"Ah~ Ines, long time no see! Well, not that long—what's it been, ten days?"
The white-haired girl tossed a grenade up and down as she spoke, then drove her boot mercilessly into a mercenary's groin. His eyes bulged as he crumpled to the ground.
"Filth like you coming here to stir up trouble is one thing," she sneered, "but trying to sneak into Babel? You've got guts, I'll give you that."
The mercenary on the ground spat at her feet. "You people who've forgotten your hatred are no better than livestock."
The girl let out a sharp laugh. "Hatred? What's that—something you can eat?"
"You—!"
Before things could escalate further, Ines stepped forward and blocked the girl's path. Her eyes flicked subtly toward Felix, who stood watching in silence. "W, that's enough. What's going on here?"
The girl—W—smiled again, though there was something unsettling about it this time. "These scumbags tried to assassinate the teachers at the academy."
She casually tossed two short blades to the ground. "Here, their weapons. As for witnesses—you can ask the terrified students. I blew these two away just before they could strike."
With both evidence and testimony in hand, Ines's expression turned cold. "That's enough. Call the security unit."
The Frontier District had its own internal administration and chain of command. Most senior positions were filled by mercenaries trusted by Ulšulah, while other posts were eagerly taken up by the players themselves.
After all, the Frontier District was a rising land of opportunity—a place built by the Pioneer and the players together. They not only had the right but the responsibility to govern it well.
The Security Unit consisted of experienced Sarkaz mercenaries and capable players. Over time, the Sarkaz had come to accept the district as a genuine city—different from the nomadic cities of Kazdel. Many even began to think of it as home.
Soon, the player-led security team arrived at the scene—and the moment they saw Felix, their eyes went wide.
"Holy crap—Pioneer!"
"Waaah, Pioneer big bro's back! I feel alive again!"
"Wow, talk about luck! Quick, gifts—bring out the gifts!"
"Damn, these two ladies are gorgeous! I'm simping so hard right now!"
The players, excited beyond measure, began rummaging through their pouches for gifts. What they pulled out were mostly treasures they'd dug up from "archaeological sites"—bottles, trinkets, rare unidentified relics, and the occasional weapon. Useless to them perhaps, but if it raised the Pioneer's favorability? Totally worth it.
Felix couldn't help but chuckle helplessly as he accepted their offerings. Among the gifts were a few items worth appraising, though most were… well, junk to him. Still, he smiled warmly and thanked them, which immediately filled the players with a sense of belonging.
Whether their "affection points" actually increased didn't matter—he accepted their gifts, and that alone meant he remembered us! (or so they believed, dramatically.)
After handing over their presents, the players quickly composed themselves. Once they'd confirmed the details with Ines and W, they restrained the two captured mercenaries and hauled them off toward the prison, where they would face interrogation and sentencing under the district's judicial process.
Ines looked at Felix with quiet confusion. Usually, her work only took her between Kazdel and Lungmen to deliver reports. It was at Hoederer's suggestion that she began accompanying Felix—to understand Tomorrow's Development better. This was her first time witnessing such a… bizarre scene.
She glanced down at the pile of gifts and equipment that had somehow ended up in her arms, utterly lost as to what to do with them.
Beside her, W looked equally bewildered—her twin red antennae twitching in visible irritation. When had she ever been surrounded by adventurers this… enthusiastic? Their burning passion made her uneasy, and when she tried to snap at them with her usual sarcasm, a few even enjoyed it—asking her to insult them more.
What the hell was wrong with these people?
The three stood there in silence for a moment before W finally turned toward Felix. Her sharp eyes narrowed, voice carrying a strange mix of disdain and curiosity.
"So you're the so-called Pioneer the princess mentioned. Hmph… I'm a little disappointed. I expected someone more impressive. You're just… ordinary."
"W…"
Ines could only sigh and rub her forehead.
Whose child was this again?
…Right. Hers.
"I really am just an ordinary person."
Felix smiled faintly. He remembered exactly who she was — the mischievous, sharp-tongued demolitions expert nicknamed by players as the "Bomb-Girl." and "Cockroach." She never hid her disdain toward adventurers and had a reputation for taunting them for fun. Even back at Rhodes Island, she treated the Doctor and Kal'tsit with the same irreverence. Only in front of that soft-hearted little rabbit, Amiya, would she occasionally show a trace of patience.
