This was not a fall from grace, because it did not violate the Law. It was a return to ancestry.
Mostima remained calm after learning the truth. She had long suspected that the Sarkaz were the ancestors of the Sankta, so when the truth was finally revealed, she was neither shocked nor devastated. She simply set aside her Sankta identity and became a Teekaz.
"Have you noticed any changes in your body?"
Mostima looked conflicted. She gestured toward her chest and muttered, "Does reverting to my ancestral form make my breasts bigger?"
Felix was momentarily speechless, but... it did seem plausible. Sarkaz girls did indeed have far more striking figures than Sankta. Putting others aside, just take Wiš'adel as an example. When Felix first met her, she already had a peach-like figure, with a full chest and curving hips.
"What about the other changes?"
Mostima closed her eyes and felt for a moment, then took out a mirror again. "I feel like my skin has improved a lot, and I look much younger."
"Didn't you already look like you were eighteen?"
"Skin and inner condition, girls are very sensitive about those things, okay?" Mostima pouted, then quickly returned to the main point. "I also feel that my Originium Arts have improved a lot. Hmm, if I could control the Lock and Key for one hour before, now I can do it for three with the same level of stamina."
Felix nodded silently.
After becoming a Teekaz, one's power over Arts did indeed increase. The Teekaz were the people who appeared on Terra after the early inhabitants, and they shared the same origin as this land itself. If it had not been for internal division and betrayal, perhaps the Terrans would never have been able to defeat the Teekaz at all.
Mostima tapped her chin thoughtfully.
"I'm going to buy something later."
"What do you need? We can buy it later."
Mostima gestured toward her chest again. "Things feel a bit tight now. By the way, Felix, what color do you like? Is black alright?"
"Let's go buy it now." Felix answered seriously.
___
The Pope was already aware of the matter of atavism. This was not a betrayal of Laterano's Law, but in the long run, such a development would indeed lead more Teekaz-descended people to leave Laterano, which was far from ideal. And since Felix already had quite a number of Sankta followers, he simply allowed Mostima to return to her ancestral form as a test.
Besides Mostima, Lemuen would also return to her ancestral form in the future.
With those thoughts in mind, Felix and Mostima remained in Laterano for three days. During those three days, they retraced the memories of their youth and the past, walking hand in hand through the streets and alleys, following the footsteps they had once left behind.
Felix was licking an ice cream and waiting outside the shop for Mostima. Although the weather had already turned cool, Mostima still wanted to buy several new swimsuits, because now Kazdel has a seaside city with endless summer.
While Felix was casually browsing the forum, he suddenly sensed something. He calmly lifted his head and looked at the graceful, long-haired girl in black standing before him.
"The Pope told me that you are now one of Laterano's saints. So, should I congratulate you for finally getting yourself removed from the wanted list?"
"Greetings, Your Highness."
Arturia looked wounded.
"Why wasn't I invited to the wedding? Is there some misunderstanding between us? Does Your Highness not understand my feelings?"
"Do you understand what love feels like now, Arturia?"
"To see Your Highness is to fall in love."
"You are too rational, just as I once was."
Felix remained unmoved by Arturia's enthusiasm. She chuckled softly, and the emotion in her eyes slowly withdrew.
"Your Highness, Miss Mostima seems a little different from before."
"Our relationship is not close enough for you to do anything about that, even if you figure it out. If you are truly curious, you can ask directly instead of prying like a thief."
Arturia paused slightly, then lifted her skirt and gave a proper curtsy.
"I understand. If this is what Your Highness desires, then in the future I shall offer you everything I have, because only in Your Highness's presence can I feel curiosity and joy."
By the time Mostima came out of the swimsuit shop carrying several bags, she caught sight of Arturia's retreating figure in the distance. She stepped forward, laced her fingers through Felix's, and asked with a hint of jealousy in her voice,
"What did she say?"
"She is somewhat interested in the phenomenon of atavism. In fact, Arturia herself is quite suited to it. So is her brother Federico."
"Arturia is one thing, but Federico... that sounds a little unlikely, doesn't it?"
"Federico is like a precision instrument, almost devoid of personal emotion." Felix smiled faintly. "Tell me, how do you think he would react if he learned that the Sarkaz were the ancestors of the Sankta?"
