Ch.180Complete

# 2 The Princess: The End of the Empire’s Downfall Project

At last, the Empire’s downfall project had come to an end.

Iphomia, who had been crying for a long time while embracing Demeter, followed me out despite still wearing a displeased expression, though she no longer maintained the aggressive stance she had before.

When Iphomia emerged from the statue, the knights immediately pointed their weapons at her.

Of course, they lowered all their weapons after seeing me, Salvia, and Oko coming out together.

The snow that had been falling across the entire region stopped.

The clouds that had covered the sky were cleared away, and warmth gradually began to spread around us.

Everyone nearby looked around with blank expressions, as if they had seen something they shouldn’t have.

And the moment they realized that these unusual signs were signaling their final victory.

Everyone burst into cheers all at once.

Through the knights, I could see Zumiya, Fiore, Bell, and Faura.

They were all waving at me.

I responded with a smile to their satisfied or bright smiles that seemed to convey their appreciation for my hard work.

“Oh, by the way, where did all those Outer Gods from earlier go?”

“Yeah. There are only strange beautiful people where the Outer Gods were…”

As the anomalies disappeared, perhaps the gods had returned to their original forms. Some knights were looking around trying to find them.

Before I could explain, one knight exclaimed in shock while pointing at the greater gods.

“Th-these beautiful people were those Outer Gods from earlier!”

“No way… Was the snowfall distorting even the true forms of the Outer Gods?”

“Come to think of it, there’s no mental contamination happening at all.”

Haha.

How should I put it?

It felt strange watching people who were now completely unfazed by the sight of the gods.

Normally, they should have been clutching their heads in agony.

“Raedan!”

I heard someone calling me from afar.

Asti came running and threw herself into my arms.

At the same time, sharp gazes flew at me from the four gods.

“A-Asti.”

“Are you okay…? Are you hurt anywhere?”

“Y-yeah. I’m fine, so let’s separate now, okay?”

“…If that is Raedan’s wish.”

Asti carefully pulled away and resumed her respectful posture.

The glares from the gods were still piercing, but more bearable than before.

The Huntsman, who had returned yesterday and was watching us, shook his head with his usual incredulous expression.

Through that, I could truly feel it.

Peace had really arrived.

I fell into a pleasant mood as I listened to the knights’ cheers that continued to ring out.

#

The capital was moved back to Lintfia.

After all, Lintfia was geographically the most advantageous location in the Empire.

People returned as well.

Although the mental damage to those who had been frozen by Iphomia was substantial, thanks to Neutrice’s efforts, no one complained of post-traumatic stress disorder.

The Knight Commander of Lintfia, who had been serving as the highest leader of Lintfia, returned to his position as Knight Commander.

There was no reason for him to continue acting in that role now that the royal family had returned.

“…I sincerely welcome the return of Her Majesty the Empress and the Princesses.”

Salvia was very embarrassed by the Knight Commander’s behavior, but Demeter nodded with a calm smile.

“Thank you for your hard work. Truly.”

“…I am deeply honored to be in the presence of Her Majesty’s rightful countenance.”

Thus, with Demeter at the helm, the imperial system was reestablished.

Iphomia was to be imprisoned on charges of national treason.

Salvia and I were seeing off Iphomia, who was being taken away with handcuffs on her wrists, wearing a somewhat relieved expression.

For the transportation of a criminal, there was a strangely pleasant atmosphere, but the knights didn’t seem to mind since it was such a formal detention.

Before entering the holding cell, Iphomia turned to look at us with a somewhat lonely smile.

“…Sister, I’ll be going now.”

“Yes. Take care of yourself.”

“Come on, why say it like that? The knights under my command will be managing her directly anyway.”

Salvia just gave a light laugh at my words.

Iphomia was fidgeting, so I turned my attention to her.

“…Raedan, was it?”

“Yes, Princess.”

“Thank you. If it weren’t for you… I would still be freezing this empire under my misunderstanding.”

“Not at all, Princess. I only did what needed to be done.”

“…Was taking liberties with my body also something that needed to be done?”

“A-ahem. Please consider that as insubordination necessitated by circumstances.”

“Hehe, I’m just joking.”

As if she had finished what she wanted to say, Iphomia closed her eyes with a smile.

It was time for a brief farewell.

I was turning around to leave.

“Raedan!”

As I turned my body upon hearing Iphomia’s voice.

“Ah, aah!”

Salvia’s voice filled with indignation rang out.

That was because Iphomia had suddenly rushed forward and kissed me.

Moreover, this woman, who supposedly had been alone her whole life, had such strange technique…!

