After flying for dozens of hours, most players passed the ti scrolling forum posts, chatting, or simply logging off to play other gas—transport missions were dull, after all.
But when Senomi, now acting as a flight attendant, pushed the dinner cart down the aisle, many of the "mouse-auntie" players couldn't help but get emotional. They had practically watched Senomi grow up. To see her now, tall and graceful, felt surreal. In this world the players never aged—but the NPCs did.
The shy little girl who once hid behind the Pioneer had beco a beautiful young lady.
The reunion naturally set off a flurry of excitent. The "mouse aunties" jostled to give Senomi gifts. So slipped her useless "trash" items, others openly fard her favorability. Whether they were professional players, hardcore veterans, or just casuals, few could resist the rare experience of watching a child NPC grow into adulthood.
Maybe it was Ark's ani-like core design, but while real-world teenage girls often gave players headaches—sotis literally, especially for those with younger sisters at ho—what they wanted here was the idealized 2D little sister.
And Senomi had beco just that in their eyes.
Sweet-tongued as always, Senomi had grown used to dealing with these adventurers. To her, these brothers, sisters, and "mouse aunties" weren't the inhuman "Undead" the nobles called them. They were just people—Terra's people—ordinary terrans living on the sa earth.
The transport plane dipped into Kazimierz airspace. Felix steered toward the airport tower's beacon and began the landing sequence.
Players felt the bump of wheels touching ground and instantly perked up—everyone but a handful of low-stamina newbies, who stumbled off with a nasty [Air-Sick] debuff.
As they stread out of the plane, they noticed several large tour buses parked nearby. In front of them stood an NPC in glasses, sharp-suited, radiating the energy of a seasoned corporate salaryman.
The players blinked.
What kind of welco party is this? Did the Pioneer actually arrange a tour group? That's… way too considerate. But what's with the corporate guy? Is he the guide?
Before the chatter could escalate, Felix walked up and shook the man's hand.
"Welco back to Kazimierz, Pioneer."
The salaryman pushed up his glasses, tone warm yet businesslike. He bowed slightly.
"I heard you're traveling with many staff mbers. We've prepared buses for transport. As for the hotel you booked, we've upgraded your reservation free of charge. I hope you and your company will enjoy a most pleasant stay."
Felix nodded. "Much appreciated."
"This is my card," the man added smoothly. "Should you need anything in Kazimierz, don't hesitate to contact ."
The NPC carefully avoided ntioning the Black Knight, still officially barred from entering due to the Chamber of Comrce's ban. His relief was palpable—before eting the Pioneer, he'd studied every scrap of intel available, worried about making the wrong move. The Chamber's stance toward this partner was unusually welcoming, but that only made him tread more carefully.
anwhile, the players were already whispering among themselves.
"Did he just say Chamber of Comrce?"
"Yeah. Isn't that the big bad from the Zero-Type raid storyline?"
Dandao Dantart lowered his voice toward Dreamchaser, the theorycrafter who'd broken down that entire dungeon's plot thread by thread on the forums. Thanks to his posts—and the firsthand reports from Kazimierz locals—players now had a working map of the factions at play.
"Mm. The Comrcial League monopolizes Kazimierz's promotions and trade. The knight tournants? All orchestrated by them."
Dreamchaser nodded. "From what the story's shown us so far, in Kazimierz, the Chamber of Comrce is everything to knights and wage slaves alike—their bread and butter. And it's thanks to them that Kazimierz's economy skyrocketed over the past few decades."
"So exaggerated?"
"The Kazimierz Major happens every four years, and the crowd numbers each ti are staggering."
He continued in a lower tone, "And not just the big tournant. According to my Kazimierz buddy, every mobile city here hosts its own annual city-scale tournant."
"…That's literally like local leagues, all-stars, then the world championships in real life."
The players grumbled, but not too loudly. They were still newcors in foreign territory, and more importantly, still part of Tomorrow's Developnt. Their Pioneer seed to have a good relationship with the Chamber of Comrce. Sure, everyone knew the Organization wasn't so shining paragon of justice, but they had all heard firsthand what that their representative had promised them.
And besides, badmouthing them was sothing best saved for when they were back at the hotel.
They boarded the bus, cruising along the highways of the Kawalerielki City. For Magic ZX and a few others who had been here before, returning stirred a wave of nostalgia. For those entering for the first ti, it was like arriving in Lungn all over again—their eyes darting everywhere in wide curiosity.
The infrastructure and skyline hadn't changed much in the four years since Magic ZX's last visit. The only differences were costic—so decorations, the ads flickering on the giant screens.
Or… maybe not even that.
The star of the ads hadn't changed.
It was still the Light Armor Knight, front and center on every poster. His slender armor and rapier scread sleek design. It looked like he had a new sponsor this year, and though he'd aged four years, he now carried a more mature air. But that trademark playful, teasing smirk still lingered, the sa one that sent his fangirls into a frenzy. He looked less like a knight of battle and more like a dashing noble dancing with a blade.
That, of course, was the "image" the Comrcial League had given him.
"What round are they at?"
"Tomorrow, the four divisions—north, south, east, west—will hold their finals. After that, the winners and losers bracket matches kick off next week."
The company rep handed Felix a booklet for this year's tournant. He flipped through casually—rules, dates, venues, and, of course, knight profiles.
First up, naturally, was the Light Armor Knight. Next ca the familiar Blue Flow Knight. Four years had passed, but the middle-aged woman looked untouched by ti, still radiating the charm of a seasoned beauty.
Beyond them were dozens of fresh faces—new knights clad in sponsor-branded armor and weapons, eyes fierce with ambition, every one of them burning for the champion's throne.
Felix turned toward the back. On the fourth-to-last page, he spotted a familiar na.
