Final Chapter. Towards Julian

“A grand festival, you say? Yulian, what are you talking about?”

My maternal grandfather asked back, seemingly puzzled.

His reaction was only natural.

Far from a festival, countless people were dying every day on the current battlefield.

Not only those soldiers, but the future left for humanity was one of despair, not celebration.

The sky above the Imperial Capital was still gloomy.

This wasn’t just a figurative expression.

The resurrected Demon King Knoia was scattering an absurd amount of demonic energy across the land.

The clouds created by that demonic energy were enough to cover the sky.

But I grinned at my maternal grandfather and said,

“I’m thinking of actually holding a festival, just like I said.”

“I still don’t understand the meaning of your words. I haven’t even fully grasped the meaning of the holy war you spoke of. Not only our Imperial Army is here… but also your Demon King Army, isn’t it?”

My maternal grandfather was right.

He was speaking cautiously, mindful of the Demon King Army that had now become my soldiers.

The long-standing conflict between humans and demons wouldn’t disappear so easily.

“I know the discrimination the Empire has inflicted on demons. Yulian. So, it won’t be easy for your soldiers to think of humans as allies. Moreover, even the main gods they worship are different…”

“That’s why we need a grand festival, just like I said. To start a new holy war that carries on the will of Jedin and Yunir, those two gods.”

“In that case, could it be…”

My maternal grandfather seemed to finally understand the meaning of my words.

“I see. Yulian. Are you confident that you can unite the will of all humanity gathered here before the final battle?”

My maternal grandfather was right.

The Empire, representing humans. Agriel, representing demons.

The will of these two groups had to be properly united to fight against Knoia.

‘There can’t be even a sliver of doubt… or emotions like hatred.’

Of course, if the two groups formed a united front, mutual trust would be crucial.

But what I was talking about went beyond that.

“Knoia is a Demon King created by the intense concentration of negative emotions like distrust, greed, hatred, and resentment… those emotions of the old human race. If humans and demons go into battle with such emotions towards each other…”

“Are you saying they can’t escape the influence of Knoia’s demonic energy?”

“That’s right. Knoia is a being of chaos. There’s no way he won’t exploit the chaotic emotions created by the humans gathered here.”

That wasn’t all.

The existence of Chaotic Gates and magical beasts.

Unlike the monsters that existed in the past, these magical beasts were so ferocious and cruel.

Humanity had long been etched with an unconscious fear of magical beasts.

This was especially true for the soldiers who had lost so many comrades to magical beasts and demonically corrupted individuals.

I had always witnessed the deep and heavy fear and despair of the soldiers who faced magical beasts on the battlefield.

‘That won’t do.’

Those emotions. That chaos. They are the most delicious food for Knoia.

So, if I were to prepare a true holy war in my name.

The mindset of our allies facing that magical beast army.

It was necessary to change it from its very roots.

I briefly told my maternal grandfather about the plan I had in mind.

“Therefore, we need a grand festival. A place where humans and demons can move beyond the past and newly unite… also, a chance and a stage to show the magical beasts that we will never surrender to them.”

That’s why I needed the grand festival I spoke of.

We might not be able to completely wash away the animosity of a long history in that short time.

But it would be a place where we could newly consider that we are not each other’s enemies.

That we are the same humanity capable of harmony.

‘That’s what a true holy war is.’

At the same time, it was also a task for me, who would one day become the god of all humanity, both human and demon.

Having finished speaking, I looked at my maternal grandfather.

He closed his eyes for a moment.

He paused, seemingly lost in thought.

Then, he spoke to me in a voice filled with emotion.

“I see, Yulian. You’re right. Right now, many famous heroes from Essenmund have gathered in this Imperial Capital. Not only the Ten Seats of the Empire, but also figures like Ustina and Aytekia, who are highly renowned in the Demon King’s kingdom. But no one could have thought like you, Yulian. The idea of truly bringing everyone together.”

I didn’t deny those words.

I nodded to my maternal grandfather.

“This is just the beginning. The beginning of a festival to show that we humans will never succumb to the likes of Knoia.”

I told my maternal grandfather about more specific plans.

---

The outskirts of the Imperial Capital.

The forefront of humanity, preparing for the final battle against the resurrected Demon King.

Over the past few days, the Imperial Army gathered there had been fighting life-or-death battles.

