Alice in the Land of Steam

Chapter 1398 Two different sisters?

Fafrena deliberately avoided Perec's gaze, but she told herself it wasn't out of fear, but simply a concession as a younger sister. Her gentle, kind, even pitifully timid older sister was a beautiful gem, but also fragile glass; if she bumped into someone, she would always be the one who got hurt. Fafrena didn't want to hurt her sister, so she always chose to yield.

Why can't you understand what I really want to express...?

"If you insist on doing this, I won't stop you." The red-haired girl was reflected in the dark blue night sky, like extinguished moonlight silently swallowing the waves. "But since you have such resolve, you probably wouldn't mind contributing more to our plan, would you?"

“For example?” Perec asked softly, “Is there anything I can do for you, Favorona?”

"It's not for me, it's for Tentis's actual plans."

Fafrona muttered, "I don't need your help with anything."

Perhaps because her words sounded too childish and sulky, even she herself couldn't stand it. Without waiting for Pereike's response, she immediately changed the subject: "Do you remember, after Themis of the Celestial Realm was defeated, the Celestial Sanctuary was left unmanaged and is now completely undefended. Sister Caraboss used the Celestial Sanctuary's database to find the exact location of Paradise Village Assyria, which is in the Great Forest of Lagnya in the southern region of the Eastern Empire Continent. However, to attack the Great Forest of Lagnya, we must first break through the Allied Forces' defenses in the central battlefield. The Society has sent reinforcements many times, but due to various reasons, we haven't achieved much success. If this continues, I'm worried that once those people arrive in Paradise Village Assyria, the plan might change, so..."

“So,” Perecker understood her intention, “you want to use the power of the Skywarp to help the Axis powers break through the enemy’s defenses in the central theater?”

“A complete breakthrough isn’t necessarily needed.” Fafrona nodded slightly, her gaze deep. “We just need to focus our attack on the Yaras Empire’s defenses in the Mikolsen Corridor. Beyond the Mikolsen Corridor lies the Empire’s border province of Atoliga, and further south are the Snow Country of Saint Chiron, Lunta, and the Great Forest of Lagnya. This is the shortest, fastest, and most efficient route, and it’s also the most advantageous route for our attack.”

Pereike seemed thoughtful. She was not completely ignorant about the Eastern Empire Continent. Even if she didn't know anything about it at first, after making the decision, she had read through various books, documents, and battle reports to deepen her understanding of it from all angles. Naturally, she knew the ingenuity of Fafrona's strategy.

From a military perspective, the Central Theater was a crucial defensive zone established by the Allied Powers, led by the Yalas United Empire, to counter Axis aggression. Spanning dozens of countries, tens of thousands of kilometers, and encompassing hundreds of millions of people, it was impossible to conquer overnight, even with the assistance of the Taikong. Therefore, concentrating forces to specifically attack the enemy's weak points would greatly increase the chances of victory.

The reason why the Mikkelsen Corridor became the weakest area in the enemy's defenses on the central battlefield was entirely because behind it lay the province of Atoliga, which the Empire both loved and hated. They loved it for its rich mineral resources buried underground, but hated it for the fact that the people of this land had never been broken and had been repeating the futile act of resisting, being defeated, and resisting again for thousands of years, which was really annoying.

If the Axis powers were to capture the Mikkelsen Corridor, they would inevitably choose to advance further in order to secure the mineral resources of the Atoliga province. This would inevitably lead to conflict with the Jihadist rebel group currently entrenched in the Atoliga province, making them enemies. With the intention of weakening both sides simultaneously, the Imperials' resistance should not be too fierce, and they might even welcome it.

From a political perspective, capturing the Mikkelsen Corridor meant that the Axis powers had finally opened a passage deep into the heart of the Eastern Empire. Colonial legions would be able to continuously seize wealth, transporting it back to their homeland in the West via fleets, stimulating everyone's adrenaline with the allure of gold and jewels. Predictably, those countries that were gradually reducing their military and financial investment in the colonial program in hopes of breaking free from the Society's control—Greater Britta, Mindrias, or White City—would be forced by public opinion to correct their course and steer the ship back to its original course. This was undoubtedly the most favorable development for the Society's future plans.

