The group eventually made their way back toward Natasha and the others, who were gathered near the cable car station. The atmosphere was completely different from the last time they had been there. Instead of uncertainty and fear, the Underworlders were filled with excitement as they prepared to finally return to the surface.
Natasha spotted them approaching and smiled.
Natasha: "You made it... I thought you were about to miss out on a moment of history."
March 7th: "No way! After all our hard work, how could we miss out on the final celebration? Right, Caelus?"
Caelus: "The smell of freedom's in the air..."
Natasha chuckled softly.
Natasha: "Hehe, I smell it too."
She looked toward the cable car station, watching the Underworlders gathering around.
Natasha: "For Oleg and I, not to mention the other adults, reopening the passageway means rediscovering old ways of living — a return to "normality..." Survival is no longer the top of the agenda..."
Her gaze moved toward the children.
Natasha: "But for the children who were born into this era, who grew up in this isolation... this will be a new life altogether."
Natasha paused, her expression becoming more thoughtful.
Natasha: "...Once you've tasted freedom, it's difficult to accept a life of separation and isolation. Those of us whose childhoods were marred by tragedy... we must strive to do better for the next generation."
She then smiled apologetically.
Natasha: "I'm sorry, here I am talking your ear off again. This is a day to remember. We should welcome it with smiles."
Natasha gestured toward the people gathering around the station.
Natasha: "If you have time, talk to the folks here — every one of them will tell you about their excitement. Then, when you're ready... let's "go home.""
Nearby, the newly reopened cable car station was bustling with activity.
The Cable Car Operator stood proudly beside the entrance.
Cable Car Operator: "Finally... Finally I can get back to supervising the cable cars! I thought I'd spend the rest of my life in those mines..."
He noticed the Trailblazers approaching and immediately recognized them.
Cable Car Operator: "Ah, it's you! The liberators of the Underworld! You're the first passengers we've had since being sealed off — it'll be my honor to get you to the surface in one piece!"
Caelus looked at him suspiciously.
Caelus: "Do you have a license?"
The operator froze.
Cable Car Operator: "Oh, uh, I'm afraid you might have to make an exception, mr. My license has expired, but then I haven't had the chance to go up and renew it for 10 years now..."
He gave an awkward cough.
Cable Car Operator: "cough So! Ready to climb aboard?"
Caelus stepped into the cable car with a grin.
Caelus: "Time to take the kids out for some fresh air."
The operator straightened up and called out loudly.
Cable Car Operator: "Brothers, sisters, ladies, gentlemen, boys, and girls of all ages — gather round! The cable car passenger service is about to restart!"
With that, the cable car began its long-awaited journey toward the Overworld.
The Overworld
The moment the doors opened, Hook practically jumped out.
She stared upward, completely mesmerized.
Hook: "Whoaaaa...! Look at the big blue ceiling!"
Natasha smiled.
Natasha: "That's not a ceiling, Hook... that's the sky."
Clara slowly stepped outside. She looked around at the unfamiliar surroundings, taking a deep breath.
Clara: "So this is... the Overworld? The air here smells... different."
Oleg laughed heartily.
Oleg: "Hahaha, less rust and Geomarrow particles floating around. Take a deep breath, children — this is what freedom tastes like."
He looked around the Administrative District, his expression becoming nostalgic.
Oleg: "...I never thought I'd live to see the Administrative District again. All those years... We've been through a lot, Natasha."
Natasha nodded.
Natasha: "...You're right, Oleg."
She took another look around.
Natasha: "It's funny... The moment I boarded the cable car, my mind was filled with everything I wanted to do on the surface..."
She smiled faintly.
Natasha: "But now... I just want to sit down, zone out, and watch the people coming and going... and let the day just pass me by..."
Oleg smiled.
Oleg: "Enjoy the peace and quiet, Natasha. We earned it."
Not far away, March suddenly spotted two familiar figures.
March 7th: "Ah, it's Gepard! Is he here to meet us? And Mr. Hayata is with him too."
Dan Heng glanced toward them.
Dan Heng: "He's still on duty."
March immediately started walking toward them.
March 7th: "Let's go say hi."
Kouga was standing beside Gepard, apparently exchanging a few fighting tips with the Silvermane Captain. Gepard listened attentively as Kouga demonstrated a particular movement with his hands.
