"Your Holiness, do you truly believe Felix is not a traitor?"
One of the more radical cardinals spoke in barely restrained fury. "He has completely abandoned his identity as a Sankta and now associates with those demons. Why not raise an army and march against him?"
"Do you intend to start a war?"
The Pope's voice was calm, yet it carried unquestionable authority. There was no anger in it, only weight. "Without a legitimate cause, and based solely on such accusations, how do you expect Terra to view us? How do you think the Sarkaz will see us, or the world will judge Laterano? Especially now, during the preparatory phase of the Summit of Nations. What kind of impression do you wish to leave on Terra?"
"Like Felix, like Cliff, like Agenir, they were once citizens of Laterano," the Pope continued, bringing the questioning to a close. "Yet they have chosen paths with greater meaning and broader futures. Preserving Felix's Laterano citizenship does not violate doctrine. On the contrary, he is using the doctrine he carries in his heart to heal our former enemies. Is that not the very essence of Laterano's redemption?"
The cardinals widened their eyes. This possibility had clearly never occurred to them.
"You mean… Felix's actions are actually beneficial to us, and to Laterano's reputation?"
"You are forgetting a crucial premise," the Pope replied lightly. "Felix was not installed as a figurehead. He was chosen by the Sarkaz themselves, trusted, and elevated through their own will. His perspective may now lean toward Kazdel, but he remains a Sankta, not a fallen one."
"The Sarkaz know exactly who he are, and yet they still made this choice. Does that not suggest that they may be more adaptable than we are?"
The cardinals fell silent, embarrassment written plainly across their faces. Seeing this, Ers cleared his throat and spoke.
"Your Holiness, I believe we should establish contact with Felix. After all, he is a Sankta born in Laterano. Even if he now walks a legendary path of his own, I doubt he would sever ties entirely."
The Pope nodded slightly. His gaze shifted to Violet, who had been doing her best to remain inconspicuous. "Since we are in agreement, then so be it. Violet, you will serve as our messenger. We will extend an invitation to Kazdel to attend the Summit of Nations."
Violet sighed inwardly. She truly did not want to be dragged into such troublesome affairs. Although Felix had once been her classmate, it was Mostima who had been close to him back then. Violet herself had been little more than a bystander. After graduation, their paths diverged completely. Felix left Laterano early, becoming a wandering Sankta. Mostima followed not long after. Violet, on the other hand, remained, working at the notary office before eventually entering the Papal Court.
She hadn't expected to cross paths with an old classmate so soon. She wasn't even sure he would remember her.
"I understand…"
The dispute ended there.
By early June, nearly a month had passed since the successful diplomatic engagement with Leithanien. The Venus once again cruised across the land. With the arrival of summer, Tomorrow's Developments began receiving invitations from various companies and organizations. Among them was Dossoles, which had previously hired mercenaries from Tomorrow's Developments. The annual Dossoles Warrior Championship had begun once more, and invitations were sent to many operators and high-ranking figures, Felix included.
Another invitation came from Siesta.
Siesta was a city, or perhaps more accurately, a force that Felix had previously overlooked. This was not due to arrogance or negligence. Siesta was essentially a tourist city, originally a free state within Columbia and governed by its city hall. Though geographically within Columbian territory, Siesta operated under a three-point agreement that granted it practical independence.
For a place whose defining feature was tourism, Tomorrow's Developments had little room to operate. Siesta had no need for military protection, armed escorts, weapons, or tactical consultation. Nor could it afford the costs associated with major contracts. Even Mountain, who handled finances, had paid it little attention. Opening operations there would bring minimal returns.
Tomorrow's Developments sought coexistence between the infected and the uninfected, but Felix was not a philanthropist. Siesta was neither plagued by infection nor in need of security services, and thus it had naturally been ignored.
Felix did not recall Siesta ever extending an invitation before. He examined the signature at the bottom of the letter.
Herman Doykos.
He paused, then opened it.
The letter addressed him not as the King of Liberation of Kazdel, but as the Pioneer of Tomorrow's Development. Felix did not care for titles, but he understood that this invitation had nothing to do with politics or diplomacy—it was about business.
A city built on tourism had reached out to one of Terra's major enterprises.
Discuss business? Felix frowned. What could possibly be worth discussing?
Then he remembered something. Ever since he had started allowing players to establish their own subsidiaries under his command, they had created an astonishing variety of ventures. The Dynasty team ran a trendy Yanese style clothing store. Yanyu Pavilion opened a restaurant specializing in Jiangnan cuisine. The European Warrior team operated a gym focusing on one-on-one coaching.
Indeed, the scene had grown diverse and lively. Felix even recalled reading a post about the Tyranny team attempting a babysitting business. Just imagining those muscular mercenaries giving parenting advice made him shiver.
Perhaps the Siesta letter concerned one of these subsidiaries. Felix set it aside for now. With summer arriving, the players themselves had begun to relax. Despite their daily conquests of the Desperate Battle dungeon, progress was slow, and there was no reason to stress. Most had left the Venus to enjoy nearby mobile cities on vacation.
The most popular destination was Dossoles. Mayor Candela, shrewd and well-connected, knew the adventurers' spending habits and had maintained friendly contact with Tomorrow's Developments ever since the mercenary incident. Her thoughtful gestures had earned the players' favor, making Dossoles a must-visit city during the summer season.
"Hmm." Felix reclined in his chair, sunlight streaming across his face as he thought of Siesta.