Even the Allied Forces benefited from this shift. Several nations, represented by the Snow Kingdom of Saint Chiron and the Divine Tree Kingdom of Lunta, having been geographically isolated and unaffected by the colonizers' advances, had never desired to join the Holy Alliance. This situation drew considerable discontent from both the Empire and other Allied nations, who viewed these countries as parasites, accepting the Alliance's protection while refusing to contribute to the fight against the invaders. If the news of the Mikkelsen Corridor's breach could force these nations to reconsider their stance, the Allied Forces might welcome it. After all, they had only lost a minor defensive line and some insignificant public support, but in return, they would gain greater traction.

Whether it was the province of Atoliga or the great forest of Lagnia, whether it was the Holy War Army or the paradise of Assyria, for those in power, it was an insignificant loss—or even a loss, but rather another kind of gain.

“Furthermore, I’ve heard some interesting rumors circulating in the province of Atorica recently, mentioning the church on the cloud whale’s back and the resurgence of the goddess faith.” Fafrona glanced at Perec. “It seems your target is there. Since the Atorica’s holy war army has always maintained close ties with the Assyrian paradise, why not take this opportunity to annihilate them in one fell swoop, lest any future troubles remain? However—”

But can you really do something like this?
Fafrona's eyes betrayed a hint of doubt. After all, this wasn't a battle, but war. Fighting someone is actually quite simple; all you need to do is be mentally prepared. Regardless of the outcome, whether you live or die, it's ultimately the business of the two sides involved, and no one else matters. But war is far more complex. A few casual words, a passage in a battle report, or even a verbally transmitted order can cause millions to bleed and tens of millions to lie dead.

What's needed is awareness.

Does Pereira possess awareness? If one doesn't know this young girl, one might have doubts about this question, but what often causes doubt is not the experience, but the result.

“I understand.” Pereira nodded gently. “Leave it to me.”

"Do you really know?" Fafrona pressed her tongue against her palate, swallowing the words that were about to escape her lips. She saw Perec's eyelashes drooping, casting a pale gray shadow on her cheeks, her eyes, which always held so much emotion, now as calm as a deep pool. She remembered the sadness that naturally appeared on Perec's face whenever she gazed into the distance—was she reminiscing about the past, or seeing the future? She said nothing, only letting out a soft hum: "That's for the best. If you can't do it, you might as well let me take your place sooner."

“That won’t do, you have more important tasks.” Pereira placed her hand on Fafrona’s head and gently rubbed it. Her feelings for her sister were always restrained and reserved, and she rarely expressed them so directly. But perhaps true feelings always come out when parting. Just like Fafrona, although she looked disgusted, she did not resist and let her long, red hair be ruffled and messed up, like a lion’s mane.

Finally, Perec combed Fafrona's hair neatly again, each strand of hair sweeping across her forehead to reveal her pure, fiery eyes. She nodded in satisfaction, thinking that this was exactly how her sister should be—passionate, enthusiastic, and full of energy.

Withdrawing my hand, my fingertips lost the touch of a strand of hair, like losing a memory I had never noticed before. That feeling is subtle, yet it always appears in every corner you are bound to notice when you are not paying attention, fleeting and leaving only a sense of loss.

Her lips parted slightly as she uttered the words of farewell: "Well then, I'm leaving, Fafrona."

Fafrona didn't move, but simply looked up at her. The lights of the Nidhogg and Heimdall were flashing in unison, their long, flowing red hair and plain skirts swaying in the night, intertwining to obscure each other's faces. If she could, Fafrona would rather not see the calm and determination on her face, for it would remind her of some unpleasant memories.

But life is always unpredictable. Only now did she realize that in her brief and immature emotional experiences, she had so desperately longed for the love and recognition of someone called "sister." Only the warmest and most inclusive emotions could soothe this ever-burning heart. But the sister she admired was someone who had already left; the sister she wanted to follow was Caraboss; the sister she held in awe was Tentis; and the one she most wanted to trust and rely on... was only the one before her, the one who was about to leave.

