Two days after the Lightbearers received their new gadgets, the construction of the school was finally complete. Thanks to the combined efforts of the Goliath Guards and the players, the work was finished several days ahead of schedule. When the final brick was laid, cheers erupted across the site.
This was the very first brand-new building within the Kazdel Mobile City — its architecture modeled after that of the Frontier District: solid brick-and-stone construction, sturdy and practical. If one had to describe its style, it was a blend of Victorian elegance and Columbian modernity.
Flyers had already been distributed among civilians and mercenaries, explaining the school's purpose and curriculum. The initial courses were simple — the first step was literacy. Many mercenaries couldn't even write their own names. This was the "language" class. There was no mathematics yet — after all, mercenaries only ever dealt with numbers when collecting pay, and that hardly required addition or subtraction.
As for "foreign languages," the lessons focused on the simplest forms of communication in various tongues. Felix's intentions for the Sarkaz mercenaries were clear — one day, they would leave Kazdel to work as bodyguards abroad. Thus, knowing basic phrases like "hello", "water please", and "Thank you" was essential.
Beyond these, there were also "History" and "Warfare" classes, which covered the histories and military conflicts of Kazdel and other nations. The instructor for these was none other than Hoederer, finally fulfilling his long-held dream of becoming a teacher. Ever since his first meeting with Felix, he had often spoken about wanting to dedicate his post-war life to education.
Then came "Cultural Studies," a course that introduced the customs and traditions of other countries, encouraging cultural exchange with Kazdel's own. The instructor for this was Loughshinny. Though she and her sister, Eblana, once saw their mentor, Earl of Warwick, as a manipulative fraud, they couldn't deny his cultured upbringing and his detailed, elegant teaching style — which Loughshinny now emulated.
Subjects like "Medical Studies" and "Science" were reserved for adults — scholars and mercenaries eager to pursue higher knowledge. This idea came at Hoederer's request. From Felix's perspective, the current generation of Sarkaz had grown up amidst war and survival — their bodies strong, but their minds left untended. Geniuses were rare among them, not because they lacked potential, but because their energy had been spent simply staying alive.
Even so, Felix approved the plan — partly out of curiosity, partly out of trust in Hoederer's vision. His own involvement would be limited, as most of his time was spent fulfilling his duties as principal.
Then there was W. As a former member of the Babel faction, both her age and her education were… lacking. Once, Babel was led by Her Highness, and beneath her stood that old woman, Kal'tsit. Compared to them, W's experience and intellect were utterly overshadowed.
Though Babel itself no longer existed, its faction still lingered — and as one of its most recognizable faces, W had endured endless doubt and scrutiny from her former comrades. To them, she was nothing more than a wild street girl, unworthy of leadership compared to her predecessors.
Now, at last, she saw a chance to prove herself.
Though she scoffed openly at the idea of schools and education, W's actions betrayed her. She signed up for classes without hesitation — even if she'd never admit why. As for what Pioneer thought of it… she couldn't care less.
When she arrived at the school, a long line had already formed — youths in one group, adults in another. She was assigned to the youth division. Unfortunately for her, the instructor leading the group was someone she least wanted to see.
"Ines… I didn't expect you to take on this kind of job. Don't you have other missions? Or did you just come to enjoy the crowd?"
"This is a mission from Tomorrow's Development," Ines replied calmly. "You joined the organization, didn't you? You should've seen the posting at the guild."
"Who said I joined Tomorrow's Development!?" W bristled instantly, glaring at her. "I'm still part of Babel! Don't get it twisted."
"But didn't you sign the document on behalf of all former Babel mercenaries, agreeing to cooperate with Tomorrow's Development? I still have a copy if you'd like to see it."
"Ines… do you want me to blow up this school on its first day?"
Ines only pressed her lips together in a faint smile. A vein twitched on W's forehead — the woman had clearly learned the exact point at which teasing her became dangerous.
W hated being looked down upon. Even now, she regretted obeying Her Highness's order to leave and assist the other mercenaries. Her Highness had been the one who needed help the most… and in the end, during her final moments, she was with the Pioneer instead.
W considered herself ordinary — but when ordinary people sought to accomplish extraordinary things, the fastest way was to follow someone who could bring out their strength, someone whose ideals matched their own. She didn't yet know if Felix was that person — but while she sought that answer, she knew she needed to grow.
Among the crowd, she noticed a pair of siblings wearing the white uniforms of Tomorrow's Development — a style she'd never seen on adventurers before. They seemed to have arrived alongside that golden-haired Caprinae soldier and the troops who had come to Kazdel's Mobile City. She recognized them only because they often swapped patrol duties with the Goliath Guards.
It was clear that these soldiers were part of Felix's private army.
W glanced at them from the corner of her eye, careful not to make it obvious. She could tell—they weren't ordinary mercenaries. There was a sharpness to them, a quiet pressure that marked them as something more.
Though they were Sarkaz, they didn't feel like Sarkaz.
There was something different about them—perhaps it was their uniforms, or perhaps it was the quiet confidence curling at the corners of their mouths. Whatever it was, it set them apart from the rest. They may have been born in Kazdel and shared Sarkaz blood, but the gulf between them and the average mercenary was like heaven and earth.
W thought that she, too, needed that kind of presence—not to become one of Felix's soldiers, but to one day carry herself with the same unshakable pride.
She wanted every Sarkaz to live with their heads held high upon this land, just as Her Highness had once dreamed.
From afar, she spotted the so-called "principal"—the Pioneer himself.
This school, unlike others, had no grand opening ceremony. Attendance wasn't mandatory; students came entirely of their own will.
Felix never intended to force education upon the Sarkaz—there would be no guns at their backs compelling them to read or learn. Such learning, born without will, would be hollow.