“W-what are you doing?!”

As I pulled away from Iphomia in surprise, she spoke with a cold yet bewitching expression.

“…That’s the price for embracing me. You know you have to take responsibility when you make someone’s heart flutter, right?”

“P-Princess.”

“Well, I’ll be going now.”

After saying that, Iphomia turned away as if she truly had no lingering attachments, leaving me with my mouth hanging open.

…Why am I suddenly reminded of Apta and Oko? Is it just my imagination?

#

Ah, the most important thing.

What was decided about Gaia, you ask?

“…Well, I was thinking of just forgiving her before.”

“Hii, hiik!”

“But I think she needs to suffer a little, even if it’s just for formality’s sake.”

At Oko’s words, Gaia trembled and backed into a corner of the building.

Surrounded by Apta, Demeter, and Oko with nowhere to escape, Gaia was shaking in terror as if she might burst into tears at any moment.

“W-wait a moment! Everything turned out well in the end, right? I did help lay the groundwork for all of you to play your parts, didn’t I? So perhaps you could reduce my punishment a little…”

“Huhuhu. What do you think, Lord Tanthyn? What’s your opinion?”

Demeter asked me with a chilling smile.

“Um… I don’t think I have a say in this…”

“Right? Lord Tanthyn also thinks this impudent little one needs to be taught a lesson, don’t you?”

…I hadn’t said anything, but Demeter was doing all the talking herself.

Of course, unlike the delighted Empress, Gaia’s complexion was growing increasingly pale.

“P-please! I beg you. I’m truly repentant…!”

“Hmm. Apta. What kind of punishment do you think would be appropriate?”

At Oko’s question, Apta twisted her lips with a blank expression.

“Umm. I’m not sure.”

“Surely you must have thought of something during Raedan’s rehabilitation training?”

“…My chest felt constricted, and it was a painful feeling.”

No sooner had Apta finished speaking than Demeter smiled as if struck by an ingenious idea.

Oko seemed to have caught on to what Demeter was thinking.

“Shall we do that?”

“…Yes, there’s no other way.”

“But isn’t that too harsh?”

“If we keep being lenient, exceptions to the laws of the universe will continue to occur.”

Saying that, Demeter approached Gaia.

Gaia frantically moved her feet trying to get away from Demeter, but she was already against the wall with nowhere else to go.

She couldn’t teleport elsewhere either.

Because Oko was watching her.

“No, please… huk…!”

Before Gaia could properly do anything, Demeter’s hand passed through her chest.

And then she pulled something out from her hand.

It was something yellow, with a somewhat ethereal color.

If Demeter’s power was related to life, then that must be Gaia’s life energy.

“Now, Apta? How long did you wait for Raedan?”

“…About 10 years?”

“Well, since we don’t know the exact years, let’s say about 19 years…”

Gaia was trying to get up as if to say ‘That’s unfair!’, but the moment Demeter’s finger touched that yellow light, her pupils contracted sharply and she lost control of her body.

“W-what are you doing…?”

“Nothing much, dear. Just making you experience the combined pain that Oko, Apta, and I went through, for 19 years.”

“C-combined…?! Kuuuugh!”

Gaia curled up in pain, crying out in agony.

She looked very distressed, unable to even breathe properly.

“My, only a few seconds have passed, and you’re suffering too much, aren’t you?”

“Stop, please stop…! I’m dying, dying…”

Now unable to even speak properly, Oko sighed and drew something with her finger as she watched Gaia.

A black hole appeared around Gaia.

It was a slightly different shape from the hole that had sucked in The Advisor.

“No, please! Let me go, please…”

“You’ll just be confined in one place for 19 years, Gaia. It’s Demeter’s direct punishment. It’s not that long, is it? Compared to the years we’ve lived.”

“No… Eeeeee!”

Despite Gaia’s screams, she was eventually sucked into the hole Oko had created and disappeared.

…A-ahem.

How chilling.

I had goosebumps on my arms.

Anyway, perhaps such actions provided some comfort.

Demeter looked much more relieved.

“…Lord Tanthyn. I’ll be going now to do what I must.”

“Your Majesty.”

“Hmm, no. I am no longer the Empress.”

Demeter said as she looked at the palace.

“Now my daughter will become the Empress.”

“…Are you going to save His Majesty?”

“I might not be able to return for quite some time.”

“Until then, I will collect the souls of rebellious gods so that Your Majesty can return.”

“…But don’t collect the souls of benevolent gods, okay? That would be illegal.”

“Understood.”