Mostima thought for a moment about Federico's usual reactions and answered somewhat uncertainly, "No reaction at all?"
"Yes," Felix said. "He would simply accept it calmly."
Felix handed another ice cream to Mostima.
"This is vacation time…"
"I know, don't worry. I don't care about other people's business."
Mostima was very satisfied with that answer, so she leaned in and kissed Felix on the cheek.
___
Fifteen days before the wedding, all the invited guests began setting out on their journeys. They included heads of state from various countries, their attendants, and the friends of both the brides and the groom.
Felix had few real friends, but he knew many people.
In total, he had sent out around a hundred invitation letters.
As for the brides' side, the number of people was naturally much larger.
Take Margaret Nearl, for example. Her aunt Zofia would come, her uncle Młynar would return, and her parents would come as well. When Młynar arrived in the northern wilderness as part of the vanguard, he reunited with Schnitz Nearl and Yolanta Nearl during the battle. The three of them had much to say after meeting again. They also knew very well that their daughters's heart already belonged to Felix.
This time, the Nearl family had practically mobilized in full, even bringing several of the family's guards with them.
Wei Yenwu had only just returned to Lungmen from Baizao when he received Felix's wedding invitation. Seeing Ch'en Hui-chieh's name at the top, Wei Yenwu felt rather satisfied.
According to Yan custom, when a daughter marries, the family should prepare a dowry. Although Ch'en Hui-chieh was not actually his daughter, she was indeed a junior of his household. As for what dowry should be prepared… Wei Yenwu felt that Felix lacked for nothing. So what exactly should he give?
After discussing it with old Lin, the two decided that they should bring gold and silver treasures, along with contracts for mineral resources. They both knew what Felix was planning to do beyond the Stargate, and these were precisely the kinds of materials Felix would need.
So the two fathers put their minds together and, with their families and gifts, made a grand journey to Kazdel.
Meanwhile, in the Baizao of Yan, a pale man flipped over the chessboard. He stared coldly at the letter in his hand and let out a mocking laugh.
"Who does he think he is? He's got quite the nerve, fooling all three of my good sisters."
"Ji, don't you have anything to say?"
Ji's expression was somewhat complicated, but he still wore his usual polite smile.
"I made my elder sister's wedding dress myself."
"You…"
"I am a businessman. I know how to wait for the best price, and I also know how to invest and manage wealth. But my elder sister and younger sister are not commodities." Ji paused. "Still, I have had many dealings with His Highness. As a business partner, he is more than satisfactory. As a king, he is not a fickle man."
The man clicked his tongue in disbelief.
"Damn it. Are you comparing this to the harem of the Yan court?"
"Brother, you should keep reading the letter."
Only then did the man come back to himself. He narrowed his eyes and continued reading, then squinted even harder.
"He says he actually wants to defeat Sui?"
"He has that kind of strength. I believe him. And if that happens, the sorrow that has haunted our brothers and sisters for thousands of years may finally come to an end."
"You'd rather trust an outsider than your own people?"
"He is no outsider. He is our brother-in-law, and our sisters' husband. He defeated the demons, mastered the power of the Law, and is now the King of Terra."
Ji hesitated slightly before continuing,
"He also said that now that he possesses the Law of Purification, he may be able to separate Third Sister from Sui's body, turn Sui himself to ashes, and bring Third Sister back."
The man abruptly stood up, his face dark.
Confusion and anger flashed through his eyes.
"How does he know that?"
"sister told him."
"Hmph."
The man sat back down and coughed repeatedly, a mocking smile still hanging at the corners of his mouth.
"If I just disappear like this, the Candleholders and Yan will go completely mad."
Ji said helplessly, "Second Brother, didn't you notice? The surveillance around here was removed a few days ago."
At that moment, a short red-haired man poked his head in through the doorway.
"Done arguing?"
"Eat first after you're done arguing. No matter what, we can't go to Kazdel on an empty stomach, right?"
Yu carried a food box into the shabby little house, set the dishes one by one on the table, and sighed in mild frustration.
