"Edith. I believe you have the right to know."
Before the final battle.
In the Headmaster's office, something was told to Edith alone.
It was about Sybill's prophecy regarding Mirabelle, and the world's destruction recorded within it.
Yes... 'destruction.'
At the end of Mirabelle's path lay destruction—that's what fate had declared.
"Mirabelle is doing well for now... she's saved many and won public opinion to her side.
I didn't say this in front of everyone, but... honestly, I'm even considering whether we should simply surrender."
Presently, Mirabelle's conquest was progressing nearly perfectly.
She'd resolved things they couldn't, and though her methods relied on military force, the achievement of saving Britain from Voldemort was fact.
Unable to show weakness before everyone in his position as commander, the weak heart within Dumbledore told him that entrusting things to her might be one path.
However... this prophecy made Dumbledore hold firm.
"I believe the angel recorded in the prophecy refers to your sister... Lettice Grosstest.
Meaning Mirabelle is already walking toward destruction."
How she would reach destruction from here was unknown.
Would her intensity lead her to seek more enemies and turn her fangs on her own people?
Would she overemphasize policies that cut away the weak, discarding more than necessary?
Or some other factor...
What should be feared was that Mirabelle harbored such precariousness that could lead to destruction.
Even if things were good now, this sudden reform could later affect things and fully destroy the world.
One might think it was just a prophecy.
But the wizarding world had been played by such prophecies until now... and most terrifyingly, they had never once been wrong.
"Will you laugh at this small old man...?
I'm terrified that girl will someday destroy everything..."
Saying this wearily, Edith couldn't bring herself to laugh at the old man.
Perhaps because somewhere she could understand.
True, Mirabelle was rushing through life too much.
In seeking the future so much, she wasn't watching her feet... such anxiety was felt.
Continuing on this path, it seemed Mirabelle herself would be destroyed before the world... such fear existed.
But precisely because of that.
Precisely because she was such a precarious friend, Edith...
"—Mirabelle, I... I want to be with you..."
Edith Reinagal took the demon's hand that day.
Durmstrang Institute, where countless non-humans, wizards, and Muggles came and went.
Their master Mirabelle had returned to the castle.
A brown-haired girl accompanied her, but the girl seemed somehow lacking energy.
That was natural, as she felt ready to collapse from guilt at finally betraying Harry and the others.
"Reinagal, your coming has advantaged me beyond expectations.
To think they'd bring out the Department of Mysteries' 'Arch'... Dumbledore truly can't be underestimated until the very end."
The information Edith brought was supremely beneficial to Mirabelle.
That Harry was the final Horcrux.
That Dumbledore had already seen through the mechanism of her immortality.
And that he possessed the 'Arch' as a means to defeat her.
Mirabelle thought that certainly could kill her.
And moreover, if her weakness was exposed, other methods to kill her existed.
The triple immortality was certainly powerful.
But it also possessed fragility from concentrating everything in the heart.
If the heart were pierced by a Basilisk fang or similar, the Philosopher's Stone, Horcrux, and vampire heart would all be shattered simultaneously, leading to death.
Fiendfyre and such weren't major problems. The body would regenerate before flames reached the heart.
But if pierced by a Basilisk fang, the story changed.
"...It seems best not to use the Basilisk in tomorrow's battle.
And I'll need to destroy the Chamber of Secrets along with the 'Arch,' I suppose."
Mirabelle placed a hand on her chin, thinking.
The strategy originally conceived reflected Grindelwald's wishes.
Namely, colliding the schools of Hogwarts and Durmstrang to create a situation where they could fight easily.
Therefore, she hadn't considered blowing away Hogwarts itself—at most, she'd fire missiles.
That school had magic nullifying scientific things, so firing missiles would merely mean hurling giant iron lumps.
That would at best punch holes in the castle.
However, if the 'Arch' was hidden there, the story changed.
Though merely coincidence, Mirabelle hadn't noticed that 'Arch's' existence.
Dumbledore apparently never noticed the network using rats, but covering the school with protections to counter Mirabelle's assault had isolated the rats.
This severed communications, making Mirabelle unable to grasp the castle's interior.
That said, the fact that Mirabelle alone infiltrating was manageable through house-elf Apparition showed they were still too soft.
"That's how it is, Grindelwald. Sorry, but I'm changing the plan.
Tomorrow, I'll destroy the castle itself with a preemptive strike."
Who could Grindelwald be? Edith wondered, raising her face.
Then a handsome blonde young man opened his mouth with dissatisfaction.
"Then what of my showdown with Albus?"
"That old man won't die easily. After destroying the castle, find him and you can finish him."
