"Cocolia... Cocolia..." Stelle murmured to herself, knitting her pretty eyebrows and wrinkling her little face. "No matter how you say that name, it just feels like she's not a good person!"
March 7th took a deep breath, astonished. "How on earth can you judge someone just based on their name?"
"Intuition!" Stelle declared with the certainty of Mount Tai, nudging her little brother beside her with an elbow. "Qiong-zai, what do you think?"
"I think you're right," Caelus nodded in agreement. His knowledge of the Honkai: Star Rail plot came entirely from fan-made videos, which were mostly memes and entertainment over solid content, but he knew Cocolia was an instance boss. He'd occasionally seen videos showcasing fancy team comps crushing or one-shotting Cocolia. He vaguely recalled a meme picture of Cocolia and Bronya staring up wide-eyed at the Lightning Lord, captioned, 'Did we mother and daughter break some celestial law?'
Besides, even ignoring all that information, the name 'Cocolia' alone was enough for any old Captain to draw a conclusion.
"The problems this civilization faces, whether it's the harsh frozen world or the Fragmentum corrosion, are eighty percent likely related to Cocolia. Even if she's not the main culprit, she's definitely a secondary factor!" Caelus stated with absolute certainty, as if reciting a mathematical theorem. "Any unreasonable or abnormal event happening in this city of Belobog must be directly or indirectly connected to her. You can pin all the bad stuff on her!"
"Huh?" Hearing Caelus's tone, even more convinced than Stelle's, March 7th's jaw dropped, her eyes widening in disbelief. She was stunned speechless for a long moment before finally managing a weak retort. "I think you two are being a bit too extreme."
People often judge by appearances, and there's some truth to it. An astute person might see through a villain's kind disguise by observing their facial expressions, micro-expressions, or subconscious actions, sensing the malice hidden beneath. At worst, one could explain it away with the saying 'appearance stems from the heart'. But to assume the Supreme Leader, who guided humanity against the Eternal Freeze, was the driving force behind all calamities based solely on a name?
"That makes no sense, right?" March 7th shook her head vigorously, clearly unconvinced.
Caelus shrugged noncommittally. "March, all I can say is, you don't understand the sheer weight the name 'Cocolia' carries in the grand Honkai universe – think Danzo-level infamy."
"Things the Stellaron can't manage, Cocolia handles. Moves the Stellaron wouldn't make, Cocolia executes."
"In short: a master of internal strife, the world's designated scapegoat. That's Cocolia-Danzo!"
"That's— mmmph!"
Before he could finish, a soft hand clamped over his mouth. March 7th stepped in front of him, offering an awkward smile to the Silvermane Guards who had turned their heads upon hearing the keywords. She pulled him and Stelle back several steps.
"Keep your voice down!" March 7th hissed, annoyed. "The soldiers and the Guard Captain are right here, and you're badmouthing their leader! I don't want us getting arrested and thrown in jail with Sampo!"
"Also, the Supreme Guardian is named Cocolia, not Cocolia-Danzo... Hey, stop licking my hand!" Feeling the warmth on her palm, a slight blush crept onto March 7th's face, and she snatched her hand back as if shocked.
"Sorry, Stelle covers my mouth often. Force of habit." Caelus flicked the tip of his tongue. Perhaps because of her Six-Phased Ice, March 7th's hand was slightly cooler; he wouldn't have noticed without his tongue.
"I reckon those two names ain't that different?" Stelle scratched the back of her head, looking puzzled.
"Anyway, can't we just talk about this stuff privately? Don't badmouth the Supreme Guardian right in front of her people!" March 7th puffed out her cheeks, holding up a finger admonishingly.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah~"
"Right, right, right~"
Watching the utterly perfunctory attitude of the two clowns, March 7th once again felt Dan Heng's pain.
"So it was a misunderstanding." On the other side, the Silvermane Guards collectively sighed in relief after hearing Seele's explanation (relayed via White Seele, presumably). Some of the younger guards, unable to hide their feelings, showed a hint of disappointment – they thought they'd stumbled upon big news. Lady Cocolia had another daughter? Was she secretly grooming an heir as the second Supreme Guardian? The Silvermane Guards loyal to Bronya had immediately prepared to file an urgent report... but it turned out the girl had mistaken the person. It was both a relief and a pity.
In summary, the helpful cosmic rangers apprehended a thief who stole valuable ancient relics and handed him over to the local civilization's guards, earning friendly reputation points. A joyous occasion indeed!
On the way back to Belobog, Gepard explained the history of the war seven hundred years ago and the Architects, with Dan Heng occasionally asking questions. Some of the accompanying Silvermane Guards still hadn't forgotten Seele's "Mama," and seeing the girl's cute and well-behaved appearance (White Seele was in control now), gently inquired further. After a moment's thought, Seele relinquished control to White Seele, letting her answer truthfully. No particular reason, she just felt it would be more fun this way~!
Hearing White Seele softly describe her mother's appearance – long golden hair, amethyst-like eyes – the Silvermane Guards fell into a strange silence, exchanging glances. Why does that sound more and more like Lady Bronya?