[Knight] Margaret Nearl, Age 16.
Her armor looked plain, almost old-fashioned. In her hands, a long, broad-bladed lance. She gazed calmly at the cara, expression steady, unadorned.
Her profile and interview read as dry, ordinary—even forgettable. No sponsors. No knightly order backing her. She was entering entirely on her own.
To the average spectator, the only thing worth noting was her looks—stern, regal beauty that, with proper packaging, would have no trouble drawing fans.
The players flipped through the booklet as well, whistling at the flashy gear. So rated the knights' appearances, others chuckled at their Q&A answers.
The bus finally pulled up at the hotel. The League rep bid Felix farewell and left. The players gawked once more at the sheer luxury of it all—pri real estate, just two streets from the Grand Arena itself. In a city where every inch of land was priceless, this was the Comrcial League flexing its muscle.
The rooms they were given were doubles. As soon as the players entered, so flopped onto their beds and laughed like fools, while others headed straight to the balcony, staring out at the noisy, bustling city. Sohow, the constant hum of comrce and chatter felt… nice. Almost like it had a cyberpunk kind of beauty.
Felix had assigned them a task: take on a commission inside the Kawalerielki City. So, a few night-owl players who couldn't sleep decided to group up and wander through the city streets, keeping an eye out for NPCs with those familiar yellow exclamation marks floating above their heads.
It was also a subtle way to promote Tomorrow's Developnt.
Sitting comfortably, Felix held a glass of red wine while reading the tabloids full of knightly gossip. The Chamber of Comrce had upgraded his original deluxe suite into a presidential one, and right now Senomi sat beside him, feeding him grapes. On the balcony, Loughshinny gazed silently into the distance, her eyes fixed on this mobile city so utterly different from Londinium—or from any moving city across Victoria.
"Teacher Felix," she finally asked, "other than watching the tournant, do you have other plans here?"
Mostima, lounging at his other side, slipped off her jacket and leaned against him, her chest brushing his arm. "Mm… what, promoting Tomorrow's Developnt?"
"Not this ti," Felix replied, lightly tapping her forehead. "Every business and industry here is under the Comrce's thumb. If we opened branch, they'd strip us bare. This trip is just to strike a deal with them, nothing more."
Mostima studied his eyes for a long mont, then smiled. "Feels like you're always scheming sothing else." She leaned closer, her voice softer. "But… if you need , just say the word."
"Mm."
Without hesitation, Mostima kissed him right on the lips before leaving with the twitching, red-faced Fiamtta. The two still had ssenger work to run these few days, but Felix wasn't worried—he trusted them completely.
"W-whoa…"
Senomi quickly covered her eyes, though her fingers left a tiny gap. She'd seen everything. So master likes being the passive one? Then maybe… should I take the initiative?
With her cheeks flushed, she shuffled closer, pressing her small body against his arm. "Um… brother, what's your plan now?"
"eting an old friend," Felix answered, glancing at Loughshinny, who'd just stepped back in from the balcony with her face faintly red. "What about you two?"
"Eh? Maybe just wander the city a bit."
Senomi tried to hide her disappointnt, but it showed. She understood her brother had "grown-up" matters to handle, but deep down she really wanted to stroll the city at his side.
Felix noticed. He reached over and ruffled her fluffy hair and ears. "Don't pout. I'll take you shopping another ti. But right now, I'm heading to a bar to et soone—and you're still underage. No getting into bars yet."
The words left him with a pang of guilt. After all, when he first walked into a bar for a drink, he hadn't even been twenty himself. His body might've been underage, but his soul was already grown. That had to count, right?
"I get it," Senomi said softly. Then she perked up, grabbing Loughshinny's hand. "I'll go exploring with big sis, then. See you later, brother!"
"Mm. I'll make ti to shop with you, I promise."
"Heehee. You're the best, brother. Love you most."
Before leaving, Senomi gave Felix an overly enthusiastic hug, her lips brushing his cheek with what she clearly ant as a sister's grateful kiss—or at least that's how Felix insisted on interpreting it. He definitely wasn't overthinking it.
What lay ahead for him wasn't all that different from four years ago: wait for every actor to step onto the stage, let the mantis chase the cicada, and when the ti was right, swoop in as the oriole to claim the prize. That was his plan. Rational, effective. But Felix also knew that, when necessary, he had to show a clear stance.
Tomorrow's Developnt had always maintained neutrality with other factions. As its leader, Felix had to set the example. Still, showing flashes of his own emotions at the right monts only made him more terran—and more magnetic.
For a knight raised in Kazimierz, it was natural to loathe and fear the Chamber of Comrce. But Felix, whether in his past life or now, had dealt with them many tis. To him, they were a reliable force in their own way: if you had money, you could buy anything. And that was enough.
As his chanical familiar buzzed to life, scanning the city around him, Felix left the hotel and strolled down Golden Feather Avenue, heading for a bar he knew all too well.
"Welco to—oh, well, look who it is. Now that's a rare sight."
Bald Martin was still behind the counter, polishing the sa perpetually spotless glass, a grin tugging at his lips. "I figured the winds of the knight tournants would blow you back eventually. So, tell —this ti, which knight are you planning to buy?"
Felix nearly choked. What kind of person did this guy take him for? Were knights commodities to be bought and sold? The way he said it had zero finesse.
…Still, he wasn't wrong. Felix did have a bit of a knight-collecting obsession.
"Well, if it isn't Felix. Four years gone, and you've finally started looking like a man!"
White Bear's massive paw slapped down on his shoulder. At the bar, an old knight swiveled around, raising his cup with a grin.
"Been too long. Let's drink to it!"
"Cheers!"
So what was the first thing Felix did upon returning to the Kawalerielki City?
Not business. Not plotting.
Drinking with bros.
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