Over the next year, Cocolia's reliance on Orion grew daily. She frequently visited Orion's residence, asking him to use his massage skills from the Underworld to relieve her fatigue. In that simply furnished living room, Cocolia shed the majesty of the Supreme Guardian. She changed into her everyday casual wear, a well-fitted white uniform with a hollowed waist that accentuated her graceful figure. Her long boots were replaced by comfortable house slippers. At this moment, Cocolia was no longer the high and mighty ruler, but merely a weary woman. She leaned back on the soft sofa, letting Orion soothe her tense nerves.
Gradually, she began to confide in Orion. "Those noble ministers are constantly bickering over trivial matters again; it's truly a headache."
"And the Underworld… that organization called 'Wildfire' has been restless recently, constantly testing the Overworld's bottom line."
"But now, the erosion of the Fragmentum is intensifying, and I truly don't have the spare energy to deal with those parasites from the underground." Cocolia's brows furrowed, annoyance written on her face.
Orion listened quietly, saying nothing. The pressure of his fingertips on her head was just right, neither too light nor too heavy. After the massage, he took a rose, Cocolia's favorite, from the windowsill. The flower was still dewy, with a delicate fragrance.
"Supreme Guardian Cocolia, you bear the fate of the entire Belobog, and hard work is inevitable. But everything in moderation, please take care of your health." The young man's gentle comfort and the elegant floral scent miraculously relaxed Cocolia's taut nerves. She found that in front of this young man, she could let down all her guard without reservation. Confiding in him about the pressures and frustrations she couldn't tell anyone else. This feeling was very strange.
Once, after speaking her mind, she instinctively hugged the young man. Her head rested on his shoulder, her voice low: "Orion… luckily I have you."
This day, Cocolia was once again receiving treatment at Orion's residence. After the massage, she didn't immediately get up to attend to her duties as usual. Instead, she seemed preoccupied and said, "Orion, there's something… I'd like to hear your opinion on."
"Please speak."
"It's about Bronya." Cocolia sighed. "As you know, she's in seventh grade now, and before school starts next year, the Academy will give you all an opportunity to choose your future direction."
"Belobog is currently short-handed in all aspects, whether it's the Silvermane Guards defending against the Fragmentum, or the administrative officials maintaining the city's operation."
"Therefore, the Academy allows them to choose before eighth grade whether to transfer to the Silvermane Guard Military Academy for military training and become a glorious Silvermane Guard in the future… or to continue their studies at Belobog Academy, and later enter various departments of Qlipoth Fort to become a civilian official."
She paused, looking at Orion: "My idea is to let her stay at the Academy."
"Recently, the Fragmentum's activity has become more and more frequent, and the front line is very dangerous."
"As the Supreme Guardian, it's enough to command and dispatch from the rear; there's no need to personally venture into danger."
"Moreover, she will inherit my position in the future, so familiarity with government affairs is paramount."
"But," Cocolia's tone was helpless, "that child is determined to go to the Military Academy."
"She even used my past against me—'Mother, weren't you also a top student at the Military Academy back then, and didn't you personally go to the battlefield?' She said she also wants to protect Belobog herself, just like me."
Cocolia rubbed her brow: "I'm really hesitating, wondering whether I should let her go."
"Orion, you and Bronya have a good relationship, and you're much more mature than your peers, what do you think?"
As soon as she said this, Cocolia herself was stunned. When did she start relying so much on a child's judgment? He was clearly just a young man similar in age to her daughter, yet he always gave her a strange sense of security and reliability.
Orion's heart stirred. What a coincidence. Yesterday, Bronya had shyly asked him to help persuade her mother to agree to let her go to the Military Academy.
"Mother… she seems to listen to you a lot," Bronya had said at the time.
"Supreme Guardian Cocolia," Orion pondered for a moment, then spoke: "I think you should let her go."
"Oh?" Cocolia was a little surprised. She had originally thought Orion would follow her wishes and help her persuade Bronya to stay in a safer place.
Orion smiled slightly: "Since Miss Bronya has this determination, forcibly stopping her might instead cause resentment."
"True heirs cannot be cultivated in a greenhouse."
He changed the subject, "What's more, you don't need to worry about her safety… I will also go to the Military Academy with her."
"You too?!" This time Cocolia was truly astonished.
"Yes." Orion nodded, "To become a Silvermane Guard, to personally protect Belobog, to protect you, Supreme Guardian, to protect Bronya… and the people I know in the Underworld, this has always been my dream."
What Orion was thinking, however, was: The power attribute brought by the Path of Destruction's 'Word Devouring' continuously increases with age, but with only power and lacking practical combat skills, it is ultimately just brute force. His meager fighting abilities were simply unworthy of this terrifying potential. He must go to the Military Academy! To systematically learn combat techniques, firearm usage, and tactical command. To activate 'Word Devouring', he needed to constantly kill powerful enemies. Fragmentum creatures were undoubtedly the best targets for practice, and the Silvermane Guards were experts in combating Fragmentum creatures. Going to the Military Academy was hitting multiple birds with one stone!
"A dream, huh…" Cocolia looked at the light in the young man's eyes, her heart filled with mixed emotions. "If you can accompany Bronya, I will naturally be at ease…"
"But, my massage…" She instinctively hesitated.
Orion immediately said: "Supreme Guardian Cocolia, please rest assured, even if I go to the Military Academy, I will regularly return to relieve your fatigue. This does not conflict."
Hearing this, Cocolia finally completely relaxed, a smile appearing on her face: "Alright then, since you both have decided, I will no longer object."
The next day, Cocolia told Bronya her decision. Bronya was first stunned, then immediately overjoyed. Mother had actually relented so quickly! She practically flew to find Orion.
"Orion! Orion!" Her voice arrived before she did. "Mother… she really agreed!" Bronya rushed to Orion, grabbing his arm, so excited she was incoherent.
Orion let her shake him, a faint smile on his face. However, after the initial euphoria faded, a strange feeling washed over Bronya. She was going to the Military Academy. What about Orion? Would he still stay at Belobog Academy? In the future… would their opportunities to meet become very, very rare? These days, she had grown accustomed to having him by her side. She was used to discussing schoolwork with him, used to his occasional funny jokes, used to the inexplicably reassuring aura about him. Just thinking about parting, her chest felt heavy… a hollow ache, intensely uncomfortable. Only then did she realize that her feelings for Orion were perhaps no longer as simple as just ordinary classmates. She wanted to say something. To say she didn't want to be separated from him… But the words reached her lips, and she swallowed them back, her cheeks flushing. Because of this reluctance, she even began to wonder if her decision to go to the Military Academy was too hasty.
Bronya lowered her head, her fingers unconsciously twisting the hem of her clothes, her heart in turmoil.
"Oh, right, Bronya…" Orion's voice broke her reverie.