In the end, it was little Rafaela's hug that granted Felix a sliver of freedom. Since adopting her a few years back, she had grown into a lively fourteen- or fifteen-year-old. These days, her favorite part of life was simply going to and from school—especially when Carnelian came to pick her up afterward.
Her hobbies and aspirations hadn't changed much either. Rafaela still dreamed of becoming a bartender one day, and Felix fully supported that choice.
He never tried to shape her life for her—whatever she loved, he supported. With him as her guardian, she would never have to worry about money or hardship.
The enthusiasm from his Trimount 4 little sisters surprised him somewhat. But then again, it had been nearly a year since he last saw them. As their elder brother, he could hardly complain about a bit of affection. Before long, they would all be moving to Lungmen together—and from then on, they could share a home every day.
That night, just as Felix was about to fall asleep, a soft knock came at his door. It was Senomi and Mandragora. Both looked weary—dark circles under their eyes, the telltale signs of restless nights. With graduation exams looming, perhaps stress had finally caught up to them. They shyly asked if they could sleep beside him for the night.
Felix agreed.
The door closed with a soft click.
That night, he experienced firsthand what it meant to be surrounded by the vigor of youth. Both Senomi and Mandragora wore thin pajamas, shivering and murmuring how cold it was as they nestled against his arms. Their tails—warm and soft—brushed against his legs, twitching restlessly.
They've really grown up, he thought with a quiet sigh. Just a few years ago, they were tiny, fragile girls who'd burst into tears after a light scolding or a playful tap. Now, they had blossomed into radiant young women.
He could feel their quiet dependence on him—not as children, but as people who trusted him deeply. That thought filled him with a strange sense of pride.
Senomi carried a faint, sweet fragrance—warm and mellow like honey. Hugging her felt like embracing a soft, scented cushion. Mandragora's scent, meanwhile, carried a trace of the modern Columbian fashion scene—gentle, composed, never overwhelming. The kind of scent that would instantly bring to mind a black-haired, straight-laced high school girl.
Two days later, Felix met Carnelian at a quiet café on the street—and with her, a family of three who could only be described as… tigers.
Yes, tigers. It was the most fitting description. All three bore clear signs of atavistic blood—the kind that caused certain Columbian citizens to resemble beasts from the old world. Felix had learned about such traits from Wei Yenwu himself.
The father and mother looked worn, the kind of wear that only years of imprisonment could inflict. Even so, there was still a trace of noble bearing in them—the sharpness of merchants, the dignity of old money. Their son, the young Master Simon, eyed Felix with a mixture of wariness and gratitude.
Who is this man? he must have been wondering. What kind of power does he wield, to pull our family out of prison—even above the reach of the HydeBro?
The HydeBro had powerful backers. They had seized control of the local industries after the Simons fell, becoming the de facto lords of the landship city. For this stranger to oppose them so openly… was he not afraid?
The Simon parents shared their son's confusion, their expressions a blend of gratitude, suspicion, and weary restraint.
"Let's be direct," Felix said calmly, fingers interlaced on the table. "The Simon family, as it once was in Columbia, no longer exists."
The three exchanged glances but did not protest. Their faces betrayed little emotion—only the faint bitterness of acceptance. After all, they had endured enough hardship in prison to dull most worldly attachments.
"Tell me," Felix continued, "do you wish for the Simon name to rise again?"
He slid a folder across the table toward Mr. Simon. "Of course, there's a condition. From this day forward, the Simon family will operate as a vassal house under my company—Tomorrow's Development."
Mr. Simon silently took the folder and began to read. The document outlined the current state of Tomorrow's Development, the territory the Simon family would oversee in Lungmen, and the industrial chains they would be responsible for managing.
Once, the Simons had been a proud construction company with a complete production line—engineers, designers, suppliers, the works. Felix happened to need precisely that. He had been looking for someone reliable to handle large-scale infrastructure and manufacturing—and given the Simons' former reputation and the patriarch's pragmatic temperament, they were an excellent fit.
"Your company, Tomorrow's Development," Mr. Simon finally said, his tone measured, "is… extraordinary. It's hard to believe it was founded less than two years ago."
