4:23 a.m.
Natalya jolted awake from a nightmare.
In her dream, all of Chernobog was engulfed in flames. She stood alone in the streets, watching the fire spread, hearing the wails of the people, powerless to do anything.
The cold blade brushed against her back, sending shivers through her entire body. She curled up in a corner. Beneath the masks of the Reunion Movement were malicious smiles. Just as they raised their daggers toward her, Natalya suddenly shot upright in bed.
Her throat felt scorched and stuck shut. Low, broken sobs escaped her as tears fell onto the blanket. She struggled to steady herself, and only after a long while, upon realizing she was in a safe room, did she finally calm down.
How much time had passed since Sister Qalaiša saved her? Natalya could not tell the hour from the darkness outside the window, but the lingering exhaustion in her mind told her she had not slept for long.
Whenever she closed her eyes, she felt as though someone was watching her from the shadows. Infected members of the Reunion Movement toyed with bloodstained daggers in their hands. One slash was all it would take for her to become Infected.
And in this world, who would ever want to become Infected?
Natalya let out a deep sigh. She wiped the remaining tears from the corners of her eyes and climbed out of bed.
She was still wearing her school uniform. Looking out the window, she saw bonfires lit along the streets. Tens of thousands of Chernobog's residents sat drowsily around them, while several police officers patrolled the area at all times.
Compared to these people, what had the nobles actually done?
Where were the nobles who should have stepped forward at a time like this? Natalya pressed her lips together. Noble estates had long since been completely surrounded by the Infected of the Reunion Movement. She knew that the primary targets of their revenge were the nobles themselves. From the bottom of her heart, she only hoped that her family was safe.
The girl did not ask for anything more. That alone was her wish.
How long could the nobles' armies hold out against the frenzied Infected? Natalya did not dare to think about the answer.
Her bare feet touched the floor, and the cold made her pale toes curl slightly before she slipped on her slippers.
Where exactly was she?
After looking around, she realized she was sleeping in a small room that looked like a nursery meant for children. In the past, even the servants' rooms in her home had been far larger than this.
That was not mockery, but fact. Natalya shook her head, forcing the chaos in her mind away. She noticed a glass of water by the bed. Her mouth dry, she drank it in one go, coughing softly twice afterward.
Once she felt a bit more alert, she quietly pushed the door open a crack.
The interior was very quiet, with only the sound of people breathing in their sleep coming from the next room. Following the dim light, she saw simple makeshift beds set up inside, occupied by men and women in plain clothes. Because it was deep night, Natalya's footsteps did not disturb them.
Every room around her was filled with sleeping people. Afraid of interrupting their rest, she continued forward along the corridor.
"Who's there?"
A woman's voice, deliberately lowered, made Natalya stop in her tracks. After everything she had experienced, she startled easily now and immediately looked toward the source of the sound.
It was a Sarkaz woman who had placed her hammer on the ground. When she saw it was Natalya, she yawned. "The King is resting. If there's anything you need, talk about it tomorrow."
"The King?"
Natalya tilted her head. The King… was it the same king she was imagining?
"Um… thank you for saving me."
She spoke softly and hesitantly. "But I still don't know who you are."
"Mudrock. That's my codename. I'm from Tomorrow's Development."
Natalya blinked. She seemed to recall a noble banquet from last year that had welcomed two unexpected guests. Her father had handled the situation smoothly, treating them kindly, and afterward had even concluded a deal with Tomorrow's Development.
If it was them… then did that mean the King's identity was—
Natalya still remembered that young man who had captured the attention of every noble girl present. He always wore a refined, gentle smile, yet there was something else within it, ambition mixed with the cold indifference of someone who had survived the battlefield.
That appearance planted the seeds of secret affection in the hearts of many noble young ladies, where they quietly took root and began to grow.
What girl does not know the stirrings of first love? Natalya was no exception. Though she harbored a tender fondness for that handsome Sankta in her heart, she understood clearly that he would never linger for her, nor would he remain in Chernobog. He was merely a passerby, someone who came to your side by chance, glanced at you once, and then continued onward without looking back.
Marriage between nobles was the natural order of things. As the only daughter of her family, Natalya was destined to fulfill the corresponding obligations. To enjoy the privileges her family provided meant she also had to shoulder its responsibilities. She had been immersed in such teachings since childhood through her father's words, and so she had long since sealed that young man away as nothing more than a beautiful memory.
"Pioneer…"
She murmured the name under her breath.
Mudrock nodded slightly. "That was once the King's title. Now, we simply call him the King."
"The King…"
The weight carried by that title needed no explanation. Natalya felt her head grow heavy and muddled once more.
"You need rest,"
Mudrock said firmly. "You can still sleep for a while. I'll keep watch here and won't let any suspicious individuals slip in."
Those words of assurance brought Natalya immense comfort. She had already begun to fear closing her eyes, as though doing so would summon the images of those Infected from the Reunion Movement. Hearing Mudrock's promise now, even knowing she stood guard for the King's sake, still gave her a strong sense of safety.
Back in her room, Natalya stared at the pitch-black ceiling. She decided that after waking up tomorrow, she would properly ask what Tomorrow's Development actually did. She had lost contact with her parents, and if the nobles' territory fell, she would truly have nothing left.
A soft sigh quickly faded into the night. Natalya closed her eyes and let her consciousness sink into a chaotic, black shore.
———
The next morning, Chernobog was jolted awake by a thunderous roar. People who had not rested well through the night rose in panic and looked toward the city walls, only to realize that the sound was coming from there.
Such sounds of siege had already continued throughout the previous day. No one expected them to resume again before dawn.
"Don't these Infected ever need to rest?"
