"They survived..."
The towering trees shrank back, the swirling snowflakes fell with a clatter, and the Black Forest Lord had vanished without a trace.
"Roar..."
With a frustrated growl, the Rift Beast crawled out of the ground, glanced at the two of them, and chased after the direction in which the aura had receded.
"What an astonishing aura!"
Hellagur Zhanjiang and, gazing at the now-still shadow, sighed:
"It's like a warship at full power, the Wendigo... This ancient race still has immortals watching over them."
"So you're no longer conflicted?"
Kashena brushed the snow off her clothes, realizing that the Lord of the Forest was not the real Wendigo.
But so what?
Even the Deathless Black Snake has many forms; perhaps it is the embodiment of the forest's will, and simply chose a form that pleases the eye.
"I've only confirmed that my old friend has been here; as for what kind of place this is, we still need to observe it carefully."
Hellagur did not let his guard down.
He could probably understand why Buldrokkas'tee into the Black Forest; the loss of his compatriots had always been a source of pain for his old friend.
However, the integrity of the Reunion Movement still needs to be considered.
He had seen far too many despicable people who used the guise of Infected to seek personal gain.
Using violence to help Infected survive?
Hellagur saw no hope.
Even though Ursus's corruption and rage will surely destroy it, it will still be one of the most terrifying forces on this Daichi.
"What's next? Just wait here?"
Hellagur looked around. The Lord of the Forest hadn't returned since his departure; perhaps he was inquiring whether the invitation was genuine?
As if the forest had heard the question, the trees began to move, revealing a wide road, and a basket woven from vines emerged from the ground.
"... It seems the owner of this place has already chosen a mode of transportation for us."
They boarded the basket cart, which was suspended by vines, and carried the two of them deeper into the forest.
Perhaps due to the limitations of the basket cart itself, the speed of movement was not very fast, which allowed the two to observe the ecology of the forest.
"What a strange scene! Did this forest really grow in just one month?"
Hellagur narrowed his eyes.
Flowers with gaping, menacing mouths, tree stumps with human-like expressions, and burning flames providing illumination.
Some special crystals, emitting a faint blue light, emerged from the snowdrifts.
And that strange, Rift Beast from before...
Combined with the surrounding twisted, black giant trees, it has a rather eerie fairy tale feel to it.
Hellagur recalled the bone toys that Buldrokkas'tee once made for the children.
Is this style Wendigo tradition?
"Um?"
Strange plants appeared in abundance, Hellagur's gaze was drawn to the "scarecrow" among them.
Why do this scarecrow and the Internal Guard look so alike?
Was it intentionally imitated? The technique is somewhat lacking; a real Internal Guard wouldn't look this thin.
Just as Hellagur was about to take a closer look, he suddenly noticed that the "scarecrow" had moved.
Internal Guard: "..."
Hellagur: "..."
His eyebrows twitched violently, and Hellagur gripped the hilt of his sword, unable to resist wanting to confirm with Kashena.
Turning my head, I saw deep blue eyes.
Tilting his head, Flower patted Hellagur's shoulder with a vine, then disappeared into the surrounding woods along the vine.
Hellagur glanced at Kashena, who had been reading with her head down ever since getting on the bus. Had she anticipated this situation?
A strange creature, completely unaware—was it a warning shot...?
"I didn't! Don't talk nonsense!" Gorth paced back and forth anxiously.
"When did I agree to debate with anyone?"
"But didn't you say that the collision of different ideas is what sparks the Istina?" Alina blinked.
"Little Tal listened completely, and even asked for your opinion after inviting Ms. Kashena."
"When did I...?"
"[It's your decision.] That's how you answered Little Tal."
Gorth's breath hitched. It was because Talulah's energy was too abundant that he wanted her to go and cause trouble for others, not to bring people to find him!
Are you not ready yet?
Seeing Gorth's predicament, Alina volunteered to help.
"Then I'll show the guests around the village, and you can go and make your preparations."
"... Thanks."
Alina left, Gorth slumped into his chair in anguish, issuing commands to the forest.
Walk slower! Why are you going so fast!?
While Gorth was racking his brains over how to handle the debate, Kashena and her companion finally spotted signs of life.
"Village?"
Hellagur opened his eyes and was taken aback by the neatly planned cluster of buildings in front of him.
With a large number of people active outdoors, the population density is even higher than that of Mobile City.
"There's a settlement of this size in the forest?"
As the basket cart landed, passersby spotted the two individuals.
"Oh, you two are new here too?"
Many people looked surprised when they saw the weapon at Hellagur's waist.
"Combatants? Are they new recruits from the Reunion Movement?"
"That can't be right. At this age... whose family member is he?"
