Perhaps it was because of Felix, or perhaps because Platinum had personally recommended them, but the HR supervisor—if one could call the veiled lady that—treated Siege's group with remarkable gentleness and patience. While they signed their contracts, she took the time to explain Tomorrow's Development from a Sarkaz perspective.
It could be said that Kazdel and its people were able to live safely and peacefully today thanks to Tomorrow's Development, and Felix was the central force behind it all.
That was why every Sarkaz willingly addressed him as their king.
Siege fell silent. Once again, the "king" in her own heritage felt like a bitter joke.
A king should guide their people, should lead them to victory again and again. But what had she actually done?
"Siege, I sense a bit of confusion in you."
The supervisor's voice was soft and airy behind her veil. She looked at the young woman and said, "I hope you find the answer you seek within Tomorrow's Development."
Siege froze. She noticed the worried looks from Indra, Morgan, and Dagda and quickly shook her head. "I'm fine."
The supervisor said nothing more. She entered the information into her terminal.
After the four of them were officially registered as operators of Tomorrow's Development, Platinum led them deeper into the facility. There were fewer operators here than outside, and unlike the armed personnel earlier, this area seemed to have far fewer mercenary types.
"Sarkaz mercenaries have been part of our tradition for generations. Tomorrow's Development is helping our people find a different path so they no longer have to live with a blade pressed to their throats."
Platinum said this as they passed through several doors, finally stopping before a large one.
She knocked lightly. "Boss, may we come in?"
"...Come in."
The response came from inside.
Platinum pushed the door open.
The sight before them was nothing like what Siege had imagined. In her mind, she had pictured a grand throne with Felix—the noble Sankta—sitting upright in uniform, listening solemnly to everyone's reports and making decisions with kingly dignity.
Perhaps that was simply the stereotype of what a king should be.
But the office was utterly ordinary. There was nothing inside that hinted at Felix's status. The large desk was buried under piles of documents. Bookshelves on both sides were packed with all sorts of books written in languages she didn't even recognize.
Behind the desk sat a simple folding bed with bedding and a pillow, clearly prepared so Felix could take short rests whenever necessary.
It was an office so plain it could belong to anyone. And yet this was where the so-called King of Kazdel worked. She couldn't tell whether this simplicity came from thrift or simply from his lack of concern for appearances.
"Finished with the procedures?"
Felix rose and invited them to sit on the sofa.
Platinum naturally slipped into the role of an assistant, pouring tea for everyone. Felix settled into the single-seat sofa and looked at the four of them.
"Since you're here, settle yourselves in. Tomorrow's Development never asks about an operator's past. You should have already read our internal rules when you signed your employment forms. What matters is not the past, but the future."
He paused, then asked, "For the future, what kind of work do you want to pursue within Tomorrow's Development?"
His voice was steady and guiding, spoken with the patience of someone accustomed to teaching.
"Our mercenary unit and the logistics division are both in high demand. Even with large numbers, there are always more missions than people, so we constantly lack manpower. You might consider starting there."
Siege nodded slowly. She had no illusions about changing anything here. For now, she merely needed a place where the four of them could rest.
Seeing they were tired from their long journey, Felix exchanged a few light remarks before ending the meeting.
Perhaps Siege believed she had no strength or influence here, thinking she would remain an ordinary mercenary. But Felix did not see her that way.
She would one day return to Victoria. That was inevitable. And if he wished to intervene in Victoria's affairs, he would need a justified reason.
Although the Military Commission posed no real threat to him, the Sarkaz as a people were still divided. Felix hoped not only to unify Kazdel, but also to help the Sarkaz cast aside their old grudges and move toward a shared future.
He did not mind intervening in Victoria with force, yet such actions would be no different from invasion. No one would speak on his behalf; everyone would see him as another General—an ambitious king who unified Kazdel only to covet Victoria next.
But if he supported Siege, then the outcome would be entirely different.
Back then, when Julius Caesar led his legion across the Rubicon, he did not proclaim that he aimed to seize power in Rome. He declared instead that he rose only to 'defend the rights of the tribunes and the liberty of the Republic.'
Felix thought the same way. Though he was far stronger than Caesar had been, he still needed a legitimate reason if he wished to intervene in the fate and wars of other nations. Just like the Rhodes Island Pharmaceutical Company in his previous life. They had not only supported Siege, but even maintained a branch office in Londinium. Moreover, there had once been an entangled history between Kal'tsit and the General.
Felix had no intention of putting his own operators at risk in Londinium. He had inherited Princess Theresa's ideals and Babel, yet he would not use their past divisions as a pretext for war.
He was the King of Liberation, the King of Dawn—not a King of Conquerors, nor a King of Heroes. As much as he wanted to sweep aside all obstacles by sheer strength, he had to remain on a righteous, open path. Only then could he draw the people of Terra to his side, and attract the players as well.
His interactions with Siege were not merely for the sake of old acquaintanceship. He did not mind deepening their relationship, raising it from a fleeting friendship to the bond of comrades who could stand back-to-back in battle.
