Chapter 202: A fragile balance? Midnight whispers. (End of the failed chapter)
Three days had passed since the Puppet King's rebellion, yet the restless atmosphere of Kuiduolan still lingered.
John and Princess Luna worked tirelessly on the front lines of the rescue efforts, soothing the broken land and its people.
Meanwhile, within Vermillion's castle, Arthur and Stella were coordinating relief supplies and, incidentally, welcoming the belated Union reinforcements.
On the sofa in the reception room, Saikyō Nene, dressed in a vibrant kimono, reclined, a look of unfulfilled resentment on her small face.
"So, you mean to say, I traveled all this way, only for my job to be clearing battlefield debris?"
Hearing this, Stella could only offer an awkward smile.
Arthur, without a change in expression, raised a hand and presented a plate of exquisite pastries, a small gesture of comfort.
"To resolve the rebellion before it spiraled out of control is, for Alliance, a blessing."
Saikyō Nene's movement of gently fanning herself paused, then she straightened up as if nothing had happened, her iron fan pointing at Stella, who looked utterly bewildered.
"Lead the way! To work!"
"Ah?" Stella jumped, startled by the sudden command, "Now!?"
Saikyō Nene let out two snorts of laughter, tapping the table with her fan bone, speaking righteously.
"Alliance, upon learning that the Puppet King and Desert Death had joined forces, mobilized over seventy percent of its Magic Knights to deal with this rebellion."
"If we don't send word quickly, that million-strong allied army of various nations will be at your doorstep."
"A million!? That many!?" Stella exclaimed in astonishment.
Saikyō Nene gave her a sympathetic wry smile.
"So, little Stella, lead the way quickly. We two factions are going to be very busy."
Stella, with her dull political instincts, followed Saikyō Nene in a daze towards the castle hall.
After they had walked away, Arthur picked up a pastry and fed it to Fou, who was lying lazily on his lap, but his voice drifted towards the shadows of the reception room.
"You said before that the Rebel Army's favor had been repaid. What other condition did Kazematsuri Kousan set for you to personally make this trip?"
The blurry light beneath the shadows outlined an unnaturally hollow shape.
Edelweiss, dressed in simple casual clothes, gracefully emerged.
"The twelve apostles of the Rebel Army are internationally wanted criminals, and both Alliance and Alliance have the right to take action against them."
"Mr. Kazematsuri's real concern is that the world order would immediately collapse without the Rebel Army's checks and balances. So, I came."
She walked to where Saikyō Nene had been sitting and sat down, elegantly picking up a pastry to savor.
The sweet aroma of baked fruit brought a hint of relaxation to her silver-grey eyes.
Arthur stirred his coffee with a spoon, gazing at the swirling vortex in the cup, his tone helpless.
"Alliance, composed of great nations, and Alliance, composed of smaller nations, are at odds, with the Rebel Army acting as a buffer in between."
"Now that the Rebel Army is destroyed, even a minor rebellion in a frontier country could become the fuse for a new world war."
Edelweiss nodded gravely, adding.
"Mr. Kazematsuri is currently suppressing the radical factions within Alliance and consolidating the remaining forces, planning to rebuild the Rebel Army."
"Regardless of the purpose, this third-party force, the Rebel Army, must not fall at this time. Its continued existence maintains world peace."
Arthur's eyebrows raised slightly; he sensed something unusual in her overly serious words.
"It's too rushed. Such a crude rebuilding is tantamount to announcing to the world that the Rebel Army has been severely weakened. Has something unexpected happened?"
Edelweiss put down the pastry, her eyes filled with recollection and emotion.
"The strongest of Alliance, 'Superman' Abraham Carter, arrived at the Rebel Army headquarters almost simultaneously with Mr. Kazematsuri. I was there at the time."
Arthur looked up: "He won?"
Edelweiss nodded gently: "He won."
As her words fell, both of them smiled in unison.
Through a twist of fate, or perhaps the whims of destiny.
The Puppet King's selfish desires were meant to overturn the world order, but at the very moment his plan began, Arthur crushed it with his own hands.
And Alliance, which sought to frame Alliance for the Rebel Army's crimes under the guise of 'justice' and launch an all-out war.
Its strongest combatant, 'Superman,' was brutally defeated by the world's strongest swordsman, Wings as One.
The scales, on the verge of complete imbalance, managed to barely maintain a fragile equilibrium, even after the loss of the Rebel Army, because a crucial chip was placed on each side.
"But in that case, Alliance will completely categorize you and the Rebel Army together. Is that alright?"
Edelweiss looked at the composed Arthur and couldn't help but retort.
"Are you not the same, Your Excellency?"
"Suppressing the rebellion single-handedly, instantly striking down the Puppet King and Desert Death. Your information has probably already landed on the desks of various nations."
Arthur quickly shook his head: "No, my situation is completely different from yours."
"At least nominally, I am still a student under Alliance's banner."
"Whether it's Alliance or the Rebel Army, remembering this much is enough. This world needs time to cool down."
Edelweiss instantly understood the fundamental difference between herself and Arthur, and a helpless, slight smile appeared on her lips.
"Your Excellency is truly cunning. Compared to Wings as One, who has taken over the role of 'Tyrant,' you don't even need to step into the limelight."
Arthur nodded without a care, draining the coffee in his cup.
"Does the Immaculate Vow from before still hold true? I happen to have something I'd like to ask of you."
Edelweiss paused slightly, then nodded.
"Naturally, it holds true. Have you thought of the exchange condition, Your Excellency?"
Arthur calmly nodded: "Recently, help me keep an eye on Stella."
"I'm afraid that foolish girl, with nothing but brute strength, will fall into someone else's trap again."
It's unclear what Edelweiss was thinking, but she accepted the task with a curious expression, all while observing Arthur's face.
...
The night was deep, and the moonlight poured down like mercury.
A sneaky figure bypassed the patrolling attendants and quietly slipped into a room.
Seeing Arthur, already waiting in the room in light sleepwear, Stella's cheeks burned, and she instinctively closed her eyes, looking as if she were ready to be taken.
"Alright, speak. What do you want, calling me to your room so late at night?"
Arthur's action of turning a page stopped, his silver eyes reflecting the shy, feigned resistance of the lustful princess, and he let out a wry chuckle.
"Hmm… I found a very interesting story in an ancient book, and I wanted to share it with you."
Stella, who had already prepared her emotions, suddenly opened her eyes, her gaze burning with indignation!
"Tell—a—story!?"
Arthur, however, gently curved his lips, pulled back a corner of the quilt, and beckoned to her.
"In any case, come here first."
The night breeze was cool, urging the thinly clad Stella to step forward quickly.
Under the bedroom wall lamp, the silhouettes of two figures by the bedside almost merged into one.
"Hmm… It's a story about a 'test subject'."
Arthur's voice echoed in the quiet bedroom, carrying a strange sense of detachment.
"The story begins with a cold fortress, where snow and wind rage all year round… And the protagonist of the story is an artificial Blazer."