Led by Gepard, the group successfully reached the Administrative District.
To outsiders, the sight might've been odd—Gepard was hauling a wriggling, pleading Sampo in a sack over his shoulder.
"Ugh, he's so annoying. Can't we stuff something in his mouth?" March 7th covered her ears. Every word from Sampo was pollution to her eardrums.
Gepard gave a brief rundown of Belobog's history from the archives. March 7th and Stelle listened intently, while Dan Heng asked about the Rift.
"Rift creatures—the Silvermane Guards have been fighting them, but the situation's grim… After meeting the Great Guardian, I hope to get your insights. We lack intel."
"Trash can."
"Hm?" Gepard paused, turning to Stelle.
"I'm wondering if it'd fit on a trash can."
Stelle swung her trash can lid, curious if the size matched.
"No one cares about that!" March 7th wished Stelle would focus.
Gepard was puzzled. "Speaking of, this lady's weapon…"
He'd thought using his sister's guitar case as a weapon was unique, but this was next-level.
"It can change."
Under the stunned gazes of the Silvermane Guards, the trash can lid morphed into a baseball bat.
Gepard, who'd never seen such a weapon, marveled, "Truly… remarkable technology."
"Of course! This was personally gifted by the Aeon of Eternity!" March 7th bragged.
"March, that's a bit much."
Dan Heng quickly smoothed things over, wanting to keep a low profile to avoid unnecessary trouble.
Hearing March 7th's words, Adrian's lips curved into a faint, serene smile, his eyes warm with a gentle glint.
He didn't speak, letting the silence linger in the air, a quiet acknowledgment.
Gepard froze. An item bestowed by an Aeon? Even the Great Guardian might not have such a thing!
If he recalled correctly, the first Great Guardian, Alisa Rand, had only received [Preservation]'s power. Her lance could tear the sky asunder.
During battles, other soldiers felt an unstoppable force by their side, enabling them to block blades barehanded, unscathed.
Gepard reassessed the four. They must have hidden cards they hadn't played.
Were all interstellar travelers this terrifying?!
"Exaggerated," Adrian clarified. "It's just a stick THEY tossed me. I haven't even tapped its true power."
"If you don't mind, I could upgrade the Silvermane Guards' weapons too."
Adrian eyed Gepard's giant guitar case. He had an idea he'd been itching to try.
"A weapon's only as good as its wielder."
Sampo, still tied up, piped up. The Guard escorting him wasn't pleased.
"What's that supposed to mean? You disrespecting Captain Gepard?!"
"No, no, just a reminder." Sampo was dropping hints. To him, Gepard was better off sticking with the upgraded guitar case.
Sampo knew Gepard was an upright, friendly, and strong captain who occasionally hummed his sister's rock songs.
But who knew what Adrian would turn that black barrier into?
Sampo still recalled his time at the Eternity Church, seeing a man claiming to be the High Seat use soap as a weapon…
Even the Mask of Fools weren't that absurd, though their [Masks] were stolen from the Mourning Actors.
[Fool, come feel the grace of Eternity!]
Those were the High Seat Blake's last words to Sampo before hurling the soap.
"Who uses soap as a weapon?!" Sampo had ranted internally.
Even wilder, the soap was a bomb, and Blake timed it for instant detonation!
Later, back at the tavern, Sampo heard tales of High Seat Blake's feats—wiping out countless Doom Pioneers with a single soap bar, single-handedly flipping the Annihilation Gang upside down…
Sigh, times had changed. A soap bar could rival the Antimatter Legion's Doom Pioneers.
If an Aeon could gift soap as a weapon to their Emanator, was the Aeon of Eternity even normal?
But on second thought, this could boost Jarilo-VI's overall strength.
Hearing Adrian's offer, Gepard thought of his sister, Serval Landau.
She made a living fixing machines. After falling out with the Great Guardian, she spent her days repairing and modding instruments.
He felt she'd have a lot in common with Adrian—both were tinkerers.
"If there's a chance, I'd appreciate your help, Mr. Adrian."
"Can we talk later? Could you let me down first?" Sampo shot a pleading look at March 7th.
Too many onlookers—this public spectacle gave Sampo a twinge of… shame.
Sampo didn't like the spotlight. Per his plan, he was supposed to stay behind the scenes, everything under control.
He'd meant to find fun at others' expense, but now he was the joke. Not funny.
"Why're you looking at me? This is what you get for ditching us and running!" March 7th snapped.
"So you wanted to run with him?" Dan Heng asked.
"Uh… let's not dwell on that."
"We're here."
Gepard ignored Sampo, turning to introduce the place:
"This is Fort Qlipoth, Belobog's heart, headquarters of the Architects."
"The Architects named it after the Aeon of Preservation, Qlipoth. Under their leadership, humanity fended off foreign enemies, withstood the Blizzard, and now battles Rift erosion."
"This fortress is also the Great Guardian's residence."
"Great Guardian?" March 7th tilted her head.
So many new terms on a new planet.
"The leader of Belobog, appointed by the Architects. They've watched over the city for generations, sheltering its people."
"The current Guardian is Lady Cocolia Rand. She makes all major decisions for the city."
"Wow… sounds like a big deal."
"I'll take you to meet Lady Cocolia. Prepare your words—she values brevity, as her time is precious."
"Huh, what?! We're meeting her already? Can I freshen up first?" March 7th panicked, feeling like they were about to face a final boss.
"Leave it to me!"
Stelle's baseball bat turned into a comb. "Good thing my hair's fine… wait, March, you've got short hair!"
"March's hair is short, but yours isn't much longer," Dan Heng said.
"So let's not waste time."
"I sent a messenger ahead. Lady Cocolia should already know who you are. Follow me."