The Lich race seemed to consist mostly of reclusive men and women.
No one embodied this description better than Fremont. After finishing his discussion, he did not even bother greeting the others. When he saw Theresa, he only showed a brief moment of surprise before quickly leaving as if nothing had happened, as though speaking with her might interrupt his research.
Fremont departed just as abruptly as he had arrived. However, before leaving, he recommended a young man he had adopted from the Caprinae race to the HR staff, asking them to arrange a suitable position for him.
Later, Felix sought out Carnelian to learn more about the situation. He discovered that in just a few days, the Lich clan had already transformed the interior of the landship into something resembling a research institute.
A library that had not existed before now stood in the center of the hall, filled with all kinds of books. The meeting rooms and war rooms, once used to handle emergency strategies, had been divided into smaller compartments to house various instruments and equipment.
In short, the Lich race had taken a land-based warship originally meant for battle and turned it into a massive research center.
After hearing this report, Felix had no objections. Every special Sarkaz race had its own preferences regarding where and how they wished to live. Since it was only a landship, he had naturally handed it over to them without hesitation.
After settling matters with the Lich clan, Felix began preparing for the upcoming Summit of Nations in Laterano. To that end, he asked Theresa to draft a list of arrangements. While Theresa worked on the preparations, Felix secretly met with Andoain.
Several years had passed since their last meeting, and their reunion carried a quiet sense of nostalgia. Andoain looked at the once-naive young man he had known in the church, now grown into someone he could only look up to. A smile slowly appeared on his face.
This was the potential of the Sankta.
Although Andoain was also an exiled Sankta from Laterano, he belonged to the radical faction. In simpler terms, like some other Sankta, he believed strongly in Sankta supremacy. In his eyes, the Sankta were exceptional and destined to stand above the Sarkaz.
At least, that was what he used to believe.
Besides Andoain's belief that the Sankta should maintain their own purity, Oren, the double agent, held similar thoughts.
In their minds, given the Sankta's noble status, it was only natural that they should stand above the rest of the world.
As for why they maintained such a good relationship with Felix, the reason was simple. Despite being a Sankta, Felix had become the king of the Sarkaz race. Was there anything more impressive than that?
Of course, Oren had also noticed Felix's serious dedication to Kazdel. On one hand, he told himself that Felix was a king, and such devotion was only natural. On the other hand, he sometimes felt that Felix treated the Sarkaz too kindly, almost as if he were trying to turn Kazdel into a second Laterano.
Then again, if Felix truly treated the Sarkaz poorly, he would no longer deserve to be called a king.
Such complicated feelings.
Compared to Oren, Andoain was far more open-minded. Perhaps years of traveling across the land had broadened his perspective. When he noticed the horn on Felix's head, he simply sighed softly.
"This horn… it is not the mark of a fallen Sankta, but a return to an ancestral form, isn't it?"
Andoain's eyes widened slightly. He remembered the true history of the Sarkaz that the Lock and Key had once revealed to him. After learning about that past, seeing Felix in this state no longer surprised him.
"In terms of race, I am now a Teekaz."
"Teekaz…" Andoain gave a bitter smile. "This name has only appeared twice in history: once before the First Men, and once after. Felix, you have surpassed everyone else."
"Praise is enough. I know you mean it sincerely." Felix shook his head before looking directly at Andoain. "What is the Pope's stance?"
"Since news of the Victoria War reached Laterano, the city has remained calm on the surface. In reality, however, the cardinals have split into two factions."
"One faction wants to begin a war with Kazdel immediately and fight to the end. They believe Kazdel has become a threat. Now that the civil war has ended and the Royal Courts have returned, Kazdel's existence alone is enough to make any nation uneasy."
"Some cardinals have even suggested repeating the joint military operation from a century ago. Their proposal is to completely destroy Kazdel and eliminate the threat it poses to Terra."
