Honkai Star Rail: Corruption System

"Not at all," Topaz replied, a note of disbelief creeping into her voice. "That's precisely why I find it so unbelievable… such a colossal undertaking, and yet, not a whisper of it in the Strategic Investment Department's research reports."

Topaz's brow furrowed, her expression etched with doubt.

A flicker of complex emotion crossed Bronya's eyes. "Perhaps," she began, her tone thoughtful, "I understand why it was omitted. The 'Creation Engine'… it was entirely conceived and built by Belobog's own people, relying solely on our own ingenuity, without a single piece of external technology." Her voice resonated with profound respect as she continued, "Our first Supreme Guardian, Alisa Rand, spearheaded this project. Imagine – while soldiers bled and fought on the front lines, our engineers toiled day and night in the rear, designing and constructing this marvel…"

Intrigue sparked in Topaz. "In other words," she probed, her interest piqued, "the 'Creation Engine' is a war machine, a weapon born entirely from Belobog's own independent development?"

Bronya nodded, pride swelling in her voice. "Yes. And I am grateful it remains operational to this day. As an invader upon Belobog soil, it is only right that it fulfills its intended purpose."

Himeko, who had remained a silent observer, spoke, her gaze unwavering and calm. "No need for further explanation, Supreme Guardian. Proceed with conviction. My railgun is locked and loaded."

The air crackled with renewed tension at Himeko's words. Topaz's demeanor shifted instantly, her eyes hardening, returning to their glacial state.

It felt as though a cataclysmic clash was imminent, the silence pregnant with anticipation.

Suddenly, an urgent cry shattered the stillness of the snowfield—

"Wait! Please, don't fight!"

Daziel's voice, strained with exertion, sliced through the tense quiet. He and March 7th burst into the clearing, panting, their breath clouding in the frigid air.

Snowflakes, kicked up by their frantic arrival, swirled around them, dancing in the air like miniature specters, amplifying the gravity of the moment.

A playful smirk tugged at the corners of Topaz's previously stern lips as she spotted Daziel. "Well, look who finally decided to grace us with their presence," she drawled, amusement lacing her tone. "I was starting to think you wouldn't make it. Curious, though… whose side will you choose?"

Himeko's brow remained furrowed, her gaze sweeping pointedly over Daziel and March 7th.

"I sent messages to both of you ages ago. Where have you been? Why are you only arriving now?" A subtle edge of worry, almost imperceptible, colored her tone. In such a critical juncture, the responsiveness of her team was paramount – a navigator's concern.

Daziel and March 7th exchanged a fleeting, guilty glance. A matching blush crept up their necks and onto their faces.

"We… uh… we…" March 7th stammered, the words catching in her throat. The real explanation – a stolen moment of private pleasure – was utterly unthinkable to confess.

Himeko and Mr. Yang were figures akin to parental authority within the Astral Express family. How could they possibly admit such a shameful escapade to their parental figures?

Daziel, sensing March 7th's discomfort, stepped in to salvage the situation, attempting to deflect. "Clara… Clara was hurt," he offered, the explanation sounding thin even to his own ears. "We… we were tending to Clara's injury. We… we didn't see the messages…" His eyes darted nervously, betraying the fabrication.

"Y-yes! Yes, Clara needed help with her wound!" March 7th chimed in, nodding vehemently, but her voice remained a barely audible whisper, her guilty conscience weighing heavily.

Topaz observed their awkward performance with open amusement, her smile widening. Her gaze held a knowing glint, as if she saw straight through their flimsy pretense.

Himeko, far from naive, fixed them with a sharp, searching stare, her eyes lingering on their faces as if attempting to dissect their very thoughts. But ultimately, she released a soft sigh, dropping the matter and turning her attention back to Topaz.

Seizing the momentary reprieve, Daziel quickly steered the conversation back to the pressing issue.

He drew a deep breath, planting himself firmly between Topaz and Bronya, facing Topaz directly. His voice was earnest and urgent. "Miss Topaz, Miss Bronya, please, just hear me out! Can we… can we stop this here? There has to be another way. War… war isn't necessary, is it? Even if conflict is unavoidable, can we at least contain it? So many combat robots, and the Creation Engine itself… a full-scale battle will leave Belobog in ruins, decades, centuries even, to recover." His gaze pleaded, shifting between Topaz and Bronya, searching for any flicker of compromise. He desperately hoped for a path to de-escalation; the consequences of war were simply too devastating.

The playful curve of Topaz's lips flattened, replaced by an air of professional composure, utterly detached.

She gave a slight shake of her head, her tone tinged with regret, yet firm with unyielding resolve. "I am truly sorry, everyone from the Astral Express, and Miss Supreme Guardian. This conflict… it was destined from its inception to resist easy solutions. Once it ignites, the possibility of failure is a risk neither the Interstellar Peace Corporation, nor I personally, can possibly afford."

Her voice, though not raised, resonated with unwavering clarity, each word possessing a cold, almost metallic precision, immutable and unyielding.

Bronya remained steadfast, her expression unwavering. She stepped forward, meeting Topaz's gaze head-on, her own unwavering and resolute. "Miss Topaz," she declared, her voice strong and clear, "Belobog, too, has reasons to stand firm. This planet is our home, the land that has nurtured generations of our people. We will not readily relinquish its future to outsiders." Her words resonated with the inherent tenacity and fierce pride of Belobog's people, forged in the crucible of countless hardships and trials.

Daziel felt a throbbing ache begin to bloom behind his eyes.

He sensed the unshakeable will radiating from both women, neither prepared to yield an inch. He understood Bronya's fierce protectiveness of her homeland's future, and he also grasped the immense weight Topaz carried as the linchpin of her own world's hopes.

He was equally aware of Himeko's unwavering principles – the Nameless's commitment to aiding allies and opposing injustice, a code that had compelled her to sever ties with the very company that had once been their peaceful partner.

Yet, Himeko remained unaware of the precarious tightrope Topaz walked, the devastating repercussions she would face if her mission crumbled. Daziel, however, had glimpsed the vulnerability beneath Topaz's polished facade – the weariness and fragility he'd witnessed in the Belobog History and Culture Museum, the image of a wounded child masked by steely resolve.

As Daziel's mind swirled with conflicting considerations, Himeko's voice, calm and resolute, cut through the tense stalemate.

"Railgun systems online. 'Skyfire' is ready for launch on your command."

Her words were delivered with the even cadence of a routine announcement, yet the potent threat woven within sent a chilling tremor through the assembled group.

Simultaneously, Topaz's right hand, with a subtle, almost imperceptible movement, slipped into her pocket, her fingertips brushing against the smooth, gently luminous surface of her topaz stone.

The atmosphere, already taut, snapped tighter, poised at the precipice of explosion, needing only a single spark to ignite the frozen snowfield.

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