"The future planning of the Kazdel Mobile City…"
"Kazdel was built by the hands of the Sarkaz. As for its future… although Tomorrow's Development holds jurisdiction for now, I want to hear every Sarkaz voice. I want to know what they think. And the pureblood Sarkaz tribe among them — I need to understand their situation as well."
Felix spoke plainly, looking at Qalaiša with sincere eyes as he extended his invitation.
"Qalaiša, I hope you'll join us. Tell us what the Nachzehrers need."
'Please don't let it be a morgue,' he thought. Though it probably wasn't that gross.
He had learned a bit about the Nachzehrers from Theresa: in the past, they really did feed on corpses and rotting meat, but over time they evolved. Now their sustenance came primarily from absorbing life force, not physical consumption.
Qalaiša blinked, pondered briefly, then nodded gently.
"Then allow me to temporarily join Tomorrow's Development, Your Highness."
"...I want to ask—why are you calling me 'Your Highness'?"
Felix scratched the back of his head.
"Because you inherited Lady Theresa' ideals. You were also the one who stayed by her side until the end."
A sad smile softened Qalaiša's face.
"Lady Theresa' death was a tragedy for all of Kazdel. But her will was not left without an heir. You are the one who carries it forward."
"That's too exaggerated."
Felix waved a hand. He wasn't royalty, and he had no real connection to the Sarkaz as a race. Setting aside the whole 'atavism' thing, he hadn't even undergone massive racial evolution yet. Being called 'Your Highness' felt strange.
"You really are just like the rumors say. The reform of Kazdel Mobile City reflects both your compassion and your decisiveness."
Qalaiša bowed. Her dress swayed softly with her movements.
"Please take care of me, Pioneer."
———
By mid-December, the Reunion Movement and the Brotherhood held their first friendly exchange. The Brotherhood sent several capable players to the Reunion camp to gather information, while Reunion sent Alina, a few children, and several trustworthy leaders to visit the Brotherhood's town.
After that meeting, some of Reunion's supplies were purchased directly from the Brotherhood's joint shop. This saved them from having to trudge through snow to trade with nearby villages.
Within the Brotherhood-controlled region, many adventurers patrolled the area, ensuring safety during transactions.
Under these conditions, Alina set off with the money for the trade. She originally planned to report to Talulah, but a village on the western side had been attacked by Ursus Patrol today, and even FrostNova and the Yeti Squad had joined the fight. Non-combatants like Alina were left behind in the village.
After comforting several frightened children, Alina put on a coat and prepared to leave. Before heading out, she checked the small pistol hidden on the inside of her coat. She ran her fingers across its smooth surface, then stepped out into the snow.
It was supposed to be an ordinary errand. The money she carried was just enough to buy meat and cooking oil for Reunion's children to survive the winter. This time of year, they needed warm food. Such supplies were scarce in the village but more plentiful among the Brotherhood's adventurers.
Of course, Alina had a tiny personal wish too. The Holy Knight Federation's town had several candy shops that the children loved, and she planned to buy a small bag of sweets with her own savings — a reward for their hard work in class.
Humming an old countryside tune from her childhood, Alina left the camp. After nearly two difficult hours trudging through snow, she finally saw the Federation city appear in the distance.
Upon entering the city, she made her way to the shopping street, buying the items on her list: oil and meat. She also searched for leafy vegetables — the camp mostly ate potatoes, and they needed variety to stay healthy.
All the players recognized this gentle deer. Only someone truly unusual wouldn't know her. Alina had visited this town many times to shop. Her soft-spoken patience and her role as a teacher made her beloved by all.
After packing her goods, the adventurers lent her a cargo sled. Alina thanked them deeply before heading into a candy shop to buy several bars of Ursus-made sweet chocolate. Then she packed everything up and prepared to return to the Reunion camp.
It was already late. The sun dipped westward, and in the northern lands of Ursus, night fell quickly. If she left now, half the journey home would be in darkness.
But she thought of the children's expectant eyes.
She politely declined the adventurer's suggestion to stay the night in town and pulled the sled toward the snowy road home.
The sky gradually darkened. Alina stopped halfway to rest for a moment. They were already some distance from the Brotherhood's border; just a little farther and the edge of the Reunion-controlled forest would be in sight.
That was when she heard hurried footsteps—many of them.
Within moments, a group of people in torn, ragged uniforms surrounded her and the cargo. Their expressions were vicious and twisted. Alina recognized every face.
"You are… Kerensky. Why…"
Her voice trembled with sorrow as she looked at the familiar figures. "Lev, Kozmin, Rochev… why?"
"We were betrayed by Talulah."
Kerensky shouted angrily. "She keeps saying infected should take pride in being infected, that we should walk our own path. Then why are we punished—locked up—just for taking revenge on those who mocked us?"
Alina's eyes dimmed. These were the very infected soldiers who had been punished after trying to torch a village. She hadn't known they left Reunion afterward.
"It wasn't us who betrayed Talulah. Talulah betrayed us."
Kerensky stepped forward, voice cold and sharp. "If you understand, then step aside, woman. Otherwise, I'll kill you. I promise I won't hesitate."
"Kerensky…"
"Shut up!"
He roared, and one of the men could no longer hold back. He shoved Alina aside and started rummaging through the supplies.
"Whoa, meat!"
"That meat is for the children!"
Alina fell into the snow as the renegades tore through the cargo, eyes glinting with a savage hunger. Their twisted smiles were almost gleeful.
