"Mono/Dialogue"
'Inner thoughts'
Narration
[Message/communication apparatus]
Date: Data not found
Location: Data not found
POV: Narrator
First thing first, let us talk about the nature of catastrophe itself. Catastrophes range from mundane flooding to deadly meteor showers. Research about why catastrophe forms is still ongoing to this day, along with how to mitigate or avoid it.
Catastrophe messengers are one such way of mitigation. Their jobs are predicting, evacuating, and conducting research and surveys of potential catastrophes. This line of job is dangerous, both literally and figuratively.
Failure to do their task would usually result in them receiving severe punishment, death with its numerous fvors. But when they succeed, there is little to no thanks that were uttered. Being one is truly a harsh occupation.
The more viable solution to avoid catastrophes is through the construction of nomadic settlements capable of migrating continuously. Either in a self-sufficient single settlement manner or forming a migration of several cities with a different specialty.
Nomadic City, commonly referred to as Mobile City, is truly a showcase for technological prowess and a marvel of civilization. Mobile city was a necessary invention due to how catastrophes behaved and occurred all over Terra.
Barring several special locations like Kjerag, sedentary settlements are always at risk of being wiped off the map with practically no way of protecting themselves. Thus people usually tried to migrate to mobile cities. There are restrictions in pce of course, either by design or inevitability.
Not only did it manage to bypass or at least minimize the effect of the square-cube w, but it also changed how borders between nations behave, how nations project their power, and how their citizenry lives. It is not uncommon that smaller mobile ptforms and ndships technically viote each other borders, but said borders are very hard to define.
Mobile City inhabitants are more affluent than the sedentary settlement inhabitants. Mobile city works as a hub for the most part as well as how each nations on Terra keep each other in check.
The destruction of mobile cities due to war has always been a hot topic for debate, such as the once Gaulish Empire capital of Ligones was reduced to ashes during the climactic phase of the ‘Battle of Four Emperors.’ A war of nightmarish proportion felt merely decades ago.
The war was fought by the alliance of the Kingdom (Now Empire) of Victoria, the Kingdom of Leithanien, and the Empire of Ursus against the Empire of Gaul. One against three... Emperor Corsica I made a fatal mistake on a strategic level... then again, his nation was fuelled by expansion... he doesn't have much of a choice, some would say.
The destruction was seen as a total waste, especially when Victoria had instead seized and gained the Cais-Bson mobile city as part of their nation. Destruction of Lingones was a wasteful move according to the majority of people.
Then we have quite an interesting case of the mobile city of Kazimierz, especially regarding its capital of Kawalerielki which can integrate with 3 other mobile cities. This collection of cities is called the Kawalerielki Alliance.
This integration happened every 3 years, following the Kazimierz Major which is also held every 3 years.
Now we are back to our Pythian dy, the very one who for the first time finally id her eyes upon mobile cities...
Date: September 1077
Location: Somewhere in Central Kazimierz.
POV: Nyx
I had been spending at least weeks, which turned to months, looking for this Capital of Kazimierz. I don't have precise info on where the mobile city is at the moment. What information I have on hand only pointed out its usual route of migration.
That is until I realized that you can find it easier with the personal mobile terminal... something that made me feel like an utter moron for forgetting about it. Cut me some sck, I had been too focused on chasing bounties along the expected route...
I must confess that my actions had been rather sporadic and scatterbrained. Dad was right, my Arts had really messed up this brain of mine decision making.
Meh, I don't have to worry too much. I did a good job on community service obligation and that is all that matters...
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Ok, I need to put a damper on my blood thirst else it will actually turn into mental illness.
Maybe it would be a good idea if I ju- wait... is that a smoke billow?
'It would leave a bad taste in my mouth if just ignored it without investigating. Also, I need to recover the cost of ammunition used by my P226 lookalike. Would you believe me that a 20-round mag of this thing cost 3600 LMD? What kind of insane monopoly rights does Laterano have!?'
It is not that I'm struggling with money, pretty much the opposite in fact. But it can't be understated how badly a PMC logistics corps would get run-ragged fulfilling the needs of multiple squads. Hopefully, the cost of munitions being ridiculously expensive was due to tariffs and such about trade rights.
