Mostima happily ate the marshmallows made by the adventurers. Although the great civil war in Victoria had already begun, many players still chose to remain in Kazdel, their main city. PvP was not appealing to every player, and at least for them, it held little interest.
The shops opened by the adventurers stirred many emotions among the former Sarkaz of the Military Commission. They hardly recognized the city anymore. During this time, Hoederer and his group worked alongside the former Sarkaz, helping them familiarize themselves with the new city, arranging accommodations, and assisting them in finding work.
Adapting to this new life was not easy for the former members of the Military Commission. In this unfamiliar city, they often felt like outsiders. Those who had families had already chosen to live together, but those who were alone felt a deep sense of loneliness. To them, the city might appear vibrant and prosperous, yet it seemed as though there was no place where they truly belonged.
Situations like this required guidance from psychologists. Felix had learned from Nymph that psychologists specialized in understanding the Sarkaz within people's hearts. They could interpret a person's inner struggles and provide thoughtful advice.
Because of this, psychologists were in great demand.
"How long do you plan to stay this time?"
"Hm… Felix, when are you planning to go to Laterano?" Mostima curiously examined Felix's horns. She poked them with her finger, then poked them again after realizing they were not solid. "Lemuen and Fiammetta came back with me this time, so I'm thinking of staying for a while. Anyway, Felix, you'll be handling official business in Kazdel from now on, right?"
"The time for the Summit of Nations has already been set. It's really not leaving us any room to relax."
Mostima sighed. "Coming back this time is nothing but work, work, and more work. The messengers in Laterano have had their workload tripled lately. Although their wages have increased quite a bit, they would much rather have a proper rest."
She looked up at Felix and noticed that he was looking at her as well. She could not help but smile.
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
"It's nothing. You just seem quite different from before." Felix spoke honestly. In the past, he had always felt that Mostima carried a carefree attitude, as if she would face the world with an easy smile even if she might disappear at any moment. But as time passed, the woman who rarely showed her emotions had grown up as well, becoming someone who could easily stir people's hearts.
"Do you prefer the old me or the current me?"
"What kind of question is that?"
Felix rolled his eyes at the grinning Mostima. As expected, she burst out laughing. She glanced sideways at him as if to say she would not argue with him, then linked her arm with his once again.
"By the way, if you can become a Teekaz, shouldn't I also be able to become one?"
Mostima asked curiously, then snorted softly.
"I've been doing a lot of research lately. The difference between Fallen Angels and Sarkaz is quite significant. This information comes from the highest-access-level section of the library. Fallen Angels do not necessarily possess Teekaz bloodlines. They simply resemble Sarkaz more in appearance. Considering that Sarkaz themselves were transformed from ancient Sarkaz, this is not unusual."
"At least from the pictures I've seen, the horns of fallen Sankta are solid, unlike yours, Felix."
Felix seriously considered Mostima's words. He had become a Teekaz only with the help of the game system, and he could advance his race after becoming stronger. Mostima had no such system, so naturally she could not become a Teekaz simply by leveling up.
He then thought of Duq'arael, the Vampire Lord, who possessed a drop of Teekaz blood. Yet he was not a true Teekaz. The purity of his bloodline was simply too low. Still, his ability to stand out among countless Vampire Sarkaz and possess such terrifying strength was undoubtedly related to that trace of Teekaz blood.
"I would need a large amount of Teekaz blood to help you advance into a Teekaz." Felix rubbed his temples. "You reminded me of something important. I will make arrangements. The land of Kazdel contains many secrets left behind by our ancestors, the Teekaz and the ancient Sarkaz. We will need to dig deep to uncover those answers."
"The Lich race is also preparing to migrate to Kazdel. I will ask them how they plan to proceed."
At this point, Felix looked at Mostima again.
"By the way, why do you want to become a Teekaz?"
"Because you are the only Teekaz in the world," Mostima said gently with a smile. "I want to become the second one, so you won't be alone."
"That would make me happy."
Mostima received a firm and powerful response.
Mostima's face flushed slightly as she gently leaned against Felix's shoulder.
"By the way, when I went back this time, I asked about… the issue of reproduction among the Sankta."
Felix was momentarily stunned. Looking at Mostima's blushing face, he asked, "What did you find out?"
"Compared with other races, the Sankta do indeed have a low birth rate. It seems to be a racial issue." Mostima sighed softly. "I even looked up the data. The Cautus, Perro, and Feline races are far ahead, while the Sankta rank at the very bottom."
That… was not particularly surprising. After all, Laterano was the only mobile city where the Sankta gathered in large numbers. The Sankta who had left were scattered minorities, so the total population of the race was naturally not very large.
"So, I carefully considered the advice given by my seniors."
"What advice?"
Mostima pulled a book from her clothes. It had a Yan label and was filled with erotic illustrations. She coughed lightly.
"I asked Miss Nian to send this to me from Shangshu."
Felix stared at the book in disbelief. After a moment, he nodded stiffly.
"Alright… I'll try it the way you suggest."
"Hehe."
Mostima took Felix's hand and led him forward.
That night, Mostima carried out numerous "academic discussions" with Felix, following the methods described in the book.
However, their discussion about such matters remained incomplete, and several attempts still missed the mark. Mostima soon discovered that Felix's physical strength and endurance far exceeded those of ordinary people. She was already breathing heavily, while Felix remained as calm as if nothing had happened.
The next day, Mostima pulled her two best friends, Lemuen and Lemuel, into another round of academic discussion. To her surprise, Felix still appeared completely composed.
Just what kind of stamina was this?
Soon after, Wiš'adel, who had been eavesdropping in the corner, was caught.
