A Vulpo Lady's Life as a Rhodes Island Operator

From Rhodes Island's perspective, an organization like this was worth looking after.

As long as the Reunion Movement did not stray from its path.

"The vehicles at the checkpoint should be almost done being inspected. Let's go wait by your truck."

After estimating the time, FrostNova made the suggestion.

"Sure. Since Mr. Bocorcas is acquainted with Doctor Kal'tsit, I should give the Reunion Movement a little more trust in return."

"Then let's find a few more hands today and unload everything from my vehicle. Especially the crop seeds—you need to race against time now, don't you?"

Fengling and FrostNova began heading back.

FrostNova was somewhat quiet.

Fengling looked at FrostNova curiously.

There seemed to be a faint blush on her face, as though she were holding something back.

She had none of a warrior's usual composure. Instead, she seemed more like the girl next door.

"...Yelena."

Her voice was rather soft.

"My name is Yelena... That is my real name."

She had lived as "FrostNova" for a long time. Even when she occasionally gave her real name, it was usually on the battlefield, spoken proudly with her head held high to a respected opponent or a close comrade.

But introducing herself like a friend... FrostNova—Yelena—seemed not to have experienced that in a very, very long time.

It made her feel deeply unaccustomed.

"Since the old man gave his real name... there's no reason for me to keep hiding mine."

Yelena setting aside her codename also meant that she had lowered the unnecessary part of her guard against Fengling.

Fengling understood what that meant, and her eyes immediately brightened. "Yelena, that's such a lovely name!"

"So what about you? 'Fengling' should be your operator codename too, right?"

Since she had offered her real name, Yelena naturally did not want it to be one-sided. She wanted an equal exchange with Fengling.

But Fengling used her real name everywhere.

"It is my operator codename, but it's also my name. That's Yan naming customs—my surname is Feng, and my given name is Ling. The name itself just happens to have another meaning."

Fengling pointed to the Windbell Pendant at her waist.

"This is what a windbell is called in Yan!"

"I see..." Yelena felt a little disappointed.

After all, a small expectation of hers had fallen through.

Not fair!

Mutual Trust

"You two... seem a little different?"

In front of the wooden cabin where Talulah lived, Talulah watched Fengling and FrostNova return with a suspicious look.

After exchanging their real names, Fengling was still more or less the same.

But FrostNova, who usually kept strangers at arm's length, was clearly much closer to Fengling now.

"Are you two a thing?"

Apparently, Talulah had definitely heard Fengling teasing her and Alina the night before.

Now Talulah childishly returned the favor.

"Talulah, did drinking last night fry your brain?" FrostNova glanced at Talulah and snapped back without holding back her words.

"Ahem..." Talulah cleared her throat, easing some of the awkwardness.

After all, she had not acted so childishly in a long time either.

Ever since Fengling came here, their daily lives seemed to have become livelier.

"Anyway, the old man seems to know one of Rhodes Island's higher-ups. He chose to trust Rhodes Island... or at least their technology and capabilities." FrostNova still gave Talulah a simple explanation. "So because of that, I'm temporarily more at ease around Fengling too."

"Mr. Patriot? I understand."

As the leader, Talulah naturally had her own considerations.

Even Patriot, who consistently distrusted outsiders, had shown at least some faith in Rhodes Island's technical capabilities.

That said—

As Patriot's adoptive daughter, FrostNova—though in Talulah's eyes, FrostNova herself had not realized it—could instinctively understand Patriot's feelings better.

Since FrostNova had instinctively felt that Fengling could be trusted more after that, Talulah would take this information into account as well.

"Anyway, let's get to work first!" Seeing that the trailers around them had already delivered the Originium ore disguised as raw ore, Fengling was the first to suggest, "Let everyone unload everything from my vehicle first. That way, the cargo hold can be turned into an ore compartment too. It has more room and will be easier to stack things in."

"You want to start now?" Talulah asked doubtfully.

She had originally planned to wait until all the goods were ready before exchanging ore for supplies.

"Trust goes both ways."

Fengling merely smiled and said that.

"All right." Talulah was not one to drag things out.

Since Fengling had shown them that kind of trust, the proper thing to do was to handle the most important matter well.

"Everyone, get moving!"

Talulah called out.

"Yes!"

The men delivering the goods answered in succession. They knew what the things being unloaded were, so they were full of energy.

Trading useless, inedible Originium ore for supplies that could improve their lives—or even save them—was simply the best bargain possible.