Kouga noticed the approaching group.
Kouga: "You're finally here."
Gepard turned toward them.
Gepard: "Welcome back to the Administrative District, Trailblazers."
March blinked.
March 7th: "Trailblazers... first time anyone's called us that on this planet!"
Gepard gave them a respectful nod.
Gepard: "The Architects think it's only right that we should address you properly. "Outsiders" is hardly fitting anymore."
He placed a hand over his chest.
Gepard: "...Please allow me to thanks you all for what you done for belobog."
The group smiled at his words.
Then Gepard noticed Bronya approaching.
His expression immediately became formal.
Gepard: "Lady Bronya."
Bronya nodded.
Bronya: "At ease, Captain."
Bronya then turned toward Caelus, Seele, Kouga, Dan Heng, and March 7th.
The group understood immediately.
Even though Bronya had been traveling alongside them, she was still the future Supreme Guardian of Belobog and a Silvermane commander.
They all nodded respectfully.
Bronya returned the gesture.
Bronya: "I have to go now."
With that, Bronya departed to attend to her duties.
Gepard watched her leave before turning back toward the group.
Gepard: "Lady Cocolia's event address will begin soon. She asked me to pass on her invitation to you."
The group listened.
Gepard: "The address will be held at Everwinter Monument. I hope the five of you can find time to attend."
Kouga, Caelus, March, and Dan Heng nodded.
Seele, however, glanced toward the Underworlders who had just arrived.
She thought for a moment before speaking.
Seele: "I'll go check on everyone else from the Underworld now, you can go without me."
With that, Seele headed over toward Natasha, Oleg, Clara, Hook, and the other Underworlders, making sure they were settling into their new surroundings.
With that, the four made their way toward the Everwinter Monument. As they approached, they could already see a large crowd gathering in the plaza. Citizens from the Overworld had gathered alongside many of the Underworlders who had only recently returned to the surface.
March looked around in excitement.
March 7th: "Look! There's a crowd gathering over there. Is the address starting soon?"
Dan Heng glanced toward the monument.
Dan Heng: "Looks like it. Cocolia hasn't arrived yet, though. Let's find somewhere to wait."
The four moved to the side of the plaza, finding a spot where they could get a good view of the monument.
The crowd continued to grow.
Then—
Silvermane Guard Announcer: "Guards, formation!"
The Silvermane Guards immediately moved into position, forming two orderly lines around the monument.
March's eyes widened.
March 7th: "Whoa, this must be it."
The guards stood at attention as the announcer stepped forward.
Silvermane Guard Announcer: "Citizens of Belobog, I kindly ask for your attention! Lady Cocolia Rand's inaugural address will begin shortly. Please remain orderly!"
The murmuring crowd gradually fell silent.
Caelus looked toward the formation and noticed two familiar figures among the Silvermane Guards.
Gepard stood proudly at the front, while Bronya stood nearby, her expression solemn.
March leaned toward Caelus.
March 7th: "There they are."
Caelus nodded.
Caelus: "Looks like they're ready."
A few moments later, the sound of footsteps echoed through the plaza.
Cocolia emerged from the entrance of the Everwinter Monument, accompanied by several Silvermane Guards.
The crowd immediately began whispering.
Some looked nervous.
Others looked hopeful.
Cocolia walked to the podium and stopped.
She looked across the people of Belobog.
For a moment, she said nothing.
Her eyes passed over the Overworlders.
Then they moved toward the Underworlders standing among them.
People who, until only recently, had been separated from the rest of Belobog for more than a decade.
Cocolia took a slow breath.
Then she began.
Cocolia: "Citizens of Belobog... today, we stand together beneath a sky that our ancestors once believed we would never see again."
The crowd grew quiet.
Cocolia: "For more than seven hundred years, the Eternal Freeze has threatened our home. Generation after generation, our people endured hunger, cold, Fragmentum corrosion, and the ever-present fear that one day, Belobog would finally fall."
She looked toward the sky.
Cocolia: "But today... the Eternal Freeze is over."
A wave of cheers erupted from the crowd.
Cocolia allowed them a moment before continuing.
Cocolia: "This miracle was not accomplished by Belobog alone. We were aided by new allies who arrived from beyond our world. Travelers who came here chose to fight for our people when they had no obligation to do so."
