Chapter 17: Patriot Guerrillas

Now we're riding in a jeep, though calling it a jeep feels incorrect given its size compared to a standard jeep. This vehicle can hold ten people inside, resembling a military truck but cooler. However, with nothing to do, I found myself gazing out at the scenery, which remained unchanged.

Currently, I'm on a separate operation from the main unit, which includes Amiya and Ch'en as they attempt to retrieve Misha. Even though Doctor is right behind me, the rest of the team surprised me even more. Inside our vehicle are Siege, Nearl, Shining, Indra, Morgan, and finally, Nightingale.

Our mission is rather unusual. I'm assigned to guard Doctor as he plans to visit Frostnova after receiving her invitation. This meeting is primarily to gather further information, and if it unfolds as written, it could become a significant issue.

(To think that Reunion is starting to fracture because of my actions.)

Indeed, since I began curing the Reunion members, they have started to split up. Some are following Talulah, while the less extremist members are distancing themselves. From what I hear, many are joining under Nine, who is apparently using my name to recruit former Reunion members. Still, the name she chose is rather embarrassing.

She calls herself the Originium Saintess Defender. Initially, she intended to keep using the Reunion name but realized that as long as Talulah leads the former members, she needs a new identity. The logo she chose is even more embarrassing because it closely resembles Laterano’s, except it incorporates my wings as the base.

I learned all of this from one of the members who came for healing. He answered all my questions because he is a fan of mine, which was surprising. But considering how famous the Followers are, I guess I shouldn't be too surprised.

I can already imagine those three teasing me if they find out, especially Lemun and Mostima. Now that I think about it, according to Exusia, it should be close to two years since the events leading to Mostima's fall, so she should be waking up soon.

(Maybe after this operation is completed, I'll return to Laterano to see how things have changed over the last two years.)

I still haven't found a good teacher. When I asked Shining or Nearl about it, both outright rejected me, saying I'm too wild, which hurt. I let it slide since Nearl is my second favorite, but this is the first time I've seen Siege and Nearl together. As expected from royalty, Siege exudes a special aura.

Now that I think about it, according to the original universe, Helagur should be arriving at Rhodes Island around this time, right? He’s a kind grandpa; maybe I could ask him to teach me. But how long until we reach our destination? Even back there, Doctor was speaking with them calmly; I imagine he's trying to get them to his bed.

I slowly rub the collar around my neck and glance at Ace, who is driving beside me. He lets out a sigh and continues to focus on the road.

"You know I won't help you with that, right, Alisia? Be grateful it’s only come to this. You should reflect on your actions, especially since you've already made everyone worry."

The collar on my neck combines Logos, Mechanist, and Misery. Its primary function is to detect when my Originium levels approach 0.7, triggering an alert for nearby Elite operators. They possess a special key to respond to the signal from this collar.

Honestly, they don’t need to be this strict. It’s not like I have that much Originium in my body, especially since I've been fighting only the most elite enemies. Yet, I realize I forgot to lower my Originium levels after the fight. Perhaps they caught wind of it, especially since Kal'tsit was taking my blood when we arrived.

Well, it can't be helped. Meeting Frostnova because of the Doctor, who is apparently registering her as a member of Rhodes Island, is unexpected.

That aspect hasn’t changed. I wonder what they discussed while trapped together under the rubble. Still, for the Doctor to give her his contact information seems risky. But it’s too late now, and besides, I might have a chance to absorb Originium from Patriot.

I can’t recall what Patriot's arts are, but at the very least, I should be able to boost my Verbesserung art. If I cure his Oripathy, I might even ask Frostnova to make him teach me some polearm techniques or perhaps some shield techniques. While Ace is skilled with a shield, his teaching style doesn’t push my body as much as Pith's does. Did I become a masochist without realizing it?

As we get closer, I see the ice that Frostnova likely created for our meeting spot. Approaching, I slowly bite my finger until it bleeds, letting the blood float before splattering it around. This enhances the effectiveness of my art, and with Mephisto's art, I make their bodies more resistant to the cold and warm them up.

I don’t see the surprised expressions I expected, but Ace wears a proud look reminiscent of my former father from my previous life. I had hoped the others would be surprised too, but I understand; all the members have been adventuring together long before I joined Rhodes Island.

I can see Siege opening and closing her palm as if she’s confirming something, but I wonder what it is. Is she considering using my help? I would gladly assist her since she is my favorite operator. However, I realize that Nearl will likely be the first priority, especially with the Kazimierz Major approaching.

This means I can count on Blemishine, Whislash, and the members of the Pinus Sylvestris Knightclub, which is great. Then I notice we have arrived at our destination. Nearl steps out of the jeep alongside Siege, followed by the Doctor and the rest of the group, with Ace and me being the last to get out.

