Chapter 836
Side Story 11. [After Story] Ash
Five years have passed, in the Imperial Year 662.
Ten years since the final battle against the monsters.
Imperial Capital, New Terra.
"Gah!"
I woke up with a jolt, startled out of my sleep as I dozed off in the carriage.
Sitting across from me was Body… Damn it, even after ten years, I still can't get used to calling her by her new name. Anyway, Daram was startled too.
"Are you alright, Your Grace? What's wrong?"
"No… It's nothing. I just had a dream. A dream about five years ago…"
It was from five years ago, during the autumn festival, the last time the entire main party gathered together. The warm memories of that joyful day flickered before my eyes.
Still groggy from my interrupted sleep, I muttered absentmindedly.
"Ha… That was a good time…"
Daram looked at me with a concerned expression and mumbled as if worried.
"Our dear lord is escaping reality again…"
"It's not escaping reality… It was just a dream, that's all…"
At that moment, the window to the coachman's seat slid open, and Lucas stuck his head in.
"Are you alright, my lord? Is something the matter?"
"Gah, you startled me!"
Lucas now had a beard. Ugh, every time I see him, it shocks me anew!
This guy had once grumbled about being too busy juggling his duties as my guard and taking care of the kids, saying he barely had time for anything. So he decided to save time by letting his beard grow.
And now, after just three months of not shaving, he had turned into something akin to a Golden Santa Claus. How could someone's beard grow that fast? How did he even manage to stay clean-shaven all these years?!
"Still not used to my beard, are you?"
"Not in a million years, idiot!"
"That's odd. My children seem to like it…"
"Well, who wouldn't like it if Golden Santa Claus showed up?"
Lucas seemed to think his beard was oddly dashing, but to me, it just made him look more like a golden retriever rather than a human. Stop with the beast transformation already! Return to being a person!
"I was planning to shave today anyway… Can't walk into the palace looking like this, after all…"
Lucas mumbled in a somewhat dejected tone. This guy seriously liked his beard, didn't he?
Anyway, after confirming I was fine, the golden-haired large dog—no, Lucas—shut the coachman's window. Meanwhile, Body-Daram… no, Body… Ugh, this is driving me insane—Daram resumed working on her paperwork.
In the now-quiet carriage, I rubbed the tired skin under my eyes from the long journey and let out another yawn. No matter how well the roads are paved, traveling to New Terra by carriage is exhausting.
'Still, it's an imperial order. I have to go.'
I was on my way to the palace, summoned by the Emperor himself.
Officially, it was a meeting between the Duke of the Bringar Duchy and the Emperor to discuss state matters.
But, well, that was just the formal excuse. These days, we were essentially deliberating the imperial succession issue.
"…"
Once again, I thought back to the last time the main party's five members gathered together five years ago.
After that day, we parted ways with a vague sense of unease. But surprisingly, nothing major happened.
Just as life often is—filled with uncertainties about the future, but with its fair share of good and bad days—we simply kept ourselves busy living our lives.
Though, amidst all of that, there's been one issue I seem to be frequently nagged about…
"You still haven't had any news of a child?"
This.
The Emperor gave me a look of disappointment, as if I'd let him down somehow. I flinched at his gaze. What now?
"Are you at least trying properly, Duke?"
"O-Of course I am!"
I'm trying very hard, okay?! Like, really hard! Every single night… burning with passion!
"I exchange letters with my daughter-in-law often, and she seems quite worried about this."
The Emperor said this with a voice full of affection, completely different from the way he talked to me. Look at this!
He tormented Serenade endlessly about marriage, but now that we're wed, he's all "My dear daughter-in-law~ My beloved Serenade~" showering her with doting praise. Well, Serenade is quite attentive and takes good care of her father-in-law, so there's that…
"Hm."
The Emperor stroked his lone beard with his single hand and gave me a sharp look with his one eye.
"Could it be that you… you know?"
"…What do you mean?"
"You know. That."
"Uh, no, I don't know. What are you talking about?"
Then, the great Emperor of the Everblack Empire, ruler of half the world, made an elegant hand gesture toward my legs… and proceeded to draw an X in the air with his finger.
"Is it that you can't?"
"Of course not, it's working just fine!"
It's alive and well! Every morning, it's… it's… Well, okay, maybe I've been a little tired lately, but still…
"This is no idle jest, Ash."
The Emperor spoke in a tone as serious as when discussing state affairs.
"An heir is a critical matter."
"…"
"The Bringar Duchy you currently govern may be a land bound by ideals rather than bloodlines, meaning you could appoint a worthy successor as its ruler."
I felt a chill run down my spine.
The Emperor had already caught on to my plans to eventually transition the Bringar Duchy into a republican form of government.
But the Emperor declared solemnly,
"Everblack, however, is not like that."
"…"
"No matter how revolutionary or radical your ideas may be, there are still many traditional values that must be upheld within this Empire."
The Emperor tapped the hem of his ceremonial robe with his fingertips.
"Even if you wield absolute power, maintaining that power inevitably requires countless compromises. This throne is such a position. I hope you learn to distinguish between what can be changed and what must not be."
"…I will keep that in mind, Father."
I bowed my head deeply.
The Emperor let out a faint sigh.
"In any case, if you cannot produce an heir… other measures will need to be taken."
I broke into a cold sweat as I looked at him.
"Are you saying you won't pass the throne to me because of… this issue?"
"What nonsense are you spouting? Do you think I'd refuse to give you the throne just because you might be impotent?"
"I keep telling you, I'm not impotent!"
What kind of outrageous accusation is this, Your Majesty?! I… I…!
"The next Emperor will be you, Ash."
Father declared firmly.
"Who else but you would willingly sit on such a thorny throne and manage this enormous landmass, even if only somewhat decently… though likely less so than me… but still, manage it nonetheless?"
"…Thank you for your high praise."
"But succession is a serious matter. If you continue without children, people will begin to demand that you take another consort."
At those words, I hastily pointed at myself in shock.
"No, if there's an issue, it must be on my end! You know my body's been through… well, a lot. Becoming a dragon, then a god, then being shattered into pieces and all that. I'm pretty sure something in me got… uh… damaged."
Damn this fantasy world! Isn't there a top-notch urologist around here somewhere?!
"Anyway, this is my problem. Serenade has nothing to do with it."
"Well, that's what you think. But the ministers and nobles in the Imperial Capital might have a different opinion. In fact, I hear some have already taken steps."
Not to challenge my ascension to the throne—since that's already a foregone conclusion—but rather to use my lack of an heir as leverage to force me into taking another consort.
Their aim? To exploit this weakness to become new relatives of the Imperial Family.
"They say heroes often take multiple spouses, don't they? Look at the King of Vermillion—he has five wives. And his sister, who rules alongside him, has five husbands. Don't you ever consider such an option?"
"Not in the slightest. I love Serenade."
