After I died, my personal maid rebelled.

The warm sunshine shines on the earth, with endless blue sky and white clouds, and a sea of ​​trees and grasslands.

Ice City, the largest human metropolis where antiquity and industry coexist, first appeared before Lucas and Monet as a steel jungle.

The ground seemed a little hot, and chimneys were belching out white smoke. On both sides of the smooth and wide cement road, there was a complex network of crisscrossing pipes.

Before even entering the city gates, Lucas encountered a group of cyborgs and another group of burly men dressed as alchemists, wrestling with various tools in hand.

"I told you long ago that motors needed to be portable, but it's you bunch of cripples who are wasting national resources!"

"Fuck you, our Mechanicus Cult can do whatever it wants! Go tell our Archbishop if you dare!"

At the factory gate, an old man with a cigarette in his mouth watched the show with an expression of complete indifference, constantly adjusting the new lightweight crossbow in his hand.

Monet peeked out and, as the carriage slowly came to a stop, grabbed the iron-pole-like lamppost and curiously tapped it with his fingers, making a clanging sound.

Finally, it was their turn. Lucas jumped off the carriage and showed the guard his metal card, which recorded his unit and number.

After examining the card carefully, the guard returned it to him, then stood up and saluted. Lucas instinctively returned the salute, and then the guard said with a smile, "Welcome to the Ice City."

Passing through the city gate, Lucas was greeted by a bustling and orderly scene that exceeded his wildest imagination.

Unlike the chaotic mix of the royal city, where the noble district and the slums were all different, every resident of the Ice City was dressed in decent clothes and walked with a spirited and energetic stride.

There was no unpleasant smell in the air; in fact, there was a faint floral fragrance.

Upon closer inspection, Lucas noticed that the residential buildings on both sides of the street were filled with potted plants with flowers near their balconies and windowsills.

On the spacious pedestrian street, benches for people to rest are placed under the carefully trimmed shade of trees, and many people are holding newspapers and talking about recent events.

By the time Lucas came to his senses, a very enthusiastic Monet was already queuing in front of a restaurant.

That restaurant would attract little girls; the colorful paintings on the windows shimmered under some kind of light, sometimes depicting cute kittens, sometimes beautiful butterflies.

Lucas walked over helplessly. After traveling such a long distance, he deserved to treat himself to something good.

"Here is your menu. Please feel free to ask if you need anything."

After handing over two glasses of iced water, the waiter handed the menu to Monet. While Monet was ordering, Lucas looked up and gazed in confusion at the constantly spinning fan on the ceiling.

The Northern Territory seems a bit too advanced...

After a hearty meal, Lucas didn't forget his business and led Monet from the outer city into the inner city.

Who would have thought that he could sneak into Ice City, which he had tried so hard to break into, with just a metal card?

At first, Lucas was worried that his identity would be exposed, but it turned out that he was overthinking it.

When he went on stage to receive the First Class Combat Medal, Division Commander Federico patted him on the shoulder with tears in his eyes, saying that he was the last remaining member of the patrol guard and that he must carry on the glorious spirit of the veterans.

Even Captain Ereon, who had fought against him, kept clapping and looked at him with admiration.

As for Special Forces Chief Catherine, needless to say, if it weren't for her, Lucas wouldn't have had the chance to come to Ice City.

However, Lucas's guilt, which he had been hiding from his past, did not lessen but instead grew stronger day by day.

The old soldier who cared for him like an older brother died, and Nicole, who cared for him like an older sister, also died. Sometimes Lucas felt that this world was particularly messed up. Why did good people and bad people have to die? Was the meaning of life just to be toyed with by the gods and kill each other?

Upon arriving at the Special Forces' administrative building, thanks to the helpful directions from the locals, Lucas and his companion didn't wander around the city.

This is clearly a nobleman's residence, but there are many vendors outside, showcasing the unique culture of the Northern Territory. Most of their goods are snacks and treats, suggesting they are merchants who cater specifically to government officials.

"Hello, please show me your identification."

"it is good."

Lucas first handed over Catherine's transfer order, then attached his own identification card and gave it to the doorman.

After verifying that everyone was in the correct position, the security guard made way for them. "Please come in. The deputy minister's office is on the far left of the second floor."

