In the administrative district of Belobog, the Silvermane Guard herald loudly announced:
"Lady Bronya Rand's inauguration speech is about to begin. Citizens, please maintain order and keep quiet!"
At the central square in front of the monument, Belobog's residents gathered spontaneously. Bronya's appointment as the new Supreme Guardian was something that everyone had longed for.
In recent days, the people had come to learn the harsh truth of their world, but after the final bout of cold, they also saw hope and a glimpse of a future beyond the ice.
While the Silvermane Guard and citizens from both the upper and lower districts surrounded the area, Pei Guang, Stelle, March 7th, and Dan Heng were led directly to the platform behind the grand podium.
After bringing them over, Seele called out to Bronya, who was making her final preparations: "Hey, I've brought them over. The rest is up to you."
Bronya replied, "Thanks for the help!"
Seele casually took Bronya's hand: "No problem, happy to help."
Bronya froze for a second, startled by the sudden handshake. She hesitated, thinking about pulling her hand away, but didn't want to hurt Seele's feelings. After a moment's hesitation, Bronya tightly gripped Seele's hand in return.
Feeling Bronya squeeze her hand, Seele thought she now understood Pei Guang's teachings on friendly interactions much better. She made a mental note to store this valuable lesson.
In the end, Seele left. She didn't enjoy large crowds, and besides, she needed to use her stealth ability to deal with any lurking troublemakers in the audience.
Although Bronya's inauguration was widely supported, there were still some who had different plans. Unfortunately for them, they hadn't had enough time to organize properly, and with the Landau family taking certain measures, if they did nothing during the ceremony, they'd face retribution afterward. However, if they did act during the ceremony, both they and their backers would be wiped out completely.
Bronya wasn't ruthless enough, but whether it was the Landau family, Natasha or even Svarog, they all had the necessary resolve.
Especially Natasha—while she might seem like a gentle doctor on the surface, those who lived in the Underworld knew better. The last person who caused trouble in the clinic, even threatening to kill someone with a knife, ended up getting blasted by Natasha!
As Seele left, Bronya turned toward Pei Guang and his group.
"Pei Guang, Stelle, March, and Mr. Dan Heng, I invited you here to thank you for everything you've done for Belobog. Before you leave, I've prepared some rewards and titles for you. Please, I hope you'll accept them."
Bronya took a deep breath, unsure whether the rewards she prepared would satisfy Pei Guang.
But as soon as she spoke, she saw Pei Guang excitedly explaining his understanding to Stelle: "See? This is what you call endgame rewards."
Stelle asked expectantly, "Will these rewards be useful for the next mission?"
Pei Guang replied, "Probably not. Only the items and skills you get from boss fights are truly useful. Endgame rewards are more about achievements, honors, and some useless money. Basically, this means when we go back to the starter village, everyone will have max favorability with us."
March 7th, thinking deeply, asked, "And what if someone doesn't like us?"
Pei Guang, in a righteous tone, responded, "Then they're our enemy. We beat them up—simple as that."
Even though Pei Guang wasn't technically wrong, something about hearing it from him felt... off.
As they chatted, Pei Guang suddenly remembered something and turned to Bronya. "By the way, do we need to dress formally for this?"
Bronya smiled and replied, "No, your inner qualities are far more important than your appearance."
Pei Guang grinned, "Got it. Don't worry—I'll still be wearing my most formal gear!"
With that, Pei Guang pulled out his signature weapon, shield, and helmet.
Yep, the classics: the trashcan lid, the garbage bin cover, and the enhanced Best Sword in the Village.
Seeing Pei Guang fully geared up, Stelle wasn't about to be left behind. She grabbed her bat in one hand and the fiery spear in the other. However, looking at Pei Guang's equipment, she felt like something was missing.
Stelle: "Pei Guang, I feel like I'm missing something."
Pei Guang, seriously, replied, "Fireworks! How can you not have special effects on your weapons?"
Stelle poked her spear and said, "But the fireworks only trigger when I attack with the spear. Who am I supposed to attack on stage?"
Pei Guang responded confidently, "In such a free world, you're telling me you don't know who to attack? If you really don't know, just set your bat on fire with the spear. Your bat has infinite durability anyway."
Stelle's eyes lit up: "Good idea!"
While Stelle now had her setup figured out, March 7th hesitated. "You guys have flashy effects, but it feels like I've got nothing…"
Pei Guang's eyes twinkled with wisdom: "How can you say you've got nothing? You've got us! How about I get you a trashcan lid too?"
Stelle chimed in, "I want one too! We're a team, so we should all match."
March 7th glanced at Dan Heng. "Want one too?"
Dan Heng wanted to refuse, but he soon hugged his spear/pink bunny and surrendered to the nonsense, allowing himself to be roped in.
Seeing Dan Heng's slightly resigned expression, Pei Guang rambled on: "Don't underestimate this trashcan lid—it can block a powerful physical attack. Wear it, just in case your head gets hit."
After getting ready, Bronya led Pei Guang and his group to the platform for the ceremony.
Almost the entire city had gathered there, with countless people eagerly watching Bronya, the new Supreme Guardian.
This soon-to-be-appointed Supreme Guardian had, alongside the Trailblazers, defeated the former Supreme Guardian who had been fully corrupted by the Stellaron. And in the face of the Stellaron's erosion, she had forged her own path of preservation, demonstrating Belobog's indomitable will.
Her steadfast determination and wise decisions, no matter the means or assistance, were witnessed and appreciated by the people from both the upper and lower districts.
Now, standing on the platform under the protection of the Silvermane Guards, Bronya began her inauguration speech.
"Citizens of Belobog, hear me."