Soffie had reached the point where she was genuinely starting to hate the island she had been forced to stay on. In her eyes, the entire place should not even exist anymore, and the only reason it remained was because the system had changed reality itself. Before mana appeared, the island had been sustainable because nuclear fusion had made energy practically limitless and allowed it to operate independently. But with mana now affecting the world, that old stability had disappeared, and the discussions about abandoning the island had become more serious every month.
The problem was that the system had solved the biggest issue by turning the floating city into a real island. Because of that single change, every country that had considered leaving suddenly returned and began moving their diplomatic operations back. The Null Island headquarters once again became the center of international discussions, despite many people believing it was no longer practical. Unfortunately for Soffie, that meant she was trapped there instead of being back home where she belonged.
The location alone was enough to make her miserable, as the island was positioned at the Null point of the world map near the equator. The temperature was unbearable compared to the forests and training grounds she preferred, and she had already spent nearly a year and a half enduring it. Every day felt wasted because she was not training her cavalry unit or improving her skills. Instead, she was sitting around listening to endless discussions where she had no authority and no real purpose.
"Grandpa, why do I still have to be here?" Soffie asked through the phone with clear frustration in her voice. "I want to go home and properly train with my cavalry unit instead of sitting around doing nothing." She had tried to remain patient, but her patience had long since reached its limit. The longer she stayed, the more she felt like she was being treated as decoration rather than a soldier.
"I know, but you have to stay there," Herman answered with the tone of someone explaining something obvious to a child. "If you leave without permission, people will complain to me and the government, and then I will have to deal with even more problems." He was trying to calm her down, but his tone only made her more annoyed. In his mind, however, that was exactly what he was doing because Soffie had the same stubborn attitude she had possessed since childhood.
"But why?" Soffie asked, almost growling into the phone. "Nothing actually gets done in these meetings." She leaned back in her chair and stared at the ceiling in frustration. "They spend hours talking about ideals, traditions, and ancient laws, but in the last three months, they have not made a single decision that actually matters."
"That is exactly why you are not allowed to bring weapons into the discussion room," Herman replied while barely holding back his laughter. He knew Soffie well enough to understand that her threat was not an exaggeration. She was not someone who made empty statements when she was angry. If pushed too far, she would genuinely consider doing something reckless just to prove her point.
"Yes, very funny," Soffie replied with a serious expression. "But it still does not answer my question." She tightened her grip around the phone as she continued speaking. "I joined the military to become a soldier, not some symbol that people display whenever they want to pretend they respect the army." Her voice became colder as she continued. "Either someone explains why I am still here, or I am going to leave and create a problem big enough that everyone finally notices."
That statement gave Herman a genuine headache because he knew she was not bluffing. Soffie had never joined the military because she wanted fame or attention. She wanted to fight, train, and become stronger. Being placed in a diplomatic room where nobody listened to her opinions was almost the opposite of everything she wanted.
The reason she had been kept there was far more complicated than simply making her represent the military. The governments around the world had discovered many problems during the first Guardian Trial, and they wanted to create a proper structure before the next one began. The smaller nations believed the larger countries had taken too much of the available resources and rewards. Meanwhile, the larger nations believed smaller countries had failed to maintain proper military standards, creating unnecessary dangers during the trial.
Those disagreements had created a dangerous divide between countries that needed to be solved quickly. The next Guardian Trial would not wait for political arguments to finish, and everyone understood that another failure could have catastrophic consequences. Because of that, the United Nations headquarters on Null Island became the center of negotiations. Representatives from every major country gathered there to decide how future cooperation would work.
However, the governments refused to allow the military leaders themselves to handle the negotiations. They feared that generals and commanders would approach the situation too directly and create agreements that politicians considered unacceptable. Military leaders were used to solving problems through orders and strategy rather than diplomacy. Therefore, the governments decided that diplomats and negotiation teams would handle the discussions instead.
The problem was that the problems themselves came from the military side. They needed someone present who could represent the armed forces and show that the military was involved in the process. It was not enough to simply send a random officer because the world needed to see that the matter was being taken seriously. The person chosen needed rank, reputation, and enough influence that their presence carried meaning.
It was similar to how certain countries handled important trade missions. If a nation sent only ordinary representatives, it showed that the meeting was routine. But when a king, president, or other major figure appeared, everyone understood that the negotiations had significant importance. The military representative needed to serve the same purpose.
The obvious candidates were the highest-ranking generals and commanders, but that created another problem. Those people were too important to remove from their positions, and even suggesting they act as a diplomatic symbol would have offended many of them. Nobody wanted to anger experienced military leaders who held enough influence to make life difficult afterward.
After searching through possible candidates, they eventually found Soffie. She was the granddaughter of Marshal Herman Merz, but that was not the only reason she was chosen. Her military record was impressive on its own, and by the time she entered the army, Herman had already retired from active service. Everything she achieved came from her own abilities rather than family connections.
That made her the perfect candidate in their eyes. She had enough status to represent the military while still being young enough that removing her from her duties would not create a major crisis. Of course, Soffie herself strongly disagreed with that assessment. But when the order came, she had little choice but to follow it.The situation had already become complicated enough, but Herman was not willing to simply accept that Soffie would remain trapped on the island indefinitely. He understood why she had been chosen, and he understood the importance of the negotiations taking place. However, understanding the reason behind something did not mean he had to accept the way it was being handled. A soldier was still a soldier, and keeping one away from their actual duties for months without a clear purpose was unacceptable.
