SilverAsh the Reignfrost

[Code Name] SilverAsh

[Gender] Male

[Combat Experience] 8 Years

[Place of Birth] Kjerag

[Date of Birth] Feb 15

[Race] Feline

[Height] 192cm

[Infection Status]

Medical tests have confirmed that no infection is present.

[Physical Strength] Standard

[Mobility] Standard

[Physical Resilience] Standard

[Tactical Acumen] Outstanding

[Combat Skill] Excellent

[Originium Arts Assimilation] Standard

Enciodes Silverash, former chairman of Karlan Trade and current Chief of the Silverash Family. He has unique views on economics, trade, international politics, diplomacy, and strategic planning.

Considering his exceptional status and the complex situation in Kjerag, we should be judicious in our cooperation with him, to avoid unnecessary risk.

Imaging tests reveal clear, normal outlines of internal organs, and no abnormal shadows have been detected. Originium granules have not been detected in the circulatory system and there is no sign of infection. At this time, this operator is believed to be non-infected.

[Cell-Originium Assimilation] 0%

Operator SilverAsh shows no signs of Originium infection.

[Blood Originium-Crystal Density] 0.12u/L

Operator SilverAsh's numbers are within normal range.

'It's a relief to see that Enciodes has been careful about his health, despite regular exposure to Originium industry. We don't need any more Oripathic kings.'

'Watch your words!'

No child of Kjerag who was there for the winter of 1101 will ever forget it.

'Eventful' does not even begin to describe it. Scientists from Columbia built an observation station on Karlan soon after people began hearing rumors that the sky above their heads was fake, but how could that be? Then, the first ever Catastrophe in Kjerag's history, at a time when its people hardly knew what a Catastrophe was. Even the Saintess's Pilgrimage could not fully calm the people. After that, the clash between Clan Silverash and the Vine-Bead Court, and the Victorian invasion... Those days of chaos seemed as long as Kjerag's winters.

During a time like that, the changing of the guard at Karlan Trade seemed little more than a footnote.

Only those closely associated with the company understand the true magnitude of this change. It was founded by Enciodes Silverash, and for all intents and purposes he WAS Karlan Trade. Yes, he was indeed involved in some controversies connected to the Victorians, but what child of Kjerag would ever trust the word of a Victorian over Mr. Silverash, who built railroads and factories for their homeland? And no one knew why he chose that particular moment to resign.

But it did happen, with the new president Gnosis announcing Enciodes's departure. After several months since the former president disappeared from the public eye, it was soon business as usual at Karlan Trade, as though nothing had changed.

Yes. Nothing seemed to have changed at all. A transition as smooth as a hot knife through crystymilk butter. There can only be one explanation—

The one who handed over his power had long planned to do so.

One day in the winter of 1101, the Glorious Post, based in the dukedom of Caster, published a report that few paid attention to.

'The military drill Her Grace the Duke of Caster personally oversaw concluded yesterday. This marked the first appearance of the Caster fleet since the end of the Londinium War, with the newly-overhauled Gloriana once again serving as flagship. It was a clear proclamation that Victoria has escaped the shadow of war, the light of her glory fully restored.

This report was quickly buried under news of rising inflation, as well as the latest gossip. The people of Caster showed little surprise when goods from Kjerag quietly began showing up on their stores' shelves, and few if any associated it with the report, if they remembered it at all.

Classification Level: Top Secret

Title: On the Current Situation in Kjerag and Supplemental Review of the Duke of Caster's Actions

...Once again, it must be emphasized that it would be dangerous and short-sighted to attribute the failure of the Snow Realm Campaign to the Duke of Caster's rash military strategy. In our review, we discovered that the duke's military actions were, in fact, an irrational attempt to salvage well-laid plans of subversion that were derailed by unexpected factors. The true failure occurred well before the Gloriana arrived in Kjerag.

Information we obtained through various sources paints a far more complex picture than publicly reported. The Duke of Caster's initial plan was to bring Kjerag into Victoria's sphere of influence without firing a single shot: through economic assistance, cultural infiltration, and fostering local pro-Victoria factions. The plan began smoothly, at one point successfully turning both the Vine-Bead Court and public opinion against the reformist leader, Enciodes Silverash, but spontaneous resistance from various Kjeragi factions ultimately turned the tide.

When her plan failed, the Duke of Caster attempted the path of military intimidation, only to find that the nation she faced was not even closely as backwards as she thought, putting her at risk of losing a large portion of her fleet as well as significant embarrassment with the rest of Victoria's eyes upon her. While we do not know the details of Enciodes's negotiations with her on her ship, the fact that Karlan Trade was able to obtain favorable terms in its subsequent agreements with the dukedom tells us all we need to know.

From an economic perspective, Karlan Trade has a monopoly on communications with the outside. From a spiritual perspective, Enya maintains her absolute authority as Saintess. From a military and political perspective, despite resigning from his position at Karlan Trade, Enciodes Silverash retains control over armed forces sufficient to present a credible threat to a Victorian fleet, and Kjerag has also established close relations with Columbia by way of Rhine Lab. While Kjerag's military might is not yet enough to pose a threat to other countries, its unique environment and political advantages have cemented its position as a faction that is relevant, potentially even dangerous, should they express even greater ambitions.

We must continue to observe and assess Kjerag's diplomatic stance with prudence.

Compiled by: Sharp

Undeniably, Enciodes plays a pivotal role in the affairs of Kjerag in this delicate transitional period.