Listening to this conversation, Edith felt her chest tighten.
Destroying the castle... demolishing that place of learning where she'd spent seven years with everyone.
She had now participated in that.
Her decision had caused it.
Glancing at such an Edith, Mirabelle sighed softly.
"You look tired, Reinagal. Rest a bit."
"No... I'm fine like this."
"Just rest."
Tired... that was surely true.
Though her body wasn't tired, her heart was heavy as if weighted, hard to move.
But resting held no meaning.
This weight would surely never lift for her entire life.
"...Don't be so pessimistic. Your choice wasn't wrong.
Considering the wizarding world's future, siding with me is correct."
At Mirabelle offering rare words of comfort, Edith smiled weakly.
It was an exhausted, lifeless smile like a patient's.
The next day.
The fateful day finally arrived.
Durmstrang floating by magical power advanced straight toward Hogwarts, and Edith felt her heart constrict as the moment drew near.
"Reinagal... if it's painful, you could have waited in France.
This battle will only be suffering for you."
Sitting on her throne, Mirabelle spoke caringly—unusually for her.
But Edith quietly shook her head.
She had betrayed Harry and the others. She had sided here of her own will.
Then at least she wouldn't flee from that sin.
That was Edith's sole resolve.
Mirabelle sensed this and merely murmured "I see."
Then at midnight.
They finally arrived above Hogwarts, and the decisive battle's moment came.
"First, break the protective magic! All forces, fire!"
At Mirabelle's command, all wizards waiting in the castle chanted spells simultaneously.
Then the protective magic covering Hogwarts—likely maintained by all teachers—creaked, distorted, and shattered.
Under the original plan, next they'd break the protection sealing science and fire missiles.
But such lukewarm methods were done.
If the information from Edith was accurate, that castle hid a tool that could kill her.
Then... she'd crush the castle along with it!
"The time of ending has come. Perish along with the old era, Hogwarts... and Dumbledore!"
Mirabelle flew from the castle, spreading both arms with the full moon behind her.
Magic power rising seemingly infinitely, ominous rumbling.
The earth screamed, the sky distorted, filled with golden radiance.
"Accio!"
The spell used was a simple summoning charm even fourth-years could perform.
But what was summoned exceeded human imagination—judgment from space.
Multiple meteors broke through the stratosphere, raining down and rushing toward Hogwarts.
No protection or magic mattered.
Try resisting if you'll resist. Try escaping if you'll escape... if you can.
She'd trample, pulverize, and simply devastate all that resistance.
The Hogwarts heroes who had resolved themselves before the decisive battle.
Every single one gazed at the sky with faces twisted in despair.
And then—
Hogwarts returned to dust.
The tide was already decided.
Mirabelle's opening strike had completely destroyed Hogwarts, making it lose function as a fortress.
After that, it was merely a battle of quality and quantity, and the three-nation alliance superior in both had no elements for losing.
At Mirabelle's instruction, all forces except Holger and Edith avalanched into Hogwarts' ruins simultaneously, subjecting the few survivors to their fangs.
Edith disciplined herself against wanting to look away, continuing to witness that tragedy.
But deploying all forces meant the castle interior was defenseless.
As if targeting that, figures avalanched into Durmstrang's hall.
Amycus Carrow and Alecto Carrow.
Thorfinn Rowle and Gibbon—the final Death Eaters.
Seeing their forms, Mirabelle floated a mocking smile twisted with delight.
"Ha, a final resistance, is it? Pathetic."
"Silence, Beresford! You demon!"
At Mirabelle's mockery, Alecto screamed in exposed fury.
Gripping her wand until blood seeped, her eyes were bloodshot.
"I can't forgive you! I can't forgive you for killing our comrades like trash!"
That curse felt to Edith as if directed at herself.
But Mirabelle herself didn't collapse her smile at all; rather, she listened to the words amusedly.
Like buzzing flies, utterly unmoved.
"Oh, then what will you do? Death Eater who killed countless humans like trash?"
"Silence!"
One Death Eater pointed their wand at Mirabelle in fury.
And tried to cast the Killing Curse, but in that instant everything from the elbow forward blew off.
From a cutting curse fired at terrifying speed.
"Gyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaagh!!!"
Screaming enough to make one want to cover their ears, scattering a fountain of blood from the elbow.
Seeing this, Mirabelle glared at Holger reprovingly.
"Don't do unnecessary things, Holger."
"Your games have limits... Lady Edith is here.
What if some stray shot happened to hit her?"
It was truly an instant event.
From when the Death Eater raised their wand until the elbow vanished—less than even one second.
—Fast.
Edith was stunned by that overwhelming speed.
