1090 is but a tiny fraction of Terra's long history.
However, even in this short period of time, considerable unrest still occurred throughout Terra.
Victoria, who usually takes action amidst chaos, experienced a year filled with turmoil.
Count Warwick of Oakwood County was murdered by his adopted daughter Eblana after the final gathering at the Tara's Home.
The Tara people protested against the unfairness of Oakwood County's laws, but were met with arson and burning of Tara neighborhood by Victoria Oakwood County officers.
Eblana--
This descendant of the Red Dragon wielded Deathfire, rallied the Tara people for revenge, and formed an organization known as the Deep Pool.
The Dukes of Victoria initially paid little attention; their more powerful Red Dragon ancestors had vanished into the annals of time, and what could the few remaining descendants possibly do?
As the dukes had predicted, the organization known as Deep Pool quickly disappeared after its brief period of glory, with only the Iron Duke's subtle support keeping others on their toes.
Soon, the dukes turned their attention to other regions.
An Earl expelled the Rem Billiton and Rem Billiton in an attempt to redraw the ownership of mineral resources in a certain Rem Billiton area.
Unfortunate Cautus has once again been dragged into the war by Victoria, but this time it seems a little different?
The Cautus have endured this for a long time and are determined to defend their dignity with their lives.
But disaster struck sooner than expected.
It wasn't Rem Billiton, but Victoria, the dominant power.
A duke's fleet was almost completely wiped out by the attack of the Red Dragon Overlord, and the wreckage of the main ship still lies scattered in the wilderness.
Thanks to this, the Tara people, who had suffered greatly from oppression, suddenly found their lives improving.
The once arrogant caravans suddenly became humble, and even the greedy sheriffs restrained themselves.
The people of Tara initially believed it was the leader of Deep Pool who was responsible, and out of gratitude, they added many new soldiers to his ranks.
But when news of the Red Dragon's return spread, everything was no longer peaceful.
The rapid upheaval caused the people of Tara to split into two factions, much like the Red Dragon in history.
One faction continues to support Deep Pool, striving to build a future with their own hands; these are mostly young people who still have fighting spirit.
The other faction, however, placed all their hopes on the return of the overlord and spontaneously organized trips to search for the traces of their ancestors.
The image of the Gods' People Overlord has been placed on the desks of the rulers of various countries, but the shocking news goes far beyond that.
Flame Demon--
If the return of the Red Dragon allowed the nations to enjoy a good show of Victoria, then the return of the Flame Demon was nothing short of a horror story.
Although there had been news of it before, the shock that the Flame Demon brought to the nations during the Columbia era was far less than it is today.
Once, the last pure-blooded Flame Demon melted into the Daichi under the attack of the allied forces of various nations.
Although a heavy price was paid, the idea that the Flame Demon could be killed has taken root in people's minds.
But now, thousands of Flame Demons have reappeared in the Grand Knight Territory.
Ursus, who originally planned to attack the Kazimierz border, suspended their plans upon hearing this news.
If the intelligence is true, then why is the Grand Knight Territory still alive?
Under the watchful eyes of many nations, Kazimierz issued an official statement--
The fate of the Flame Demon in the battle with the Red Dragon is unknown.
Some people were relieved, while others became more vigilant.
Attentive observers noticed familiar faces in many of the photos.
Rhine Lab--
The mastermind behind the Flame Demon Incident has once again appeared around the Flame Demon.
Conspirators have begun to suspect that all of this is a scheme orchestrated by Columbia, or that they have acquired the bio-weapon to revive the Flame Demon.
Despite the recent collapse of the Business Federation, the number of visitors to the Grand Knight Territory has increased rather than decreased.
Countless people traveled to the Grand Knight Territory, the main battlefield, seeking answers. Under the supervision of the Adeptus Sprawiedliwy, the customs of the Grand Knight Territory were stricter than ever before.
Thanks to this, many malicious spies were kept out of the city, but some innocent people were also implicated.
For example, Kal'tsit--
"No goods, no proof, I won't argue with you about that..."
After glancing at the Originium crystal on Kal'tsit's shoulder, the prosecutor turned his gaze to the information the other party was filling out.
Doctor.
The Grand Knight Territory, now riddled with wounded soldiers, should welcome such individuals, but...
"Can't you change your identities? Can't you have some secrecy?"
The prosecutor waved his hand, and the city defense troops not far away gathered in this direction.
Realizing the other party seemed to have misunderstood something, Kal'tsit made no move, only frowned.
"Superficial experience cannot serve as evidence. As officials responsible for Kazimierz's external communications, you should all be aware of this."
"Wow, you even have a certain air about you when you speak."
The prosecutor muttered a few words, seemingly moved by Kal'tsit's words.
"Alright, tell me what other proof you have? Don't even mention being a doctor, the temporary prison is almost overflowing."
"In fact, if you do more research, you can find my testimonies in articles published in various places."
"City defense troops!"
The prosecutor was extremely uncooperative. Kal'tsit twitched her eye and delivered the evidence at breakneck speed.
