Among all those who had come forward with pleasantries, Felix chose to keep only a few family heads who valued tangible results. Within the families, there were many conservatives who clung to past glory. In Felix's view, the chance of reaching any cooperation with them was close to zero. What he wanted were people like Lady Sicily, those willing to step beyond their comfort zones.
After committing the name of the family before him to memory, the other party politely excused themselves and left. Only four people remained in the theater: Felix, Ingrid, Giovanna Rossati, and the Rossati family's butler.
The butler tactfully took his leave. Ingrid maintained her position by the theater entrance, standing guard like a proper bodyguard.
Giovanna grew somewhat unsettled under Felix's probing gaze. It was not that her first impression of him was bad. On this land, unless someone harbored prejudice or outright hatred toward Felix from the start, he usually left an excellent first impression. Men found him reliable and inspiring, while for women, his presence carried a different kind of impact altogether.
Felix's bearing and presence were unmatched. Even the most famous and handsome film stars in Columbia could not compare. Some things could only be understood by those who had reached that position.
What troubled Giovanna was that she had always believed herself to be as calm and composed as ice and snow, someone who would never be swayed by anything external during business negotiations. Her family had previously suggested political marriages, but she had shown no interest. She did not believe any man could truly meet her standards.
Yet the Sankta seated before her, wearing a courteous smile, shattered that confidence. At the very least, she could admit that her first impression of him was far from unfavorable. If there truly had to be a marriage partner, someone like him would not be a bad choice.
She knew this was little more than wishful thinking. The Rossati family was merely an ordinary family within Columbia. Compared to the old established families, they had no real advantages. Moreover, the man before her was the leader of Tomorrow's Development, someone of considerable status who could sit down and discuss business with Lady Sicily. How could he possibly be someone with a simple background?
"Your Highness…"
She did not know why all the other family members addressed him that way, but Giovanna followed suit. "Your Highness currently has no foundation in Siracusa. The Rossati family is willing to provide Tomorrow's Development with everything it needs."
This was a gambler's mindset. She believed that those old families would indeed want to trade with Felix, but none of them wanted another hegemonic enterprise to rise in Siracusa, one that would seize the industries they had long monopolized.
By doing this, Giovanna was effectively placing her entire family on the table as a wager. It was a high-stakes gamble. She was betting that he would understand her reasoning, that he would recognize the Rossati family's sacrifices. In exchange for the friendship of Tomorrow's Development and a future worth betting on, what did those sacrifices amount to?
"Lady Sicily has also invited me to establish a foothold in Siracusa. Tomorrow's Development aspires to traverse every corner of this land, and I share that belief. Siracusa cannot be treated differently."
Felix understood the girl's intentions. This was tantamount to offering her family up with both hands, placing it at another's mercy. Perhaps Giovanna had already guessed what kind of person he was in such a short time. For such courage, Felix believed a reward was due.
Giovanna had long wished to shed the label of a former Columbian family. The massacre of the Texas family was still vivid in memory, and this was precisely why she had always opposed dealings between her family and Columbians. But now, faced with an entrepreneur recognized by Lady Sicily herself, Giovanna wanted to seize the opportunity.
"We can discuss in detail the sincerity and the costs of cooperation between the Rossati family and Tomorrow's Development."
Felix rubbed his fingers lightly. "The specifics can be decided a few days later, when we hold a more thorough discussion aboard the Venus."
"Thank you for your appreciation, Your Highness."
Giovanna let out a quiet sigh of relief. The joy in her voice was impossible to hide. After leaving the theater, she met with her butler. Seeing her expression, he was inwardly surprised.
"Miss, what did you discuss with that gentleman just now?"
"Some business matters. By the way, in a few days I will be heading to the Venus as the head of the Rossati family for formal talks. The senior members need to prepare."
She gave a soft sigh. "As for the identity of Caterina, I will pick it up again after I return. My script is not finished yet."
"As you wish, Miss."
Ingrid returned to the seat Giovanna had vacated. Seeing that Felix was still deep in thought, she wisely refrained from disturbing him.
Only when he finally raised his head did Ingrid feel a sense of relief. At some point, whenever Felix fell silent in contemplation, she herself began to feel uneasy. It was unbecoming of a Assassin, yet it spoke volumes about the presence of the man before her.
"Siracusa's imbalance really does make people want to exploit the cracks."
Felix stood up. As if recalling something, he shook his head and let out a quiet laugh. "No wonder Lady Sicily wants to try something new. If this continues for too long, even setting aside war-crazed nations like Ursus and Columbia, nearby Leithania will become the greatest threat."
Ingrid's expression turned solemn. "Mr. Felix, will there be war in the future?"
"War will break out sooner or later."
Felix cast a glance at the empty hall. "The only difference is whether you are someone who influences the course of war. War will always exist, Ingrid. You cannot avoid it, nor can you escape it. What matters most is standing in the position that suits you best and doing what you can."
"…I will take those words as a gift from you, Mr. Felix."
"You're still being too polite."
"No… before this, I was merely an assassin."
Ingrid smiled faintly. "Living in Siracusa, the only way I knew how to survive was through killing. I didn't know any other path, nor did I understand what the outside world was really like… aside from the Higashi."
"What about the Higashi?"
A trace of anger surfaced in Ingrid's eyes. "My husband, Lisa's father, was forcibly detained there. He was kept in a shrine like a mascot, put on display for people to worship every day."
"I see…"
Felix walked over and pushed open the doors of the theater. Sunlight streamed in at an angle. He glanced sideways and said, "When we eventually head to the Higashi, I'll have Tomorrow's Development burn that shrine to ash and reunite your family."
Ingrid bowed deeply.
"…Your Highness, may I have some time to take care of a few personal matters?"
"Go ahead."
