A Vulpo Girl's Life as a Rhodes Island Operator: Chapter 43

"I understand, girl. We know what you want to say." The weathered air around Ace carried a convincing strength, and Talulah calmed down because of it. "This conflict has to end here. Your people are exhausted too. If this continues, your side's losses will only grow for no reason."

"The road of struggle will not end here, but it cannot be crossed in a single step either. Your team, and you yourself, are clearly not prepared for that yet. Stop, girl. Let your people rest properly."

Talulah looked back at her surroundings.

This defensive battle could, so far, be called a great victory for the Reunion Movement.

But the battlefield was already a complete mess, and the Reunion Movement settlement they had built together was badly damaged.

The faces of those who had survived were already filled with exhaustion.

Not to mention that the losses in logistical supplies at the rear might be even more severe.

"...All right."

Talulah closed her eyes and etched the sight before her into her mind.

It was time to end this.

As the leader of the Reunion Movement, she needed to step forward now.

Talulah raised the sword in her hand high and announced loudly beneath the sunlight.

"Everyone, we have won!"

""Ooooooh!!!!""

On the Reunion Movement's side, earth-shaking cheers seemed capable of piercing the clouds.

On the other side, Fengling encountered the operators who had come to meet her.

"Little girl, you did well."

"Ahaha..."

Having received praise, Fengling merely chuckled bashfully.

After all, the woman before her had, in just an instant, unleashed a terrifying burst of light that knocked all the remaining heavily armored enemies unconscious.

With the completely unremarkable Originium Gun in her hand.

Fengling had seen that sort of design in books introducing Sankta firearms. It was called a revolver.

And Fengling had never even heard of fighting in such a way.

"Um, Senior, who are you?"

Though the other woman wore a Rhodes Island uniform jacket, it was indeed Fengling's first time seeing her.

She was an older female Sankta with a cowboy hat, pale hair spilling out from beneath its brim.

"We came to take you home. Just call me Outcast."

"Fengling."

A familiar, light voice called to Fengling from behind.

Fengling turned around, and a small figure had already run swiftly to her side and gently hugged her.

"Rosmontis? Why did you come all the way here too?"

Fengling stroked Rosmontis's head, casually giving her cat ears a gentle rub as well.

"I never thought Rosmontis could be this clingy." Outcast watched the scene in surprise. "If Ace and the others saw this, they'd be heartbroken."

Quite a few people still preferred to call Rosmontis by the Victoria language pronunciation.

"Kal'tsit agreed to let me come."

Fengling could not help recalling what Blaze had said before.

Rosmontis was about to be promoted to Elite Operator.

So for her to be standing here now was also an unspoken acknowledgment of her status.

And beside her floated four enormous shields... like door panels?

Fengling had never seen Rosmontis fight.

But just from the sight of those four terrifying-looking massive shields floating weightlessly around Rosmontis, Fengling understood why she possessed the strength to become an Elite Operator.

After confirming that Fengling was safe and unharmed, Rosmontis sniffed at her, then pushed her away slightly in distaste.

"Fengling doesn't... smell as nice as before."

"Eh?!"

Rejected by the familiar kitty, Fengling immediately looked at her with teary eyes.

Rosmontis had already put it rather tactfully.

After all, following a battle like that, Fengling was covered in all sorts of grime and blood, and she had sweated quite a bit herself.

She would probably need a thorough wash before she could return to normal.

Invitation

Cleaning up the battlefield was an important task.

Confirming the list of casualties, tallying the losses, laying the dead to rest, and guarding against the outbreak of disease.

Even after winning a victory on the battlefield, what had been expended would not return, and those who had passed away would not awaken.

For the Reunion Movement, this had been a true, overwhelming victory.

But there would still be deaths.

That was the cruelty of the battlefield.

Perhaps misfortune was the main theme of Terra at present.

The members of the Reunion Movement had also fought their way to this point through brutal resistance, step by step.

After burying the dead, they would take up the wishes of the departed and continue forward hand in hand.

Judging from the atmosphere, the Reunion Movement, having just gone through such a battle, remained remarkably positive.

That allowed Fengling to relax and finally find the mood to tend to herself.

"Phew, it's over, it's over. No, I need a bath! This feels awful!"

Rosmontis's rejection had dealt a critical blow to Fengling's heart.

That was simply intolerable for this Vulpo girl!

On Rhodes Island's side, aside from the aircraft and crew used for the airdrop, the others did not immediately withdraw.