As if she had nothing more to say, the Empress unnecessarily took a deep breath and held the hands of Oko and Apta.

Oko and Apta smiled somewhat sadly.

“…Seeing your success gives me hope too.”

“You will definitely succeed, Demeter.”

“Thank you, Oko. I hope you spend happy days with Lord Tanthyn.”

“…Hehe, yes.”

With those final words, Demeter went on her way.

And, at least I returned with Oko’s help.

But in this world, all traces of Demeter had disappeared.

#

…That would have been a clean ending to the story, but.

“…Um, hahaha. Why is everyone gathered here?”

The Huntsman.

Apta.

Bell.

Fiore.

Faura.

Zumiya.

Neutrice.

Asti.

Salvia.

Oko.

Even Muyeon.

They were all sitting in the branch’s multipurpose room, and as soon as I entered, they blocked the door so I couldn’t open it.

Fiore was the first to speak.

“…Well, now that peace has been restored… it’s time to decide, isn’t it?”

“Indeed. We must settle this properly.”

Zumiya said with gleaming eyes.

“Who will remain by my lord’s side.”

At her words, the eyes of everyone in the room flashed frighteningly.

A chill ran down my spine, warning me to escape immediately.

“Hahaha, is there really a need to decide so urgently…?”

“If we don’t, Raedan, you’ll just evade the issue again.”

At Asti’s words, everyone nodded in unison.

Aish.

They caught me.

“How about we compete to see who can conquer Raedan first?”

That was Neutrice’s suggestion.

But at those words, everyone’s gaze turned to The Huntsman.

The Huntsman sighed as he received those stares.

Y-yes.

I don’t know why The Huntsman is here, but give them a good scolding!

“In that field, I am quite confident.”

W-what the hell.

Why are you!

Don’t make such a lecherous expression like you’re going to eat someone!!

“Excuse me! I have a suggestion here!”

At that moment, Faura raised her hand high and stood up.

Everyone’s attention turned to Faura.

Faura looked at me as if asking for permission to speak, and I nodded reflexively.

Then Faura said with a bright smile:

“Isn’t the Emperor allowed to practice polygamy anyway?”

“Wait, you don’t mean.”

“How about we first marry Raedan to the Princess, and then legally possess him?”

At Faura’s words, the atmosphere in the room darkened.

The only solution Faura had mentioned.

That was it.

Of course, Faura could say this because her position was ‘As long as I can be with him, I don’t mind.’

I thought everyone was considering it, but that was a huge misunderstanding.

Especially Oko’s aura, which was visibly seething with rage.

“Don’t be ridiculous!!!”

“?!”

Everyone was startled and looked at Oko at once.

Oko was furiously waving her arms in anger.

“I was the first one to share my heart with Raedan! Why are you all deciding things on your own?!”

“But my lord seduced us first…”

“That’s right, that’s right!”

Bell shouted, waving her arms.

No, do you even understand what that means?!

I glared at Apta for no reason, but seeing her blushing attitude made me shudder and look away.

Fiore also stood up angrily.

“Marrying him to the Princess means that Raedan would basically become the Princess’s property. No way! I can’t stand that!”

And so the multipurpose room became chaotic again.

As everyone fought with one mind and purpose, I was just turning my head back and forth, not knowing what to do.

“Taaanthyn.”

A drawling voice.

This voice belonged to the being who had guided me on the right path since the underground prison.

“R-Ria!”

As I quietly welcomed her, Ria poked her face out of my pocket.

“Are you in trouble?”

“Yes, very much. I want to run away right now.”

“Then here.”

Ria went back into the pocket and then held out something.

It was a somewhat transparent key.

“I can open it with this?”

“Yees.”

Ria nodded with a bright smile.

I stroked her head with my finger.

Watching Ria who made a pleased nasal sound, I carefully moved to insert the key into the doorknob.

I heard it fit, and happily turned it quickly.

Clunk.

It made quite a loud noise, and the attention of those engaged in heated debate all turned to me at once.

“Ugh…”

“…”

“I have urgent business, so I’ll be going now!”

After quickly saying what I needed to say, I opened the door and ran for my life as soon as I got out.

“Ah, he’s running away!”

“We must catch him! This lady’s dragon energy still remains within my lord!”

“You’ll pay for this if I catch you, Raedan!!!”

“Aaaaargh!”

And so I engage in a chase to avoid the women pursuing me.

#

The peace of the Empire was finally found.

The wish of one man who wanted everyone to be happy was finally fulfilled.

Never to be lost again.

For the future of the Empire where everyone will develop in harmony.

Another day full of glory passes by.

-The End-