"Hey everyone! Come and claim him/her, do you know anyone here, sir?"
From initial wariness to bewilderment, Hellagur felt a bit uncomfortable with the residents' enthusiasm.
And...
"Are you all Infected?"
"Grandpa, aren't you the same? Oh, don't just stand there like an idiot. Let me take you to find a place to live first, and I'll explain everything to you on the way..."
"I'll do it."
"Miss Alina?"
The residents made way, Alina smiled:
"Ms. Kashena, the mentors are preparing. How about I show you both around the village first, and we can rest a bit while we do?"
Thank you for your trouble.
Realizing that the two people in front of them were not ordinary residents, but possibly guests of the Lord of the Forest, the residents immediately became much more respectful.
The group dispersed, and everyone returned to their own lives and work.
Kashena diverted some attention to observe.
Despite having no administrators, it possesses a peculiar order.
She looked at the ice sculpture of the Lord of the Forest standing not far away.
Faith...
"Ms. Kashena, would you like to visit the church first?"
"Hmm, this is troublesome."
The group walked towards the church. Alina looked at Hellagur beside her, and Kashena offered an explanation.
"This is Hellagur, serving as the bodyguard for this mission, and also the head of the Infected medical organization [Azazel]."
A medical organization? Or one serving those Infected?
Alina's expression turned serious, and her gaze towards Hellagur became more solemn.
"Don't look at me like that, little girl." Hellagur shook his head.
"Azazel is destroyed; the one standing here is just an ordinary old man."
"Even so, I want to thank you for your kindness towards those Infected."
"Mercy... is merely a paltry remedy for Sinner with blood on his hands."
Seeing the girl's puzzled expression, Hellagur explained:
"Patriot, or Patriot, do you know him?"
"Mr. Patriot!"
"It seems they know each other, but since he hasn't mentioned me to you, he probably still harbors resentment towards me for what I did back then..."
Hellagur sighed. If he had stood up during that turmoil, Grozvar might still be standing by his father's side.
"Let's get to know each other again, young lady."
"I am Hellagur, an infected warrior, a general nailed to the pillar of shame, the commander of the defeated Higashi campaign, a bloodthirsty executioner."
"General... you are that general!?"
Alina was well-versed in history, immediately understood who the other person was and what Hellagur meant by his earlier words.
"No, you are not one of those vile individuals who actively seek war. Although Mr. Patriot has never mentioned your name, he has spoken of the general he respects on numerous occasions."
[General, you love your soldiers like your own children... war... you're tired of it...]
[I was never... a soldier under his command, never able to stand shoulder to shoulder with him, it's a regret of my military career...]
Looking at Hellagur, Alina said solemnly:
"Mr. Patriot often mentioned during training that if he were a general, he could do even better."
"... Doesn't he hate me for being a coward?"
"No, even I understand that leaving a war at that time often requires more courage than continuing it."
"During training, someone talked about worshipping war and was severely reprimanded by Mr. Patriot."
Alina put on a stern face and imitated:
Only Butcher... thirst for blood; war... only brings loss; fighting... comes at the cost of survival.
Hellagur was somewhat stunned as he watched the girl try her best to imitate Nakaton's way of speaking.
[General, when will the war end?]
[I don't know, Buldrokkas'tee, but we should hate it, everyone should hate it, only Butcher thirst for blood...]
I... I've written it down.
"He remembers..."
The sharpness hidden between his brows vanished silently, and at this moment, Hellagur truly resembled an elderly man.
"How is he doing now? Is his throat worse?"
"The mentor provided treatment, but Mr. Patriot always refused to take his medicine, which always gave Yelena a headache."
"Yelena?"
"Of course, you didn't know, did you? She's Mr. Patriot's daughter."
"Daughter! Adopted daughter? How old is she?"
"Yelena doesn't like us talking about her age, but she looks about my age."
"Haha, by the way, I also have a granddaughter named Nayin. I'll arrange for them to meet sometime, and I hope they get along well..."
"It definitely will!"
Listening to the laughter and joy around her, Kashena felt that people's joys and sorrows were not shared.
Her attention was focused elsewhere.
A smile on one's face, a love for one's work, a devout faith, a harmonious order, and a prosperous life.
The Black Forest was a spectacle she had never seen in the Daichi of Ursus for a thousand years.
Kashena began to think.
What caused this operating model to emerge? Can it be applied to Ursus? And what would be the results of applying it?
Core elements: Abundant production, devout faith, and a comfortable life guaranteed by strong military power.
Applications: Insufficient output, weak imperial authority, disunity among major military groups, conflict between Infected and the people, and an inability to unite public opinion.
