Miss Witch Doesn't Want to be a Diva

The night brought rain to the window, patterning steadily against the glass.

Sitting beneath the windowsill, Tilan wrote in her diary, something she hadn't had the leisure to do in a long time.

Because their travel vehicle had been destroyed, they could now only temporarily reside on the outskirts of Lebyon City, waiting for a new vehicle to be constructed. Indeed, the new vehicle wasn't being purchased from another region and delivered, but was being jointly built by the two major powers within Lebyon.

Although they had rarely constructed vehicles before, it didn't mean they lacked experience. The problem was that due to environmental issues in the Northern Second District, they couldn't sell many vehicles, so the former production lines had been gradually mothballed and abandoned.

"Converting the mecha production line to build vehicles is completely feasible. Just give us some time," Brod had replied. The people from Black Hammer Heavy Industries were also present, indicating they would provide support and join the production.

The energy power component was left to the locally sourced Ironforge, while the vehicle structure and protection were handed over to Black Hammer. They quickly divided the work amongst themselves.

Building the vehicle was only due to the obligation to compensate Tilan and her companions for the accident, but this cooperation became somewhat of a catalyst, breaking the previously tense relations between the two sides.

During the waiting time in Lebyon City, Tilan visited the industrial areas of both parties, looking up at the immense furnaces and reaction towers, listening intently to the workers as they recounted the glorious history of the past.

The heavy high-pressure forging hammer molded the incandescent raw bodies into various shapes, which were then continuously strengthened through various processes. Water for cooling cascaded down, steam filling the air, and the boiling heat waves spread throughout the factory, diluting the cold season in the north.

Walking in this environment packed with steel pipes and noisy machinery, there was always a faint sense of security or satisfaction. Perhaps it was because this industrial might granted humans the means to confront nature, rather than being utterly powerless against it.

While regretting the damage and pollution to the environment, one couldn't simply assume that industrial development was wrong. Civilization needs this power; it's an essential path for social progress, but back then, due to the urgency of the civil war, there was no chance to maintain the balance with nature. Explore more at My Virtual Library Empire

Leaning back in her chair, the girl paused her writing, and the black ink halted its advance.

She suddenly remembered the documents she had seen yesterday in the Ironforge energy archive – the detailed records of the company's founding event and the story of the founder, a mech pilot from the 16th Squad of the Federal Army's Third Fleet.

The Third Fleet's role in the civil war was nothing short of heroic. Because of their elite status and strength, they bore the most difficult tasks and fronts, pulling back and forth to buy precious time for the rear.

Heroes should not be forgotten. Although their designation was once lost, after the civil war, the Federal Army rebuilt a new Third Fleet. It is now the most elite and trump card of the fleets, permanently stationed in the Central Star Domain, protecting the heart of the current Federation. The First and Second Fleets, because they had joined the opposition, were never reconstructed after their collapse; perhaps the Federal soldiers didn't like these numbers anymore.

If the re-unified Federation remembers the heroes of the wars, why hasn't the problem of the Emerald Skirt Planet ever been resolved? Although it's a significant issue for the Four-leaf Crystal Star Domain, for the Federation, which is much more powerful, changing the environment of a planet is not difficult.

With this thought, a slight confusion arose in the girl's heart, and her writing paused.

It appears that the issue with the Crystal Star Domain may not be as simple as it appears on the surface, she thought, then resumed her writing.

What follows is how to resolve the resident issues within Lebyon City. The Northern Second District, now desolate and heavily polluted, isn't a good place to stay, but hastily moving out also poses problems – how to ensure the residents can sustain themselves? After all, they can't be expected to beg for a living outside.

Fortunately, the accent and cultural habits of the residents inside Lebyon aren't much different from those outside, making assimilation into various regions fairly easy. All they need is a suitable job, unlike in Jielou City, where they had to build a new city themselves.

If they're willing, I'll help them find jobs, so they can get by, and then gradually integrate into the local area, the young girl pondered, noting down the tasks to handle in the future.

However, I guess not everyone is willing to shed their former identities and disperse like atoms into other cities, especially members of the two major industrial groups.

How should these people be settled, or how can I help them solve their problems?

The girl carefully considered that changing the environment of Jade Skirt wasn't something that could be done overnight; staying here certainly wasn't an option, because even if others wanted to help, they'd be too far away and hindered by environmental issues.

It seems the only option is to leave, but where to go? Should we find another place to build a city? I've already applied once, and T2-level AIs are expensive. Applying again seems somewhat shameless, although the Academy and government might approve it considering my status as a Songstress, but it still feels a bit too much.

I can only ask my uncle for advice, to see if they need more people, or maybe they need a hand in perfecting the city's construction.

After sorting out the recent issues, the girl felt a bit more relaxed, and her attention returned to the companions she had trained with.

Valke, Phyllis, they must know my identity by now, and thanks to their cover-up, the other companions probably don't know yet, but Deloris... She seems to have noticed something. Thinking of this well-to-do young lady friend, the girl couldn't help but shake her head lightly, feeling a bit ashamed and guilty.

Should I tell her the truth? Keeping it from her isn't something a good friend would do, but just telling her out of the blue doesn't seem right either. Let's wait and see. It's unexpected that I'm so decisive about major matters in Lebyon but so hesitant about personal matters regarding friends.

I can only take it one step at a time.

Gradually, the girl put down her pen, looked at the several pages full of writing, carefully reviewed them to ensure nothing was missed, and then closed the book again, putting it into her spatial storage.

Spatial ability is really handy, thanks to my sister's gift, she thanked inwardly.

Jumping down from the chair, the girl stepped out of the room, and the rain sounds in the hallway intensified. Some mist passed through the open window, landing on her skin, giving a cool sensation.

The manor's architectural style was quite retro, with antique iron artistic flower lamps in the hallway emitting warm glows. It was past 9 PM, a time when everyone would have finished dinner. The girl could hear the lively laughter from a room nearby in the hallway, which sounded like they were playing a card battle game.

Deciding not to disturb everyone for the moment, Tilan stood in front of the window, watching the rain in the courtyard, the sparse raindrops hitting the ground, splashing water, then the water flowing through the channels on both sides into the drainage with a gurgling sound. The world became very quiet—a feeling hard to come by living in a bustling city.

In the city, night time is busier and more crazy than the day, with streets of bright lights and wine, ever-changing billboards and large screens, all painting the night full of bustle, conveying all sorts of information at all times.

But here, there are no unnecessary sounds or lights, just faint rain in the courtyard, and occasionally the sound of mist brought by the blowing wind.

It's comfortable, standing in the hallway listening to rain is relaxing—as if I could merge into the sound of the rain, no longer having to ponder the complexities of the human heart and various troubles.

Thus, the black-haired girl leaned against the wall in the hallway, propping her hands behind her, closed her eyes, and quietly felt the scene of rainwater falling into the courtyard, then washing away.

The gentle ripples were refreshingly cool, softly flowing through the heart.