The woman cocks her head to the side, gazing up at Wilbur. She furrows her eyebrows at him but nods, wondering what the man could possibly want to talk about with her. They still don't really know each other, and they've only met a few times in Pogtopia, going over the very little details they knew about their rebellion.

"Sure, what's going on?"

Nia approaches Wilbur, who leads her into a room inside the ravine that she guesses is his office of sorts. There isn't much but an imitation of the old L'Manburg flag, a wooden desk with a chair and a lot of photos.

Wilbur has many photos with Tommy and Tubbo, and Nia notices one with a van in the picture. One that she has probably seen before in Manburg. She wants to ask about it, but chooses to keep quiet.

Instead, she looks to the side, where a different photo is. It's one of Wilbur standing next to a blonde older man with wings, and Wilbur looks much younger than now. Either this photo has been taken ages ago, or Wilbur aged due to stress.

Perhaps it's both.

"I just . . . I need a second opinion on something, and because you've been here the shortest time and don't know much about the current alliances around the Dream SMP, I feel like you can provide the most objective opinion of everybody," Wilbur says, playing with the coat he's wearing.

He stops himself, sticking his hands into the pockets of his coat. He notices that Nia is inspecting the photos around his room. He waits, deciding to be patient as he understands that Nia might be curious. God knows Tommy's always curious about everything.

"Okay . . ." Nia nods, remembering that Wilbur asked her a question. "What is it?"

"I . . . I- I want to know your thoughts on the whole Manburg situation. I mean, do you think it's worth it, trying to save the country?"

"Wilbur . . ."

Nia looks at the taller man. He's leaning against the desk, looking down and staring at his feet. She wonders what exactly it is he wants to hear from her. He knows that she's an anarchist, just like Technoblade, it's been mentioned before.

Does she think it's worth trying to save a country?

No.

But it might be to him. To Tommy. To Tubbo. It definitely does to Sara; but to what extent is it because she cares about the country rather than the people in it?

The photos she's been examining this entire time, she can see that some of them are from the time L'Manburg was what they believed in. Perhaps starting with the van. There are some with Wilbur, Tommy and Tubbo in blue uniforms, and the blue seems to match the one on the L'Manburg flag.

There are more people in those same uniforms, too. Nia recognizes Sara, and then there's people like Niki Nihachu, Jack Manifold and Fundy. She's never met either of them personally, but she's heard of them from Sara.

Sara adores Niki; says that Niki is the sweetest person she has ever met.

Fundy, on the other hand, is a person Stela likes, as he's a part-fox just like her. And despite not being part-enderman, he's still quite tall. Apparently due to the fact that his father is Wilbur. However, the thing about Fundy is that he's currently considered a traitor as he's acting as a Bishop to Schlatt, and he was the one to burn down L'Manburg's flag as well as replace it with a new one.

Stela just doesn't care. To her, Fundy's a great person and she believes he has his own reasons for the things he's done. Nia can accept that.

Jack . . . Nia hasn't heard much about Jack, actually. But she knows for a fact a lot of people like to joke around about him, in which case it doesn't really surprise her that he's not currently with Pogtopia.

"I know what your opinion of countries, kingdoms and leaders is," Wilbur says after Nia stays quiet for a longer period of time. "But still, I want to know your honest opinion. In your words. Not just anarchy." He looks up at the woman, the way she's constantly glancing around at the photos that document the good memories Wilbur has of L'Manbug.

Of his symphony. Of the place where people could go and emancipate from the Dream SMP and the tyranny that Dream put them under. A place safely hidden behind walls from other possible threats.

It used to be a safe space for him and his friends. But then it got to his head. He thought that if he held presidential elections in L'Manburg, he'd win. He already was president, so he could make people think they were a democratic country. They'd still have to vote for him anyway.

But then Quackity had to come and ruin it.

And then his own son betrayed him.

And then Schlatt . . . That bloody bastard J Schlatt.

"Did you know we had to go to war for L'Manburg's independence?" Wilbur cocks his head to the side, looking at Nia.

She nods in response. "I've heard of it, yeah."

"Back then, it was just me, Tommy, Tubbo, Sara and Eret," Wilbur says, reminiscing of the very beginning of his time on the SMP. "Do you know Eret?" he asks.

Nia purses her lips, "uh, yeah, I do."

