Chapter 78: Going to Jail Feels Like Going Home

Under Pelageya’s worried and sympathetic gaze, Venti, who was mistakenly thought to have “lost his mind,” began to explain the situation—
Using the mechanical bird to project images, he revealed to Pelageya the truth about the Stellaron and the secrets the previous Supreme Guardians had hidden.
This information had originally been stored in the mechanical bird, waiting for Pelageya to uncover it. But now, it couldn’t have been more timely.

The sheer volume of information left Pelageya in a long silence.
She held her forehead, struggling to digest the truth.
However, these events from the past had already happened. Even if she wanted to explore the mindset of the people back then, now wasn’t the best time.

Compared to that, Pelageya was more focused on Venti’s plan.
“…So, you’re only pretending to turn yourself in, but in reality, you’re using this opportunity to expose the Supreme Guardian’s true face?”
Pelageya adjusted her glasses, her expression caught between disbelief and a tentative willingness to believe.

“Still calling her ‘Supreme Guardian’? I doubt she’s shown much kindness to you loyal Silvermane Guards.”
Seele’s tone carried a hint of mockery.
“Issuing arrest warrants left and right, showing no regard for past relationships. In that regard, she’s exactly as I imagined.”

“…Sigh. I used to wonder how Cocolia could have changed so drastically. But if the Stellaron is the root cause of all this, perhaps it explains everything.”
Pelageya didn’t want to sigh, but her current mood was one of helplessness.
Her sky-blue eyes were tinged with melancholy.

“To be honest, I’m still a bit dizzy. Belobog may not have been prosperous in the past, but life was at least stable.
But in the blink of an eye, the world seems to have turned upside down. People are facing harsher survival challenges, friends are caught in conspiracies, and even the Supreme Guardian, who should have been the most respected and trusted, has become the mastermind behind it all.
Even if reality doesn’t follow logic, such a dramatic turn of events is just too much…”

If this were written into a novel, it would probably end up at the bottom of a bookshelf, an unpopular mess.

As for Seele, although this was her first time hearing the truth, she didn’t have the same convoluted emotional journey as Pelageya.
Having grown up in the lower district, she knew that as the “leader” of everyone, she had to take responsibility not just for her subordinates, but also for the townspeople, the mining teams, and even the occasional wanderer.
To Wildfire, led by Oleg, these were all people who needed protection. Life itself had no distinctions.

Even Natasha, who worked behind the scenes, could have lived a comfortable elite life in the administrative district’s villas, working at the hospital where her adoptive parents were. But out of a healer’s compassion, she chose to stay in the lower district.

So, if Seele had any thoughts about Cocolia, it was simply—how could she expect anything from someone who might not even have a sense of self anymore?
All the hatred and frustration she felt had turned into disdain for someone beyond saving. She wouldn’t even spare a shred of pity.
All that remained was a firmer resolve to overthrow such a foolish ruler.

At this moment, Venti spoke up, addressing Pelageya.
“Anyway, while I’d like to say I understand how you feel, that would just be comforting words based on friendship. And given the understanding between us, saying that would be too cliché—”
He looked at Pelageya, whose eyes seemed to brighten a little, and spoke gently.
“So, let go of those unnecessary worries and concerns. My friend, if you’re willing to place your trust in me, I’ll bring you the beauty of the changing seasons and all the wonders of the world.”

“……”
Pelageya took a moment to think, her breath slightly held. Under the gazes of anticipation, boredom, and calculation, she finally chose to take Venti’s hand.
“It’s probably too late to back out now, isn’t it? I guess I’m really being pushed onto the stage—”

The girl’s hand was warm and soft, while the bard’s was slender and smooth.
When their hands joined, it felt as if something radiant had been born.
But soon, another hand intervened—Seele roughly slapped her hand on top of Venti’s.

Under the puzzled looks of the two, she tilted her head and said,
“What? Of course, I’m in on this too. That’s the lower district way.”
“Mm, count Clara in too.”
At this, even Clara placed her small hand on top, then looked expectantly at Svarog.
After a moment of silence, Svarog knelt on one knee and used his massive mechanical hand to support the other four.

“Looks like Pelageya’s officially on our ‘pirate ship’ now,” Venti said with a chuckle, the first to react.
“Could the adults not ruin the mood with worrying comments about the organization’s legitimacy?”
Pelageya retorted, as usual, bickering with him.

“Hey, who said Wildfire isn’t legitimate?”
“Huh? But aren’t Svarog and I from the Mechanical Settlement?”
“According to calculations, Intelligence Officer Pelageya Sergeyevna is merely joking with the bard.”
“Exactly, we’re all family from the lower district,” Venti said in a sticky-sweet voice.
“So, we’ll have to hold a proper welcome ceremony next time.”
“You’re just saying that because you want to freeload some drinks, aren’t you?”
Seele and Pelageya spoke almost simultaneously.

Then, as if guided by some feminine intuition, the two locked eyes, an invisible contest brewing.
Venti looked at them in surprise.
“How come it feels like you two aren’t meeting for the first time? I’m almost jealous of how well you get along.”
After all, it had taken him quite some effort to earn the trust of these two.

However, neither of them answered the bard’s question, instead tacitly shifting the topic.
“More importantly, we have serious business to attend to, right?”
“Right. If we delay any longer, Cocolia might do something even more drastic. Serval would suffer for nothing.”

Under this performance, Seele expressionlessly fetched some rope for binding, while Pelageya, leveraging her skills as an intelligence officer, meticulously covered any potential details, ensuring Venti looked flawless.

The final result was—
Venti, with slightly disheveled clothes, a few red marks on his cheeks, and one of his braids undone, looked as if he had been thoroughly “handled” by an overenthusiastic older sister.
Clara, at this point, had her eyes covered by Svarog to shield her from such inappropriate sights.
No matter how much Clara asked, Svarog refused to explain, only saying such content was too early for her.

Even the two girls who had created this effect couldn’t help but blush, their minds filled with thoughts of geomarrow-colored things.

And so, with Seele carrying Venti and Pelageya leading the way, the three arrived outside Qlipoth Fort by evening. Clara and Svarog stayed hidden, waiting for the right moment to intervene.

Still in a dazed state, Venti was swiftly processed into the prison by Pelageya, who handled the procedure with熟练 ease. Due to a mix-up by the guards, who mistook Venti for a woman and assumed he was Serval’s accomplice, the two were placed in the same cell.

In front of Serval’s astonished expression, Venti, bound like a caterpillar, wriggled over to her and grinned.
“Hey, long time no see, Big Sis Serval—”
“V-Venti?! How did you get caught too? And… looking like this… Ugh, I’m so sorry. I’ve caused you so much trouble.”
“Hehe, no need to be so sad. For me, coming back here is like coming home.”
“Don’t joke like that at a time like this. It’s heartbreaking. Who caught you? Once I’m out, I’ll make sure they pay.”
Serval straightened Venti’s crooked hat and asked curiously,

“You might not believe it, but it was Pelageya—”
“Huh? I was caught by my own brother.”
“What a coincidence. How can our situations be so similar?”
“Right? Being sent to jail by the people closest to us on the same day is quite the rare experience.”