I'm devoted to my wife, heart and soul! Pure love is the best! Pure love forever!
"Tsk, tsk, tsk. The marriages of emperors are inherently political. If strengthening your authority requires it, then why stop at just one or two additional consorts? You should be prepared to take on dozens."
I'm not some ancient king or anything like that…
"And wasn't Father rather emotional in your pursuit of pure love when you married my mother?"
"Ahem! In any case."
At my mention of his own weakness, Father cleared his throat loudly, cutting off the conversation. He gazed at me intently.
"If you don't want to make my daughter-in-law cry, you'd better put in some effort as soon as you return."
"…"
"And if that doesn't work, you may have to seriously explore other methods—or face off against those seeking their own 'alternative methods.'"
Other methods.
The Emperor didn't state it explicitly but implied it indirectly.
'Lark's three children… '
My three nieces and nephews, who continue to live in seclusion, could become the "alternative choice" for those seeking another solution.
"Whether you produce an heir or eliminate all 'other options,' do as you see fit."
The Emperor smiled, baring his molars in that characteristic way of his.
It was a smile that seemed to suggest he was enjoying watching what I'd do next—as a senior statesman finding amusement in the actions of his junior.
"Everything you do during this period of succession preparation will reveal what kind of Emperor you'll become in the future."
The meeting with the Emperor lasted for about three days.
Passing down the throne is no simple task, so we proceeded at a deliberate pace. It would likely take several more years to complete.
Between the discussions, I attended to various tasks in New Terra, the Imperial Capital.
"Alberto!"
"Your Grace, it's been a long time!"
I was reunited with Alberto, the former Chief Steward of the palace, who was still alive and well.
Since then, Alberto has been steadily working as the branch manager of the Silver Winter Merchant Guild's New Terra branch. They say he's been working energetically, though he looks even younger than he did ten years ago.
And being the branch manager of the Silver Winter Merchant Guild also means…
"I've brought the two pieces of information you requested, Your Grace."
It means he's the head of an intelligence organization that collects information from all corners of the continent.
Though calling it an "intelligence organization" sounds grandiose, it's really just a network that gathers various pieces of information flowing through the continent-wide merchant network. But now, it's grown significantly in size and established a solid system.
Wherever money flows in the world, information follows—and it all eventually reaches me. That's not an exaggeration.
'And yet, it took this long to get answers for these two requests… '
I had entrusted Alberto with two specific tasks.
One was to track down the whereabouts of Lark's wife and their three children in the western part of the continent.
The other was to find a woman within the Imperial Capital.
But even though Damien had pinpointed the location of Lark's wife and children five years ago, they kept moving from place to place, evading capture. So their current whereabouts remained unclear.
As for the woman in the Imperial Capital… there were either too few clues or she had hidden herself exceptionally well, making her impossible to locate.
"At last, we've found them. There's no doubt this time."
But this time, it was different.
Alberto handed me two letters with a bright smile spread across his face. The two envelopes were elegantly sealed, each bearing a name on the front.
The first letter read:
[Lark.]
The name of my elder brother, long deceased.
The strongest swordsman of humanity, who had stood by my side until the very end—through the Campaign of the Imperial Capital and the Final Battle of the Spirit World.
And the second letter:
[Mason.]
"…"
Mason.
A man from Lucas's family. A man who had betrayed us and become a hunting dog for Fernandez.
A man who injected himself with the beastification serum, transforming into a half-human, half-beast monstrosity, and ultimately followed Fernandez's orders to reach the deepest part of the dungeon to meet the Demon King.
And a man who, even so, had fought alongside me for a brief moment in that hell…
His name was written there.
"It's time to fulfill those old promises."
I tore open both letters, checked their contents, and folded them back to tuck into my coat.
Then, turning around, I shouted:
"Lucas, prepare the carriage! We're heading out!"
"Yes, my lord!"
Lucas sprang out to respond, his beard now cleanly shaved.
Ack! What the—?! You startled me!
Chapter 837
Side Story 12. [After Story] Mason
Imperial Year 662.
Ten years since the final battle against the monsters.
The Imperial Capital, New Terra.
A lavish tavern on the outskirts.
"Woooooo!"
As a female singer finished her live performance for the evening, the audience around the stage erupted into applause and whistles.
"Thank you! Thank you, everyone! Have a wonderful night!"
The singer—Susanna—blew kisses to all sides before stepping down from the stage.
Even after she left the stage, patrons waved at her and tossed flowers her way.
"Susanna! Bravo!"
"You were amazing tonight!"
"I heard you'll be performing a song at the Count's party tomorrow? I'm going too—looking forward to it!"
Susanna gave each of the regular patrons a playful wink with her heavily made-up eyes and exchanged a few words of greeting with them.
After settling her day's wages with the manager and receiving compliments for her efforts, she stepped out of the tavern.
'Phew.'
Every Friday night, Susanna sang at this establishment.
She was a fairly well-known singer in the nightlife scene. Some patrons even came here at the same time every week just to hear her sing.
'Tomorrow's the noble family's party… I'd better get home quickly, drink some honey water, and sleep early.'
She hurried her steps, her recently purchased, flamboyant red dress fluttering as she walked.
But as she opened the gate of the tavern's yard and stepped onto the chilly spring night streets of the capital, where the air was cold enough to scatter flecks of frost, she turned into an alleyway—
And stopped in her tracks.
"…"
Standing at the dark entrance of the alley was a tall, blond knight, his cold eyes gleaming.
Susanna involuntarily let out a shriek.
"Kyaaah! You scared me!"
At that moment, a voice came from the carriage parked behind the knight.
"Wow, she reacted just like I did when I first saw Lucas."
"…Anyone would jump out of their skin if they saw a stranger standing in an alley like this. I doubt it's because of me personally."
"Well, regardless, apologies for scaring you. Are you alright?"
The man inside the carriage waved toward Susanna.
Though she'd never seen him before, he was far too famous to not recognize. Holding her pounding chest, Susanna stammered in disbelief.
"His Highness, the Crown Prince…?"
The hero who saved the world during the monster wars. The Crown Prince of the Empire.
Ash "Born Hater" Everblack called her name casually, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
"Susanna, right?"
His dark eyes gleamed with sincerity as he continued.
"I've come to meet you."
Inside a carriage leisurely crossing through the streets of New Terra.
Holding the warm teacup Ash had handed her, Susanna forced a calm smile.
"Well, this is a surprise. I've been gaining a bit of fame in this scene lately, but I never imagined His Highness the Crown Prince would personally come to meet me."
"I heard you're a singer. Susanna. They say you're talented."
When Ash complimented her, Susanna responded with modesty.
"Who isn't talented in this field? Everyone sings beautifully. The problem is whether or not you can step onto a big stage."
"A big stage?"
Susanna chuckled cynically at his question.
"You need to perform on a big stage a few times to make a name for yourself. Only then will people start requesting you, and that's when you can actually make a living as a singer… But getting onto a big stage is no small feat."
