Arknights' Lock of Heaven

"But what exactly could we have missed?"

Right, what else could we have missed?

A large transport ship, fully loaded with enough food supplies to sustain 200,000 people for half a year, traveled from distant Kazimierz, almost traversing the entire northern part of Ursus, across a long journey of thousands of kilometers...

Behind it lies the Ursus Emperor and Parliament, who granted the transport ships entry, and the Knights' Kingdom of Kazimir.

But what is the use?

Kazimir, Kazimir, the land of knights, Kazimir indeed, its national strength is not weak.

But what does this have to do with the dukes located in the eastern part of Ursus?

If Kazimir wants to reach them, can he possibly break through half of Ursus?

If those Kurantas had that ability, they wouldn't have been routed by Ursus's offensive back then.

Even a nation teeming with heroes can only cower and defend itself when faced with Ursus.

What are the Kazimirs after?

Sergei frowned. "I heard that their business association just suffered a major blow, and one of the two highest levels of government in the country almost collapsed overnight."

“My bachelor told me that this is just a show put on by the Casimir Wardens,” Rachel sighed. “He has been to Casimir and knows it well. With the Business Federation in such a state of decline, the Wardens, who control the military, wants to seize power and win the support of the people by attacking Ursus.”

"Kazimir isn't really planning to do anything. They wouldn't dare to fight Ursus in a real battle, but they're very willing to use a ship and its provisions to gain support by appealing to national and personal grievances."

“Ha,” Duke Sergei scoffed upon hearing this, “Don’t tell me that’s all your spies are capable of.”

"If only things were that simple."

“Yes, if only it were that simple,” Rachel closed her eyes and gave a wry smile. “At first I thought it made a lot of sense, until more detailed information came in.”

"That ship, the Orville, comes from the Kazimir Merchants' Association, and the food and supplies on board come from the Merchants' Association..."

At this point, Rachel opened her eyes and said in an incomprehensible tone, "Are they crazy?"

"What is the Business Federation trying to gain? Is it trying to use this opportunity to garner support and stabilize its internal situation? But the military is in the hands of the Securities and Futures Commission. Aren't they afraid of using this opportunity to stir up hatred between the two countries and actually benefit the Securities and Futures Commission?"

“If that’s really the case, I have nine ways to destroy the SEC if I’m on their side,” Rachel said angrily. “Nine ways!”

“The simplest way,” Sergei sighed, “is to just fan the flames and then ask for money.”

"The Business Federation stirs up national and personal grievances, and then the Securities and Futures Commission, which controls the military, reaps the benefits by constantly increasing military spending through the actions of the Business Federation, thus bleeding the latter dry."

"Is there such a good thing in the world?"

Having said that, the two looked at each other.

"I just can't figure it out..."

"..."

"We can't figure out what's going on with Kazimir, but what about the young emperor?"

Rachel sighed. "Can't he see the current situation?"

"The Patriots and their infected scum are doomed to defeat. What good will it do even if that ship gets here?"

"They're just sitting around and running out of food. Do you think they can grow enough food for hundreds of thousands of people in that tiny place?"

"Not to mention, can we even get that ship to the camp?"

Sergei continued, "Yes, we can't touch the little emperor's documents openly, but it's strange that there are bandits in the harsh and desolate northern Ursus region."

"Even if things don't go well, those officials we've bribed can use whatever excuse they have to detain people for a few weeks. If we come to each city once, the lowly people on the snowy plains will probably starve to death, and that ship is still on its way!"

"Does the young emperor not even understand these things? Why did he choose to side with the infected?"

Yes, that's exactly what they're wondering about.

In the eyes of the dukes, nothing was more outrageous than a rentier suddenly switching to a vegetarian diet.

I know that you've been supporting infected people all these years in order to win them over and fight against the nobles.

But now that they're doomed to lose, are you still going to stand with them?

This whole affair might also have been orchestrated by the nobles to undermine the imperial power. They originally intended to demoralize the young emperor, but they didn't expect him to be so stubborn...

