Because I Am Surtr

Since they had embraced Talulah's ideals, they would naturally inherit them. With the Reunion Movement no longer existing, the annihilation operation in Chernobog was naturally halted. However, the brewing of the Cataclysm clouds continued. Therefore, under this premise, a well-trained rescue team, equipped with combat power and knowledge of Originium, naturally became crucial at this point in time in this city.

So they left to fulfill the responsibilities they had chosen for themselves. Miss Surtr continued to descend, letting the activated main control tower rumble and clamor beneath her feet.

—"Announcement to all citizens of Chernobog, all Cataclysm shelters are now open. All citizens are requested to proceed immediately to the nearest shelter for refuge. Chernobog is about to experience a Cataclysm phenomenon."

The all-area broadcast from the core city echoed through the sky, playing on repeat amidst the thunderous roars within the Cataclysm clouds.

This was a voice, feminine, gentle, yet imbued with a distinct intellect.

And this was order. Authoritative order, from the core city.

The previously chaotic city regained stability with the sound of the broadcast and the opening of the shelter doors. Order and reason gradually returned to the chaotic crowds—the reformed auxiliary police officers put their hats back on. The panicked workers straightened their shoulders and backs. Even the former Reunion members, whether wearing masks or having discarded them, regrouped and participated in the reconstruction and maintenance of order. They prepared tools and food to deal with the disaster that would inevitably befall them.

Everything was getting better.

Surtr knew why—because she could recognize the voice on the broadcast, she knew its source.

Persephone.

Since Persephone had taken action, she wouldn't leave any obvious loopholes.

It was clear that the damn woman had made follow-up plans before her Death Return. After this return, she had left the sarcophagus and used her knowledge and words, or some other means, to control some of the forces in the sarcophagus area—

—Given that the electronic communication standards in this city were probably no better than a two-year-old's building blocks in the eyes of that damn woman, she must have already modified the communication systems of the core city, and might even be watching this place through some 'eye' right now.

Surtr glanced at the drone hovering outside the main control tower, too lazy to bother with it.

Then she heard the soft whirring of wings from the top of the tower—Persephone's drone must have reached the control area of the main control tower and begun attempting to control the city's forces remotely.

—Tsk, boring.

—This damn woman always protects herself so well with various means before she's dealt with by Laevateinn.

It was obvious. With her assistance, the city would restore order and minimize damage at the fastest possible rate. This also meant that the damn woman had found the role that suited her best. It was likely that in the coming days, she would operate with a persona combination of "frail," "introverted," "exceptionally knowledgeable," and "kind-hearted"—a persona Surtr found disgusting just thinking about—and would come into contact with Amiya and her group, who would soon arrive at the core city.

—This is terrible.

—I hope W can deal with her properly, at least put a damper on her arrogance.

—But, W...

Miss Surtr frowned slightly.

She knew Persephone would keep her word—that damn woman might lie to her, but she would certainly lie about something crucial, not easily squander the trust she had painstakingly built. Since Persephone said she would tolerate, she would definitely tolerate. Since she said she wouldn't kill W, she definitely wouldn't act.

But tolerance was a broad concept, describable in many ways.

Not killing was also a wide range, with corresponding diverse modes of interacting with the target.

—In the worldline I cannot see, the one destined to be abandoned, will W suffer under that damn woman?

—She definitely will. After all, it's Persephone. No matter how many times I warn her, no matter how I exact tenfold or a hundredfold retribution for the victims. Her habits won't change... She never cares about pain, about loss, about failure, not even about death. And the only way I can restrain her is...

She sighed melancholically.

—I hope you can restrain yourself a little, Persephone. Even I don't really want to kill you thirty-one times in a row again... I don't like that scene. At least I don't expect to encounter it again now. But if everything is truly irreversible, then I have no choice.

Alas, alas, life always has its dissatisfactions. Since some things cannot be avoided, then one can only brace oneself and charge headfirst. But in this case...

