"I won't be getting involved with that person's affairs."
Andoain stood up, his tone composed after their long conversation. Having confirmed each other's positions, he placed a small device on the table before Felix — a token of disguise, of shared understanding. For now, their goals aligned, even if their paths differed. Andoain admired Felix deeply; every one of the man's actions left him astonished. To Andoain, Felix was what a true "Strayed Sankta" should be.
"Does the Pope know about this?" Felix asked.
Andoain smiled faintly. "He knows I've been in Iberia for years, but he's said nothing about it publicly. Likewise, he's aware of your whereabouts."
He paused, his tone lowering. "Among all the strayed Sankta and envoys, you are… unique. You know why."
Andoain's smile slowly faded. "To be noticed by that one — it's not necessarily good, but it's not entirely bad either."
"If it were the previous Pope," Felix said dryly, "my head would've already been taken by the Notarial Hall's enforcers."
Andoain chuckled softly. "Heh." Then he gave Felix a polite bow. "I can feel your hesitation about the future — but also your confidence. I believe in you, Felix Lanshem. And I hope you believe in me as I do in you."
"Empathy answers all questions," Andoain said with a wry smile. "Sometimes, that makes face-to-face conversations between Sankta utterly boring."
He turned to leave, hand on the door — but paused, as if remembering something.
"Tell me, Lanshem… do you ever wish to fall from grace?"
"I once had the chance to fall, you know?" Felix replied with a faint grin. He raised his hand, miming a gun and aiming it playfully at Andoain. 'But I never really understood the rules of 'Falling.' How could I possibly become one?'
"Perhaps not a Fall," Felix continued, eyes narrowing slightly, "but a Reversion… maybe."
"Reversion?"
The unfamiliar word caught Andoain off guard. "Don't tell me you're thinking of shedding your halo — to become a Sarkaz?"
"How could that be?" Felix chuckled. "Just a thought, nothing serious. I doubt such a phenomenon even exists."
Andoain nodded slightly, though Felix's words lingered in his mind like a stone dropped into a still lake, rippling quietly. He knew it was impossible — and yet, he couldn't help but ponder it.
Then he left.
Felix watched him go, knowing well the man's pride. Andoain would never abandon his identity as a Sankta — no one loved their kind more than he did. But that devotion was also the root of his tragedy, for his ideals stood in direct opposition to the Sankta's stance toward Terra itself.
As for Felix… he wasn't so bound. He didn't know when the next stage of evolution would come, but when it did, he'd have choices — and "Falling" would be one of them.
After seeing Andoain off, Felix turned his attention back to the Clever in his hand.
Constructions in Kazdel's mobile city continued steadily. As its lord, he barely had time to travel like he used to — those carefree, spontaneous journeys were now a thing of the past. Still, he couldn't shake off his excitement for October's trip to Kazimierz.
A collector of knightly memorabilia, Felix couldn't resist the allure of the grand tournament — the once-every-four-years Kazimierz Major. Which knight would rise to fame this time?
September was already a quarter gone. He really did want to go watch in October.
Ah… such is the price of power. To sit high above, yet lose the freedom once taken for granted — how troublesome. When would he finally be able to sit back and let others handle everything for him?
Still, with Loughshinny now assisting him in managing the city, dumping all responsibilities on her would be far too irresponsible.
And with Arturia yet to leave Kazdel, Felix couldn't just walk away and leave her behind.
As he idly browsed the forums while tinkering with a Clever unit, a particular post title caught his eye:
"Brothers, we've struck gold this time!"
What did they find now?
Setting his cup aside, Felix leaned closer, eager for some entertainment. The poster was one of the Tomorrow's Development players.
This time, they had ventured into Ursus… and inside Chernobog, they made a huge discovery.
Felix's heart skipped a beat. A chill ran down his spine, as if unseen eyes — feline, curious, predatory — were watching him from behind.
He scrolled down quickly to read more.