"What does it take to get onto a big stage?"
"You have to get on the good side of the manager in charge. Whether that means sweet-talking them, blackmailing them by finding some dirt, or…"
Susanna raised her eyebrows playfully and made a circle with her fingers.
"Or handing over a pile of money."
"You're saying that, in order to earn money as a singer, you first need to gather money to pay off the big stage manager?"
"Isn't that how the world works? Someone once said life is a festival, but you need to pay an entrance fee to join the party."
Ash smiled faintly at her response, then pulled out a document and began reading the details aloud.
"Let's start with verification. Name: Susanna. Occupation: Singer. Native of New Terra. Age: 48 this year. Correct?"
"It's bad manners to ask a woman's age or about her past, and it's also my right not to answer. Still, where's the harm in being honest when there's no danger? Yes, that's correct."
"I see your voice has risen in tone. Seems you're a bit less nervous now than earlier."
"Well, it's not like I'm skilled enough to be useful to His Highness, and since I've done nothing wrong, I doubt you're here to execute me. So yes, I feel a bit more at ease. Oh, and this tea is delightful."
She took a sip with a soft slurp, finishing her tea, as Ash let out a hearty laugh, watching her calmly.
"You're probably wondering why I came looking for you."
"Yes. The gap between Your Highness and someone like me is, quite literally, as vast as the heavens and the earth. It's thrilling to have such an intimate moment with Your Highness, but curiosity definitely outweighs the excitement."
Ash stopped beating around the bush and went straight to the point.
"About ten years ago, did you take a part-time job as a stand-in lover?"
Without hesitation, Susanna answered immediately.
"Yes. I did."
"There's no shame in any profession, but why did you take that job?"
"To gather the bribe money I needed to get onto that 'big stage' I mentioned earlier. A no-name singer's income wasn't nearly enough, so I picked up a side gig."
"Judging by your way with words, you must have been quite popular in that part-time job."
"Even ten years ago, I was a woman past her prime for marriage, and sadly, I was even less popular than I am now. Still, there were men past their prime as well, and even they needed stand-in lover services. I guess I was more appealing to them with my maturity than the younger, fresher women. So yes, there was plenty of demand."
Susanna smiled with a playful glint in her eyes.
"Yes, thanks to that part-time job, I earned quite a bit. It's because of that job that I'm where I am today."
Ash nodded and then pulled something from his coat, extending it toward her.
"Do you remember this pocket watch?"
It was an old pocket watch.
The outer casing had cracks, and a few strands of fur, resembling that of an animal, were stuck to its surface. When Ash opened the front cover of the pocket watch, a small portrait of a young woman was revealed inside.
Susanna's playful smile stiffened.
Because the portrait was of her younger self.
"…Of course, I remember it."
Susanna admitted without hesitation.
"It was a gift I gave to one of my clients—someone who requested my stand-in lover service."
"Did you normally give gifts to your clients?"
"There's no harm in earning some goodwill from a client, is there?"
"A pocket watch seems like quite an expensive gift for such an occasion."
"That particular client… well, he frequently requested me. I gave it to him as a gesture, hoping he'd continue calling on me in the future."
"Do you remember that client's name?"
"No."
Susanna shook her head.
"It's been ten years. I've long forgotten."
"Would you want to know his name?"
"No."
She shook her head again, this time more firmly.
"I don't want to know. It was just a fleeting encounter. I don't want to burden myself with unnecessary memories."
"…Did you have any idea what kind of work that man did?"
"He was probably a soldier, wasn't he? Or am I wrong?"
Susanna glanced out the carriage window at the frosty night streets where faint snowflakes danced.
"That year, so many soldiers died."
"…"
"There was a civil war here in the capital, and across the southern continent, there was a grand war that determined the fate of the world. When Your Highness fought the Evil Dragon, even here in New Terra, we couldn't sleep at night."
For the first prince, for the second prince, for the third prince, for the Emperor.
And to protect the world…
Countless soldiers, carrying flags far greater than themselves, gave their lives.
"So many people died. There's no one who didn't lose a family member or a friend. Everyone had to struggle desperately to forget their own scars."
Susanna shrugged.
"I struggled desperately too, just to survive as a singer. And in the chaos of my life, I completely forgot about… that man."
"I see."
Ash nodded.
"I'm sure he would've wanted you to live well, just like this."
"…"
"He asked me to return this pocket watch to you—or more specifically, the portrait inside. That's why I came here. I know it's a burden, but can you accept it?"
"Of course."
Susanna's hands, holding the pocket watch, clenched tightly, her knuckles turning white.
"After all, he was just… someone who passed by in my life. It's just a pocket watch."
Clack, clack, clack…
A brief silence filled the carriage, broken only by the sound of wheels as they crossed New Terra's streets and approached the outskirts, heading toward the residential area.
It was where Susanna's house was located. Ash had taken it upon himself to escort her home.
As they neared their destination, Ash spoke.
"I've heard that there's one unbreakable rule in the stand-in lover service."
"Yes."
"No physical contact. No unnecessary intimacy. Is that correct?"
"You're well-informed. That's correct."
"Then, if someone were to break that rule and make contact with their client…"
Ash looked at Susanna steadily.
"Could that mean, even just a little, that there were genuine feelings involved?"
"…Who knows?"
Susanna deflected the gaze with a practiced smile.
"It was all so long ago—ten years, to be exact."
"I see."
The carriage stopped in front of Susanna's house.
Lucas opened the door and placed the step down for her. Taking Lucas's hand, Susanna carefully alighted from the carriage. Ash gave her a polite nod.
"Thank you for your time, Susanna. I'd like to come see one of your performances someday."
"I would be honored if that day comes, Your Highness. Meeting you has been the greatest privilege of my life."
With a flourish befitting a performer, Susanna gave him a dazzling bow.
As Lucas climbed back to the coachman's seat and the carriage began to pull away, Susanna hesitated before calling out.
"…Your Highness!"
Ash opened the window, looking back at her.
After a few moments of hesitation, she finally asked.
"Could you tell me just one thing?"
Ash waited patiently as she struggled to find her words.
"That man… is he… still alive somewhere?"
Ash smiled bitterly before replying.
"He's gone."
"…"
"Like all the other old soldiers."
The carriage departed, leaving Susanna standing there in the quiet street.
Staring blankly at the spot where the carriage had disappeared, Susanna slowly lowered her gaze to the pocket watch in her hands.
Instead of opening the front cover with the portrait, she carefully opened the back cover of the pocket watch.
Click.
From the small compartment at the back, a few gold coins fell into her palm.
They were ancient gold coins from a magical kingdom in the far south, minted over 500 years ago.
"…"
Susanna ran her fingers over the worn gold coins.
She recalled the smile of the man who, no matter what his work entailed, would always bring back coins from foreign countries, calling them souvenirs of his travels.