Who am I kidding, there are definitely suppliers who have deliberately infted the price...
Then the guns themselves have another problem...
'Ugh... the guns in this world act like over-engineered magical wands. You would need Arts to trigger it else these guns would work poorly. The range of this thing is also ughable, only 100 meters at maximum before the round disintegrated... sniper rifles and the like still retained a respectable range of 400 meters... still bad... the average crossbow and bows are 200 meters. My great bow is an exception and there are others which also exceeded it.'
Finishing my venting of frustration, thus I had gone on another killing spree of bandits and outws to the point that I had been chasing them towards the exact opposite of my destination.
This time they immediately ran away without any sort of fight. To the point of throwing, literally, their former comrades to slow me down... I feel kind of hurt, why would they run away from a beautiful and kind Pythian dy like me? Isn't that what bandits like to target?
Am I really that terrifying? As far as I'm concerned, I'm not that different from other mercenaries. It is just that my efficiency was too high for them to cope with...
On an unreted note, I still have several explosive devices and spicy smoke grenades. This should come in handy...
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I only recalled my true objective after annihiting another 4... Uh, 8? Whatever, the point is, I had destroyed several other hideouts of wbreaker scums... that's... 4 weeks gone...
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Oops?
Date: October 1077
Location: Kawalerielki, Kazimierz.
POV: Nyx
Now I'm back on tracking it, of all the things that can give me significant problems... is to, actually, reach a settlement, something a blind person would have done better than what I had been doing... Am I that bad or did I suffer from some sort of crippling overspecialization towards anything other than hunting people or beasts?
The damn thing was really on the constant move when I look at it on my terminal interface. I overheard back there that some mobile cities stopped for a while to stock and monopolize trade, but Kazimierz's mobile city doesn't work that way I suppose... shouldn't have used rumor as a point for reference...
Several days ter...
At long st, I finally found it. Much to my absolute shock and disbelief... this is what people call mobile city!?
"I had severely underestimated the size or its actual appearance..." That's the only thing I can say when I finally id my eyes upon this insane engineering miracle. How the hell can this thing even move without causing everything inside it to be shaken violently?
"Well... that is enough for gawking at this incomprehensible piece of engineering, I have the temporary documents from Kiril, that guy is truly reliable. Well, Nyx, guess it is time for you to be back amongst modern civilization..." I said while swallowing my exasperation.
The ID I'm looking for will be the residential type, which works more like a visa compared to a citizenry which works like an actual Nationality ID.... Weird isn't it? Guess I'm kind of right with my understanding of this nation being reminiscent of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth for mirroring collection of nobles or something along that line... golden rights, obligations, or something, I forgot...
With that I revved my bike in full throttle, heading towards what looks like an entrance/border checkpoint. This entire mobile city is probably the most shocking thing I have ever seen aside from catastrophe.
When I kept hearing about Mobile City I thought it would be something along the lines of several mobile instaltions migrating together, based on the pce I had woken up on, that doesn't sound too much of a stretch...
I never expected the entire city to be able to move the way a traveling van does...
Getting closer I can see that the mobile city wall is at least hundreds of meters high... how much tonnage is that? I shudder to think about if this thing traversed on nd with a much more fragile texture of sedimentation...
Not long after I arrived at a checkpoint, which were being manned by security units and... security knights? Huh? You know what, screw this. Let me just get inside and then find a nice pce to stay while figuring out what to do.
Moving up the ramp, I was greeted by a civil servant who looked more like an office worker than border security. Maybe this pce also has those stock exchange trades or something...
"Welcome to Kawalerielki, how may I be of assistance Ma'am?"
"Immigration."
"Do you have the necessary documents?"
"Here you go."
"Please wait a moment."
I waited on my bike for a while. I can see from the corner of my eyes that the security personnel are looking at me warily. Well, that much is warranted when I have a giant, folded, bow strapped on my back along with a Pistol on my belt. Not to mention several hidden knives I had pced along my limbs and even under my jacket sleeve.
My mercenary reputation might also pyed a factor in it. Make sense I guess, since news will always carry itself regardless of which method. Speaking of methods, I wonder if there is an information hub in the city.