"Well, fuck that motherfucker," Wilbur spits the words like venom. "A bloody traitor, he is."

Raising an eyebrow at the man, Nia takes a step toward Wilbur. She doesn't know what to do. The outburst took her by surprise. She doesn't know that much about the entire situation. Still, she wants to approach him and somehow help him relax. Perhaps if she had something blue, like his past uniform, it could help calm him.

"Do you know what he told us?"

Wilbur takes a deep breath, glancing at Nia.

"I don't, no."

"He said, and I quote: 'It was never meant to be.'" Wilbur says, his shoulders slumping in defeat. "I'm starting to think he was right, Nia."

"So that's why you need my opinion?" the princess questions.

"I suppose . . . yes," the man sighs. "I know that if I ask Tommy or Tubbo or Sara, they'll tell me that it's worth it, trying to get the country back. I know Techno wants to destroy it, and you . . . you want to destroy it, too. But I stand here before you right now, and I want to know your honest opinion from the standpoint of a person who is new and technically factionless to tell me what you think."

Nia stays quiet again. "I feel like Stela would have been the better person to ask," she says.

"But Stela is gone," Wilbur points out.

"Wilbur . . ." Nia sighs, running a hand through her hair. "Why did you form L'Manburg in the first place?" she inquires.

"To get away from Dream," he replies almost instantly. "Back then . . . he was the king of the SMP, did you know? Until he gave it to Eret for betraying us."

"What?" Nia gapes at Wilbur, this information being new to her. Dream didn't mention making himself the king of the SMP.

"He abused his power a lot. Bullied Tommy quite a bit," Wilbur continues explaining. "I mean, Tommy was an annoying little fucker to him, too, but Dream then started caring about Tommy's discs a lot. It gave him power over Tommy. And despite knowing this, Tommy still gave those discs away for L'Manburg's independence."

Nia bites her bottom lip, glancing at the ground before locking eyes with Wilbur again.

That doesn't sound like the Dream she used to know. The Dream she has seen again after she returned to the SMP. The boy she knows is energetic and fun, one that only wants people to feel good in his SMP. To be free from drama and stress.

What's happened?

"So, you formed an entirely new country to get away from a tyrant," says Nia, slowly processing everything.

"Yes," Wilbur nods.

"But now it's been taken over by another tyrant," she continues.

Wilbur nods again.

"A lot of people still care about L'Manburg and what it used to be," says Nia. She scratches the back of her head, thinking. "But . . . do you think that you could patch up the country again, Wilbur? Do you think you could make it into what it used to be?"

"I think it's been corrupted, Nia," Wilbur replies, staring at the ground. "And I'm tired of trying to be the good guy. It has brought me nothing but downfall. I mean . . . what is the point, if it's so easy to destroy everything I believe in? All it takes is an ambitious son of a bitch. And I think people like Tommy or Tubbo are struggling to understand that." He shakes his head. "But it's a fact."

"You don't have to be a good guy to get your country back, Wilbur."

"I know," he says. "But it's not my country anymore. My country . . . my L'Manburg . . . is gone. My unfinished symphony . . ."

Nia smiles at the man. She approaches him and puts her hand on his shoulder. Wilbur looks at the princess, realizing what she's done.

"You're clever, Your Highness," Wilbur says, chuckling.

Nia shrugs. "I think you knew the answer this whole time, Wilbur. You just needed to say it aloud."

She glances at Wilbur, noticing he's crying. Mourning a country that perhaps really wasn't meant to be. A thing of the past that he must let go.

"Manburg must be destroyed," his voice is weak, but it still carries on in the cold cave.

Smiling, Nia nods at the man. And despite not knowing him that well, she wraps her arms around his torso, offering comfort that she feels he might need.

Wilbur is a bit shocked by the sudden display of affection, but he gladly hugs Nia back. Due to him leaning against the table, they're about the same height and he gets to bury his head in the crook of her neck.

Nia hasn't hugged a person in ages. Literally. And she enjoys every second of the warm hug.

"If that's what you want," Nia mumbles against his chest, wondering how his sweater remained so soft despite the conditions they live in. "Then I'll gladly help you . . . we just need to get a lot of explosives."

"I love your thinking, Nia," Wilbur grins, pulling away to look at her. "And I think I know a person with a lot of TNT."