expression, it was visible that Seele enjoyed every second of it. "C'mon. Kids like you shouldn't be talking about world domination or whatever it is."

"Y-you can't talk l-like that to H-Hook the great!"

"I'll tell Fersman that you're messing around."

"M-monster!"

"Hey, I'm not!"

Both of them walked side by side—or more precisely, Seele in front with Hook following, still trying to seize her hat back.

Bronya exhaled a sigh of relief. It was anticlimactic, but as long as everyone was fine, she was content.

"Seems like everything is fine now," she said to the frightened girl while stretching her right hand. "Here, let me help you get back up."`


"Lady Bronya, I sincerely apologize for my dumb daughter."

"A-and me too, S-Supreme Guardian!"

Two people were bowing to Bronya—Fersman, Hook's father, and the frightened girl. Both of them had a troubled expression, as if they'd done something irredeemable when the actual culprit was standing beside her father, clutching onto his jeans.

"Please, there's no need to do that," Bronya said, asking them to raise their heads. "It's just a part of my duty. Besides, I'm glad that it was just a misunderstanding."

"Scaring people around, really?" Compared to her, Seele's words were harsher. She squatted, eyes were on the same level as Hook's before proceeding to flick her forehead with a light tap.

"N-nghh!" Hook groaned.

"You're lucky that only idiots would fall for that trick."

"W-was that an insult?" the frightened girl commented, but her low volume made it impossible for everyone to hear.

"Out of all pranks, why did you even do that?" Seele asked Hook.

Hook turned her face away, pouting. "Hmmpp! I'm not telling a monster!"

Seele's eye twitched in irritation. She positioned her fingers in front of Hook's forehead, ready to flick her yet again. "What did you say?"

"W-wait!" Hook covered her forehead with her tiny hands. "I-I'm just bored! There was no one to play with!"

"What about the other Moles members? Have they betrayed you or something?"

"That's not it. They are my most loyal followers!"

"And where might these loyal followers be?"

"Emmm…, they are asleep already."

Seele shook her head. "Kids, through and through. At least they weren't causing trouble."

"I-its just," Hook's voice trembled for a moment, sniffling after the scolding. "It's just without Honorary member, it's been so boring these days!"

No matter how strong she was, Seele didn't expect that Hook would cry. Again.

"Seele, that's enough. Don't you think you're being cruel?" Bronya said after looking at Hook's teary expression.

"I mean, if you say it like that…." Seele became hesitant as well. "Well! My point is that playing is fine, just don't bother others."

Her crying kept going. Seele became even more troubled. It wasn't supposed to be this difficult, as she'd interacted with many children around the city, offering them help or even playing with them whenever free time came around.

While Seele didn't know what to do, Bronya entered the conversation, kneeling beside her to see Hook in the eyes. That caught Seele's attention, who had an idea about what Bronya'd say.

"Hook, I can be your friend."

No one expected that kind of response from the Supreme Guardian, except for Seele, slapping her face with her palm.

"That way, we can play together, right? Though, it can get boring with me, I think," she continued with an awkward smile.

There was a brief pause before someone answered, and that person was Fersman. "Lady Bronya, you don't have to. "

"I'm fine with it. After all, I also understand Hook. It's because of the Astral Express Crew we can live in peace like this. I'd certainly love to meet with them again one day."

Bronya's voice was filled with fondness, remembering the fight they'd fought together. And of course, in those memories, Seele was always beside her.

But at one point, her delightful expression turned into a pained one—reminded of one incident that still lingered with her even until now. She shut her eyes, trying to ease her mind until that scene vanished from her head.

However, she knew it'd come back sooner or later.

"Bronya, are you okay?" Seele asked, full of concern, being the first one to notice her absence of mind.

"….Sorry….Just remembered something rather…, unpleasant. But I'm okay now."

Once again, she reassured Seele with another smile, one that looked more awkward than before. That smile soon vanished when she turned around to meet Hook in the eyes again.

"So," she continued, "what do you say?"

Hook was facing down. Her grip on Fersman's jeans tightened. She was also dragging her feet on the ground, pushing and sweeping the dust backward. No one could see it, but they could hear the gears on her head moving and turning. At this point, everyone was looking at her.

The moment she made up her mind, Hook lifted her head, meeting Bronya's gaze directly.