A bitter smile tugged at her lips.
The heavy makeup around her eyes cracked slightly, revealing the deep wrinkles etched into her skin by a decade of a desperate, hard-fought life.
"Men, honestly…"
The war had ended, and ten years had passed.
Countless lives had been lost, yet the world had survived. And Susanna had forgotten that man's name.
She had to forget in order to keep living.
"…"
She had forgotten his name.
But she still remembered the warmth of his hand.
On a night like this, when flecks of snow swirled in the air, she remembered his large, shy hand holding her cold one.
She needed to forget that, too.
Susanna placed the gold coins back into the pocket watch.
Click.
With a coarse sound, the pocket watch cover snapped shut.
Along with it, she folded away the memories of the man who had disappeared—memories she tucked neatly away and sealed, just like the watch.
Chapter 838
Side Story 13. [After Story] Lark
Imperial Year 662.
Ten years since the final battle against the monsters.
Near the Bringar Duchy. Western Desert Region.
Thud!
Stepping off the carriage, I squinted against the blinding sunlight.
The desert stretched across the western borderlands of the Bringar Duchy.
On my way back to the duchy from New Terra, I had deliberately chosen this route.
"Ugh, it's stiflingly hot…"
"Your Grace, here."
"Oh. Thanks."
Lucas handed me a turban, which I wrapped around my head—clumsily, since I didn't really know how to wear one properly.
Leaving the escort troops behind, Lucas and I climbed the sandy dunes on our own.
It wasn't long before a small oasis came into view. A few shabby tents were pitched around it.
"This is the place."
"They contacted us first this time, so it should be."
There was no need for further confirmation. As soon as we arrived, three boys came running out from the oasis.
"Uncle!"
"…"
Looking at my three nephews—Lark's children—I found myself momentarily at a loss for words.
In the ten years that had passed, the boys had grown unrecognizably tall, their skin healthily bronzed by the desert sun.
"It's been a while. How have you been?"
The eldest was nearly of age, and even the youngest had grown long limbs that hinted he'd soon be an adult.
Seeing their strong, youthful faces, I suddenly saw traces of my brother, Lark, in them.
With a voice cracked and dry from the sandy air, I managed to speak.
"…I'm sorry I couldn't visit you sooner."
"No, it's alright. Mother was adamant about keeping us cut off from the world, after all."
Despite living in exile for over ten years, the boys had grown into respectable young men. They smiled gracefully, full of composure.
I smiled back, spreading my arms wide in front of them.
"It's been so long. How about a hug of brotherly affection with your uncle?"
The boys exchanged glances before rushing toward me all at once.
Crunch!
They hugged me so tightly it felt like they were trying to crush me!
"Ack! Why are you so strong?! Looks like you inherited your dad's genes! Wait, wait—Uncle's bones are going to break!"
After our affectionate reunion—which left me half-battered—the boys laughed and began leading me toward the tents.
"Come in! Mother's waiting for you."
Around the tents, I spotted several knights, soldiers, and servants who appeared to be acting as guards. All seemed to be people who had once followed Lark. Their loyalty was evident—they were still here, standing by his wife and children.
Lark's wife was waiting for me inside the central tent.
"Sister-in-law."
As I stepped inside and greeted her, she returned my greeting with a composed expression.
"Your Highness, the Crown Prince."
"It's been a long time."
"Indeed. It's been over ten years since we last met."
She had aged significantly.
The lively woman who once laughed brightly at palace parties and kissed her husband's cheek was gone. Years of raising three children in exile, enduring harsh winds, scorching sands, and countless worries, had turned her into someone entirely different.
Yet, the same pride that had always burned in her eyes still flickered there.
Meeting her gaze, I sat across from her.
"Please accept this."
"What is this…?"
She unfolded the papers in front of her, her expression puzzled, and I explained.
"They're written declarations."
"Declarations?"
"My three nephews are formally renouncing their claims to the throne."
The papers bore Lark's official seal and bloody thumbprints from his three sons.
As I remained speechless, unable to respond, she began speaking rapidly, as though she had prepared these words long in advance.
"We won't even step foot within Everblack's borders. We'll live out the rest of our days here in the borderlands, as if we're already dead."
"…"
"We've rejected every other summons and request, but yours… yours was the one we couldn't refuse. So from now on, we'll accept direct supervision from you, Your Highness. Send your people. Monitor our every move."
With trembling hands, she brushed back the strands of hair falling over her forehead.
"We won't desire anything. All we ask for is a quiet, peaceful life."
"…"
After a moment of silence, I slowly spoke.
"Sister-in-law, let me be direct about why I've come here."
"I'm listening."
"There's a possibility… that I may be unable to have children."
She looked at me with wide, shocked eyes. I continued.
"If that's the case, your three sons may become the only heirs to the Everblack bloodline. They might have to carry on the legacy of our family."
Finally, I revealed the true purpose of my visit.
"If it comes to that, I'd like to formally adopt your sons as my own…"
"Not only my husband—now my children as well?!"
But she cut me off sharply, her voice rising in fury.
"You want to take my children too?!"
"Sister-in-law, that's not what I mean. It would be a formality…"
"Fine! Let's say you adopt them. Let's say they become the next crown princes. And then what?"
Her lips trembled as her expression twisted in anguish.
"Will they kill and be killed for the throne, just like in your generation?"
"…"
I fell silent.
I had no rebuttal.
Because I remembered the rivers of blood that had flowed during the Battle for the Throne and the Campaign of the Imperial Capital.
Because I remembered the history of fratricidal conflict that had plagued the Everblack family for generations—during my father's reign, and his father's before him.
She closed her eyes tightly in front of me.
"Your Highness, during that war in the capital, I had to watch my husband's arm be severed by his own brother with my own two eyes."
"…"
"It might have been better if he had just been executed as officially announced. Or better yet, if, as the rumors said, my children and I had died alongside him. At least then, I wouldn't have had to witness the face of my steadfast husband crumble into despair…"
Every wrinkle on her face was filled with grief, regret, pain, and terror.
I had prepared a few words of comfort in advance, but they all vanished from my lips.
I simply listened in silence.
"My husband was a warrior. The greatest knight in the world, who took pride in his life. And yet his own brother severed both of his arms."
"…"
"And then both of them died. The winner and sole survivor, the only one left, now sits before me like this."
"…"
"If being of royal blood means my sons will inherit this curse of fratricidal conflict, I'd rather drain that blood entirely from their bodies myself."
Her breathing was ragged, and her trembling hands brushed her forehead.
"Renouncing all rights as Everblack royals is better than letting them face such a fate… I can't allow it."
"…Sister-in-law."
"If one day you decide to drag my sons back into that wretched battlefield, then just kill me now."
With a face completely broken by despair, she struggled to force the words out.
"End this life of mine, which has only endured because I've been unable to die, Your Highness."
What good would it do to tell her that my brother and I had reconciled?
