Chapter 122

"Ilya was my father. He was Kal'tsit's student and subordinate... They once worked together on an ancient civilization's ruins for Ursus ... I don't know the specifics, but my father died, and almost everyone in the research institute died... I've heard from people in the know that they were killed by traitors who flattered Ursus ..."

"So, you think it's Minister Kal'tsit...?"

"Of all the people involved in the research institute, she is the only one still alive."

Medic fully understood the Skullshatterer's clenched teeth expression, but as a third-party listener, Medic still had many questions:

"But since you are the minister's student... that also means you at least studied under the minister..."

"That was Dad's own decision! He was on his deathbed when he suddenly said he wanted me to go with that guy, that I should study hard with her and stuff. I realized something was wrong, but by the time I got back, the entire research institute had been massacred by the military..."

"This... I still don't understand. Let me summarize the events... First, your father realized something was wrong and sent you to seek refuge with the Minister. Then, you realized something was wrong and fled from the Minister. Next, the research institute fell, everyone involved died, and you believe the Minister is a traitor... Isn't something missing in this sequence? I mean, is there any direct connection between your father entrusting you to Minister Kal'tsit, Minister Kal'tsit surviving, and Minister Kal'tsit being a traitor?"

"... Only she is still alive, and only the traitor can survive..."

Listening to the Skullshatterer's noticeably quieter narration, Medic's smile faltered.

"You're taking your anger out on me... This is clearly an invalid accusation without any evidence."

"Then who else could it be besides her?!"

Just as the Skullshatterer was wreaking havoc in his impotence, Alex's struggles from the direction of the clinic ceased at some point. Slowly, a girl named Feline, wearing a white coat and sporting a ponytail with Kal'tsit- colored highlights, walked towards them while removing her mask.

"Is it some kind of class reunion today? First Alex, then you... But you're still as clueless as ever, Lyudmila."

"... you..."

Seeing the red-haired idiot in front of her frowning and thinking for a long time without being able to speak, Folinic sighed again, and then spoke:

"You can't remember my name, huh... After all, I was very young back then, but my mother introduced me to you. I still remember your silly, childlike face and the silly things you did at the research institute."

As she spoke, Folinic let her hair down, then carefully took out a blue scarf from her inner pocket and put it on. This was a gift from Kal'tsit when she completed her graduation exams; it was the same scarf her mother had once worn.

As for Feline, who wore a white coat and a blue scarf, even Kal'tsit herself would occasionally be stunned when she saw Folinic wearing this... But upon seeing this outfit, the Skullshatterer immediately realized what was going on.

Those hazy memories, overshadowed by the blood-soaked, soldier-filled research institute, were instantly transported back to an even more distant era... Memories of researchers getting to know each other over time, visiting each other with their own children, entrusting their children to the front desk while working, and being the undisputed leader of the institute's children... Things that were almost forgotten suddenly flooded back into my mind.

"... You are... Louis?"

"Luisa, Louis is a boy's name, how many times do I have to say it?"

With a sigh, seemingly accompanied by a bitter smile, but her eyes filled with mockery, Folinic continued:

"I heard it all. Because you jumped off the train, forcing Kal'tsit to search for you, and even making her gaunt for a long time thinking you'd been executed by Ursus, you're now accusing Kal'tsit of being a traitor..."

"This is really interesting. If your Reunion Movement's highest leader hadn't recently emphasized that violence against others was forbidden, I would have given you a punch by now... You ungrateful wretch."

Seemingly stung by Folinic's words, the Skullshatterer's face contorted in a ferocious rage as he drew his dagger and vanished into mist! This impulsive action surprised even Medic, let alone the Shieldguards and Yeti who had relaxed their guards as the atmosphere eased.

But as her childhood playmate, Folinic knew all too well what Originium Arts were... Those mists were just an illusion, and the real thing, judging from her movements and direction when she sprinted... was right here!

As Folinic drew a scalpel from her medical kit without flinching and stabbed it towards the direction shrouded in mist, it seemed both sides would bleed. With a flash of light like a shooting star, Folinic suddenly felt her wrist being gripped tightly, and the Skullshatterer in mid-air reappeared with a muffled groan.