"Good grief, I thought playing a bit more wouldn't incur divine punishment."
"You jest. How many dark wizards do you think were defeated by such complacency in the past?
Win while you can win... licking your lips before prey is ill-advised."
At Holger's admonition, Mirabelle smiled wryly.
Really, quite forthright with his words.
Well, if he said so, perhaps she'd listen.
A bit anticlimactic and unsatisfying, but that too was interesting.
"Curse you, curse you, Beresford!"
"Ah, stop chirping, Death Eater. Don't be so afraid—I'll end it quickly."
Mirabelle spoke boredly and swung her arm.
Then a massive nine-headed dragon of flame manifested behind her.
'Fiendfyre' burning golden.
That cursed fire leaped at the Death Eaters, engulfing them without even allowing escape.
Not even permitting screams—truly overwhelming attack.
When the flames vanished, only black shadows remained.
"Boring. No resistance at all."
"That's as it should be. That's what a ruler's battle should be."
Mirabelle tended to try enjoying battles.
Because she possessed overwhelmingly excessive talent and power, she wanted any place to demonstrate it.
But that was her sole weakness.
Therefore, Holger cautioned Mirabelle against complacency, admonishing her so that bad habit wouldn't emerge.
"Now, Harry Potter was the final Horcrux, wasn't he?
After finishing him, then erasing Voldemort—that ends it?"
Dumbledore would... unfortunately likely lose to Grindelwald.
When dropping the meteor, she'd seen an exceptionally powerful magical barrier cover the school.
Only Dumbledore could do such things.
And what that meant was he hadn't fled and was at the very front.
Then he likely suffered deep wounds from the meteor, and winning against Grindelwald in that state was nearly impossible.
"My lady."
Quirrell appeared by Apparition and bowed respectfully.
He should have been leading trolls and fighting at the front, but returning suggested some report.
As Mirabelle watched silently, he spoke quietly.
"I succeeded in destroying Gryffindor's sword. We can now deploy the Basilisk."
"I see. Well done."
"Also, destruction of the final Horcrux.
I hit Harry Potter with Fiendfyre and killed him."
Though Quirrell spoke proudly, Mirabelle sighed softly.
Startled by this, Quirrell visibly panicked.
Had he somehow incurred her anger?
To him, Mirabelle said coldly:
"So? Did you confirm Harry Potter's death?"
"Huh?"
"I'm asking if you confirmed Potter's death."
At Mirabelle speaking as if exasperated, Quirrell broke into cold sweat.
Death was... unconfirmed.
After all, he'd hit him with Fiendfyre—no confirmation needed. That magic even shattered Horcruxes.
The spell certainly hit, and through vampire sensitivity to life and death, he'd sensed life being lost.
Therefore, thinking confirmation unnecessary, he'd left it.
"...Fool... what you killed was the Voldemort inside Potter.
He's probably being led to escape by Granger right now."
Pressing her forehead, Mirabelle sighed.
She'd heard from Edith that Voldemort's soul was inside Harry.
Then that would die first.
He probably suffered burns, but was still alive.
Destroying the Horcrux was meritorious, but really, this man's execution was always sloppy at crucial moments.
At any rate, punishment later, she decided mentally.
"I-I apologize! I-I'll pursue immediately...!"
"No, never mind. Without Dumbledore and Hogwarts, they can do nothing anyway.
Besides, leaving a little stimulation is also interesting."
That was lenient treatment for Mirabelle.
She said only that, turning her gaze toward Edith.
"That's fine, right? Reinagal?"
"...Y-yeah..."
Even if they lived, they couldn't do anything, and if they opposed her, that too was interesting.
Moreover, they were wizards with excellent abilities.
Then they had qualifications to live in the new world Mirabelle would create.
That was Mirabelle's conclusion.
"All that remains is erasing the remaining obstacles, but... apparently, I needn't go myself."
Mirabelle laughed amusedly, looking at the castle entrance.
Simultaneously, the door blew away, and the Dark Lord stepped through with a furious expression.
How humiliating this must be.
How frustrating.
Though he'd finally revived, Mirabelle's gold had blown away all the darkness he'd created.
If only Mirabelle weren't in this era... if only Harry weren't... if only Dumbledore weren't...
Surely he could have possessed the world.
But now, that ambition wouldn't be fulfilled.
Robbed of everything, he was now a naked king.
A loser possessing nothing.
"Welcome, Voldemort.
But how reckless. Coming in alone—do you think you can defeat me?"
Mirabelle's words were pure fact, not provocation.
This was now her castle, with Holger and Quirrell at her side.
Moreover, if she wished, she could even recall all subordinates outside.