Before W could continue, Ines stepped in to stop her provocation.
"W, did your reconnaissance mission turn up anything new?"
"Oh, it did~," W replied, blinking impishly. A sly grin spread across her face.
"What if I told you that the assassination attempt just now was only the beginning?"
"What do you mean?" Ines asked, her tone sharpening.
"When I was… asking questions," W drawled, "they said someone will avenge them. Someone else has already accepted the same job."
She chuckled darkly. "So tell me — do you think the Military Council will attack this place next?"
Felix shook his head. "Not an open assault. But smaller assassination attempts like this one? Yes, that's possible."
His expression grew serious. "We'll need to impose martial law within the district. Every entry and exit must go through strict identity verification."
As he spoke, he began walking forward. "Let's go find Ulšulah."
Ines sighed helplessly and glanced at W. The latter pulled a silly face at her before following after Felix, muttering under her breath,
"…I really want to see what's so special about you that Her Highness keeps talking about."
Unlike Ines and Hoederer, W had chosen to follow "Her Highness" during the handover operations with Babel. While she still took on mercenary contracts occasionally, she sometimes accepted missions from Babel's network as well — especially if the pay was good.
The only reason she had joined Babel at all was because of Her Highness.
And that same person spoke often, almost fondly, of the Pioneer.
That fact didn't sit well with W.
Why him? Why the Pioneer?
"Hey, hey, Pioneer," W began casually, walking beside Felix. "Where do you usually hang around? Haven't seen you much in the district."
It wasn't just small talk — she was probing for information. She wanted to understand what kind of person could earn Her Highness's admiration. She doubted it was just because he was good-looking — Her Highness wouldn't be that shallow.
"In Lungmen," Felix replied simply.
"Lungmen… that's in Yan, right? But you're a Sankta, aren't you? Why not stay in Laterano?"
"I'm a stray Sankta," Felix said with a mild smile. "Being born a Sankta only gave me a slightly better starting point. But it doesn't help much with what I want to accomplish."
He looked ahead, his tone calm but firm. "Tell me, if twenty years ago a Sankta saw me walking side by side with people like you, what do you think he would've done?"
"Hahaha — probably executed you on the spot?" W scoffed.
"Close enough," Felix said lightly. "He wouldn't risk falling from grace by drawing his gun at me himself, but he'd report me to the Laterano Notarial Hall for judgment."
He continued, "To me, whether you're a Sankta or a Sarkaz doesn't matter. At our core, we're all the same — we're all Terrans."
"What about the Infected then?" W pressed, her eyes narrowing.
"They're Terrans too," Felix replied evenly. "Terrans suffering from an incurable disease. Does that explanation satisfy you?"
"Hmph. Big talk. You know what the Infected really are, don't you?" W shot back with a scoff.
"You're right," Felix admitted, nodding. "That's the prejudice rooted deep in most Terrans' hearts — the way they've always seen the Infected. What I'm doing is trying to change that, little by little. Maybe it sounds like empty words, maybe it sounds arrogant — but that's my goal."
W fell silent. She had only meant to provoke him with a few sarcastic jabs, but his calm conviction left her at a loss for words — and oddly irritated.
She didn't know why she was angry… only that she was.
Ines, meanwhile, glanced quietly at Felix.
Tomorrow's Development — his organization — was turning out to be far more formidable than she had expected.
Unlike Babel, whose membership was composed mostly of Sarkaz and other outcasts, Tomorrow's Development held a unique advantage: its inclusiveness.
Babel had always been a haven for the Sarkaz — a people despised by the world. For ordinary Terrans, joining them required first accepting the Sarkaz… and then, the Infected.
From Ines's perspective, Tomorrow's Development didn't feel like a charity or a rescue group for the Infected at all. Instead, it resembled a vast, multifaceted megacorporation — a force that spanned countless industries. From logistics and mercenary work to engineering and scientific research, the organization touched nearly every aspect of daily life.
