Time flowed swiftly from late March to the end of May.

Two months had passed, and Lungmen had undergone yet another transformation. A new batch of Guard trainees—freshly trained under the Lungmen Guard Bureau—now filled the streets. Side by side with Guard NPCs, these players roamed every corner of the city, clashing with the so-called “outlaw players” in a chaotic yet strangely organized war of wits.

One day they’d capture each other’s operatives; the next, they’d sneak into temporary hideouts and strip them bare. What began as a game had evolved into a full-scale mock battle across the city.

And the one who started it all—Felix—was now sitting comfortably in his office, enjoying a gentle massage from Loughshinny.

There were far too many players settled in Lungmen now, and as time went on, boredom was inevitable. So, Felix had decided to stir the pot a little—ignite their fighting spirit with a controlled conflict. It would keep them entertained… and earn them a healthy flow of LMD in the process.

A win-win, really.

—

Construction on the landship project had begun in early April. The engineers from Victoria turned out to be artisans of a different sort—they specialized not in ground vessels, but in airborne ships capable of flight.

Felix had nearly jumped out of his chair when he heard that. A former royal craftsman, of all people! He hadn’t expected that kind of luck. For now, he only possessed the core for a land-based ship, but he was already dreaming ahead—one day, perhaps, he’d reach the level where he could build a airship core.

Thanks to the skilled craftsmen from Victoria and the blueprints brought back by Lemuen, construction was progressing far faster than expected. The mechanical production units Felix programmed worked tirelessly through the night, easing the strain on terran workers. Even while the city slept, the machines followed his every command with unwavering precision.

—

“Brother Felix,” Loughshinny asked softly, her voice barely above a whisper, “after your trip to Kjerag… are you really heading straight to Ursus? Isn’t that too rushed?”

“There’s a civil war brewing there—between the old nobles and the new. It’s dangerous.”

Felix chuckled.

“Don’t worry. I’m only going to visit a friend. And I’ll take Degenbrecher with me.”

It had been a long time since he’d last seen Yelena. He wouldn’t admit it aloud, but he did miss her a little.

“By the way,” Loughshinny continued carefully, “Jesselton ended up in the infirmary again—Degenbrecher sent him flying. He keeps saying he wants to join you on a mission.”

She began reporting updates from Tomorrow’s Development:

“Anthony’s been busy with the media, promoting our tech achievements. Miss Skadi returned to her dorm this morning—she’s resting now.”

Felix nodded slightly.

“Have Jesselton continue sparring with Degenbrecher. He keeps losing because he can’t synchronize his Arts with his exosuit. Tell him to keep practicing until he gets the feel of it.”

“Understood,” Loughshinny replied with a polite nod.

Felix opened his eyes and caught her gaze—soft, almost reproachful.

“This time,” he said, “after Kjerag, I’ll be flying straight to Ursus. I’ll need to bring a few capable people along.”

Ursus was still unstable. The friction between the old and new nobility had left the common folk in misery, and Felix—an outsider—knew better than to walk its streets carelessly. One wrong turn, and he could easily end up stabbed or robbed.

“Hmm… what about bringing Miss Skadi?” Loughshinny suggested. “As a Tomorrow’s Development mercenary, she just returned from Kazimierz. It might be good to talk with her.”

“Good idea. Anyone else?”

“If Instructor Degenbrecher is available, perhaps Miss Platinum could accompany you as well. She’s completed several mercenary commissions recently—taking her along as a reward might be good for morale.”

Felix smiled, genuinely pleased.

“You’re full of good ideas, Loughshinny. My capable student and assistant indeed.”

Loughshinny tilted her head slightly, her tone teasing yet warm.

“Brother Felix, would you like me to come too? The far northern tundra, the infected settlements… it might be good experience for me.”

He met her gaze with a knowing smile.

“That’s exactly what I had in mind. You could learn a lot from seeing their situation firsthand.”

She pursed her lips. She knew he was referring to Tara. After a moment, she nodded.

“Then we’ll need to trouble Anthony again.”

“Consider it field practice,” Felix said lightly.

Loughshinny’s fingers brushed against his chest.

“You say that, but you just want to hand off all the work again, don’t you?”

“Ahem.”

Felix cleared his throat and stood up, stretching.

“Pack up. Think of the Kjerag trip as a vacation. The real work begins after that—in Ursus.”

“Understood, Brother Felix.”

—

When Jesselton received word that he’d be sparring with Degenbrecher again, he collapsed to his knees on the spot. His face twitched as memories of pain and humiliation flashed before him.

