[Poor Bronya, trying to clear our name but getting shut down hard.]
[Classic case of a subordinate not daring to talk back to the boss—especially when it's her mom.]
[But why do I feel… Bronya doesn't really look like Cocolia?]
Seeing the last comment, Ah Xian didn't spoil anything.
The perspective shifted back to the Trailblazer.
Sure enough, the table now had a few breakfast dishes and a pot of tea.
The Express crew was chatting and laughing, not at all like they'd been arrested.
Until the sound of a door opening came from the left side of the screen.
"Commander Bronya, have you found evidence of our supposed infiltration of Belobog?"
Leon asked bluntly.
Bronya froze for a moment. How did he know she…
Since he saw through her, she dropped the pretense.
Just as she was about to respond, Leon's next words left her utterly stunned.
"No evidence? No problem—I've got some."
"I'm sorry… I don't quite understand what you mean."
A suspect claiming to have evidence for their own arrest—was this a roundabout confession?
"Take a look."
Under Bronya's slightly shifting gaze, Leon conjured a phone out of thin air like a magic trick.
He opened a projection, casting a clear image onto the dark wall.
The content was, naturally, the recording from last night at the Goethe Hotel.
"Stellaron… what is that? The cause of the Fragmentum…"
Bronya couldn't help but murmur. Coming to her senses, she looked at the three with caution, gripping her rifle tightly.
"So your identities really are fake!"
Stelle: "Don't rush. You've seen and heard it now—we're here to help you.
We said all that last night, and the next day you get orders to arrest us. Don't you think that's quite a coincidence?
Sure, that recording was just a play, but you should realize there's a listening device in the room.
Guess who might've set it up—someone connected to Cocolia, perhaps?"
Bronya's body stiffened, her brows furrowing in thought.
Eavesdropping was highly unethical.
But given they were outsiders, a cautious leader might justify it.
The problem was, the recording didn't suggest they were infiltrating Belobog.
On the contrary, they were here to help resolve the Fragmentum crisis.
March 7th's words were spot-on.
Those fighting tooth and nail to protect their home, desperate to survive, had no reason to refuse outside help.
When your home's at stake, what's there to overthink?
In recent years, the Fragmentum's spread had accelerated. Large swathes of Belobog were already lost.
At this rate, within half a year, humanity's living space would shrink by more than half.
Seeing her lost in thought, Leon asked the critical question.
"Cocolia never told you about the Stellaron's existence or that it's causing the Fragmentum, did she?"
Bronya snapped out of her thoughts and nodded.
Stelle: "Her motive for sending you to arrest us is the Stellaron."
"Why?!" Bronya was dumbfounded this time.
"Why?"
Leon gave a faint smile, casually crossing his arms and leaning back with one leg over the other.
"Pardon my bluntness, but if you became the Silvermane Guards' commander without pulling strings, you should already have the answer."
At that, Bronya pursed her lips tightly.
Of course she could figure it out.
She just… didn't want to believe it.
She couldn't believe that her mother, the Supreme Guardian and leader of the Architects, would hide the culprit behind the Fragmentum from everyone.
At best, it was to avoid causing panic.
But did even she, Bronya, not deserve to know?
In recent years, Cocolia had been increasingly reckless, sending Guards into dangerous areas.
The stated reasons were to find the cause of the Fragmentum or to block its expansion.
But every time, due to inadequate preparation or insufficient numbers, many died.
Now, the moment Cocolia heard outsiders mention the Stellaron, she sent people to arrest them without hesitation.
She didn't even bother verifying their claims…
As Leon said, how could she not see it?
Not verifying meant she knew their claims were true.
Sending people to arrest them meant they'd crossed a line.
So here's the question.
Why was mentioning the culprit that displaced countless people and endangered lives a line to cross?
Bronya's rifle slipped from her hands, clattering crisply on the floor.
She didn't dare think further.
Leon: "To keep it short, our reason for helping Belobog is simple.
If we don't seal the Stellaron, we can't warp out of this star system.
Helping you helps us. We're upright and honest.
Hiding our identities and true motives at first was just the caution you need when traveling abroad.
Cocolia can't be relied on, so we hope you'll assist us. After all—"
"You don't want to lose your home, do you, Bronya?"
Bronya's mind was in chaos.
On one side was the mother who raised her; on the other, the harsh truth the outsiders revealed.
Subconsciously, she believed Leon wasn't lying.
But deep down, her familial bond with Cocolia and the gratitude for raising her left her clinging to a shred of hope.
"Maybe… Mother was just too sensitive, that's why she reacted to you like—"
Before she could finish, Bronya's expression froze, and she collapsed forward.
Stelle quickly caught her, then stared wide-eyed at the person behind her.
The players' reactions were unanimous.
[What the heck, it's Sampo?!]
[Looks like he ambushed Bronya and knocked her out?]
[Sampo was in jail—how'd he get out of his shackles?]
Ah Xian quickly recalled the hidden plot she'd caught up on, slapping her thigh.
"The Sampo visit payoff from Leon's earlier move! They definitely talked!"
"Hey, good brother, no need for all this reasoning and persuading—just knock her out and take her to the lower district. She'll have to help you whether she wants to or not."
Sampo sauntered forward, his tone as sleazy as ever.
① "What's going on?"
② "With all those guards outside, how'd you get in?"
③ "Leon's guide—is it you?"
Option three.
Sampo grinned, rubbing his hands.
"Guiding my good bros? Of course—after all, the reward—"
"Pfft, we're Belobog expletive bros. When a bro's in trouble, a brother steps up."
Leon suddenly spoke, appearing beside Sampo, his hand on his shoulder, eyes narrowed with a smile.
"So I helped my good brother Sampo escape, and he takes us where we want to go, right?"
Feeling the warmth of the hand on his shoulder, Sampo shivered.
"Uh, yeah, yeah, exactly! Like they say, you rely on brothers when you're out in the world. For my bros, I'd walk through fire—put a knife in both ribs if I have to!"
Leon opened his eyes: "Hmm, then shouldn't I find a chance to stab my brother twice in return?"
Sampo's face twitched, and he quickly waved his hands.
"No need for repayment, no need! Good bros stick to 'your business is my business.' Talk of repayment, and I'll get mad!"
[I'm dying laughing!]
[No idea why Sampo acts like a mouse seeing a cat around Leon.]
[Wasn't laughing until that censored expletive—couldn't hold it in!]