The fact that Soffie was involved made the situation even more frustrating for him. She was not some inexperienced recruit who needed to be supervised or guided by politicians. She was an officer with responsibilities, and her work on rebuilding the European cavalry was considered an important military project. Every additional month she spent away from that project slowed down progress that could become crucial during the next Guardian Trial.
"Fine, I will look further into this," Herman muttered after the call ended. His voice was calm, but the annoyance behind it was obvious. The fact that Soffie had been taken away directly on the orders of the defense minister already bothered the army. From their perspective, the military had not been properly consulted before one of their important officers was reassigned.
The situation became worse when rumors began spreading among the generals. Someone had mentioned that Soffie had originally been considered merely as a symbol, someone to stand in the background and represent the military rather than actively contribute. The moment that information reached the army leadership, many officers became interested in the negotiations. The rules being created for the next Guardian Trial would directly affect them, and they wanted to know exactly what decisions were being made.
Herman understood why the government had chosen this approach, but he still disliked it. The military and political worlds operated differently, and those differences often created unnecessary conflicts. Soldiers focused on practical solutions, while politicians focused on agreements that could satisfy multiple parties. Neither side was completely wrong, but problems appeared when one side ignored the other.
Shortly after his conversation with Soffie ended, Herman reached for his own phone. He knew complaining to the defense ministry would not be enough because they were already involved in the decision. Instead, he needed to speak directly with the person responsible for the negotiations. If the discussions were truly progressing, then he would accept the delay, but if nothing had changed, then he wanted answers.
The person he decided to contact was Levi Brenzikofer, the Minister of Foreign Affairs. At fifty-three years old, Levi was currently the youngest minister in the European cabinet. It was an achievement that many people admired because reaching such a position usually required decades of political experience. However, the circumstances that allowed him to rise so quickly had also created a mountain of pressure.
Ever since the national leaders had been removed from power and faced legal consequences after the previous events, the responsibilities of the European ministers had increased dramatically. Suddenly, people who had previously been largely figureheads were forced into positions where every decision carried international consequences. Levi had gained influence, but that influence came with countless new problems.
Despite the stress, Levi was still relatively satisfied with his position. He had always believed he could handle difficult situations, and becoming one of the youngest ministers proved that others believed in his abilities as well. However, even confidence had limits, and he had quickly learned that international politics could create problems faster than anyone could solve them.
That afternoon, Levi was working in his office when an unusual sound interrupted his concentration.
Ring.
The sound echoed through the quiet room.
Ring.
Levi looked toward the black landline sitting on the corner of his desk. It was not the type of phone that ordinary people could call. That line was reserved for internal communications between important officials, and unexpected calls were rare. The fact that someone was contacting him without an appointment immediately caught his attention.
"Who would be calling me directly?" Levi wondered as he reached for the receiver. He had already learned that unexpected calls usually meant unexpected problems. Unfortunately, his experience had also taught him that ignoring them never made those problems disappear.
"Hello, this is the Minister of Foreign Affairs' office," Levi said professionally. "You are speaking with Minister Levi Brenzikofer. May I ask who I am speaking with?"
The answer immediately caused his expression to change.
"This is Herman Merz."
For a moment, Levi remained silent.
Everyone in Europe knew the name. Even after retiring from active military service, Herman's influence had not disappeared. He was still respected among soldiers and politicians alike, even more so since he was called back from retirement. A call from him was not something that happened casually.
"I want to discuss the progress of the negotiations regarding the new military structure for the next Guardian Trial," Herman said calmly. His voice was controlled, but there was an unmistakable seriousness behind every word. "And I also want to discuss when you intend to return my soldier."
Levi immediately understood who he meant.
Soffie.
"She is currently participating as a representative during the negotiations," Levi began carefully.
"I know why she was sent there," Herman interrupted. His voice remained calm, but the temperature of the conversation seemed to drop. "That is not what I am asking."
Levi sat straighter in his chair.
"She is overseeing the revival of the European cavalry," Herman continued. "That project is not a hobby. It is a military initiative with national security implications." He paused briefly before continuing. "Removing her from that responsibility without properly consulting the military was already questionable."
Levi could feel where the conversation was heading.
"If she had returned after a short assignment, then this would not have become an issue," Herman said. "But what report do I receive?"
There was a brief silence.
"That nothing productive has happened in three months."
Levi felt a drop of sweat run down his back.
The problem was not simply that Herman was angry. The problem was that Herman had every reason to be angry. The military had accepted the temporary reassignment because they understood the importance of the negotiations. But patience only lasted so long when one of their officers was being kept away from meaningful work.
"I want my soldier returned within two months," Herman said.
Levi opened his mouth to respond, but Herman continued before he could speak.
"If that does not happen…"
The sentence was left unfinished.
There was only silence.
Then came the sound of the call ending.
Click.
Levi slowly lowered the phone and stared at it for several seconds. He had dealt with countless difficult negotiations, angry politicians, and international disputes. Yet somehow, a single conversation with one retired marshal had left him more uncomfortable than many official meetings.
"Well," Levi muttered quietly.
"That is going to be a problem."
Only then did he realize how tense he had become. His back was soaked with sweat, and the room suddenly felt much warmer than before. The negotiations had already been complicated, but now he had another issue to handle.
A very angry military.
And at the center of it all was one young cavalry commander who simply wanted to go home.