At Talulah's earnest invitation, the Rhodes Island operators accepted an invitation to join the bonfire party that would be held that evening.

"Besides, there is still a final portion of our deal that we have not fully delivered. Please stay another night."

Talulah spoke with such sincerity.

Fengling looked at Blaze beside her.

Blaze gave Fengling's back a hearty slap and laughed. "You're the VIP of this mission. We'll listen to you."

"Then... shall we stay?" Fengling looked hopefully at Blaze.

"Sure. Then we'll return to the landship tomorrow."

The Reunion Movement also needed such a party to raise morale.

They had fought on the battlefield during the day, only to hold a party at night.

It felt somewhat surreal.

But that was the reality the Infected of Ursus had to face.

Everyone wanted a tomorrow.

No one could guarantee that they would still have one.

There was still a long while before the party began.

Curious about a settlement made up of Infected, Ace, Scout, and Outcast temporarily left to look around.

Fengling, who had been preparing to return to the vehicle for a proper wash, was grabbed by Talulah.

"If you want a bath, I know a more suitable place nearby! Come with me! We all happen to need to clean up too."

The vehicle's water tank had limited water to begin with, and after several days of use—especially by Fengling—there was not much left.

So Fengling, along with Blaze and Rosmontis, followed Talulah curiously.

Talulah also invited Alina and FrostNova along.

"The losses are actually much lower than we expected, so this accident will not keep us too busy." Talulah looked at Fengling with gratitude in her eyes. "We truly have you and everyone from Rhodes Island to thank this time. My original plan had been to abandon this settlement entirely. I never expected we could preserve it to this extent."

"After this disturbance, whether you want it or not, many people will be watching you." As an Elite Operator, Blaze knew more of the inside story and offered a kind reminder. "But just because Ursus's upper ranks have not acted against the current Reunion Movement does not mean you will definitely be safe in the future. The conflict between Ursus's old nobles and its current Emperor is complicated. The Reunion Movement's peaceful existence is only a small reflection of it. If you truly want to build this settlement properly, you need to pay closer attention to what is happening around you."

"Is Rhodes Island on... the current Emperor's side?"

"We do not stand on anyone's side. We only do what we believe is right." Blaze answered without hesitation. "But the order to quell this disturbance was indeed issued by someone on your Emperor's side."

This had actually reached such a high level?!

Fengling was secretly alarmed.

Or had Doctor Kal'tsit been behind it?

And for an incident like this, counting Rosmontis, five Elite Operators had been deployed...

Fengling figured she could not possibly be Kal'tsit's illegitimate daughter...

For the time being, Fengling had no way of knowing the specific reason.

But from Blaze's words, she could also tell that the Reunion Movement would be watched by countless eyes in the future, whether friendly or dangerous.

This incident seemed to have formally concluded in such a compromise.

After a brief silence, a smile appeared on Talulah's face.

"Let's stop talking about such gloomy subjects! No matter what, this is the time to relax properly!"

"This is a secret place that only very few people know about. You could say it's a little selfish indulgence of mine."

They passed through the dense forest, heading toward higher ground behind the Reunion Movement settlement.

Though the traces were faint, people had clearly walked this path before, allowing them to move upward very quickly.

As they climbed higher, the temperature around them gradually dropped further, and they could even see snow that had yet to melt.

"We're almost there!"

Even with the extraordinary physical strength of Terra's people, they had walked briskly for over an hour.

Facing the wind blowing down from the mountain, Fengling caught a strange, pungent smell.

"This is... the smell of sulfur... Could it be?"

Though she had never experienced it personally, Fengling could infer from the knowledge she possessed where Talulah was taking them.

After passing through another patch of woods, Fengling's view finally opened up.

The snow here had long since melted, leaving pools of various shapes that steamed heavily.

The unpolluted water looked crystal clear.

This was actually a natural hot spring!

With a Pop!, the sound of an eruption drew Fengling's attention.

Steam and water burst up from an opening, then flowed down a series of natural steps, distributing themselves into the stone pools around them.

"The temperature over there is still very high, so be careful not to go there!"

Talulah, who clearly knew this place well, warned them carefully.

Hot spring water could not be drunk, so despite the abundant water here, Talulah had chosen to keep its existence a small secret.

"You can put your clothes on the stone platform here, so the spring water won't get them wet."

"Then, before the bonfire party begins, let's relax properly!"