Fafrona could never admit this fact, just as she never wanted to admit that she didn't see Perec as a substitute for anyone. She always felt like she had lost to someone. So, in the last moment when she could be frank, she chose silence, not responding to the farewell, but stubbornly pursing her lips, staring intently into her sister's eyes, even if it was just a fleeting glance before they passed each other.

You will leave, that's not surprising, everyone leaves eventually.

But will you come back?

The slender figure offered no response, nor did it stop, gradually merging into the depths of the night until the last wisp of clothing disappeared around the corner of the bridge, as if gently swallowed by the darkness. Only then did Fafrona's fingers unconsciously tighten, gripping her sleeve.

The waves crashed relentlessly, the steam engine groaned in the wind, the distant, indistinct calls of whales could be heard, and the sea breeze, omnipresent and seemingly carrying the smell of disinfectant, carried an overwhelming sense of emptiness that suddenly pressed down on her, making it almost impossible for her to breathe.

After a long while, a shooting star rose from the deck of the Heimdall, instantly traversing half the distance of the sea before disappearing into the other side of the night sky.

It will cross the ocean, search for land, see hope... and then cruelly destroy it.

Everything he did was so hateful, regrettable, sad, and...

Guilt.

……

"A shooting star." At the same moment, on the steps of the Ice Palace, the new queen of Nereides looked up and saw a familiar scene in the clear seawater. This reminded her of a long time ago when she and her sister secretly ran to the sea to watch shooting stars fall to the earth. Memories are always so similar, because they are not the flow of time, but the cycle of fate.

I wonder where she is now, whether she is trekking with the travelers on the cloud whale, pursuing her original ideal with difficulty and perseverance? Has she cured that stubborn disease, and has she found a way to purify this sea? Just like she always smiles and tells herself, she will find it eventually.

As the older sister, Galen naturally offered her blessings, but unfortunately, fate never makes promises lightly.

"Your Majesty," the royal guard knight Katins knelt before the palace, reporting the latest battle situation to his lord, whom he had recently sworn allegiance to: "The alliance of the Greyscale Fishmen of Focolidas, the Mirror Elves of Rokonodas, and the Sea Prince Clan of Clarias was defeated by the Nidhogg three days ago. Their lands have all sunk, and none of their strongest warriors have escaped. I believe that the Axis powers will take advantage of this momentum to launch a large-scale invasion, and the chaotic seas will never see peace again. How should Nereides respond? Should we fight or flee? I ask for your instructions."

Fleeing is not shameful, but rather a display of Nereides' survival wisdom. After all, this city was originally built upon the mobile deep-sea behemoth, the Stone Crab of the Sea, Petrod. To abandon an existing advantage would be foolish. Nevertheless, Galene couldn't help but ask, "If it's war, do we have any hope of winning, teacher?"

Katins answered without hesitation, "Of course."

But he didn't say how high the hope was, after all, even the smallest hope is still hope.

Galen sighed helplessly, "Then let's run away."

Although the city of Nereides in the mirror has three powerful beings of demigod or higher, the former queen, who is also Galene's mother, is more suitable as a leader and is not good at fighting; High Priest Sandru is too old and can only serve as a deterrent; as for Lord Petrod of the Sea, the rock crab god, he has long since reached the end of his life and has only survived until now by constantly hibernating. Galene would not push the gods of Nereides onto the battlefield just to save face.

Just like the day her mother abdicated and she became queen, the former taught her daughter that the most important quality for a ruler was not wisdom or benevolence, but... patience.

It's frustrating to think about a ruler like that.

Fortunately, Rorona left Nereids long ago, shedding the burden of her identity and embarking on a free journey. She probably won't feel as stifled as I do.

I'm waiting for you to come back and help me get revenge, Rorona.

Compared to the sister who just left, I couldn't help but think of the other sister who chose to stay.

Give me some cats