Time had passed.
As per Charlotte's plan, the wedding would be a simple affair.
But it was a ceremony laden with profound implications.
It signified not only the proclamation of a new empire but also the formal acknowledgment of humanity's subjugation beneath the Demon King's feet.
The Gardias Imperial family had finally and completely bowed down to the Demon King.
The Emperor had fled.
The last successor of the Gardias Imperial family, Charlotte de Gardias, marrying the Demon King as a demi-human, embodied this surrender.
Louise von Schwarz of Kernstadt, the second most powerful state, also became the Demon King's bride, thus declaring that the Schwarz Kingdom too had come under the Demon King's rule.
Olivia Lanze, too, was to become the Demon King's bride, betraying the teachings of the Saint of Purity, signifying that the five major religious orders had pledged allegiance to the Demon King.
The presence of a demon bride implied that the era of humans and demons would soon unfold.
While the case of Harriet de Saint-Owan might not carry the same weight as the others, those who had seen or heard of her feats in battle knew what it meant.
The world's most powerful mage was to become the Demon King's bride.
With the wedding, a new empire was to be announced.
Chaos was bound to follow.
And whether prosperity or something else lay beyond the chaos, it marked the start of another long and arduous journey.
The night before the wedding.
I was sitting alone in my bedroom.
I wanted to be alone.
"…"
A bottle of whiskey, taken from the display case, sat on the table in front of me.
Drinking the night before the wedding may seem insane, but it held no real significance.
I could sober up whenever I wanted.
I pondered the things I had lost.
It didn't seem much, but it wasn't as if I had lost nothing.
Epinhauser.
Loyar.
The folks from the Rotary Club.
They had become victims of the war, regardless of my victory or defeat.
There was no turning back.
I wondered if they would be happy with the present day.
I wasn't sure.
Next, I thought about the things I didn't know.
Bertus and Saviolin Turner had disappeared.
Shanafel and the royal mages had scattered.
I couldn't find Christina and Ludwig, or Anna and Louis Ancton either.
The Immortal was gone, but the magic that created the Immortal must still exist.
I didn't know what had become of them either.
And then there was Antirianus.
I didn't know whether Antirianus was hiding somewhere, biding his time to strike at me.
The deal had been made, and Antirianus would have tried to kill me.
But I didn't die.
I didn't know why that was.
And then.
Again.
That remark about surviving until after the ending.
I didn't know what it meant.
Was it not after the ending now?
The Gate Incident had ended.
So, what was this ending supposed to be?
If they left me alone for the rest of my life, that would be enough.
What mattered was that no more notifications, like event announcements, were popping up.
There was no information, challenges, or rejections.
I couldn't see any of those things anymore.
Ever since the last rejection, such abilities seemed to have disappeared.
Perhaps just living like this was the only reward I could receive.
If that was the reward, it didn't seem too bad.
It would have been more terrifying if they had tried to take me somewhere now that everything had ended.
The system had disappeared.
As if after the ending, disappearing without a word was some kind of virtue.
The world that remained was entirely mine.
Cheat-like aids, messages, previews.
None of those would exist in my life anymore.
The last preview wasn't malicious.
I had perceived it as a sort of 'get ready to die in vain' sensation.
In reality, it was to inform me that this would happen if I accepted the last deal.
Yes.
That damn candy peddler.
He helped at the decisive last moment.
Things lost remained lost.
Things unknown remained unknown.
Things that ended remained ended.
I had to live the next moment.
After taking a sip of whiskey, I looked out the window.
The pale full moon reflected faintly in my dark bedroom.
Perhaps.
I wasn't sure how much longer I could live.
But in every moment of my remaining life, I would inevitably think of two people when I saw the moon.
Luna.
Ellen.
Even if I could never see them again, I would inevitably think of them when I saw the moon.
Ellen had left, and there was nothing I could do about it.
Being with me was more dangerous.
I knew she left thinking of me.
One day, I would forget.
Just having been pulled out of the pitfall Ellen fell into to save me was already a miracle.
I should be satisfied just for having succeeded beyond the boundary of countless possibilities.
Another sip.
When I swallowed the whiskey, hot breath rose up my throat.
I couldn't remember the last time I had a drink.
Time would cover everything.
Even now, my situation was abundantly rich.
So, there was no reason to think about those who were not here.
They would do something in their place. The guilt would still torment them, they might be hunting monsters.
They would try to do the maximum they could without showing off.
I reached into my pocket and pulled something out.
A round, ivory charm.
A charm engraved with the image of the moon and the sun.
It seemed to have been made by grinding some kind of bone.
Ellen had taken it off, and I had picked it up.
Now it had no meaning.
Whether it actually helped Ellen, she was now free from its constraints.
Of course, it meant nothing to me.
I would never see Ellen again.
I should let go of this foolish attachment for the days to come.
Should I throw it out the window?
Should I break it with a little force?
I pondered for a long time.
A long time.
A long time.
And then I laughed at myself.
