United in purpose, they overcame one hardship after another; supporting one another, they hoped that one day they could mend the world.
Back then, the people of Chemos were like family and friends. Whether poor or rich, they would live together in harmony forever.
They believed that the strength of unity would make their ideals immortal.
Fulgrim danced leisurely along with the recitation.
"—But time was a silent killer."
Her dance was graceful and elegant, like a mournful song shedding tears, pearls falling beneath the moon.
"All lofty ideals rust away, and ancient vows turn to dust;"
"Time could not fight us, but it could destroy everything we held dear."
"Those who once aspired to greatness no longer ran about for their ideals. They sat high above, calling themselves illustrious nobles."
"Who could have imagined that the grand ambitions of the past would become the tyranny of traitors today?"
Fulgrim fell sideways, as though she had truly been pushed to the ground.
The broadcast from the Sound Array above the square now mocked her harshly.
"Though we are all human, we are not the same: only the wisdom nobles are born with can perceive beauty and art; while you are merely dull stones, born only to serve!"
The wisdom and talent of the noble would forever be respected, while the lowly died from their own laziness and vulgarity.
Some were noble like flowers in a greenhouse; others were lowly like the yellow sand beneath one's feet.
"Born this way." They raised their heads and said so.
"The worth of people is determined by fate. And our destiny has always been nothing but mediocrity."
Fulgrim sat on the ground with her legs bent, her hands held out before her as though tightly embracing something.
"Beneath crushing pressure, the cries of the unjustly dead drifted like weeds tumbling in the wind."
Karax's high walls remained silent, like an old man weathered by time, quietly watching the sandbank beyond the city.
Light flickered behind her, tiny specks gathering into two faces:
Colin and Torelia, Fulgrim's adoptive parents.
Their expressions were weary and restrained, marked by hardship. To raise this unexpected little life, they had given far, far too much.
Their lives had been as brief as mayflies. Like countless workers, they had both died from grueling labor.
All they had left Fulgrim was an old, faded storybook.
The lights in the venue grew dimmer and dimmer, just as darkness had shrouded everything within Karax's fortress.
The vows that had once been steadfast were now all rotten;
The stars that had once shone brightly had now all fallen.
Sobbing, she opened the book and cried out to the goddess who shared her name:
"Fulgrim!"
"Primordial goddess, please tell me:"
If we were merely stones, why did our hearts still ache at parting?
If we had long since gone numb, why did anger still burn in our chests when faced with injustice?
Why could the people of Chemos, who had once shared life and death, never share joy, only suffering?
The lights blazed to life again, and the road ahead grew brighter.
Fulgrim slowly rose and untied her hair ribbon. Silver strands drifted loose, like a galaxy spilling down.
"Could it be—!"
"Could it be that I am the same as you? That my love for beautiful things is no less than yours, and the emotions in my heart are just as abundant as yours!"
Her clear, ringing question left her lips and struck every heart.
Her deeply moving sobs echoed through the venue. Though she wore coarse cloth, she still looked like a noble princess.
She had fallen silent, but beneath Karax's sunless factories, people had long since wept beyond words.
They shared Fulgrim's fate, her sorrows and joys.
They wanted to shout, wanted to speak. Though they knew nothing of literature or drama, their most primal emotions now trembled in their chests.
"No!"
"Are we grass and trees, unable to feel sorrow? Who had ever listened to us? We could only endure!"
"When had we not wished to rest for a while, to try... to try and love life?"
"But the iron gate to the upper levels has always remained shut, and protests against those above have always ended without result. Even with countless grievances, we could not shatter this iron lock!"
Crack!
At that instant, the closed gates before the factory leading to the upper levels no longer stood in their way!
All sorrow, all anger, condensed into one force at that moment—
"Charge!!!"
"What is going on?"
The foundations of the fortress shook, and the people's resistance surged like wildfire.
Earthshaking shouts accompanied the pounding footsteps. Sorrow and fury came from every direction around the square.
The iron plates beneath the crowd's feet rang out, while the flames of rage in their mouths burned fiercely.
"Boss! So many, so many protesters are rushing this way!"
"I'm not deaf! You don't need to repeat it here!"
Herod's voice was vicious, but only terror remained in his eyes.
"But our stun batons seem a little insufficient!"
"You idiot, can't you look at the situation before you speak!?"
"Patrol squad, get over here and protect me!"
"Shut up, you evil butcher!"