There was no answer to that question.
Felix yawned as he ate his dry rations for breakfast, listening to the operators' reports. According to Tomorrow's Development's original plan, they had only come to conduct reconnaissance and escort personnel from Rhodes Island Pharmaceutical into the city. Instead, they had become an emergency response team. Aside from the operators rotating through night watch duty, the rest had been dispatched under drone's guidance to various locations to help local police and civilians evacuate.
In just a single day, they had already killed several hundred Reunion Movement rioters.
"The factory district has fallen. The noble quarter is still holding out. There are no troops stationed at the central government offices, and no one will be going to work there today,"
Ines reported. "The city defense forces are suffering badly under harassment from primitive explosives. At this rate, Chernobog is expected to fall to the Reunion Movement within three days."
"At present, only the school district is safe. Most of the middle-class families are living there,"
Ines added. "Yesterday, I spoke with several Ursus middle school students and gained a better understanding of the situation here."
"We made contact with Scout yesterday afternoon. They're preparing to hand over the mission to Rhodes Island Pharmaceutical. Combat personnel are very likely to enter Chernobog,"
Ines continued. "However, it's highly likely they'll be entering the city at its most chaotic moment."
After she finished, the remaining operators took turns sharing the intelligence they had gathered the day before. It could only be said that the Reunion Movement's tactics were truly vicious. Using Infected in suicide attacks against the city walls and the noble quarter was ruthless, but it was also self-destruction. Chernobog was one of the cities in all of Ursus with the most severe discrimination against the Infected.
"The Ursus people may not trust us,"
Mountain spoke up. "Many of them are hearing the name Tomorrow's Development for the first time. Recruiting some Ursus citizens to work for us temporarily might be a good choice."
Felix nodded slowly. Recruiting Ursus citizens had the advantage of winning their loyalty quickly. Once they understood the benefits of Tomorrow's Development, united Ursus people would join in groups.
"What are you thinking?"
Felix looked at Mountain.
As a senior leader on the same level as Loughshinny, Mountain possessed a sharp and agile mind. "We're currently in the school district. This area has the highest concentration of students, and because of school clubs and organizations, the relationships between students here are likely closer than in other places. We could have some of the student leaders join Tomorrow's Development and assist the local police in maintaining public order."
Mountain's idea was indeed a good one, and none of the other operators objected. Felix immediately confirmed it. "Then this task is yours. Ursus student organizations are tightly knit, so you'll need to put in some effort on that front."
Mountain straightened his chest and exchanged a glance with Ines. At the same time, both of them thought of Sonya, the girl who had shown great curiosity toward Tomorrow's Development the night before. Moreover, they had learned from Anna that Sonya was highly capable in a fight and had a strong sense of justice. She might be a suitable candidate.
As for the subsequent reports, they were simply coordinated summaries based on the operators' assigned patrol areas from the previous day. Felix did not pay them much attention. In his view, being able to hold this area was the best outcome and also the bottom line.
While Tomorrow's Development's leadership was in session, several small figures stood outside the door. The first to arrive was Natalya, the girl who had been rescued by Qalaiša the previous night. Faint dark circles lay under her eyes, and her gaze wandered as she tried to make out what was being said inside.
The second to arrive were Anna and Sonya. The two had slept deeply in the latter half of the night and had come here to learn about the situation from Tomorrow's Development's operators. As for Lada, she was still asleep.
The three ran into each other at the door. When Natalya saw Anna, her eyes lit up. It was the first familiar face she had seen since waking, and from the same school no less. She quickly stood up. "Anna… I'm so glad you're okay."
Anna had sat by Natalya's bedside for a while the previous night. Seeing that aside from some fatigue she seemed otherwise unharmed, Anna nodded lightly. "You too, President…"
Natalya understood Anna's personality and shifted her gaze toward Sonya instead.
Sonya could immediately tell that the girl before her was a noble young lady. Some things could not be concealed by changing clothes or careful grooming. Just as Sonya herself would look out of place even in a formal dress, the exhausted Natalya still gave off the impression of a frightened fawn that made one want to protect her.
"Sonya. A student at Peterheim Middle School. Anna's friend, and her former neighbor."
"Natalya. A student at Chernobog No. 4 Secondary School. Just call me by my name."
Natalya did not give her full name. After everything she had been through, she did not wish to bring up her noble status of her own accord, lest it invite ridicule. In the face of disaster, everyone was equal.
As the three stood facing one another, unsure of what to say next, Lada knocked on the door alongside a Bear. Behind Lada followed another Bear.
"Rosalind. You're okay too!"
Sonya's lips curved upward when she saw who it was. She stepped forward and bumped fists with the Ursus girl named Rosalind. The latter smiled faintly and replied, "The Winter General and the Summer General reunited. Thank goodness."
"…You don't need to use nicknames here."
Rosalind, a student at Peterheim Middle School, bore the nickname "Summer General." Like Sonya, she was a leading figure at her school.
The child following behind Lada spoke little and seemed to keep a blank expression at all times. Lada tugged at her clothes before she finally spoke. "My name is Zoya. I want to help my father, who is a police officer. Tomorrow's Development saved both of us, and I want to repay that debt."
Sonya smiled. Weren't there more and more people gathering now? Even if she did not see herself as the leader here, there was no doubt that strength lay in numbers.
She also felt a desire to repay Tomorrow's Development. Beyond that, she was even more curious about their unseen leader.
Her nickname was Winter General, and the leader was called the King.
Could he truly be a ruler? And from where did this King come?
Just as Sonya and the others began whispering among themselves, the door to the meeting room opened. The familiar figure of Ines stepped out and pulled the door aside.
"The King wants to see you."