From a societal perspective, this was very unfair.

To Rhodes Island, the value of this Originium ore far, vastly exceeded that entire truckload of supplies.

But there was still a long road ahead before fairness could be achieved.

Even Rhodes Island could not remain untouched by such circumstances. It could only barely do a little better than companies and regions under comparable conditions.

After opening the truck compartment, Fengling watched the delivery men carry box after box of food and daily necessities from the vehicle, their faces brimming with happy excitement.

Her thoughts drifted somewhat afar.

There was no better textbook than reality.

And the more often things like this happened before Fengling's eyes, the more she felt that Rhodes Island's path... was almost impossible to realize.

Yet walking such a path was romantic. It was inspiring.

If Oripathy could truly be resolved at its root...

That kind of world would surely be beautiful.

With Fengling's current horizons, she could not see that far ahead yet, but that did not stop her from imagining it.

Because of the trust they had built, Fengling could lie back alone in the truck's hollowed-out seat and enjoy the warm morning sunlight for a while.

"Whoa, Chief, look! Such a huge piece of dried meat! It's enough for several people!"

"What's this? It's all shriveled up, and this outer layer can be torn off... Oh! It's a quilt! It can actually be compressed this small!"

"This box is... all seeds! These are wheat... and these are potatoes! Chief, we still have time! Keep the potatoes for planting here, and we can transport the wheat down the mountain! What's this... corn? Let the people below the mountain figure out how to grow that..."

Sitting in the truck, Fengling listened to the occasional cries of amazement from outside.

The radio had already been switched on.

By now, Fengling was no longer subject to excessive suspicion from the Reunion Movement.

"Honestly... if I said I'm instinctively feeling a sense of 'fulfillment' right now, would that be too arrogant?"

"Operator Fengling, radio communication is not suitable for chatting during a mission."

A voice came from the radio that made Fengling immediately sit upright.

Even the tail behind her stiffened at once.

"Doctor Kal'tsit? Wh-why are you listening in on my radio channel?"

"After all, among this batch of field teams, only your situation is somewhat... absurd."

Kal'tsit unusually paused when speaking of Fengling's circumstances, then found a suitable term.

The moment she arrived in Ursus, she had encountered the Reunion Movement, which was currently making waves locally, and even come into contact with its leader.

There was still a lack of relevant intelligence.

Thus, even Kal'tsit had chosen to listen in on Fengling's radio channel whenever she had a little spare time.

"However, I can answer your earlier question."

"If you are doubting yourself, then figure out your true motivation for doing this."

Her true motivation?

Of course, it was the mission, and making a little money on the side.

Fengling's thoughts instinctively drifted in that direction.

But afterward, she seemed to understand what Kal'tsit meant.

That was right. Those were indeed her original motivations.

But if she were acting solely for those purposes, given her current circumstances, Fengling clearly had ways to earn much more.

As long as Fengling dared to think in a darker direction, she could come up with countless methods to expand her profits in ways that were plausibly justifiable and utterly rotten.

Fengling had not done that.

She had even given away things she did not need to—if profit alone were the consideration.

Especially when dealing with an organization like the Reunion Movement, which might already be gone by the next time Rhodes Island came here.

Instinctively, Fengling had chosen a kinder course of action, one that better aligned with her heart.

And the fulfillment she felt now was merely an instinctive response to obtaining results that met her expectations through those actions and methods.

Those negative thoughts had never been related in the first place.

"Operator Fengling, trust your own choices, and trust Rhodes Island's judgment in hiring you as an operator."

Fine! I'll trust it, okay?!

Fengling revealed a bright smile through the radio.

She had probably figured it out.

"Oh, right, Doctor Kal'tsit. Since you happen to be on the radio, I have a message specifically for you... Hmm, I'm not sure whether it needs to be encrypted."

This saved Fengling the trouble of having to look for Kal'tsit after returning.

"With this radio channel, I can confirm that only you and I are listening," Kal'tsit replied.

"Okay... It's actually nothing much. There's an old man in the Reunion Movement who calls himself 'Bocorcas.' He asked me to pass along his greetings."

Terra Probably Doesn't Have the Technology to Beat Someone Up Through a Radio

"Bocorcas... That ancient Wendigo can actually still fight on the battlefield..."

Kal'tsit's voice over the radio faintly carried a trace of disbelief.

For Doctor Kal'tsit, that already felt like quite a significant emotional fluctuation.