His words were sincere, but he didn't immediately agree. He was deep in thought. The Simon family had lost everything—wealth, status, reputation—but what remained was experience, intellect, and the spirit of enterprise.
Those, after all, were his truest treasures.
And even if he had to start from nothing, he believed he could rebuild the Simon family from the ground up.
"Mr. Lanshem, I agree with the vision of the future you've presented. I believe this is also what you desire."
Mr. Simon leaned forward slightly as he spoke. Though becoming a subordinate house under Tomorrow's Development might sound unpleasant, in truth, Lanshem had no intention of meddling in the internal affairs of the Simon family. Managing Tomorrow's Development alone was already enough to make him wish he could hand everything off to someone else—taking charge of another family would be unbearable.
As for the factories he had recently acquired, they could easily cooperate with the Simon family later on.
"This must be your son, Anthony Simon, correct? It's truly fortunate that he didn't contract Oripathy while in prison."
The negotiations concluded, Lanshem's tone relaxed considerably. Carnelian placed a cup of hot cocoa before him—sweet, just the way he liked it. Taking a sip, he spoke casually.
"We're truly grateful, Mr. Lanshem."
Mr. Simon lowered his head, followed by his son—Anthony Simon, the young tiger who, in another timeline, would bear the codename Mountain at Rhodes Island.
"Thank you very much. If not for you, I might still be rotting in that prison."
Despite his fierce appearance, Anthony's demeanor revealed a well-mannered and articulate young man—proof of his upbringing in a distinguished family.
Sensing Lanshem's interest in his son, Mr. Simon quickly understood what that might mean. Perhaps Lanshem admired Anthony's composure and strength—traits any veteran of the business world would appreciate. Feeling a surge of pride, Mr. Simon carefully ventured,
"Mr. Lanshem, if you don't mind… would you allow my son, Anthony, to work under your guidance?"
Lanshem had been planning to make that suggestion himself—but it seemed the opportunity had come to him on its own.
Accepting Anthony as a subordinate offered multiple advantages. First, as the Simon family was now an affiliate of Tomorrow's Development—and personally rescued by Lanshelm—it was only natural to have the family's heir serve under him. Second, working for a major enterprise would allow Anthony to gain valuable experience for when he eventually succeeded his father. Third, it would strengthen the bond between the two houses, ensuring constant communication and goodwill.
For a brief moment, Mr. Simon regretted not having a daughter—if he did, he might have sent her to Lanshem instead, perhaps even to form a deeper connection between their families.
"I would like to learn from you, Mr. Lanshem. Please accept me."
Anthony bowed respectfully.
Felix was pleased with this outcome. In another life, the Simon family had long since fallen, with years spent behind bars and misfortune claiming the parents, leaving Anthony no choice but to remain at Rhodes Island.
But this time, Felix had intervened early, rescuing the family before their collapse. Though Anthony might not remain with Tomorrow's Development forever, Felix had gained something equally valuable—a loyal ally bound by gratitude. Whether this was a better or worse outcome than before was for others to judge, but to him, it was a worthwhile trade.
Looking at Anthony, Felix felt a quiet satisfaction. Unlike the Anthony from his previous life, who spent most of his time training alone, this version would learn how to manage an enterprise. At last, Loughshinny would have a capable assistant—she wouldn't have to handle all the administrative work on her own anymore.
He had always avoided sending Loughshinny to the battlefield, knowing her gentle nature wasn't suited for conflict. Anthony, however, was different—a man born for the thrill of combat. When the time came, he could be deployed into any battlefield at a moment's notice. Perfect.
After a while, Mr. and Mrs. Simon left the café under Carnelian's escort. They would return to their old home to gather what remained of their possessions, pack up, and head for Lungmen, where their family would begin anew.
Anthony watched Felix with deep respect. Now that he understood the man's true purpose, he couldn't help but feel a sense of honor—perhaps even awe. His family's integrity and fairness had brought them this chance at redemption. The world truly worked in mysterious ways.
This trip to Columbia had yielded remarkable results: not only had Felix rescued Cellinia, but he had also gained two promising talents—one a fierce fighter, the other a versatile all-rounder.
