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The task Almadina set turned out to be more difficult than one might have thought — each of the valkyries had her own positive qualities, and if Arteria’s choice fell on someone, there were reasons for it. Things were complicated by the fact that many of the Goddess’s champions held completely different life views, and sometimes even entered into open conflicts. It was sometimes difficult to tell what the Goddess’s plan was, although denying its existence would be strange — otherwise, one of Her chosen ones would have lost her stigma long ago. Nevertheless, she, albeit with considerable effort, managed to compile some semblance of a personal list.
"Honestly, I can't say I like the idea of ranking valkyries in one order or another — they are all girls of the most worthy qualities and are all instruments of the Goddess's will. They are different, without any doubt. Sometimes misunderstandings even arise between them. But each of them is undoubtedly important to Arteria's plan, being a component of a single whole — otherwise the Goddess would not have granted them power. Nevertheless, I will try to give a subjective assessment of each of these great girls, guided by equally subjective factors, although this will not change my immense respect for each of them.
First Place: Liutgarda der Grosse
This was a difficult choice, and perhaps my love for Serberia plays a role, but I give first place to Liutgarda der Grosse. One of the main reasons for this is that some other valkyries, though by no means all, no matter how noble and worthy girls they were, were, so to speak, reluctant heroines. They did not seek some great destiny and wished to live a quiet life, whereas the appearance of the stigma on their bodies changed their plans. While the Goddess's gift not only pointed them to a new path but also provided the tools necessary to follow it. Liutgarda, on the other hand, is an extremely determined and talented girl — she was notable even before her elevation to the rank of valkyrie and, it seems to me, her path hasn't changed much since receiving the stigma. Such steadfastness cannot but command respect.
But, of course, there were other reasons for my choice. I am impressed by Liutgarda's desire to achieve everything on her own — this is one of the ideals I share with her. The fact that, despite the relatively small number of Arteria's followers in the lands of Serberia, Liutgarda still puts the well-being of her homeland and its inhabitants first also plays a role. She does not divide people by religion and stands firmly behind each of them equally. Is this not a good example of love for one's neighbor, as the Goddess bequeathed to us? And this is despite the fact that some former supporters have turned away from Liutgarda due to her new role. Not everyone is granted such wisdom and patience at such a young age.
Second Place: Felicia Lungworth
Even in her days as the youngest of the valkyries, Felicia stood out for one talent — her diplomacy. It was not for nothing that she was the only council member able to find common ground with Aurelia Skadi — something that no other valkyrie of that generation could do. And Felicia fully demonstrated such talents later in her own life, not only managing to rally a great many initially hostile people around her, but also founding another stronghold of Arterian faith in the far east. Not everyone has enough wisdom, diplomacy, and courage to bring something like that to life.
Despite the unflattering rumors surrounding Felicia, I see no reason to doubt her devotion to the Goddess. If it were otherwise — Arteria would have long since deprived her of her powers. Where some see a vain self-elevation to the rank of a deity, I see only following the Goddess's instructions. Yes, those who revere Felicia are mistaken, but does that make them bad people? I don't think so. And the willingness to see the light in people's hearts and the intentions behind their actions is, in my opinion, a very important quality in life — only then can people find common ground with each other. It is for her talents, experience, wisdom, willingness to see the best in people, but also to defend her position, that I give Felicia second place.
Third Place: Gisela Albireo
A girl of many talents, whose track record could make even the most self-confident person green with envy. It's a bit strange to think that we are the same age — born just a couple of weeks apart. Without any doubt, Gisela would have gone far even without receiving the Arterian stigma, and with the powers granted by the Goddess, she will certainly leave her mark on history. As I already said when it came to Liutgarda, people who diligently honed their skills, even before their elevation, cannot but fill me with admiration. Much of what I said about Liutgarda also applies to her — despite the role Arteria placed upon the girl, her path remains the same. Separately, I cannot fail to mention her loyalty to her mother — family is one of the most precious things in our lives, and I fully share these ideals of Gisela.
Fourth Place: Akate Iliminif
Perhaps one of the most interesting valkyries, at least for me personally. I also cannot fail to note the very wise decision to delve into the study of history, because the surest way to avoid mistakes in the future is to learn from the mistakes of the past. Moreover, Akate is another valkyrie whose elevation is perceived as a natural continuation of her life's path, which did not radically change the girl's goals — it only added confidence to her stance.
Some might be put off by a lack of flamboyance or, say, publicity of the nakirian relative to some of her sisters, but clearly not me. Akate possesses perhaps one of the most powerful gifts — knowledge of what is to come. Of course, such a gift requires great wisdom and responsibility to use it correctly, but also the strength of spirit not to retreat in the face of things you cannot change. But I have no doubt that the nakirian valkyrie meets all these qualities. Truth be told, some time ago, I even tried to decipher the meaning of some of her predictions, although I will prefer not to record the results of my musings here, so as not to embarrass myself with my own stupidity and ignorance.
