People in Terra, governing a bizarre little country

Kal'tsit didn't know how to answer her.

She desperately wanted to cry out, "Damn it, is this my fault?"

Unfortunately, she couldn't cry, nor could she show such vulnerability in front of Amiya, the child.

All I can say is that our previous civilization was like this. A little girl like Amiya from the Terra civilization, who was a Cassius, would probably still be a miner at Rembitox if Theresa and the Doctor hadn't personally mobilized the troops back then. It's not that being a miner is bad, but the CEO of Rhodes Island is indeed more expansive and complex.

Amiya is still young and can't think that far ahead, but Kal'tsit is different. The legacy of the previous civilization, the future of Terra civilization, the development plan of Rhodes Island, two civilizations, one enterprise, and one large family are all on her shoulders.

Amiya wasn't from the previous civilization; she didn't understand. To her, Ernst's work was at best decent, worthy of a reward. But to Kelsey, Ernst's work was truly exceptional, the most exquisite of all, so exquisite it was breathtaking!

This is no exaggeration. Michael Jackson's concerts could make fans forget to breathe, their hearts race, and some even faint on the spot. Which of Ernst's projects is any less intense than a concert?

It's just a bug, a temporary freeze, a restart. Kal'tsit just made a mistake that any machine would make.

What, you're asking how to fix it?

Ernst doesn't know how to fix it either. If you insist on having him fix it, he might only be able to try the "always-effective Mao-style repair method," slapping it with his palm, punching it a couple of times, and kicking it a couple of times. If that doesn't work, then he's out of ideas.

It should be fixed, since in a way, this whole process satisfies both the cat and the computer, killing two birds with one stone and resolving the dilemma.

"I'm really fine, don't worry, Amiya."

Kal'tsit emphasized this repeatedly, and Amiya finally nodded and left the ward.

Kal'tsit wasn't lying; a reboot could resolve the vast majority of system errors. She had tried it many times, and it worked very well.

She is now full of energy and even feels that she can go to Ernst again to listen to their plans and give some targeted and guiding advice.

Her recent restart speed has shown a significant acceleration, and her tolerance has also visibly increased, which shows that she is gradually "desensitizing." At worst, it's just a "ha," nothing serious!

As for saving face, Kal'tsit had long since stopped caring. Fainting in front of Ernst once was shameful, but doing it a few more times wouldn't be. She'd done it so many times already; Ernst had been scared, he'd been hugged, and he'd even gotten used to calling her Ascalon. What was there for Kal'tsit to be ashamed of?

However, as soon as Kal'tsit stepped out of the Rhodes Island base vehicle, her attention was drawn to the commotion outside.

"Do you even know who I am? You're new here. When I was working on that ship, you were probably crying your eyes out in some corner!"

W looked somewhat annoyed. Although he had heard about Rhodes Island's presence in Kjerag, seeing the ship's base vehicle and the altered logo still made him furious.

In particular, she had clearly asked and confirmed that Kal'tsit was in the car, yet this logistics operator who sold things dared to stop her!

"I don't know you, but Dr. Kal'tsit has given orders not to trespass on Rhodes Island. If you continue like this, I'll call for help!"

"The logistics officer warned." W almost burst out laughing.

When did Kal'tsit become able to issue orders? During the Babel era, combat orders were either personally formulated by Princess Theresa or issued by the evil spirit of Babel. As for Kal'tsit's orders, she was more like the one being given orders, just like Theresa.

She's only slightly better off than me in terms of relationship with Princess Theresa, a tiny bit closer, and gets to see her a couple more times each day—that's all!

"Tsk."

W pursed his lips.

Why do I feel like I'm losing the more I think about it?

Fortunately, the standoff did not escalate into a conflict. Before W could make the decision to force his way in, the green figure had already approached.

"W? How could you...?"

Kal'tsit stopped mid-sentence and shook her head with a smile.

That makes sense. Hedley, from their three-man mercenary squad, is all here and doing quite well, so it's reasonable for W to come. If nothing unexpected happens, Ines should have arrived by now as well.

