The guard forbade entry for Ilya's car, but she could understand that. After all, no one would approve a well-armed mercenary with "AEGIS Security Corporation" on her clothing. She could wreak havoc easily. As a result, Ilya was waiting outside of the consulate near her car while Alina entered the consulate. 

Even from here, she could see every single guard on the premises kept an eye on her as if Ilya was some kind of criminal, but if Ilya's intention was ill, one of those guards would be dead. So far, Ilya was contempt on her car, sipping from an ice-cold lemon-flavored blood bag from her driver's seat. 

Walking into the lobby, the Major already waited for her alongside Rusty and Lin. Their appearances changed drastically, from that of a fantasy adventurer to that of a modern-day soldier dressed in a crisp multicam uniform. However, they wore no name tags on their patches, suggesting that Rusty and Lin were a mere facade for this operation. 

"I heard the report from Artyom," the Major nodded. "Very impressive, and I also have a report that an AEGIS S.C. personnel was escorting you to this consulate, no wonder you took this job even though you are level 10." 

Alina was unsure again of what to say. She just got dumped into a world filled with fantasy and whatnot, she didn't need to further complicate it with Clancy-ish military bullshits with secret organizations and all. 

"Anyway, I appreciate your effort, and by no means, we're going to dig into your files. Your funds are transferred, and we are happy to work with you and we'll probably will work again with you in the future," the Major said. 

A notification appeared on her phone, 10,000 Leas was transferred from her Nexawork account, 3,000 Leas as the original payment, and 7,000 more as a tip. Alina felt grateful for the reward and thanked the Major for the reward. 

"Again, excellent work today, Ms. Lisbell. However, we need to maintain security protocols, and since your task is completed, we must ask you to exit the premises. Here's you car key, it's already parked outside."

The tone was polite but carried an underlying firmness that suggested no room for negotiation. Alina wasn't particularly surprised; she was familiar with military and organizational rigidity from her brief but intense encounters in this new world. Standing up, she nodded in understanding.

"Of course, Major. Thank you for the opportunity," Alina responded professionally, offering a respectful nod.

Rusty and Lin, now in their military garb, stood a little off to the side, their postures relaxed but alert. Lin gave Alina a small, almost imperceptible nod as she passed by, a silent gesture after their shared ordeal. Rusty offered a brief smile, the kind that spoke of respect earned in the field.

Outside, Ilya was exactly where Alina had left her, leaning against her vehicle, a half-full blood bag was on her hand, she exited the moment Alina left the embassy. She looked up as Alina approached, raising an eyebrow in silent question.

"All done. They paid up, and then some," Alina said, moving towards her with a small, tired smile.

"I can't believe you worked for them, but well, I guess each of their own, I guess?" Ilya shrugged, seemingly distasteful of the faction's consulate in front of her. 

"What's wrong with Valkyria?" Alina asked. 

"Something something about slaughtering every single bit of spirits in their homeland?" Ilya said. 

Alina looked puzzled as Ilya's tone took a darker turn. She leaned against the car, her gaze fixed on the consulate building with a mix of curiosity and concern.

Ilya continued, her eyes scanning the consulate with a hint of disdain. "When Valkyria lost its magic infrastructure, it wasn't just about losing power—it was catastrophic. The spirits, angered by Valkyria's president, cut them off completely. You can imagine the panic, right? Power plants shut down, electronics failed, transportation halted, and everything that made modern life possible just... stopped. And it didn't end there."

She paused, allowing the gravity of her words to sink in. "The creatures and monsters previously kept in check by the spirits' magic were unleashed. Cities were overrun, and villages were burned. Death tolls were as high as 80,000,000 people. It was an apocalypse for Valkyria."

However, the reality in front of her seemed to be far from apocalypse. For example, this high-tech embassy in front of her was equipped with power armor, CCTVs, turrets, and everything that she expected from a high-tech nation. 

Alina felt a chill as she pictured the chaos. "So, they rebuilt?"

