Alice in the Land of Steam

Chapter 1389 Do you want to rebuild the Holy Grail?
The candlelight still cast flickering shadows between the massive bookshelves, the air thick with the silence of old paper and dust. Slender fingers traced the spine of Hydras's sword once more, as if touching a cold, heavy piece of history. Cheryl raised her head slightly, her gaze sweeping over everyone present, taking in the myriad emotions in their eyes—doubt, contemplation—each attitude depending on one's perspective on these legends. But no one could be entirely objective; miners, soldiers, citizens, even imperial citizens—they all stood on their own grounds, attempting to portray the legends as they desired.

Cheryl was once one of them, until her brother told her: if you truly love this land, then learn to accept everything about it, whether good or bad, right or wrong. At first, the girl didn't understand, but after her brother died in battle and she became the new owner of the fairy sword Hydras, she vaguely began to understand, but it was too late.

After becoming a leader, aside from necessary battles, she rarely interfered in the internal affairs of the Holy War Army, always entrusting management and supervision responsibilities to other trustworthy comrades, such as Commander Kylo of Blackfire Fortress. This was completely different from her brother, who led from the front with passion and justice, and therefore, some people often criticized her behind her back for not being a qualified leader.

But people are always different; otherwise, their uniqueness and necessity wouldn't be apparent. Even if she yearned to be a hero, Cheryl would never become exactly like Her Majesty Italos or her brother. There's a vast chasm between similarity and likeness. Therefore, she preferred to stay in this ancient archive, searching for the unknown history of this land within the books, filling in the details and order, like piecing together fragmented stories.

She was convinced that this hobby was not as useless as others thought. Legend had it that it could not kill any enemies, nor could it conjure weapons, armor, food, or water, but it would come in handy someday.

For example, today.

“For people in the past, how the legend unfolded was meaningless, but we now benefit from it, sometimes intangible things, and sometimes tangible things,” Cheryl said. “The deal I want to make with you all is to ask you to find for me that legendary celestial warship that once challenged the stars but ultimately crashed into the earth. It has a very peculiar name, Nibelungen.”

Even the composed Linger couldn't help but show a surprised expression, not expecting Cheryl to make such a request.

In the past, that mad warlord, in order to forge this warship, did not hesitate to use the power of the Holy Grail to extract the massive dragon blood crystal buried beneath Atorica. Considering that the dragon blood crystal is essentially the blood of the evil dragon Nidhogg, does that mean that, in a sense, the sky warship Nibelungen is a continuation of the evil dragon's life? It did indeed die tragically at the hands of a hero, but through various coincidences, it was reshaped by the combined power of fairies and evil gods, and was reborn. To this day, it still exists in some corner underground, influencing this land that has a profound connection with it.

In the Feather Mine, the clanging of pickaxes and shovels never ceased day and night. Were the miners digging out the flesh and blood of an evil dragon to forge weapons against tyranny? It is, undeniably, an ironic cycle of history.

"If the legends are true, and the rich mineral deposits beneath Atoliga all come from the Nibelungen, then obtaining this warship is equivalent to obtaining an inexhaustible source of mineral resources. At the very least, it can be used as a powerful weapon. I believe that this legendary warship, capable of challenging the stars, even if it cannot compare to the Axis powers' construct mechs, should at least be able to easily fight against the Imperials' dragon knights or griffin knights."

Cheryl explained the significance of this request to everyone: "Currently, the Holy War Army is not lacking in manpower. After nearly half a century of development, it has gradually built its own political system and military framework. However, Atoliga is a barren land, and the only resources available for exchanging supplies are the mined minerals, which are never enough. In addition, there is the strategic deterrence brought by high-end military power. The Holy War Army currently does not have any superhumans or mages above the level of demigods, so it must acquire the Sky Warship to deter the Empire. Only by making up for these two deficiencies can our regime survive for a long time until the day we fight for independence."

This was Cheryl's answer after careful consideration, and her willingness to share it with Ling and others demonstrates her sincerity.

"Huh?" Ovira suddenly exclaimed in confusion, "That's not right. You said the Holy War Army doesn't have demigod-level combat power, but isn't Miss Cheryl one?"

“Me? I’m not.” Cheryl shook her head, then nodded slightly as if remembering something. “Actually, you’re not wrong. I can be, but sometimes I’m not.”

This strange statement not only confused Ovira, but also others.

“It’s simple. I only have the temporary strength to fight against the gods because of the fairy sword Hydras.” Cheryl picked up the sword and examined it under the candlelight, the blade gleaming. “But after Hydras was corrupted by the evil god, its power weakened considerably. In the past, a hero only needed to accept himself and hold firm to his beliefs to fear no powerful enemy; but now, the power of the swordsman comes more from the recognition of others, taking the beliefs of all living beings as his own. Therefore, I can only unleash my strongest power in the Feather Mine. Once I leave this area, my strength will plummet.”

This is the main reason why the Holy War Army has remained holed up in the Feather Mine area for the past half-century, and why the Imperial Army has been unable to breach the Blackfire Fortress. As long as Cheryl, wielding the fairy sword Hydras, is stationed there, the Imperial Army poses no threat to the Holy War Army unless it launches a full-scale attack.

However, the Holy War Army also struggled to break through the Imperial Army's blockade and expand its influence beyond the Feather Mine, resulting in a prolonged stalemate. This was advantageous to the larger Yaras United Empire, and Cheryl clearly did not want to see the Holy War Army trapped and demoralized. The Nibelungen, the heavenly warship mentioned in ancient legends, was the change she sought.

“However, how do you know that the Nibelungen definitely exists?” Ovira asked curiously. “Of course, I don’t doubt the legends you’ve told me, Miss Cheryl. It’s just that it may have existed in the past, but now… it’s still uncertain, isn’t it?”