The Northern Territory's administrative efficiency was always very high. After instructing Monet not to wander around and to wait for him obediently outside, Lucas smoothly entered the magnificent mansion. After repeatedly returning the salutes, he went up to the second floor and knocked on the office door.

"Come in...come in."

Pushing open the door, Lucas stood up and saluted, then saw the legendary S-class adventurer, Robert, the current deputy head of the Special Forces Department, kneeling on the carpet, with a little boy and a young girl on top of him.

Robert, who had never expected a stranger to come to his office, gradually turned red, probably about to be completely flushed.

"Sigh, I'm getting old. The Holy Maiden said that imitating the crawling movements of animals can effectively relieve back pain..."

"Understood, understood."

After a chaotic scene, Robert forcefully kicked the little boy and girl out of the office, then, with a blushing face and a nonchalant air, accepted the transfer order from Lucas.

Catherine's writing was very simple: she wanted this soldier; he was quite capable, and she had managed to get him from Division Commander Federico through persistent pleading. She would be leading him on operations from now on.

"Not bad, a First-Class Individual Combat Medal and a First-Class Team Combat Medal. Hmm, let's talk about you personally. That battle was very difficult. Did you count exactly how many enemies you eliminated?"

Lucas immediately replied, "Report: There are 140 to 130 confirmed enemies, not counting man-eating locusts and the like."

"Good, very good, I won't say any more." Robert stamped the document, and the more he looked at Lucas, the more satisfied he became. "Our special forces are mainly responsible for operations behind enemy lines, going deep into enemy territory to gather intelligence. Our main adversaries are the Salvation Church and the Mage's Association."

"The struggle will be tough, and sometimes you may find yourself isolated and helpless. But whenever you feel bitter, tired, and want to give up the fight, think of the comrades who have sacrificed their lives, and think of the young recruits who have just joined us."

"Remember! We cannot back down."

Lucas met his expectant gaze, his heart filled with mixed emotions, but he firmly replied, "Yes, to uphold humanity's free will, I will continue... bravely move forward!"

After being officially transferred to the Special Forces, Lucas declined Robert's invitation to dinner, because he still needed to take Monet to the Medical Department headquarters to seek help from Saint Jane.

Monet, unwilling to leave the capital, accidentally inhaled the damned holy water during the war.

Unbeknownst to him, Monet had become the last pillar in Lucas's heart. He only regretted that Minister Dane did not have a Molotov cocktail at the time, otherwise he could have burned that hateful savior to death.

After receiving treatment in Ironlake, Monet's condition remained stable. However, the nuns at the Sanctuary reminded them that it would be best to gain faith in the Duke and the Saintess, otherwise it would be difficult to regain their sanity when the next drug addiction flared up.

Lucas knew that Monet had a thorn in his side. If he could do it all over again, Lucas would definitely kidnap Monet's parents and then surrender directly to the Northern Army.

Monet was well aware that the Northern Army did not indiscriminately kill innocent people. Those nobles who surrendered voluntarily, as long as they did not have particularly serious misdeeds, were basically spared. The so-called punishment was nothing more than labor reform.

The kind where you only need to work eight hours a day.

The teacher advised her many times, but she was too naive at the time, her mind filled with unrealistic fantasies...

"Don't worry, Saint Jane is the best person in the world. She solved the plague, and she will definitely help us."

Standing at the entrance of the medical department building, Lucas took Monet's hand, knelt down, and said earnestly, "You also need to learn to let go of your past, to see right from wrong. If we don't overcome this hurdle, how can we talk about the future?"

"I still want to see the day you get married..."

Monet, who had been nodding repeatedly, suddenly looked dejected upon hearing this, grabbed Lucas's arm, and bit it hard.

Lucas: ? ? ?

What's wrong? You were fine just now.

Before Lucas could react, two mocking voices reached his ears.

"Damn, men."

"Oh, what a tragedy."

Paul and Luna, who were just passing by, walked out of the medical building and sighed in unison. Then they walked up to Lucas and shook their heads and sighed again.

Luna looked up at the sky at a 45-degree angle. "So, men..."

Paul also walked away with his hands behind his back, saying, "It's okay, it's okay, we've all been through this, sigh..."