[In the first year of the Mechanical Calendar, the Goddess descended and made a pact with the King; from then on, history stepped into a new epoch.]

Under the biting Moonlight, the ten‑year‑old white‑haired chieftain of the Winter Tribe stared blankly at the Goddess who had descended before her; in her clear yet somewhat foolish eyes was reflected that figure which embodied both Strength and beauty.

Still a child, Elsa had never really understood what true Faith was, but when those six words—"Do not kneel, stand up"—reached her ears, the young chieftain instinctively straightened her back and stood ramrod‑straight.

She felt this Goddess was pretty nice; she would believe in Her for a few days first and see, and hopefully She could let her tribespeople live good lives.

....

[In the 10th year of the Mechanical Calendar, the northern Frost Ghost Tribe invaded. Under the Goddess’s protection and the King’s guidance, the Winter Tribe fought and won. That night, the King received a divine revelation in a dream, and thus the age of Mechanical power began.]

The pure‑white snowfield was stained Red with blood. Now twenty years old, Elsa led her troops home in triumph from the battlefield, while the people of the tribe waved flags and shouted for their heroes.

That night, the Winter Tribe held a grand celebration; people gathered at the God Descending Square, singing and dancing, drinking and reveling.

Elsa no longer liked dancing as much as she once had. As the chieftain of the tribe, she was much steadier now; she only watched the lively scene before her with a satisfied expression, then raised her head to gaze at the Goddess Statue at the center of the square.

That spot was where, ten years ago, they had first lit a bonfire and held the ritual to pray to the Goddess, and also the place where she had made her pact with the Goddess.

Only, compared to the desolate wilderness of ten years ago, the tribe now was clearly far more prosperous. They had already built a square here, and looking outward with this square as the center, there were rows of sturdy, warm wooden houses, wide streets, and all kinds of shops.

Outside were cold‑resistant fields, pastures, wineries.....

Not far away came the ding‑ding‑dang‑dang of Blacksmiths hammering steel as they repaired the warriors’ weapons and equipment from that day.

All in all, though they still called it a tribe, this already counted as a rather bustling little town; compared to the wild life ten years ago, when there weren’t even a few thatched huts, it was simply worlds apart.

And this inevitably made Elsa think of the Frost Ghost Tribe they had just today suppressed and annexed. She really didn’t know how those Barbarians, who didn’t even have Armor or metal weapons, had dared to come raid them; it was simply bringing humiliation upon themselves.

However, after annexing the Frost Ghost Tribe this time, they had also taken quite a few captives; the labor they lacked was now supplied, which would allow them to better carry out the Goddess’s guidance.

This was what Elsa was thinking in her heart.

Yes, thanks to the Goddess. It was Her guidance that had allowed the Winter Tribe to cast off ignorance and stride toward civilization and prosperity; otherwise, they would probably still be worrying about food just like that Frost Ghost Tribe.

Drinking, listening to the singing and dancing and the sound of hammering not far off, her vision gradually blurred, and she finally fell asleep.

And in that half‑dream, half‑waking state, she once again saw the Moonlight and the flames, and within the fire, the Goddess holding a hammer in Her hand.

"My respects, Goddess."

Elsa bent at the waist and saluted.

She very nearly wanted to kneel and worship, but in the end she held back, because the Goddess did not permit them to kneel. She had said that Her people need not kneel to anyone.

Although the Miss Chieftain now knew just how difficult it was to fulfill this oracle, she was willing to strive toward that goal.

Only.....

The Goddess merely looked at her quietly, Her gaze gentle and loving, then drew her into Her arms and held her in a soft embrace.

"If you want to cry, then cry. No one else will see your tears here."

So the Elsa who had kept her confidence and smile while facing the people’s cheers and shouts felt her nose sting, and then she burst into loud sobs.

"Goddess, I’m so scared. War is so terrifying. Kale, Lin De, Roman—they’re all dead. They died to cover my retreat."

Kale, Lin De, and Roman had all grown up with her as her Childhood Sweethearts. Just a month ago they had still been drinking and feasting together, talking about the future, but now Elsa would never see them again.

Even though the Winter Tribe had won this War, what meaning did that have? They had never wanted to fight; they only wanted to live their lives in peace. But that damned Frost Ghost Tribe just had to come plundering, and in the end they had no choice but to fight.

And now the battle was won, yet many of the companions who had set out with her in the beginning would never return.

"Goddess, why does War exist? Why can’t we just live in peace?"

Elsa lay in the Goddess’s embrace, asking in deep confusion.

The Goddess did not answer that; instead, She asked:

"Do you still remember your very first wish when you prayed to Me?"

"I wished for all my tribespeople to live good lives."

The Miss Chieftain answered at once.

That was something she had never once forgotten.

Then she saw a smile appear on the Goddess’s dreamlike, beautiful face; that smile left her dazed in her trance and was etched deep into her Soul.

"Then I bless you, that you may come to grasp the Strength to protect yourselves. I hope that when we meet again, you will not have forgotten that first wish."

The Goddess spoke thus.

After that, Elsa awoke from her dream with a start.

And at the same time, in a busy Blacksmith shop, a thin young Blacksmith named Walter looked at the cover plate that had been blown open by steam and couldn’t help marveling at how great this power of steam was,