“The legends are not unfounded,” Cheryl affirmed. “The reason the Empire failed to fully control all areas of the Feather Mine is not only because of our resistance, but more importantly, because in the deepest part of the mine, there exists an ‘anomaly zone’ that even they dare not easily venture into. The leyline magic is disordered, instruments malfunction, and miners frequently report seeing incomprehensible phantoms or encountering various strange phenomena… After the Holy War Army occupied the Feather Mine, they also explored and excavated the even deeper areas below the deep zone. Although they did not obtain any useful results, they can at least be certain that Nibelungen still slumbers in this ancient leyline. The flesh and blood of evil dragons and the whispers of evil gods are still twisting the magic of the underground world, creating things that are unimaginable to humans.”

She paused, then continued, “Before you all visited the Feather Mine, I had already preliminarily selected some locations based on the flow of leyline magic, the distribution of underground mineral deposits, and historical records. These locations were highly likely to be the sites of Nibelungen’s fall. However, the members of the Holy War Army searched each location without success. Now, only a few sites remain, mostly located in the Dark Cloud Abyss area at the border of the provinces of Atoliga and Leather. It is a vast abyss formed by plate tectonics, shrouded year-round in corrosive mists and poisonous miasma. Although most of the Holy War Army’s warriors are miners by origin, brave, and familiar with underground environments, they lack the experience and ability to cope with such extreme terrain. And you…”

Her gaze swept over Linger, Medien, and the young queens, finally lingering briefly on Ieta. "...You ride cloud whales, traverse the sky and sea, have witnessed many incredible things, and possess power and knowledge unimaginable to us. Perhaps you are the most suitable candidates to complete this task. Of course, success or failure will not affect our deal. As long as you agree to accept this task, I will immediately reveal the exact location of Paradise Country, Assyria, and even—"

She gave Medien a meaningful look: "If the Church of the Holy Goddess intends to merge with the Church of the Creator Goddess, I can also speak for you on this matter. Although the Holy War Army is not a vassal of Assyria in Paradise, it is its only ally, and as the owner of the fairy sword Sidras, I still have some say in this matter."

It seems that Cheryl considers the merging of the two religions as the main goal of Ling and others, which is understandable. However, if she knew that Medion was still struggling with the question of who should take the lead after the two sects were united, she probably wouldn't be so confident.

The group exchanged bewildered glances, unsure how to react. Such a peculiar request was unprecedented for them. Searching for a sacred relic mentioned in ancient legends, a celestial warship that had left a significant mark on Atorica's history, and a mysterious artifact with ties to fairies, evil dragons, and even evil gods—it sounded like the work of explorers and archaeologists. But it seemed they had no other choice.

By the way, why not listen to Ling Ge's opinion first...

"Is that all, Miss Cheryl?"

The young man suddenly spoke, his voice startling the flickering candlelight and drawing everyone's attention: "It sounds like the so-called Nibelungen, the Heavenly Battleship, is indeed very important to you, but is your pursuit of it solely for the resources and military power it represents? I think there must be other reasons, right?"

"Don't you think these two reasons are enough, Mr. Ling?"

"not enough."

The young man's voice was steady and clear. He didn't actually think the two reasons were insufficient; in fact, they were quite plausible. But his intuition picked up on Cheryl's unspoken meaning: she seemed to be hiding something important, which was unfair to both parties in the transaction.

Only through honesty and openness can a deal be reached.

“Janor is right, you are indeed a perceptive man, Mr. Ringer.”

Facing the young man's calm and unashamed gaze, Cheryl couldn't help but sigh, "To be honest, I do harbor another thought: to use the power of the Nibelungs to repair Hydras. In the past, the sword was damaged because of it; today, perhaps it should be repaired as well. Moreover, if the power of dragons, gods, and fairies can be reforged and merged into one, perhaps the legendary Holy Grail will reappear in the world, responding to the origin of life and making all desires come true..."

At that time, the great ideal of expelling the imperial army and rebuilding Atoliga will surely become a reality.

Everyone was taken aback, not expecting Cheryl to still hold such a thought. The young man couldn't help but frown: "Forgive my bluntness, but this is too risky, Miss Cheryl. Whether it's an evil dragon or an evil god, their power is beyond the control of mortals. Just like the legend you told, every owner of the Holy Grail who tried to use it to fulfill their wishes ultimately paid a terrible price, and even their wishes were distorted. Is this the ending you want?"

"it's not true."

Cheryl shook her head slightly: "I understand your concerns, Mr. Ringer. I have not been blinded by the legends or overwhelmed by the power. If I can successfully find the Nibelungen, I will naturally treat it properly. For example, I will first hand it over to the spirits of Assyria in Paradise Village and try to purify the evil dragons and evil gods within it with the power of the Goddess's Tears, and then use it to repair the fairy sword Sidras."

This was indeed the safest approach. Linger relaxed his brows and asked, "Does the Goddess's Tears have this effect?"

"Because it is the purest thing in the world, it can naturally purify all impurities and filth."

Cheryl was confident: "It's just some power left behind by evil dragons and evil gods; it's not to the point where it's unmanageable."

If the evil dragon were to be resurrected or the evil god were to return, there might be some trouble, but they have been dead for thousands of years. The curse left on Nibelungen has also been gradually worn away with the passage of time. Cheryl does not believe that the will of the living can be defeated by the resentment of the dead.

Upon hearing this, Alice's expression shifted slightly, as if she had remembered something, but at that moment, no one noticed her unusual behavior.

"I have already told you the whole story, and this is our way of showing our sincerity."

Cheryl's expression turned serious as she solemnly inquired of the young man and his companions, "So, what is your answer?"

To agree or to refuse?
It's just a matter of thought.

Give me some cats