Alice in the Land of Steam

After waving goodbye to Kadora and watching her disappear at the end of the street, Metien turned and walked to another road. Countess Nevill, who was waiting against the wall, stretched and followed slowly. As the most prosperous commercial city in the Ansers region, Bathory City was still bustling even at night. The vendors and shops along the street started business early, shouting and selling, and did not look like they had been affected by the war. Only the road that the Countess and Metien walked was deserted and quite calm. Occasionally, a few passers-by passed by, and their faces changed drastically after seeing the Countess's iconic silver long hair and black bat wings, and they turned around and left in a hurry, as if they were running away.

Five days ago, in the fierce offensive and defensive battle, this vampire countess who no one knew where she came from and who had never heard of before was so powerful that she broke through an enemy's mecha array on the battlefield and dismantled all the war weapons from the forefront of Western Continent's technology into a pile of scrap metal with just her bare hands. Finally, she cooperated with the Gray Hill Eagle to launch a strong attack from the east and west, breaking through and destroying the enemy's stand device head-on. One of the towers where the protective device was located was broken in half by the countess, and the noise when it collapsed almost affected half of the city. In the billowing smoke, everyone saw the proud and independent figure like the moon, and they also deeply remembered this vampire demigod who looked cold and beautiful, but fought wildly and violently.

After the battle, many rumors were spread. Some said that this blood clan demigod was a helper of an outside sect, and wanted to seize the faith of the original Night Church when it was empty. Some said that she was a friend that Gray Hill Eagle made when he was young, and helped him when he needed help without asking for anything in return. Even more outrageous rumors mentioned that this blood clan demigod drank ten liters of human heart blood and ate ten pounds of monster brain meat every day to satisfy his endless desire for killing, so his fighting style was so wild and violent...

Nevile never cared about these rumors. After all, if she said that she actually preferred to drink soft black tea and read boring romance novels, no one would believe her. As for the fact that passers-by kept their distance from her because of these rumors, and even dared not approach her, that was a pleasant surprise. Anyway, she had no intention of dealing with these guys.

The only drawback was that she couldn't go to the makeshift battlefield hospital to help Metien. People would doubt whether those who died of serious injuries really died in the battle, or died for some unexplainable reasons. Most people believed in their own prejudices. They had seen many vampires who could kill people, but it was impossible for a vampire who could save people to exist.

Although the pink-haired girl didn't really care and comforted her, "I have Sister Livia to help me, and Miss Nevile should focus on where you are more needed," the countess still felt a little ashamed, but at the same time she was deeply proud of Metine because she knew how hard this seemingly weak girl worked, not to prove anything, but just because she didn't want to disappoint everyone's expectations.

After the rebels captured several large cities in succession, they were no longer short of supplies, but the quality of their personnel had not been improved. They lacked professional support in many areas, especially in the medical field. In the Eastern Continent, where the medical system was backward, professionals with professional medical skills either came from the church or served the nobles, and both of them had the same problem, that is, they were self-centered and short-sighted. They were still worried that the momentum of the rebels was only temporary, and once the Axis powers came to their senses and sent troops back to support them, the prairie fire would be extinguished immediately, and if they got too close to the rebels, they would also be liquidated. Therefore, they softened their attitude and said a lot of good things, but did not provide any substantial help. In order to maintain stability in the rear, General Fransander and the Eagle of Gray Hill did not dare to force too much, and the two sides were in an ambiguous state.

In this situation, the rebel army's tactical medical system can only be supported by a few people. Most of these people are self-taught on the battlefield and only master simple first aid and bandaging skills. Medien, who has systematically studied advanced medical knowledge in the Western Continent, is actually the most reliable candidate and therefore shoulders the heaviest tasks.

When the war was at its most intense, she even slept only two or three hours a day, relying entirely on the medicines she prepared to maintain her energy; her original dream was to become a pharmacist, and she had been studying this area, but battlefield medical treatment was more inclined towards surgery and nursing, so the girl forced herself to learn a lot of new knowledge in a short period of time - it was better to say that she memorized it through practice than to say that she was learning. From the first time she trembled and dared not to start with the scalpel, to later being able to calmly cut off the festering pus on the wound, and being indifferent to the wailing and gushing blood of the wounded, but that was not cruelty, but a sudden realization that saving others was not something to be happy about, because it meant that someone in the world was suffering.

It took just over a month for me to go from knowing nothing to learning to accept it all.

She even started having nightmares.

Because of the excessive pressure, she suffered from insomnia all night long. Even when she did fall asleep occasionally, she would soon wake up from her dream. Sister Livia said that she heard the girl whispering "I'm sorry" through the wall more than once, as if she felt guilty for the lives she had lost.

Does growing up mean learning to have nightmares?

Even the vampire countess who had lived for thousands of years could not answer this question. She had indeed witnessed the girl's growth from immaturity to maturity. The smile on her face became less and less, and the thoughts in her heart became more and more. She couldn't help but think of the little bats still on the island, and how she had hoped that Leticia could grow up. But if the price she paid for this was to lose the most important thing in her heart, then she would regret it one day, right?

Thinking of this, Nevi'er's eyes inevitably showed a bit of pity when she looked at Metien.

"Miss Nevile."

Suddenly, Metien looked up and asked, "If, if Lingge saw me now, would he think that I have grown up? Would he think that I am already a qualified adult? Would he feel... happy?"