"Sigh. This time Kazdel invited Chef Mo Bufu from Dingfeng Restaurant. Does my brother-in-law look down on me or something?"
Ji gave a helpless wry smile. "Little brother, you are an invited guest. How could they possibly ask you to work in the kitchen as a chef?"
"…I know. I'm just a little annoyed."
The only reply was the sound of a bowl being set down heavily.
The sinister-looking man put aside his chopsticks, his voice slightly hoarse as he spoke.
"The tofu tastes good."
"There's still rice and soup. You haven't touched the soup yet." Yu stepped forward to serve more rice to his elder brother. Ji leaned against the side, slowly eating the Jiangnan-style dishes. Then, as if something had suddenly occurred to him, a teasing smile appeared on his face.
"Ji, what is it?"
"Nothing. I was just thinking… although younger sister has lived on the Venus for so long, she still missed the chance to truly understand His Highness because of her own issues. Right now, she must be feeling rather conflicted. In my opinion, she still doesn't fully understand what kind of feelings she has for His Highness. In that regard, elder sister is much more proactive."
"Hmph. That's just her own personality problem."
The man quickly finished the remaining food, wiped his mouth with a napkin, slid the sword hanging on the wall back into the sheath at his waist, and picked up his folding fan.
"Let's go to Kazdel and meet that man."
___
Yan was lively, but Kazdel was even more lively, because a large number of the brides Felix was about to marry were from Kazdel itself.
Luna had pleaded and cajoled Theresa, even putting on a pitiful act in front of her, before she was finally allowed into Felix's bed and thoroughly taken advantage of by him. Still, the outcome was gratifying. At the very least, she now had a proper title, which made her flash her little tiger teeth in delight every day. In the order of Kazdel, Theresa stood at the top, just as she had once been queen, while the rest of them could only count themselves as consorts.
As for Nymph… that had happened because she told her mother that she had already slept with His Highness and that she had fallen in love with him after dreaming about him day and night. As a result, Nymph's older sister, who worked in personnel, ended up throwing Nymph into the middle of a chaotic scene one night. By sheer coincidence, Nymph also became part of that night… and from there, everything unfolded with a strange sort of logic.
Theresa had no family left other than her brother. What she underestimated, however, was the power of her former status as the Sarkaz King and the ideal she represented in the hearts of the Sarkaz. Since the wedding was being held in Kazdel, Theresa had naturally become an object of admiration in the hearts, voices, and actions of Kazdel's people. The Sarkaz citizens were genuinely happy for the union between the Liberation King and Theresa.
"To be honest, at first I thought you would object, Brother."
Theresa was looking over the final draft of her wedding dress design when she raised her head and smiled at Theresis, who was standing by the window.
"I saw his ambition a long time ago, but I never expected his ambition and ideals to be so vast. The situation is beyond our control now. If we continue to fight, it will only lead to more bloodshed. It is better to acknowledge defeat sooner rather than later."
"Brother…"
"You will be happy. I am certain of it."
A faint smile touched Theresis's lips.
"I know what His Highness is planning. When the time comes, you will leave with him. Terra will be left in our hands. You should pursue the future you desire, the ideals you long for. What I want is peace for Kazdel."
"Aren't you coming with us?"
"I will volunteer to stay."
Theresis spoke calmly.
"The future Terra has no need for war, nor will it have war. At His Highness's request, I have spent this period learning the art of governance. According to his plan, we will eventually journey into the unknown universe and govern multiple planets like Terra. The position he intends to give me is governor of an entire star system."
Theresa's eyes widened.
"Doesn't that sound arrogant? And yet, strangely enough, I believe what he says. I may truly stand in that position one day."
Theresis chuckled softly, then his expression grew gentler.
"Sister, I am very happy that you have found your happiness. I only hope that in the future, you will always keep smiling like this."
"Mm."
Theresis stepped out, and the door closed behind him.
A moment later, a soft knock sounded.
"Come in."
The first to enter was Wiš'adel, followed by Ines, Qalaiša, Mudrock, Ulšulah, Luna, Nymph, and Qui'saršinnag. Their cheeks were all slightly flushed.
"Miss Theresa, we would like to have a girls' night tonight. Would Miss Theresa like to join us?"