That we had fought together in the Spirit World to save the world?
Her beloved husband had been brutally killed by his younger brother. The world believed it to be true, and she had lived through it firsthand.
I let out a deep sigh.
"…Have your sons agreed to this decision as well?"
"My sons have never once gone against their mother's wishes."
"I understand."
I tucked the written renunciation of the succession rights into my coat.
"You must have thought long and hard about this. I trust you understand the weight of this decision better than anyone."
"…"
"Live in the Bringar Duchy from now on. My subordinates will come to assist you. I'll ensure you lack for nothing."
She asked urgently,
"Then my sons… you won't touch them anymore, will you, Your Highness? You won't take them away from me, will you?"
I deliberately answered in a cold tone.
"If those boys have no claim to the throne, they hold no value to me."
Her expression wavered, a mixture of despair and relief spreading across her face.
As I stood to leave the tent, she called out once more.
"One last question, Your Highness."
I turned to look at her. She forced out the words in a trembling voice.
"How did my husband… die in the end?"
"…"
I answered honestly, without embellishment.
"He fought for the world, accomplished extraordinary feats, and met a glorious end."
Like all old soldiers in this world…
Biting her lips hard, she bowed her head, tears welling in her eyes but refusing to fall. I left the tent.
"Ah."
"Oh…"
"Uncle!"
Outside, my three nephews were waiting nervously.
They resembled their father, Lark—kind, earnest, and…
Confident young men who believed, without a shadow of a doubt, that they would one day carve their names into history.
"…"
Old parents worry for their children's safety,
While young children only dream of their future glory.
"See you again, boys."
I embraced each of them in turn before leaving the oasis.
As soon as Lucas, who had been vigilantly keeping watch, joined me, he asked,
"Did it go well?"
"No."
I pulled the renunciation document from my coat and handed it to Lucas.
After quickly scanning its contents, Lucas murmured coldly,
"Do you think this kind of document will actually hold any weight?"
"It likely won't mean much."
It might bring some comfort to my sister-in-law, but such a document holds little true power.
In this world, the bloodline of a royal is a divine curse—something that can only be completely erased through death.
"Still, I didn't expect her to not only renounce the throne for herself and her sons but also reject the opportunity for her children to become my heirs."
She was a mother who had witnessed the bloodshed between three brothers firsthand.
It was impossible for me to fully comprehend how deeply her heart must have rotted and decayed.
"So… what will you do now?"
"I'll find another use for it."
I glanced back toward the oasis. My nephews were waving at me. I waved back.
"They're the only surviving branch of the Everblack royal family. And because of that, they're the only alternative."
In other words—
"Those who harbor ambitions against me will inevitably approach them."
"…!"
"I'll protect and hide them. But at the same time, I'll allow their existence to leak out little by little."
Lucas's eyes widened in surprise, and I nodded.
"If enemies ever arise who want to dethrone me, they'll reach out to my nephews. And when they do, I'll use that to strike them down."
Or perhaps… I might become such an exceptional ruler that everyone is satisfied with my reign, and such a situation never comes to pass.
In any case, I will not kill my collateral relatives.
I will only use them—either as my bait or as my insurance.
"Does that make me cruel, Lucas?"
"…May I speak honestly, my lord?"
"As much as you want."
"You're still far too soft. If you're worried about future consequences, eliminating them now would be the right course of action."
Lucas's brutally candid remark made me chuckle despite myself.
As I chuckled quietly, Lucas continued,
"But if you wish to keep them alive, even by making them serve as bait and insurance… If that is the path of kingship you aim for, my lord, then I don't think it's a bad decision."
"Well, that's a relief to hear."
"Though you'll have to manage them carefully to ensure they don't develop any rebellious thoughts."
I nodded.
"I'll leave their management to Bodybag. She'll keep a meticulous watch over their daily lives while observing them with cold precision."
"But, my lord."
"Yes?"
"It's not Bodybag. It's Daram."
"Oh, damn it."
When I told Lucas that I'd give him a day off every time I got Daram's name wrong in the future, he asked, concerned, if it was really okay to grant him so many days off. Wait, do I really mess it up that often?
"…"
As we left the oasis and made our way down the sandy dunes toward my carriage, I found myself lost in thought.
About the ones who had vanished.
About Lark, Mason, and the countless old soldiers who had fallen.
Those names that had been swept beyond the cannon fire, past the flames, and into the blind spots of history, disappearing into oblivion.
I thought to myself that I didn't want their lives to be forgotten.
'Even if not all of them had been my allies.'
What happened during that war.
What each of them fought and died for.
Even if the entire world forgot, someone had to record it. That's what I thought.
"Hah…"
I drew a deep breath and fixed my gaze on the shimmering horizon over the sands.
It was time to activate the Jupiter Foundation.
Chapter 839
Side Story 14. [After Story] Serenade
Imperial Year 662.
Ten years after the final battle against the monsters.
Bringar Duchy. Duke's Palace.
A peaceful evening bathed in the glow of the setting sun.
I had just returned from New Terra, the Imperial Capital, back to the Duke's Palace in the Bringar Duchy—home.
"…"
As always, coming back home should have been a joyous occasion, but my heart felt heavier than usual. I stood at the entrance of the palace, exhaling a deep breath.
'An heir… '
Personally, I don't necessarily need to have a child. Spending my life happily growing old with Serenade would be more than enough for me.
But I am the Crown Prince and the future Emperor. In that case, an heir is essential.
This pressure wasn't something I alone was feeling. Serenade had also been deeply troubled by the issue.
In particular, she worried that something might be wrong with her, thinking that it was her fault that she hadn't been able to conceive.
Of course, I believe the problem lies with me. After all, I had merged with a dragon, ascended to divinity, and even repeatedly torn my body apart and put it back together using the curse of immortality. If there's an issue, it's likely on my side.
Still, the burden and pressure of not having a child probably weighed heavier on Serenade. As the Duchess, the Crown Princess, and the future Empress… she has always thought that she and her family were lacking in some way.
'Nothing ever goes as planned, does it?'
Even if we don't have a child, I just hope Serenade doesn't feel sad about it.
Growing old together peacefully would be more than enough joy for the two of us.
But the environment around us didn't allow for such peace. It's not easy.
'If only I could adopt my nephews and make them heirs, that would solve everything, but even that's difficult… '
I glared coldly into the empty air.
'Well, if all else fails, I could always transition the Everblack Empire to a republic, following the Bringar Duchy's example.'
Of course, in a world where most countries are monarchies, this would be far from easy. Even the Bringar Duchy, nominally a hereditary state, still passed the title of Duke down to descendants of the Dragonblood lineage.
I know it would be an excessively radical and revolutionary change. But—
'I'd rather change the entire world than see my wife cry.'
If this world forces my wife to grieve over not being able to bear a child, I'd rather dismantle and reshape it entirely.
I touched my stiff face with my hands, trying to loosen it.