Fulgrim rebuked him sharply. "To preserve the nobles' status, to remain forever above others—"
"You sank so low as to collude with outsiders and murder your own father!"
"Your cruelty defied description, and your crimes were too numerous to record!"
The image behind her changed. It showed surveillance footage of Herod meeting and bargaining with the Sulfa Thugs.
"Th-this isn't true! These are fabricated accusations!"
He shouted in defense, trying to escape blame.
But everyone present glared coldly at the ridiculous master and servant.
Were those called the patrol squad not also victims of the nobles' abuse?
How could they willingly abandon their once-great ideals to become pigs and dogs whom the nobles mocked as ignorant fools?
The confusion in everyone's eyes turned to resolve as they surrounded the two damned men.
"Your cruelty defied description, and your crimes were too numerous to record!"
"Your cruelty defied description, and your crimes were too numerous to record!"
".Uh, all right."
At that moment, Raul seemed to understand his master's accusation.
"It seems we lack more than just stun batons."
A thunderous roar filled every corner of Karax.
Following the route guides, the people charged toward the upper levels.
They were both actors and audience.
"Why?"
"Why could you make every worker rise up for you?"
"Why could you access the surveillance system and control every machine in the entire fortress as you pleased?"
The situation was lost. Surrounded on all sides, Herod faced Fulgrim at the center of the stage, terrified and confused.
Could it be... that a god from legend was truly helping her in secret?
"That's right!"
"She is our goddess, Fulgrim!!!"
The workers filling the venue celebrated from the bottom of their hearts.
In their eyes, Fulgrim was the unquestionable savior!
"No, my friends."
She smiled and bowed to everyone. "I am not a goddess. It seems you have simply forgotten my assistant."
"Huh?"
Kasgar, who was operating various machines atop the fortress, felt the platform beneath him descend into the venue.
What was going on?
The prior arrangements had never mentioned an extra scene like this.
Under countless astonished gazes, Kasgar descended with the platform beneath his feet to the center of the square.
"It's Kasgar! I recognize his face!"
"So it was with his help."
Fulgrim stepped forward to meet him.
"Brothers and sisters, there have never been any gods in this world, and there is no need to rely on saviors."
She bent down and raised Kasgar's right hand high.
"Strength comes from the hands of every one of us!"
"As long as we possess the will to fight, we will all regain our freedom!"
"Good!"
"Well said!"
"Big Sister Fulgrim is the best!"
The people's support roared like an avalanche, their applause deafening.
Amid everyone's praise, Fulgrim turned her head toward Kasgar, her gaze full of affection.
"Kasgar, I wonder whether you still remember the promise I made back then."
"Last time, it was ruined by that fool who called himself a noble. But this time, I won't let you escape so easily."
Before everyone's eyes, she dropped to one knee and raised the exquisite Silver Box in her hand.
The Golden Ring inside bore a lifelike engraving of Centaurus.
It was more exquisite and more dazzling than the one Kasgar had made.
"Kasgar, would you be willing to become a guide for Chemos together with me?"
!
The unexpected scene instantly seized everyone's attention.
"Woo—!"
"Say yes! Say yes!"
The cheers thundered, and the shouts were filled with blessings.
".Mm."
Faced with this scene, Kasgar smiled shyly, held out his hand, and nodded.
"Firecrackers and gongs, celebrate the birth of this newlywed pair!"
As the eldest son of the Sherlock Family, Herod collapsed amid the excited crowd, all strength draining from his body.
It should not have been like this.
Their previous negotiations had gone smoothly, and Fulgrim herself had been more than willing to become one of the nobles and lead the future Chemos alongside him.
But—!
But just when he was about to succeed, for some reason Fulgrim had suddenly changed completely. Rather than remain a proper noble, she chose to mingle with that damned bastard Kasgar from beyond the heavens!
The one she was supposed to marry... should have been him!
It could only have been him!
During those days, he felt as though a lucid yet frenzied hatred had controlled him.
And even after so much time had passed, he still seemed to clearly remember that purple hue of jealousy.
Helplessly, to keep a precious jade from gathering dust, Herod had no choice but to resort to this measure.
Even taking back the workers' previously improved treatment had been driven by his desire for revenge.
"Don't panic, Master."
"Look, I got this."
Yet the loyal servant who had always remained at his side did not seem ready to give up.
Raul handed over a bundle of Melta Bombs from who knew where.
"This bomb can send them all flying into the sky."
Raul snickered, wearing a lecherous expression.
Before you continue