The players stationed at Tomorrow's Development Division watched in confusion as representatives of the Chamber of Commerce arrived, their attitudes shifting from initial arrogance to exaggerated obsequiousness. They presented piles of gifts, money, and luxury goods, leaving the players completely baffled. No one could figure out what was going on.
Some players also noticed several all-female knight clubs standing at the very end of the procession. The young women were undeniably eye-catching, but their presence only deepened the mystery. Why were they here?
The newspapers were filled with reports about the Armorless Union's night raid on the base the day before, as well as Tomorrow's Development plans to expand its territory. Yet, to be honest, none of the people staying inside the base had heard a thing. Many Adventurers had even stayed up all night working on production. If there had been any disturbance, it would have been impossible for them not to notice.
So what exactly was happening?
Completely bewildered, the players watched as Tomorrow's Developments' operators unloaded the goods. After exchanging glances, they followed along, trying to eavesdrop on the conversation between the Chamber of Commerce's representatives and Tomorrow's Developments.
"…I'm terribly sorry. At such a critical moment… I'm truly, truly sorry!"
The head of the Chamber of Commerce bowed deeply, bending nearly ninety degrees. The sight drew gasps of amazement from the players, some of whom instinctively turned to look at the Japanese player in their group.
Tomorrow's Development operators calmly accepted the luxury items and local specialties offered by the Chamber of Commerce. As for the four Knight clubs, each composed of one hundred female knights, they stood stiffly to the side, lips pursed, enduring the curious stares directed their way.
They were not much different from the Knights previously handed over to Tomorrow's Developments. All of them had been trained by the Chamber of Commerce. Their original knight clubs had included men, but as part of this apology, the higher-ups had reassigned all male members elsewhere and carefully selected four hundred suitable replacements.
"Suitable" naturally included strength. Beyond that, the criteria required the knights to be unmarried, single, attractive, and between sixteen and twenty-five years old.
In other words, it was little more than a selection of women. For the Chamber of Commerce, assembling four hundred female knights posed little difficulty. Including the earlier Knights of Radiance club, the total now reached five hundred. Five hundred knights were nothing more than a drop in the ocean compared to the vast number of competitive knights under the Chamber of Commerce's control.
These female knights were no fools. They understood their own situation, the other party's intentions, and the criteria by which they had been chosen. As they looked at Tomorrow's Development base, a sense of unreality crept in. They had heard from the head of the Chamber of Commerce that they were being packaged and sent here, but standing in front of the base made it all feel disturbingly real.
Some of the knights felt uneasy, others fearful and uncertain about the future. A few, however, were secretly delighted. While active in Kazimierz, they had heard countless rumors about Tomorrow's Development.
Some claimed it was an anomaly on this land, an organization devoted primarily to aiding the Infected. Others said it was the true power behind Kazdel, commanding countless formidable forces. Still others described it as a ravenous beast, devouring anything with adventurers as ferocious as wolves.
Setting aside personal opinions, most of these girls felt little resistance to joining such a force. Many were even quietly relieved to finally break free from the Chamber of Commerce's control. Even if they were no longer competitive knights, at least their future seemed secure.
Standing at the front of the group was a Kuranta girl who let out a soft sigh. She was known as the Mistveil Knight. Born into a poor family, she had become a competitive knight to earn money for her mother, who was bedridden with Oripathy. After gaining some fame, she was recruited by the Chamber of Commerce, a turn of events that left her both surprised and delighted. She knew her future would be arranged by the organization, but she didn't mind as long as she could earn money to support her family.
Competitive knights relied on youth, and at only eighteen, she believed she still had plenty of opportunities ahead. While winning the grand Knights Major championship was beyond her reach, she consistently placed well in smaller competitions and had won several titles. The Chamber of Commerce also pushed her into business deals and endorsements, earning her a loyal fanbase.
She was exhausted, but she didn't care. As long as the money kept coming, everything else was secondary.
