Felix did not respond at once, prompting Mountain to frown. Who did the Chamber of Commerce think they were, daring to speak to His Highness in such a manner? However, it did not take long for him to grasp the meaning behind their proposal.
The Chamber of Commerce had lost its nerve. More accurately, they understood that if they continued along their current path, they would eventually be cast aside by the times. Decades ago, they had been able to influence the course and outcome of Knight Majors through their own methods. But ever since the emergence of the Black Knight, they had lost every tournament. No matter what schemes they employed, the knights they backed and invested in always fell short, handing victory to others. It was a humiliating series of failures.
Repeated defeat led to the dissolution of the old business association, and the withdrawal of investors meant they could no longer reclaim their former prestige. The days when they could shake the world at will were long gone.
Thus, they needed a new member, or rather, a new leader to pull them out of this mire.
Felix had cooperated with the Chamber of Commerce on many occasions. Although he maintained close ties with the Adeptus Sprawiedliwi and had likely clashed with the Armorless Union behind the scenes, there was no open conflict between them. As a result, the Chamber of Commerce had remained one of the many factions that worked with Tomorrow's Development.
From the KGCC's perspective, aligning with Tomorrow's Development was a natural choice. It was both an experiment and a way to retreat from the rushing currents of change. For them, it was undeniably beneficial. They had found a powerful patron.
For Felix and Tomorrow's Development, however, such an obvious windfall was far from reassuring.
First, Felix did not believe he could fully control the Chamber of Commerce. What they needed now was merely a figurehead, while the real underhanded dealings would remain in the hands of those unwilling to relinquish power. In effect, they were looking for a shield.
Even with an elders' council in place, a sect leader in Yan Kingdom often faced immense difficulty when trying to enforce decisions. The same principle applied here.
Moreover, the Chamber of Commerce had thoroughly offended the traditional knights in the past. By now, the two sides were sworn enemies.
"Such a rude and reckless invitation is something Tomorrow's Development does not wish to hear again."
Mountain bared his teeth slightly as he spoke. His words reflected the shared stance of Tomorrow's Development leadership: any unearned benefit carried a hidden cost, and accepting it would inevitably bring trouble.
Although the Chamber of Commerce had shown them courtesy this time, they had completely ignored Degenbrecher and Nearl, who were seated among the senior members and had attended the entire meeting, treating them as if they were invisible.
After all, the two of them had once been banned from entering Kazimierz for life. It was a stark reminder that in this land, power defined justice.
Intimidated by Mountain's imposing presence, the spokesperson shrank back, bowed deeply, and hurried to withdraw.
"If…"
Felix's voice stopped him in his tracks. The spokesperson cautiously turned around, looking at the young king seated upon the golden throne.
"If the Chamber of Commerce is willing to make painful decisions and abandon its past, then I can consider it."
"Y-yes! I will convey your words without fail!"
The spokesperson departed in a state of unease. After the door closed, Felix glanced around the room.
"The existence of the Chamber of Commerce is necessary, but there is too much filth within it. They are not qualified to place me at their head."
Mountain rose and bowed. "I will follow up on this matter."
Tomorrow's Development would not be confined to Kazdel. It was destined to reach every corner of the land, and the Chamber of Commerce might yet serve as a useful intermediary.
Their audacity was undeniable. The implications of such an invitation were obvious. Whether Felix accepted or not, the Chamber of Commerce had effectively branded itself a traitor to Kazimierz, given that Felix still bore the title of King of Kazdel.
As for diplomacy between the two nations, inviting a foreign king to become one's leader was an unmistakable act of betrayal. Setting that aside, anyone hearing such a proposal would feel equal parts disbelief and ridicule.
"Has the situation in Kazimierz really deteriorated to this extent?" Hellagur frowned.
"The Adeptus Sprawiedliwi and the Chamber of Commerce are on the brink of open conflict," he continued. "Tomorrow's Development entering Kazimierz at this moment is a timely relief for both sides. They will do everything they can to win over Tomorrow's Development and His Highness."
"This could be an opportunity for Tomorrow's Development," Ines said, glancing at Felix, who remained calm upon the throne. As his subordinates grew more numerous and capable, he spoke less and less. "Expanding business in Kazimierz and introducing elements of knightly culture into Kazdel would help diversify Kazdel's future."
Ines believed that Felix had already transformed from the leader of a faction into a true monarch. A king should be like him: guiding everyone forward with words, listening to all voices, and ultimately leading them toward a result that was reasonable and acceptable to all.
This was only natural. Tomorrow's Development were no longer an organization that revolved solely around Felix. Only through collective effort could they continue moving forward. Yet the Felix of today carried a brilliance that felt almost distant.
That very brilliance made it hard for Ines to look away. He was not only a monarch, but also a man whose presence dazzled even those mercenaries who had survived countless battles and now served as high-ranking members of Tomorrow's Development.
He was so captivating that it was difficult not to keep watching him, and yet, out of respect, she forced herself to avert her gaze.
At times, Ines would find herself thinking back to the past, when Felix was merely a leader with fewer than ten followers. Back then, it was easy to find him. The two of them would sit together and discuss the future of Kazdel, filled with hope and ambition.
During her vacation in Siesta, Ines learned that every woman in the king's harem was deeply drawn to him. More than once, she asked herself what choice she should make.
Sometimes, she envied W's boldness in love and hatred. W's reckless and unrestrained passion had already brought her what she wanted. In contrast, Ines's restraint and hesitation left her uncertain, unsure whether she should express her feelings for the king as the others had.
Ines knew that if she were to speak up, she would certainly receive an answer. The king was gentle by nature. He would not reject anyone outright, and he would respond with care no matter who approached him.
