[You and Captain Gepard had a pleasant conversation. His Affection for you has increased, and his trust in you has increased significantly.]
[Among the Silvermane Guards of Belobog, your reputation has risen to Revered.]
[The Fragmentum in the peripheral passages has been completely dissipated after having its Imaginary energy drained by the Stellaron. The Belobog Commercial District has been reclaimed.]
[The next day, Supreme Guardian Cocolia Rand leaves Qlipoth Fort and comes to the logistics district alone.]
Cocolia's out?
Ron, who had been lounging lazily on his bed, suddenly jolted upright. A malicious glint appeared in his eyes as he stared at the screen.
Finally... Cocolia.
He rubbed his hands together, suppressing the small thrill of excitement in his heart.
In this simulation, he had frantically grinded his combat power, and it had clearly opened up a new path.
The Stellaron had been hit so hard that its core energy was damaged, to the point that even the Fragmentum in the peripheral passages had faded away after its Imaginary energy was depleted.
Based on the experience from the last simulation, as long as there was a great victory on the front lines, Cocolia wouldn't be able to contain herself and would come out to cause trouble—
Last time, she had charged directly into the Fragmentum, been assimilated by the Stellaron, and returned only to blow up along with Belobog, playing the part of a suicide truck.
But this time, Ron was prepared. His current self was more than capable of fighting Cocolia to a standstill... even an assimilated Cocolia.
If Cocolia really tried to charge into the Fragmentum again, Ron could easily stop her, string her up in the barracks, and spank her.
With his current combat power as the number one expert in the Silvermane Guards, handling Cocolia without being discovered would be a piece of cake...
Filled with this anticipation, Ron watched as the text on the screen began to change:
[The Supreme Guardian graces the military camp with her presence. The guards line up to welcome her, showing her the utmost respect.]
[Cocolia demands that the guards assemble on the training grounds. She wishes to give a speech to commemorate this great victory.]
A new scene unfolded on the screen:
Cocolia stood on an elaborately constructed viewing platform on the training grounds. Below her, the guards were arrayed in neat formations, their mighty presence spreading across the field like a dense forest of steel.
The commanders stood before the platform, saluting Cocolia with solemn respect.
The guards saluted in perfect unison, like a great wave rolling across a calm sea.
"In the defense of Belobog, you have all done very well."
Cocolia wore a smile, her tone encouraging and firm as she affirmed the guards' accomplishments.
"Annihilating the Fragmentum creatures, reclaiming the old Belobog Commercial District, and consolidating the defensive line... This is the first great victory in a counterattack against the Fragmentum since the first year of the Fort-Building Era!"
Her tone was fervent, but a flash of cold indifference crossed her purple eyes as her words took a sharp turn.
"However, victory is already in the past. We cannot immerse ourselves in former glories. We must look towards a brand new future."
She grabbed the Architect's badge on her chest, tore it off, and raised it high as she rallied them.
"The decision to counterattack the Fragmentum was the correct one! A bright future is beckoning to us!"
"We can reclaim not only the old Commercial District but also the city outskirts, and even more... The Fragmentum creatures are nothing but defeated foes! Belobog will welcome an even more brilliant future!"
"The children of Belobog will one day sing freely under a much vaster sky!"
Faced with the beautiful future Cocolia painted with her words, the guards erupted into a frenzy.
[Cocolia provides all sorts of useless guidance regarding the guards' work and offers empty praise for their bravery, then proceeds to issue several consecutive military orders.]
[She demands that Captain Gepard immediately lead the troops back to the front lines, forbidding any delays in the rear.]
[She orders that all the guards under your command be broken up and integrated into the front-line units, and that several new recruits be temporarily conscripted into the logistics district to guard the armory.]
[The guards, their heads filled with victory and fantasy, obediently accept the orders and methodically begin their preparations, ready to rush to the front lines at a moment's notice.]
[Please choose—]
[1. Accept Cocolia's military orders.]
[2. Refute Cocolia's military orders.]
Looking at the text on the screen, Bronya found herself in a moment of conflict.
If it were the her from before, she probably would have obeyed Cocolia's command without hesitation. But now, after having gone through one simulation...
She glanced at the guards on the screen, who had lost some of their rationality under Cocolia's incitement. She finally made her decision and chose option two.
One must not be blinded by victory. Think thrice before acting—this was something her mother had once taught her.
Although Bronya didn't understand why Cocolia had become so impulsive now, she didn't want to watch the mother in this simulation continue down the wrong path.
The Silvermane Guards were the foundation of Belobog's Preservation, the bottom line that allowed the flame of civilization to continue flickering in the snow.
While this defensive battle had been a great victory, it had not been without cost.
In Bronya's panoramic view, the guards in the logistics district who had become Pathstriders could no longer even form four full squads.
They had suffered a forty percent casualty rate in this battle, and it was only thanks to Ron's surprise raid that the creatures' offensive was finally broken.
Afterward, it was the returning main army that had enveloped the enemy from the rear, finally killing the endless stream of Fragmentum creatures and turning them to dust.
And while the main army was in much better shape than in the last simulation, they too had suffered casualties.
Advancing into the Fragmentum was not guaranteed to reclaim old territory, but it would certainly cause even greater losses for the guards.
Reclaiming the Commercial District was already a monumental achievement, something unseen since the first year of the Fort-Building Era. It would be better to spend the remaining time repairing the district, building a new defensive line, and resting to recuperate their strength...
With this thought in mind, Bronya watched as new text popped up on the screen:
[You have refuted Cocolia's military orders in front of the entire army.]
[You have logically and clearly explained your thoughts, analyzing why recuperating now is better than forcing an advance.]
[After hearing your words, a slight commotion ripples through the guards. They begin to murmur amongst themselves until Captain Gepard silences them.]
[Cocolia furiously rebukes you for your lack of ambition and fighting spirit.]
[She dismisses your proposal as a fallacy meant to undermine military morale and expresses her bitter disappointment in you.]
[Flustered under your mother's scolding, you turn to look at the commanders and the army, only to see varied expressions on their faces. No one speaks up for you. The only response you receive is silence.]
[You begin to doubt yourself, wondering if you truly are unambitious and foolish beyond remedy.]
[Cocolia is deeply disappointed in you. She tells you in a low voice to go back and rest, and to not disgrace Qlipoth Fort on such an important occasion.]
[Disheartened, you prepare to leave the training grounds, but someone blocks your path.]
[Your personal guard, Ron, has disobeyed a direct order and left the guard formation, coming to stand before you.]