If they were to return to Rhodes Island, it would strengthen the island's basic combat capabilities.

Unfortunately, it's probably impossible for Hedley to make it. In some ways, he's doing better than Kal'tsit, the advisor.

But we could try to get W.

Kal'tsit noticed W's troubled expression and nodded to her.

"Come with me."

..........

Rhodes Island base vehicle, field office.

"Kal'tsit, you have to give me an explanation!"

No sooner had Kal'tsit closed the door than W couldn't help but curse out.

Kal'tsit frowned, completely bewildered:

"What do you want to explain?"

"You're still pretending to be stupid with me!"

W took a step forward, the dagger already at his waist, ready to be held against Kal'tsit's neck. But Kal'tsit's voice was always faster than W's movements:

"Mon3tr."

"Roar!"

A terrifying roar echoed throughout the small office. Mon3tr spread its scythe-like legs, crouched down, and waited for W to crash into its embrace like a predatory spider.

W's movements suddenly froze, and he let out a reluctant snort.

"Throw away the dagger," Kal'tsit said calmly.

“You know I have other weapons.”

"Throw away the dagger," Kal'tsit repeated.

W had no choice but to let go, and the dagger fell to the ground with a thud.

Kal'tsit immediately felt a surge of relief.

That's right, that's me! That's normal!

Look at the kind of people in Ernst's office. There's no less than a giant beast staring at him, the beast lord secretly watching, and Drak hiding in a corner observing. Ignoring the entire Sherag government office building, just looking at the fighting power in his office, the weakest one is actually the feathered serpent Horhyah, a descendant of the gods.

She was considered to be quite capable among them, slightly better than Horhaiya.

Is this justified?

Since arriving in Kel'Thuzad, she's either been getting humiliated or on her way to getting humiliated. Now that she's been tricked by W here, Kal'tsit's thoughts have finally become much clearer.

However, W still needs to give her an explanation for the sneak attack.

"You had better explain clearly what explanation you want, and what kind of explanation you have that would give you the courage to attack me on Rhodes Island."

W gritted his teeth:

"What are you pretending for? Didn't you teach Ernst those things?"

"What 'sleep peacefully,' what 'the Sarkaz aren't bad,' what 'the Infected are innocent,' what '[Seraphim can be everyone's home]'! Aren't these all things Ernst taught you to say?"

"What are you planning to do next? Are you going to send that little rabbit to Ernst too? To show all the Sarkaz? This one is our [Demon King's] replacement!"

Kal'tsit remained silent.

She had many things to say in rebuttal, but looking at W's expression, she really couldn't bear to criticize her.

Tears welled in the Sarkaz girl's eyes, and her clenched teeth conveyed more sorrow than anger.

What is she grieving over?

Kal'tsit understood what W was thinking. She seemed to feel that she was using her past with Theresa to try and create a "substitute for Theresa" in this small, snowy country. She seemed to feel that she was trying to make the Sarkaz forget Theresa and find a sense of belonging in this substitute. She seemed to feel that she was desecrating that memory, erasing the traces Theresa left in this world.

Weird.

Kal'tsit hoped that she was "actually doing that." Because if that were the case, she would at least have the power to decide, the power to choose, and the power to stop these "experiments."

But clearly, she couldn't do anything.

She paused briefly to think about how to phrase things so that W could better understand the simple truth.

But in the end, she pursed her lips helplessly.

Here, in Scherrag, on the topic of Ernst, no fancy rhetoric is needed; stating the facts is enough to be impactful.

“You’re wrong, W. I didn’t do anything.”

"I'm just like you. The only difference is that I came first and you came later, that's all."

Kal'tsit had to clarify this: she didn't cook at all, nor did she know how to cook; she just fed herself!

"Moreover, Ernst is no substitute for anyone."

There are always people saying that meal replacements can't be eaten as a meal, and Kal'tsit wants to clarify that here.

First of all, meal replacements should never be eaten as a meal!

Secondly, Ernst is not a meal replacement for anyone!

