---o---
As the Acting Commander of the Silvermane Guards, Bronya's rank was on par with, or even slightly above, that of the Garrison Commander. Apart from the Supreme Guardian, she was the highest leader of Belobog's military force, but in reality, the position was more symbolic than practical.
Bronya rarely participated in frontline affairs, nor did she have the authority to command the veteran soldiers stationed in the Restricted Zone. Control of the frontline army was solely in the hands of the Supreme Guardian and the Garrison Commander. Unless it was an emergency, Bronya, the Acting Commander, held no real military power.
However... this did not mean Bronya had no one at her command.
The guards directly subordinate to Qlipoth Fort and the new recruits training in the logistics area would obey her orders. The former did so because she was the heir to the Supreme Guardian, while training the latter was part of her official duties.
It was by exploiting this loophole that Bronya had returned from the Underworld to the Overworld overnight at the very beginning of this simulation. She immediately went back to her post, and for once, did not wait obediently for Cocolia's orders or the various busy but safe and simple tasks she was usually assigned. Instead, she went directly to the Restricted Zone and took a batch of newly recruited soldiers with her.
Due to the corruption within the Silvermane Guards' upper echelons, and with the officials at Qlipoth Fort being nothing more than figureheads, the supervision of these new recruits was not strict. Their training was often sporadic. As soon as their three-month recruitment period was over, they would be thrown onto the battlefield, whether their training was complete or not.
Therefore, Bronya's actions did not attract anyone's attention. In fact, her own two-day disappearance and subsequent return was more noteworthy than her taking a batch of recruits. Many officials who loved to curry favor with the powerful would intentionally strike up conversations with her, trying to probe for information and determine if she had been on a special mission for the Supreme Guardian...
If the old Bronya would have felt uncomfortable and unsure how to handle these smiling officials, the Bronya who had been through several simulations no longer cared.
She would simply wear the same smile and engage them in meaningless small talk, then excuse herself with a perfectly valid reason after a while. Unless she intentionally revealed something, no one could pry any useful information from the current Bronya.
"Hmm... their training is starting to take shape. As long as they're equipped with proper armaments, they'll definitely be able to display combat effectiveness exceeding that of the regular frontline troops..."
Bronya murmured to herself as she read the text on the light screen. After taking the recruits, she had rented an abandoned factory on the outskirts of Belobog to train them. The sound of machinery masked the noise of their drills, and the massive factory perfectly concealed the new troops, preventing any information from leaking out.
The factory had supposedly been for food processing. It had been forced into bankruptcy due to a lack of raw materials and the monopolies held by the Overworld. This misfortune had been a boon for Bronya; it was practically a heaven-sent location for her coup.
"But... it's still not quite enough."
Looking at the text, Bronya did not rush.
[Your current Resonance Progress with the [Lance of Preservation] is—(8/10)]
[Please maintain your use and training with the [Lance of Preservation] and complete the daily resonance training.]
[When your Resonance Progress is full, you will successfully resonate with the Lance of Preservation, gaining the right to use it and unlocking your own unique Divine Power.]
It was said that in the twenty years before the Fortification Era, the Silvermane Guard army that resisted the Antimatter Legion was valiant and fierce. Facing the soldiers of [The Destruction] with their mortal bodies, some could still stand against a thousand.
But they did not rely on their martial skill alone... In fact, at least half of their combat strength came from another source.
The light of [The Preservation] flowed through these warriors, a power that came from the first Supreme Guardian, Alisa Rand's, Divine Power—a miracle as scorching as magma, constantly emitting an amber glow, powerful enough to tear the sky asunder at will.
Although the new troops had all successfully stepped onto the Path of [The Preservation] and gained immense strength from Ron's "One-Punch Guard Training Method," enough to easily sweep through the Silvermane Guards inside Qlipoth Fort, Bronya was still not completely confident.
Because Cocolia held a Divine Power unique to the Supreme Guardian... Cocolia had never been to the front lines. No one knew what an army that resonated with her Divine Power would look like.
