Chapter 21 Serval's Workshop

"What are you talking about?"

Cocolia shoved her friend aside with a hint of shyness in her voice.

"Serval!"

Serval shrugged casually, "Well, you haven't seen me since you cut off my funding last time."

"I thought our Supreme Guardian was going to use her supreme power to lock poor little me in this workshop room." Serval moved around, wagging her fingers with a mocking tone.

"Um…" Cocolia turned away, looking embarrassed. There was already a report to ban Serval on her desk, but she hadn't signed it yet.

"Ah, no way." Seeing Cocolia hesitate, Serval looked alarmed.

"Cough, cough!"

Seeing the situation getting awkward, Orion quickly interrupted.

He still wanted to know why Cocolia had brought him here.

After Orion's reminder, Cocolia snapped back to her serious self. "Let's talk once we're inside."

Seeing Cocolia's serious expression, Serval stopped joking and led them into the machine room.

The inside of the room was more impressive than it looked from the outside. Decorative gears of all sizes moved in irregular patterns, like an endless piece of music.

The room's owner clearly had a great sense of style. Plants and potted plants were arranged neatly in every corner, and Orion even spotted a small cactus.

Mechanical tools were scattered across several large tables, and in the center of the room, on a load-bearing column, various unnamed parts were neatly placed. It seemed like this was where Serval often worked.

"Why are you here this time?" Both Orion and Serval were concerned about Cocolia.

Since Cocolia took the throne, she had lost the warmth and passion she once had. She seemed as cold as ice and increasingly hard to understand.

Recently, Serval made a surprising discovery in her own research, but Cocolia seemed to have shut it out completely, as if she was avoiding something taboo. 

Serval had thought their relationship was over and that there would be no chance of reconciliation. So, she was surprised when Cocolia showed up with a stranger.

Serval's earlier teasing wasn't entirely in jest. She had wondered if Cocolia might have been misled by someone, but she didn't really believe it. Cocolia's strong personality couldn't be overshadowed by anyone she knew.

So, Serval was glad to talk with her again.

"Orion, do you know the history of the city of Belobog?"

Orion shook his head. Although he had basic conversations with Natasha in Rivet Town, he didn't know much about the history of the upper levels.

Cocolia glanced around at the two of them and began explaining to the only people she trusted at the moment.

"Over seven hundred years ago, the Antimatter Legion invaded the planet and attempted to destroy all life." Cocolia looked sad, as if remembering something.

"At the critical moment when the Supreme Guardian built Belobog, our ancestors made a wish to the most important and mysterious treasure on this planet."

"What treasure?" Orion asked, sensing he was getting close to the truth.

"The Stellaron."

Orion's heart skipped a beat. The Stellaron he was searching for was indeed connected to the upper levels.

"The wish of the ancestors is the power to defeat the Antimatter Legion."

"And the cost of this power is the cold wave currently sweeping through Belobog."

"So the cold wave we're experiencing was actually caused by the ancestors of the city's first Architects?" Orion was shocked by this revelation.

"Our ancestors had no other choice but to make this sacrifice to save the planet," Cocolia said with a heavy tone.

Serval remained silent. It was clear she was aware of the deeper truth, likely from her own research.

"Ugh—"

Orion took a deep breath. The situation was a mix of good and bad.

On one hand, he finally had a lead on his target. On the other hand, he was disheartened by the fact that even if the stellaron appeared before him, he lacked the confidence to fully contain it.

"Is Cocolia really willing to share this information? Does that mean she might have a plan?"

Orion looked at Cocolia, who appeared strong but was soft inside.

"Since I took office, the voice of the stellaron has been constantly echoing in my ears," Cocolia said, her eyes lost in thought.

"From today, Cocolia, you will take on the name of Rand. By the authority of the Amber King, I appoint you as the 18th Supreme Guardian of Belobog."

The instructor's voice was cold and serious. Cocolia raised her head slightly. The person she saw as a mother gave her a puzzling smile.

Cocolia had not seen her since the ceremony and did not understand the meaning of that smile until later.

It was a smile of liberation.

When the shadow that had plagued Belobog for thousands of years loomed over her, Cocolia initially felt she could handle it.

The inhuman voice had a seductive pull, guiding each Supreme Guardian to unleash the true power of the stellaron.

"Go, Cocolia, I will give you everything you need in the future."

"So...what's the cost?"

Everything has a price. The price set by the stellaron...

Just as the Antimatter Legion was destroyed, the remaining Belobog was also to be destroyed.

Rebuild everything; give everything a new life.

Initially, Cocolia was determined not to agree, believing that with her own skills and her mentor's teachings, she could overcome all challenges with the help of Belobog's people.

But when she went to the ice fields in the far north to confront the source of the disaster, she was shaken.

Even though she knew about the disaster that split the world, she could not solve it.

Human power was no match.

"In that case, our sacrifice is worthless."

"Since Belobog's sacrifices over the years seem to have been in vain."

Cocolia decided to follow the stellaron's influence, abandoning all scientific research related to it.

Following its instructions, she gradually sealed off the Underworld.

She initially thought this was the right decision, but a small part of her hesitated.

That last bit of conscience led her to visit the Underworld District alone.

There she witnessed her own miracle.

The person who single-handedly sealed the rift.