This musing of mine was finally broken when the civil servant finalized my entry permit. I can sense he is hel nervous now. I guess those documents gave enough general information as to what kind of person I am. Well, I did request Kiril to make it fit my mercenary work and merits as an independent contractor.
"Thank you for your patience Miss Nyx, Welcome to Kawalerielki."
"Sure."
After turning my bike on again, I offhandedly answered then headed inside the now open gate which paved the way for a tunnel beneath the wall. Surely, what's inside wouldn't surprise me all that much...
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'Me and my fucking mouth' I just exasperatedly curse within my mind. I thought I would see houses or buildings with reasonable size due to their nature as a mobile city... not a whole collection of skyscrapers!
'Is this real? Like real, real!? Am I tripping and losing it finally!?' I just ignore my growing headache and continue my own journey. Looking closely this pce finally resembled the 21st century architecture and vibes I'm quite acquainted with.
The sidewalks are filled with pedestrians from numerous races... but I don't see any infected... Hopefully, it is because of clothing and the fact that the infected themselves don't really like showing their infection…
Yeah, keep telling yourself that… Idiot…
'Who am I fooling here again? I know exactly why infected can't be seen around here...' I just accept the reality of this situation, the infected are most likely pushed somewhere hidden... a typical move to help preserve the scenery...
The capital of a nation always tries to make themselves presentable. It was meant to showcase national power and its economic stability. It is quite an enviable privilege afforded to its inhabitants... but there will always be an ugly underside for it regardless of how advanced you are. As one of my old buddies from another life had said.
"Your Utopia is someone else Dystopia and vice versa..."
The underworld of this city, or whatever was hidden beneath, should be on a rather substantial scale. There is always money to be made if you disregard how to make said money. If there is indeed a rather invasive underbelly... guess I don’t really need to change my modus operandi, just need some adjustments and I should be good… hopefully.
There is also the matter of starting to look for passive income, investment, and the like, but I need to build my reputation first. It always becomes a headache when they keep making my life hard because of ‘untrustworthiness’ or those bureaucratic hassles.
"I'm famished, well... getting something to eat first might be good." Then I decided to head to what looks like the downtown area. I looked for a parking lot and found one, my bow would surely attract attention but I couldn't just leave it here too.
Mentally sighing with my predicament, I just head out of the parking lot. I don't bring my crystal for the simple fact that I don't have it anymore. The Silvernce was quite surprised when I offered them those crystals. Something along the lines of it being an extremely efficient arts conductor and being fairly robust, usual military stuff.
Now I'm walking along the alleyway, and I can feel eyes on me. But they're not focusing on my getup or weapons... they are looking at my face. I can start to sense some lust around here too, it is quite challenging to keep a bnk face when there are people who are ogling me like that.
Moving a touch faster, I found a particurly interesting street food vendor, I never ate Polish street food throughout my multitude of lives. The vendor noticed me and I could sense his split-second fascination before putting on his business smile.
"Hello there young dy, would you care for some Zapiekanka?"
"Sure, how much?"
"8 Heller a piece."
"Do you accept foreign currency here?"
"Yes, the street vendors here have ties with Kazimierz Bank. You know, when the Major was being held we had a surge of tourist influx. Can make a good buck that is worth a whole month during that event."
"I see, I only have LMD on hand."
"That is alright too, but let me check the rates for now... it is 1 LMD for 4 Heller."
"Ok then, I'll buy 5."
I said after using my terminal to process the payment. It is quite convenient for it to double as a credit card. The vendor wrapped 5 zapiekankas with practiced motion and then handed it to me. I might have bought a bit too much but thankfully the food isn't that big... just long.
"By the way young dy, are you a mercenary?"
"Yes, why?" I said while started nibbling one of the zapiekanka, it looked like a baguette with cheese and sausage for its filling. It tastes really good, especially the cheese.
"It is quite unusual to see a mercenary as beautiful as you during off-season."
"Off-season?"
"Yep, the triennial Kazimierz major would be held in 2 years, the time when foreigners come to bet, enjoy the match, and even participate themselves."
