Ling, Nian, Shu, and Dusk stepped onto the stage in eye-catching Yan-style gowns, looking like noble consorts from an imperial palace. Although they wore no jewelry, they still shone with dazzling brilliance.
These dresses were far more precious than pearls or diamonds. They had been woven stitch by stitch by Ji himself, carrying within them his blessings for his elder sister Shu. As for the other three… they were secondary, at least in his eyes.
When Felix first met them, who could have imagined things would turn out like this? Who could have imagined that even the lofty fragments of the Sui Beast would one day be moved by mortal feelings?
Following the four of them came the three women Felix missed dearly: Degenbrecher, Carnelian, and Avdotya. They had accompanied him through the frozen winter of Ursus, traveled with him to the technologically advanced Trimounts, and walked beside him through the bustling, inclusive streets of Lungmen.
Felix had spent the early days of his entrepreneurial journey with them, and whenever he thought back on that time, a faint smile would always appear on his lips. Those had been the most innocent days. Back then, he had not yet been thinking about companies, demons, or the nations of Terra. All he wanted was to make money, make more money, and then make even more.
Looking back now, his original ambitions might seem a little naïve, but he still believed that he had always been walking the right path.
After them came the sisters, Lemuen and Lemuel, dressed in pure white wedding gowns as immaculate as Laterano itself. They walked hand in hand. Lemuel's face was filled with joy and a touch of shyness, while Lemuen, poised and elegant, gently led her sister forward toward Mostima.
Next to appear were Ch'en Hui-chieh and Lin Yühsia. One wore a red qipao, the other a purple one. Unlike the women before them, they did not walk side by side. Instead, they came one after another, as though they were still trying to outdo each other. Considering their relationship, however, that was only natural.
Then came Ines and Wiš'adel.
These two carried considerable prestige within Kazdel, and the moment they appeared, cheers and applause erupted from the crowd. Ines's eyes sparkled with delight, while Wiš'adel cast several glances toward Felix, made a face at him, let out a soft snort, and quickly walked.
After them came Ulšulah, Luna, Mudrock, Nymph, and Qui'saršinnag. Apart from Ulšulah, the rest wore ceremonial wedding attire from their respective races, and from the hems of their garments alone, one could almost feel the weight of history.
Then came the Nearl sisters, Margaret Nearl and Maria Nearl. Bearing the titles of the Radiant Knight and the Flawless Knight, they received thunderous applause the moment they stepped onto the stage. The Kazdel Arena had originally been built only after Kazdel's reconstruction, under Felix's deliberate guidance. Because of the unique environment of Kazdel, the arena was used either for player events, internal martial competitions, or operator rankings.
As champions of Kazimierz Major, the Radiant Knight and the Flawless Knight naturally possessed resounding fame. Combined with the reputation of the Nearl family, it was impossible for people not to know of a house that had produced two champion knights.
Zofia sat in her seat, smiling warmly as she waved toward the two sisters.
Natalya was the next to appear. As a young lady of Ursus, she was perhaps one of the very few women from Ursus to marry Felix. Her attire immediately marked her as an Ursus noblewoman. Her silver hair had been carefully pinned up and combed back, and her snow-white dress was decorated with red and green ribbons, making her look like a delicate and enchanting doll.
And then, at last, came the true heavyweights:
Vina Victoria, Queen of Victoria.
Eblana, Queen of the Kingdom of Tara.
Loughshinny, the Queen of New Tara.
The three queens made their grand entrance as the finale, instantly capturing everyone's attention. These queens, who had previously only appeared in news reports and headlines, were now becoming Felix's wives on this very day. Vina's cheeks were slightly flushed, though her expression remained serious. Eblana's lips curved upward, and she looked as though she were in an exceptionally good mood. Loughshinny's eyes shone with love. She had walked a very long road together with her teacher, and she firmly believed that the future would hold only sweetness and happiness, and with this union, the three kingdoms become United Kingdom of Victoria and Tara, or can also be called UK.