Starting with Wiš'adel, the so-called academic discussions quickly spiraled out of control and eventually spread to nearly every member of Felix's harem. When it came to having children, they were all at an appropriate age. With everything currently going smoothly, the timing seemed right. After all, a nation always needed an heir.
However, as the King of Nachzehrers had once told him, long lived races found it difficult to have children. In this regard, special races and immortal races were actually inferior to ordinary Cautus and Feline races.
Felix himself did not worry too much about it. As long as he could still enjoy the warmth of gentle companionship, he did not feel that he was losing anything.
___
On an otherwise ordinary afternoon, Felix received a call from the Kazdel Research Institute. The caller was Saria.
"What happened, Saria?"
"I think you should take a look at this."
Saria sent over a picture. Felix glanced at it and saw that it was a photograph of the sky. At first glance, it looked completely ordinary.
"The sunlight and radiation in this area have been unusual lately. I think you should see this."
Another image appeared. Felix clicked on it, and his eyes immediately widened. It showed an abandoned Originium mine. According to the current regulations of the Kazdel Research Institute, open-pit mines usually had their Originium dust removed before the natural Originium was used for research.
What he saw now was dozens of pure white flowers blooming among the exposed Originium veins, swaying gently in the wind.
"Where is this? I'll head there right away."
"Come to the research institute first."
Felix quickly hung up the phone and rushed toward the research institute.
Saria was already standing at the entrance, waiting to welcome him. She led him inside and showed him several observation images, all taken from aerial perspectives. During the day, the sky appeared completely normal, but the night sky revealed something clearly unusual.
When the original night sky photos were compared with the new ones, the difference was obvious. The positions, sizes, and brightness of the stars were entirely different.
However, the anomaly existed only within this specific section of the sky.
Felix frowned.
Saria then spoke again. "Felix, do you remember what you did in Victoria to stop the Shard weapon from bombarding the ground?"
"Yes… I remember redirecting the weapon toward the sky. I hoped the ejected material would be sent into space and gradually degrade over time." Felix paused before continuing, "It couldn't be…"
"Yes. It is very likely that the shells fired by that weapon struck this location."
Saria said, "At that time, the researchers in our institute all felt a tremor, but it came and went very quickly. We initially assumed it was either activity from an Originium mine within Kazdel or a natural earthquake in the suburbs. Now it seems far more likely that it was caused by that weapon."
"We previously attempted to use the 'Clever' for detection. However, once it reached a certain altitude, we lost contact with it and it crashed back to the ground. The researchers are now urgently developing a new launch module."
"Let me know immediately if there's any new information."
Felix recalled what the Preserver had once said and could not help shaking his head. He never expected that, by a twist of fate, he would end up blasting a large hole in this artificial, fabricated starry sky.
Was this good or bad for Kazdel's future?
Felix did not know. For now, the only thing he could do was support Saria's research.
With a wave of his hand, he approved another allocation of funds for the research institute. Saria, who had once been focused on the Horizon Ark project, had now returned to Kazdel and begun a busy routine, constantly moving between laboratories and research sites. Seeing this, Felix no longer tried to discourage people from exploring the sky.
Although Saria had never said it outright, she also carried a dream called the sky. She did not want to be left behind by her best friend, Kristen. For that reason, she accepted Felix's request and continued the exploration project without much hesitation.
The size of the anomaly in the sky was neither particularly large nor particularly small, yet it still gave Felix a sense of unease. He felt that there were aspects of it beyond the reach of current technology. Perhaps everything would only become clear once the Lich race arrived in Kazdel.
The cold winds and heavy snow of January passed quickly. By early February, after a long migration, the Lich race finally arrived in Londinium.
The Lich numbered several thousand, roughly the same as the Nachzehrers. As for how they arrived, Felix had Carnelian, who had been stationed in Leithanien during this period, pilot a landship and bring them back.
Felix met Fremont, the patriarch of the Lich clan, in the conference hall. As soon as they met, Fremont carefully looked Felix up and down before frowning.
"I sense a familiar aura from you."
"Hmm… this aura… it seems…" Fremont paced slowly in front of Felix while stroking his mustache. "Did you perhaps obtain some weapon or artifact from Leithanien?"
"Indeed."
Felix nodded to the Sarkaz guard beside him.
"Bring me Helena's Sorrow."
Upon hearing the name, a hint of nostalgia flashed through Fremont's eyes. He let out a soft hum.
"I never expected that weapon would end up in your hands."
"I have already gained the approval of its former owner."
Felix smiled as he took the ancient spear from the guard.
"I witnessed the past within this weapon. The Witch King's journey, his rise to power, his transformation, and the knight's downfall."
Fremont glanced at the weapon casually, then waved his hand dismissively.
"Take it, take it. Since it belongs to you now, keep it well and treat it carefully. This weapon is one of the artifacts he excavated long ago. Its history may very well date back to ancient times."
"Then… thank you, senior?"
"The Lich race has always followed its own judgment." Fremont tugged at his beard with slight dissatisfaction. "More importantly, King of Liberation, what exactly do you want us to do?"
"Knowledge."
"Oh?"
Felix said, "Kazdel is no longer the same as it was in the past. We now have the most advanced research institute, diligent and eager students and researchers, and my full support. I hope the Lich clan will open the treasury of your knowledge to Kazdel and help the nation achieve a qualitative leap in a short period of time."
Fremont nodded slowly.
"Since you summoned us here, I had already guessed your intentions. I will naturally accept this request, whether as a member of the Sarkaz race or as the patriarch of the Lich clan."
"I look forward to working with you in the future, Liberation King."
Fremont smiled, his eyes narrowing slightly.
"However, I do have one small request."
"Go ahead."
"Regarding the future settlement of the Lich race… I find that landship quite suitable."
Felix agreed without hesitation.
"Alright."