"As for the Pope's faction, they advocate peaceful coexistence. Their argument is that Kazdel currently shows no signs of expansion. The Battle of Victoria was merely a civil war involving the Military Commission, not a campaign of looting and destruction."
"In fact, they have already presented evidence that no civilians died in the mobile cities under Kazdel's control. The only people who perished in the war were stubborn soldiers who refused to retreat."
"They were still arguing fiercely before my informant left. In the end, they decided to use this international conference to test Kazdel's stance."
Andoain looked directly at Felix.
"Or more precisely, they want to test your attitude, Felix."
"You've become a hot potato. The strength you've displayed is giving the Papal Court and the Notarial Hall a serious headache."
"Andoain, thank you for the compliment."
Andoain smiled. "The task you asked me to carry out is almost complete. Aside from the more than one hundred Sankta in Laterano who are willing to follow you and travel this land, I have also found many others wandering across Terra. In total, there are more than three hundred of them."
"In other words, more than four hundred people are now willing to obey your orders."
Four hundred Sankta.
Considering the total population of the Sankta, this number had already far exceeded Felix's original expectation of one hundred.
"I will not attend the Summit of Nations this time." Andoain stood up.
"We will operate in the shadows. Don't worry, it won't cause you any trouble. After all, if we acted openly…"
He smiled faintly.
"We would still be enemies, wouldn't we?"
Felix nodded slightly, then changed the topic. "Oren is thinking too much."
"Heh. He is still a confused lamb, but I believe time will change him."
Andoain smiled, stood up, bowed politely, and quickly left the room.
Felix continued staring at the spot where he had been sitting until a knock on the door brought him back to his senses.
Theresa entered.
He accepted the final list from her hands, glanced through it briefly, and nodded.
"Do as you proposed. We will depart in three days."
Theresa nodded. "This time we will travel by transport plane and land in a village near Laterano. Miss Mostima has already arranged the itinerary."
"Good."
Felix now had many capable people working under him. For many matters, all he needed to do was mention them and someone would take care of the rest.
___
Three days passed in the blink of an eye.
Dressed in the general's uniform handmade by Theresa, he stood on the deck of the Venus. Behind him stood the elegant Ines and the silent, towering Anthony.
Both of them would accompany Felix on this journey, an honor beyond comparison.
Hellagur had considered joining as well, but he claimed he was unsuited for diplomatic environments. By the same logic, sending Patriot would have been even more intimidating.
"Your Highness, when was the last time you left Laterano?" Anthony asked as he approached the railing.
"Let me think… it seems like 1092. No, 1091." Felix replied uncertainly.
Come to think of it, nearly eight years had passed. Who would have imagined that he had not returned to Laterano for so long?
Felix sighed.
"I know that if I had stayed in Laterano, I would have lived a comfortable life. I would have had an ordinary job, eaten desserts and sweets every day, played with friends, and spent my days happily."
"But I never chose that path."
He placed a hand on the railing and looked out over the mountains and plains of Kazdel.
"If I returned to Laterano back then, it would have meant admitting defeat. Admitting defeat to this land. But I refuse to lose."
"I've often thought about what Terra would look like without me, and what life would be like if I had remained in Laterano."
Anthony smiled faintly.
"If Your Highness had not saved me from that situation, I would probably still be sitting in a prison cell."
"Without Your Highness, Kazdel might already be nothing more than a dead land," Ines added as she stepped forward.
"Without you, the civil war would not have ended. The Sarkaz would still be wandering without a home. The infected would not receive treatment. Their once bright lives would have faded long ago."
She smiled softly.
"Your Highness, you have changed many things. You have changed the course of countless lives. You have changed Kazdel itself."
"It is hard to imagine what Terra would look like without you. This land could live without someone like me."
"But it cannot live without you."
Felix took a deep breath.
If he were still a player, Terra would probably have continued along the same path it had taken in his previous life. So many tragedies would unfold, leaving players angry, frustrated, and helpless. Those who should have died survived, while those who deserved redemption were lost.