After a brief rest, the Venus set course for Columbia. The operators remaining on board were thrilled to hear the destination. The Siesta Obsidian Music Festival was famous across the mobile cities, and several operators, who had originally planned to leave for the festival on their own, decided to wait for the Venus instead, eager for a free ride.
___
"Um…"
W stood in front of the mirror, frozen. She was wearing only her most intimate underwear, and the sight of herself made her let out small, girlish squeak escape. Lately, since falling in love, even her underwear seemed tighter. Should she buy new ones?
Swimsuits? What a joke. Inland lakes and seas were rare in Kazdel. Most bathing happened in bathtubs, and buying swimsuits had never been necessary.
"What are you worrying about?"
The sudden call made her spin around, instinctively reaching for a grenade in her pocket—until she remembered she was in her underwear. Her small, fanged smile showed through her embarrassment as she faced the intruder.
"Ines? When did you get here?"
"Hm… before you changed?" Ines lounged on the sofa, a teasing smile on her lips, legs crossed. "I'm your roommate; it's hardly a surprise that I'm here, is it?"
"Damn it… I'm putting a landmine under your pillow tonight!" W muttered, mortified at the thought of being seen like this.
"You're not agonizing over what to wear, are you?" Ines chuckled. "We can pick something when the time comes. Siesta is a tourist city—of course they have swimsuits for sale."
"…I don't know what Felix likes," W admitted, cheeks flushed.
Ines' eyes widened. When had W ever been so honest and frank?
Ah. This is what it means to be a girl in love…
"Why not just ask him later?" Ines stretched leisurely. "The mayor of Siesta invited His Highness to discuss business, so he probably won't be too busy. He can hand over the work to others, so why don't you ask him to go pick out swimsuits together."
"But… there are other women," W muttered.
"Hehe, you have to fight for these things. If you don't, how will His Highness even notice you?" Ines tapped W's chest. "A Sarkaz mercenary knows this: once you set your sights on your prey, you bite and never let go."
"Though I am not a Sarkaz," Ines added quietly to herself. Her partner, Hoederer, had achieved great success. When she last visited to report her work, the man seemed to have started a new family. This was thanks, in no small part, to policies promoted by Tomorrow's Development. With the number of Sarkaz limited, Tomorrow's Development had implemented and maintaining an agenda, to encourage population growth, hoping for results in the coming years.
It seemed that the mercenaries who had followed her and Hoederer all those years ago had started their own families. Having that pillar of support had made them more grounded, more composed, and far better at handling others than their younger, reckless selves.
Yet, only a few of the upper echelons had chosen marriage. Besides Hoederer, Giles had tied the knot. Oras, the leader of the Lightbearers, had even approached Hoederer last time, asking for introductions to some suitable Sarkaz women.
Time had flown, and the once-naive young men and women had grown into maturity. Ines watched W fumble in front of the mirror and smiled softly, a quiet curiosity in her eyes about where her own future might lead.
Finally, Ines let out a gentle sigh and stretched. Perhaps she should pick out a swimsuit as well.
A similar scene unfolded in Lemuen and Mostima's room. Exusiai stared at her reflection with a twinge of sadness, comparing herself to her sister. She finally let out a long sigh.
"Hey~"
"What's troubling you, Lemuel? Still worried about your figure?" Lemuen glanced up from writing a notary office report, having heard the sigh.
"Yeah.... I feel so childish," Exusiai admitted, looking at herself. "Last time in front of Brother Felix… I completely messed up. I don't even know how to approach him now."
Lemuen bit back a laugh, recalling the previous incident. She had suggested Exusiai drink a little to express her feelings, never expecting her to drink too much and fall asleep. She could still picture Felix's bewildered expression and it made her chuckle quietly.
"Lemuel is charming," Lemuen said, lifting Exusiai's arm and gently stroking her smooth skin. "You have a personality just as endearing as a girl next door."
"But… I don't want to be cute. I want to be beautiful," Exusiai muttered, clenching her fists.
Mostima, having finished her report, went to the mirror, stroked her chin, and said, "How about we pick a bolder swimsuit this time?"
"Eh…" Exusiai's cheeks turned pink. "Isn't that… a little inappropriate?"
Mostima laughed softly. "I'm planning to buy new ones anyway. Some of my old swimsuits don't fit anymore."
"Oh, it's a pity I have to wear it outside," she added with a teasing smile, stopping when Lemuen coughed lightly. "Well, isn't a swimsuit meant to be worn outside?"
Meanwhile, in Degenbrecher and Carnelian's room, the atmosphere was just as lively. Their room was shared not only by the two of them but also by Felix's younger sisters. Carnelian was taking Senomi's measurements, and Senomi shot Mandragora a slightly disheartened glance.
"What did you eat to grow so well?"
"Hmph~ Secret," came the smug reply.
Susie sat nearby. Earlier that morning, an experiment had gone awry, leaving her hair frizzed and tangled. Now, Degenbrecher patiently combed it out.
"Are you going to buy a new swimsuit?"
"Hmm… I haven't had many chances to go to the beach," Susie admitted. "Back in Iberia, I was warned not to walk along the shore. I'll probably buy something in Siesta like everyone else. What about you, Sister Degenbrecher?"
"I did have one before, but I could try a different style," Degenbrecher replied.
The higher-ups had already begun their vacations, and the remaining operators eagerly joined in. The discussions were filled with excitement about what to buy for Siesta—mostly swimwear, sunscreen, and summer essentials. Meanwhile, hotels across Siesta were already feeling the rush, booked up by the incoming wave of tourists.
It seemed that Siesta had already reaped the first reward of inviting Tomorrow's Development: a surge in tourism revenue.