Nevi was stunned for a moment. She remembered that Metien had been a little confused since she heard the news that the rebels were going to fight back to Suare City. Could it be that she was struggling with this problem? She could have gone home happily, met her brother and companions whom she had not seen for a long time, and told them about her loneliness and longing for them during this period. But now she was worried about gains and losses, fearing that she would disappoint everyone's expectations. So, the so-called growth is something that only brings troubles.

She reached out her hand and gently rubbed the girl's head, as if she was still treating her as a child, and smiled slightly: "Of course I'm happy."

"You are his favorite, most cared about, and most beloved sister." This is the only thing that will never change no matter how you grow up.

……

While the young girl is still wandering in the maze of life, worrying about the various things that come with growing up, above the distant broken sea, a giant ship shaped like a fortress is slowly cruising in the night. The high-temperature mist discharged by the engine unit consisting of two thousand steam engines creates another gray ocean on the sea surface, and the shadow of the giant ship floats in the deep sea, looming, bringing news of war and the verdict of artillery fire.

The turbo carrier Nidhogg, a giant warship that the owner of the Dog of Solomon feared and resentfully called the "sea beast", is one of the "Creation of Saints" series of constructed mechas developed by the Witch Society. It is also the headquarters of the Axis Powers' naval commander, and Her Majesty Favrona, the saint of the Crimson Prayer Society, serves as the commander-in-chief of the navy. The latter is also the commander of 300,000 holy cults. He is in a high position and has a heavy responsibility. In the East Continent, a land where power determines status, he is demonized as the "incarnation of war". In reality, this title does make sense - the cult united selflessly supported this war, but did not care about what benefits they could gain from it, as if the war itself was a purpose.

Just like the gods in ancient mythology who need to use all kinds of disasters in the world to demonstrate and deepen their authority, the god of storms can easily blow out strong winds and cause tsunamis; the god of the sun must keep the sun high in the sky and illuminate all things; then, the god of war will naturally stir up anger and spread hatred, causing wars in the world and rivers of blood on the earth.

Favrona found this statement ridiculous.

Because war is not the storm and the sun, nor is it any natural substance, but a concept created by humans who fear and hate war. Hunting between beasts is not enough to be called war. When intelligent races use force or wisdom to demand the right to survive from nature, that is also not part of war. However, when more and more mortals gather together and become tribes, towns, cities, and even countries, the swords they wield against each other are called war.

Therefore, mortals are the embodiment of war, and Favrona is just borrowing the weapon they made with their own hands. She will not hesitate to admit how many people she has killed directly or indirectly, nor will she shamelessly claim that her actions have not hurt anyone, because she did start the war, and before the next sword holder appears, she is the only owner of the sword. But the girl with long fiery red hair cannot accept others attributing the source of the war to her own authority, and cannot accept the so-called "the embodiment of war", "the unjust god of war" or "the red of war that brings blood and death".

Her authority is strife, not war. The difference of one word makes a world of difference.

All life with self-thoughts fight against the original principles of the universe for what purpose. They may break the old rules and create a new world; or they may be defeated by the old rules and succumb regretfully. This process of struggle is her authority. Therefore, the oldest life drifts in the ocean. When they want to step on land and touch an unknown field, the process of fighting against their own instincts is a dispute; the lonely mortals are forced to gather in groups in the face of threats from nature, and even break the upper limit of wisdom. The process of creating civilization is also a dispute; the oldest confrontation can even be traced back to the birth of the great goddess. She saw that the forces of chaos and order in the universe were entangled, and everything was sleeping in ignorance. Everything had never lived, let alone died. So she fought against her loneliness and vowed to create a system that could make the universe run in an orderly manner. Matter and life were born, and the kingship of dispute was bred in it.

As a king who is fighting for the throne, Favrona is naturally fighting against something, and has never stopped from the past to the present.

In the past, she fought against those filthy and unclean beliefs. Whenever someone tried to push her onto an altar full of blood and killing, she would feel deeply disgusted and would rather endure the pain than be swayed by the will of others. Later, she treated the world with blind malice, which came from the injustice of human hearts and her congenital defects. She knew that her mother gave magic power to all living things in order to make the world and civilization move towards a brighter future, but it became the reason for mortals' excessive demands and greedy destruction. And now, she fights against... fate.

This word reminded Favrona of her elder sister whom she had not seen for a long time. She actually did not dislike her. In fact, during the time she lived in the Temple of Heaven, she was full of respect and admiration for her. She had hoped that she could become such a gentle and considerate person, although she also admired her sister Carabosse's calmness and composure.

But after coming to the human world, she found that gentleness is indeed an extremely powerful force, but it alone cannot achieve her goals or even change the world. Only power and strength, the former is a means to establish order, and the latter is the foundation for maintaining order. So she refused to become the embodiment of war, but did not mind controlling this weapon invented by mortals to get everything she needed.

The power of war is great and fascinating. If it is not used with caution, one will eventually become its puppet, just like many celebrities in history. They first became heroes and then became sinners. The switch between positions was so easy, but that was not their position, but the position of war.

Before achieving my goal, can I control my mind and not be confused by it?
Favrona didn't know, she was just waiting as usual, looking towards the horizon in this starless night, as if waiting for someone to appear.

She had received news about that person several months ago, so he must be arriving soon, right?

Favrona raised her head, the night wind blew past, lifting her bangs and revealing a pair of thoughtful eyes. She saw the ancient darkness following the tide, and that tiny figure seemed to be more majestic than the huge ship under her feet. (End of this chapter)