The tavern fell utterly silent. Every drunkard immediately ducked their heads, not daring to breathe too loudly. Some sneaked nervous glances toward the door—and after confirming that the woman and child weren't their wife and daughter, they all exhaled in relief.
No one even dared to take a sip.
Still, that Feline lady standing at the door was… rather striking. What kind of heartless husband would leave his beautiful wife and young daughter at home at night, just to sneak off drinking?
"Um… did we come to the wrong place?"
The little rabbit girl tilted her head toward Mrs. Feline. "It's already past dinner time, but Brother Felix still hasn't contacted us."
"I asked around," Mrs. Feline replied calmly. "The last place he was seen… was here."
The old knight and the old craftsman both turned to Felix in disbelief.
"You've got to be kidding me," the knight hissed. "You've got a wife and kid that big already, and you're still out drinking alone?"
"Exactly! What kind of man are you!?"
Felix slammed his cup down, scowling.
"It's been four years since we last met—how could I possibly have an eleven-year-old daughter!? Just drink your damned beer!"
The bald man, Martin, threw him a meaningful look.
"Come on, Felix, your daughter's about to cry. Is this what you call fatherly love? You're that kind of dad?"
"Ah! It's Brother Felix's halo~!"
Felix downed the last of his drink with a weary sigh.
"It's brother, not father."
Honestly, sometimes he regretted being reborn as a Sankta. That radiant halo and those angelic wings made blending in impossible. Stealth? Forget it. Wherever he went, he was like a walking spotlight. So much for undercover work—he could only play the part of an unmissable hero instead.
"Brother Felix, so this is where you were drinking."
Amiya trotted over and carefully took his hand.
"ACE used to drink a lot too… I could always feel his heart was heavy."
Felix smiled softly and ruffled her hair.
"Then tell me, how's my mood right now?"
Amiya closed her eyes, holding his hand tighter.
"Hmm… it feels like… the joy of meeting an old friend again. Brother Felix is happy right now."
"That's right. When you're grown up, Amiya, I'll share a drink with you too."
"Okay~ Pinky promise!"
Felix rose to his feet, gently leading Amiya by the hand. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught the melted expressions of the three men still at the table. Not that he could blame them—Amiya practically radiated pure-hearted charm.
"Alright, you lot keep drinking."
"Sure thing~"
Even the grizzled old knight and the grumpy craftsman couldn't resist smiling after seeing Amiya's grin. It took Martin's pointed cough to bring them all back to their senses.
"Haah… Felix used to be able to drink till dawn," he muttered. "Now that he's got a wife, he's all domesticated."
"…"
Kal'tsit's face remained utterly expressionless.
———
Later, Kal'tsit walked with Amiya and Felix through the lantern-lit streets.
Amiya hung between them, swinging her legs as she curiously observed the grand city of the Kawalerielki. Every time an armored knight passed with weapons gleaming at their side, she let out a small, awed gasp.
"The Chamber of Commerce has already reserved a restaurant for us," Kal'tsit said, her gaze forward and her tone calm. "But I must admit—I didn't expect that in such a short time walking this land, you'd already left your mark on so many factions."
"It's just a matter of will," Felix replied lightly, still holding Amiya's delicate hand. "As long as you have the intention—and money—the Chamber of Commerce will treat you like royalty. You just have to know how to play to their interests."
Kal'tsit looked away, falling silent for the rest of the walk.
Why… did that trouble her so much?
Felix, on the other hand, continued chatting cheerfully with Amiya, pointing out the grand structures and recounting the history of the knightly tournaments. The Chamber of Commerce had planned his entire itinerary for the coming days—meals, accommodations, and even VIP front-row tickets for the championship bouts.
From there, he could watch every Kuranta girls... uhh clash of steel, every spark of honor—up close and personal.
At the dinner table, Felix offered Kal'tsit a practical suggestion:
"If you have any funds left," he said, "it might be wise to invest in a few like-minded knights while we're here. Talented fighters like them could become valuable assets for our organization."
Whether Kal'tsit actually took his advice to heart was unclear—her expression remained thoughtful, unreadable. But later, ACE, on the other hand, immediately began calculating their current budget with meticulous focus.
———
The next day marked the first round of the Kazimierz Major.
Felix arrived early with Amiya to watch the matches, while Kal'tsit and ACE followed a representative from the Chamber of Commerce to explore the black market for potential purchases.
