Gepard's stern, angry tone left Bronya at a loss for words. After all, one side was her mother, while the other was her comrades and colleagues. Serval had also once been her mother's close sister.
"I don't know why Mother gave such an order either, Garrison Officer Gepard. Let's go inside Fortress City and talk."
Bronya spoke to Gepard somewhat blankly. Gepard sighed and nodded. His feelings were in turmoil; what worried him most was something happening to his older sister and younger sister. Ever since Serval had stopped being a City Builder, she had opened the Everlasting Mechanical House, occasionally held open-air concerts, and helped the Silvermane Guards repair all kinds of machinery.
"Creak."
The massive, heavy doors were pushed open by Gepard, and Bronya and Gepard entered the great hall within Fortress City.
They saw Cocolia standing by the window with her back to them, overlooking the city.
"Gepard, Bronya, you're here."
"Is there anything about my orders that you cannot understand?"
Cocolia turned around and looked at Gepard and Bronya indifferently.
"Mother / Supreme Guardian."
Bronya and Gepard habitually gave Cocolia the Silvermane Guard salute. Seeing that Gepard was far from calm, Bronya gestured for herself to speak first. Gepard nodded.
"Mother, yesterday, through the Guards' surveillance, we found that they had done nothing suspicious. They merely visited the Eternal Winter Monument, then went to Sister Serval's place as guests to chat. They did not come out until near evening, when the sun was setting. After that, they went to the Goethe Hotel to eat and rest. There was nothing suspicious about any of it."
"I truly do not understand what these matters have to do with plotting rebellion in Belobog."
Bronya looked at the impassive Cocolia and asked in confusion.
"Furthermore, according to what you mean, the most suspicious thing they did was leave my sister Serval's workshop. Then may I take it that, Supreme Guardian, you believe my sister Serval incited them to rebel against Belobog?"
Gepard glared at Cocolia and demanded angrily.
Bronya knew from Gepard's tone that he was truly angry. After all, he had always been an utterly stubborn blockhead since childhood. Once his temper flared, he could be incredibly obstinate.
"Commander Bronya, Garrison Officer Gepard, you need only obey my orders. As for the reason, once you have captured those rebels, I will naturally explain it to you."
Cocolia looked calmly at the anxious, confused Bronya and furious Gepard.
"My sister Serval—what does the Supreme Guardian intend to do with her?"
Gepard stepped forward angrily and glared at Cocolia. He had already done his best to suppress his emotions. This concerned the safety of his older and younger sisters; he was truly terrified and enraged.
"She will naturally be held under Guard supervision until her innocence is proven. Garrison Officer Gepard, there is no need for you to get worked up."
Cocolia looked at Gepard, who was being so stubborn for the first time.
"Heh, don't get worked up? My family is about to be in danger, and I'm not supposed to get worked up? I've already suppressed my emotions as much as I possibly can, Supreme Guardian!"
Gepard growled in a low voice, his clenched fists creaking.
"Calm down, Garrison Officer Gepard. Mother must have her reasons. Mother, please give us a reasonable explanation. Isn't this so-called charge of rebelling against Belobog utterly absurd?"
Bronya looked at Cocolia in confusion and asked.
"Have you forgotten? When the Silvermane Guards face the City Builders and the Supreme Guardian, there is only one thing you must do: obey."
"All your questions and confusion can wait until you capture those rebel Stellaron Hunters. Or are you refusing to obey orders?"
Cocolia stared coldly at the two of them. As she spoke, a large group of reluctant Silvermane Guards appeared around Bronya and Gepard.
"Garrison Officer Gepard, Commander Bronya, don't make things difficult for the brothers."
Several Guards reluctantly raised their weapons and surrounded the two of them as they spoke in low voices.
"..."
Bronya stared at the unfamiliar Cocolia in disbelief. One day, she and Gepard had actually been surrounded by the Silvermane Guards—and the weapons of their own people were pointed at them. The sheer wrongness of it struck the young woman hard.
"You... Mother..."
Bronya looked in bewilderment at the Guards surrounding them, then at Cocolia watching them coldly from above.
"Heh, how ironic. Who would've thought that one day we'd have our own people's weapons pointed at us?"
Gepard was so furious that he laughed instead. He glared angrily at Cocolia.
He might have been a blockhead, but he had already noticed that something was wrong with Cocolia. He might have been blunt and hardheaded, but that did not mean he was stupid.
"Garrison Officer Gepard, my mother... she seems to be acting strangely. How about this? Let's take a step back for now."
Bronya whispered to Gepard in an extremely low voice. Amid the Guards' pleading voices, Cocolia did not hear them.
Gepard nodded almost imperceptibly. He knew this was definitely not the Supreme Guardian's decision. Though he did not know why Cocolia had become so unfamiliar, he needed to find Serval as soon as possible. As for his younger sister Rin, he did not need to worry; she often disappeared without a trace anyway.
"Now tell me: will you obey orders and capture those Stellaron Hunters who intend to rebel against Belobog?"
Cocolia looked down at Bronya and Gepard and asked coldly.
"Yes, we obey the Supreme Guardian's orders!" *2
Bronya and Gepard shouted unwillingly.
"Good. Take the Silvermane Guards to the Goethe Hotel. They should still be there resting."
"Remember, as long as you capture them, dead or alive!"
Cocolia spoke coldly. Bronya and Gepard exchanged a look upon hearing this, confirming that this was definitely not the Cocolia they knew.
"As you command." *2
After saluting again, the two led the relieved Guards away. Cocolia—possessed by the Stellar Core—began to laugh.
I won't give you the chance to hesitate, Cocolia. Sleep peacefully. When you awaken, you will see a different Belobog. Hehehe~
The Stellar Core-possessed Cocolia looked at the empty hall and spoke with a cold smile.
That was right. It was going to make a big move—for example, summon the Antimatter Legion to descend once more!
Meanwhile, where Sampo was being held, most of the Silvermane Guards had been transferred away. He pried open the lock, knocked out a patrolling Guard, put on his clothes to disguise himself as a Guard, and escaped. Since the Guards wore masks and hats, disguising himself was very convenient.
"Kids, Sampo's back~"
"That Stellar Core is getting restless, but the actors are already in place. I need to act immediately as well. Time to wait for the curtain to rise."
Sampo muttered as he jogged along, soon spotting the Silvermane Guards marching toward Belobog. He quietly followed behind them.
Daily meme image. Truly worthy of the Preservation Fox.