She never imagined that she would be so casually "discarded" by the Chamber of Commerce, obediently delivered to someone else's doorstep like a commodity. Though she received compensation, it was far less than what she could have earned in the future.
The Mistveil Knight lowered her gaze. She understood her position all too well. She was merely a female knight who made a living on her appearance and figure. Being given away like merchandise was something she had already anticipated. Her only concern was whether she would still be able to earn the same amount of money in the future.
The head of the Chamber of Commerce continued bowing and scraping, until finally, the person in charge appeared. The Mistveil Knight quietly observed him. He was a middle-aged blond man, holding a newspaper in one hand, a longsword hanging at his waist. His sharp gaze swept across the assembled knights.
The soft chatter among the female knights ceased instantly. Under that piercing stare, they all lowered their heads, not daring to make a sound.
The Mistveil Knight did not recognize the man at first, but from his striking blond hair and the family crest embroidered on the inside of his clothing, she quickly deduced his identity.
He was a member of the Nearl family, stationed at Tomorrow's Development branch, and judging by his bearing, a high-ranking one at that.
She lowered her eyes, concealing the flicker of surprise within them. The Nearl family was a model among knights. She had never imagined that such a family would have a presence within Tomorrow's Development.
Młynar swept his gaze over the assembled knights. He was neither troubled nor burdened by the situation. In his view, the Chamber of Commerce's previous exploitation of these knights had already ruined their futures in another way. Since they were now being offered up of their own accord, there was no reason to refuse. He had long known that His Highness had accepted the first batch of Knights of Radiance sent by the Chamber of Commerce, so there was no justification for rejecting this group.
Moreover, the more knights His Highness commanded, the better it would be for the spread of Kazimierz culture.
Even better, Młynar had recently heard from Magic ZX about Kazdel's current circumstances. This was precisely the time when literature and culture were needed most.
Once these knights joined Tomorrow's Development, it would be as if Kazimierz had gained its own agents within Tomorrow's Development. This would bring considerable advantages to future operations in Kazimierz.
He did not spare the head of the Chamber of Commerce another glance. After giving a brief nod, he turned and left, with the remaining Tomorrow's Development agents following behind him.
Młynar had indeed been "attacked" the previous day.
That night, at the Tomorrow's Development base, it had not only been the two Lazurites who appeared.
Toland had been sitting in Młynar's office, reporting on the Armorless Union's movements over the past two days, when two high-ranking members of the Armorless Union suddenly showed up, clearly seeking a fight.
Roy beckoned to him. Believing that their clash might affect the other operators, Młynar and Toland temporarily left the Tomorrow's Development base and followed Roy and Monique to an open plain on the outskirts of the city. Then, golden light erupted.
Recalling the battle, Młynar frowned slightly. He had sensed that Roy and Monique had not fought at full strength, perhaps due to injuries or exhaustion. From Roy's boastful remarks the night before, Młynar had already guessed that they had challenged the Blood Knights, and as expected, the outcome had not been favorable.
In the end, the two Lazurites were gravely wounded and died under the combined assault of Młynar and Toran. As for how severe their injuries truly were, that remained questionable. Młynar did not recall striking any fatal blows, yet the two had lost an enormous amount of blood, as if they had deliberately sought out the sword's edge.
Młynar was not foolish. From their combat posture and their actions afterward, he easily deduced why the two had come all the way to the branch office late at night, apparently just to fight him.
They had even gone so far as to deliberately suffer fatal injuries and leave this world.
If they ever learned the truth, they would likely curse them without restraint.
Four hundred female knights followed the Tomorrow's Developments operators into the branch. The branch had originally been nothing more than a modest office building, but since Młynar joined, the funds approved by Tomorrow's Developments had increased significantly. Not only had they relocated to a new building, they had also constructed a vast training ground and various facilities for the operators' use.
Młynar had never been fond of long speeches. After leading the young knights into the training ground, he departed on his own. He was no longer needed for what came next.
