Because I Am Surtr

She emphasized the word "heavy" slightly.

The woven bag also swayed almost imperceptibly, as if expressing some dissatisfaction.

Miss Surtr twitched her nose, feeling a strange sensation. She hadn't used any abilities, yet the air seemed to be filled with a smell similar to gunpowder—no, gunpowder and sulfur were different. So, it must be the nearby fires that brought a gust of turbid wind?

Ah, that's right. Yelena was so cold, there must have been wind around her—but she didn't seem cold now.

Couldn't figure it out, didn't understand.

But politeness was still necessary.

"No need, I think I have more strength than you, an Arts Caster," Surtr replied.

"Then let me introduce you to a place. It's very safe and suitable for you to store things," Yelena's eyes darted around, playing some unknown trick. She gestured for Surtr to follow, then walked and spoke.

"You injured the Old Stubborn quite badly."

"Is this an accusation?"

"No, it's gratitude." Yelena shook her head. She reached out and helped an Ursus elder who had almost fallen on the street. Surtr, meanwhile, quickened her pace by two steps and moved a traffic light that had fallen and become a roadblock.

"You saved his life. He wasn't expected to live much longer, perhaps he wouldn't even make it through the next winter. But now his body is recovering. Although he's very weak due to the loss of flesh, his voice has regained its strength."

"Should I say congratulations then?"

Several drones flew over, playing Persephone's calming voice while guiding a refugee column of over a hundred people to retreat in an orderly fashion to a nearby shelter. An Ursus military police officer maintained order with the assistance of the drones, and beside him, a little Ursus girl with red eyes was clumsily bustling about.

Surtr recognized the girl. What was her name? Ai? She remembered she was an Operator given away during an event. But it seemed unlikely she would be seen on Rhodes Island in the future.

But this was a good thing.

"Thanks to you." Yelena nodded. The Yan-style pleasantries felt a bit awkward coming from her. She and Surtr stood at the intersection, waiting for the convoy ahead to pass, then continued forward. "Many of the Old Stubborn's subordinates are very familiar with Chernobog. After seeing his injuries, they unanimously decided to take him to a renowned clinic here for treatment. Although some were concerned about the Cataclysm here, more felt that the more severe the Cataclysm, the less they could just leave."

"We have a responsibility to the people of this city, even though I am no longer Frostnova, no longer of the Reunion Movement."

Faintly, Persephone's voice could be heard again, this time from several engineering machines. Under the remote control of drones, they cleared a temporary passage. A group of Terra residents, now equipped with Ursus military police gear but perhaps belonging to the Reunion Movement just ten minutes prior, shouted slogans and headed in various directions under the guidance of drones and broadcasts. Many of them paused briefly upon seeing Yelena, as if to salute, and then Yelena waved them to continue.

"But I think the codename Frostnova sounds quite nice. Perhaps you could continue to use it on Rhodes Island."

"Do you like it? Then I shall remain Frostnova." The white rabbit subconsciously tidied her hair, then realized the topic had veered off course. She turned her head away from Surtr, but continued speaking, "They found that clinic. Azazel, a Sarkaz name. Guess who the Old Stubborn met there?"

"An acquaintance?"

"You guessed it perfectly." Yelena smiled, her expression a little mischievous. "And it was the Old Stubborn's former superior. The old man even intended to get up from his stretcher to salute him."

Miss Surtr clicked her tongue. Inside, however, she felt a sense of relief. It was a regret from her past life playing Arknights in Terra that Patriot and Hegre could meet in a non-hostile state.

"That's when I arrived." The two walked forward for a while longer. A few minutes later, Yelena waved to the other side of the street, and several shield guards from the guerrilla force responded to her, then joined in maintaining order and personnel evacuation. Persephone's drones were almost ubiquitous, and these guerrilla shield guards, who had always believed in strict laws and harsh punishments, seemed to be acting according to her rules.

This city had been brought under Persephone's control.

Not through violence, but through words and the order that words brought.

Her voice was everywhere on the broadcast. She had pre-recorded speeches applicable to various situations such as traffic jams, conflicts, rioters, and emotional outbursts, and controlled drones for multi-threaded city monitoring. Where there was chaos, there was her will, and her voice had been specially adjusted. Through specific frequency sound waves, it could stimulate the glands in humanoid creatures' brains to release hormones with calming effects.