He wanted to change those outcomes.
That was why he had created Tomorrow's Development.
"Is everyone here?"
Felix turned around.
Behind him stood Theresa, Mudrock, Qalaiša, and several members of Saviadel along with soldiers from Theresis' faction. He also saw Asuna, Yukino, and several Meliras, as well as Mostima, Lemuen, and Fiammetta.
The group consisted of only about twenty people.
But the combat strength they represented…
Felix could not help thinking that if they truly fought with all their power, no one attending the Conference would be able to stop them.
Of course, that was merely a thought. He had no intention of causing any destruction.
Soon, everyone boarded the comfortable transport plane as it set off toward Laterano.
After dozing off for a short while, Felix opened the forum and began browsing the latest updates posted by the players.
Players had joined Victoria, New Tara, the Ranger Guild, and of course, Eblana. Those who joined the Kingdom of Tara had been progressing relatively smoothly. The nobles there held considerable power, and the region had almost become a small country of its own. The nobles competed fiercely for authority and profit, and as the leader of the noble faction, Earl Warwick naturally benefited the most.
They were eager to recruit adventurers. From the moment the players expressed interest in joining, the nobles treated them like priceless treasures, as if they might melt away if not handled carefully. After all, the nobles had witnessed the adventurers' terrifying strength on the battlefield. Each noble eagerly invited the adventurers to join their territory and even offered them positions as commanders of their private armies.
The adventurers declined.
They said they only wanted missions and merit, and that they wished to go directly to the front lines to fight against the Kingdom of Victoria.
The nobles were overjoyed.
To them, it felt like discovering a priceless treasure. Who else would fight so fearlessly, disregarding their own lives and chasing glory with such single-minded determination? No one.
Many of the nobles' private soldiers had already died on the battlefield. The remaining troops were often little more than hastily assembled mobs. It was already impressive if they could wield their weapons properly. Expecting them to charge recklessly into battle was simply unrealistic.
After weighing the rewards, some players chose to join the private factions of certain nobles, since the benefits offered there were greater. However, the vast majority remained under the command of Earl Warwick and Eblana.
Players also discovered something interesting. Eblana did not possess the absolute authority that leaders like Vina and Loughshinny held. In practice, the true leader of the Tara faction was Earl Warwick. Because he controlled the wealth of the Kingdom of Tara, many players began wondering whether following him might be the better choice, since the rewards for fighting under his command could be even more generous.
Three days before Felix's departure, a new batch of adventurers arrived in County Hillock. Under the guidance of the Tara Guards, they launched a raid into Victoria's territory and achieved remarkable success, seizing large amounts of supplies and money. This pleased several nobles, who generously rewarded the adventurers.
However, Victoria's counterattack came swiftly.
That very night, a raiding squad led by professional players launched a surprise attack on the Tara camp. They clashed with the players who served under the nobles. Because Victoria's side was led by professional players, the outcome was decisive. The Tara forces were routed and scattered in panic. The defensive line at County Hillock was pushed back significantly.
Naturally, the players of the Kingdom of Tara could not accept this.
They quickly approached Earl Warwick and demanded permission to take the initiative in battle. The captain of the warrior team, Cabus, personally stepped forward and declared that he would lead the next surprise attack. Earl Warwick agreed and entrusted his subordinates to Cabus's command.
Even now, they were still fighting.
Felix yawned as he read the frontline reports. The two teams on the battlefield, the Samurai Team and the Dynasty Team, had been rivals since version 1.0. After joining Tomorrow's Development, they had become nominally fair competitors. Yet the moment they reached the battlefield, they returned to their old rivalry.
The sight made Felix laugh.
After several hours of smooth flight, the plane finally arrived that afternoon at a small village on the border of Laterano.
Felix was the last to disembark.
Stepping onto this land so familiar to him, he lifted his gaze toward the distant horizon.
This time, he had not returned alone.