Metallurgy, Sociology, Originium Arts, Archaeology, Historical Genealogy, Economics, Botany, Geology...
The various complex technical terms left the prosecutor's mind blank.
The arriving city defense troops were also somewhat puzzled, as the scholar before them did not resemble the previously fake spies.
Faced with numerous gazes, the prosecutor relented:
"Okay, we'll verify these documents later. Explain your purpose, and once we've confirmed everything is correct, you can go in."
The complicated examination was about to end, and Kal'tsit finally breathed a sigh of relief.
The shutdown of the Grand Knight Territory disrupted all her plans; the damage to the outer city and the wreckage of the fleet were shocking.
However, mere rumors from the outside world are not enough to convince Kal'tsit; she urgently needs official confirmation.
To ensure credibility, Kal'tsit provided information about the person scheduled to meet her.
The other party was one of the many contacts she had left on this Daichi; if the prosecutor could verify this with them...
By taking on the corresponding role of the liaison, this farce could be resolved more quickly.
However, things didn't go as Kal'tsit had anticipated.
As the detailed information was released, the surrounding gazes became increasingly strange.
"Quickly, quickly, get our [guests] inside."
The prosecutor warmly opened the door, and the look in his eyes when he looked at Kal'tsit was completely different from his previous indifference.
"Don't worry, the officials from the Adeptus Sprawiedliwy will arrive soon."
Adeptus Sprawiedliwy?
Kal'tsit keenly sensed that something was amiss; she seemed to have been drawn into a factional struggle?
Surrounded by the city's garrison, Kal'tsit entered the inner city, ready to summon Mon3tr.
As expected, she was not taken to the reception room.
"Alright, you remnants of the Business Federation, tell me everything you know."
Really...
Kal'tsit sighed, the fatigue from the long march rising up at this moment, causing a ringing in her ears.
"Hey, can you hear me? Don't try to escape by pretending to be mute, we have plenty of ways to deal with you..."
The prosecutor kept rambling on, and whenever Kal'tsit tried to prove something, he would bang on the table forcefully to stop her from changing the subject.
Even with Kal'tsit's composure, impatience gradually began to rise within her.
Throughout her long life, there have always been fools who talk to themselves and are unwilling to examine things carefully.
"On behalf of Kazdel officials..."
"Kazdel still has a government?"
Her friend's efforts were easily dismissed, Kal'tsit, her face expressionless, had reached her limit.
She has another, more effective method for dealing with people who are unwilling to communicate.
"Mon3tr, take control of the site."
"Ah! What kind of monster is this!?"
A massive black crystal monster emerged from Feline's petite body, circled around briefly, and the surrounding guards collapsed to the ground.
Mon3tr: "Ha--!!!"
Mon3tr uses breath, and the effect is outstanding.
The prosecutor, no longer arrogant, connected to the Adeptus Sprawiedliwy at Kal'tsit's signal.
Soon, officials representing the Adeptus Sprawiedliwy arrived.
"Madam, could you please ask your Ancients to release these staff members?"
Under the gaze of the newcomer, Kal'tsit easily released the hostage, indicating her harmlessness.
"This meeting was not my choice; it was merely for the sake of efficiency."
The newcomer was somewhat surprised by Kal'tsit's candor, but still waved behind him.
The city defense troops slowly closed in, and the newcomer smiled and said:
"I'm willing to believe in your good intentions, but please understand... Kazimierz is far too vulnerable right now, and we must remain vigilant."
Mon3tr's massive body surrounded Kal'tsit, its intimidating presence putting the city's defenses on high alert.
"I would prefer that the next meeting take place in a normal setting, rather than in a prison interrogation room."
"Of course, as long as you give up resisting."
"..."
Clearly, even though she was prepared to sacrifice herself, Kal'tsit was not ready to easily entrust her life to others.
Mon3tr drew his sharp blade, and the newcomer shook his head regretfully.
"I'm sorry, violence is not encouraged in this city. Kazimierz ... has its own rules."
The man in front of Feline tapped his cane, and the city guards quickly retreated.
Under Kal'tsit's questioning gaze, the other party took out two objects from his pocket and threw them out.
That's... a ball?
The black sphere burst forth with light, lava transformed into armor, and flames formed its body.
The Fire Grand Knight cast down flames and shadows, making Mon3tr, sandwiched in the middle, appear as small as a little girl.
The blade slowly retracted, and Mon3tr hesitated before looking back.
Mom, should I get this?
Kal'tsit's response to this was--
"Ha--!!!"
"Judging by the time, Dr. Kal'tsit should be arriving soon."
"They should have arrived long ago. I don't know why His Highness agreed to let Dr. Kal'tsit go to solicit sponsorship."
"Yes, putting aside that obscure way of speaking, just the expressionless face alone is enough to give negotiators a hard time."
"Mechanist, it's not good to talk behind someone's back~"
"I'm so sorry, everyone has witnessed Dr. Kal'tsit's dedication, and you know I didn't mean it that way."
The tall man, referred to as the Mechanist, hurriedly explained, though everyone understood what he meant, but it was inevitable that a few of his mischievous friends would tell on him.