Conclusion: The core of the Black Forest, the powerful production capacity of the Black Forest Lord, needs to be investigated to determine whether it can supply the entire Ursus to achieve its goals, and whether the supply of military force can achieve unification.
Kashena opened her eyes.
As expected, we still have to start with the Lord of the Forest.
"Miss Alina, is there a school here?"
"Hey? Miss Kashena, are you interested in this?"
Alina was somewhat wary, but then she remembered that Gorth was still there.
"Then, please follow me."
The school wasn't far from the church, and the group arrived quickly.
As the number of students increased, the original simple classroom gradually expanded, eventually resembling a real school.
But Kashena didn't care about those things; she cared more about the children, or rather, the philosophy they were being taught.
Before she even reached the classroom, Kashena saw the slogan in the hallway.
"... Everyone for me, and I for everyone?"
She gazed up at the sign, her brow furrowed, while Hellagur beside her sighed:
"Is this the philosophy of the Reunion Movement?"
"No, just from the Black Forest." Alina shook her head.
"Is the Reunion Movement really not affiliated with the Black Forest?" Hellagur wondered.
"You can't say that... the situation is more complicated."
Alina didn't know how to explain, so Kashena suddenly asked:
"What about the philosophy of the Reunion Movement?"
"The Reunion Movement... Little Tal said he hasn't thought about it yet." Alina sighed.
"An incomplete idea might lead us astray, so Little Tal has decided that we'll all decide together when the time comes. For now... we can only focus on changing the current situation in Ursus."
"Not overthrow, but change?"
Kashena frowned even more. Koschei's teaching had failed so miserably. How could Talulah be so naive?
"After all, we need to consider the actual situation. Judging from the decrees issued by the emperor, His Majesty has been committed to changing the status quo of Ursus, but the status quo is quite the opposite."
"The Reunion Movement shares the same goals as the enemy; their current objective is to find the lesion and remove it. Besides, Ursus is no longer able to withstand a new all-out war."
"Did your mentor teach you these?"
"Eh? I guess it was something we discussed together..."
As the group toured the village, Alina's delays gradually darkened the sky, and the moon opened its eyes.
Kashena closed her eyes and remained silent for a long time.
"We've rested enough. Take us to see the Lord of the Forest, Miss Alina."
Alina nodded hesitantly, while Hellagur waved to her.
"I won't go. I'm too old; I just enjoy seeing the children's vibrant energy."
"Okay, there will be a dinner party later. You can go with the children."
After saying goodbye to Hellagur, Alina led Kashena toward a small house on the edge of the village.
"The mentor is inside."
Alina didn't go inside. Kashena knocked on the door, and it opened automatically. She then walked into the darkness.
Like its exterior, the interior is not very large.
The figure huddled in the seat appeared even more terrifying, almost filling the entire field of vision.
"You've come..."
"Your Excellency, Black Forest Lord, Kashena Fiorite requests your knowledge."
The candlelight flickered violently, Gorth forced himself to remain calm and said:
"Can."
"Everyone for me, and I for everyone... In a way, it's an exchange of benefits. So, what about you?"
Kashena voiced her doubts: the Deathless Black Snake, as the embodiment of the will of Ursus, was dedicated to restoring the nation.
But why is the Black Forest Lord?
Even if doing these things isn't difficult for you, what do you get out of them?
"I see no passion in you, or is the ideology you promote, like that of the Deathless Black Snake, merely an experiment?"
After a long silence, Gorth gave his answer.
"... There wasn't any particular reason, someone just asked me for help."
Kashena frowned, clearly dissatisfied with the answer, Gorth shook his head.
"Actually, there's a follow-up to that statement."
"Everyone for me, and I for everyone; when this stage's goal is achieved..."
"It is a matter of 'I for everyone, and everyone for everyone' in turn."
"... absurd."
Kashena made no attempt to hide her disappointment.
"Human nature dictates that all of this is just an illusion; you and your students are just as naive."
"Naive... maybe."
Gorth sat up straighter, and as he grew taller, the sense of oppression increased.
"Those who stepped forward were the Infected living in the mire; even if they were persuaded, they still took the first step."
"... I'm a little curious, Talulah got her ideas from you, so what about you?"
Kashena squinted.
"Aside from extraordinary beings born with innate knowledge, the vast majority of intelligent beings develop their understanding of the world through the education of their predecessors."
"In the wild times, people were taught to become excellent hunters."
"During times of war, people are trained to become excellent soldiers."
"During development, people are educated to become excellent scholars."
"The fundamental principle of education is to enable people to adapt to society and create the talent needed by society today."
"But your education is undoubtedly pushing them toward death; this is a limitation of the times, one you cannot avoid."