With Felix's consent, Ingrid bowed once more and left. As for what personal matters she intended to handle, Felix could already guess.
Ingrid's decision to join Tomorrow's Development was a good thing. While he had the Sargon contract assassins under his command, they had been trained from childhood, making systematic instruction difficult. Ingrid, on the other hand, was a seasoned assassin from Siracusa. His organization had all kinds of talents, but what it truly lacked were agile killers and assassins. Ingrid could train a loyal and capable group for him.
What remained now was to wait for Mountain's communications and reports. Under escort, Felix returned to the hotel.
___
"Big sister, even here, Infected are treated like this…"
"We already knew the answer, didn't we?"
FrostNova spoke softly as she looked at the Infected lying on the ground nearby. In panic, they tried to cover the Originium crystals on their arms with their clothes. The ones who had knocked them down were several well-dressed family members in suits.
The Yeti Squad was furious, but they were well aware of their current identity. They were now members of Tomorrow's Development. Charging in to argue or fight would not only cause trouble for His Highness's negotiations, it would also damage Tomorrow's Development's reputation.
They were no longer hot-blooded youths acting on impulse. Under Talulah's leadership, ironically, they had learned patience and restraint.
Watching the family members leave, FrostNova let out a quiet sigh. She had come here hoping to see the lower districts, where life was likely harsh, but what she found was still jarring. Some Infected were doing relatively well, carving out a place for themselves with sheer strength, making family members wary of provoking them for fear of retaliation. Others fared far worse. Lacking the power to protect themselves, they were exploited by both non-Infected and fellow Infected.
Here, whoever had the stronger fist could protect themselves. Only by proving one's strength could more resources be secured.
Seeing such raw survival of the fittest in a mobile city felt deeply discordant.
"Don't… don't chase me!"
As the Yeti Squad stepped forward to help the beaten Infected, they heard a girl's shout from not far away. The squad members exchanged glances and immediately ran toward the sound.
"Let go of me! Stop following me!"
A brown-haired girl was running ahead, with several grim-faced Infected chasing after her.
"Hand over your food!"
"Stop yapping, brat. You don't want to get beaten, do you?"
"Wow, boss, you really going to do that? She's not bad-looking, you know?"
The girl looked no older than a high school student. She was panting heavily. "Th-this food is something I bought with money I earned from working. Why are you trying to take it?"
The Infected gave no reply. Their eyes were fixed solely on the bread clutched tightly to her chest.
Like a starving tiger pouncing on its prey, one of the Infected suddenly lunged toward the girl. At that moment, her legs gave out and she stumbled to the ground, the bag of bread flying from her hands. The Infected seemed not to see the girl at all, rushing straight for the bread instead.
Just as one of them reached out to grab it, a gloved hand seized his arm.
"Damn it, who the hell is that?!"
He looked up angrily, and in the next instant met an icy gaze, along with an arm that was rapidly freezing over.
"Ahhh, it's cold, cold, cold! Let go!"
Petrova released her grip, looking down indifferently as the Infected scrambled away in a panic. She snorted. She had seen scenes like this far too often back in Reunion.
Nearby, Greg and Big Bear began clearing the area. FrostNova picked up the bread and crouched in front of the girl. After taking a closer look, she realized just how weak the girl's body was. This was something Yelena herself had experienced before, the kind of frailty that came from prolonged hunger. Starvation also greatly increased the risk of Oripathy worsening.
She made her decision. Reaching out, she lifted the girl into her arms and began walking.
After finishing some handover work, Felix saw Yelena and her group return to the hotel, with a frail girl cradled in Yelena's arms.
Even he had no idea how this situation had come about.
"Felix, she's Infected," Yelena said softly as she laid the girl down on the bed. "Her Oripathy may worsen."
"Clever."
"Command received."
Clever floated over. Two miniature mechanical arms extended from its module. One began shaking a medicine vial, while the other drew up the medication.
As the injection entered the girl's body, her breathing gradually steadied.
"Heartbeat stabilized. Estimated time to regain consciousness: one hour and twenty minutes," Clever reported. "Do you require me to connect to Operator Folinic?"
"No need. Her condition is stable now. You handle her medication plan from here."
"Command received."
Yelena finally relaxed. The other members of the Yeti Squad also let out a breath of relief upon seeing the girl safe, then left for their rooms to rest. Yelena stayed behind. She took off her coat and leaned into Felix's arms, seeking a trace of warmth.
"Suddenly, I feel like Siracusa's current system isn't so bad."
"Why do you say that?"
Felix smiled.
Yelena spoke softly. "Here, Infected with enough strength can be taken in as auxiliary members by the families. They can't enter family headquarters, and their pay is lower than regular members, but at least they have work. They earn a respectable income among the Infected, and can even call themselves part of a family."
"It's far better than places where Infected are treated as worse than trash."
Felix flicked her nose lightly. "That's because you haven't been to Columbia. There, the Infected have their own communities. As long as you have enough knowledge and ability, you can earn respect just the same."
"Then next time you go to Columbia, take me with you," Yelena said quietly. "I want to meet your elf girlfriend. Oh, and earlier, I had a meal with Mostima and Lemuen. I even fought W."
"Fought?"
"W said she wanted to test the strength of a Reunion cadre. That was reasonable enough, so we sparred in the training grounds."
Her tone was casual, giving no hint as to who had won or lost.
They chatted for a while longer, mostly about Felix's girlfriends. Yelena's interrogative questions forced him to both reminisce and offer reassurance.
"Cough, cough…"
The coughing from the bed interrupted them. Yelena straightened up from Felix's arms, adjusted her clothes, and walked into the bedroom to the bedside. The girl's eyes opened a narrow slit.
"You're awake? Do you remember your name?"
The girl was still very weak. She spoke hoarsely, "Angelina… my name is Angelina."