Meaning Voldemort had no chance of victory.
The best choice here had been to flee.
But Voldemort drew his wand and roared with imperial dignity undimmed even alone:
"Don't underestimate me—who do you think I am?
I am Lord Voldemort. I am the Dark Lord!
Even if everything is stolen, I am still a lord. Don't look down on me, you little girl who's lived only seventeen years!"
It was a dignified cry.
Even becoming a throne of one, filled with the undiminished arrogance of the strong and intimidation of a ruler.
Not for nothing had he been called the greatest evil in the wizarding world.
Though unable to agree with his ideology, Mirabelle could feel respect for Voldemort for the first time here.
"Well roared, Lord Voldemort.
I, for the first time now, feel respect for you.
I acknowledge it—though your ideology was worthless, your manner was truly that of an emperor."
Mirabelle stood from her throne and floated in the air.
Holger and Quirrell tried to draw wands, but she stopped them with her hand.
This was battle to determine the next era's conqueror. Interference was impermissible.
Above all, now she wanted to answer that Dark Lord's pride.
"And I thank you—for this fortune of slaying you as an enemy."
The two stood in the hall, glaring at each other.
Then without any signal, they showed smooth bows.
The emperor to the next generation's tyrant.
The tyrant to the previous generation's emperor.
Acknowledging each other, though never able to coexist, they showed definite respect.
—And thus, the final battle with victory visible from the start opened.
May 2, 1998.
The British wizarding world fell.
That shock spread instantly throughout the entire wizarding world, and was greeted with joy.
In the final battle, Voldemort showed a truly imperial performance worthy of the title, standing against Mirabelle.
Arms torn off, legs broken, body riddled with holes, dragging organs yet still advancing.
But against an immortal monster, a monster who'd lost immortality couldn't win.
The emperor who resisted to the end finally died, and as evil's symbol, his head was displayed.
Mirabelle felt respect for Voldemort at the end, but that didn't change what she'd do.
He had to exit as the symbol of evil in the wizarding world, bearing evil's name, after letting everyone know he'd lost to her.
However, placing protective magic so people couldn't throw stones, and promptly burying him after sufficient display—perhaps she felt something toward the emperor.
Dumbledore was gone too.
Apparently, he'd mutually destroyed with Gellert Grindelwald, showing the great wizard's final pride.
His death was greatly mourned, and as final respect, Mirabelle arranged a grand funeral.
...Even now, Mirabelle couldn't help thinking:
If he had ruled the wizarding world... a different future might have existed.
She might still be laughing with Lettice... —no, enough.
...Pathetic, lingering attachment.
Though the British wizarding world had become scorched earth, the people living there hadn't disappeared.
With people, reconstruction was always possible.
Having finally seized the British wizarding world, Mirabelle didn't stop her path of conquest.
Her objective was complete unification of the wizarding world. And conquest of the entire world including the Muggle world.
Therefore, the tyrant didn't stop.
Producing countless sacrifices and tragedies, the Magical Allied Nations led by Mirabelle simply continued pursuing their aimed-for future.
July 6, 1999.
American wizarding world seized.
September 1, 2000.
Italian wizarding world seized.
April 4, 2001.
Japanese wizarding world expressed regret.
November 21, 2002.
Asian wizarding worlds except Japan seized.
November 22, same year.
Japanese wizarding world joined Magical Allied Nations.
October 23, 2010.
All world wizarding worlds seized and joined alliance.
Having eliminated all obstacles, Mirabelle had no enemies, and she dyed the world at furious speed.
Eliminating those who opposed, increasing supporters, looking only forward and just running.
And then—
Hundreds of years passed.
"Good morning, my lady.
Today's schedule includes a meeting with America's Muggle president."
Greeting Mirabelle as she rose from bed was a maid with dignified features.
For an instant, she overlapped with her former servant Mary's form, but immediately recalled she was different.
She was... which number maid was it?
...Ah yes. About five years ago, the previous maid had become unusable from old age, so she'd added this new maid.
"Ah... understood. You may leave."
"Yes."
Dismissing the maid, she descended from bed.
Her appearance was utterly unchanged from long ago—still beautiful and still young.
But this girl was the very Magical World Emperor who had unified the wizarding world hundreds of years ago and stood at its apex—Mirabelle Beresford herself.
Changing from nightwear to robes with golden embroidery, she glanced at photo frames atop the dresser.
Two photographs.
One showed a silver-haired girl waving.
The other showed a quietly smiling brown-haired girl.
"..."
Mirabelle looked at those photographs and floated a gentle smile for just an instant.
The two captured here were nowhere anymore.
Lettice was lost in childhood, and Edith too had passed long ago.