Lowering her head, Ines forcefully pushed aside the wandering thoughts in her mind. Tomorrow's Development mattered more. She shifted her gaze away from W, who was staring blankly at the king, and focused all her attention on the upcoming diplomatic affairs.
___
Kazimierz, Kawalerielki.
This month marked the imminent opening of this year's Knights' Major. What thrilled the audience was that this year's competition was far more brutal and frenzied than ever before.
This was largely thanks to the Blood Knight. After winning the title of Champion Knight four years ago, he joined the Fate Knight and began managing the organization with dedication. At the same time, he worked closely with the Adeptus Sprawiedliwi to promote the Infected Knights movement, bringing Infected Knights into the public eye and ensuring their participation in officially sanctioned events.
The Fate Knight were not limited to the Blood Knight alone. They also included the Candle Knight, Viviana, who had risen to fame through various competitions across the Kawalerielki, fighting with elegant Originium Arts. There was also the Night Knight, once an opponent of the Light Knights, renowned for her dark Originium Arts and long black crystalline hair. Beyond these early members, many other knights joined later, including a significant number of the Infected.
"Huff… huff. Is today's training finally over? I still feel like I'm not strong enough."
The blonde girl leaned on her longsword, panting in the training ground. Opposite her stood a mature woman with her arms crossed.
"Aunt, even though I'm confident in my abilities, my opponents won't be knights who are easy to defeat."
Maria pouted. Despite her exhaustion, her eyes were still bright, as if she could easily fight another round.
"I told you not to call me aunt!" Zofia snapped instinctively, planting her hands on her hips. "Among all the knights, only you and two others are competing as individual knights. I'm worried you won't have any backup during the official matches, and that could cause you serious trouble."
"I think it'll be fine. My sister went through the same thing."
Maria's reply made Zofia sigh. Maria had always wanted to follow in her sister's footsteps. Although Zofia acknowledged Maria's strength, she was still a step behind her sister, Margaret.
There was also the pressure that came with the Nearl family name. The scrutiny alone could overwhelm Maria or cause her to lose her composure, all of which worried Zofia deeply.
"By the way, Aunt, will my sister be coming back this time?"
Maria's eyes flickered. She had heard rumors that Tomorrow's Development would be stopping outside the Kawalerielki, seemingly to watch the tournament, just like four years ago.
Since her sister left, the two of them had exchanged letters frequently, but they had never met in person.
It had been a long time since they last saw each other. Maria missed her sister deeply. She wanted to continue following in her footsteps, and participating in the Knights' Major was one of the reasons she stood here now.
"I told you not to call me Auntie… As for Tomorrow's Development, I don't know whether Margaret is on the Venus." Zofia shook her head. Although she had learned from Magic ZX, the head of Tomorrow's Development' branch, that the Venus would dock outside the Kawalerielki, even Magic ZX did not know whether Margaret would be traveling with them.
Maria lowered her head. She had already trained for several hours, and next on her schedule was her craftsmanship practice. Despite her tightly packed routine in preparation for the Knights' Major, Maria had never given up on this hobby.
Zofia watched as Maria walked down into the basement of the villa. Since joining the competition, Maria had rarely returned to the Nearl family's ancestral home. Part of it was to avoid the spotlight and live more quietly. The mere news that another member of the Nearl family had entered the tournament was enough to set the Knights' Arena ablaze with gossip. With an older sister whose name few dared to mention, every word and action Maria took inevitably drew attention.
That unseen pressure weighed heavily on her, and the rhythmic tapping and hammering of craftsmanship helped ease it, at least a little.
After tidying up the training ground, Zofia headed toward the Tomorrow's Development branch. Since she was already here, she wanted to learn about Margaret's current situation.
Under normal circumstances, the branch of Tomorrow's Development was overseen by Młynar. Now, however, he was officially employed by Tomorrow's Development as one of their senior executives. Although he had not boarded the Venus, his salary and benefits were on par with those of the landship's senior officers, something that had taken him some time to adjust to. After all, what kind of corporate worker didn't work overtime?
Młynar's life had become relatively relaxed. Every morning, a newspaper was delivered to the front of the Nearl residence. Sometimes he ate breakfast at home, and sometimes he went to the Tomorrow's Development branch for breakfast. After that, he handled a modest workload, mostly liaising with various knight clubs and companies. More often than not, he could finish before five in the evening.
With Magic ZX's diligent assistance, Młynar's work was always completed quickly and efficiently. This extended beyond work alone. From meals to transportation, Magic ZX arranged everything with meticulous care. At first, Młynar had not wanted to trouble him so much, but after Magic ZX repeatedly emphasized that he was a fan of Młynar, a devoted admirer of the Nearl family, and a supporter of traditional knights, Młynar reluctantly accepted his attentiveness.
The Tomorrow's Development branch office had gradually grown from a small workspace into a spacious building, roughly the size of a standard knight headquarters. The staff on duty included not only adventurers, but also a small number of knights who had come from afar.
When Zofia arrived, the adventurers standing guard automatically parted to make way. As a relative of Młynar, she was still easily recognized.
The hall was filled with adventurers, many of them unfamiliar faces. Zofia noted this and realized just how fast they were moving. She had only just received news of the Venus's docking, yet they had already entered the Kawalerielki.
"Miss Zofia, you're here!"
Zofia immediately recognized Magic ZX. At his greeting, she nodded politely. The moment he saw her, Magic ZX understood her purpose. In truth, the few times she had come before, it was always to discuss important matters with Młynar.
She stepped forward and gently knocked on the office door.
"Uncle… Mr. Młynar, I'm coming in!"