He was proud—the proud Jesselton—but against Degenbrecher, he had never once claimed victory.

His record?

Zero percent.

Not a single win.

When he heard that Instructor Degenbrecher would be traveling alongside the boss, Jesselton couldn’t hide his glee. And when he learned that his new sparring partner would be Carnelian, he relaxed completely.

“Heh… someone I’ve never even heard of,” he muttered with a smirk. “Well then, let’s see if you can withstand three punches from Jesselton Williams.”

—

Felix found Skadi in the employee dormitories. The rooms assigned to Terra’s residents were mostly single apartments with a small living space.

When he knocked, Skadi opened the door. The lights were off, water still running in the open bathroom. Barefoot and half-dazed, she looked at him with sleepy confusion.

“Skadi, didn’t you see the message I sent?”

Seeing her in that state—clearly about to bathe—Felix had no intention of stepping inside. He stayed at the doorway as he spoke.

“Message…?” she repeated, tilting her head slightly. “Where?”

“On your portable terminal.”

“Oh… sorry, I forgot.”

She fished out her terminal and checked Loughshinny’s message. “…You’re inviting me to travel with you to Kjerag and Ursus?”

“Yes. As a mercenary, of course. I’ll pay you the standard rate.”

“No need.”

Skadi shook her head softly. “I don’t want to take your money. You gave me shelter when I had nowhere to go. I should be the one thanking you.”

Her crimson eyes met his directly. “I’m just afraid… that being with me might ruin your vacation.”

“Whatever obstacle stands before us,” Felix said, his tone calm but resolute, “we just break through it.”

He could feel it again—that quiet sorrow in her heart. The kind of pain belonging to someone who’d rather be hurt herself than burden others. He reached out and gently ruffled Skadi’s silver hair. It was soft, smooth as silk.

“I’ll be going then. Get some rest, Miss Skadi.”

“Mm.”

Her reply floated out lightly, barely above a whisper.

—

Among those he invited, Platinum was the quickest to respond. When Felix saw the tears of gratitude brimming in her eyes, he couldn’t help but sigh at how poorly Kazimierz treated its people.

For Platinum, this was a dream come true—a company-funded trip, personally invited by the boss himself. The combination was enough to make her swear loyalty to Tomorrow’s Development for life.

Later, Felix exchanged a few words with Wei Yenwu before heading downstairs, where he happened to run into Ch’en Hui-chieh. Her face turned bright red the instant she saw him, and she quickly walked away without a word. It looked as though he had somehow angered her.

“What’s gotten into her?” Felix wondered aloud.

“You really don’t know?” Nine asked, passing by Ch’en with a teasing smile. “Chief Wei turned down Kou-wu’s invitation and spread word that Ch’en already has someone she cares about.”

“Someone… in her heart?” Felix raised an eyebrow.

“You didn’t hear? People in Lungmen already assume you and Ch’en are in a relationship. And now, the news has spread outside the city too.”

“Ah, that explains it.”

Felix smirked. Wei Yenwu’s little schemes didn’t bother him. Being cast as Ch’en’s ‘boyfriend’ meant that, in their next round of negotiations, he’d be in a stronger position. Mutual exploitation—such was the nature of politics.

Back at the training hall, Jesselton clung to the window with tears streaming down his face. He had just realized who Carnelian really was.

“B-boss! Save me!” he cried.

A moment later, a swirl of sand lifted him clean off his feet and sent him flying into the opposite wall, leaving behind a perfect Jesselton-shaped dent.

—

In early June, Felix boarded a transport aircraft bound for Kjerag, accompanied by Loughshinny, Skadi, and Platinum.

Felix shared some degree of familiarity with each of his companions. Loughshinny was the one he trusted most, while Skadi still kept a quiet distance from him. This trip, in part, was meant to help her grow comfortable around her teammates—so she wouldn’t always shut herself away in her room.

The reopening of the Kjerag railway was a secret known only to a select few—high-ranking nobles and influential figures from Victoria, many of whom had personal dealings with the mysterious “brother with a bird on his shoulder.” Others included businessmen and aristocrats who had previously traded with Karlan Trade.

Felix belonged to the latter group. He would be attending the event as the head of Tomorrow’s Development, accompanied by Loughshinny as his deputy, and Degenbrecher, Platinum, and Skadi serving as his personal guards.

When their transport plane landed at the airport nearest to Kjerag, they saw that the tarmac was already filled with luxurious aircraft belonging to various nobles. As Felix and his team disembarked and made their way into the terminal, he was surprised to spot several familiar faces among the crowd.