Anthony's loyalty needed no testing; Felix could already sense it. He instructed Anthony to pack his belongings and prepare to leave Trimount for Lungmen together. Anthony nodded, thoughtful, and departed—he, too, had to return home to collect a few things worth bringing to the new city.
Meanwhile, Felix began sorting through his research data. His next goal was to invest his accumulated experience into acquiring a blueprint—one that only high-energy physicists could obtain.
He was aiming for a core.
Not just any core—the Landship Core. With his luck, the odds of rolling it were about the same as winning a lottery. The other mobile vehicle cores were hardly worth the effort; they could be bought off the market easily enough.
With his measly Luck stat of 1, pulling anything worthwhile was… well, difficult.
So, before rolling for the blueprint, Felix decided to boost his fortune the best way he knew how—with hugs. He gave affectionate embraces to Senomi, Mandragora, Susie, and Rafaela. Senomi and Mandragora responded with enthusiasm, their arms tightening around him; Susie practically melted into his chest, while Rafaela, after being hugged once, immediately asked for another.
A shame Rosebloom wasn't here—her Luck was pretty high too, as he recalled.
Afterward, he shut himself inside the dark room and began rolling for blueprints.
[Discover new High-Energy Physics Blueprint – Cost: 1,000,000 LMD and 100,000 EXP. Confirm / Cancel?]
Felix winced. Spending that much made his heart ache. He'd been hoarding his experience points, reluctant to use them on his specialist professions. With help from the players, his current total was around 1.2 million—but even then, how many rolls could that really buy him?
No wonder expert-tier blueprints were so expensive. They were, as he put it, "bull-level costly."
Still, he had already "absorbed" enough luck energy. He believed in himself—and belief, after all, was the truest form of magic.
"Grant me strength, Kjeragandr!"
[Congratulations! You have obtained: Mobile Heavy Artillery Power Core Blueprint]
Hmm. Not bad. The blueprint described a weapon similar in type to Londinium's city defense cannons—though on a smaller scale. It could easily be mounted on fortress walls or large mobile vehicle.
"Alright, one more!"
[Congratulations! You have obtained: Infrastructure Core Blueprint]
Now this was useful. Players who built hidden bases in the wilderness would need such cores. In his previous life, the only way to get one was through the auction house. He personally had no use for it, but it would sell for a fortune if he listed it in his faction's shop later on.
Two valuable blueprints in a row—was this the true worth of expert-class rolls?
He hesitated. That was already two million LMD and two hundred thousand EXP gone. For context, buying Foam and Verdant Knight had cost about the same. The sting was real. Still, he comforted himself with the thought that both blueprints would prove useful in the future.
Leaving the dark room, he happened to run into Lemuen, Lemuel, and Cellinia, who had just returned home. Before he could greet them properly, Cellinia rushed forward and hugged him tightly.
She leaned in, sniffing lightly at his chest, her tail brushing against his thigh.
"Hmm… smells like their scent… Let me add mine to it a bit."
"Eh?! Texas, when did you sneak in?!" Lemuel yelped.
Her sister, Lemuen, only sighed helplessly. After Cellinia finally released him, Lemuen stepped forward, smoothing the wrinkles from Felix's clothes.
"Still working, I see? Even during your vacation, you just can't seem to stop."
"No helping it," Felix replied with a wry smile.
"Then, later tonight, let me give you a massage," she said softly, smiling. "I learned a few techniques from Mostima, and added some touches of my own. It should help you relax."
Felix nodded and gently patted the slightly sulking Lemuel before heading back to his workshop.
Now, with Kjeragandr's blessing behind him—he feared nothing!
"All my achievements are the fruits of my own effort! Deep Blue… add points! No—System! Roll!"
[Congratulations! You have obtained: Landship Core!]
Felix immediately dropped to his knees, bowing deeply toward the direction of Kjerag.
"Kjerag," he murmured fervently, "this year, I will return—just to stand before Kjeragandr's statue once more and praise his divine grace and sanctity in person!"
And while he was at it, maybe he'd ask his allies—the one with the bird always perched on his shoulder—if they could release a commemorative product: a chubby-faced, big-hearted Kjeragandr figurine to honor Kjerag's faith.