At dawn…
A scream filled with shock and embarrassment pierced through the thin walls.
“Ahhh—!!”
“Y-You…!”
“Why are you in my arms?!”
Immediately afterward…
Another girl’s panicked voice followed.
“I…”
“I don’t know either!”
It was Seele…
And Bronya.
On the bed…
The two who had carefully kept their distance throughout the previous night…
Had somehow become tightly entangled.
Seele’s arms were firmly wrapped around Bronya’s waist.
Meanwhile…
Bronya was practically nestled within Seele’s embrace.
The two of them were equally horrified by such an overwhelming way to wake up.
They instantly sprang apart.
As though electrocuted.
Each retreating to opposite ends of the bed.
Their faces flushed bright red.
Neither dared look directly at the other.
The room instantly fell into an awkward silence.
“…Yawn…”
A sleepy yawn drifted over from the smaller bed.
Celine slowly sat up.
Still holding the half-asleep Clara in her arms.
Her long hair was slightly messy from sleep.
She frowned faintly.
Looking toward the larger bed.
Her tone carried a trace of annoyance at having been awakened.
“Why are you two making so much noise this early in the morning?”
“You’re going to wake Clara and me.”
Lowering her head…
She gently patted Clara’s back.
The little girl rubbed her sleepy eyes.
Blinking blankly before softly saying,
“Good morning, Mom…”
“Good morning, Seele…”
“Good morning, Bronya…”
“Mom!”
Seele immediately turned toward Celine.
Her face burned crimson.
She glared at her with a mixture of embarrassment and indignation.
Although she had no proof whatsoever…
Her instincts screamed that this had absolutely been her mother’s doing.
“What are you shouting for?”
Celine glanced at her calmly.
Her tone remained flat.
Yet impossible to argue with.
“If you keep yelling…”
“You won’t get breakfast.”
Seele: “…”
She angrily turned her face away.
Remembering full well just how merciless her mother could be.
She reluctantly swallowed every complaint she wanted to make.
Leaving only a silent accusation in her eyes.
…
After an awkward period of washing up…
Breakfast ended beneath an equally awkward atmosphere.
The moment she finished eating…
Seele hurried outside.
As though fleeing the scene of a crime.
Bronya politely thanked Celine once again for letting her stay the night.
She followed Seele outside.
…
The two walked silently through the streets.
Until…
They arrived before the abandoned orphanage.
Bronya quietly looked at the ruined building.
An indescribable sense of familiarity suddenly welled up from deep within her heart.
Fragmented memories surfaced one after another.
Cold.
Hunger.
Loneliness.
And…
A trace of warmth.
“I…”
Her voice trembled.
“Was I…”
“Here before?”
Seele heard the almost dreamlike whisper.
She quietly looked at Bronya.
Her expression filled with complicated emotions.
Surprise.
Understanding.
Bitterness.
And finally…
Relief.
At this moment…
Everything Celine had told her…
Had been confirmed.
However…
Seele chose not to mention that they had once been childhood friends.
Too much time had passed.
Everything had changed.
One had become a Wildfire member struggling to survive in the Underworld.
The other…
Had become the carefully raised successor of the Supreme Guardian.
Rather than forcing Bronya to remember a blurry past…
One that would likely only create more trouble…
Perhaps…
Starting over…
Was the better choice.
“…Is there anything I can do?”
Bronya turned toward Seele.
The confusion in her eyes had disappeared.
Replaced instead…
By determination.
She had seen the suffering of the Underworld with her own eyes.
Experienced it herself.
She could no longer pretend not to see it.
Seeing that sincere determination…
The final trace of hesitation within Seele quietly disappeared.
She nodded.
Her tone noticeably gentler than before.
“Come with me.”
“Wildfire…”
“Seems to have something important to discuss today.”
…
Inside Natasha’s clinic.
Unlike the original storyline…
Where Natasha hid her identity as Wildfire’s leader until Oleg revealed it…
Celine’s instructions…
Along with Natasha’s own belief that the Astral Express crew represented Belobog’s hope…
Led her to choose a far more direct approach.
Her expression honest.
“My name is Natasha.”
“I’m not only the doctor here…”
“I’m also…”
“The true leader of Wildfire.”
“Oh!”
March 7th couldn’t help letting out a small cry of surprise.
Dan Heng’s eyes shifted ever so slightly.
Xing merely blinked once.
As though she found the revelation perfectly reasonable.
“Thank you…”
Natasha continued seriously.
“For listening to everything.”
“As for Belobog…”
“The Fragmentum…”
“And the Stellaron you mentioned…”
“Our understanding is still very limited.”
“However…”
“There is someone in the Underworld…”
“Who likely knows more about this world’s secrets than anyone else.”
“He may even know…”
“The Stellaron’s exact location.”
Her gaze swept across the group.
“That person…”
“Is Svarog.”
“The leader of the Robot Settlement.”
“In order to uncover the truth…”
“And find a way to break this deadlock…”
“Wildfire will fully assist you.”
“You’ll travel to the Robot Settlement…”
“And attempt to negotiate with Svarog.”
Just then…
The clinic door opened.
Seele…
And Bronya…
Walked inside one after the other.
“Everyone’s already here?”
Seele quickly swept her eyes across the room.
Finally stopping on Natasha.
“We’re here, Boss.”
“What do you need us to do next?”
“You arrived at the perfect time.”
Natasha nodded.
However…
The instant she finished speaking—
“Seele?”
Xing suddenly perked up.
As though she had just heard an important keyword.
She immediately turned her head.
Staring intently at the girl who had just entered.
Carefully inspecting her from head to toe.
“Xing…”
March 7th looked at her in confusion.
Unable to understand such an intense stare.
She quietly elbowed Xing.
Then whispered,
“What are you staring at that girl for?”
“That’s kind of rude.”
“Nothing.”
Xing finally snapped back to reality.
She hurriedly withdrew her gaze.
Returning to her usual absent-minded expression.
Even casually scratching her cheek.
(…Now then…)
(…How am I supposed to play matchmaker?)