…No, it's not like it's been confirmed that we can't have children yet. We're still young. There's no need to jump to conclusions already.
"I'm home!"
With a burst of energy, I pushed the door open and stepped into the Duke's Palace. Immediately, the booming voices of the attendants echoed from both sides.
"His Grace, the Duke, has returned—!"
Everyone's voices seemed a pitch higher than usual, and their expressions were unusually bright. I guess they're genuinely happy to see their master return.
"Welcome back, Your Grace. You've arrived just in time for dinner."
Elize, dressed in her usual sharp black suit, greeted me.
She also seemed genuinely pleased with my return… What's this? She's smiling broadly! For someone notorious for her unfitting, terrifying smiles, it's quite unsettling!
"Ah, y-yeah. I'm back. You know, you actually look pretty good when you smile, Elize…"
"Oh, was I smiling?"
Elize brushed her hand over her mouth, quickly reverting to her usual expressionless face. Phew, that was a relief.
But then, she immediately lifted the corners of her mouth again. Sure, smiles bring blessings, but this is just scary! Why have you suddenly turned into a 'smiling angel'?!
"How was your trip? Did you enjoy it?"
"Well, I wouldn't say enjoyable, but I got the job done."
"And the two who accompanied you?"
"Lucas got permission for leave and headed to Crossroad. As for Body… damn it, I mean Daram… She's been sent as an envoy to the Great Forest. There's some business that requires gathering the leaders of the other races. Both of them should be back in a few days."
Elize responded with a slight look of disappointment.
"I see… I hope they return soon."
She must miss her colleagues.
"In any case, let's go inside. Her Grace, the Duchess, is waiting for you."
"Alright."
As I walked deeper into the Duke's Palace, every servant I passed greeted me with beaming smiles, far brighter than usual.
And each one looked at me with these oddly ticklish, knowing gazes. What's going on?
'Is it because I, their King and the Bringer of Light, have returned?'
When I finally reached the banquet hall (which normally served as the dining room), I saw her.
"You're back, my love!"
Serenade was waiting for me.
My wife, radiant as always with her brilliant smile, looked stunning today. I walked over to her, embraced her, and planted a gentle kiss on her lips.
"I'm home. How long has it been since we last saw each other?"
"Two months. The distance was quite far, wasn't it? You must be exhausted from the journey."
"Seeing you has wiped away all my fatigue."
"Hehe, you always know just what to say."
Humming a little tune, Serenade twirled around me, her joy bubbling over.
"…?"
Wait, huh…
Ah!
'She must be really happy that I'm back. She's so excited she can't contain herself… '
How adorable. My wife is the cutest.
Matching her mood, I started to hum along with her and even spun around in a circle to mirror her little dance. Is this how it's done?
After a few more twirls around me, Serenade hooked her arm around mine and clung tightly.
"You must be hungry. Let's eat together, my love."
"Sounds great. I've been missing the food here at the palace."
With our arms entwined, we entered the banquet hall together and sat down at a table set just for the two of us.
'This is perfect… '
To be honest, while I said I missed the food at the Duke's Palace, the truth is that it was actually easier to eat while I was away.
That's because, during my absence, the palace dining table was always filled with… well, those kinds of nourishing ingredients supposedly "good for that."
It's not that they tasted bad, but eating them constantly got a bit tiresome…
Still, how could I refuse, knowing the love and earnest care my wife poured into preparing those meals? I braced myself for the long-overdue nourishment and steeled my resolve. Bring it on!
'Huh?'
But then—
This time, the dishes made from those ingredients were noticeably absent from the table.
Instead, the food consisted of light, easily digestible dishes meant to accommodate my fatigue from the long journey. Even as I began eating, I couldn't help but feel a bit perplexed. What was going on?
'Don't tell me… '
I quickly glanced at Serenade.
She was smiling softly at me, as if to say, You just figured it out?
'Serenade, could it be…!'
Was that it?!
Only then did I realize my wife's intention.
'Did she… give up on having a baby?!'
Because ten years of trying hadn't worked? Did she decide to let it go, not wanting to pressure me anymore?
'Serenade… '
Knowing how much pain this must have caused her made my heart ache.
If it were for Serenade, I was ready to reshape the Empire into a republic.
But still, I thought it was too early to give up on having a child. We're still young!
Sigh.
Alright.
If that's the case, it's time to reveal the plan I've been preparing…
After chatting about various topics and finishing the main course, just before dessert was served, I cautiously spoke up.
"Serenade, there's something I want to tell you."
"Oh? I have something to tell you too! Truly, my clueless husband needs to hear this."
Clueless?
I tried to figure out what she meant, but Serenade just smiled mischievously and suggested,
"Why don't we say it at the same time?"
"…Alright."
I took a deep breath.
The plan I had resolved to implement—the method I had decided upon while returning from New Terra—was about to leave my lips.
'This is the only way.'
Adopting someone from a collateral family had been rejected.
Taking another wife? Absolutely not.
Which left only one option.
'Keep trying until it works!'
The "trial by repetition" approach!
I would crush the odds with sheer numbers…!
And so, with fiery determination, I shouted,
"Let's start doing it twice a d—"
"I'm pregnant!"
I froze mid-sentence.
Serenade blinked at me in confusion.
"…What?"
"Huh?"
A brief moment of silence followed.
I stammered as I reached forward, my hands trembling.
"W-What did you say? Serenade, you're…?"
"Yes. I'm pregnant, my love."
Covering her mouth, Serenade chuckled softly.
"It's our child. After all those years of longing and worry, the baby has finally come to us."
Ah…!
At that moment, I finally understood the unusually cheerful atmosphere of the entire palace. I also realized what Serenade meant earlier by calling me clueless.
Jumping up from my chair, I rushed to Serenade's side.
Still seated, Serenade let out a small "Ah—" as she took my hand and placed it on her belly. Her stomach, still slender and not yet showing, felt the same as usual.
"They're here. Inside me."
"…"
"Right before you left for the Imperial Capital, I noticed my cycle stopped… At first, I thought it was just a health issue. But now, it's been three months. I called the doctor to confirm, and they said I'm pregnant."
Smiling warmly, Serenade reached out with her other hand and gently cupped my cheek.
"It took so long, didn't it?"
"It really did… It really did…"
Kneeling before her, I pressed my forehead against her stomach and let out a long sigh.
"How incredible must this little one be to take ten years to arrive…"
"Hehe. They're bound to be an extraordinary child, don't you think?"
Serenade giggled brightly, her eyes sparkling as she teasingly looked down at me.
"By the way, my love."
"Yeah?"
"What exactly were you about to suggest we do twice a day?"
"…"
"Hmm? Hmm? I'm curious. Won't you tell me~?"
Serenade laughed behind her hand, her gaze mischievous as she looked down at my now bright-red face.
I had been ready to sacrifice everything and risk it all when I said those words… Don't tease me too much…!