Although Bronya had seen her mother's fighting style, she had never seen Cocolia lead troops... Whether the sharp light that glinted on her cold spear tip would also appear on the weapons of the army under her command was something no one knew.
But if Bronya also possessed this Divine Power unique to the Supreme Guardian... even if the gap wasn't completely closed, it would be significantly narrowed, right?
At that point, these new troops, trained with Ron's methods, would be more than enough to crush Qlipoth Fort's defenses. Possessing the Divine Power and wielding the Lance of Preservation, there would be no reason for her not to be recognized as the Supreme Guardian, even if she usurped Cocolia.
Belobog has suffered under Cocolia for a long time. Who would disagree with Bronya taking her place?
Then, Cocolia would be deserted by all, falling to the lowest point of her life...
At this thought, a trace of hesitation arose in Bronya's heart. Although it was just a simulation, she couldn't bear the thought of Cocolia ending up like that.
After all, Cocolia was her mother... No matter how many mistakes she had made, no matter how many people she had wronged, she had always been truly kind and devoted to Bronya.
Do I really have to do this?
Bronya hesitated for a long time, flashes of warm memories between her and her mother playing in her mind... It wasn't until the image of Ron appeared before her eyes that she decisively cast aside her hesitation.
At the beginning of this simulation, Bronya had tried to find Ron in private, but even after returning to the Overworld, she couldn't find a single trace of him.
It was as if Ron had evaporated into thin air, completely disappearing from the world, his whereabouts and activities unknown to all.
But Bronya knew that Ron would, one way or another, eventually make contact with the supreme ruler of Belobog. It was a necessary step to save the city.
Since she couldn't find him, she would simply lie in wait.
After careful consideration, Bronya finally made her choice, her resolve hardening.
I'm sorry, Mother... In this simulation, let me be the Supreme Guardian for a while.
She thought with a hint of apology, then turned her full attention back to resonating with the Lance of Preservation.
---o---
And at the same time, on the other side—
Ron looked at the screen before him as new lines of text continuously appeared.
[You have agreed to join the Belobog Academy of Sciences.]
[An unstoppable smile appears on Cocolia's face, as if she has obtained a rare treasure.]
[The Belobog Academy of Sciences has been abandoned for too long. In this time, only a handful of people have been recruited, and you are the most important one among them.]
[She has already completed part of the restoration work on the abandoned Academy, which includes your dormitory and laboratory.]
[Cocolia has set a time with you. This afternoon, you are to go to Belobog University in the Administrative District, where the Academy has been established. Cocolia will arrange for her personal guard to wait for you there and take you to your quarters.]
[She hopes that you can break through your original limitations at the Academy, reaching new heights in your research and achieving even greater accomplishments.]
[You see Cocolia off. After she leaves, you have a good sleep. It is not until the sun is high and the warm noon light streams into your home that you finally get out of bed, full of energy, and pack your blueprints and tools.]
[You simply stuff everything into a suitcase and quickly leave your old apartment, heading for Belobog University.]
[The moment you arrive at the university entrance, several guards immediately approach you and greet you. While subtly forming a protective circle around you, they quickly lead you to the Belobog Academy of Sciences and assign you to your exclusive dormitory and laboratory.]
The text on the screen faded, and a few silhouettes flashed by, all images from within the Belobog Academy of Sciences.
Ron saw his own dormitory and laboratory among them and almost spat out a mouthful of water.
The "dormitory" was clearly modeled after the most luxurious suite at the Goethe Hotel. For the people of Belobog who couldn't leave the city, a one-night stay at the Goethe Hotel was the most extravagant trip imaginable, one of the few forms of entertainment available.
And in this simulation, Ron was going to live in such a luxurious room every day... This kind of luxury saps one's will to work!
Living in such an opulent room, could he really focus on his research?
Actually, yes, he could.
Because it wasn't just the exclusive "dormitory." Ron also had his own private laboratory.
How to describe this lab... Although Ron himself couldn't tell what all the equipment was for, he could make comparisons.