"T-thank you, Miss Supreme Guardian, but I don't want to trouble you again. I'll be better than that!"

"I see…." Bronya said, tilting her head playfully. "So I just got rejected, then?"

"T-that's not w-what I meant!"

Hook became panicked. She wondered whether her answer was the wrong one, but Bronya replied her with a genuine smile and soft laughter.

"I'm just joking," she replied before standing up. "I assume this problem has been settled, then?"

Fersman and the frightened girl nodded in agreement, expressing their gratitude.

"Thank you, Lady Bronya."

"T-thank you, a-and sorry again!"

That exchange marked the end of their conversation. They waved to each other before Bronya and Seele walked away, slowly disappearing from view.

"Nghhhh! I practically did nothing back there, but somehow I felt so tired already," Seele said, raising both arms and stretching them.

"That's not true. Your help was pretty much appreciated."

"That doesn't sound sincere at all."

Bronya chuckled. Her expression was softer than before. "I'm being sincere as much as I can now. Besides…." There was a slight delay before Bronya's next string of words, this time quieter than ever. "It was because of you that I could stay calm."

Seele blinked several times. For someone who spoke loudly, she had a keen hearing. A smug smile appeared on her face as she walked two steps ahead of Bronya before turning her back, now walking backward while facing at the grey-haired lady.

"Ohhhhhh, is that so? I remember someone told me not to come, though."

"And who is that someone?" Bronya replied with the same playful remark.

Those words brought a smile to Seele's face, but in an instant, her look completely changed into a serious one. She stopped, and with Bronya following her from behind, she also stood still.

Same as before, ahead by two steps.

"What was that about earlier?" she asked.

"What do you mean?"

"With Hook. You mentioned remembering something awful, right?"

"….It's nothing," Bronya answered after a pause.

"Enough to stress you out? You should've seen your own face in a mirror."

Bronya remained silent, avoiding eye contact since Seele blocked her path.

Seele continued. "I may be dumb, but I'm not oblivious."

What followed her words was another moment of silence, denser than before. Bronya still avoided Seele's gaze. The Supreme Guardian everyone'd seen before wasn't there, only a troubled young girl struggling to find her voice.

"Well, fine, then, if you don't want to speak." Although Seele's answer sounded dismissive, there was a hint of disappointment on her face. Even then, she still kept a watchful eye. "Do you want me to escort you back?"

"There's no need for that."

Again, Seele showed a dismissive gesture by shrugging her shoulders, and yet she still stood there, waiting until Bronya was out of her vision.

"Rest well then," Seele said.

"I won't be resting."

"Have a good night, and—" her words were cut short. "Wait, what?"

"Unfortunately, I still have some work left to do."

"Wait, wait, wait. It's already night...Don't tell me you're going to pull an all-nighter."

"Most of them are paper works. I might be able to finish them faster and get some rest," Bronya said while turning around. Her back was all that visible to Seele.

"And how many hours is that?"

"…."

Bronya let the silence speak for her, meanwhile the other girl refused to back down until she got the answer she sought.

"By faster, do you mean finishing it until the sun rises? Again, I'm not that oblivious, Bronya. How many times I've come to your office and seen those giant mountains of paper works?"

"….It's my responsibility."

Bronya's response angered Seele. Her eyebrows furrowed, and although her scythe wasn't in her hand, she gripped it tighter. "Your responsibility is working yourself to death now?!"

"If that's what it takes to restore Belobog, I'll be more than happy to do so."

After muttering the last word, Bronya began to walk away. That was Seele's last straw. She couldn't control her emotion, not when the person she was talking to threw her face away.

Her hand reached to Bronya's shoulder, gripping it as strong as she could without hurting her.

"Do you even understand what you're saying?!"

Their skins came into contact. Her grip was firm.

She'd never let it go.

And that was exactly the reason why Seele was so surprised when Bronya slapped her hand away, easily removing it from her shoulder.

Just one simple push.

In a swift motion, Bronya turned around.

"Then why don't you do it?!"

They hadn't seen each other in those expressions.

Realizing what she'd just done, Bronya looked at Seele in terror. She whispered a word before walking away without even looking back.

On the other hand, Seele stood still. She didn't chase her. Not because she didn't want to.

She couldn't.

Her legs couldn't move. It was nailed down to the ground, pain without bleeding.

She just watched her disappearing to distance.

They were separated like before, but more than just two steps.