"Who could've imagined that beneath Chernobog lay such an terra-shattering secret?! We've found a hidden underground chamber wrapped in high-tech shielding! We're currently working to crack the security codes — I swear, there must be some kind of advanced weapon or priceless treasure behind this door!"
The replies came flooding in almost instantly:
"Are you sure you didn't just break into someone's basement?"
"Good luck, brother. See you at the police station tomorrow."
"Bro, that's literally trespassing."
The thread's creator posted another update, insisting that the location was completely abandoned. "There are footprints by the entrance," he wrote, "but they look old. No one's been here in ages. There are cameras, but no one's shown up to stop us. And we're all masked up — nobody will ever know who we are."
The reasoning sounded… almost convincing. Curious players urged him to keep updating. They'd seen plenty of ancient ruins before, but a high-tech, modern underground facility? That was something new.
"Guys, this code's tough — my buddy's engineering level isn't high enough. Give us some time to crack it."
That was his post from two hours ago.
Felix scrolled down to the latest update — the team had finally bypassed the locks and were now entering the chamber.
"It's freezing down here… looks like some kind of storage area?"
"The computers are ancient — thick with dust, like nobody's touched them in years. What the hell was this place used for? Don't tell me… Doomsday bunker or terran experimentation?"
Felix felt a cold chill crawl down his spine. Something about this sounded way too familiar. Watching their progress, he noticed there were still several more encrypted doors ahead.
Just as he prepared to scroll further — still munching on his figurative popcorn — Loughshinny burst through the door, breathless.
"Felix, there's a report from the Frontier District — they've spotted Rhodes Island's landship approaching!"
The Clever device slipped from Felix's hand.
Oh no.
He knew exactly where those players had dug into.
In his previous life, he had personally taken part in the mission to rescue the Doctor. He remembered it clearly — the Doctor had been buried beneath Chernobog.
And now these lunatics had dug all the way down there?!
Then what the hell was Rhodes Island doing back? They couldn't possibly be here just to "enjoy the fresh Kazdel air," could they? Or did they think Kazdel had improved so much they wanted to join Tomorrow's Development now?
Felix's first instinct — run.
If those players actually managed to dig the Doctor out… he had no words. That would be legendary-level chaos.
It had been a long time since the Rhodes Island landship had set foot near Kazdel. Very few knew it had returned — and technically, it hadn't entered Kazdel's borders yet. The ship had stopped at a cliffside some distance away, close enough to be seen from the Frontier District.
Felix grimaced. This wasn't his fault, right? He'd never given an order allowing people to "freely mine in Ursus." But the adventurers responsible for this whole grave-digging stunt were still officially part of Tomorrow's Development… which made it technically his problem.
Now the question was: how the hell could he divert their attention?
He rubbed his temples. It didn't look like they had triggered any quest event. Technically, he could issue a new directive as the "Faction Leader," but how would he word it so it didn't seem like he was just trying to stop them? Adventurers were infamously curious — the moment they sensed someone didn't want them to do something, they'd do it twice just to see what would happen.
Even if he managed to stop them, everyone on the forums had already seen the thread. He couldn't just keep editing quests over and over — that'd be ridiculous.
"Felix, the airship's ready for departure."
Loughshinny reappeared, concern in her eyes. "Did something happen?"
Oh, something happened, alright.
The Doctor — the Doctor who had just been buried not long ago — was now being unearthed by players.
Even the players of his previous world hadn't pulled off something this insane. Apparently, Tomorrow's Development had emboldened them far more than he'd anticipated.
Felix gently patted Loughshinny's head, earning a faint blush before he stepped past her toward the door.
"Ahead of you lies hell itself," he muttered under his breath.
Months had passed since the Sarkaz King's fall, Babel's dissolution, and Rhodes Island's departure.
And now, standing before him once more… was Kal'tsit, her expression every bit as sharp as he remembered.
"It's hard to tell whether meeting you again is my good fortune or my misfortune, Miss Kal'tsit," Felix said with a charming smile. "But to encounter you once more on this land truly fills my heart with joy. The world around us changes endlessly, and yet you remain ever the same—youthful, elegant, and radiant as always. One cannot help but marvel at the Creator's sense of artistry."
