Chapitre 56: Star Rail: Starting with a Lyre, Living off Busking [56]
Venti had finished tuning the violin early and left the hotel room prepared for the performers.
Seele had also left for her designated spot beforehand, ready to act the moment the signal was given.
By the time Venti reached the main hall, it was already packed. Not only were the band members there, but also a crowd of spectators drawn by the buzz of a public performance on a rest day, making it especially lively.
However, there were no familiar faces in the crowd. Gepard was stationed along the Outlying Trail, Serval had been working overtime to produce advanced tech gear and single-use shields, and as for a certain Intelligence Officer…
She was likely patrolling the city, while Bronya—
According to Pela, she had recently clashed with Cocolia and had been sent back to the frontlines, essentially forced to "reflect" on her actions.
When Venti heard this, he wasn't surprised. Given Bronya's nature, witnessing the suffering of her people in the lower city firsthand meant that—
She was bound to confront Cocolia's decisions, casting aside past doubts to demand answers.
This conflict between them was inevitable.
Before, when Bronya hadn't yet seen the lower city, she likely saw Belobog's upper and lower zones as one whole.
As both heir and daughter, it was only natural for her to follow Cocolia's lead. Even if she had some misgivings, they hadn't reached the point of outright distrust, and any explanation Cocolia offered would have sufficed.
But now, with her perspective transformed, Bronya would be more objective in her views of Cocolia, adding her own independent judgment.
Once she looked past the layer of reverence and the protective filter, she'd see that many of Cocolia's actions couldn't be justified by her title alone.
The cracks and questions that had surfaced would only deepen Bronya's disillusionment, increasing the tension between them.
As the rift grew too obvious to ignore, the architects would realize there was likely a crisis of trust between the Supreme Guardian and her successor.
Yet, removing Bronya as heir would only destroy Cocolia's political credibility.
So long as Bronya didn't defect to the Fragmentum, Cocolia couldn't simply replace her without damaging her own standing.
The question of succession was always a sensitive one. If Cocolia could dismiss her own carefully chosen heir on a whim, who's to say the next heir wouldn't be an easily controlled puppet?
History was littered with such cautionary tales.
Authoritarian rule under existing laws was tolerated—after all, the Supreme Guardian was elected. A bitter pill was better than the entire architect family losing face and authority.
They could always claim Belobog's "unique circumstances" and see it through. But if Cocolia dropped the act and fully embraced the path of a tyrant, even after years of acting that way, it wouldn't erase the grievances people felt.
If she truly decided to flip the table and disregard all rules, the architects would have to consider switching alliances.
Bronya may not be the most extraordinary leader in history, but her track record was honorable. She had led over a hundred frontline operations, with plenty of command experience and a moderate temperament.
While she still held a surplus of empathy when it came to losses, her recent performance was spotless.
Taking an elite squad into the Fragmentum-infested New Rift and bringing it under control was at least at the level of a Senior Captain.
Bronya's competence, martial prowess, and training under Supreme Guardian standards made her a near-perfect heir.
Even if Cocolia wanted to remove her, she'd still need the architects' approval. And while their role had waned under the current regime, their legacy was far from forgotten.
To claim they had "no opinion" on the matter would be unthinkable.
Such matters of power and succession couldn't be summarized in a few words!
Because of this, if Bronya truly decided to rebel, she'd have supporters, perhaps even significant backers. But Cocolia, ever the seasoned fox, had entrenched her own network over the years.
Bronya lacked the deep-rooted foundation Cocolia had. The very assets that would have been her political resources could easily become her obstacles.
This is why a strong external ally was essential at this time—
And Wildfire was the ideal partner Venti had envisioned for Bronya.
Their goals aligned, and Wildfire would grant her immense public support.
With that, she would hold a degree of influence not easily overturned by public opinion. She'd be more than just a convenient scapegoat.
But even this alliance would only elevate Bronya to a position where she could match Cocolia in influence. It wouldn't be enough to dethrone the Supreme Guardian.
The same laws restraining Cocolia would still apply to Bronya.
For Cocolia's downfall, it wasn't enough to challenge her authority—actual control of the government was still in her hands. So long as Cocolia clung to that, even the worst outcome would be a prolonged stalemate.
This kind of political struggle would be long, silent, and irrelevant to most people.
To truly unseat Cocolia would require a threat so severe it couldn't be ignored.
And the Fragmentum was the perfect target. With its existence, the people could unite against an external threat.
Though factions divided them, when it came to survival, Belobog's people would set aside their differences.
Whoever could resolve this crisis would hold the greatest power, naturally earning the right to lead.
All Venti needed to do was use a small trick to ensure that everyone took their places on this grand stage and witnessed the birth of a "legend."
As for the ethics of using such methods to deceive?
Venti wasn't troubled by it.
In fact, he was more concerned about whether Bronya's governance, supported by external power, would be stable in the long term.
But he wasn't Belobog's caretaker—Belobog's people would handle their own fate.
All he needed to do was employ tactics sly enough to eliminate the Fragmentum once and for all.
And if it brought an end to Cocolia's destructive regime by ushering in a more trustworthy Supreme Guardian, then it could only be called a service to the people.
Bronya, however, would need the resolve to sever ties with Cocolia completely.
If she remained entangled, weighed down by her connection to the Supreme Guardian faction—
Then, should Cocolia fall, or even make a final, desperate stand—
Even if it didn't take Bronya down with her, it would rob her of her title as heir, leaving her stalled by the backlash from Cocolia's disastrous legacy.
Hopefully, she would clear her mind and show her true self.
With these thoughts, Venti's heart, which had been stirred by the events soon to unfold, grew calm again.
A slight smile crept onto his face as he waited for each actor to take their place onstage.
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État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone