The players were completely fired up, especially after Terra Times broke everything down so clearly. Many were convinced that the future storyline would unfold exactly as Xiaolang had predicted. Quite a few players strongly agreed with his interpretation. After all, the words spoken by the King of Dawn back then had clearly hinted at leaving the final outcome to the people, or rather, to the players. Even though Tomorrow's Development had yet to release an official mission tied to this, the entire player base was already itching to act, eagerly awaiting the coming faction-based PvP.
Both casual and professional players had begun carefully weighing the advantages and responsibilities tied to each faction. Choosing a side would almost certainly shape progression through the mid and late stages of Version 3.0. With major tournaments and world championships occurring more frequently, any gap caused by faction-based resources or equipment would become devastatingly apparent.
At present, only two factions were especially favored by professional players: Loughshinny and Siege. The reasons were straightforward. Loughshinny was widely recognized as a legitimate representative of the Tara faction and was expected to lead the Tara people forward. On top of that, her high-ranking position within Tomorrow's Development granted her additional political and military leverage. Siege's path was even more archetypal. A princess reclaiming her lost kingdom was the quintessential JRPG storyline. The violent death of her father, the former King of Victoria, only added a layer of tragedy and emotional weight to her narrative.
Talulah, on the other hand, was far more popular among ordinary players. Many of them lacked the means or confidence to fully engage in large-scale PvP. Given Talulah's stance and personality, they believed she was unlikely to directly clash with the other three factions on the front lines, making her an appealing choice for players seeking a more restrained role.
Setting faction choices aside, life aboard the Venus continued much as before. Talulah gathered Alina and several former Reunion members to discuss plans and take action, while Loughshinny carried on with the daily operations of Tomorrow's Development. However, Siege found herself facing a subtle but troubling problem.
Although she remained the leader of the action group, she could sense a growing rift between herself and her former companions, the ex-members of the Glasgow Gang. None of them came from privileged backgrounds or carried noble titles. They were ordinary people who knew how to fight, scraped by to survive, and placed immense value on loyalty. To the wider public, especially in Londinium and across Victoria, they were often dismissed as nothing more than violent hooligans.
This was not merely prejudice; it was the prevailing view throughout Victoria.
Siege's old comrades, whether it was her strategist Morgan or her deputy Indra, still interacted with her normally. Yet she could clearly feel that something had changed. The easy familiarity they once shared was gone.
Troubled by this shift, the Siege paced back and forth. Though her status had changed, her heart had not. Even now, as one of the four candidates for the throne, she still saw herself as the leader of the Glasgow Gang, the girl who wielded a hammer and fought her way through the streets.
"What's wrong? You look so down. You were the one who asked me to train with you. How did you end up spacing out halfway through?"
"Your Highness…"
The Siege snapped back to reality and looked at Felix, her voice carrying a trace of apology.
Felix dispelled his transformation. The horns atop his head and the tail behind him dissolved into light, and the blue flames faded away. He casually returned his blade to its sheath. "Ever since your identity was revealed, you've clearly had something weighing on you."
"It's no secret that the action team, Victoria's operators in Tomorrow's Development, and even the adventurers look at me differently now," she said quietly. "I keep telling myself that I'll have to get used to these looks sooner or later."
She sheathed her longsword, her tone conflicted. She had invited Felix to train so she could reacquaint herself with her old techniques. Years of not wielding a sword meant she needed time to rebuild her fundamentals before returning to the battlefield.
That was why she had not only sparred with Felix, but also challenged Hellagur, and even Patriot.
"You're still worrying about how to deal with the Glasgow Gang, aren't you?"
Felix picked up a towel and wiped away her sweat, then poured her a drink and handed it over.
She accepted it, took a sip, and nodded lightly. "I can feel it clearly. The atmosphere between us isn't the same anymore. They're more restrained when they talk to me. That never used to happen."
"Have you ever heard the saying, 'When one person attains enlightenment, even their chickens and dogs ascend to heaven'?" Felix asked instead, prompting her to pause.
"Is that an old saying from the Yan Kingdom?"
"More or less. What I'm getting at is this. You, Indra, Morgan, all of you have been companions for years. Do you really think a change in status alone can create distance between you? Impossible. Bonds like that don't disappear because of titles, unless you choose to sever them yourself."
"The way you interact will change, and that's natural. The operators who followed me before I became king and the ones who follow me now are the same people. Have they changed toward me? Of course. Their forms of address changed, and so did their perspectives. But nothing else did."
He looked at her steadily. "So tell me. What is Indra good at? And what is Morgan good at?"
Felix asked the question, and the Siege did not even need to think before answering.
"Indra excels at combat. Don't let her appearance fool you; she has saved many of her subordinates in the past. Morgan, on the other hand, thinks quickly and has her own insights into people and situations. She's the team's strategist."
Felix shrugged. "If it were up to me, Victoria's future military instructors and strategists would already be decided."
"Eh?"
"When you rise to a higher position, it's only natural to promote those who have followed you all the way. Even if they don't voice such ambitions themselves, you still need to take the initiative. That's what being a leader means."
He spoke calmly. "It's better to say it openly than to leave it unsaid, don't you think?"
Siege nodded. "I understand. I'll talk to them."
"Good. Let's start with the action team. Degenbrecher and the other instructors can't cover every operator anyway. We can have Indra serve as a combat instructor. As for Morgan, she can handle planning the next mission."
Her eyes lit up, and she nodded firmly, pressing her lips together. "I really hadn't thought of it that way before. Your Highness, thank you."
"From now on, as one of the candidates for the throne, you don't need to call me that."
Felix's voice softened. "There's no need for honorifics between us anymore."
"I understand. But in my heart, you still deserve to be called Your Highness."
