Chapter 31: Talent Everywhere in the Lower District

On the way to the mechanical settlement, Venti recalled the results of his previous conversation with Svarog.
In terms of the outcome, he had naturally succeeded in his goal and managed to bring Svarog on board.
But if he only talked about the result without mentioning the process, it would make his contribution seem trivial—

After all, it had taken him a great deal of effort to persuade Svarog!
At the time, after clarifying Svarog’s stance toward the upper district, the problem became less complicated.
This was because, at its core, Svarog’s underlying operational logic was still rooted in the concept of Preservation.

Protecting the lower district was his innate mission, but if that mission could be expanded to include the survival of all of Belobog, he wouldn’t mind letting go of past grievances.
The reason he had sealed off the base and prohibited people from going to the upper district wasn’t because he harbored hostility toward the Architects or the Supreme Guardian, nor was it because he didn’t want the people of the lower district to thrive. Rather, there was a compelling reason for his actions.

As a mechanical construct, Svarog prioritized rational thinking over emotional outbursts.
While adhering to his mission, he wasn’t entirely inflexible.
As long as Venti could present a more feasible solution—one that Svarog believed would ensure the survival of the lower district’s people—he wouldn’t care who took the lead.

In other words, Svarog didn’t really care who the current Supreme Guardian was or what she had done.
As long as she wasn’t so deranged as to outright massacre the lower district, something like implementing a blockade was actually acceptable to him.
In Svarog’s calculations, while the blockade had plunged the lower district into extreme resource scarcity, it had also bought the lower district more time to survive before the apocalypse arrived.

After all, the source of the Fragmentum was aboveground, not in the underground world. Although the lower district would still suffer from Fragmentum erosion, the impact wouldn’t be as severe as the pressure faced by the upper district, which was completely surrounded.
Since destruction was inevitable, sacrificing the upper district to buy the lower district more time to survive also aligned with the requirements of fulfilling his “mission.”

Moreover, if it came to retaliation, there would be plenty of opportunities. Once the upper district fell, people would naturally flock to the lower district.
At that point, anyone wanting to enter would first have to demonstrate sufficient “utility” to gain Svarog’s acceptance, and the dynamics between the upper and lower districts would be reversed.

These were cold, ruthless plans that benefited only the lower district—or rather, only Svarog’s mission of Preservation.
But beneath this icy rationality, Svarog also had his emotional side. The family he wanted to protect was in the lower district.
Ensuring Clara’s safety and fulfilling her needs were Svarog’s highest priorities, almost on par with the concept of Preservation ingrained in his core.

Thus, it wasn’t hard to draw a conclusion.
As long as Svarog’s two conditions were met, cooperation with the mechanical settlement was possible (though it would be extremely difficult).
And Venti had demonstrated this possibility: first, the power to change the environment; second, the proposal of a more suitable Supreme Guardian.
These two factors combined were enough to shake the previously unbreakable calculations and lead Svarog to make a new, appropriate choice.

…

When they finally arrived at the mechanical settlement, Bronya took in the sight of this place known as the “home of scavengers.”
Her first impression was that it felt like returning to the frontlines of the Silvermane Guards. Everywhere she looked, there were automatons in various states of disrepair, and the air was filled with the mixed scents of oil and burnt circuit boards.

Scattered among the automatons were a few people, but what caught Bronya’s attention the most was a girl in a red winter coat. She was petite and adorable.
Of course, that wasn’t the main reason Bronya was drawn to her. What truly impressed Bronya was the girl’s mature and skilled expertise as a mechanic, despite her young appearance.

The girl was constantly repairing automatons, and not only was she incredibly efficient, but her craftsmanship was top-notch. Even Bronya had to admit that she couldn’t match the girl’s level of skill.
After all, the qualifications for becoming the Supreme Guardian were extremely stringent. It wasn’t just about being academically gifted or skilled in combat—those were merely the basic entry requirements.

Even Cocolia, now regarded as a “tyrant,” had been praised during her academic years as having the most brilliant mind in Belobog.
Though it now seemed somewhat ironic, it wasn’t hard to imagine the rigorous and extensive curriculum Bronya had undergone as the heir.
These trainings aimed to make her well-rounded and proficient in multiple areas, ensuring she surpassed her peers and even her elders.

But here, in an environment without access to proper education and where survival was a daily struggle, a girl younger than her was demonstrating such exceptional mechanical skills. How could Bronya not take notice?

The more she observed, the more amazed she became.
Not only was the girl skilled in basic repairs and maintenance, but she could even salvage automatons with completely burnt-out hardware and smoking cores—machines that would have been tossed into the trash by frontline mechanics in the upper district.
This wasn’t just genius-level talent; it was mastery that even Bronya had to admire.

Such a prodigy was someone Bronya couldn’t afford to overlook, and she quickly approached the girl.

However, before she could get close to Clara, a beetle-shaped automaton intercepted her.
Its red and green electronic eyes flickered slowly as a synthesized voice announced, “Beep—Scanning biological information. No matching records found in the database.”

Once it confirmed Bronya was an outsider, the automatons surrounding Clara—some lying down, others standing—immediately sprang to life, forming a protective barrier around her.
A few of the automatons, their green lights completely gone and only red lights remaining, began emitting piercing alarm sounds.

“Warning. Warning. Unregistered personnel detected in the lower district. Activating defensive protocols—”
Before Bronya could even react, the automatons had already prepared for combat, leaving her momentarily flustered.

Fortunately, Clara noticed the commotion and quickly pushed through the circle of automatons, calling for them to stand down.
Venti also stepped in, positioning himself in front of Bronya. Though he was shorter than her, his presence felt unexpectedly reliable, making her want to depend on him.

“Hey now, no need to get violent. She’s my friend. We’re just here to look around and ask a few questions.”
“Ah, it’s Sister Venti!” Clara’s face lit up with a warm, sun-like smile when she saw him. “You’re finally back! When I finished repairing everyone and went over, Mr. Svarog said you had already left.”

“Sister Venti?” Bronya’s expression froze for a moment, but Venti gently explained, “I had some things to take care of, so I asked Mr. Svarog to say goodbye and goodnight for me. I hope Clara can forgive me?”
“Of course! Sister Venti hasn’t done anything wrong. In fact, everyone in the settlement should be thanking you. If it weren’t for the gift you left behind, we’d still be struggling with energy issues.”

Clara’s words piqued Bronya’s curiosity, and she was also surprised by the familial dynamic between the two.
As they walked further into the settlement, Bronya got a full view of the mechanical settlement’s true scale.

Unlike the desolate and dilapidated atmosphere of the outskirts, the core area of the settlement was warm and comfortable, with temperatures surpassing even the most luxurious heating systems in the upper district.
Since air heated by geothermal energy tended to feel heavy and stuffy, the quality of heating systems could be easily judged by how it felt.

But here, the air was moist and natural, reminiscent of the nourishing climate described in ancient texts about the planet’s past.
However, before Bronya could locate the source of this phenomenon, her peripheral vision caught sight of a large patch of vibrant green—something that shouldn’t have been possible here.

Her mind, which had remained calm even in the heat of battle, momentarily short-circuited.
Could this… really be achieved with geothermal heaters?
She had seen greenhouses before, but this was completely different. There were no accompanying insulation facilities, and the production lines were fully exposed. It was as if someone had casually scattered seeds and, without any care, they had sprouted.

Was she dreaming?