Her gaze shifted toward Kouga and the Trailblazers.
Cocolia: "To those allies, I offer my deepest gratitude."
The crowd turned toward them.
March immediately became nervous under everyone's attention.
March 7th: "Uh... why is everyone looking at us?"
Caelus simply waved awkwardly.
Kouga gave a small smile.
Cocolia continued.
Cocolia: "But today is not only a day to celebrate our salvation. It is also a day to acknowledge our mistakes."
Her expression became solemn.
Cocolia: "My greatest regret is the order I gave to seal the Underworld away from the Overworld."
The Underworlders listened in silence.
Cocolia: "At the time, I believed that separation was necessary to preserve Belobog. I believed that the resources we had could not sustain everyone, and that protecting the Overworld was the only way to preserve what remained of our civilization."
She lowered her gaze.
Cocolia: "But as the years passed, I gradually came to understand the consequences of that decision."
Her voice became heavier.
Cocolia: "Families were separated. Children grew up knowing nothing of the world above them. Entire generations were forced to live beneath the surface, struggling simply to survive."
Cocolia looked directly toward the Underworlders.
Cocolia: "People of the Underworld... I dare not ask for your forgiveness. I now know the reality of your decade of suffering."
The plaza remained completely silent.
Cocolia: "I cannot erase what happened. I cannot return the years that were taken from you. But I can make certain that Belobog never repeats such a mistake again."
She raised her head.
Cocolia: "The Eternal Freeze that tormented our world is gone. And so, I want us to mark the end of that terrible age by doing something that should have been done long ago."
She looked toward the Underworlders.
Cocolia: "We will reunite Belobog."
A few people began murmuring excitedly.
Cocolia: "Overworlders and Underworlders must embrace the dawn of a new age... together."
The crowd began to cheer.
Cocolia waited for the noise to settle.
Cocolia: "People of the Underworld, I ask you not merely to return to the surface, but to help us rebuild it. We know that without your perseverance, your knowledge, and your hard work, Belobog will not recover its former glory."
She placed a hand against her chest.
Cocolia: "The seed of our civilization was preserved by every person who endured those difficult years. The miners, engineers, doctors, soldiers, merchants, families, and children who refused to give up... all of you kept Belobog alive."
She looked across the crowd.
Cocolia: "Now it is our turn to preserve something greater."
A small smile appeared on her face.
Cocolia: "Our future."
She paused.
Cocolia: "...And on that note, I'd like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to a few guests of the city."
The crowd turned toward Kouga and the Trailblazers again.
Cocolia: "Most of you were not aware of their arrival... but it is thanks to them that our world now flourishes with hope."
March smiled proudly.
March 7th: "Hehe."
Dan Heng remained composed, while Caelus simply stood with his hands in his pockets.
Kouga folded his arms.
Cocolia continued.
Cocolia: "They made me realize that while we remain focused on 'preserving' the ground beneath our feet, we should not forget to look up into the sky."
She gazed upward.
For the first time in generations, there was nothing but clear blue sky above Belobog.
Cocolia: "There is a vast universe beyond this world. Countless civilizations. Countless possibilities."
She looked back at the people.
Cocolia: "And I firmly believe that with the determination of everyone, our world — the world the Trailblazers call 'Jarilo-VI' — will no longer be alone among the stars."
The crowd erupted into cheers once more.
Cocolia waited before speaking again.
Cocolia: "But before we accomplish that goal, I humbly ask you to follow me into the future."
She extended her hand toward the crowd.
Cocolia: "Not as Overworlders and Underworlders."
Her eyes swept across both sides.
Cocolia: "Not as soldiers and civilians."
A determined smile appeared on her face.
Cocolia: "But as the people of Belobog."
For a brief moment, silence filled the plaza.
Then—
Onlookers: "Lady Cocolia!"
Onlookers: "Lady Cocolia!"
Onlookers: "Long live Belobog!"
The cheers echoed throughout the Administrative District.
March grinned from ear to ear.
March 7th: "Now that's a speech!"
Caelus smiled as he watched the citizens celebrate.
Dan Heng quietly nodded.
Kouga, meanwhile, simply looked up at the clear blue sky.