"Wow, that big sister is so pretty," Amiya whispered, pointing toward a knight entering the arena.
Thanks to their VIP seats, they'd have the chance to meet the knights in person afterward. Felix chuckled softly and patted Amiya's head.
He had to admit—the knight named Viviana possessed a rare charm.
Judging by her bearing, she had likely just been promoted to the rank of Great Knight, though her name wasn't widely known. Still, her poise and beauty alone would no doubt earn her many admirers if she won this match.
Golden hair cascaded down her shoulders like a stream of sunlight. Her blue eyes held both determination and gentleness, and her faint, comforting smile carried an air of grace that warmed the heart.
A girl like this—simply standing there—radiated refinement.
A lady, or perhaps even a noble.
Elegant—far too elegant!
Even if her combat skills weren't exceptional, buying such a knight as a face of one's organization would be a guaranteed investment.
Still, something nagged at Felix. Viviana hadn't appeared in any of the newspapers, nor was she prominently listed in the promotional booklet—just a name tucked into the corner. That likely meant she wasn't affiliated with the Chamber of Commerce, and in this tournament, that drastically lowered chances of victory.
After all, the Chamber of Commerce's last two tournaments had gone… poorly.
Both times, their "prearranged champions" were defeated by underdogs—outsiders not under their control. Losing to those black horses had been an embarrassment they still hadn't forgotten.
Surely this time, they wouldn't let that happen again… right?
(…Wait. Why did the narrator just pause there? That's not reassuring!)
Viviana's opponent, as expected, was a knight backed by the Chamber of Commerce—his armor covered in sponsor crests from multiple corporations.
Facing such a foe, Viviana calmly drew her slender knight's sword.
The audience cheered for her courage, though most of the noise came from her opponent's supporters. Under the loud commentary of the notorious announcer "Greatmouth Mob," the crowd's rhythm turned one-sided—favoring the CC's representative.
Viviana's movements weren't fast, but they were precise.
Within a dozen exchanges, she hadn't lost ground. Each swing of her blade deflected powerful strikes with refined control, tiny sparks flashing at every point of contact.
Felix straightened in his seat, intrigued.
Her swordsmanship was extraordinary—tempered, disciplined—but her physical abilities hadn't yet fully matured. The strength of her technique outpaced her stamina. Without greater power, she couldn't end the fight quickly.
Before long, she began to fall behind. If not for her beautiful yet mysterious Candleflame Originium Arts, which distorted her opponent's vision with shimmering heat, she would have already lost.
"Come on, Knight Viviana!" Amiya cheered, waving a small placard she had made.
Her voice carried through the arena, and soon other spectators began to bang their cheering sticks against the seats, filling the air with chaotic rhythm. The atmosphere turned wild, fueled by the crowd's roar and Mob's frantic commentary.
Felix narrowed his eyes slightly, then said in a calm, almost casual tone:
"She's going to win."
A heartbeat later—BOOM!
The Candleflame Art erupted between the two knights, a burst of blinding light and heat. The audience collectively held its breath, waiting for the smoke to clear.
When it finally did—Viviana stood there, disheveled and bruised, cuts marking her exposed skin. But she was still on her feet.
Her opponent lay unconscious on the ground.
"OOOOHHHHH!!!"
The crowd exploded into frenzied cheers.
Greatmouth Mob, sweating bullets, declared her the victor, though his heart sank. The CC's chosen champion had fallen again—and when the higher-ups heard about this upset, he'd likely be the one to take the blame.
Felix rose from his seat, smiling.
"Come on, Amiya. Let's go meet Knight Viviana."
"Yay~!" Amiya chirped.
It had been a long time since Felix had personally visited the knights' lounge after a match. The last time had been when he sought to recruit the Black Knight. This time, however, his motivation was simpler—he just wanted to satisfy Amiya's curiosity.
As expected, once inside, Amiya immediately began bombarding Viviana with innocent questions, her clear laughter filling the room. Viviana herself didn't seem like a battle-hardened duelist at all—more like a well-bred, soft-spoken noblewoman than a warrior.
After Amiya received a signed autograph, Felix led her out of the arena, the girl humming happily as she held his hand.
Back at the hotel, they found Kal'tsit and ACE waiting.
The two had already returned from their morning outing—apparently, the Chamber of Commerce had eagerly handed them a list of knights available for purchase the moment they mentioned Felix's name.