Ernst is not a Sarkaz. Ernst does not control the survival of civilization. Ernst is unaware of the Sarkaz's history of suffering, bloodshed, and struggle over thousands of years. Ernst also does not have the lofty ideals and aspirations of Theresa.

If Theresa is the ray of light that shines in the darkness of the Sarkaz, then Ernst can never be a substitute for that light.

Because Ernst is a door.

Kal'tsit didn't want to say it, but Theresa's ideals were indeed too lofty, so lofty that they exceeded the Sarkaz's understanding, the Terrans' imagination, and the limits that existing civilization could bear.

World peace and universal love are things that even previous civilizations couldn't fully achieve, so what can the Terra civilization do to achieve them?

Light is like that; it illuminates the path ahead, warms the body, and attracts all creatures that are phototropic.

But light can never be touched or reached. It is so close yet so far away, merely a ray of grace cast down by a celestial body light-years away.

Ernst is a door.

The nations of Terra erected a high wall called "Rules," imprisoning the Sarkaz, the Infected, and all the oppressed within, telling them that this is the social order, the rule governing all things, and "reality." They don't need to understand; they only need to obey.

Rhodes Island, Amiya is a fire, Theresa said. Amiya will burn away everything decaying on this land, including this high wall.

Ernst is a door; he is part of the high wall, but he made a hole in the impenetrable wall, through which he facilitated communication between the inside and outside of the high wall, and at the same time, he pushed for such a door to be opened on the entire wall.

Kal'tsit acknowledged him, helped him, and even relied on him at times, for a simple reason: Rhodes Island was such a tiny spark that it would take far too long for it to grow into a flame capable of burning away the decaying order.

But Terra doesn't have that much time. Terra faces too many crises: the Sea Spirit, the Demons, and the Originium. Each crisis is forcing Terra to unite as soon as possible. She doesn't have time.

Ernst's plan, in every way, suited her taste perfectly and seemed so human! Kal'tsit felt that as long as she helped Ernst realize these ideas, the unity of Terra was not something that could be impossible, the future of the Sarkaz and Theresa's vision would no longer seem so distant, and even the future of the entire Terra civilization could become bright!

What reason would she have not to help?

“W, your present is trapped in your past. You see Ernst as so sensitive simply because you’re trying to find Theresa’s shadow in everything.”

"But now, even if Theresa stood in front of you, you would say she wasn't. Because Theresa wasn't made up of a few symbols, a portrait, a photograph, or a few words; she was a living, breathing individual. And you, you've never truly understood Theresa."

Kal'tsit coldly declared an indisputable fact.

"Worship is the furthest distance from understanding."

"When you see her, you can't even ask her a decent question!"

"W, all you ever think about is yourself!"

"I!"

W was speechless for a moment.

She didn't want to admit it, she didn't want to accept it, but how could she not understand what Kal'tsit meant?

But she had no choice. Theresa was already dead, and the dead could not be brought back to life. Was she supposed to search for Theresa among those ethereal souls?

Kal'tsit seemed to realize she had spoken too harshly. She took a slight breath and slowly said:

"But if you'd like, you can at least try to learn about Ernst now."

"I do not want!"

"Then you can join Rhodes Island. Rhodes Island won't stay in Kjerag forever; you can leave with us."

"No, not at all!" W turned his head away.

Instead of facing those grumpy lynxes every day, she might as well stay here and watch the snowflakes; at least she can still savor the "dazed" feeling.

Kal'tsit's forehead vein throbbed. She could hear the deep reluctance in W's words.

What did Rhodes Island do to you?

You're unwilling to learn about Ernst, and you're unwilling to join Rhodes Island. What do you want to do? Go back to being your mercenary?

Kal'tsit wouldn't stop her. She'd seen far too many Sarkaz, and many of them were stubborn, yet she never showed any emotional reaction.

“I won’t believe everything you say, but I’ll just assume that you didn’t actually say anything to the snow leopard.”

W's eyes flickered, as if he was making a decision.