I had spent hours deciding whether to discard this trivial thing.
I had no choice but to realize it.
It was a meaningless object.
I couldn't even discard this.
Such a sloppy charm, which had lost all its value.
"…Damn."
I realized under the cold moonlight that letting go of my regrets would be impossible for a lifetime.
So, I took another sip, and another glass.
By the time I had downed two glasses, three glasses, four glasses.
-Knock, Knock
There was a knock.
I wonder if I would hear the voice of a guard announcing a visitor in the future.
Upon opening the door, a familiar face was there.
"Should I call you Your Majesty now?"
"Forget it."
It was Eleris.
——
"Drinking the night before the wedding, you don't look good."
"What does it matter?"
"I guess so."
Under the moonlight by the window, Eleris and I sat facing each other.
"As per your command, I tried to find traces of Antirianus, but…"
"As expected, there were none?"
"That's right."
Eleris had searched for traces of Antirianus at my behest.
The final battle in Diane.
After that, Antirianus's whereabouts were unknown.
It was clear that there had been a battle after I had fainted, both in terms of time and circumstances.
Could it have been Luna?
But Luna had said she wouldn't help anymore, and she would have meant it.
Still, I couldn't conclusively rule out Luna. She might not have wanted to leave me to die so miserably.
After taking the souls, Antirianus had fought someone.
And then he disappeared. It was unknown whether he was dead or alive.
There were places I could guess, but I had no certainty.
"Fine. The fact that I'm alive is what matters."
Ellen would feel the same.
It was a long journey.
A long and arduous time.
Meeting Charlotte in the Demon King's Castle.
Fleeing to Imperial Capital.
Wandering aimlessly there, overwhelmed.
Through the advice of a monk, I ended up meeting Eleris.
The beginning was the Demon King's Castle, but everything started when I met Eleris.
Facing Eleris on the night before the end of everything felt like destiny.
Eleris silently gazed out the window of the palace.
"I never imagined I would see such a sight from here."
"Me neither. I never wanted to."
"It's strange. A seat that so many would want to occupy, and the person who least wanted it ends up sitting there…"
We both chuckled at that.
Eleris did not want war.
Neither did I.
Neither of us wanted the throne or the reconstruction of Darkland.
I told Eleris to quit being a servant of a ruined country, and Eleris was moved by my aversion to war.
Yet, we were the root cause of all this.
I had explored the Gate incident that wouldn't have happened if I had stayed put.
Eleris had activated Akasha.
There was a war.
And I ended up sitting in a place I did not wish for or want.
If a tragedy occurred because of a person who did not want it, was it all their fault?
Was it okay to avoid responsibility?
Whose sin was it in the end?
Was it me, the root cause of everything?
Was it Eleris, who directly activated Akasha?
Was it Ellen and Charlotte, who dug behind my back instead of trusting me and talking to me?
Was it Bertus, who directly ordered my arrest?
Or was it Antirianus, who insisted that activating Akasha was the answer?
I don't know.
I don't even want to know now.
It's a problem that can't be solved by thinking about it.
And if we knew, then what?
What would it matter if it became clear who was most at fault?
Nothing would change.
Just that everyone shares the guilt.
While it's unclear who is at fault, everyone is saying it's their fault.
And so, everyone met their own end.
I had become the emperor.
Ellen had disappeared.
Charlotte was to become the regent of the new empire.
Bertus had fled.
"…."
Eleris was silent, and I drank a glass of whiskey.
Everyone had reached some sort of conclusion.
Those who held a degree of responsibility for these events each met their own end.
But Eleris had not yet faced any ending.
"Don't go."
"…."
However, there was no way I couldn't know why she had come to see me in the middle of the night, just before my wedding.
She was obviously intending to leave.
Otherwise, she wouldn't be wearing such a sorrowful expression.
"Your Majesty… No, Your Highness… um…. No."
Eleris shook her head.
"Valier."
If she left, Eleris would no longer be my subject.
So she wouldn't need to serve me anymore.
"You don't need me anymore."
Eleris, wearing a sad expression, spoke those words.
There was a time when the presence of Eleris was absolute.
Without Eleris's help, my range of action would have been severely limited.
No, life itself might have been impossible.
Whenever magic was necessary, Eleris was always there to assist me.
But now, that role could be taken over by Harriet, and if not Harriet, then anyone else.
"As you know, I originally spent a long time in a place unrelated to Darkland."
"…."
"So, it's just a return for me."
Indeed, there was no real need for Eleris to continue staying by my side.
"Plus, few know that I operated Akasha, but there's no good in having me, who did such a thing, by your side."
That too was correct.
After leaving Darkland, Eleris spent a long time in a place unrelated to it.
"So, may I go now?"
She was not originally a being of the demon world.
She probably never intended to get so deeply involved in Darkland's affairs.
She was merely passing through.
However, contrary to her intentions, she played a much larger role than expected, took on decisive tasks countless times, and had innumerable deep sins.