"That so? Well, I have been doing jobs here and there and think to myself I needed time to rest."
"I see, I see... oh by the way, how was it?"
"Very good. This is the first time I tasted this sort of food actually."
"Aha! This food is probably the best Kazimierz's street culinary has to offer ss! It also warms my heart seeing you like it from the get-go."
"Well, I won't mince words when it comes to food after all. Also, What is this thing, dumpling?"
"Oh, that's called pierogi. 1 Heller a piece."
"Hmm... I take 40, please."
"Much obliged ssie!"
After some more idle conversation, I left the vendor and decided to linger a bit longer. It felt different to just stroll aimlessly like this but it does feel quite enjoyable.
Back in Wdirosa I always have things to occupy a majority of my attention and focus, be it wild beasts while accompanying kids pying around the meadow. Helping the locals with harvest while keeping guards up against predators and pests. Fixing a local dam with the vilgers... exterminating undesirable... and several other things.
Here I just... do nothing other than finally using my money for rexation and not purchasing explosives every week. I'm starting to get used to the staring now, even from several presences who definitely stalked from the shadow... Kiril had informed me that Kazimierz had a retively recluse shadow op called Armorless Union or Knights Assassins.
They are so – so, however... the fact that they're still detected despite their best effort to hide, I still can pinpoint them just as easily. Well, the ones around me are most likely a bunch of grunts, not their actual trump cards.
Hmm… since I’m already being tailed anyway, might as well just troll them. Waste their time and just sit back enjoying the show... heh... I wonder if this is going to piss them off. It might be a good idea to just cause them to tense needlessly. Just a little mischief, I promise...
POV: Lazurite Marco
'Just what in hell is she doing?' I had been called back from being a bodyguard to one of K.G.C.C's chairmen, can't say I liked it. So, the moment I was called back because a person of interest was spotted in the capital, I dipped out. Never liked those businessmen, they're even more unlikable than the damn obstinate nobles.
But work is work, I came here for that and have been enjoying a healthy sary and benefits. Of course, I had also fought in the war, but back then I was mostly sent to maintain counter-espionage. So can't really say I have that much of a real combat experience there.
But then... Nyx had entered the picture.
Nyx must had some sort of dealing with the Adeptus Sprawiedliwi, her tenure of saving minors had reached our ears after all. Some of the chairmen mocked her fruitless endeavor, there were already people who tried to profit from her... then she started causing extreme scandals and forcing embezzlement to the surface.
Rumors said that she had been torturing enough svers that they started singing everything they knew and then spreading those as rumors. Nothing is worse than having your reputation questioned, and the source is that maniac.
Another batch of rumors regales that even her fellow mercs start beling Nyx as a literal psychopath. Bounty hunters would rather chase someone in Samifjord, and assassins just vanish. She is that crazy. Then about that chairman who fuck with her though? That poor sod got ousted. Spending too much resources on someone who is technically a nobody left a bad rep on your resume. That chairman had a hand in the sve trade and got removed from the board by their own rival...
The chairmen are naturally shocked, they had only seen her as an absurdly sharp knife without a handle. Her showcase of cunning and willingness to py dirty when pushed just turned her image from a knife into a votile explosive. Just pay her and told her to look the other way, that actually fucking works!
Thus Nyx reception had been a mixed bag. On the one hand, she always did an extermination job really nicely. Her kill counts should be in the fourth digit now, the confirmed tally that is. She's also very strict with herself in completing a job. As long as you pay her well, she is controlble. On the other hand, she has no one to leash her. Her actions had become quite sporadic as of te.
Tales of her getting extremely merciless and rumors of her bipority on combat missions had also sprung up... These are enough to warrant Darksteel dispatching someone specialized against a single target... either me or Ptinum.
Darksteel is always ready to snipe her when things get dicey... how high was the probability of a one-hit kill? My occupational stance is "I believe in Darksteel skill." Then about that colleague of mine...
Ptinum had been sent to assassinate several undesirable as of te, so it falls to me to monitor her. I had expected her to start snooping around and just turn, whatever is left, of this city underworld upside down... only to find her cutely nibbling zapiekanka. That psycho is having the time of her life judging by how fast those foods are being devoured.