Particularly impressive was its scientific division. Ines had once accompanied a few adventurers to submit research materials, and what she saw left a deep impression — a facility that looked, in Felix's own words, "just like the Columbian Institute of Advanced Research." Professors from all over Terra worked there: scientists from Columbia, Tianshi from Yan, even high-tower spire from Leithania.
They had set aside their old prejudices and hatreds, dedicating themselves wholly to research. Nearly forty percent of Tomorrow's Development's annual budget last year had been poured into science, and from what Ines heard from Felix, that share would only increase this year.
Later, W followed Felix into Ulšulah's office. After recruiting several capable subordinates, Ulšulah had distributed much of her authority to others. Now, aside from serving as acting governor, she mainly oversaw public security and the city's defenses.
When Ulšulah saw Felix, however, her composed expression faltered. A faint blush crept onto her face, her demeanor turning oddly shy. W quietly clicked her tongue, turning away with visible disgust. Really? A Sarkaz acting like that? How embarrassing.
For some reason, Ulšulah's "flustered puppy" behavior struck W as oddly familiar — though she couldn't quite place why.
Ines ignored the girl's unspoken commentary and calmly delivered a full report: everything W had uncovered and what could happen before the year's end. Ulšulah's expression grew tense at once.
"Adventurers patrolling the outskirts have reported seeing many unfamiliar faces in the city these past few days," she said gravely.
Felix's eyes narrowed slightly. "The messenger's warning about the coming Catastrophe has already been made public, hasn't it? Don't they realize they're standing right where the next Originium storm is going to hit?"
Ulšulah understood immediately. "Then it's very likely these newcomers are assassins sent by the Military Council. I'll have the word spread right away."
"I'll be right back," Ines said, grabbing a half-protesting W by the arm and dragging her along to relay the message. W struggled for a moment, then gave up, unusually quiet.
That silence made Ines curious. She glanced at the sulking girl and asked with a small smile, "What's wrong now?"
"…Nothing," W muttered. "I just… kind of get why people follow him, that's all. Just a little."
She raised her fingers and pinched them together, leaving only a sliver of space between them — just that little bit.
Ines chuckled softly. W, honest for once? Now that was something you didn't see every day.
"Oh? Because he cares about the Frontier District?" she teased. "You do realize how many Sarkaz live here, right?"
"Ugh, Ines, you're so noisy!" W snapped, waving her arms. "Of course I know! You don't have to remind me! Hmph. He's probably just doing it for his company anyway. If the district gets destroyed, all those adventurers would lose their home base, right?"
"Heh."
"Ines… do you want to get blown up?"
Ines only laughed again, ignoring the threat. Her form blurred into shadow as she darted off into the distance, leaving W behind.
W kicked a small rock on the street, her mood worsening by the second. Ines had gone off on her mission, Hoederer was out on a hunting operation… and she was the only one left behind.
Maybe I should hitch a ride with some adventurers to Babel, she thought bitterly. See if Her Highness needs anything.
That was what she told herself. But her feet carried her back toward Ulšulah's office. It wasn't because she wanted to check on the teachers' safety. Absolutely not.
…Probably.
She clicked her tongue, remembering the messy handwriting on her practice sheet back home. If her teacher ended up dead, who was she supposed to learn penmanship from?
Just as she reached the office door, she heard strange noises coming from inside.
Her instincts as a scout kicked in immediately. With a swift motion, she climbed the nearby water pipe and crept up to the window.
When she peeked through the glass, her crimson eyes widened — and her two red antennae instantly shot upright in shock.
No way—!
Ulšulah was pressing Felix against the wall, kissing him fervently.
Shameless! Pervert! Death penalty! W's mind screamed. Does she have no Sarkaz pride left?! Doing something like this in broad daylight— she's disgracing the entire mercenary profession!
Her face flushed deep red as she heard Ulšulah's breathless voice from inside. For a brief moment, W's fingers twitched toward her grenades. The urge to blow the two of them sky-high was very real.
But in the end, she let out a sharp "hmph," jumped down from the pipe, and turned away.
Fine. I'll just come back later and ask if she's got any demolition jobs available.
Still, as she stomped off down the street, her expression remained stormy.
She was, in a word—
extremely not in the mood.