It would be a dangerous mistake to view him through the lens of other countries' systems and understand his role as that of a local warlord or head of government. The authority of the former is rooted in fragmentation and greed, and the latter in constitution and popular opinion, while Enciodes's authority comes from bloody victory and a massive, unsettling void. He does not hold any office, for there is no office that can define his authority in Kjerag.

The ambiguity of this power structure gives Kjerag a strange sense of fragmentation. It has a nominal parliament, a Karlan Trade back on track in its commercial role, and an independent religious institution, but everyone knows full well that behind the clearly defined roles of these gears, there is a ghost without any formal responsibility who can bring any or all of them to a halt on a whim.

But just as everyone believed he was about to centralize all the power in his hands and become the shadow leader of Kjerag, incomprehensible changes began to take place across the country, changes that were diametrically opposed to the narrative that was supposed to unfold.

It used to be that only the best and brightest had the opportunity to study abroad under Karlan Trade's sponsorship. Now, new schools are emerging in every corner of Kjerag, including the most remote mountain villages. Even more noteworthy are their textbooks: the teachings and prayers of Kjeragandr are still present, to be sure, but there are also new subjects such as 'Physics', 'Chemistry' and 'Mathematics'.

No one knows if the 'shadow leader' is behind these changes. Some call it the enlightening mercy of the Saintess Enya, while others see it as an investment by President Gnosis of Karlan Trade, but even more speculate that it is the silent leader without office who has been pushing these reforms behind the scenes.

It is true that he possesses great power. But he has also carefully groomed his enemies and given them weapons more powerful than his own authority, weapons that can be used to end his reign.

He is not building his throne, but a sword for Kjerag that can cut a throne in two, even if he is slated to be that sword's first target. It is a temporary despotism, and a necessary one, a transition that is scheduled to end with his fall. His reign began with a storm, and it will end with the birth of a stronger, more resilient Kjerag, one which he has nurtured, and one which will end his reign.

Enya chose to walk a difficult path to find an answer that could convince her. I understood and assented. Someone needed to be the final and most pious martyr of the old faith, and give a thousand years of tradition a proper, dignified ending.

As for Ensia... she has already seen the cruelest side of this nation. In the coming days, she will truly understand the nature of what she wants to protect, and the price it will take.

The girls have far exceeded my expectations, and I expect they will continue to. I'm pleased.

I'm glad to have a colleague like Gnosis. I expect he will settle into his chair as Karlan Trade and Rhine Lab continue to expand their cooperation.

Degenbrecher is the one I'm concerned about. Not because I expect her to leave, but because I'm not sure how to deliver my apology to her, though I know she doesn't need one.

Weiss asked if I wanted to hold a nominal position at his new logistics company, now that I'm out of a job. I recommended Matterhorn instead. It's about time he took a break, after all that he's done for me.

As for the name Silverash... it has long become a shackle that binds the snowy mountains, as are Paleroche and Browntail. Kjerag will never truly belong to its people while these three ancient names are still revered by all. It is only a matter of time until the Tri-Clan Council becomes obsolete.

Therefore, I have made the following arrangements for the future of Kjerag: I gave Gnosis a commercial empire, Enya a spiritual symbol, and Kjerag a sword sharp enough to protect itself.

I will not be so arrogant as to proclaim myself Kjerag's protector. I've made too many decisions for its people, decisions that they should have made for themselves. But I will continue to do so, until a new order is truly born upon this land, until it gains the power to judge all that it should.

When that day comes, I will gladly stand trial, and accept whatever judgment it proclaims.

He stopped at the edge of a snow-covered plot of land, and turned around to look at you.

'A hospital will be built here, the most advanced hospital in Kjerag, one that will accommodate both normal patients and the Infected.'

You knew this was both a gift and an invitation, with a hint of remorse for dragging Rhodes Island into the next phase of his plan.

And then he said, calmly, 'I know your abilities, my friend. Fewer would die if you intervened. Perhaps things would go smoother, and we'd reach a more 'proper' conclusion. But such a victory would not belong to Kjerag. The people of Kjerag would continue to think that we can rely on outside powers, some hero or ally to overcome our crises. That is the illusion I seek to shatter. The people of Kjerag need to see for themselves how the old clans, old faith, and old order are reduced to ashes on their land, and build from those ashes something new with their own hands, something belonging only to them. These are growing pains that no outsider can stand in for.

As such, what I wanted to talk about is something else.

When I signed my resignation, I kept thinking back to the question you asked me: is it really worth going so far? For a long time I avoided the question, because I could not answer it. Now, I have finally taken this step, and found my answer.

I am filled with complex emotions: the joy of fulfilling my childhood wish, the weight of responsibility, the excitement of defending home and country. In the end, however, they are wrapped in a feeling of emptiness.

You know its name. Loss.

It is as though everything I lost over the decades has found me, many of which I pushed away with my own two hands.

They asked me the same question that you did, and I answered: yes, it's worth it.

But not because Kjerag won a key battle, or because of anything I achieved. But for all the changes others may see in Kjerag, in my eyes she has always been the same land I looked back at when I first set out for Victoria that day.

Degenbrecher always accused me of being a perfectionist. I don't deny it. A perfectionist does not tolerate loss, nor does he have the patience to wait for new things to arrive on their own. It is my own selfish little hope to prove to that which was lost that the future will be even better.

This hospital is the first step.'