"That's rare. I thought Sarkaz never got sick."
"... That's a bit of an exaggeration. Sarkaz does have very high physical strength, but that doesn't mean they're immune to all diseases."
"That's still very enviable, so where did things go wrong this time?"
"Headache and some auditory hallucinations. By the way, may I ask why you're the one treating me? You're such a hothouse flower."
"What's that? What an adorable title!"
The pretty elf with long, emerald-green hair covered her mouth, her eyes filled with delight at the unusual title.
"Actually, it's the employees complaining about you... Never mind, I'll come back tomorrow."
"No, no, although I'm the director of the Ecology Department, I also have some medical knowledge. Let me explain first~"
The Banshee, dressed in a trench coat, rubbed her temples and pulled the hem of her coat away from the elven girl's hand.
"Okay, it's really not a big deal, it's basically like a bunch of people singing in your head."
"Isn't this serious?"
Muelsyse's expression immediately turned serious. He had somehow changed into a detective's outfit and held up a small notebook as he asked a question.
So what exactly is being sung?
"Your outfit... never mind..."
Nasti twitched her lips, realizing that the elf in front of her was probably another clone of her true form.
"Someone keeps talking about building a city in my head. To be honest, I'm starting to wonder if I'm under too much work pressure lately."
"How about we take tomorrow off and go have some fun? I know a few great places!"
Muelsyse described her favorite coffee shop with great enthusiasm, offering some suggestions as well.
"If you're short on cash, why not apply for emotional distress compensation from Kristen?"
"In that case, she'll most likely send me to Justin, and I don't want to see a grown man crying and making a scene."
"Hoo hoo~ No wonder he's the fourth most masculine Engineering Department manager on Rhine Lab's list; his considerate manner towards his colleagues is quite handsome too~"
"... That list was just something you made up randomly, wasn't it?"
The music in her head grew louder and louder, and coupled with the exhaustion from working overtime lately, Nasti actually started thinking about taking a day off.
"Forget it. Rhine Lab is in dire need of rebuilding, and that building isn't finished yet. Even if I wanted to ask for leave, the commander-in-chief probably wouldn't approve it."
"That building?" Muelsyse was taken aback.
"Really? Even at a time like this, Kristen still hasn't paused that project?"
When Muelsyse returned home from a business trip to another city, he found that his hometown had been demolished. He was indeed panicked for a long time.
Fortunately, the core damaged areas were all occupied by those old men who weren't usually dealt with, while my own ecological department was surprisingly unscathed.
But she also knew who was really making the most money for Rhine Lab. Having suffered such a blow, hadn't that money-burning project been halted yet?
"There's nothing we can do; it's her dream after all," Nasti shrugged.
"A special shelter that is self-sufficient in extreme environments, and can be launched at any time, requires the maintenance of Myriad Stars Garden to continue, otherwise all our efforts will be in vain."
Thinking of this, Nasti couldn't help but gasp in astonishment.
That's a huge expense; enough to buy a small Mobile City.
Seriously, if the goal is just to go up in the sky and see things, is this level of architecture really necessary?
Or perhaps... that commander-in-chief intends to abandon the current mess and simply wander the heavens?
Nasti shook her head.
No, no, no, this is far too exaggerated. The commander-in-chief probably has his own concerns about not wanting her to know the inside story.
"Alright, if you want to go shopping with someone, go ask that lady over there. I need to go back and rest."
Ignoring the unreliable doctor who was puffing out his cheeks, Nasti got up to leave.
"I'll carry that little green one with me; its fragrance helps me sleep, and I'll wake up feeling refreshed tomorrow!"
The Construction Banshee accepted the strange plant, which the girl called Little Green, and waved goodbye as she left.
"Remember to water her."
"Knew--"
Regrettably unable to find a good shopping buddy, Muelsyse turned her gaze to the silent third party.
"Saria ~ Let's go together~ If you're shy, I'll call Researcher Silence along for you!"
She closed the document in her hand, neatly arranged it, and the woman, as hard as a diamond, coldly refused.
"I remember explaining this before; we haven't been available lately."
"But tomorrow is a public holiday. If you're all so busy, how can I go out alone?"
The water droplet was showing signs of turning into a puddle, and it looked like it was about to merge into the sofa.
"Joyce might be free. I'll transfer you some money so you can buy some children's clothes and other baby supplies together."
"Um?!"
The Water Spirit instantly caught the key point.
"Children? Weren't all the liberated children sent to orphanages? And now someone's started those experiments again?"
"Not Rhine Lab," Saria said simply.
Muelsyse understood.
Since the Flame Demon Incident, Rhine Lab has faced strong condemnation from all sides. With the exposure of the inner workings of the experimental department, it has been forced to publicly sever ties and make compensation.
Upon returning from Kazimierz, the defense chief, who had lost his arm, not only recovered but also brought with him substantial financial support.
The unidentified donor demanded that at least half of the funds be used for charitable relief, and as for the remainder...
Aside from a portion used to ensure the normal operation of Rhine Life Insurance, the remainder was all used for compensation.
Of course, not all losses warrant Rein's life in reparations. I heard that Saria directly attacked other organizations at yesterday's meeting, even attracting the attention of the official army.
Although the news was eventually suppressed, Muelsyse, who loved gossip, still found out.
"Was there something wrong with that Loken Water Tank? And how did you convince the army to help you?"
"There is indeed a problem."
Recalling that inhuman experimental data, Saria couldn't help but frown.
By fusing the spirits of his six siblings with Originium Arts, and injecting artificial infected organs into his youngest sister's body, he created a powerful humanoid weapon.
Leaving aside whether the vessel could bear it, the act of killing six brothers and sisters before it was carried out was nothing short of bestial.
Fortunately, the plan was still in the theoretical stage, and the Feline girl Nastasya Narcissa and her siblings had not yet met with harm.
"That's outrageous!"
With just a simple understanding, steam rose from the top of the water clone's head.
"Those troops aren't here to protect them, are they? This needs to be exposed, otherwise they'll just get away with it again!"
Saria shook her head in response to Muelsyse's anxious warning.
"No, the military's unexpected cooperation and the arrest of those involved are directly ordered by the President."
"The President?!" Muelsyse exclaimed.
The mysterious figure standing at the top of Columbia is rumored to be a robot, or a member of a mysterious organization that constantly changes its personnel.
Even more outrageous rumors suggest that the real president is not the spokesperson on the screen, but the Fowlbeast on the other person's shoulder.
But regardless of his status, given the president's position in Columbia, it's hard to imagine him getting involved in such a trivial matter.
"Was it Kristen who did the work?"
Muelsyse made this guess.
Otherwise, it doesn't make sense. Why would such an important figure care about Loken Water Tank, which hasn't even produced any results?
"... Perhaps."
Saria spoke in a flat tone, Muelsyse scratched her nose.
Are you two still arguing?
Following the Flame Demon Incident, the atmosphere within Rhine Labs was visibly tense, and it was common knowledge that the head of the defense department had smashed up the headquarters' office.
Saria certainly had reason to be angry; those experiments couldn't have passed through the chief's desk without going through him, and the one she was shown was clearly a disguise.
Kristen may have only wanted funding, but she undoubtedly condoned these actions.
As one of the three key figures who co-founded Rhine Lab, Muelsyse had mixed feelings when he learned about it.
Unfortunately, two of my once inseparable friends have become taciturn, and even the lively and enthusiastic Water Spirit can't get in.
"Then we should definitely go out together!"
Muelsyse clenched his fists in a gesture of encouragement.
"Even if I have to drag her, I'll pull her out of the office, right here in the café where we first founded Rhine Lab, and we'll have a proper chat!"
"... Next time."
Seeing the elf's burning gaze, Saria ultimately did not refuse.
"I have work tomorrow. Silence is looking for the children's parents. If you're free, you can play with the children."
"Of course I can! No child can resist Sister Muelsyse's charm offensive!"
Muelsyse straightened his back.
"But wasn't tomorrow's work canceled? You've already assaulted the person in charge of Loken Water Tank in person, do you think anyone would still want to talk to you?"
"No, it's my private investigation."
Saria tapped the document in her hand.
"An experimental organization called the Lumberyard —I suspect they're conducting similar experiments."
"You're going on a chivalrous adventure without me? I'll send my water clone with you!"
"Then I'll trouble you to go into the ventilation ducts to investigate."
Seeing Saria agree so quickly, Muelsyse asked suspiciously.
"You weren't just waiting for me to jump in, were you?"
"Your water clone works very well."
Muelsyse: "..."
I knew it!
The Water Spirit puffed out its cheeks and unleashed a barrage of water attacks on Saria, but failed to break through her defenses.
"Hmm... Just say so next time, it's not like I can't help."
"The relevant documents were sent to your email a while ago; you should clean them up."
Awkwardly lowering his hand, Muelsyse whistled.
"Ugh! Time to rest, time to rest. I need to recharge for tomorrow's mission. Staying up late is a major enemy of my skin!"
"Okay, I'll turn off the light."
Without arguing, Saria, who was about to go back to her room to rest, suddenly heard a strange noise.
Click...
Before she could figure out where the sound was coming from, the door, which should have been closed, opened again.
"Saria, I'll need your help to find Researcher Silence."
Nasti, who had returned, looked serious. Muelsyse asked her:
"What's wrong?"
"My condition has worsened; now I'm experiencing not only auditory hallucinations but also visual ones," Nasti said, clutching her head.
"Just now, I think I saw a Sarkaz cleave the Catastrophe in two with a sword."
"Wow... that's definitely a very serious hallucination."
Muelsyse nodded seriously, Nasti sighed.
"Not only that, I also saw that woman split the Catastrophe in two and then punch a hole in the sky. When I closed my eyes and opened them again, there were even auroras outside."
Aurora borealis? Where would you find the aurora borealis in Columbia?
Muelsyse felt a little guilty.
The plants I gave myself are fine. Could it be that work anxiety is causing this new problem?
Just as the elven girl was contemplating whether to force Nasti to join the shopping spree, Saria, who had come to the window, drew back the curtains.
"... It seems that the person experiencing hallucinations is not the only one."
The stars disappeared under the lights of Columbia, and the night sky, which should have been empty, was now filled with a magnificent red aurora.
The aurora borealis rippled like waves, while sharp explosions echoed from astronomical research institutions around the world.
When the veil of the false starry sky is torn off, astrology, which has always been regarded as a mature system, is now seen as a pseudoscience.
But this is only the most insignificant part of the impending turmoil.
Great Yan, Celestial Master's Court--
"Master Celestial Master! Something terrible has happened!"
The old man in the long robe moved swiftly through the courtyard, and once he found his target, he pounced on him, tumbling and crawling.
"The constellations... the constellations are all messed up!"
"Calm down, you're not young anymore, pay attention to your image."
The "young girl" addressed as the Celestial Master shook her head of golden hair, appearing completely unfazed.
"They were all fake anyway, so let them be in disarray."
"Huh? But..."
"Alright, alright, this is none of your business. Those who are capable of worrying about this are still alive."
He kicked away the unfilial son who tried to hug his leg, leaving the shadow of the "young girl" across the table.
"Oops! Where did we just go? I think I forgot. Shall we try again?"
Looking at the game, which was just a few moves away from victory, Wang calmly packed up the chessboard.
"It's just a game of chess. Since the Celestial Master doesn't want to continue, it's best to end it here."
"Hiss—you weren't this easy to talk to before."
The old celestial master sized up the figure before him.
"Don't you always go wherever you want? Even the Sui Regulator can't control you. Why are you coming to me to report to me today?"
"This matter concerns the year's harvest; there is no room for the slightest negligence."
The old master narrowed his eyes, and a sudden remark made Wang clench his fists instantly.
"So who do you plan to make pay for this failure this time?"
Look down.
"I thought you had forgotten her..."
"It is indeed somewhat vague, but it's hard to forget such a stunningly talented woman."
Bang--!
The old master waved his hand, and the scattered tea stopped in mid-air and returned to the cup.
"Speak properly, why are you slamming the table?"
"She respects you so much! You know everything she did was for the Great Yan; she has never harbored any ill will towards this country. Why didn't you stop her?!"
"Stop? Tell me how to stop them?"
Faced with Wang's accusations, the old master scratched his hair in frustration.
"I've already explained the pros and cons to her. You, the sinner who committed such a heinous crime, happen to be her family member. Do you think I can stop a sister from saving her brother?"
The two remained silent, and the old Celestial Master sighed inwardly.
Everyone reads the history she wrote, but no one knows who wrote it.
If it were just writing history books, that would be fine; even if it recorded the ugly deeds of officials, it would only earn a little infamy.
But those who write history happen to have the power to change history...
(The third sister of the Sui family, Jie, possesses extraordinary abilities, enough to serve as a beggar's version of the history book of time.)
How could those officials, who couldn't sleep soundly at the slightest disturbance in neighboring countries, tolerate a god who could easily control the fate of the Great Yan?
Feeling troubled, the old master waved his sleeve.
"Alright, I'm not going to argue with you about right and wrong in the past. Hate me if you want."
"Tell me, what important business brings you here this time? And who poked the hole in the sky?"
Discussing important matters will hopefully calm your mind.
"I need to get that Book Knife back."
"[Yan vulgarity!] What are you trying to do?!"
The old celestial master immediately stood up.
Seeing the lightning flashing in the sky, Wang's eyelids twitched, and he immediately explained.
"She harbors a lingering resentment within the Realm Garden; I need the Book Knife to draw it out."
"What a waste? If that were true, why didn't you do it sooner?"
Seeing the old master's suspicious look, Wang was at a loss for words.
He, who possessed the power of calculation, was indeed unaware of it; it was the variable resembling a giant sea Behemoth that proactively informed him.
Whether it was deception or not, Wang also had her doubts.
But he will try whenever possible.
"Very well, I will go to Realm Garden with you then."
Knowing that this guy would still secretly do it even if he disagreed, the old master simply decided to keep him under his nose.
"Thank you."
Wang breathed a sigh of relief. If the old master hadn't agreed, it would have been difficult to get the Book Knife out of that girl's hands.
"What about Kazdel? Don't tell me you don't know."
The old Celestial Master looked at the aurora in the sky and guessed that tomorrow morning, the officials would have to send a whole bunch of invitations to the Celestial Master's Court.
"The birth of a new king is always accompanied by a grander celebration."
Are you kidding me?
The old Daoist master looked displeased.
She'd seen demon kings before, and compared to the supposed birth of a new king, she was more inclined to believe that some Behemoth had run rampant in Kazdel again.
Knowing the other party didn't want to talk, the old master, having repeatedly run into obstacles, prepared to see the guest off.
"Is there anything else? Tell me all at once."
"The caravan needs assistance."
"Huh? Why are you asking me about this?"
The old Daoist master was puzzled.
"My foolish younger brother has been deceived and accepted a contract with an irregular merchant, for which he now needs the Signet of the Great Yan for business operations."
"Wow! That kid can actually be fooled?"
The old celestial master became interested. As for the Signet, Yan Li (the Great Yan True Dragon) had also given him one, but it was not enough to legalize a caravan.
When this was mentioned, Wang's eyes twitched.
I thought it was just a delivery, so I accepted it without asking what it was.
A Mobile City, a large one at that, would be targeted as soon as it emerged from the sea, unless it was concealed by the power of its inhabitants.
There's no going back now; my little sister is still waiting for someone to revive her.
Now, the only option is to try transporting goods from the border. The Signet is needed to facilitate passage, but it's uncertain whether the abandoned waterways are still passable...
"It's impossible to get through, of course it's impossible to get through."
When Vera asked him the question, Lucky immediately gave her the answer.
"The routes for Mobile Cities are all planned out. If you want new cities to come, you have to open up new routes."
Vera frowned.
After learning about the so-called surprise, her first concern was when she could arrive in the city, but she didn't expect that she would still have to solve that problem.
Waterways? Kazdel is just one city, what waterways could it possibly have?
To prevent the city from being spied on by other countries, the so-called waterway was basically for the city to run directly over, and even then, the traces had to be cleared to avoid revealing their whereabouts.
"Can't we just have it fly over here?"
"Then you'll at least have to send Little Black over there. I reckon it won't be enough on its own; the Dead Souls will have to go too."
Vera rubbed her temples.
Leaving is out of the question; Kazdel still needs them. So, the only option is to forge a new route?
But what about the spying of other nations? Should we let the leader transform and take a trip around Kazdel, using the route as a deterrent while also opening up new sea routes?
But he's still in Leithanien...
Vera looked down.
Or should we first send the Teekaz to the border to draw attention?
In the chaotic city, ancient Ancient Teekaz, larger than houses, are frolicking.
That was Qianling, who had entered the Demon King's Oath, and was resurrected by the power she had released after unleashing the torrent that had shattered the Catastrophe.
Having been without a body for nearly ten thousand years, some people have even knelt on the ground and eaten mud after regaining their physical form.
Vera had thought it would take some time to persuade these old guys, but they were surprisingly easy to talk to, even to the point of being somewhat obsequious.
"We all know! You are the king we have been waiting for!"
"The Farstrider brought it? He's irrelevant; forget about him."
"Using such power must be exhausting. Your safety is our responsibility. As for the others, they don't need to be resurrected..."
The last one to speak was surrounded and attacked by the other unresurrected Dead Souls, who were cursing and swearing, and was still fleeing in a sorry state below.
It seems that the memories of what happened to Hall of All Souls were shared, Dead Souls held this new king who descended from the heavens in high esteem.
Vera could understand this, but the other ordinary Sarkaz also surprisingly accepted her arrival very quickly.
"You mean this? Maybe it's because Kazdel changes its Demon Lord quite frequently?"
Lucky gave a somewhat hellish explanation, Vera grinned.
"... You might as well say it's the influence of the All Souls."
"That's possible, after all, this thing does affect the Sarkaz's mind," Lucky guessed.
"Because the All Souls have a very high affinity with you, most Sarkaz will have an affinity level of 50 or higher when they see you."
What about the smaller portion?
"Look, those guys over there with hearts in their eyes."
Vera felt a chill run down her spine and retreated, while Lucky gloated:
"You resurrected quite a few of them, and they also have the buff of being saved by your grace."
"Isn't this great? Calling your big horns a Banshee Tai He. How about we just start a separate Succubus Royal Court from now on?"
"The Royal Court..."
Instead of reacting to Vane's joke, Vera immediately thought of the Royal Court's threat.
Will the Royal Court recognize her as the new queen? Will the Military Commission, which has already left, return because of this upheaval?
There's something even more important...
Vera looked down, and Theresa, who was talking with the Teekaz, seemed to sense something, looked up, and smiled amicably.
Vera gave an awkward laugh.
With the current Demon King still alive, the new king's claim to power is somewhat treasonous.
After a brief conversation, Logos and the resurrected Scout and others busied themselves restoring order, presumably with some concerns about the complex situation.
Vera simply scattered the mercenaries and took the time to organize them herself.
Uh, how exactly should I explain this...?
"Don't worry, if you can't bring yourself to do it, I can try to persuade her," Lucky encouraged from the side.
He didn't share Vera's concerns, and he knew that neither of the current Twin Kings had any obsession with the identity of the Demon King.
Everyone can see the thousands of Teekaz resurrected from the Dead Souls; with a little manipulation, obtaining the legitimate title of Teekaz is a piece of cake.
The Vampire King Court and the Revenant King Court are on their side.
Raising the Flame Demon and the Wendigo Royal Court is not difficult.
As for ordinary Sarkaz, you don't need to do much; just feed them properly, and they'll know which side to follow.
But those in the sky...
Lucky looked up and saw a bright red gash in the pitch-black night.
That was the wound from when the Star Pod was damaged. It could heal itself, so he had the Bloodline Heir take over first, which is why it looks like this now.
Oh dear, I hope the lumberjacks don't see that thing.
Lucky commands the We Many, while tiny Bloodline Heir Cluster converge into the universe through the wound in the sky.
In any case, planets are not the final destination for the We Many. Bloodline Heir with Immortal Bodies can enter the universe in advance to adapt, which can be regarded as preparing for the possible war.
"Well, we'll have to talk about it eventually."
Vera patted her face and walked down, where the unresurrected Dead Souls crowded together to build the downward staircase.
"Your Majesty, is it comfortable for us to step on?"
"Roll."
"Okay!"
Lucky: "..."
His deep thoughts were interrupted, and Lucky reverted to his carefree self.
"Forget it, let's just let Ishar-mla develop in space. Let's set a small goal: first, to encompass this entire star system."
flapping its wings, Lucky turned to look at the Cyclops beside it.
"Hey, Scar Eye, have you seen Closure?"
"Your Majesty, she is in the East attempting to pass the throne of the Royal Court to a resurrected Teekaz."
"That won't do! I must supervise her closely as she fulfills her responsibilities as the ruler of the Royal Court!"
Lucky flew away leisurely, and Scar Eye, who had been lying down, straightened up.
"... She came back to life."
Looking at his own palms, touching his chest and feeling the pulse of life, Scar Eye opened his arms.
The broken horn that was left behind worked, and he eventually came back to life.
"Hmph hmph hmph... Haha!"
The Cyclops suppressed his laughter, but finally couldn't help but burst into laughter.
Caught up in the laughter, the Teekaz, who were frolicking in the city, also burst into laughter.
Having vented his anger, Scar Eye down and saw Theresa and Vera exchange a few words before Scarface removed the Crown from her head and handed it out.
Vera waved her hand, seemingly refusing.
The children nearby mustered their courage and presented the woven flower wreaths.
Of course, Kazdel has no flowers.
Although it's called a wreath, it's actually made of colorful ropes woven with brightly colored pieces.
Vera was somewhat surprised by the gift.
But in the end, she squatted down and lowered her head.
The laughter stopped at some point, unbeknownst to Vera. As she lowered her head, everyone watched her with smiles on their faces.
Fallen leaves bring a message: Kazdel welcomes a gentle king.
Cheap garlands were strung on the Crown, and the Sarkaz bowed to the king before Vera could even raise her head.
After a long night, the first rays of sunlight finally appeared on the horizon.
When that light shone on the golden Crown, Kazdel had already traversed the long night.
Vera, who was checking on the children to make sure the flower wreath was secure, didn't see that she was now surrounded by the Sarkaz...
It was like a coronation.