Was she afraid of death? Yes. Who isn't afraid of death? But if she had to choose how to die, she wanted to die protecting Belobog, giving her last drop of blood. Though her body was weak, she used her mind to help the Silvermane Guards fight, to protect the city, to protect the people.
If her suspicions were false, all would be well, and perhaps the Supreme Guardian was leading humanity in a final stand. If that were the case, then the Supreme Guardian was incredible, and she would gladly shed her last drop of blood alongside them.
But what if she was right? She didn't dare to think or believe it, but as a 'wise one,' she thought she should be on guard against such a possibility.
"But who should I turn to?"
She thought about it, and soon came up with a suitable candidate: Serval. She was one of the few people Pela could trust, someone who might know the truth about Cocolia. After all, others who could have known either died in battle or 'succumbed to illness'—only Serval was still alive.
What about Gepard? No, he wasn't an option. If someone like him figured all this out, it might really mean the city was doomed.
So, in the middle of the night, Pela sought out one of the two people in the upper city who knew the truth about Pei Guang's group: Serval.
Who was the other person? Cocolia, of course! She was the biggest rebel—who could approach her?
Pela often visited Serval's workshop, so coming here wouldn't raise any suspicions.
Inside the workshop, after resting for the night, Serval was preparing to head out to do what she could. But just as she was about to leave, she saw a haggard-looking Pela walk in.
"Pela? What happened to you?"
She glanced around to make sure no one was nearby, then directly asked, "Do you know the truth? Please, tell me! Tell me my suspicions are wrong."
Seeing Pela's expression, Serval fell silent. With all the recent turmoil in the city, it was natural for some sharp-minded people to piece together a few theories. Serval considered whether or not to reveal the truth. After thinking it over and considering what she knew of Pela, she decided to speak up.
After a long hesitation, Serval finally opened her mouth.
"Pela, I'll tell you what I know, but I can't guarantee it's true. I just want to see... see if this city can survive another seven hundred years."
Serval shared what she knew, and at that moment, Pela's expression unexpectedly relaxed.
"Oh, seeing you like this, I thought you were going to break down," Serval remarked.
Pela shook her head and said, "For me, the most painful thing is the unknown. Now that I know all this, if I still let fear take over, it will only lead me to destruction."
Serval: "So, what do you plan to do?"
Pela: "I'm preparing for the worst-case scenario. If the people you mentioned can't resolve the crisis, and if the Supreme Guardian truly abandons resistance, neither I nor the others will give up—even if it means our end is death."
Hearing Pela's words, Serval sighed. "Honestly, sometimes I wonder if it's really a good idea for Cocolia to be the Supreme Guardian… Well, let's not dwell on that. Do you have any good ideas? You know I'm not good at this, but if you have a plan, I can help you."
With Serval's connections within the Silvermane Guards, many things would be a thousand times easier with her assistance.
Pela: "I have an idea... but we can't let them become wanted criminals. Instead…"
Pela looked at the portrait she had drawn, based on the descriptions from the guards squad leader and others. It was a far better likeness than Gepard's abstract style, making it much easier to identify someone.
If Sampo saw this drawing, he'd immediately recognize who it was—himself.
Despite never having met Sampo, Pela had managed to sketch a portrait that was 80% accurate to his appearance, based solely on the descriptions provided. With Gepard's sketch, capturing Sampo would have been an abstract challenge, but with Pela's, they could certainly track him down.
The only downside was that he had already fled to the Underworld, making it impossible to catch him even if he were wanted above.
Yes, Pela planned to first capture a scapegoat. Once the truth came to light, she had her own ways of ensuring that Sampo received the punishment he deserved rather than just taking the fall. But for now, Sampo would have to bear the blame.
While aboveground, the situation was tense, with Sampo serving as the scapegoat, in Natasha's clinic in the Underworld, Bronya slowly regained consciousness.
Natasha: "You're awake."
Bronya: "No more! I won't drink it!!!"
Bronya's body instinctively refused, her trauma causing a PTSD-like response. The moment she saw the coffee, her body recoiled, rejecting it outright.
Seeing her state, Natasha smiled and reassured her. "Don't worry, I won't make you drink that coffee anymore."
Hearing this, Bronya sighed in relief, but then she remembered Pei Guang's appearance and quickly asked, "Have you seen someone with black hair, very... very handsome, acts strangely, and even rummages through trash cans, but with a strangely determined look in his eyes?"
Natasha: "You mean Pei Guang? Hmm... rummaging through trash cans… Yes, that's exactly what they're doing right now."
Natasha had initially invited them in, only to find them discussing whether to open the trash cans and who should do it. If it had been anyone else, Natasha would have thought they were crazy.
But now, Natasha had a high opinion of Pei Guang and his group. Besides, he had brought a lot of letters, supplies, and hope to the people of the Underworld. Even though many people weren't afraid to die, if they had hope, they'd choose to live and fight instead.
Bronya stood up. "They're outside, right? I need to talk to them..."
Natasha: "Yes, but before you go, do you want to change your clothes? People around here don't have a good impression of the Silvermane Guards."
Upon hearing this, Bronya shook her head. "No need. If it's our fault, I should bear the resentment and criticism from everyone."
Bronya always had a strong sense of responsibility, even though it sometimes led her into dead ends.
Outside Natasha's clinic, Pei Guang, Stelle, March 7th, Dan Heng, and a startled but curious Seele were gathered around the last unopened trash can. There had originally been two unopened trash cans, but March 7th, encouraged by Pei Guang, had already opened one.
Seele, knowing well what's usually found in those—clothing, tools, or just trash—was astonished when March 7th actually pulled something out.
It wasn't just that something came out; it was the fact that the trash can emitted a purple glow as March 7th opened it.
Seele had one thought: "Am I dreaming?"
But then she reconsidered. If Pei Guang and his group could bring so many supplies and letters from the upper district to the Underworld, then maybe finding something glowing purple in a trash can wasn't so impossible after all. Right? Right?!