The list was long, filled with numbered entries and glowing recommendations.
Clearly, the CC smelled profit.
ACE believed that this approach wasn't suitable for Rhodes Island Pharmaceuticals. Since the company had only just begun operations, their resources and funds were still quite limited. Many of the arena knights available for hire were the type easily swayed by money — buying them outright could bring more harm than good. He preferred to speak with them directly instead, to learn their ambitions and ideals firsthand. Only those who shared the same purpose could be trusted for the long term.
For now, business matters were set aside. Through a staff member at the contact point, Magic ZX informed him that Uncle had finally finished working after an all-night shift.
It was around lunchtime when Felix arrived, carrying two boxed meals. He spotted Uncle sitting on a bench at the street corner, still in his suit. The man looked sharp despite the faint stubble on his chin — a trace of exhaustion from the sleepless night.
"They say you come here once every four years," Młynar remarked as he accepted one of the hamburgers.
"I heard from Margaret about the current state of Tomorrow's Development…" He unwrapped the meal and glanced at Felix. "You're doing the right thing — but it's dangerous."
"Isn't that what a true knight would do?" Felix replied with a faint smile.
"A true knight gets crushed and swallowed by reality," Młynar said between bites. "So it's better if you don't become one."
After a pause, he added, "I heard you wanted to see me."
"Tomorrow's Development will soon be cooperating with the Chamber of Commerce," Felix explained. "Młynar, I want you to serve as our representative in Kazimierz."
"The members of the Chamber of Commerce already know?" Młynar asked quietly. "About Kazdel?"
"Yes," Felix nodded. "They see it as an excellent business opportunity."
As for how they had learned of it — the trade activity within the Frontier District was bustling. Merchants from Kazimierz, Lungmen, and Victoria came and went daily. For them, information was the most valuable currency. For an organization as business-minded as the Chamber of Commerce, not knowing would have been strange.
Meanwhile, Lungmen's Wei Yenwu would keep quiet, and Victoria was already a mess of its own — every duke was too busy fighting fires to pay much attention. Even if the news reached them, they would likely dismiss it as a rumor.
"I see… so they want to invest in Kazdel?" Młynar asked.
"In fact, they do," Felix confirmed.
The Chamber of Commerce had seen the perfect opportunity. As the saying goes, the enemy of my enemy is my friend. Kazimierz had long been at odds with Ursus — and Ursus, in turn, had quarreled with nearly every other nation, including Kazdel. To the CC, the current Kazdel posed little threat. This was the ideal time to bring in resources, establish influence, and, in the long run, control it.
Of course, they knew that Kazdel's current regime was under the Tomorrow's Development banner. So, when dealing with their old acquaintance, the CC's members kept their schemes hidden. They knew the Pioneer wasn't like those greedy Victorian nobles — he guarded what was his with an iron hand.
"For now," Felix continued, "I've only signed an agreement for constructing an arena. As for future dealings, I might need your help as an intermediary."
"What do you think, Lord Młynar?"
Młynar hesitated for a moment — before a familiar, teasing voice cut through the air.
"Well, if it isn't the two of you again."
The Lazurite of Armorless Union, Roy, ever casual, dropped himself onto the far end of the bench. He set down the weapon slung over his shoulder and turned toward Felix. "Pioneer, it's been years. How's Platinum doing these days?"
Felix thought back to Platinum — currently assigned to the Lungmen division but eager to transfer to Kazdel. They hadn't worked together much recently; she was well-paid and always took her full vacations. He explained this honestly.
Roy tilted his head back dramatically. "Why are my eyes tearing up…"
"If you want to join Tomorrow's Development," Felix said dryly, "it's not impossible. But if you run off, the Armorless Union will come after you first."
"Hahaha! You really do know the Armorless Union." Roy burst out laughing.
Beside them, Młynar finally lifted his gaze from his burger. "I'll do it," he said simply.
"Excellent." Felix's expression brightened immediately.
Roy leaned closer to Młynar, whispering, "Uh… what exactly did you agree to? Mind telling me— quietly?"
A sharp flash of a sword struck the ground beside him. Roy flinched, quickly crossing one leg over the other and scooting away. "Kidding, kidding~"
"Ah, brings back memories," he sighed with a grin. "Feels just like four years ago — the three of us, sitting on a bench like this."