Edith Reinagal never wished for eternity to the end.
Whether her heart couldn't bear the fact of betraying her friends, or it was always her fate... she weakened with each passing year and died young at thirty-two.
Saving her had been possible, of course.
Mirabelle could have given water of life to prolong her life, or made her a monster beyond human logic.
But Edith hadn't wished that, wishing to die as human.
Perhaps by now she was getting along well with Mary over there.
She'd heard through rumors only that Harry Potter and Hermione Granger had married, but knew nothing after.
Apparently, they'd done resistance imitations, but probably lived reasonably happy lives.
"...Well then, I'm off... Lettice... Edith..."
She laid the photos down and turned her robes.
Show no weakness. Show it to no one.
Not to faithful vassals, not to her brother—expose no gaps in her heart.
Mirabelle's face was already her usual confident tyrant's, overflowing with absolute confidence in herself.
Opening the door to the hall, Quirrell and Holger were already waiting there and knelt.
Accompanying this, vassals took vassals' bows simultaneously, and Mirabelle sat upon her throne.
Now not just the wizarding world but all of Earth was hers.
Muggle leaders were without exception under Mirabelle's influence, the result of repainting over generations.
Meetings were merely formalities, and now the world essentially took the form of Mirabelle's dictatorship.
Of course, she alone couldn't reach all the world.
She'd placed those who should be leaders in each country, and outwardly it appeared wizards and Muggles coexisted.
But the one making final decisions was always Mirabelle—merely domination taking coexistence's form.
Yet people accepted it.
Because following Mirabelle was 'reassuring.'
Following this transcendent being meant no mistakes, letting them feel 'reassured' they walked the right path.
Entrusting everything to an absolute being and following was happiness.
As a child entrusts themselves to their father.
As a pet dog entrusts themselves to their owner.
Now humanity's top leadership were without exception a pack of trained dogs.
And Mirabelle continued meeting that trust.
She unified the wizarding world.
Established peace with Muggles.
Made the world recognize magical people.
And finally, through magic and science, pioneered the stars, making humanity advance even into space.
Entrusting development of each field to excellent humans she'd selected, or having them manage it.
Secretly eliminating those who dragged behind.
Purging societal cancers like corrupt politicians with death.
Humans originally possessed power to advance.
Then if only guided in the right direction, they'd naturally develop.
She confiscated all weapons like nuclear arms that could destroy themselves.
If nations seemed likely to cause war, she slaughtered their leadership, sometimes even dropping meteors to destroy them.
She struck first against all dangerous factors like the former pure-blood ideology that could destabilize the world, eliminating them by any means.
Everyone revered her.
Everyone worshiped her.
But no one stood beside her.
Not a single friend to whom she could show weakness.
Because the existence called Mirabelle was too overwhelmingly powerful.
And because she still continued infinite growth without stopping, no one could stand beside her.
The pyramid's apex was always alone.
And Mirabelle possessed strength to continue advancing even so.
She had a mental structure far removed from normal people, advancing regardless of solitude.
Sometimes she'd been disappointed in fools who appeared no matter how many she crushed.
She'd been exasperated at humanity producing new problems one after another no matter how many measures she took, tempted to erase all humanity.
But those girls wouldn't wish such things.
Lettice and Edith. These now-deceased sisters' existence was an irreplaceable anchor for Mirabelle.
The only conscience remaining within her.
—Really... leaving first yet leaving only the anchor...
Thinking that, she felt a strange amusement.
Perhaps now this anchor alone was the only bond remaining within her.
She'd fulfilled her ambition.
And from now on, the world would develop.
That was undoubtedly what she'd aimed for, the very ideal she'd envisioned.
But—
—The girl within her heart still wouldn't smile—
***
END 1 'The Golden Tyrant'
(´ω`) Good evening everyone. This time we delivered the surprising Mirabelle victory ending. This ending could be called "many nameless background mobs became happy, but not a single named character became happy." Of course, Ambitious Girl will continue from tomorrow onward, progressing on the "didn't take her hand" route, so rest assured. I'll also revise the subtitle tomorrow from Final Chapter → End 1. Also, this route was quite rushed in various ways, but of course the main route will be properly written over several chapters. Here, Edith coming to Mirabelle's camp caused Mirabelle to lose her complacency, resulting in this one-sided development. Never remove complacency and carelessness from the final boss.
Though Mirabelle won, somehow the world didn't get destroyed, but this doesn't mean I forgot the prophecy either. Well then, see you again tomorrow.
***
If you want to read 10 chapters ahead or support me, visit my p.a.t.r.e.o.n.c.o.m /Well_being