“Isn’t that Count Bolton?”

“Ah! Mr. Felix, it’s been far too long!”

Amid the bustling crowd, the man surrounded by admirers was none other than Count Bolton—the very host of the banquet Felix had once attended in Londinium, the capital of Victoria.

The Count’s face lit up with genuine surprise when he spotted him. As a noble who had collaborated with Felix before, Bolton approached warmly, shaking his hand before pulling him in for a brief embrace.

“Your company, Tomorrow’s Development, has become quite the talk of Victoria,” he declared with conviction. Then, with a good-natured chuckle, he added, “Many of the noble houses here are positively envious of your technology.”

“It’s nothing but some second-rate machinery,” Felix replied modestly. “Hardly worth mentioning.”

But even as he spoke, he caught the faint scent of business in the air. He exchanged a subtle glance with Loughshinny—both of them understanding instantly—and he agreed to the Count’s suggestions with practiced ease.

After a few more polite but meaningless pleasantries, Count Bolton excused himself to continue playing host.

—

The gathering was filled entirely with Victorian nobles; not a single Tara noble was in sight. Standing to the side, Felix listened idly as the conversation shifted to Count Warwick, who was apparently doing quite well for himself lately.

Among Tara’s nobility, Warwick had built a solid reputation and was now touring their territories—inspecting, advising, and exercising the duties expected of a proper count.

The Victorian nobles, however, regarded Tara’s aristocracy with open disdain. To them, Tara’s efforts seemed nothing more than the antics of pretentious jesters.

Felix didn’t know what Warwick was truly planning, but the information was clearly significant to Loughshinny.

She followed quietly behind him, her expression calm yet thoughtful. Deep down, she knew—her ambitious teacher had begun to move.

When Loughshinny had studied under Count Warwick back in Victoria, she had been there only because of her sister. As the younger sibling, she never fully grasped the intricate politics he taught, and Warwick’s attention had always been fixed on her elder sister. Loughshinny was merely an afterthought, a convenient accessory.

But after studying under Felix—learning from his lessons and his way of thinking—she finally understood what Warwick’s true intentions had been.

He hadn’t wanted to teach them; he had wanted to use them. He had planned to make the sisters the rulers of Tara—puppet queens under his control—while he, as “Grand Chancellor,” would hold the true reins of power.

Only… Loughshinny found his plan laughably naïve. Puppet monarchs could only exist when the ruler was weak and the minister strong—ideally a young, malleable king. But she and her sister were both long past the age of being easily controlled.

And from what Loughshinny had seen of her sister lately, she hardly seemed the type to worship Warwick so blindly anymore.

She couldn’t quite understand what he was thinking.

“It’s all right,” Felix said gently, noticing her downcast eyes. He reached out and ruffled her hair affectionately. “Victoria and Tara are bound to clash someday—but that day isn’t now. Before war comes, we still have time to prepare.”

“Loughshinny,” he continued softly, “my strength is your strength. From this point on… I won’t let you go.”

“Eh?”

Her voice wavered, her cheeks instantly turning pink. The words hit her like a confession—warm, direct, and impossible to ignore.

“When war does come,” Felix said, “if you wish to return to Victoria, I’ll go with you. If you desire war, then we’ll bring them war. And if you wish to become the Queen of Tara… then I’ll make it so. But—” he smiled faintly, “that would mean turning Tomorrow’s Development over to Anthony.”

Loughshinny quickly pressed a hand over his mouth, her face flushed red as she turned her head away. “D-don’t… don’t say any more.”

“I do care about Tara,” she murmured softly, “but I’ve never wanted to be its queen. My sister… she’s the one who dreams of that throne. I don’t want to fight her for it.”

Her voice trembled slightly. “I just want to stay by your side, Felix-sensei… Brother Felix. This is where I feel most at peace.”

“W-wow…”

Platinum, who had been eavesdropping nearby, covered her mouth in astonishment. A mix of sourness and awe fluttered in her chest.

Skadi’s crimson eyes lingered on Felix for a moment, but her expression remained unchanged.

Degenbrecher, meanwhile, simply laughed, her tone light and knowing. “The boss… always the same as ever.”

“No one can say what the future holds,” Felix said at last, his tone calm again. “But I’ve heard your heart, Loughshinny.”

He gently took her hand.

“I’ll respect your choice.”

“Y-yes… Brother Felix,” she whispered, her voice trembling yet full of emotion. “Please… keep watching over me. It’s here, with you… that I’ve found my happiness.”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep