Felix guided the aircraft through wide circles in the sky, scanning the vast red desert below. According to Cellinia's account, Lappland had separated from her three days ago. Whether Lappland was injured or not, Cellinia didn't know—but with the main Saluzzo force drawn away, she should have had a chance to escape.
The view beneath them was nothing but endless crimson sand and jagged cliffs. Expanding the search radius, Felix directed his drones toward the routes connecting several nearby mobile cities, all while maintaining a steady conversation with Emperor.
That thing—
It wasn't a living creature.
Felix had studied biology and medicine under Kal'tsit, so he was more than capable of identifying the physiological traits of a Terran by their form and features. He knew how to read their state of being at a glance.
But when his drone's thermal imaging swept over that wolf… it saw nothing.
As if the being's existence was nothing more than vapor.
Of course, he understood the basics of this world: every Terran race, every "player," had their origins in Earth's animals. That's where the idea of cat-eared girls came from, after all. But there also existed a far rarer kind—Terrans who fully retained the original appearance of their animal progenitors. Their numbers were vanishingly few among the countless hybrid races that populated Terra.
Emperor, for instance, was a penguin.
"I know what you're thinking," Emperor said, tilting his head with a smirk. "But you've got it wrong."
He adjusted his sunglasses.
"We're what you might call long-lived species. That much, you probably already know."
"Yeah," Felix replied simply.
"We're called Beastlords. You can use that term for us."
"'Beastlords,' huh… so besides you and that wolf, does the Duck Lord count too?"
"Smart boy."
Felix frowned. "And what exactly are Beastlords?"
"You could think of us as immortals—beings with life spans that don't end."
Emperor's voice grew calm, detached.
"We differ from terrans at the most fundamental level. We move as we please, act as we please… and appear only before those who happen to catch our interest."
"By your interests, huh… You like rap, and the Duck likes investing?"
"Exactly."
Emperor clicked his beak. "That damn wolf's still obsessed with the same game he's been playing for centuries. Honestly, if it were me, I'd have gotten sick of it ages ago. Listening to the same tune for hundreds of years? You'd think he'd change genres once in a while."
He leaned back in his seat. "Anyway, the reason I'm telling you this is simple—you're bound to cross paths with other long-lived species sooner or later."
Emperor's tone lightened again. "Word of your exploits in Kazdel reached me, by the way. That land's one of Terra's oldest, and the Sarkaz themselves are a long-lived race. Immortals aren't as rare as you'd think."
"As for the Beastlord thing, just keep it in the back of your mind. Don't start treating me like some ancient relic, got it? I'm just Emperor—lover of rap and all things rhythm."
He shrugged. "Remember that. I'd rather not have you calling me 'senior' all the time… though, if you do, I won't exactly complain."
"What about the wolf?"
That was the part Felix focused on.
"He's gone for now," Emperor replied. "But getting him to drop that twisted hobby of his? That's not happening anytime soon. Still, for the moment, your little wolf-girl won't be bothered."
"…Wolf-girl? My girlfriend, now?"
"Oh, come on, Felix, don't play dumb." Emperor's tone carried the same teasing lilt as an old detective scolding a junior. "You really don't have any self-awareness when it comes to the women around you, huh?"
Felix sighed, half exasperated. "I didn't expect you of all people to say that. But yeah… I'll handle my relationships properly."
He wasn't the type to toy with emotions or indulge in meaningless flings. Everything he did, every connection he built, had been about finding a place for himself on this vast land called Terra. But bonds formed, whether he intended them to or not.
By now, his ties with Mostima and Muelsyse were already clear. There was understanding there, even affection.
From what Mostima mentioned, Lemuen seemed to be showing a similar inclination. He'd confirm that soon enough—empaths like the Sankta could sense that kind of feeling instantly.
And now, there was Cellinia.
In a past life, she'd been his waifu. In this one, she'd become… something like his protégé.
A strange kind of fate—but not an unwelcome one.
"You're not feeling pressured, are you?" Emperor asked, grinning.
"Not really. Terra's got far more women than men these days. Between the wars with the Sarkaz and all the border conflicts, the number of enlisted men dropped sharply. Among the nobility and upper classes, polygamy isn't just accepted—it's almost expected."
Indeed, the past decade of endless warfare had ravaged Terra's balance. Countless men had died on the front lines, leaving behind a generation where women far outnumbered them.
And in such a world, love—and survival—had both taken on entirely new meanings.
Among the Sarkaz mercenaries, the ratio of men to women was roughly six to four.
In the Columbian army, however, it was closer to nine to one.
Different nations followed different strategies.
The Sarkaz simply had no other choice, while in other, more structured countries—such as Kazimierz—even among the elite knights, men had become a rarity.
That, in fact, was the very reason why the "Verdant Knight" had become so beloved.
Listening to Emperor's roundabout words of comfort, Felix found himself thinking that maybe… having a harem really wasn't such a bad thing.
After all, if there were more women than men, wasn't that perfectly natural?
Look at some governor of an entire city.
Having three wives and four concubines seemed entirely ordinary at that level. For someone of his rank, marrying another woman meant gaining an entire faction's support. It wasn't that he wanted to marry more—it was that he had to.
Ahem… but that was getting off topic.
After expanding the search radius, Felix reviewed the drone footage. The system analyzed every frame, yet still found nothing.
In all likelihood, Lappland had already entered one of the nearest mobile cities. With her physical prowess and combat ability, the odds of her dying out in a wasteland like this were slim to none.
After circling the area for another hour and turning up nothing, Felix piloted the transport aircraft back toward Trimount.
The transport landed smoothly on Rhine Lab's Airstrip. When Felix entered the medical bay, he found Cellinia asleep—he didn't even remember when she'd drifted off. Carefully, he lifted her head, then carried her down from the plane in a princess carry.
Emperor waved a flipper dismissively as he left—he had a concert coming up, and ever since they'd landed and regained signal, his phone had been ringing nonstop. His manager was practically blowing it up. The concert was about to start, but the star himself was nowhere to be found.
Felix owed him a favor now. Even with his technology and combat ability, it was uncertain whether he could have driven off the so-called Beastlord, Zaaro, on his own.
As the head of Mechanical Engineering, securing a private medical room was effortless. Not long after he brought Cellinia inside, one of Muelsyse's water familiars noticed his return. Moments later, the real Muelsyse entered through the door.
"That's… quite a serious injury," she murmured.
Muelsyse had intended to greet Felix more affectionately—after all, it had been a long time since they'd seen each other face to face—but her eyes immediately fell upon the Lupo girl lying on the medical bed.
"I'll handle the surgery," Felix said softly. "Mumu, I'll leave sterilization to you."
"Got it!"
Muelsyse didn't ask where he'd learned medicine. During his time studying under Doctor Kal'tsit, the little water elemental often sneaked around to observe, so she was already somewhat aware of his medical knowledge. Still, her curiosity toward the wounded Lupo girl would have to wait until after the operation.
Felix's training wasn't limited to theory or scientific understanding—he had also assisted Kal'tsit directly in the medical wing, gaining hands-on experience with surgical procedures.
With Muelsyse's assistance, Felix began treating Cellinia's injuries.
Rhine Lab's medical equipment was top-tier, and under his skilled hands, all of her external wounds were disinfected and rebandaged. Shards of metal lodged deep in her body were carefully removed, and each incision was sutured with precision—ensuring not a single scar would remain.
For women, scars could sometimes be a mark of charm—but not every woman saw it that way.
By the time Felix finished treating her, it was already late into the night.
He administered anti-inflammatory medication once she awoke briefly, then watched as she drifted back into a peaceful sleep. Afterward, he gently moved her to his own quarters to rest more comfortably.
Bringing back an injured person wasn't something that required reporting to Kristen, but just in case, he mentioned it to Yara. She didn't object.
Muelsyse sat at the bedside, listening as Felix recounted everything that had happened over the past few days. Her eyes shimmered softly, filled with a kind of quiet admiration.
"After hearing all that," she said with a smile, "I can't help but feel satisfied—like I've been part of your adventure myself."
"I just wish," Felix replied, "that one day it could truly be our adventure."
"Mm… speaking of which," Muelsyse said, resting her head on his shoulder, "the Horizon Ark Project is already underway. Construction has begun."
Her voice was warm and close, carrying the faint scent of the sea.
"For now, I really can't leave. I'm directly in charge of the botanical section of the project. Unlike you—I can't just hand over blueprints and walk away whenever I want."
Felix gave a faint, guilty smile. "Guess that makes me the irresponsible one, huh?"
"Don't say that." Muelsyse poked his cheek playfully. "Kristen might not have said anything publicly, but she praised your proposal endlessly. We started construction way ahead of schedule thanks to your plans."
"I admit, I have my own motives," Felix said. "I want to use the Horizon Ark Project to explore the feasibility of Sky City—and accelerate its development."
"Don't be so hard on yourself," she said gently.
Muelsyse's voice softened as she continued, "Honestly, I have my own selfish reason too. I want to study whether our aquatic plants—those that sustain us water elementals—can survive in that kind of environment."
"Then until that day comes," Felix murmured, "neither of us can leave, huh?"