The flickering candlelight gradually subsided, Gorth summoned vines to weave a chair for Kashena.
"If that's your opinion, I'm sorry."
"Society is made up of people; society changes people, and similarly, people can change society, and thus change the times."
"You mentioned before, the inherent flaws of human nature, right?"
"But in my view, the charm of humanity lies in its ability to understand and change its shortcomings, rather than in its evolution from a primitive, uncivilized existence to the civilized world we have today."
"Desire is real, and so is virtue."
"When desires are satisfied by abundant productivity, children can live normal lives, thus making the world a better place."
"But that kind of world doesn't exist," Kashena retorted.
"Even if you have the power to supply the entire Ursus and transform this land into a paradise, this Daichi is not Ursus's domain."
"Ursus does indeed enjoy waging war, but even without Ursus, other nations would have made the same choice sooner or later; history will repeat itself..."
"Then let the Daichi be unified."
Kashena's words caught in her throat, Gorth continued:
"War stems from conflicts of interest. As long as we can connect everyone and build a true community of shared destiny, all the problems you mentioned will be solved."
"That's impossible..."
"[Nothing is impossible] That's what my brother told me," Gorth calmly listed.
"Abundant [productivity] that supplies the whole Daichi, precise [laws] that regulate the words and deeds of all people, and [the Virtue Keystone] that enables all people to understand and sympathize with one another."
"We've completed the first one, are working on the second, and are trying to cultivate the third."
"Kashena... have you ever imagined what that world would be like?"
Before them, a terrifying-looking monster spoke in the gentlest of tones about a beautiful vision.
"There are no evildoers who harm others; everyone is kind, able to understand and help others, and loves one another."
"Human beings live happily, without the pressure of survival, and everyone can choose to become whatever kind of person they are based on their interests..."
Kashena listened quietly.
She was not moved by what Gorth described; the harsh reality had long since destroyed any potential ideals.
She cared about something else—
The Black Forest Lord is already teaching these children those ideas.
In other words, He believed that the Daichi would be unified.
Or rather, He has the confidence to unify the Daichi and achieve His goal.
Where... where exactly is the place I overlooked?
[Us...]
Is the Black Forest Lord not a single person? Or is there another entity behind him?
Are they telling the truth? Are they really capable of doing these things?
Kashena didn't know.
But the mere possibility of its existence is enough to make this individual risk everything.
Countless experiments, countless failures, but the Deathless Black Snake never gave up.
Even if, as the Lord of the Forest described, Ursus would eventually disappear and become a part of that vast kingdom.
But the Deathless Black Snake didn't care.
As long as this nation continues to prosper, Ursus doesn't have to be Ursus.
So, it's finally confirmed.
"If you truly have this ability, then why are you doing this?"
Why?
Gorth was being asked the question, began to think.
Gregor represents the guilt of having caused the disaster, Vera represents the pity of having witnessed the rise and fall of the Sarkaz.
Even Vane had an instinctive aversion to suffering.
And what about him? What was his motivation?
Is it to make your family proud?
His ordinary life was transformed, he achieved great things, and upon returning home, he gained recognition from his family and society.
Is it out of sympathy for those Infected?
Witnessing Ursus's despair, and feeling anger towards the executioner, he offered his help?
Is this feedback of recognition?
Alina affirmed his value, wanted such people to live in a better world, and then took action?
No, people are inherently complex, and these are the reasons behind my actions; there's no denying that.
Kashena continued to wait for an answer, while Gorth calmly looked back.
So, should we give her this answer?
What is it that I really want...?
Night had fallen, and moonlight streamed in through the window. Gorth's gaze followed the moonlight upwards, and his breath caught in his throat.
"Miss Kashena, have you ever seen the stars?"
"Star?"
"I don't know if you know this, but the Daichi beneath our feet is a giant marble, and there are countless such marbles in the dark universe."
"Those shining stars in the sky are just like marbles; compared to the size of the universe, they are more hopeless than dust and the entire Daichi."
"Even though their light is so tiny compared to the entire universe, when they all shine together, the entire universe also becomes dazzling."
Kashena shook her head.
"... But no matter how many stars there are, they still can't illuminate the entire night. If the road never existed in the first place, what can you find in nothingness?"
"When many people walk on it, a path is formed."
Gorth waved his hand, and the vines woven into the roof spread out, revealing a sky full of stars.
Moonlight streamed across the bone surface, playing and frolicking with the sparks of light scattered among the branches.
"What we need to do is never to illuminate the darkness, but simply to help people see the path they are walking on."
As for what I want...
Gorth started to look up at the same starry sky with the three who seemed to sense something.
"I want to see the star-studded night sky again."