"The Underworld?"
Seele's expression went cold for a mont, a flash of irritation crossing her eyes as if she'd just rembered sothing particularly grating.
"The Belobog Underworld is a place abandoned by the Overworld bureaucrats—abandoned by Cocolia, the Supre Guardian herself."
"...Seele."
Bronya gazed at her, unable to stop herself from reaching out again to clutch Seele's collar.
"Kid, that's none of your business." Seele looked down at Bronya before continuing, "Since you aren't the Bronya from my world, I'm not going to hold those things against you."
"I see..."
Bronya nodded, though her eyes remained clouded with unease.
"Where I co from," Seele sighed, scanning their surroundings with a complicated look, "people struggle to survive in the dark every single day. They fight Fragntum monsters and tear each other apart over a scrap of resources. But here... you have beaches, buildings that look like paintings, flowers, grass... even trees..."
"Surviving in the dark?" Hiko caught the discrepancy, her brow furrowing. "Are you saying... this 'Underworld' you ntioned..."
"That's right. It's underground." Seele nodded calmly, speaking as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
"You... live underground?" Kiana's eyes widened in disbelief.
"Where else would we live?" Seele shot her a mocking glance. "Did you think we were like you? That we could just bask in the sun and look at the ocean? That we could feel... a breeze as nice as this?"
As she finished, she looked up at the deep blue sky, her expression shifting.
"Besides... this is the first ti I've ever seen a real sky—one that isn't choked by the Eternal Freeze."
The group fell silent. Looking at the girl who seed so prickly and distant, they felt a heavy weight settle in their chests.
"So... how do you get by?" Theresa asked cautiously, her voice soft, as if terrified of offending her.
"We trade ore from the mines for supplies. We scavenge the remains of Fragntum monsters for food," Seele said flatly, though her gaze grew more distant.
Slowly, she began to detail the reality of the Underworld for Theresa and the others.
She spoke of Boulder Town, Wildfire, the vagrant camps, and the robot settlents that had cropped up recently. She told them everything—including how the Overworld had turned its back on them.
"Cocolia... why would she abandon the Underworld?"
Theresa struggled to wrap her head around this alternate Cocolia's decision. "The people of the Underworld are her subjects too! How could she do such a thing?"
"Yeah! That's way over the line!" Kiana added, nodding fiercely, her face flushed with anger.
"Regardless, it's already happened." Seele watched the girls get worked up, yet her own expression remained stoic.
There was no sorrow or rage in her eyes—only a numb sense of normalcy.
It was the look of soone born into the dark who had long since forgotten what life in the sunlight was supposed to be like.
"You..."
Looking at her like that, everyone felt a dull ache in their hearts. Especially Bronya.
"Bronya... does not believe that the Bronya of another world would treat Seele this way. She would not treat people in need like that..." Bronya whispered, a hint of anger coloring her tone.
Oh? So you an... you actually believe Cocolia is capable of doing those things?
A sense of playful irony rose within Seele, but her face remained as unreadable as it had been back when she was still Raiden Ei.
"Believe what you want, heh." Seele let out a cold snort but didn't press the little Bronya further.
However, her detached attitude only made Bronya feel more frantic and a sliver of grief. She had never imagined a version of Seele who would view her as an enemy.
"Alright, everyone. Why don't we head over to the Research Departnt first?" Theresa stepped in to play peacemaker, trying her best to thaw the icy atmosphere.
"Fine." Seele followed Theresa and the others toward the academy buildings.
On the way, her eyes couldn't help but drift to the roadside—to the flowers in the green belts and the lush, vibrant trees.
The atmosphere remained stiff and stifling. It wasn't until after she'd finished her physical exam at the Research Departnt—just like last ti—that Seele began walking toward the Valkyrie dorms with the rest of the group.
However...
"There's a strange energy inside you. The Research Departnt couldn't even identify what it is," Theresa murmured, looking at Seele in wonder.
"Energy?" Seele arched an eyebrow. After a mont of thought, she said casually, "Oh, you an the Power of Paths. I forgot to ntion it, but that's the power we get from an Aeon once we set foot on their Path. Natasha says my power cos from The Hunt, and its elental property is Quantum. Why? Does your world not have Aeons?"
"Aeons? More gods?" Hiko looked perplexed. "Raiden Ei's world had gods—she's a god herself."
"Is that so? So you're saying there are no gods in your world?" Seele looked at Hiko, her confusion growing.
"None," Hiko shook her head.
"A world without gods... if the Fragntum ever hits you, you're in for a nightmare," Seele remarked, clicking her tongue.
"But our world has sothing very similar to the Fragntum and its monsters."
"...Then I take it back. You're already living the nightmare."
After a bit of back-and-forth, Seele followed them into the Valkyrie dorms. Standing in the middle of the room, Seele looked around.
Though her face remained neutral, everyone could tell she was incredibly curious about this brand-new environnt.
"Major Hiko, please let Seele stay in the sa room as Bronya." Bronya looked at Hiko, a trace of pleading in her eyes.
"Well..."
Hiko hesitated. Seele had been nothing but hostile toward Bronya, and if their counterparts in the other world were enemies...
"Not a chance." Seele shivered, goosebumps erupting on her pale arms as a look of pure disgust crossed her face. "Share a room with Bronya? I'd be worried about the Silvermane Guards breaking down the door in the middle of the night!"
"But this isn't Belobog." Bronya looked at Seele, her expression dead serious and determined. "And Bronya... will find a way to help Seele. I will find a way to get you ho, and then... I will solve the problems facing Seele and the Underworld."
Seele went silent.
She looked down at the little girl who barely reached her waist. Witnessing that stubborn, earnest stare, Seele felt a flicker of flustered uncertainty.
Deep down, she felt a twinge of guilt. After all, she wasn't actually the Seele from the "Star Rail" world, but Bronya clearly took the whole thing to heart.
Fine, fine... I'll stop teasing her later.
-- --
User Comments
0 comments from readers