As expected, ACE and the others standing to the side looked disappointed.
Mechanist: "..."
Just you wait, when you get back you'll secretly drink up all your collection!
After giving his friend a threatening look, Mechanist turned to the girl who had asked the question.
Among a group of tall and Elite Operator, the reason why everyone bowed down to talk to him was not because of his height, but because of the wheelchair he was in.
"Whitesmith, why don't you go back inside and wait? We'll let you know when Scout and the others arrive?"
"Thank you for your concern, but I feel much better these past couple of days. I'll be fine in a little while... cough... cough cough!"
Seeing the girl cough after speaking for a while, the Elite Operator cast reprimanding glances at ACE.
ACE himself was also helpless.
Not long ago, Scout, who was off-ship on a mission, sent a message.
The recruitment target, the [Golden Storm] mercenary group, has been found, but they have no intention of joining. Instead, they want to find people inside the Babel Tower.
Detailed information was not provided, and it appears the other party intends to make direct contact at the Babel Tower base.
According to Scout's intelligence, this mercenary group is ridiculously large and powerful, which naturally attracted the attention of the people of Babel Tower.
Thanks to the withdrawal of the Military Commission, most of the Elite Operator were able to free up their hands to make the reception.
But the list should not have included the physically weak Whitesmith.
The reason for this was that a middle-aged man wearing sunglasses let something slip at a party.
ACE: "Wow, this is the first time I've ever heard Scout praise someone so highly. If I didn't know they were coming back, I would have thought he'd been kidnapped."
It's a cocktail party, you know what I mean.
Rumors spread rapidly, and everyone knew that the Babel Tower was about to welcome an extraordinary guest, leading to numerous rumors about Scout's impending departure.
Whitesmith initially didn't care, but after learning that the leader of that mercenary group was also a woman, this Sarkaz girl who cared about Scout couldn't sit still.
Without any attempt to dissuade them, the Elite Operator spontaneously formed a human wall to shield Whitesmith from the sandstorm, while communicating through Logos's in-game voice chat.
[ACE: Looks like Whitesmith is under pressure too. I thought she'd stay hidden forever.]
[Outcast: Youth is wonderful! Confessing to your crush... it's so much better than those terrible movies about the Notarial Hall!]
[Misery: I bet a jar of candy that Whitesmith won't confess his feelings, and Scout won't even notice.]
[Outcast: Can't you be a little hopeful? But I'll bet you! If you lose... you have to sneak into Laterano and bring me a candy gift bag!]
[ACE: Can we raise the bet? Is the Mechanist coming?]
[Mechanist: I'll pass, but Logos, don't you have any tricks up your sleeve to help Whitesmith?]
[Logos: Like you, I have no experience in this area.]
[Mechanist:... The first half of that sentence is redundant. Besides, don't you get confessed to all the time?]
[ACE: Yeah, I heard before that Logos was sued by a male operator...]
[ACE has been banned]
[Logos: Smiling face (jpg)]
The Banshee twirled the Bone Pen a little faster, causing a certain sunglasses-wearing uncle to break out in a cold sweat, while the other Elite Operator silently shifted their gaze.
Wow, only ACE could withstand the sorcery of the Banshee King Court and still be able to get out of bed the next day...
The observant Whitesmith keenly sensed the unusual atmosphere, but before she could ask anything, Misery suddenly looked up.
"They've arrived."
The Elite Operator reacted calmly, each sensing the tremor through their own means.
"There are quite a lot of people this time."
The tactical lens on the Mechanist helmet extended, roughly counting the shadows in the sandstorm.
"I heard most of them are Infected; the Medical Department is going to be very busy again."
"What does the Medical Department's busyness have to do with your Engineering Department?"
ACE pursed his lips, sensing the schadenfreude in his friend's voice.
"Who said that? Maybe their equipment needs repair."
"Their equipment... I wonder if I could take a look at their strange firearms."
Outcast placed her hand on her brow and gazed into the distance. As Sankta, she had already been informed, but she was still very interested in the weapon mentioned in the intelligence.
"Please restrain yourself. Since you are representing His Highness to greet him, you cannot be impolite."
Logos gave his summary, and the Elite Operator's expressions sharpened as they struck their most stylish poses.
The aura of the strong was unmistakable, and in response, the golden torrent on the horizon accelerated even further.
The roar and sandstorm came together, their presence no less imposing than a minor Catastrophe.
When the army that commanded the Catastrophe came into full view, even though they had been given prior notice, the Elite Operator couldn't help but sigh in amazement.
Wow... what a grand display!
Just as the standoff between the two sides was escalating, the cheerful voices of children broke the deadlock.
"Whoa! Boss, faster! I can see them!"
"Watch out! If you lean out any further, your snacks for tonight are canceled!"
"Hey↗Why is it like this↘?"
The solidified aura shattered abruptly, and the Elite Operator exchanged bewildered glances.
Whitesmith waved to those who could already see her, smiling brightly:
"She seems like... a very easy person to get along with."