Medic grasped both of their weapon-wielding hands, but to dispel the Skullshatterer's spell, the cat gave her an extra elbow strike.

Because not much force was used, apart from a slight pain, there probably wouldn't even be a bruise. It probably, maybe, possibly... this doesn't count as an attack.

As he tried to justify himself in this way, and felt that both sides were ignoring him and even wanted to point their knives at each other, Medic also became somewhat angry.

As the Originium Arts took effect, the cat's left eye glowed brightly, and the tips of its ears glowed faintly like electrified light bulb filaments. The gradually increasing power caused Medic to slowly press down on the two, who were less of a fight and more of a sulking contest.

After forcing them to drop the sharp weapons that could harm each other or themselves, Medic first looked at Folinic and noticed that her intern was giving her an apologetic look. As if she had noticed his impulsive actions, Medic released her.

Then Medic looked seriously at the Skullshatterer:

"Although I don't really care about your revenge, because I know that the matter between you and Kal'tsit will have to be resolved by you yourselves... but since the matter also involves Folinic, who is not only Kal'tsit's student but also my student, I can't ignore it."

But after thinking about it, Medic, who found the logic of the Skullshatterer utterly illogical, didn't know where to begin, so he turned to look at Folinic:

"So, Folinic, your parents are also...?"

"Yes, my parents and Lyudmila... the Skullshatterer's parents were colleagues... And what I don't understand the most is, how can someone who clearly knows the truth still imagine the truth?"

After glaring at the Skullshatterer again, Folinic continued:

"Alex is clearly in your organization, how come you never noticed him?"

"... What happened to the Skullshatterer?"

Seemingly gaining a new understanding of Lyudmila's dullness, Folinic's expression gradually turned incredulous:

"You actually asked what happened...?! It's Alex! The one who was always with that group of little kids when we were kids, the younger twin, Alex the Ursus twin! His father was the traitor! He recognized me as soon as he walked into the treatment room and told me the news! You still don't know?!"

"So, Rhodes Island people are really good people?"

As FrostNova recounted her experiences in detail, Talulah asked herself this question.

On the other side of the tent, an Elafia woman, dressed simply and even without her Reunion Movement uniform to facilitate trading with the villagers, smiled and held FrostNova's hand...

Upon hearing that FrostNova's temperature had recovered considerably, the doe-like woman was overjoyed, her eyes sparkling with excitement. As friends, they hadn't seen each other for almost a year since FrostNova fell seriously ill, let alone had any intimate contact, and even because of Talulah's unconsciously elevated temperature... all for the sake of each other.

"Whether someone is good or bad cannot be judged based on just one or two incidents, but from a standpoint of perspective, our interests are aligned... and they did indeed come to help us."

As she spoke, the little deer happily shook FrostNova's hand, clearly still happy that she was recovering.

Talulah, however, didn't maintain her poker face to preserve her authority in front of her friends; instead, she wore a worried expression.

"But... help... who knows what the cost will be... their target is the Emperor's Blades ... is that something the Reunion Movement can access?! Alina, it's not that I suspect they have ulterior motives... but their current goal could wipe us all out."

Seeing the Dragon Lady's anxious expression, as if her tail was on fire, FrostNova raised an eyebrow as Alina rubbed her hands:

"You dared to intercept noble caravans and block military supplies, Talulah, you even attacked the Ursus army's Landship themselves... Why are you afraid of that so-called 'Blade'... According to the old fogies and Rhodes Island, if we let 'Pollution' spread across the Snowfield, we'll only be the ones who suffer."

"Pollution is inanimate, people are alive. We can go wherever there's Pollution, that's easy to solve... But 'The Blade' is different... They are the embodiment of the Emperor's will, and opposing them is essentially no different from declaring war on Ursus... You don't understand the implications, and Patriot... given his status, he might not care... But others are different. The Inner Guards poses an overwhelming threat to ordinary Reunion Movement members..."

"And since you know that Pollution can drastically change a person's personality, you should understand why I'm so resistant to cooperating with Rhodes Island... They say it nicely that they want us to work together to deal with the Pollution, but to put it bluntly, isn't that just using our people to 'wash' away the Pollution?"