Surtr found it hard to say how she differed from an artificial intelligence, or if the only difference was computational power? However, this gap would also be bridged once this entity connected with PRTS.

A genuine monster, whose talents could even overwhelm an entire imperial staff.

Of course, that wasn't important. If this thing caused trouble, it would be a matter of a single sword. Miss Surtr's thoughts lasted only an instant, not even affecting Yelena's narration.

"The Old Stubborn was quite happy. He even introduced me to General Hegre's daughter, Miss Nain. A… quite energetic girl." Yelena chose her words carefully. "As reckless as Talulah used to be. Like a little pig that hadn't been fed enough."

It moved, the woven bag moved again!

If Surtr hadn't tied it tightly, the contents inside might have jumped out the next moment and taught this white rabbit what recklessness truly was.

However, Yelena pretended not to see it.

"But I didn't stay there long, as Miss Nain was quite busy. I only met her briefly before rushing over to the main control tower. It just so happened that I ran into you at the base of the tower."

She stopped.

The entrance to Azazel's clinic appeared before them. Infected and ordinary patients mingled, guided by drones and shield guards to various areas for triage and treatment. A shelter was also operating nearby, so these former Reunion Movement members were also taking on the task of settling refugees.

Of course, this was not important. What was important was the figure that appeared at the clinic entrance. An Elafia familiar to both of them.

Good, Miss Surtr finally understood why Yelena insisted on bringing her here. It seemed this white rabbit also enjoyed watching a good show. Or perhaps, now that the biggest problem had been eliminated, she had the leisure to arrange such a spectacle?

The girl looked at the woven bag with a hint of pity—you're on your own, Miss Talulah. If you survive until tomorrow, I'll remember to bring you some comfort items.

Frostnova then tilted her head towards her.

"It's a good place to store 'local specialties,' isn't it? And there's the most suitable custodian here."

The next moment, without giving the other person a chance to escape or catch their breath, she forcefully swung her arm and shouted.

"Over here! Teacher Alina! Look who I brought!"

The woven bag in Miss Surtr's hand quieted down.

As if it contained a dead pig, it remained motionless.

Chapter Thirty-two: Alina, Terrifying!

Alina.

Elafia.

Little Deer.

The thing Miss Surtr was most satisfied with about herself was that three years ago, she had successfully rushed to that small grove in the midst of the frost-covered snow, found that little path, discovered that group of Infected rioters, and at the last moment, saved the Little Deer who was about to be struck down by blades.

The cleaver that would have severed Alina's arm landed on her shoulder, but it didn't even leave a white mark. And after that, the unleashed Laevateinn turned everything within a hundred-meter radius, except for her and her protector, into shattered ashes and lingering embers.

She had saved Alina.

When Talulah, her face streaked with tears, arrived out of breath, the Little Deer, merely a bit too startled, was quietly curled up in her embrace—at that time, she even found it amusing to mock the weakness of the Draconic. Because the lively Elafia was not heavy for her.

Thus, she gained Talulah's friendship and gratitude that day. And on the same day, under the guise of the wandering mercenary 'Fire Giant King,' she visited the Infected refugee camp, which was not yet the Reunion Movement—she stayed there for quite some time. She taught Talulah how to use a sword, helped Yelena refine her Originium Arts, assisted around the camp, and witnessed Alina's formal joining. And after all the preparatory measures that could put her at ease were completed, she executed the attacking Emperor's Guards and brought an end to the fate of the Black Serpent with the divine burning flames originating from Laevateinn.

She succeeded.

She had originally thought that the unfortunate future of the Reunion Movement would be completely eliminated from that point on, because Alina, Talulah's close friend who could contend with the Black Serpent mentally, was unharmed and protected. That was why she left contentedly at that time. She went to search for equipment and medicine to cure the Originium Infection in the ancient ruins scattered across the land. And after that, it was one battle after another, one fight after another. And by the time she finally achieved some results and returned to the civilized world. The reflux of fate revealed her mistake.

—I originally thought that everything I had done was meaningless. Fate still flowed back to its original place when I wasn't paying attention.