Nyx doesn't do anything, in particur, other than walking aimlessly like an airhead if she is not munching on some street foods. It is quite jarring to see the difference between her stone-cold mercenary face that I had seen back in the mercenary HQ and this bumbling beauty who, if we disregard her weaponry and attire, looks so innocent even with the trademark bnk face...
'Did I drink something stronger than usual before coming here?' I mused to myself. Honestly, this is better than guarding those greedy fucks. Just watching a beauty who sat on a bench in a park... I sound like a stalker... oh well...
Narrator: Unknown to Nyx, her gambit of pissing them off had failed and they instead enjoyed the rexing chance of an easy mission. Several Armorless Union agents who had skills and experience in painting even started immortalizing her sitting on a bench in this park. One agent made a rather astonishingly high-quality painting, netting them a nice 1,800,000 LMDs when they auctioned it to her future fanbase. Needless to say, they're grateful for being called to monitor her and not another life-and-death battle. Not all armorless unions were stone-cold killers and psychos, some of them were just ordinary ds and ss who wanted to pay electricity bills...
POV: Nyx
'Huh... they're quite patient. A bit dissatisfied but alright.' I stand up and start stretching, not that I need to, just want to flex a bit. I'm starting to enjoy the attention too... no, no, no. That's a bad thing to become a habit. I already have sadistic tendencies and don't have room left for narcissism...
"Alrighty then. Next stop, the immigration office..."
I asked several pedestrians about which way is the immigration office. They are quite amicable, and even enthusiastic seeing my weaponry. The younger folks were thrilled when I told them I was a mercenary. Some still gave me a wide berth, but more about how they are just in a hurry and minimize potentially bumping into someone by just going out of their way, sparing both from needless problems.
It was... honestly weird. My recollections of mercenaries were that they're viewed with suspicion... Just what on terra is wrong with these people?
Some of them even asked if I was a knight candidate or aspirant... It hasn't been that long since the 10th Kazimierz – Ursus war, I learned the official name from Mercenary HQ, and they are already so upbeat...
Several more minutes of asking for direction...
'This pce is quite empty...' That's the first impression of this office building. The interior is pin but fitting, giving me some ease. After enough looking at the interior I strode towards the immigration officer.
"How may I be of assistance, ma'am?"
"I want to register for an identification."
"Residency or citizenry?"
"Residency."
"Understood, please head towards the second floor and find room TI-3"
"Thank you."
"You're most welcome."
With that, I headed towards the assigned pce. The hallway is very clean, I'm once again reminded that it is 21st century-ish world. Not that I meant the vilge was filthy no, it is just weird how everything can blend nicely without ending up being jarring on my perceptions.
The questioning was pretty lenient and when I asked why, it was because Kawalerielki always had an influx of aspiring Competition Knights and tourists. Thus the identification for residency has been rather lenient.
Citizenry ID was a permanent one and if you move to another city it would be quite hard to rectify, thus residency ID system was implemented with a maximum of 5 years of validity that can be extended.
After all that is done, I'm ready to explore this city and try to live here for a while... I had been fighting for years... it might be a good idea to take it easy for a while. Hopefully, my inner sadistic streak and tendency can be quelled or controlled.
I must confess that looking back, I had been doing a lot of unnecessary levels of carnage. Just to satiate an itch of bloodlust glee.
"Guess I'll pay the Nearls a visit in the future..."
Not by the front doors mind you. That would be insanely stupid to just come unannounced and pretty much casually when I can feel eyes on me. No, I'll be heading out again after several days then use a special method to get inside.
The Nearl family should have their own passage to get in and out without much scrutiny, but I won't be using that since that is quite rude. Even though when Kiril said that I could do so, I wouldn’t unless an emergency called for it.
The things you must do to even drop by at your acquaintance's home... god, this is tiring...
[END OF CHAPTER]
Author Note:
Hello, this is me, myself, and I, the author.
I'm still deliberating to either go to Columbia first, Victoria first, or even Bolivar... Sargon would be somewhere in the future.
Good news! We will be meeting several actual in-game operators soon enough.
Update as usual i.e. when I remember to.
Ciao.