"The Pollution of intangible things cannot be removed; the only way to combat it is to contain it with a tangible entity... and then destroy its entity. This is currently the only way to combat Pollution... Ursus does this because Sami, who is also threatened by Demons, does the same."

Talulah's agitation caused FrostNova to lean back slightly; the increased heat was still somewhat unbearable for FrostNova.

"I don't think Rhodes Island is what you think... At the very least, you should sit down and have a proper talk with Medic."

"I..."

Before Talulah could finish speaking, a girl named Alina smiled and took Talulah's hand. The slightly cool feeling made Talulah freeze. Just as the Dragon Lady was about to ask why the little deer's hand was so cold, Talulah suddenly realized that it was FrostNova's body temperature.

FrostNova... after being treated by the very organization she wanted to shut out, is now able to be touched again without getting hurt.

The organization did not ask for anything in return for treating FrostNova.

The one who constantly rejects what they want, the one who constantly fears risk, the one who constantly avoids facing those words that once held profound significance in their aristocratic education... is themselves.

It's because I'm running away from my past.

"Talulah ~"

Alina's palms were slowly turning as hot as her own... The Dragon Lady from Reunion Movement looked at her reluctantly.

"Go and talk to that Feline."

With a gentle smile, Alina continued to support Talulah in making the better choice.

"Let's talk about the Demons, the Inner Guards, the Patriot... Let's be frank and open about it all. Just the fact that they healed FrostNova without asking for anything in return already makes them our friends."

"And Talulah, what you're worried about is actually 'that,' right?"

FrostNova frowned slightly at the little deer's smile. In the past, she would never have paid attention to this little secret that occasionally existed between friends.

After all, which the Infected doesn't have a few painful memories to look back on... But perhaps because she's spent so much time with Medic, and after listening to her casual conversations during treatment and analyzing the psychology and details of many other people's words, FrostNova can now vaguely sense that the Dragon Lady and the Little Deer are hiding something very important.

"As long as you're prepared, 'Death' won't come for you, Talulah."

P. S.: Talulah is terrified of Demons... but is Talulah really that afraid? I can't say (laughs)

Regarding the Demons, while researching its lore, I discovered it shares some connection with the immortal Black Snake... the same mental Pollution, the same identification curse... Does this mean I can use the same methods to deal with the Demons while simultaneously eliminating the Black Snake?

(Rubbing hands together)

PS2: Meow Meow Cat

Woof woof cat. jpg

(Screaming) (twisting) (crawling in the shadows) (rolling) (cheering) (heavy breathing)

Cat and bunny stickers! This shouldn't get banned... maybe, probably...

4th Crimson Warm Winter: 128 Each with their own story

"So, what you're really worried about isn't Rhodes Island, but their goals, right?"

Instead of dwelling on Talulah's little secrets, FrostNova, being more pragmatic by nature due to the influence of Patriot and Shieldguards, tends to focus on solving problems... Although she often can't solve any problems, the Yeti can at least deal with those who complicate matters.

She was glad that Talulah wouldn't become the problem itself.

"Regarding 'Demons,' I think we can brainstorm... Talulah, if you're unsure, you can contact Old Man via radio anytime... Also, there seems to be an old Sarkaz on Rhodes Island from the same era as Old Man... That person is Medic's advisor. Thanks to him, although we encountered several things related to 'Pollution' on the road, Medic and her team led from the front, and neither the Yeti, the Shieldguards, nor the W Mercenaries were affected."

"So much so that when passing through the Pollution barrier, which was suspected to have been set up by the Inner Guards, only one of Rhodes Island's guards was seriously injured. However, it is said that her condition has stabilized. When I was still receiving treatment on the ship, I heard her partner in the lounge complaining that she was going to gain weight again during this vacation... Even if I don't know the specifics, the atmosphere at Rhodes Island itself is still very stable."

Seeing that FrostNova seemed to be constantly praising Rhodes Island, Talulah's expression became even more pained: I

"FrostNova, what do you want to say?"

"... I don't know how much of the Rhodes Island strength report that my adjutant and I told you actually took in, but the old man must have said something like that during your extra training...'Never fight a team where soldiers will willingly charge forward one after another, while also showing great respect to their commander. You won't know whether the team is more terrifying, or their commander is more terrifying'... Although I don't know who the 'The Demon' the old man was muttering about was, I think that description applies to the Medic team as well."