Caelus didn't stir up any more trouble, walking silently within the group. Initially, he had considered seeking help from local forces to find the Jado Mecha and the Talisman Masks, but after confirming that "Cocolia-Danzo" was the Supreme Guardian, he immediately abandoned that idea. That would be like giving the location of a gold mine to a known thief; he'd soon find the Jado Mecha and the Shadowkhan coming after him.
But if he kept quiet and tried to find them across an entire planet with just the Trailblaze team, it would be like searching for a needle in a haystack. Before being summoned and deployed, the Jado Mecha were only slightly larger than the masks. Plus, their self-awareness was far weaker than the Talisman Masks'. If they landed in the glaciers and snowy mountains, finding them would be truly impossible!
Leaving them be wouldn't affect him much, but for the people of this planet, they represented two major hazards. Perhaps they were the final two pushes on the accelerator before civilization drove straight into the abyss.
That wasn't the kind of fun he was looking for!
Caelus pinched his chin, thoughts racing, when he suddenly felt a chill on his tongue, like eating shaved ice. The cold came through their shared senses. Caelus immediately turned to find the culprit.
He saw Stelle crouching on the ground, blinking at a pile of pretty snow. She licked her lips, then took a big bite, munching on it like ice cream. "Ooh, cold."
"Hey, don't eat the snow! It looks clean, but it's actually not. You'll get a stomachache," March 7th hurriedly pulled the bear-child-like Stelle up, brushing the snow off her hands.
"Really?"
"Of course! I got diarrhea from eating ice before." March 7th shared her experience like a seasoned senior.
Gepard, noticing them, wore a subtle expression. "Do you offworlders normally eat ice and snow?" No wonder they came to Belobog. In their eyes, wasn't this planet covered in food? Thinking this, a flicker of joy sparked in Gepard's heart. He hoped more aliens like this would come and help them eat all the snow! All free, no charge!
"..." Dan Heng, caught in the AOE, fell silent, sighing faintly after a long pause. "They are exceptions."
The group walked at a decent pace, passing through the curtain of snow to reach Belobog without too much trouble. Even having explored many planets, March 7th still marveled at the city nestled in ice and snow. Even Dan Heng showed a flicker of surprise in his eyes upon entering. As for Stelle, Caelus, and White Seele, their faces were full of novelty.
A real-world city wasn't like a tiny game map model – though Caelus hadn't seen the in-game Belobog anyway. Looking up from below at the towering, magnificent city walls created a powerful visual impact.
The more Caelus looked at the city, the stronger the sense of déjà vu became. Frowning in thought for a long while, he finally realized where the subtle feeling came from.
"Frostpunk..."
Not just the city, but Belobog's entire setup was very similar to Frostpunk. Both involved a devastating cold snap, both featured cities built deep within snow pits for survival.
Hearing Caelus's murmur, Stelle suddenly shivered. A nameless fire erupted from her subconscious. She instantly drew her baseball bat, looking left and right menacingly. "Where are the troublesome citizens? Where are they?!"
Startled by Stelle's sudden ferocious expression, the Silvermane Guards, including Gepard, instantly became alert, raising their weapons. Some guards thought people from the Underworld had stormed the city, but a quick scan revealed nothing unusual; the street was peaceful.
"Miss Stelle?" Gepard inquired with his gaze.
"Haha, sorry, her brain's glitching out again," March 7th pulled Stelle behind her, laughing awkwardly to smooth things over.
"There are no troublesome citizens here, right?" Stelle felt the fire in her heart cool slightly.
"Of course not. The people of Belobog are very friendly," Gepard assured her seriously. "Rest assured, the Guards will ensure your safety within the city."
Hearing this, Stelle put away her bat, grinning sheepishly at March 7th, who was glaring at her.
Tsk, if the people of Belobog were like the residents in Frostpunk, Caelus thought, maybe leaving the Jado Mecha lying around wouldn't be so bad after all.
They formally entered the city. The spectacle of their escort by numerous guards, combined with their unique attire, attracted the eyes of many curious onlookers, who gathered in small groups, whispering amongst themselves.
"Everyone," Gepard addressed them, "the Supreme Guardian is very busy. Even with my introduction, an audience will likely have to wait until tomorrow. In the meantime, I will arrange accommodation for you. Please understand." Although Gepard felt these individuals meant no harm after traveling with them, security was still a consideration.
March 7th had no objection to Gepard's arrangements and smiled. "No problem, we're not in a huge rush anyway. It's a good chance to experience the local culture. Right, guys...? Hey? Where'd they go?"
March 7th turned to ask Stelle and Caelus for their opinions, only to find the pair had vanished. Following White Seele's pointing finger, March 7th saw the two figures dashing towards... a trash can.
"..."
Slap!
March 7th slapped a hand to her face, her expression crumpling with exasperation. She could already hear the confused murmur of a nearby Silvermane Guard.
"Do aliens... like trash?"
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