Fifth Place: Vita
Perhaps one of those valkyries whose influence on the face of Visteria, at this point in history, is more noticeable than others. A selfless patriot, Vita from a very young age devoted all her efforts to bringing peace to her homeland, torn apart by civil strife. Moreover, in contrast to many other peacemakers, she did this not with fire and steel, but with wisdom and diplomacy, which almost always seems to me the most preferable approach. Although, unfortunately, such an opportunity does not always exist. She is rightfully the face of modern, united Miwa, as it is thanks to the efforts of this mysterious valkyrie that the country is currently experiencing an unprecedented period of flourishing. One can only hope that in the future, many hundreds of years from now, the spirit of this selfless girl will continue to live in the hearts of the future inhabitants of Miwa.
Sixth Place: Limma Madrigal
As one might have guessed from my previous statements, Limma impresses me both with the smoothness of her journey from a humble follower of the Goddess to a valkyrie, and with her peacemaking activities. Talented, determined, and raised in a loving family, she is as steadfast as her more warlike sisters. Her unwillingness to live in a lie or tolerate injustice is something I deeply respect in people. Not to mention that she gave people what they most often need during such difficult periods of life — she gave them hope and faith in the future, however foggy it might seem to anyone other than Akante. And the fact that her words managed to touch even the hearts of many inhabitants of Serberia, known for their distrust of Arteria's champions and followers, speaks volumes about her talents and ability to touch a person's soul. I am sure that without Limma's influence, our world would be much darker for many of its inhabitants.
Seventh Place: Xiang Changchang
Every valkyrie has to sacrifice something to fulfill her duty. Each of them is denied the path to a happy family life. But, in Changchang's case, this deprivation took an extremely tragic form — separation from her beloved, with whom they had planned a shared life long in advance. It's hard for me to say how what happened affected the girl herself, although her sense of duty must be acknowledged, but I saw how it affected her would-be spouse. He was utterly crushed by this event, although, as often happens with people, he soon found a new passion in the form of his hobby and now, to a certain extent, brings a bit of light into the lives of certain people.
But I've digressed, so let's return to talking about Changchang herself. At the moment, she is perhaps one of the most powerful valkyries, albeit due to her political influence, rather than her stigma. Not only the Minister of Agriculture of Shengkai, but also virtually the second person after Filia Idolatryze. Unfortunately, due to my poor knowledge regarding certain aspects of Reginleif or Shengkai, it is difficult for me to adequately assess how much Changchang influences the lives of Visteria's inhabitants, although I have no doubt that she works tirelessly.
Eighth Place: Mifune Sachiko
I am familiar with the pain of outliving your loved ones. Remembering happy days with them, unable to change the fact that the past cannot be brought back. And it's hard for me to imagine how difficult it must have been for Mifune, experiencing the death of loved ones time and again. Watching one generation of valkyries replace another, while you are still here. To not break under such weight requires considerable willpower. And it is this possessor of considerable willpower that we must thank for the fact that the name of Arteria was not forgotten in the annals of history, and Reginleif still continues to exist. As for the reclusiveness of such a great person, I don't know what to think, but I don't think Mifune has lost heart. Most likely, she simply needs time to recover after yet another blow of fate. We must not forget that we are all human — even if the Goddess chose some as instruments of Her will.
Ninth Place: Lobelia
Listening to Lobelia's life story, it's easy to blame the girl for naivety and excessive trustfulness. At the same time, it's easy to forget that her powers were given to her by Arteria herself. And She did not turn away from the valkyrie even when she made mistakes. This is because we must remember something else — what drove the elf when she worked for Lunarihon. She was driven by love and a selfless desire to help her people, even if the results of these aspirations took on a very tragic form. In the end, Lobelia admitted her mistakes and left her homeland, unwilling to accept the new order. Perhaps, if the story of the meristian valkyrie demonstrates anything, it is that there will always be unkind people ready to turn someone's good intentions to evil.
Tenth Place: Kayano Sayaka
A worthy girl, unfortunately forced to carry out her selfless work while simultaneously being in the shadow of her mother, who was her predecessor in the position of valkyrie, as well as having two stigmas at once, one of which she inherited from her mother. I have no doubt that on the island of Kuyayama, Kayano is valued precisely for her deeds, but outside the island, she is known primarily as a hereditary valkyrie and possessor of two stigmas. It almost makes one feel sorry for the poor girl, whose noble deeds do not receive due recognition. Although I myself find it difficult to deny the curious elements of Kayano's origin and what they might imply, I am sure that the interesting aspects related to her personality are not limited to this.
Eleventh Place: Rika Carnelian
I cannot fail to note both Rika's productive approach, her unwillingness to give in to despondency and break under the weight of tragic events, as well as her zeal and steadfastness. She is undoubtedly extremely devoted to Arteria and driven by good intentions, while her zeal is easy to understand, knowing the history. Nevertheless, Felicia's approach is much closer to me than Rika's. Perhaps that is why she occupies the last position in my list."
Happy Life
Ple-Sen