The brides waved to the crowd, announcing in silence that from this day onward, they would become Felix's wives and step with him into the future.
The extended Lincoln stopped before them, and the grand procession officially began.
Felix sat inside the armored stretch limousine, smiling and waving to the crowds on both sides. He had originally thought that a parade like this would be much more effective if he rode in an open-top vehicle, but the Security Department had firmly rejected the idea, saying it was far too dangerous. If some fool actually tried to assassinate Felix… although Felix's personal strength had already made him the strongest being on Terra, the Security Department had no intention of giving anyone even the slightest opportunity to try.
Felix thought of the meme of the smiling American president, and… well, he had to admit there was some truth to what they said. Confidence in one's own strength was one thing, but being shot at was still an unpleasant experience. So, in the end, Felix simply chose not to give anyone the chance.
Seated in Felix's car were Mostima, Muelsyse, and Theresa, the three women with whom he shared the deepest emotional bonds. Their faces were filled with joyful smiles as they gracefully and politely greeted the cheers of the people around them.
After making a full circuit around Kazdel Mobile City, Felix and the brides returned to the Capitol Building. They entered the central hall, where the brides' friends and family were already seated. Outside the Capitol Building, the city had fully given itself over to celebration. Vendors set up food and drink stalls, calling out enthusiastically to customers.
Inside the banquet hall, the guests chatted and laughed in low voices. When Felix and the brides entered, however, the vast hall gradually fell silent.
The emcee, holding a microphone, smiled and said, "Next, please welcome with warm applause those who have brought this sacred union into being."
As they had rehearsed beforehand, Felix stood at the center. From where he stood, all he could see was the sunlight pouring in through the floor-to-ceiling windows at the front of the hall.
"Now, let the ceremony joining both sides begin."
The girls automatically arranged themselves into three lines behind Felix, looking at the person standing before them. Some wore sweet smiles, while others seemed lost in thought.
At that moment, every one of them was happy.
"Your Majesty, please present the rings."
Clever appeared beside Felix, then turned and approached Mostima first. Under her delighted gaze, Felix took out a silver ring set with a blue diamond and gently placed it on her finger.
He had prepared a ring for every girl, and no two were the same. Theresa's was set with a pink diamond, while Muelsyse's held an emerald. He chose each gemstone according to the color each girl liked best. It was both a sign of respect and proof of the care Felix had put into every detail.
Beyond the gemstones themselves, each ring had its own distinct design. Muelsyse's was delicate, shaped like intertwining branches and vines. Theresa's was crafted in the form of thorns, with the Kazdel banner engraved into its surface.
After putting the ring on each girls, the wedding ceremony ended.
In truth, weddings in Kazdel were that simple. There were no vows in the Laterano-Columbian-Victorian style. There was no bowing to heaven and earth or to parents, as in the traditions of Yan. Besides, Felix had no parents to bow to. And there was no kissing either... well, kissing itself would have been perfectly normal, but this time Felix was marrying far too many girls.
Surely he could not kiss each of them one by one in front of everyone.
That scene would have been far too intense.
"From now on, we are family. Nothing else will really change from before. Everyone will still have her own work to do, her own interests to pursue. I will continue to give you opportunities and let you do those things freely."
Felix stepped forward and spoke gently.
"But one thing truly has changed. We have become husband and wife, a powerful community of shared destiny in this world. I hope our future will be just as brilliant as these past few days have been."
"I'm already more than satisfied that you gave me this chance. I have nothing else to ask for." Theresa smiled softly. "By the way, don't drink too much today."
"Why?"
"Will you still be able to handle tonight?"
Felix noticed that Theresa's cheeks flushed red as she said it. The girls around her also understood exactly what she meant. The bolder ones stared directly at Felix, while the more delicate ones even had their ears turn red.
Felix then led the girls from table to table, drinking and chatting. The drinking itself was only a formality, but the conversations seemed endless. The brides' relatives and friends all had so much they wanted to say, and Felix listened with a smile. He heard no scheming, no backstabbing, none of the intrigue of business or politics. What he heard instead was the sincere care of family.