And yet, the response was far better than expected.
Both W and Giles—leaders of their own small factions—had shown up, bringing their people along. Many were the core members of their respective groups, while the rest were curious mercenaries and residents of the Mobile City, hesitant but watchful. It was only natural.
"Ah… what a beautiful scent—the fragrance of curiosity."
Arturia appeared on the staircase of the main building, peering down over the railing at the chattering Sarkaz crowd below. A faint, intoxicated smile played on her lips.
She loved this atmosphere—the vibrant, raw swell of emotion that varied from person to person.
Through her gaze, she read their hearts as easily as notes on a score.
Some sought to rise above their station.
Some chased power and recognition.
Others were here purely to curry favor with the Pioneer.
Different motives, same choice—to enroll.
And that, to Arturia, was what made terranity so endlessly fascinating.
She had never before observed the Sarkaz from so close.
The Sankta were hypocrites—those who worked in the Papal palace had shown their true faces after her mother's death.
It was in their masks and their cruelty that Arturia first discovered her purpose for living: to feed her curiosity, to witness the boundless potential of terran emotion. Her Originium Arts had been born from that hunger.
And now, seeing these Sarkaz—so often called crude, barbaric, or poor by the Sankta—
She found them no different from her own kind. The only difference was that the Sarkaz didn't hide behind false civility. Their emotions were raw, naked, burning.
Even from this distance, she could feel the heat in their eyes as they looked toward Felix.
Arturia understood their desires.
She also understood the thoughts of those who stood closest to Felix.
Loughshinny's heart already belonged to him.
Degenbrecher's loyalty was absolute—she wanted nothing more than to keep supporting him.
Ines, though, was more complicated. She admired Felix's brilliance, yet quietly worried that under his lead, Kazdel might one day drift off course—like a racing carriage spinning out of control at full speed.
But Felix himself—
She couldn't read him.
If he were a typical, naïve Sankta, Arturia would have seen through him in an instant.
That was her first impression of him—a curious young man drawn to battlefields simply out of fascination.
Though his reasons differed from her mother's, his actions had piqued Arturia's interest.
Felix Shawn Lanshem—
The boy who left Laterano under the pretense of curiosity about war, only to be captured by Sarkaz mercenaries, later rescued by Lance's special squad during a Catastrophe.
Like her mother, he had stepped onto the battlefield.
Yet his fate had diverged entirely.
That difference alone made Arturia hungry to know more.
What drove him to risk everything?
What emotions—or desires—did he bury within himself?
From the shadows, she watched him.
Where he could not see, she expressed her thoughts through music, translating her emotions into sound in an effort to understand him.
Of course, Arturia would never use her Originium Arts on Felix.
Observing him was already enough to sate a part of her hunger.
He was like a bottomless abyss—his very being an endless source of intrigue and temptation, fulfilling both her curiosity and her yearning.
He had begun as nothing more than a curious Sankta, eager to explore the unknown.
Yet now, he had walked foreign lands, saved lives, forged bonds with adventurers, rescued peoples, built an empire that grew from hundreds to millions—and through it all, he rarely displayed his power. Instead, he led through reason, through conviction.
And now this very Sankta led the Sarkaz of Kazdel toward a new future.
A feat made possible not only by Princess Theresa's influence, but also by Felix's unshakable guidance in the Frontier District.
Arturia found herself captivated.
Not by his achievements.
But by him.
She didn't crave his victory.
She craved him.
How could she ever bring herself to use Originium Arts against him? The man before her — mysterious, unpredictable, and ever-changing — was precisely what made Arturia so deeply fascinated.
———
Many who approached Felix did so with hidden motives. He was aware of that, yet it didn't bother him. The benefits of establishing schools in Kazdel were far greater than most could imagine.
In simple terms, Felix was leading the Sarkaz people back into modern civilization — a pioneer ensuring that the next generation received a proper education. For his future ambitions to eventually take control of all Kazdel, this was an irreplaceable advantage.
"I didn't expect you to attend this history class as well, Lady Luna."
Giles greeted the vampire girl with a courteous nod. Though they were technically colleagues, they rarely interacted. Owing to the power of the Vampire Lord, Luna had always been accustomed to acting with arrogance throughout the city. However, ever since the Military Commission withdrew from Kazdel's mobile city and Tomorrow's Development took over, the vampires found themselves displeased — the new ruler, Felix, seemed to regard them with complete indifference.
With their noble lineage, they believed it an honor for anyone to even stand beside them. Yet from the moment Felix entered the city, even his attitude toward Luna remained distant, dispassionate — devoid of any attempt at flattery or closeness.
"There are some parts of history we've only ever understood on the surface," Luna said with a faint smirk, her small fangs glinting as irritation flashed across her face. "Those decrepit old fools were complaining again a few days ago."
Giles fell silent. The difference in their bloodlines was too vast for him to interject.
"Tell me," Luna asked, her crimson eyes locking onto him, "why do you think the Pioneer doesn't care about the status of our vampire lineage?"
"The Pioneer's goals," Giles replied carefully, "aren't really affected by whether the vampires hold influence or not."
That was the most diplomatic answer he could give. He couldn't very well say the truth — that Felix simply didn't care about them at all. After all, what real storm could the vampires possibly stir up?
Felix wasn't the sort to rule with an iron decree of 'obey me or perish' — but indifference, yes, that was real enough. He believed that Kazdel's future rested upon the unity and cooperation of all Sarkaz, not on the haughty pride of royal bloodlines.
As a mere Goliath soldier, Giles had learned one thing from his brief interactions with Felix:
He was a man who believed that terran will could triumph over all else.