Dressed lightly in this environment, the three girls inevitably fell victim to mosquito bites. However, due to the heat wave and high temperatures, the surroundings were unusually quiet, broken only by the distant chatter of workers.
Mostima narrowed her eyes slightly. From Felix, she had learned that obsidian mining was once a common practice in Siesta, used primarily to produce handicrafts. Later, however, Catastrophe Messengers and geologists discovered that excessive obsidian mining disrupted the habitat of Originium slugs living deep within the volcano. These disruptions altered their ecological environment, causing the once-harmless creatures to flee the intense heat and migrate toward Siesta itself. If that happened, the city would face complete destruction.
After careful consideration, Herman abandoned obsidian mining altogether and shifted Siesta's development toward tourism. With its inland sea and volcanic terrain, the region remained hot year-round and gradually transformed into a resort city beloved by the people of Terra.
Yet now, people were openly collecting obsidian again, despite the mining ban. According to the workers, the orders had come from the mayor's secretary, Cronin.
Mostima curled her lips faintly. She was highly sensitive to such underhanded affairs. Back when she worked at the Notarial Hall, she had handled countless similar cases throughout Laterano. She was no stranger to political maneuvering. From what she had seen, the situation in Siesta was already clear to her.
Which raised another question: why had Herman chosen to leave at such a strange moment?
Felix had once remarked that Herman was exceptionally bold. It was obvious now that this incident was what he had meant.
Herman intended to use Tomorrow's Development and Rhodes Island Pharmaceuticals to uncover the truth, then return as mayor once everything was exposed. Dealing with Rhodes Island might be feasible, but Tomorrow's Development was an entirely different matter.
After all, it was easy to invite a god, but far harder to send one away. Did he truly believe he could summon the Tomorrow's Developments and even their leader, then dismiss them at will?
As Mostima pondered this, the workers carrying freshly mined obsidian passed by and disappeared behind the bushes.
"What should we do next?" Eyjafjalla whispered, glancing at Mostima. With the most experience among them, she had naturally become the backbone of the trio.
Mostima rested her chin on her hand and thought for a moment. "Changes in temperature affect the ecology of the Originium slugs. To observe this properly and determine whether it poses a threat to Siesta, we need to go deeper."
Angelina clenched her small fist. "Um… I'll do my best!"
Mostima gently patted Angelina's head, and the three of them continued onward, heading deeper into the volcano.
Along the way, they spotted pieces of obsidian left behind from earlier mining. The stones glimmered with a dark, jade-like sheen under the sunlight. Angelina instinctively reached out to pick one up, but Mostima stopped her.
"The edges of obsidian are extremely sharp. You could cut yourself if you're not careful."
"Ah… thank you, Sister Mostima," Angelina replied softly, her cheeks reddening.
They bypassed the construction site as the road narrowed and grew increasingly difficult to traverse. Even so, the workers had managed to carve out a passable path. After walking for about fifteen minutes, Mostima suddenly raised her hand, stopping Angelina and Eyjafjalla.
"!"
The two girls followed her gaze. Scattered across the uneven rocks and mountain path ahead were dozens of scarlet-hued Originium slugs, busily foraging.
Originium slugs are omnivorous creatures. They do not pollute the environment or spread Oripathy and can even be kept as pets. Research from Columbia University has shown that they possess a rudimentary memory, enough to recognize their owner.
However, a riot of Originium slugs is another matter entirely. Under certain conditions, such as abnormal weather or Originium-related disasters, they act collectively. What makes them truly dangerous is that after death, Originium particles clinging to their bodies can cause localized infections.
For this reason, those who raise Originium slugs usually keep only one. If a group were to riot, no individual could possibly handle the situation.
Fortunately, the bugs before them were only feeding. Once confined to the depths of the volcano, they had now migrated to the mountainside in search of food. Being omnivorous, they bit into anything they encountered. Obsidian, wood, stone, it made no difference.
Eat, eat, eat.
At least several dozen Originium slugs were gathered here. Just as Mostima was about to step forward to investigate, the bugs suddenly stopped feeding all at once and began wriggling downhill together.
Mostima felt a surge of unease. She leaned in and whispered a few words into Angelina's ear. In response, Angelina gently lifted Mostima into the air. What they saw next made their hearts sink.
Farther down the mountainside, hundreds of Originium slugs were writhing across the slope. They moved in unison, as if responding to a single command, steadily advancing downhill.
"…Sister Mostima, what should we do now?"
Eyjafjalla noticed the tension on Mostima's face, while Angelina had gone pale, as though she had witnessed something horrifying.
"Evacuate immediately… and inform Felix," Mostima said without hesitation.
There was no point in continuing the investigation. If they ventured any deeper, they risked being surrounded by Originium slugs. Although they could likely break through with Originium Arts, doing so would provoke the swarm. If an infection were to spread, the entire volcano would become a forbidden zone.
With that in mind, Mostima grasped the hands of the other two and hurried them down the mountain.
___
After lunch, Felix took a short rest, watched a movie alone in the villa, then changed his clothes and left.
The Rhodes Island operators had already entered the city, while their business partner, Herman, had departed earlier under some pretext. Neither Kal'tsit nor Amiya could have imagined that their arrival was, in truth, part of Herman's plan to "save" Siesta.
Felix passed by the city hall where he had discussed business the day before. Now, however, it was occupied by the same three people who seemed never to leave: Kal'tsit, Amiya, and the Doctor. Despite the summer heat, their attire looked no different from what they had worn months ago.
A flustered staff member bowed repeatedly in apology, while Amiya waved her hand gently in understanding. She did not blame him at all. Although Herman had summoned them for talks, it was indeed strange that he was nowhere to be found upon their arrival. Still, Amiya would not take her frustration out on an innocent person.