"Talulah, I am the Yeti's commander, not Alina. I won't gently advise you like a children's teacher. What I care about and remind you of is always what you will lose if you 'give up,' or even the consequences of becoming their enemy."

"With the enemy's Little Cat completely dominating the Shieldguards, W also mentioned that Rhodes Island has a... half-blood Bloodfiend roaming the area. Hiss."

"With the old fogey gone, even disregarding the possibility that you can't beat them, Rhodes Island can crush everyone except you..." (Dove)

"Because FrostNova, you can't currently function as a combatant?" (Seven)

"You can easily view their treatment of me as part of the Reunion Movement's strategy... We should eliminate the threat while being grateful to them; I would do the same."

As she said this, FrostNova slightly averted her gaze. Even though it was a factual analysis, FrostNova still felt somewhat guilty for speaking ill of Medic behind their backs. However, remembering that her goal was to promote cooperation between Talulah and Rhodes Island, FrostNova gathered her thoughts and continued: I

"Ultimately, it was the Demons who targeted us... Those suspected to be Inner Guards blocked the escape route to the east, Ursus imprisoned us in the northwestern ice plains... We were only allowed in, not out; that's how the 'Pollution' was set up." V

After FrostNova finished speaking, the entire tent fell silent for a long time... Talulah's eyes darted back and forth, as if she was deep in thought.

"... That might... be my fault..."

"Ah?"

"The Pollution of the Snowfield should not exist under normal circumstances... The Inner Guards has very strict disciplinary requirements regarding the use of 'Demons' power... Their rigorous training is to ensure that this power is used properly and does not Pollution the land of Ursus."

"... Isn't this quite Pollution?"

Seeing that FrostNova didn't seem to realize the problem, Talulah shook her head and continued:

"That was a last resort, or rather, an operation to make the 'Pollution' work in a targeted manner. Restricting integration was probably just a side effect of his goal, after all, he was after integration... no, he was after me."

"About two months ago, I did injure an Inner Guards, and the Pollution leak likely started around that time."

FrostNova wasn't surprised by Talulah's confession, but the sudden chill emanating from the White Rabbit made it impossible to believe she wasn't angry.

Before she could respond to Alina's worried gaze, FrostNova immediately glared at Talulah:

"... I've never heard of such a thing!"

"How could I possibly tell you something like this...? Who could the people the Inner Guards contacted be...?"

With a sigh, Talulah said uneasily:

"I'm terrified... terrified that you'll see me with the Inner Guards ... They address me... by the title of a nobleman..."

"Don't tell me you're actually afraid we'll find out you're of noble birth... To be honest, wearing this Nobles' Army and behaving with those little habits, you don't actually think you're hiding your noble lineage very well, do you? But let me be frank, whether you're an old fogey or the Infected, everyone follows 'Talulah,' not some strange identity."

"... I know, and I believe in you... but it doesn't matter what happens to 'Talulah'... the 'Reunion Movement' needs a leader who can unite all the Infected... Talulah cannot be a noblewoman, and at the very least, she absolutely cannot be a noblewoman associated with the 'Inner Guards,' who represents the Emperor's will..."

"So you wounded the Inner Guards."

Seeing FrostNova's sudden realization, Talulah lowered her head in shame.

"Yes, that was a reckless strike... The scattered 'The Dominion' Pollution our warriors... And to ensure that this Pollution would not spread unchecked, the Inner Guards set it up to assist him in continuing to control me and the Reunion Movement... In this way, the Pollution collapsed into physical form, and the carriers were the warriors who were with me at that time."

"Then we encountered them, and then we stopped them, and then we purified them..."

Nodding, FrostNova felt that everything now made sense:

"So, Talulah, you're actually feeling guilty?"

Because the Inner Guards have ulterior motives towards her, they are afraid to participate in the investigation of the Inner Guards... The Inner Guards only need to say one word to make Talulah's years of efforts vanish into thin air.

As for the Pollution warriors and the trouble they caused to Rhodes Island, those were not even a big deal. What Talulah feared was that the Reunion Movement would become alienated from her.