Behind Kal'tsit, Ace's expression twitched uncontrollably, while Logos glanced at Felix with admiration. To deliver such a line with that much ease and composure—he almost wanted to take notes.
"Pioneer," Kal'tsit said, her tone sharp and controlled, "you should know we didn't come here for idle conversation."
"Oh? Then perhaps you've come to introduce new personnel?"
Felix met her gaze sincerely. "Miss Kal'tsit, during my time leading Kazdel's reconstruction, I've often questioned whether the problem lay in my lack of ability—or in the shortage of truly capable hands. Many of our projects and research have been delayed beyond expectation. I believe such setbacks are normal, though; this is the most difficult stage for Kazdel. Give them time, and they will rise. They will become a Kazdel strong enough to stand proudly upon Terra."
Kal'tsit paused, visibly at a loss for words.
"How do you plan to achieve that?" Logos asked, the respect in his voice clear. As a Sarkaz himself, he understood the magnitude of that ambition. "I've heard much from my kin about Kazdel's transformation. Tell me, what exactly do you seek to accomplish, Pioneer?"
"I only wish for the Sarkaz to see what kind of life they can build with their own hands. Nothing more."
Facing the calm yet piercing gaze of the Feline Doctor, Felix felt no animosity. After all, they had fought side by side during the final battle. "The General's approach is too blunt, too straightforward," he said, voice level. "The Princess's methods, on the other hand, were far too gentle—offering hope, but keeping it always just out of reach."
"They were black and white," he continued, "and I… I am the gray between them. I care little for schemes or deception. What I desire is an upright path—one that allows Kazdel to stand proudly under the light of day, a force that Terra cannot ignore."
Kal'tsit rubbed her temples. The way the two men were talking—like comrades who had found deep mutual understanding—was making her uneasy. She could see that Logos was genuinely impressed, even pleased, but this had to be cut short.
"Pioneer," she interrupted firmly, "let's get to the point. Some adventurers have broken into the underground chamber where we buried the Doctor. They belong to Tomorrow's Development. We need to borrow your transport aircraft for a rapid deployment—before they manage to breach all the security layers."
She looked straight into Felix's eyes. "And I need you to come with us to Chernobog. Only you can make them stop."
At the mention of the Doctor, Logos's smile faded, and Ace lowered his head. The faint warmth of reunion drained from their faces, replaced by silent gravity.
Felix nodded slowly. "Aside from you and me, who else will be joining this operation?"
"Ace and Amiya will accompany us."
"I see," Felix said, understanding. There was still time before departure. Standing on the deck of the Rhodes Island, he took a deep breath. He was back again—though not in the way he had imagined.
"Eh? You're here too?"
The voice was light and teasing—it was Closure. She approached with her handheld terminal, smiling as always. "Well, seeing you here in the Kazdel wastelands isn't all that surprising, I suppose."
"Any chance you're in the mood to buy something?" she grinned. "Just name your price—whatever you need, I can ship it straight to you."
Felix chuckled. "Kazdel doesn't need that kind of technological progress just yet. The mobile city isn't even fully powered. What we need is a better life for the Sarkaz—one they can build with their own hands. That's the future I want to see."
Closure blinked, then laughed softly. "Kazdel's lucky to have you leading it, you know? And no, that's not flattery—or an attempt to get on your good side."
"I know," Felix replied with a small smile, watching as his friend-slash-merchant waved and walked away.
As he made his way deeper into the ship, he saw many familiar faces—former members of Babel's upper ranks who had left alongside Kal'tsit after that tragic day. They had abandoned Kazdel after the Princess's fall.
But Felix had stayed. He had taken up the mantle, rebuilt the mobile city, and transformed Kazdel in record time.
Now, seeing him again, many of those old comrades couldn't meet his eyes.
Because when the Princess fell, they had chosen to walk away.
And yet he—the one they had once doubted—had carried her dream forward.