Cronin, who was leading the group, also bowed obsequiously before guiding two staff members up the steps into city hall.
"So busy," Amiya murmured as she watched the constant flow of people in and out of the building. A wave of hot wind swept past, and she instinctively raised a hand to shield her eyes.
"What's our next move, Dr. Kal'tsit?" the Doctor asked.
The Doctor had long since realized that while operators followed her commands in combat, in daily life she was the one following Kal'tsit's orders. Medical checkups, overtime, mandatory rest, none of it was optional. If not for Amiya's constant presence at her side, she would have been exhausted already.
Kal'tsit frowned slightly. When she looked up, she spotted Felix standing not far away, dressed casually. Her gaze lingered on his outfit for a brief moment before returning to his face.
"Brother Felix!"
Amiya darted over like a swallow returning to its nest and threw herself into his arms, her face bright with joy. "I saw the Venus nearby when Rhodes Island docked! I never expected to meet you so soon after entering the city. I'm so happy!"
Felix gently patted Amiya's head. He noticed the peculiar look in Kal'tsit's eyes and led Amiya forward by the hand. "Dr. Kal'tsit, Doctor, it's been a long time since we parted in Lungmen. I didn't expect to see you again so soon. It seems Rhodes Island and Tomorrow's Development are truly fated to cross paths."
The Doctor stared at Felix in disbelief, her eyes fixed on his… clothing.
He was dressed just like the other male tourists, wearing a loose summer shirt left open at the front, exposing his abdominal muscles and part of his chest, paired with shorts. He looked like a model hired to advertise summer wear.
Kal'tsit's gaze traced upward from his abs before settling on his face.
"The deal between Tomorrow's Developments and Herman is finished."
"Yeah, just like you said," Felix replied with a shrug. "Herman only discussed a very ordinary drone order with me. Tomorrow's Development is just here on holiday. Once business is done, we might as well enjoy the Obsidian Festival."
Amiya blushed when she realized that what she had just embraced was Felix's bare chest. She smiled shyly.
"If you don't have any plans, why not come with me to the Obsidian Festival?" Felix said, taking Amiya's small hand. "You two don't have anything scheduled right now, do you?"
Kal'tsit glanced at him and admitted, at least to herself, that he had a point. After the Lungmen incident, Rhodes Island Pharmaceuticals had gradually returned to normal operations. In recent months, they had taken on numerous commissions and missions across various regions, and the operators had been training and working harder than ever.
Some of them felt that the employees of Rhodes Island Pharmaceuticals deserved a proper break. Maintaining a balance between work and rest was, after all, the right approach.
The Doctor nodded in agreement, Amiya looked intrigued, and Kal'tsit raised no objections. She gave Felix a brief nod, signaling him to lead the way.
Their first stop was a swimsuit shop. Unlike the previous days, when it had been crowded with operators from Tomorrow's Development, it was now packed with Rhodes Island operators. Herman was certainly making a fortune this time.
Nearby, Amiya paced back and forth in front of a children's swimwear display, while the Doctor and Kal'tsit stood off to the side.
"Aren't you going to buy anything?" Felix asked, turning to the two who looked distinctly out of place.
The Doctor sighed. "Due to physical reasons… I can't remove this hood. According to Dr. Kal'tsit and Dr. Warfarin, my bodily functions have certain issues. I can't make direct contact with the land of Terra."
Alright, that was a reasonable explanation.
Kal'tsit noticed Felix's glance but said nothing, her attention remaining on Amiya.
Felix couldn't recall ever seeing Kal'tsit in anything other than her medical uniform. Theresa had once told him how striking Kal'tsit looked in her former tuxedo and maid's attire, but honestly, he found it hard to imagine.
In the end, Amiya picked out a cute children's swimsuit, one that suited her perfectly in every sense. After Felix paid, he took her out onto the lively street. Kal'tsit and the Doctor followed quietly behind. The two rarely spoke, or perhaps the Doctor was simply a little intimidated by Kal'tsit.
Felix couldn't help but feel that Amiya had it hard. She must have put in a great deal of effort to keep everyone getting along.
Naturally, Amiya herself noticed none of this. She tugged on Felix's hand and led him toward an ice cream stall, a Laterano specialty. The stall owner's eyes lit up the moment he saw Felix, as though he had just met an idol.
"A new legend, the Dawn Flash!"
"?" Felix looked at the cheerful old man in confusion. "You know me?"
"The golden crown of liberation, the wings of pioneering… You must be Lord Felix Lanshem, yes?" The old man smiled as he prepared ice cream for the four of them. "Your deeds have already spread throughout Sankta. The cardinals believe your actions follow your own path, and every achievement of yours is worthy of legend. After Mr. 'Clip' Cliff and Guns and Order Mr. Agenir, you are the new legend."
Felix blinked. "What does the name 'Dawn Flash' mean?"
The old man smiled warmly. "His Holiness the Pope said you are the flash of light that pierces the endless darkness, bringing the dawn to the people and to this land."
It was affirmation from the Pope himself, and a clear expression of Laterano's stance toward him.
"Dawn Flash… it really suits Brother Felix," Amiya said with a gentle smile.
[Title: Dawn Flash]
Title Effect: Friendly units' charm evaluation x3, enemy units' charm evaluation x2, increased initial affinity with all allies.
Charm again? Felix frowned slightly, then nodded when he saw the boost to initial affinity. Unless someone was a red hostile unit who regarded him as an enemy, he could likely recruit anyone he met to fight alongside him.
This was the true value of being a legend, and this was Laterano's third legend.
It might also explain why the female operators had been looking at him strangely these past few days. Felix let out a sigh. "Why does it only increase charm?"