But the atmosphere there was clearly changing from before.

Kukukung-

The ground trembled as if an earthquake had occurred.

Due to the influence of the Demon King’s resurrection, countless transcendent-level magical beasts had appeared.

Each of those magical beasts was like a natural disaster.

So, it wouldn’t be strange to hear countless things being destroyed on the current battlefield.

But it was strange.

The loud noises didn’t seem to be coming from the magical beasts.

The terrain around the outskirts of the Imperial Capital was changing as if civil engineering work was underway.

Chloe was looking at the scene, slightly covering her face with a fully opened fan.

No, she was also busy.

Tak-

She folded her fan and pointed it at a spot of ground nearby.

“We’re planning to use this area as a plaza. Those gathered here, please start working as I instructed in advance.”

“Yes, Countess Chloe-nim!”

The alchemists who heard Chloe’s instructions answered in unison.

Looking at that scene, Chloe gave a smug smile to the other members standing with her.

“See! I’m this kind of person in this Imperial Capital… no, in the Empire!”

And she spread her fan wide again and spoke triumphantly.

But the people gathered with Chloe didn’t pay much attention, as they were used to her antics.

“Still, the existence of alchemists is amazing. The outskirts of the Imperial Capital… this place was nothing more than a wasteland when we arrived.”

The person who answered Chloe’s words was Lucia.

Chloe was a young lady whose personality was so off-putting that she made enemies even when she was still.

Surprisingly, Chloe and Lucia got along quite well.

Chloe’s face turned pale for a moment when no one responded.

But fortunately, Lucia answered, so she raised her head again and laughed excitedly.

“That’s right! All the alchemists gathered here are Empire-class talents! My father… the great Empire Duke Gerard de Aitern boasts about his alchemist division! Huhu…”

Her words were true.

The alchemists were quickly changing the surrounding terrain.

Creating trenches for battle or traps to deal with magical beasts was a common task for military alchemists.

But right now, they were clearly focused on construction.

“The festival starts today. I’m excited, but it’s a little hard to believe.”

And Cecilia, who was standing next to Lucia, muttered.

Yulian’s lovers, except for two, were gathered in this place.

Chloe and Lucia.

And Cecilia and Rosette.

They were also part of the Demon King Army with Yulian.

But now they had joined the Imperial Army and were helping Yulian with his work.

Lucia answered Cecilia’s words.

“Me too, Cecilia. I was prepared for a fierce battle to the death… but I never thought that a festival where both humans and demons participate would be held in this place.”

Lucia’s voice trembled slightly as she said that.

Lucia usually didn’t show her emotions well.

But even she had an excited expression right now.

She was the one who risked her life to protect the demon sisters, Tricia and Cecilia.

Lucia had always treated demons without prejudice, even from the perspective of an Imperial citizen.

As such, Lucia, the incarnation of Yunir, had unknowingly been dreaming of it.

A moment when humans and demons could unite without prejudice and misunderstanding towards each other.

“Everyone is safe!”

And then.

Two familiar female knights were approaching this place.

Uriel and Charlotte.

The two White Night High Knights.

So, in terms of affiliation, they were Lucia’s superiors in the White Night Knights.

But Uriel was genuinely happy to see Lucia safe and approached her.

“Kya! Lucia! You’re safe! I’m so happy!”

And Charlotte hugged Lucia tightly and rubbed her cheeks against Lucia’s cheeks.

“Oh my. Essenmund’s greeting method… looks strange and interesting.”

“Really? Is that a greeting? That… scene is somehow strange…”

Cecilia and Rosette, who were watching the reunion scene, also exchanged a few words.

And that conversation was brief.

Suddenly, the surrounding air vibrated.

Gugugugugugugung-

The sound stopped the group’s conversation.

And at the same time, something was rising into the air.

“It’s starting…”

Uriel muttered.

This was a state of war.

With the magical beast army led by Pedro so close.

Of course, calmly preparing for a festival was tantamount to suicide.

But right now, there was only one person, no, one being who could make that possible.

Yulian von Reinhardt.

Uriel looked at Yulian, who had begun to fly, and unknowingly admired him.

“Count Yulian-nim is really a dragon…”

Yulian’s appearance as he flew up as a dragon was beautiful in the purest sense.

[From this place, I, Yulian von Reinhardt, declare to you.]

And Yulian shouted to everyone gathered here.