Chapter 72: What It Means to Be Family

Although Clara and Svarog often take care of the people who camp around the base, it would be unfair to say that these individuals are entirely dependent on Clara and Svarog for survival.

In the lower district, there is no one who is completely useless. Even the most despicable, irredeemable looters have some skills to rely on.
Whether it’s the ability to extort or sheer brute courage, these are the “skills” they’ve honed to survive.

Similarly, the people of the Mechanical Settlement, aside from their surface identity as wanderers, also possess some knowledge of mechanics to varying degrees.
Otherwise, how could they scavenge for parts if they couldn’t even tell whether a component was good or bad?

Thanks to the skills they’ve picked up through exposure, they are less like beneficiaries of the Automatons and more like the ones serving the Automatons in the Mechanical Settlement.
The birth of the “Mechanical Treasures” group is also closely tied to their daily responsibilities of handling the Automatons’ logistics.

Therefore, even if there were someone shameless enough to comfortably accept the care of a little girl, the people of the settlement and the Automatons wouldn’t go easy on them.
Not to mention, Svarog has quite a fearsome reputation in the lower district.

Although Seele and Oleg of Wildfire often say that he’s just the leader of a ragtag group of robots, if they were truly that disorganized, Seele would have already cut through them like a hot knife through butter. The fact that they’ve maintained their neutral status for so long proves otherwise.

Thus, Clara, who grew up in such an environment, feels somewhat uneasy and down about accepting others’ kindness without reciprocation.
She was raised by Svarog and has always been under his protection.

Whether it’s the chance to live as a human or the knowledge to stand on her own in society, all of it was given to her by Svarog.
This kind of relationship, which isn’t exactly parental but involves unwavering support, is undoubtedly the behavior of family, even if it’s complicated.

Therefore, Clara can confidently say that Mr. Svarog is her family.
Even if they occasionally disagree, when it comes to making decisions, Clara still trusts Mr. Svarog’s calculations.

In her heart, Mr. Svarog is as steady and reliable as a father.
But Sister Venti is different—she’s special.

Unlike anyone Clara has ever met, in that bleak and lightless place, she herself is a source of light.
Whether it’s through her poetry or her interactions with others, she always brings a fresh breeze to everyone.

From the initial slight resistance to this unknown presence, to eagerly anticipating her next performance, and finally to the satisfaction of being recognized as family, Clara feels this process was brief.
At least compared to the time she’s spent with Mr. Svarog, the time she’s known Sister Venti is but a fraction.

Yet, the sincerity of this bond is no less than the former.
More importantly, Sister Venti doesn’t limit this warmth to just one person—she gives it equally to everyone, not just to a select few.

Though Clara is reluctant to admit it, she does wish that Mr. Svarog and Sister Venti would pay a bit more attention to her. Occasionally, she even feels a desire to monopolize their affection.
Like the time she saw Sister Venti bringing Sister Bronya along, she felt a sense of urgency.

She was afraid of losing her family, afraid that she might never see Sister Venti again, so she tried her best to help them.
If she could showcase her strengths, wouldn’t Sister Venti pay more attention to her?

Clara wants to be a loved child because loved children don’t fail.
She wants to work hard for this!

But while being loved, what can she give in return?
Especially when this love is so vast that it feels like she could never repay it in her lifetime.

…Does someone like her even deserve to be Sister Venti’s family?
Even though every time they meet, Sister Venti always looks at her so affectionately.

The more she’s treated this way, the harder it becomes to let go.
Clara sighs quietly in her heart—

Children really have their own worries too.

The delicate emotions in the girl’s heart are somewhat understood by the two present, but they both choose not to address it directly.
After all, family isn’t always about gaining something—it’s about being connected and caring for each other, which is why they make such choices without hesitation.

Whether it’s Venti or Svarog, they are both willing to do these things for Clara.
Likewise, Clara feels the same way.

As long as this sentiment remains unchanged, they will always be family.

—Meanwhile, in Qlipoth Fort.
Cocolia is glaring at Sebastian with a dark expression, her tone sharp.

“If I recall correctly, I asked you to bring that willful child back, not to make excuses for her continued antics, correct?”

“…You are correct. However, Lady Bronya has her own thoughts. If you try to force her back too hastily, it will only provoke her rebellious side.”
The old steward remains calm and composed, speaking in a measured tone.

“Although Lady Bronya has always performed excellently, this has also caused us to overlook the pressures of her elite education. We failed to care for her in time, leading to the current situation.
I believe that cultivating her character cannot be achieved overnight. If we are too hasty, it will only—”

Bang!
Sebastian’s words are cut short as Cocolia slams the table in anger, her eyes bloodshot and her brows furrowed with resentment.

“I don’t want to hear this nonsense! My order was for you to bring Bronya back, not to indulge her whims at a time like this!”

“……”
Sebastian falls silent, bowing even lower.

Cocolia takes a deep breath, her gaze growing even more severe, her words as sharp as a blade.
“—Enough. All I see in you is arrogance and ignorance.

You people from the Architects are always like this, always finding excuses to justify your incompetence.
On the surface, you appear more loyal than anyone, but behind the scenes, you always find ways to cause trouble, just to watch her make a fool of herself so you can replace her.”

“…This, Your Excellency, perhaps—”
“Silence! I don’t want to hear your feeble excuses anymore.”

Cocolia glares coldly at the horrified old steward, her lips parting like a blade.
“I’ll give you one last chance. Go back and tell those old fools that if they don’t want to be exiled outside the city to feed the dragons, they’d better behave!”

She doesn’t ask if he understands. If it weren’t for the fact that he had once been Bronya’s teacher, she would have found an excuse to deal with him long ago.
The Architects may still hold some influence, but if Cocolia didn’t have real power, how could she have gradually turned them into “mascots”?

The fate of those who didn’t obey back then is all too clear to those who remain.
These are the hidden truths that Bronya has never known. Cocolia has always protected her too well, which is why they’ve succeeded in influencing her in another way now.

But it’s fine. She will personally bring Bronya back and tell her beloved daughter that it’s time to put an end to her childish willfulness.