episode_0321

The vast cloud of death that had hung over the continent, bringing with it blood, ash, and tears, finally dispersed, and warm sunlight poured down on all the world.

The war, which could have ended this star, was over. Peace had returned to Nifrantz, Ubiet, and Lumines.

Those who survived had to move quickly. The war was over, but that didn’t mean everything would return to normal.

Nothing in this world happens by itself. To regain what was lost, they had to act.

For the young who had never known the sweat of their souls, it was a time of new growth; for those who knew that suffering, it was a time of ripening.

The most striking sight was the scene of recovering the bodies.

“Jake… Jake…!! Open your eyes, your mother is calling…!!“

“…Next month, our child will be born. I’ll name them after you… and raise them to be strong, like you.”

“You… you truly make me proud, Lud…”

Unending cries echoed beside the bodies that had returned to their families’ arms, their eyes closed. A gentle melody was offered to those who had left behind only a few traces.

Each person bid farewell in their own way. Some buried them in sunny places; others burned them with their comrades.

“May our sons, who have gone to the side of our ancestors… adapt well to their new journey.”

Smoke rose endlessly from all corners of the kingdom.

Counting the number of the living and the dead took a considerable amount of time. This was, naturally, thanks to Nix’s efforts.

Most of the people had been robbed of everything but their lives. They probably couldn’t even see the light in front of them properly.

For the first time in a long while, the Nifrantz treasury was opened. Hadn’t my restoration to the throne been accompanied by a large-scale purge of underworld nobles? Many things had been recovered then.

The wealth that they had stolen from the people was returning to the kingdom, and then to the people.

This time, the merchants of Liberty Port also provided much help, selling their stockpiled crops and food at reasonable prices.

“We could have charged more… but I will never forget this kindness your Highness.”

“Princess Narita… no, now Her Highness the Crown Princess. We are merely repaying the kindness we received last summer.”

“I see. Then, from now on, I’ll leave the threats from Liberty Port to me and my knights.”

“Heehee… It seems I’ve gained a valuable long-term customer. Thanks be to God and our ancestors…”

Wise men who played with money were quick to calculate. I delved into that aspect, ensuring that even with some losses, it would contribute to the immediate revival of Nifrantz.

The kingdom’s reconstruction also required a lot of materials. Countless amounts of high-quality lumber were imported from overseas merchants, and other materials were also diligently collected.

Stone, however, could be self-sufficient. By opening a small portal in the Tarun Mountains and sending miners, the necessary amount was quickly gathered. Sometimes, I went there myself and detached an entire cliff face.

The kingdom’s soldiers and knights also contributed greatly to the reconstruction efforts. Many, despite suffering near-fatal injuries, rushed to the site as soon as they got out of bed.

My eyes and my footsteps were always there.

“In the name of Nifrantz… glory to your blood, sweat, and tears.”

No matter how strong my power was, it didn’t extend to the detailed tasks like building. All I could do was instill strength and courage in the workers.

Nevertheless, everyone gave thanks to me. On their eyes and lips, adorned with bright smiles, beaded drops of sweat shone like jewels.

But I could only smile outwardly. Knowing that countless threats still existed in this universe.

. . .

I placed white flowers on the tombstone and clasped my hands together. I bowed my head briefly, paying my respects to the veteran who had served Nifrantz until his last breath.

Sabak-

The sound of grass being trampled softly reached my ears. I opened my eyes and turned my head.

“…You’ve aged quite a bit since last I saw you.”

“Heehee… Even if we spend the same amount of time, the concentration of the time we’ve experienced differs, you see.”

An old man with a long white beard approached with unsteady steps. Leonardo Price, the master of the Nifrantz Magic Tower, who had a connection with my mother.

“Thank you for coming to see my old friend. He will surely shed tears of joy in the afterlife.”

“Marquis Flandre did what deserved such a thing. I heard his soldiers performed admirably in the southern battles. And he himself… fought fiercely to the very end.”

“He was always that kind of man. He always kept his word, no matter what.”

The end of my pilgrimage was Marquis Flandre’s grave. After checking on the people, I visited each of the nobles who had greatly contributed to this war.

The courage to go to war, and one cannot weigh human lives. But one thing is certain. Marquis Flandre fully fulfilled the responsibility commensurate with the authority he wielded.

He was a person who did not use wealth, fame, or status to judge the dignity of a human being. He was a comrade who thought as I did.

I filled a cup with ether and scattered it. With this one cup… may the pain of passing lessen even slightly.

“How wonderful it would be if all the wealthy in the world were like him.”

“Heehee… But to obtain something, one must also let go of something. This man merely gave up his life instead of his dignity.”

Although I was a follower of Confucianism, I did not offer a full prostration. My head was no longer light enough to bow easily.

After tidying my clothes, I looked at Leonardo.

“Then… shall we get to the main point?”

“Yes. Thank you for indulging my stubbornness, priest. My younger self keeps appearing in my mind’s eye, you see.”

“It was something I intended to do anyway.”

The reason I chose this place as the end point of my pilgrimage was at Leonardo’s request. I also had something to receive, so I did as he wished.

Leonardo pulled something out from his bosom. It was a small magic stone. It emitted a white light, but it wasn’t the perfect white like Rea’s magic stone.

Still, it was uncommon for a magic stone to emit this color. It contained ether.

Kwaak-

I grasped the magic stone Leonardo handed me and infused it with ether. Countless pieces of information began to flow in.

“This is… a recording medium.”

“Yes. It contains the details of Rea’s ‘final research.’”

“Wasn’t that… unrecorded?”

“Why do you think I’ve aged so much?”

Leonardo chuckled. My mother’s final research, which had no complete record. My mother had kept her research on ‘life creation’ confidential to the very end.

There were several reasons, but the biggest one was probably to prevent it from leaking to those with impure intentions.

I looked at Leonardo again. His face was full of wrinkles. In just a few months, he had aged from middle age to old age. His hair and beard had also turned white.

It wasn’t difficult to guess what he had done for this record.

“…Did it have to be this way?”

“Now… there’s nothing more for me to achieve. I had planned to retire to the countryside and spend my old age farming… but leisurely pursuits aren’t really my style.”

“You have your daughter.”

“…Yes, I do. I met her when we were busy preparing for war. My cute daughter was gone… only a mature adult woman remained.”

Leonardo’s eyes looked somewhere other than me. A small smile played on his wrinkled lips.

“So… I have no more regrets about life. Time flows faster than I thought. The moment of parting will come someday.”

“…I won’t ask further questions. That was your choice.”

“Heehee… Thank you.”

I held the magic stone carefully. A man’s stubbornness is difficult to break, As I knew, Leonardo knew, and Marquis Flandre also knew.

Leonardo sat in front of the tombstone and began to talk about his long-lost friend. I left him and headed towards the royal palace.

. . .

Kiiik—

“Welcome back.”

“Yes. Nix?”

“They’ll be in the office.”

After briefly greeting Yuri, I walked up to the office. Nix was sitting at their desk, sorting through various documents.

“Nix, how long will that take?”

“…Huh? It’s not urgent, why?”

“Something came up.”

I walked to the middle of the office and stood straight. I took out the gray-white magic stone from my bosom and infused it with ether. Nix’s eyes widened.

“That’s… a recording medium.”

“You noticed quickly. I’m going to create a new magic now.”

“…Sounds fun. Heehee—”

I pulled the document inside the magic stone outward. A bright white light erupted, filling the office. Soon, letters were densely floating in all the surrounding spaces.

I slowly read from the one in the front. Nix immediately began to interpret the detailed settings of the spell.

It may have been the moment in my life that I focused most on my studies.