I can still feel the aura emanating from Pratriot as he gazes at everyone, his attention finally landing on me. I start to wonder if Frostnova has already mentioned me to him. He then shifts his gaze, likely searching for Amiya, but she isn’t here as she’s on another mission.

"Have you come, Originium Saint? Will you demonstrate your resolve?"

Isn't this awesome? Looking at Frostnova's face, it seems like Patriot made this decision on his own. However, judging by the expressions of the rest of his elite knights, it appears that few of them are aware of this, as the entire Yeti squad mirrors Frostnova's look.

Before things spiral out of control, I retrieve four floating swords from the Originium shard where I store them and distribute the fragment shard to the Patriot squad. I ensure to use the sword fragments as a medium for Nine Art to spawn a poisonous plant, though I only intend to paralyze them.

As expected of Patriot, he breaks free and dashes toward me with surprising speed for someone of his massive stature, standing around 253 cm tall compared to my nearly half his height. He is intimidating, but Ace steps in to block him, though it appears Ace is struggling in this strength battle as Siege swings her hammer from the side.

Patriot easily parries her attack with his spear, sending Nearl flying as she approaches him. I seize the opportunity and use my first skill again, deploying the poisonous plant. This time, I modify it to absorb a significant amount of my blood, successfully trapping Patriot.

While I wait for the paralysis effect to take hold, I notice Frostnova attempting to freeze the plant. I respond by using my third skill after absorbing another Originium shard, striking her in the stomach. I also apply healing art to my punch, inspired by a certain medic from a certain anime, and I'm pleased to see it work since I've never tested it before.

After a while, things finally calm down. As Siege and the others prepare to attack Patriot again, I stop them and heal each of them, leaving Patriot for last since I’m uncertain of his next move. However, I do gain valuable art, especially from Patriot, as I notice my wounds healing faster than they should.

(Combining it with Mephisto's art, using my blood as a healing medium could essentially bring someone back from the brink of death.)

This is significant for me because it means that even if someone is near death, I can still rescue them as long as they have even a small spark of life. However, I'm unsure how much blood I will need for that.

Looking back, I'm impressed by his abilities. Despite having so much Originium and suffering from the side effects of Oripathy affecting his art, he still manages to unleash enough strength to easily overwhelm Ace and the others.

"I understand that the prophecy holds true: you will be our guiding light."

I have heard that Wendigo possesses the power of prophecy, but in the original, he misinterprets a prophecy concerning Amiya. His vision shows an alternate timeline where Amiya destroys everything, which is why he is so aggressive toward her. However, he hesitates at the last moment upon realizing that Amiya is different from the version he foresaw.

Yet, the burden of this knowledge weighs heavily on me, so I choose to ignore him. His constant talking confuses me, as he speaks like an old sage, filled with wisdom from his life experiences. It's overwhelming, so I turn my attention to the other members of the Yeti squad. After ensuring everyone is okay, I wake Frostnova.

I'm not surprised when she awakens, furious with Patriot and demanding an explanation. I ignore their exchange and walk toward the towering ice sculpture, marveling at Frostnova's full power now that she is no longer burdened by Oripathy.

As I enjoy the view, Nearl and two of the Followers approach me, which surprises me. They sit in front of me, gazing silently.

The silence feels torturous, but then I consider that perhaps my art could heal her legs. I cut my finger with a small knife, surprising them, but before they can react, I grab Nightingale's legs and begin to heal her. I pay no mind to their stares, as my halo and wings shine brightly.

After a short while, I notice that her legs are healed; I can feel my blood working effectively. Although I’m a bit concerned, I absorb her Originium to enhance my healing, which proves successful. It doesn't take long, and when I finally let out a sigh of relief, I see the surprised expressions on all three of their faces.

"Liz, can you move your legs?"

"Yes, I can move them normally without feeling burdened. But Shining, don’t forget the codename."

I was surprised by how differently Shining was acting compared to her usual self. Then, she knelt in front of me, prompting me to make her stop. I knew she and Nightingale were close, given the way her previous organization had treated her, but this shift in attitude was new to me. Nearl also let out a sigh of relief.

While I knew that Nightingale was an artificial creation from Shining's former organization, she still felt like a normal person. If you knew who Kal'tsit and Mon3tr really were, the surprise would fade, since both were also artificial creations.

Looking around, I noticed Patriot and his elite knights were kneeling in my direction as well. This confused me for a moment until Patriot spoke.

"I see people praying. I see Originium shining like a beacon of hope. I see you in a white gown, healing people regardless of their origins. O Originium Saint, you will confront the infection as a spear to eradicate Oripathy. As former Imperial guards, we offer our shields to protect you."

I didn’t fully understand his words, but after he spoke, I noticed a change in the pattern on my right hand, which confused me for a moment. I decided to ignore it, feeling it would be a headache to focus on it now.