It felt wonderful.
After lunch, the guests watched Felix depart, and that part of the celebration came to an end. The brides remained behind to chat with their families for a while longer before leaving the banquet in the evening.
In the lounge, Felix met Mostima, Muelsyse, and Theresa, all still dressed in their wedding gowns. They sat down beside him, chatting and laughing.
"Felix, does Mostima's current state count as... atavism?" Muelsyse pointed at the black horn on Mostima's head with a puzzled expression. "I can feel that Mostima's life force is much stronger than before."
"It is indeed a Sankta atavism," Felix replied, "but I prefer to call it racial evolution."
"Because both Mostima and I are descended from the Sarkaz, and because I myself have already gone through atavism, it isn't difficult for me to help Mostima undergo the same change," Felix continued. "Racial evolution greatly enhances vitality, which means lifespan. And beyond lifespan, it also helps a person awaken and master the traits of her race."
"My current race is Teekaz, and my branch is Diablo, which allows me to control flames with purifying properties."
Mostima added, "My race is Teekaz as well, that's true, but unlike Felix, I don't currently have a branch race of my own... Does that mean I need to evolve further before I can choose one?"
Felix was very optimistic about this. She smiled at Muelsyse and Theresa.
"A longer lifespan means we can stay together forever. In the future, when we go to the Arc Light One launch platform on Talos-II and board a starship bound for unknown systems, we will still move forward hand in hand."
The eyes of the three women shone brightly.
Felix took Theresa's hand and continued, "I still need to study the method of racial evolution for Muelsyse, because the Elf race is simply too rare on Terra. But for you, Theresa, the process will be much easier. All you need is Teekaz blood in your body."
A drop of golden blood gathered at Felix's fingertip.
Theresa's pink eyes lingered on that droplet. Her throat felt dry, her cheeks flushed, and even the tips of her ears burned. A voice deep inside her kept whispering for her to lick it, to drink it, to devour the man before her and drain him completely.
Theresa slowly leaned down against Felix's body and gently drew his finger into her mouth. Her tongue wrapped around it softly. She felt a warm current flow into her body, gradually heating her from within. Her soft tongue coiled around Felix's finger again and again, unwilling to stop.
"Duq'arael possessed such terrifying strength with only a single drop of Teekaz blood. Although his method of absorbing the bloodline was incorrect, it still proves that this blood can gradually reshape your body and guide you toward evolution as a Teekaz."
"Mm…"
Theresa could not speak. Even after a long time, she was still reluctant to release his finger. When she finally pulled back, her eyes remained fixed on Felix. Then, in the next moment, she pushed Felix down onto the sofa and kissed him.
Muelsyse immediately blushed.
Mostima thought for a moment, sent a text message to Lemuen, and then quietly drew the curtains.
Soon, one bride after another entered the lounge.
When they saw what was happening inside, their faces flushed and their hearts raced, yet not a single one of them chose to leave. Instead, each entered in silence and carefully shut the door behind her, sealing away the springlike atmosphere within.
What followed was a true clash of titans.
Felix's stamina was so overwhelming that the battle continued from afternoon all the way into the deep of night without pause, and even then, he did not feel tired. Looking at the pale figures sprawled across the bed, he was just about to take them out for a late-night meal.
Felix rubbed the bite marks on his shoulder, then looked in the mirror at the scratches left across his body. With the rise of flames, his body was restored to the state it had been in before he was injured.
But seeing the way they were all sleeping on the bed now, he suddenly felt that midnight snack might have to wait.
Just as Felix lay down, intending to rest for a while, Wiš'adel woke up at some point. She tightly grabbed Felix's wrist, and her soft reddish tendrils brushed against his chest, making him feel slightly ticklish.
"It's not over yet."
Wiš'adel's eyes sparkled with pleasure. She grinned and lowered her voice, not wanting to wake the others beside her.
At that moment, she wanted Felix all to herself.