What are you after?

They just couldn't understand why.

"So, what is the young emperor relying on?"

Incomprehensible.

"Could it be that little-known pharmaceutical company called Rhodes Island?"

Rachel joked.

"Or perhaps there's a super-powerful being, like a witch king, mixed in with the infected," Sergei chuckled, "just waiting for the food to arrive before wiping us out?"

Having said that, the two looked at each other.

"Ha, how could that be?"

Just as the two were laughing in sync, the well-dressed butler walked in.

“Your Grace,” he said respectfully, “the ship has set sail.”

-

The Orville has already moved far away from Red Maple Valley.

Fully loaded with food and supplies, heading to distant foreign lands, everyone on board knew what they were about to face.

It is the high and mighty dukes of Ursus, the clandestine bandits who will ambush you, and the overt officials who will make things difficult for you; this journey will be fraught with peril.

One transport ship, one thousand people.

Logically speaking, even if the vast majority of them were skilled Sarkaz mercenaries, this long journey would be no easy feat.

"So, are we going to kill all those nobles?"

Looking out of the Orville's porthole at the endless plains beside the shipping lane, Froststar said menacingly, "I knew there were a lot of nobles there. I'll never forget everything they did!"

"I will never forget those who run mines, traffic people, or take pleasure in killing infected people!"

Seeing the girl's eagerness to lead the way, Xia Yu sighed.

"No, not at least not now."

He explained to Frostnova, "Even if I wanted to do it, the situation on Rhodes Island wouldn't allow it."

"Can't you just cut to the chase like you did in Kazimierz?" Frostnova asked, still unwilling to give up. "Just hang them all one by one."

“If I’m all alone, if I’m just acting as a chivalrous knight,” Xia Yu sighed, “then of course I can.”

"After all, a knight-errant is just a knight-errant."

“Not just local nobles, but also the dukes of Ursus, the emperor, and all those in power in Terra. I can storm into their palaces, kill all their guards, drag them out like dead dogs, and hang them on lampposts.”

"That's how it is in Kazimierz, where people indiscriminately kill those high-ranking rentiers in their own name."

"But Froststar, one who does not plan for the long term is not fit to plan for the short term; one who does not plan for the whole is not fit to plan for a part."

"Kasimir was my last act of recklessness. Next, I'm going to do something even bigger."

"A chivalrous knight can kill a tyrant, but he cannot kill a corrupt nation."

"To change all of this, we must look further ahead."

"So, even though I terrified all of Kazimir, I did not rule the country."

"Is it because I'm not capable enough?"

"It's not that I don't want to, and it's that I can't!"

"Is a reign of terror maintained through violence what you want?"

"Without regime change, no amount of violence can change the fundamental errors."

"Yes, I can accomplish this through violence. Overthrowing a regime is a piece of cake for me, but have you thought about how many people would die if I, who have no roots in Kazimir, were to do this?"

"There are clearly better ways, and there is plenty of time, so why the rush?"

“I’m not an ambitious person, and I’m not that ruthless.”

"Our foundation is still being built, and there is no need to bare our fangs to the world at this time, which would only arouse suspicion."

“But…” Frostnova looked at Xia Yu, recalling the insane plan she had learned from Kal'tsit, “It seems our objective this time hasn’t been exactly discreet either…”

Flattening mountains, filling swamps, permanently altering the climate of snowfields, and so on...

Killing nobles directly is too high-profile, so is this not high-profile?

“But at least we can use science, machines, and relics to cover it up,” Xia Yu smiled slightly. “Faced with such a dramatic change in the world, from a remote and impoverished area to fertile land, the first thing a normal person would think of is not who accomplished all of this alone.”

"In this civilization that rose from the ruins, there is no shortage of all sorts of strange relics, some of which have amazing functions... which is not incomprehensible."

"I see..." Upon hearing this, Frostnova lowered her head.

Looks like I was exaggerating... if she knew...

Ugh, I especially don't want her to know!