Bronya was filled with confusion. "I don't know how to make everyone accept all this…"
Stelle didn't respond immediately, instead looking at the pale-faced Leon.
After a moment of silence, Seele offered a suggestion.
"I think we need to conceal the truth. It shouldn't be made public."
"You mean… cover one lie with another? But if we do that, I…"
"If we don't, how do we explain it…?"
Seele bit her lower lip.
"I just think there's no other way. Down in the Underworld, we repeat the same phrase to the kids every day:"
"Tomorrow will be better."
"—Adults know it's a lie, but at least it lets the kids sleep with hope."
"If we reveal what happened here, people will lose faith."
"Learning that the Supreme Guardian they trusted most deceived them all… If it were me, I wouldn't know what or who to believe anymore."
Bronya fell silent.
The Trailblazing team stayed quiet, listening intently.
After a long pause, Bronya spoke in a low voice.
"…Supreme Guardian Cocolia sacrificed herself to preserve Belobog."
"From the Trailblazers who descended from beyond, she learned the Stellaron's secret."
"She also knew that the first Supreme Guardian, Alisa Rand, failed to destroy the Stellaron."
"…But she still chose to challenge a power far beyond human comprehension."
"Supreme Guardian Cocolia sacrificed herself, and with the Trailblazers' help, she dispelled the shadow over Belobog."
"That's… the 'truth.' What do you think?"
Seele thought for a moment, then nodded slowly.
"At least this truth preserves some hope for Preservation."
Their conversation left March 7th feeling uneasy.
She turned to look at Leon, his arm draped over Dan Heng's shoulder, completely unconscious.
Gazing at Leon's pale, frail face for a few seconds, then at Stelle's grim expression.
This wasn't right, was it?
The two, usually so playful and carefree, now seemed unlike themselves.
This world had changed them…
"Why do we have to lie? Even if I can understand the reasoning from your perspective…"
"I… I… I'd rather tell the truth."
"What do you think, Dan Heng?"
Dan Heng closed his eyes and shook his head.
"I lack the full context of this Trailblazing journey, so I can't offer an objective opinion."
He looked at Stelle.
"March has shared her view. As for yours, if Leon were awake, I believe he'd support it."
"After all… he entrusted his wings to you temporarily, which shows you're a trustworthy companion in his eyes."
"Oh?"
Ah Xian couldn't help but think of a possibility.
She remembered there was no choice in the beta.
Had the official release finally added one?
① "I agree, let's go with that."
② "A lie is always a lie. I oppose it."
Ah Xian stared at option two.
She hoped choosing it wouldn't be countered by some other reasoning, leaving her with no real choice.
But before deciding, she was curious about the community's leanings.
"Family, which would you pick?"
With that, Ah Xian started a poll.
[I don't think hiding the truth is good. Wrong is wrong, and a sinner is a sinner.]
[I get it, though. Seele makes some sense—Belobog can't handle more turmoil right now.]
[Revealing the truth would destroy the Supreme Guardian's authority, and people wouldn't trust Bronya as her successor.]
[Why isn't there a middle ground, like hiding the truth but not painting the sinner as a hero?]
[Yeah, Cocolia committed so many wrongs, yet she gets to be written into history as a hero? That's unfair to the dead.]
[Unfair? It's disgusting. The souls of the fallen heroes can't find peace.]
[But if the truth comes out, won't this world collapse? The Overworld and Underworld would go to war, and the Architects might even fracture over power struggles.]
[So the Express crew works their butts off, only to end up as sideliners?]
[Exactly. Even if the Nameless don't care about recognition, didn't anyone catch what March's look at Leon meant?]
[…]
Several minutes passed, and the poll results surprised Ah Xian.
Lies versus truth was almost a 50-50 split.
Both sides had their reasoning.
"Sigh, there's no perfect solution. Personally, I wouldn't choose the lie."
"If you insist on asking why—"
"Simple!"
"My beloved Leon is injured—who knows how badly—because of Cocolia, because of the Stellaron!"
"From a selfish angle, I don't care about this or that. Hiding the truth means betraying the Trailblazers' efforts and those who died because of Cocolia!"
"I hope the writers actually give us different choices, so my stance doesn't end up looking foolish."
"People say a 12+ gacha game shouldn't have too much depth, but if you write a story like this, controversy is inevitable."
"From the game's lore, choosing the lie fits the Nameless' style and might be better for this world's future."
"But we're players! You can't strip us of our right to choose, right?"
"Even if sealing the Stellaron is the main quest to Trailblaze this world, and saving it was incidental, does that mean the Express crew isn't this world's savior? Isn't that just ignoring the facts and playing dirty?"
Stelle's gaze met Bronya's and Seele's, her expression serious.
"I oppose covering the truth with a lie."
"Supreme Guardian Cocolia was swayed by the Stellaron's will, lost her true self, and walked a path that betrayed Preservation, destroying everything."
"The next Supreme Guardian, Bronya, couldn't pull Cocolia back to the right path and ultimately chose to resist."
"She resolutely raised her weapon against the Supreme Guardian, her own mother."
"With the help of the Trailblazers from beyond, Bronya defeated Cocolia, and the Stellaron was sealed."
"The Rift stopped expanding, and this dying world finally gained a chance to breathe and be reborn."
"This is the unembellished truth, without exaggeration or disregard for facts."
Seele frowned, worried. "But can people handle this harsh truth?"
Stelle: "The people lost a Supreme Guardian who betrayed Preservation, but they still have Bronya—"
"She can absolutely lead Belobog's people as their leader, guiding them to revive the city."
"A successor who upholds the Path of Preservation and raised her weapon against her own mother—isn't that a ray of light in the darkness?"
"Seele, you say people will lose faith and trust in the Supreme Guardian."
"But to me, those are just excuses for self-deception and numbing oneself."