After Siege and the others left, Felix leaned back on the single-seat sofa and resumed reading. Now that he had more free time, he no longer had to constantly work on blueprints to gain experience. Money too was no longer an issue except during major construction. More and more, he found himself spending time on books.
He had a deep curiosity about Terra itself—its origins, its past civilizations, the history of the entire planet. These were questions he had never considered seriously as a player. While broadening his knowledge, he gained a bit of experience as well. Unlocking some unusual professions along the way felt natural.
But becoming a king brought new constraints. He could no longer walk the streets freely and mingle with the people as he once did. Sometimes, distance also meant a loss of understanding. He wished to listen to the voices of Kazdel's citizens, only to realize he could no longer simply stroll through the city like an ordinary person.
This made him think of Amiya in his previous life. She had taken on such a heavy burden before the age of fifteen. Back then, he had regarded her only as a cute mascot. Yet in this life, he finally understood the weight she carried.
And then there was the black crown… the one Princess Theresa had given her. Amiya too bore the fate of Kazdel and the Sarkaz.
But now, that black crown seemed to hold little meaning. Kazdel had already been liberated, and the war would end within ten years.
Felix forced his thoughts back to the pages of his book. What he looked forward to now was not much—only the completion of the landship, Venus.
———
Far away in Ursus, the Brotherhood welcomed a group of visitors.
Early that morning, the players of the Holy Knight Federation spotted planes flying overhead. Their first reaction was to assume an enemy attack. But they quickly dismissed the idea. First, Ursus patrol units had neither the funds nor the capability to use aircraft. Second, the sharp-eyed snipers had already noticed the bright Tomorrow's Development logo stamped on the hull.
Were the Pioneers coming again?
The players wondered. But hadn't the Kazdel forum just updated photos of the King of Dawn's new outfit? And now that the Pioneer had become a king, would he really have time to fly all the way to Ursus again?
Soon, they had their answer. The people stepping off the plane were not the Pioneer—nor had the plane even taken off from Kazdel.
Mr. Han and senior members like Xiao Ran Asagiri stepped forward. The players disembarking the aircraft explained that they were from Brisamar City in Iberia, having accepted a task from the Tomorrow's Development Research Institute. Their purpose in Ursus was to collect biological materials from the north.
Mr. Han understood at once. Tomorrow's Development had already extended its influence to many nations. This was the true meaning of "when one region is in trouble, ten others come to support." Ursus currently did not lack manpower, but seeing comrades travel from afar to complete their missions was heartwarming nonetheless.
Soon after, the NPCs aboard the plane descended as well.
Leading them was a petite girl with white hair and red eyes—features beloved by majority players. She wore a thick research coat suited for cold climates. According to the accompanying players, her name was Weedy. She was the leader of this "expedition team" and also the director of the Iberia branch of the Tomorrow's Development Research Institute. Despite her appearance, her academic credentials were impeccable.
Mr. Han nodded, wearing a calm, mature smile as he stepped forward to greet Weedy.
"I've heard about your Holy Knight Federation from adventurers… It must be difficult living in a region like this."
Weedy shook hands with Mr. Han. "We may have to trouble you for a while this time."
"It's nothing, really. The inn in our town hasn't had business for ages. The owner is about to cry. Your arrival might finally cheer him up."
Mr. Han nodded with a polite smile, and look towards the aircraft.
Xiao Ran A followed his line of sight and saw a few NPCs in Tomorrow's Development uniforms unloading research equipment. He quickly called some people over to help.
From their explanation, they were researchers accompanying the director on a materials-collection mission. Two of them left a deep impression on Xiao Ran A. The NPC with the codename "Elysium" was a chatterbox with a sharp tongue, always throwing in a perfectly timed comment or sarcastic remark, yet somehow still very likable.
The other researcher, codename "Thorn," specialized in pharmaceuticals. He spoke little, but every sentence was on point. His attire suggested a free-spirited temperament, and the sword at his side made it clear he was more than just a researcher.
Xiao Ran A arranged rooms for the entire group at the inn. As everyone left the landing area, he suddenly felt something was off.
It seemed he hadn't heard Mr. Han's voice in quite a while. Where did that guy go?
Turning around, he spotted Mr. Han still rooted in place like a statue, as if someone had cast a petrification spell on him. His eyes still blinked and breathing showed he was alive, but he hadn't moved an inch.
Xiao Ran A was about to speak when Mr. Han suddenly dissolved into a flash of white light.
What the heck?
It was three in the afternoon in the real world. Although it was a weekday, these players' "jobs" were to play the game. Did something urgent make him log out? But normally, people would open their interface before logging out.
Xiao Ran A figured there was only one explanation: Mr. Han had been AFK too long and got disconnected.
This feature existed so that if a player fell asleep in the game, they would fall asleep in reality as well. Usually it was used at night. A player would lay down in-game at night, and since real-world time matched, they would naturally fall asleep. When they woke up, they would be in their real bed rather than inside the game.
This was the auto-logout sleep feature.
Normally… no active player would ever trigger it. After all, they were constantly moving, jumping, running around.
So what was up with Mr. Han? Did he really just freeze?