Waiting to receive the young female knights was a woman standing at the center of the arena, dressed in the black uniform of Tomorrow's Developments. Her long blond hair fell to her hips. When she slowly opened her eyes, a chill ran down the spines of everyone present.
Almost instantly, they recognized the legendary figure before them.
The Black Knight, the strongest knight in history. A name known to all of Kazimierz, still spoken of with reverence by fans to this day.
With a calm gaze, Degenbrecher looked over the inexperienced female knights and sighed inwardly. This, perhaps, was the true power of the Chamber of Commerce. She wondered when they had gained control over the lives of so many female knights. With a single glance, she could already tell how the they had selected these women. As for age and race, that was harder to judge. After all, the Dr. Kal'tsit she had met from Rhodes Island appeared far younger than she truly was.
Having read through Kazdel's history, Degenbrecher knew that this Feline was far more complex than her appearance suggested.
The girls before her radiated naivety and inexperience. Naturally, in the eyes of a triple crown champion, they were nothing more than children.
"I am Degenbrecher."
With her hands clasped behind her back, Degenbrecher spoke calmly. "I will be your instructor. I am responsible for your daily life and training within Tomorrow's Developments. You may not yet understand the significance of Tomorrow's Developments, but as long as you continue to serve as its operators, you will eventually learn what kind of force you have joined."
Her words were plain and direct, without ornamentation or deliberate grandeur. As Degenbrecher spoke, the initial anxiety and unease among the female knights gradually faded. They looked at the legendary triple crown knight who now stood before them, serving as an operator of Tomorrow's Development, and seemingly a high-ranking one at that. Each of them quietly formed their own understanding of what this truly meant.
As a "gift" from the Chamber of Commerce to Felix, the female knights soon began undergoing individual physical examinations and strength assessments under Degenbrecher's supervision. Over the years, Degenbrecher had honed a sharp eye. From a person's posture, movements, and bearing alone, she could roughly judge their level of strength. Faced with these inexperienced young women, their capabilities were plain to her at a glance.
She did harbor some doubts. After all, these girls were nominally Felix's so-called harem, women meant for him alone. Even though Felix would most likely refuse such an arrangement, the girls themselves understood very clearly why they had been sent here. In their eyes, they were offerings, meant to serve their king with both body and soul.
Some of the female knights truly believed that.
Degenbrecher withdrew her gaze and fixed her eyes on Mistveil Knight standing at the front of the formation. "Take up your weapon."
A fierce light ignited in Mistveil Knight's eyes. She had been a devoted admirer of the Black Knight since childhood, and when the Black Knight had left Kazimierz, she had grieved for a long time. Now, seeing her idol once more, emotions surged so strongly that tears nearly welled up. Facing the person she revered most, she steadied herself and drew the rapier at her waist.
While the knights and Degenbrecher engaged in intense combat, Felix was reviewing the gift list and learning the details of what had happened the previous night. In his previous life, he had once carried out missions alongside the Armorless Union, learning crossbow techniques such as maintenance and fabrication. He considered himself fairly familiar with that Lazurite.
Looking at the list sent by the Chamber of Commerce, Felix could practically feel their anxiety. With him already showing subtle signs of leaning toward the Adeptus Sprawiedliwi , the Chamber of Commerce had been scrambling, inviting him to tea, to massage, to anything they could think of.
And then, on top of that, their own people had attacked his base?
Where did those two lunatics even come from?
It had to be said that Roy and Monique had already been cursed to death countless times in the mouths of the Chamber of Commerce's top brass.
Felix fell silent when his eyes reached the final item on the list: four hundred female knights. How had things come to this? In his previous life, he had purchased slave girls as well, but back then it had been purely for household security.
Now the knights under the Chamber of Commerce were being sold off wholesale, like cabbages in a market.
As for how these knights would fare, he decided to leave that to Degenbrecher.
As the Knight Major's elimination rounds progressed from sixteen to eight, Felix leaned back in his office chair. He had no intention of strolling through the training grounds and letting those knights see who they were supposedly meant to serve in the future.
All he wanted to do right now was watch the match.