—Indeed, I still feel like taking a nap.

—After dealing with the matters in Chernobog, I'll go resolve those trivial matters in the dream realm.

The girl shook her head slightly and walked out of the bottom of the tower, carrying her woven bag. The world continued to operate while she wasted time. When she reached the base of the tower and passed through the automatic doors, what appeared before her eyes made her feel slightly outside of her expectations.

She saw Frostnova standing quietly at the very bottom of the main control tower, looking at her with a mixture of joy and approval.

Section 31: Frostnova, My Actor

Why was Yelena here?

This question was not difficult to answer.

It was nothing more than worry, an inability to let go—she still held hope for Talulah. That was why she was here, to witness with her own eyes the answer Miss Surtr had promised her.

This logic was sound—at least Miss Surtr thought so.

She clearly felt the woven bag in her hand tremble slightly. It was likely that the white-haired Dragon Girl, whom she had knocked out, or rather, pretended to have knocked out, could no longer sleep soundly.

"I thought you had already gone to Rhodes Island," Surtr said, raising an eyebrow slightly. "Is there anything you can't let go of in Kazimierz City? Do you need me to handle it?"

She saw Yelena shake her head slightly.

"No, there's nothing I can't let go of in Chernobog. My brothers and sisters and I encountered a Rhodes Island Pharmaceuticals operational team on our way out. The leader was a Sarkaz codenamed Scout. I showed him the letter of introduction you gave me, so he led my team to Rhodes Island."

"I came to find you. A high-ranking female executive at Rhodes Island gave me a remote commission. She hopes I can ensure the safe evacuation of a 'Doctor Persephone' within the core area of Kazimierz City. She said you might be a bit rough when dealing with the Cataclysm in Chernobog, and that Doctor is very fragile and might be accidentally injured during the operation."

So that's how it is.

Kal'tsit, that foul-mouthed lynx, is as worried as ever, so she arranged a special safeguard?

Surtr shook her head inwardly, scoffing at Kal'tsit's waste of manpower and resources. But it didn't matter; if she wanted to waste, let her waste to her heart's content. After all, Surtr was in charge of Rhodes Island now. Even if it meant using Amiya's and Persephone's decision-making authority, she would ultimately be the one to settle the accounts—if she wanted to increase her workload, then so be it.

So Miss Surtr nodded in agreement.

"That's fine. But there's really no need to worry about such things. Amiya's team should have already entered Chernobog. And did you hear the broadcast? The voice coming from it belongs to Doctor Persephone... Amiya and the others should go directly to the sarcophagus area to find her. As for her safety..." Surtr thought of Red, whom she hadn't encountered in this playthrough.

"...Her safety is being taken care of; there's no need to provide extra care."

"So, you're not planning on going over there?"

Miss Surtr nodded and gestured to the woven bag in her hand.

"That... Miss Doctor is a talented person. If she wanted to, helping the residents of this city through this Cataclysm, reorganizing the order here, or even seeking benefits for Rhodes Island Pharmaceuticals would all be minor matters for her. What I need to do is to deliver a sword strike to the Cataclysm clouds above after the evacuation and shelter efforts are complete."

She wasn't worried about the 'Ember Demon's' actions here, detonating the Cataclysm clouds, affecting Rhodes Island Pharmaceuticals. After all, whatever a madman does is to be expected, and both Persephone and Kal'tsit possessed the talent to guide public opinion and twist facts to their favor. The only thing she needed to worry about was the Originium energy tide in the sky randomly releasing when the Cataclysm clouds were broken, which could very well cause some casualties.

"But before that, I need to find a place to put down these 'local specialties' first."

Thus, she offered her explanation.

Yelena's gaze shifted slightly downwards, sweeping over the woven bag in Miss Surtr's hand. A faint smile played on her lips, and her two pointed ears twitched, clearly in a very good mood.

"Need any help?" she asked in a light, conversational tone. "This bag of 'local specialties' looks quite heavy. It must be a strain for you to carry."