The Promised New World

[Temporary meeting of the Upper and Lower Zone begins, and you lead your guard, Ron, to negotiate with the leader of the Earthfire Organization, Seele.]

[At the meeting, you discover that your guard, Ron, has already reached a consensus with Seele and Svarog, and this negotiation is just a formality.]

[Nonetheless, you try your best to get along with Seele and Svarog and build a good relationship with them.]

[Svarog remains cold to you, only softening in the presence of a little girl in a red dress who follows him around all day.]

[However, your efforts are not in vain, as the leader of the Earthfire Organization, Seele, develops a significant goodwill towards you.]

[She says she feels like she met you a long time ago, but can't remember now.]

[You also find Seele somewhat familiar, and your goodwill towards her greatly increases.]

[After the meeting on the cooperation between the Upper and Lower Zone, you and Seele discuss the current situation of the zones.]

[Food shortages, rift erosion, mine toxins... She tells you about the hardships endured by the people of the Lower Zone.]

The text on the light screen fades, and a room similar to Bronya's bedroom appears on the screen.

However, unlike Bronya's current room, where she is alone, a girl in a glowing purple dress with a deep red armband, resembling a butterfly, also sits in the room, with a giant scythe standing next to her.

She looks at Bronya with sharp eyes and a stern tone:

"Hmph, if it weren't for the Silvermane Guards retreating from the underground and completely sealing off the Upper and Lower Zones, people wouldn't be living like this... It's all that Great Guardian's bad idea."

"If only someone had stood up and explained to Lady Cocolia the consequences of sealing off the Upper and Lower Zones back then... Forget it, hindsight is useless."

Faced with Seele's dissatisfaction with Cocolia, Bronya instinctively wants to defend her mother but can't find a reason.

After a long silence, Bronya sighs:

"Maybe... Mother was indeed wrong."

Her idealized image of Cocolia begins to crumble in the face of the harsh realities of the Lower Zone.

The scene fades.

Bronya stares blankly at the light screen, still replaying everything she just saw in her mind.

The people of the Lower Zone... are still living like this now?

Mother's statement was completely wrong; the rift still invades the Lower Zone, and the automaton defenses can't stop the rift's erosion...

The Upper Zone only wants to protect Belobog, and it doesn't need so many guards; some of the guards could be deployed to the Lower Zone to maintain order.

But Mother, in her quest to advance into the rift, moved all the guards to the Upper Zone... it was a huge mistake.

Bronya feels a bit dazed. Despite her great respect and admiration for Cocolia, she won't deceive herself.

Lies of peace are as thin as cicada wings under the sharp knife of truth, breaking at the slightest touch.

Cocolia's policies have gone down a path of no return, gradually pushing Belobog into the fire.

No wonder the supply of geomarrow from the Lower Zone to the Upper Zone has decreased...

Mother said it was because the miners in the Lower Zone were too greedy and lazy to mine more geomarrow, but it now seems it's because people are dying too quickly.

In such harsh conditions, resisting rift erosion while mining in disease-prone conditions without medical resources...

It's impossible to survive easily.

New text appears on the light screen:

[After learning the truth about the Lower Zone, your approval of Cocolia's policies is greatly shaken.]

[You become restless and more confused than when the citizens of Belobog misunderstood you.]

[Late at night, you lie in bed, tossing and turning, with new thoughts emerging in your mind.]

[Choose—]

[1. Go to the Guardian's Office, directly seek out Cocolia Rand, and ask her why she sealed off the Upper and Lower Zones, and if she knows the consequences of her policies.

Choosing this option, given Cocolia Rand's deep affection for you, you will learn the whole truth.]

[2. Go to sleep with confusion and bewilderment.

You will face a new day with increased stress. Until you learn the whole truth, you will face this choice every day.]

Staring at the two options on the light screen, the previously dazed Bronya shakes her head to clear her mind and decisively chooses the first option.

The Stellaron, the policies, Mother's change... all these questions weigh heavily on Bronya's mind, like a stone.

Now that there's finally a way to learn the truth, she won't give up this choice.

She needs to understand... what exactly caused her revered mother to become like this!

[Unable to suppress your confusion and bewilderment, you choose to go to the Guardian's Office to question your mother.]

[You enter the Guardian's Office without any obstacles.]

[You question Cocolia Rand, who remains silent for a long time, then changes out of her nightgown and into her uniform, putting on the symbol of the Great Guardian—the Preservation Spear.]

[She tells you that if you want to know the whole truth, accompany her into the rift, to the origin of everything.]

[In the depths of the rift, on the snowy mountains, she will explain everything to you.]

[You know the rift is dangerous, but the lure of the truth makes you disregard your safety.]

[You leave a simple note informing Ron of your whereabouts, then follow Cocolia.]

[Cocolia leads you into the rift.]

[In the rift, you see the frozen antimatter legion, the snow-covered, mountain-like creation engine...]

[You see the radiant Stellaron in its containment unit.]

[The Stellaron's sweet whispers echo in your ears.]

[Your mother, Cocolia, extends her hand to you, sincerely inviting you to join her plan—]

The text on the light screen fades, and a new scene appears:

On the snowy mountain top, Cocolia looks at Bronya, who is clutching her ears in pain from the Stellaron's whispers, with a gentle smile:

"The Stellaron has promised me a bright new world."

"Bronya, my daughter, we can't remain stagnant."

Her indigo eyes sparkle with a deranged light, her tone growing more passionate:

"Instead of clinging to that illusory 'Preservation' and being buried in this endless winter, we should embrace the imminent 'Destruction'..."

"That's the new future we must embrace!"