"Ah!"
Her handgun had slipped into the snow when she fell. Panicked, she scrambled forward and picked up her only weapon.
"Hm?"
Kerensky noticed. He strode toward her with a bloodstained blade in hand, the corner of his mouth lifting in a cruel smile. "A handgun? How did a little teacher like you get one?"
"Give it to me."
He extended a hand toward her, expression feral as he licked his lips. "Hand it over. Let the brothers have some fun. Don't worry, we won't kill you afterward."
The others snickered at the sight of Alina trembling like a frightened doe. Since becoming infected, the laws had forbidden them from forcing any woman—something they had been chafing against for a long time. And Alina, young and beautiful, fit their tastes far too well.
"D-don't come any closer!"
Alina raised the handgun with shaking hands, the barrel unsteady as it pointed toward Kerensky.
He crouched mockingly. "Little teacher, you don't even know how to fire it, do you?"
"And even if you did—do you really know how to kill someone?"
Showing a row of yellowed teeth, he barked, "Give me the gun!"
Alina let out a ragged breath and tried to crawl backward. Kerensky burst into laughter and walked toward her at a leisurely pace, savoring the moment. Look at this, Talulah. This is what an infected is supposed to be—unrestrained, unbound.
A hunter toying with his prey.
As Alina squeezed her eyes shut, an image flickered through her mind—Felix walking beside her, smiling as he handed her this very handgun.
"I hope this can protect you. Terra is cruel. What will you do if you're alone and no one is behind you? When you hold this gun, just think of me standing there."
"Alina, a teacher should nurture her students—she should also know how to protect them."
Yes. Protect.
If the supplies were taken, she wasn't sure what would happen to her, but the children back at camp would starve. Some of the oripathy-stricken kids might not survive the winter.
She could not allow such a thing to happen.
But taking a life…
Alina bit her lip hard. She was just an ordinary Terran. To kill someone…
Yet if she didn't—those children would be the ones to lose their lives.
In a daze, she felt as though Felix's presence rested lightly on her shoulder. His fingers brushed along her arm, guiding her own trembling hand.
"Pull the trigger… like this."
Bang.
With a burst of Originium energy, a spell-infused bullet shot from the barrel in a streak of violet light and pierced straight through Kerensky's skull.
His eyes bulged in disbelief. He opened his mouth to speak, but his thoughts dissolved into chaos as he collapsed backward into the snow.
"Ah… aaah!"
Kerensky's men stared in shock. Some scrambled away in terror, tumbling over themselves. Others looked at Alina with a mix of anger and fear. A few still clutched their weapons, but their hands shook uncontrollably.
Beside her, the phantom presence seemed to sigh in relief, perhaps even chuckle faintly before fading away. Alina blinked, braced herself, and rose to her feet. The arm holding the handgun no longer trembled—it was steady and resolute.
"…You may take a small piece of meat, but please leave."
The gentle-hearted doe still could not bear to let them starve, even if they had betrayed everything.
"We… we're leaving!"
They no longer cared about Kerensky's corpse. Grabbing only a scrap of meat, they fled in a panic.
But they did not get far before they ran straight into a group of players from the Holy Knights Federation. Cold anger etched their faces. At the front, Xiao Ran Asagiri let out a low, icy chuckle.
"This road is one-way."
"D-don't come any closer!"
The renegades screamed, breaking down completely, and charged the players in desperation.
Xiao Ran A's expression became still as stone. "Kill them."
"Dare lay a hand on our goddess Alina? You all deserve worse than death!"
"Cowards who only bully women. With trash like you around, I'm embarrassed to call myself infected!"
"Look at you. Like a mangy stray on the roadside."
Blood splattered across the snow. Xiao Ran A sheathed his weapon with a sharp motion. They were a volunteer patrol squad, worried about Alina traveling alone and came to check on her. What they found nearly made their lungs explode with fury. These traitors deserved nothing less than being cut into pieces.
Xiao Ran A rushed forward. Seeing Alina safe, he finally exhaled in relief. "Miss Alina, are you hurt?"
"N-no… thank you, Mr. Xiao Ran."
She thanked him softly. A satisfied smile bloomed across Xiao Ran A's face before he coughed twice, trying to restrain himself. Damn, this NPC was sweeter than any girl he'd met in real life.
'Dev team, after I log off I'm submitting a request—please add an NPC marriage feature already.'
The players chatted anxiously as they helped Alina gather the scattered cargo and reload everything onto the sled. While they were picking up the smoked meat, a dragon-horned woman in military attire suddenly burst from the distant treeline.
"Alina!"
Hearing the desperate scream, Alina turned—only to be swept into Talulah's arms.
"Thank… thank goodness. Alina, you're safe."
Talulah's voice quivered on the edge of tears. On her way back she had heard that Alina had traveled alone to trade with the adventurer camp. Halfway there, something inside her screamed that she was about to lose something precious. After settling the battlefield, she rushed here alone.
Luckily, Alina was unharmed in her arms. The girl smiled shyly, gently stroking Talulah's head.
The surrounding players watched with warm gazes. Talulah, embarrassed, released her and then turned to Xiao Ran A and the others, giving them a formal salute.
"Reunion owes you a debt. Thank you for your aid, adventurers."
Alina watched the exchange with a quiet smile. Her hand slipped into her coat, fingertips brushing the handgun within—as if touching something warm and alive.