"…Thank goodness."
Wrapping my arms around Serenade's waist, I rested my cheek against her stomach and murmured softly.
"Truly… Thank goodness…"
Serenade's hand gently stroked the back of my head.
"Are you crying, my love?"
"No, I'm not. It's just…"
In a voice heavy with emotion, I confessed,
"I thought I would never be able to have a child."
"…"
"I thought… because I'm not real… that having a child wouldn't be allowed for me…"
For the past ten years, I hadn't shared this thought with anyone.
Deep down, I had always wondered if I was unable to have children because I was a fake—a counterfeit.
I had even begun to accept, in some part of my heart, that this might be the price for saving the world, a burden I simply had to bear.
"My love."
Serenade slowly embraced my head, cradling me in her arms. Her warmth enveloped me.
"You are the truest of the true. No matter how fragmented your beginnings were, your soul is beautiful."
"…"
"Even if we had never had a child, it wouldn't matter. You've saved countless lives with your own radiance."
Placing both hands on my cheeks, Serenade whispered,
"You saved me."
She leaned in and kissed me.
"And you saved yourself."
Serenade wiped the tears from my cheeks and smiled at me.
It was a warm smile, like that of a mother gazing lovingly at her child.
"Our baby's late arrival has nothing to do with those kinds of reasons. Well, if we'd followed your suggestion of twice a day, perhaps they might have arrived a bit sooner…"
"S-Stop teasing me!"
"Hehe. More importantly, this baby is yours—a child of my dearest, most lovable husband."
Serenade wrapped her arms around me again, holding me close.
"They may have taken their time, but there's no doubt that our child will be absolutely beautiful."
I nodded quietly, my throat tight with emotion.
As if to soothe and reassure me, Serenade whispered gently.
"And together… we'll raise them wonderfully, won't we?"
Chapter 840
Side Story 15. [After Story] Kuilan
Imperial Year 662.
Ten years after the final battle against the monsters.
Central Continent. Near the Great Forest. Beastkin Village.
Kuilan let out an excited shout when he saw the guest visiting his village.
"Oh ho! Look who it is! If it isn't Bodybag!"
Daram, holding a letter from Ash, forced a polite smile.
"…I'm not Bodybag anymore. It's Daram now. I've changed my name."
"Ah, right. I heard about that. My bad, totally slipped my mind!"
"It's fine… There's someone I work for who forgets the name they gave me every single day…"
Daram had long since let go of any attachment to names. After all, her current name was something like "Sunflower Seed-Lover" or whatever—it didn't matter much to her.
She handed Kuilan the letter. Kuilan quickly opened it and scanned its contents before letting out a cheerful exclamation.
"A meeting of the representatives of the races, huh!"
"His Grace, the Duke, called it something fancy, but it's basically just an excuse to gather everyone, share a meal, and catch up. He asked that you try your best to attend."
"This sounds great. I've been wanting to see everyone again anyway. There are plenty of things we need to talk about too."
Kuilan agreed without hesitation.
After exchanging some casual greetings, Daram hesitated for a moment before cautiously asking a question.
"How is Lady Yun doing?"
"Still sleeping soundly."
Kuilan replied, crossing his arms and shrugging.
"She hasn't woken up once. She's like a proper Sleeping Beauty of the forest."
Sleeping Beauty…
Hearing the well-known fairy tale reference, Daram tilted her head in curiosity.
"Then, wouldn't a deep, passionate kiss wake her up?"
"Huh, you think so? Should I have tried that ages ago?"
Kuilan's response left Daram staring at him in disbelief.
"What?! You haven't kissed her all this time?"
"How could I? How do you think it's okay to go kissing someone who's unconscious and defenseless?"
It was a surprisingly sensible answer for someone who used to be a notorious Bandit King. But Daram wasn't convinced.
"I mean, weren't you two lovers? Or at least something before she fell unconscious? You two were all over each other back then. Adding one more kiss wouldn't—"
Kuilan flailed his arms, leaping up in shock.
"W-Wh-What are you saying?! All over each other?! What kind of filthy phrasing is that?!"
"You know, like during that party where we caught the Grand Sorcerer… You both put on quite the show in front of everyone!"
"Ugh! Uuuuugh! Uuuuuuugh! I've worked so hard to forget that cringeworthy moment from my past!"
Regardless, it was a widely known fact among the Monsterfront that Yun had been pursuing Kuilan even before she fell into a coma. Kuilan had always been the one putting up walls and pushing her away.
And now, ten years after the war ended, Kuilan was still here, taking care of Yun in her unconscious state.
"When you give your heart to someone, you've got to see it through to the end."
Kuilan murmured this as he idly twisted the long ribbon of his braided hair around his fingers.
"Even if we kept missing the right timing, in the end, Yun and I… we were always looking at each other."
"You know, that sounds really cool, but the way you're twirling your hair makes the whole scene kind of cute instead."
Daram remarked, letting out a deep sigh as she pinched her own chubby cheeks.
"Haaa~ When will I find myself a proper boyfriend?"
"Didn't His Grace introduce you to any good men? He does treasure his aides, after all."
"For ten years, all he's done is pile endless work on me. There's nothing in the Bringar Duchy's administration that I don't know how to handle now! He's such a wicked boss, wringing every last drop of effort out of his people."
"Sounds like the mark of a good ruler to me."
"Yeah, well, if that wasn't the case, I would've run away years ago."
After sharing a bit more small talk, Daram eventually prepared to leave. She was sent off warmly by Kuilan and the other beastkin villagers. After all, she still had other representatives of different races to meet and deliver letters to, so the journey ahead of her was long.
"Hm…"
Watching Daram's figure grow smaller in the distance, Kuilan rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
"…A kiss to wake her up, huh?"
The Beastkin Village.
Though it was referred to as a "village," it was, in reality, a sprawling network of settlements spread across nearly half the Great Forest. It was anything but small.
After the abolition of slavery, various freed beastkin gathered under the Leaf Wolf Tribe's leadership and formed a community. Now, many different tribes and beastkin mingled together, living and thriving in this vast forest.
Kuilan stood as their representative, effectively ruling over what amounted to an entire nation.
Yet, Kuilan's home was simple and modest.
It was a small wooden hut built around a large maple tree.
Entering the hut, Kuilan called out in his usual lively tone,
"I'm back! Yun~ You've been keeping the house safe, right?"
Of course, there was no reply.
Opening the door to the inner room, Kuilan found Yun lying on the bed, just as she always was, buried in the blankets and fast asleep.
She looked as if she had been preserved in time, perfectly still except for the faint rise and fall of her chest as she breathed. Her thin, frail limbs were warm to the touch, radiating a slight fever.
"Good evening."
Kuilan adjusted Yun's position carefully, ensuring she wouldn't develop bedsores, then brought a damp cloth to gently wipe her body.
Having spent a long time caring for his sick brother before, Kuilan was no stranger to tending to patients. In fact, he had now cared for Yun far longer than he ever had for his late brother.