"Yes, but the new Valkyria that emerged was a shadow of its former democratic self," Ilya said, her tone bitter. "Driven by fear and the need for survival, they turned ultra-militaristic. They couldn't afford to be vulnerable again. You see no civilian there, right?" 

Alina nodded her head. 

"Exactly, so, what happened was pretty much, a lot of angry people losing their loved ones, child, parent, you name it, join together under the Valkyria's nationalism, together fighting against the monsters and creatures that kept coming against them non-stop." 

"What changed them?" 

"At first, they merely try to survive as Valkyria, then, they thrived, using magical stones gathered from monsters, alongside a newfound resource called Narnial, a seemingly alien form of aether." 

Ilya leaned against her vehicle, her expression hardening as she continued the tale. "With the discovery of Narnia, Valkyria's military found a new source of power. This substance, capable of massive energy outputs and various magical enhancements, was a game-changer. It not only allowed them to fend off the monsters but also to harness these creatures for their own uses. They became more than just survivors; they became conquerors within their own borders."

Alina processed this, trying to reconcile the militaristic entity with the desperate survivors Ilya described. "And the spirits?"

"They were demonized, literally in some cases," Ilya replied. "Blamed for the initial chaos and the ongoing threats. Valkyria's government propagated the idea that all their misfortunes stemmed from these spirits. This justified their actions to subjugate or eliminate any spiritual entities they encountered."

"The spirits fought back, right?" Alina asked. 

Ilya capped the blood bag, her eyes hardening as she glanced back at the consulate. "The spirits fought, yes, but they were overwhelmed by Valkyria's new arsenal and their relentless tactics. You really can't beat a nation who prepares its whole civilian apparatus to serve the military interest."

 "So, it's an ongoing war?"

"Nah, it's done," Ilya admitted. "Valkyria holds the power, and the spirits are scattered, some hiding, others just trying to survive. Valkyria claims they're maintaining order, but well, you know what happens."

"I see," Alina said, a bit overwhelmed but grateful for the deeper understanding.

"Hey, I'm not blaming you, it happened centuries ago, way before the Terra-UN war," Ilya smiled. "For all most people care, Valkyria was just that, an extremely isolated nation located in the middle of nowhere with most of its history being obscured. It also did a lot of technological transfers with NAF, being one of the nations without any natural magic does wonders during the Earth-Terran conflict." 

"What's next for you?" Alina then asked, curious about what the elf was going to do. 

Ilya then shrugged. In her mind, she didn't know what to do next, she was the woman who already had everything, at least, everything that was necessary for her to live for the next several decades, if not more. She didn't plan to stick around for a long time either, she already planned what she'd do for the next several couple of years. 

"A several year of cryo-sleep, probably?" Ilya shrugged her shoulders. 

"How long have you lived?" Alina asked again, this time, her tone was much more serious. The fake Ilya was 80 years old, but the real one might be a lot older. 

"600-ish year, I guess? No point in counting anymore," Ilya said. 

Alina wouldn't have known it. The fact was that most creatures seemed to live for a very long time nowadays if she thought about it. So, Alina could be older than 600 years old, for all she cared. How Ilya said cryo-sleep so nonchalantly proved that the technology might have been here for quite a long time. 

"Or maybe, discover the world above, going from one star to another, can be quite fun, if you think about it, or make a great pilgrimage to the Solar System," Ilya added. 

So confused, Alina took a step back and opened her phone. She then searched for spaceships on Google. Then, she realized it, interstellar travel was a thing now. Like, Mitsubishi produced a spaceship nowadays, and one similar to the sci-fi movie she watched several years ago. Then, there was the regular Lockheed Martin, SpaceX, and so on. 

"How much did I miss?" 

"A shitton lot, that's for sure, Alina," Ilya commented. 

"I... need to return to my hotel." 

"Sure, if you want to visit me, just press the button, and I'll be there," Ilya replied.