Siege bowed deeply, a final smile appearing on her face before she turned and left.
Felix watched her retreat until she disappeared from the training room. He then picked up a towel and headed into the bathroom to wash up and relax. With the arrival of the three successors from the Venus, the players had inevitably erupted into a frenzy. Their expectations largely aligned with Felix's intentions. In fact, they were one and the same: to give the players a proper outlet for their excess energy.
As they clashed and competed, Victoria's storyline would continue to move forward.
Felix remembered that in his previous life, Londinium had been taken by Siege, who then became the Speaker of Parliament and led its governance. She would occasionally visit Rhodes Island as well. In this life, however, nothing was certain. The rise of the Tara nobles and the Tara people also meant that long-simmering tensions would be pushed directly into open conflict.
A gentle touch pressed against his back. Felix turned his head and saw Loughshinny, wrapped in a bath towel, her usual soft smile on her face.
"Thank you for all your hard work these past few days."
"To be honest, it's been exhausting," Loughshinny said with a smile. Although she was still handling Tomorrow's Development affairs, she could clearly tell that senior figures like Mountain and Hellagur had deliberately taken on much of her burden. This gave her more free time than before. Whenever she walked along the bridge or through the corridors, operators and adventurers would approach her. The former asked about Tara's history and expressed their respect, while the latter were eager to pledge their loyalty. They would pat their chests and promise to become her aides and soldiers.
It left Loughshinny somewhat troubled. Although she had already decided to join the struggle for Victoria's throne, everything was unfolding far too quickly, leaving her slightly overwhelmed.
"Does this mean I'll have to leave the landship?" Her voice carried a hint of reluctance as she carefully wiped Felix's back. "I've been here for so long. Having to leave all of a sudden… it's hard to let go."
"With Clever, you can contact us anytime, anywhere," Felix replied. "And if you ever want to return to the Venus, your room will always be waiting for you. Even if you become the Queen of Tara one day, you'll still be part of Tomorrow's Development. That won't change."
"Then… will you be the Queen of Tara's prince consort?"
"Of course," he said lightly. "It would be my honor."
After the Venus entered Kazimierz territory, the first to pay a visit were messengers from the Chamber of Commerce. By now, Felix was no longer merely a former super VIP client. He was an honored guest of an entirely different caliber.
Eager to cater to his preferences, the Chamber of Commerce presented him with lavish gifts. Dozens of boxes filled with red gold bars were delivered, along with various goods related to Kazimierz's competitive knights. On top of that, they even gave him a knightclub.
That was right, a knight club sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce itself. Since many knights had already sold their services to the Federation, they had little choice but to accept, even if they were reluctant.
The club was called the Knights of Radiance. Its members were exclusively women of various races, with all kinds of physiques and appearances. Compared to a conventional knight club, this felt far less like a military unit.
It was more like a harem the Chamber of Commerce had prepared for Felix.
However, there was no denying that these knights were all highly capable fighters. Felix had originally intended to refuse the offer and have Degenbrecher test their combat strength first. Yet even though Degenbrecher deliberately held back, the leader of the Knights of Radiance, a Feline Radiant Knight, managed to fight her to a standstill. This alone made Felix reevaluate her strength. What puzzled him, however, was that the moment the Radiant Knight saw his face, she blushed so intensely that he could not help but feel suspicious.
Degenbrecher was in favor of keeping the all-female knight order, and Hellagur, considering their potential combat value in future conflicts, agreed with her. Felix had planned to ask Patriot for his opinion as well, but the reply he received was brief and decisive.
"Keep them."
Alright, then. Felix assigned the Knights of Radiance to the Venus. As for whether they were truly trustworthy, that would have to be determined by their actions in the future.
The Chamber of Commerce could be said to have delivered an exceptionally generous gift. Not long after their messenger departed, another envoy arrived, this time from Ms. Russell of the Adeptus Sprawiedliwi. The timing was such a coincidence that Felix briefly wondered whether the two parties had coordinated beforehand.
Ms. Russell also brought gifts, but her real objective was to confirm transaction orders and discuss subsequent diplomatic arrangements.
The Chamber of Commerce was not the sole authority in Kazimierz. Although it currently held significant control, the true governing body was still the Adeptus Sprawiedliwi. From their perspective, sending lavish gifts was simply a way to maintain good relations with former financial benefactors, which was perfectly understandable.
Ms. Russell's messenger was handed over to Mountain for reception. As the Venus drew closer and closer to the Kawalerielki, the operators on board grew increasingly restless. They were eager to enter the territory and witness a Kazimierz Major with their own eyes.
The Venus eventually stopped on the outskirts of the Kawalerielki. Since the region was still undergoing reorganization in preparation for the Knights' Major, the operators and adventurers had plenty of time to drive their vehicles into the territory on their own.
After most of those responsible for commercial development had departed, the Chamber of Commerce's messenger knocked on the office door once more.
"What is it now? This is the third time the Chamber of Commerce has requested an audience with His Highness. What do they want?"
Hellagur's tone was cool and distant. The Chamber of Commerce could hardly be considered a true partner of Tomorrow's Development. At best, they were merely a trading counterpart. Yet their repeated requests for an audience, especially after the first formal meeting, had already raised some suspicion among Tomorrow's Development leadership. What exactly were these people after?
"I am merely a spokesperson for the Chamber of Commerce." The messenger bowed deeply, his forehead nearly touching the ground. "Your Highness… are you interested in the Chamber of Commerce? Do you wish to become a member of it?"
The spokesperson hastily lowered his head again. "That was a slip of the tongue on my part. Your Highness, if you are willing to grant us this opportunity, the Chamber of Commerce will certainly follow your lead from this day forward."