As he cleaned her, Kuilan began recounting the day's events to her in a soft voice.
"Daram came by today. Ah, Daram's the new name Bodybag chose for herself. Her old name was just a codename, after all. Anyway, she came and brought a letter—it was from His Grace, the Duke. He's calling for everyone to meet up and catch up after all this time."
As Kuilan continued recounting his conversation with Daram, he suddenly slapped his knee and burst out laughing.
"And get this—Daram said you were like Sleeping Beauty and suggested I wake you up with a kiss! Hahaha…!"
Then, Kuilan's expression suddenly shifted, his face going rigid.
"Why didn't I think of that?!"
"…"
"I mean… it should be fine, right? A kiss… I mean, purely for medicinal purposes, of course!"
At that moment, while Kuilan was deep in thought, Yun's eyelashes trembled ever so slightly.
Completely oblivious, Kuilan continued rambling.
"Not that I have any ulterior motives! It's just—what if, like in the story, you actually wake up? You never know, right?"
"…Mmm."
"Of course, I know! Kissing someone in a coma is a no-go! It's something a gentleman should never do. But still!"
"Ugh… Mmm…"
"Besides, you're the one who kissed me all over ten years ago! So, technically, this would just be paying back that debt… yeah, like an honorable trade or something…"
"…Kuilan?"
Yun's parched voice barely escaped her lips as her mouth moved slightly, but Kuilan was too absorbed in justifying himself to notice.
"Exactly, it's totally fine. I just have to close my eyes and do it once. Just once!"
"What time is it…? Ugh. It's so bright…"
"Alright, here we go…! Deep breath…!"
Huff! Huff! Huff!
After inhaling dramatically and even warming up as if preparing for battle, Kuilan—his face flushed beet red from nerves—leaned toward Yun.
"Mm-mm—"
"…"
Yun, now fully awake, watched silently as Kuilan, eyes shut tight, puckered his lips and leaned closer. Then, in a cold, dry voice, she asked:
"What exactly are you doing right now?"
"…Huh?"
Kuilan froze, his eyes snapping open in shock. Yun was staring at him with a disapproving, half-lidded gaze.
"W-Waaaaaaaah!"
Kuilan screamed and recoiled like a spring, launching himself backward.
"You're really awake! Oh my gods, the kiss actually worked! This is incredible!"
Sleeping Beauty had woken up with a kiss.
Well… not quite. The lips hadn't even touched.
"Ten years?"
Yun murmured in a dazed voice.
"It's been ten years since I lost consciousness?"
"That's how it is."
Kuilan replied, bringing her a cup of water he had gently warmed.
Yun's hands were still too weak to hold it, so Kuilan had to support the cup as she drank. She struggled to swallow before lifting her eyes to study him.
"You've changed a lot… Kuilan."
The Kuilan before her was markedly different from the man she remembered.
The wolf-like fur that once covered his body was gone, as was the chiseled, muscle-bound frame that had once resembled a marble statue. His figure was now more streamlined, and his eyes—now deeper and more thoughtful—carried a wisdom they hadn't before. Even the way he moved was more relaxed, exuding a quiet confidence.
"Well, I guess it's from getting older and staying off the battlefield. My muscles have shrunk a bit. And when the curse lifted, all the fur disappeared too…"
As Yun silently examined this unfamiliar yet familiar Kuilan, a sudden thought struck her.
"Mirror… Bring me a mirror."
"Huh?"
"I want to see myself. Where's a mirror?"
Kuilan hesitated for a moment before finally retrieving a hand mirror.
Helping Yun sit up, he propped her up carefully so she could see herself. Still frail and weak, she managed to lift the mirror and look at her reflection.
Her eyes widened slightly, and her lips parted.
"This… is me?"
She examined every corner of her reflection, murmuring in disbelief.
"Gods, I look like nothing but a sack of skin…"
In her memory, she was still in her early twenties—young, full of vitality, and brimming with life.
But time had not been kind. Ten years in a coma had stolen much from her.
Her hair had lost its luster, her eyes were sunken, her skin was dry and pale, and her once-strong body was gaunt and frail.
"My abs…"
Her once-proud, perfectly sculpted abs were gone, replaced by a hollowed, flat stomach.
She raised her arm and examined her thin, shrunken biceps and triceps, gritting her teeth.
"…Still."
Sensing Kuilan's concerned gaze, Yun forced herself to smile.
"At least we saved the world, didn't we? That's what matters. You all did something incredible."
Kuilan smiled faintly in return.
"And now you, who helped save the world, are back with us too."
"…"
"Is there any greater miracle than that?"
Yun kept her thoughts to herself.
Inside, she felt utterly lost.
The ten years she had missed, the youth she had lost, clawed at her from within.
'Maybe it would've been better if I'd just died back then.'
she thought bitterly.
To die in glory, to be remembered beautifully—that might have been preferable.
Rather than surviving like this, in a broken shell, only to burden this man further.
"Did you really… care for me all these ten years, Kuilan?"
"Of course, it wasn't just me. Helpers came in shifts to assist, and the Ariane Kingdom kept sending supplies for whatever was needed…"
Kuilan started recounting in detail how he had cared for Yun over the past decade, explaining how many people had willingly pitched in to help.
From Kuilan's perspective, he was emphasizing how much people cared for and thought about Yun.
But to Yun, it didn't feel that way.
All she could hear was how much trouble she had caused for everyone.
How much she had burdened them.
And there was no way for her to repay it.
Not with this frail, weakened body. Not with a mind that had been disconnected from reality for a decade.
"…I'm sorry."
"Hm? What's there to be sorry about? I did it because I wanted to."
"But because of me… you wasted ten years of your life."
"Yun, don't talk like that."
Kuilan's large hand carefully clasped Yun's frail one.
"Those were the most fulfilling ten years I've ever lived. And it was all thanks to you."
"…"
"Besides, if our roles were reversed, you would've done the same for me."
At his words, Yun closed her eyes tightly.
Would she really have been able to do the same?
If it had been him lying in a coma, would she have been able to dedicate herself to caring for him for over ten years?
"I'm sorry, Kuilan. I… I just need some time to think. To sort through everything."
"…"
"Could you leave me alone for a while?"
Hearing her words, Kuilan nodded as if he understood, though there was a bittersweet look in his eyes…
"Nope."
He refused.
"What?"
Yun was taken aback.
"Wait, isn't this the part where you're supposed to give me space to think things through? Is this something else that's changed in the last ten years?"
"I get that waking up to find yourself ten years in the future is confusing, but sitting alone and digging a hole in your thoughts is only going to make you feel worse, isn't it?"
Kuilan gestured toward the door.
"Let's go get some fresh air! The scenery out there is gorgeous."
Though time had changed his appearance, the man's breezy smile remained exactly the same.
"I've always wanted to see it together with you."