"Mhm… looks like it."
Muelsyse gave a helpless little laugh, her expression serene. Like a spirit born from the flowers themselves, she leaned in and pressed tender, lingering kisses against his lips—one after another, each as soft as ripples on still water.
If only the timing were different.
If Cellinia weren't lying injured in the next room…
Perhaps the night would have taken a far more intimate turn.
By the next morning, after a full night's rest, Cellinia's complexion had improved considerably.
She sat up slowly, pressing a hand to her forehead. The air carried his scent—faint but distinct—mingled with the gentle warmth of sunlight. Her Lupo tail gave an involuntary wag.
The room around her felt unfamiliar.
She vaguely remembered being woken after the surgery, given some medicine, and then falling asleep again.
So why was she here…?
Was this—his bedroom?
On the work desk lay unfinished reports.
At the center of the room, a sturdy ancient tree grew up through a patch of soft, grassy carpet that filled the air with a refreshing scent of greenery. The walls were decorated with Columbian art—some architectural, some abstract, and some so intricate that Cellinia couldn't make sense of them.
But what caught her eye most was a framed photograph sitting on the desk.
It was a group photo—men and women dressed in stylish research uniforms, full of energy and intellect.
Cellinia leaned on the desk for support and peered closer. Her eyes immediately found him—Felix—standing beside a young woman whose expression radiated warmth and playful wit. He wore that familiar, easy smile of his.
This was… a piece of Felix's life she had never known.
Her fingers brushed across his image in the photo, tracing the outline of his face as if she could touch the real him.
For a moment, a faint feeling of envy welled up inside her.
When that photo had been taken, she was probably still trapped in the illusionary days of the Saluzzo family.
"You're awake."
Cellinia turned around. Felix stood at the doorway, pushing it open with one hand. Startled, she quickly set the frame down, but he had already noticed.
He didn't comment, only raised the bag in his hand with a faint smile.
"I brought breakfast—some porridge. You probably can't eat much yet, but you should try to have a little."
Cellinia's recovery had been astonishingly fast.
Back in her previous world, injuries of that severity would've kept her bedridden for at least ten days, if not half a month. Even Babel's medical division had similar conclusions: these were wounds that should have been fatal—yet here, she was already up and moving after only a few days.
Unbelievable. So this was the physical resilience of a Terran?
"Thank you, Brother Felix."
She pulled over a chair and sat beside him. For a fleeting moment, he had half-expected some kind of feeding play, but seeing her handle everything on her own left him just a little disappointed.
Her Lupo tail, however, had quietly wrapped itself around his leg.
"About what comes next…"
"About what comes next…"
They spoke at the same time, then paused. Felix chuckled softly.
Ever since that "thank-you" kiss, he had more or less understood her feelings. He reached out and gently ruffled her hair.
"What do you want to do from now on?"
"I want to work… with you, Brother Felix."
Cellinia's tone was calm, but her tail coiled tighter around his leg.
"All right," he said after a moment. "I'll assign you to the logistics division."
It was similar to her previous role at Penguin Logistics. Cellinia disliked pointless fighting, but she didn't hesitate to use force when necessary during missions. Pairing her with Lemuel, whose cheerful personality could balance her stoic one, would help her open up again.
"Oh, right," Felix added casually, "I threw out all your cigarettes. Smoking's bad for your health. From now on, eat Pocky instead."
He pulled out a box of Pocky, picked up one stick, and held it to her lips.
Her rosy lips parted, teeth gently biting down.
As the chocolate-covered stick grew shorter, her lips brushed against his fingertips—and, almost on instinct, her tongue flicked out, lightly grazing his finger.
"…Let's go," Felix said, clearing his throat. "I'll buy you a new set of clothes, then we'll head home. You'll meet my companions there—your future coworkers."
"Mm."
Cellinia's sense of fashion was impeccable. Having grown up in the Saluzzo family, which had deep ties to the fashion world, she naturally carried an air of elegance.
This time, she didn't wear the traditional Siracusan-style outfit of her homeland.
It felt as if she wanted to leave that past behind. Instead, she chose a modern long coat, black tights, and a pair of running shoes.
Of course, Felix would later prepare her a standard uniform—customized to suit her preferences.
Soon after, with the little wolf girl clinging to his arm, Felix arrived at his home.
He knocked on the door.
The one who opened it was Lemuel.
"Brother Felix! Welcome back!"
Her eyes lit up with delight, and she almost jumped forward to hug him—until she noticed the Lupo girl at his side. Her steps faltered slightly, and a subtle unease crept into her chest.
"Brother Felix," she asked, glancing at Cellinia, "who is she?"