And one comparison was all it took... The combined equipment in this lab was more than three times that of the "Perpetual Motion" Mechanical House, and all of it was brand new, clearly barely used.
In the Life Simulation Game, Ron could see his research efficiency.
When he was at home, his research efficiency was a pitiful 10%.
When he went to the "Perpetual Motion" Mechanical House, with the help of its old equipment, his efficiency could reach 50%, a five-fold increase.
And at the Belobog Academy of Sciences...
Ron glanced at the research efficiency displayed on the screen and couldn't help but swallow.
500%.
That was Ron's research efficiency in the Academy.
It was a clear testament to just how good this private lab was... and how reliable Cocolia could be.
"I never thought... a normal Cocolia could be this reliable. Setting me up with all this from the get-go? What researcher wouldn't love this?"
Ron chuckled and tapped the screen, allowing the simulation to continue.
The silhouettes on the screen faded, and new text appeared:
[You are extremely satisfied with the dormitory and laboratory Cocolia has arranged for you.]
[The guards have completed their duty but do not leave immediately. Instead, they chat with you and pass on a request from Cocolia—]
["Oh, right, buddy, I almost forgot. Her Excellency the Supreme Guardian wants your help in upgrading the automatons. She wants you to come up with an improvement plan that can perfectly utilize human ingenuity." ]
["You used to be a guard, so you know that when the brothers on the front lines have to engage in close combat with those Fragmentum creatures, there are always casualties... So, Lady Cocolia wants to use automaton losses to replace guard losses, hoping to minimize casualties among the Silvermane Guards." ]
["But Lady Cocolia also said that this matter is not urgent. You can research at your own pace and take your time completing the automaton upgrade plan..."]
The text on the screen faded, and a new option box appeared:
[Faced with the request relayed by the guards, you are momentarily faced with a choice.]
[Do you agree to this request and immediately shift your research focus, or do you agree on the surface but continue with your own research?]
[Please choose—]
[1. Cocolia has treated me well. How can I let her down?
Upgrading the automatons is something you have considered before, but you ultimately focused your energy on improving the anti-gravity module.
But now, having just reached a new node with the anti-gravity module and gained a new achievement, you are not in a hurry to upgrade it further. Perhaps applying it in a practical way and completing an automaton upgrade blueprint is a good choice.
Choosing this option, you will focus your energy on researching automaton upgrades. You will have a 1% chance to trigger a Miracle and a 99% chance to conduct normal research. This effect will trigger once per day. Completing random events will increase the Miracle trigger probability.]
[2. Hold on, let me finish this first...
Although you are not opposed to upgrading the automatons, you would rather complete the upgrade of the anti-gravity module right now.
The current anti-gravity module, despite having been upgraded twice, is still too crude for you. You need a more refined and more "sci-fi" design to support the even more fantastical ideas in your mind...
Choosing this option, you will focus your energy on researching the anti-gravity module. You will have a 1% chance to trigger a Miracle and a 99% chance to conduct normal research. This effect will trigger once per day. Completing random events will increase the Miracle trigger probability.]
Looking at the options, Ron thought for a moment, then chose the first option.
In this simulation, he and Cocolia were partners. Since Cocolia was supporting his research, it was only natural that she should get something in return...
Although she had given him plenty of time, Ron had no intention of slacking off and only fulfilling her request much later.
Only by giving Cocolia a taste of success could he get more support from her... This lab had already boosted his research efficiency to 500%. Could it be possible, with a little more support, to raise that number to 1000%?
Besides, Ron had just finished upgrading the anti-gravity module. The new design had not yet been put into practice. Researching an even newer version would be like building a castle in the air. Ron didn't want his research to suddenly hit a wall in the future, discovering theoretical flaws that were impossible to find without practical application.
With these thoughts, Ron watched as the option box on the screen dimmed and new text appeared:
[You have chosen to upgrade the automatons and fulfill Cocolia's request.]
[You take out many automaton blueprints, deciding to choose one as a base for your improvements.]
[Looking at these blueprints, you suddenly have a flash of inspiration.]
[You have triggered a random event—A Fateful Choice.]