So, I could understand, to a degree, why Eleris, trying to leave for my sake, made that choice.
It wasn't a return.
She was probably trying to do something to deal with her guilt in some way.
So, she would seek another harshness that pushed her mercilessly.
She would attempt something no different from self-torment.
Just as Ellen had chosen to do.
"Eleris, you were driven into a corner."
"….Yes, I was."
Eleris, with a sorrowful expression, silently nodded her head.
"If you hadn't believed me when I said I didn't want war, and killed me then, none of this would have happened."
"…"
That's right.
If she had killed me then.
None of this would have happened.
"If you found my actions suspicious, couldn't trust me, and killed me, none of this would have happened."
"…"
Eleris had constantly doubted whether she could trust me.
But in the end, she couldn't lay a hand on me. I was the first to tell Eleris that I knew the future.
"And if you hadn't operated Akasha to save me, none of this would have happened."
"…"
Antirianus's proposal.
Sarkegaar's pressure.
Eleris had operated Akasha and caused the Gate incident.
She didn't want to lose me.
That's what Eleris had said.
Even if it meant swapping with the world, she didn't want to lose me.
She said she hated war.
She said she hated fighting and death.
In the end, during our time together, Eleris came to value me more than the world itself.
Just like that.
So much so.
We had an argument.
"So, despite all that, you want to be resolute in the end?"
"…"
At the words that were nearly a rant, Eleris silently bowed her head.
"No."
I shake my head.
"Don't go."
Eleris laboriously lifts her head to look at me.
Seeing my eyes, the whites of Eleris's eyes turn bright red.
It must be the same for me right now.
It was inevitable that Eleris, seeing me like this, would feel the same way.
"I guess I can do without you now. Who wouldn't know that?"
There were many who could replace Eleris.
There was Lucinil, there were other Vampire Lords, and there was Harriet.
"We've argued to this point."
"…"
In the end, Eleris sheds tears.
It was impossible to replace someone with someone else.
An empty place is an empty place.
"Who can replace the part Eleris occupies in my heart? No one can do that."
Someone could sit there, but while the void could be filled, the loss cannot.
"Don't go."
"…"
“I wish Eleris wouldn’t go, having pushed back until the very end, listening to the words telling her not to go.”
Loss is loss.
Roles could be replaced, but the place in the heart could not.
"I can't handle doing it twice when I don't have to do it in the first place."
It was not a criticism.
Because we argued and ended up like this.
We argued till the end.
I hope she doesn't leave at these words.
Upon hearing those cruel words, Eleris rose from her seat.
"Alright. I understand……"
Then, she gently embraced me.
"I won't leave. I'm sorry. I… I've hurt you more, haven't I…"
As if she thought she had caused harm, Eleris held me in a comforting embrace for a long time.
The cold body temperature of a vampire.
Although cold, it was always warm.
Just as it was now, as it had always been.
This was what made me who I am now.
Without this, I wouldn't have been able to start at all.
It may not have been a happy ending, nor a pleasant journey.
But we arrived together in the end.
Thus, I didn't want to be torn apart without reason.
We've come this far.
I want to go beyond this point with you.
Maybe my grip, tightly holding onto her, pleading her not to leave, conveyed this message.
Eleris, trembling, spoke carefully.
"Even if I'm here, not much will change…"
"If my absence hurts you…"
"If it hurts that much…"
"Alright…"
"To watch over you forever in this immortal life, as a final act……"
Wasn't it said that Vampire Lords had their own desires?
"Let's conclude it that way."
Eleris seemed to have decided when to put an end to the countless, long days of her existence.
"I'll be with you forever."
With an arm wrapped around Eleris, I thanked her for promising to be with me until the end.
"Thank you, Eleris."
For that promise to be with me at the end, just as she had been there at the beginning, I was simply grateful.
——
The scale of the wedding, suitable for the one who was to become the ruler of the new continent, was by no means grand.
It wasn't a public wedding.
Not only was it due to the circumstances, but it was also an impossible luxury for humanity on the brink of collapse.
Therefore, only the leaders of humanity from all over the world, and the influential people, were invited to the wedding.
The truth about the marriage and the proclamation of the new empire were to be announced to the empire.
Although modest due to the circumstances, everyone understood and accepted the situation.
Still, the number of invitees was not small.
Not only the leaders of each army belonging to the coalition, but also the surviving kings and nobles from various regions attended.
It was nothing compared to the golden age of the empire. If compared to that time, the current situation was more like a modest banquet in the imperial palace.
And, of course, the attendees were filled with more fear and anxiety than anticipation.
Should we trust this empire?
Can humanity truly be rebuilt?
Is it right that the reconstruction is left in the hands of the Demon King?
The sensitive ones already knew.
Those who were thinking of rebelling against the new empire did not come.
Naturally, among those who attended, there were those who harbored thoughts of rebellion and attended with the intent to probe.
In such an unsettling atmosphere where music was flowing nonetheless.
The one holding the baton was Ranian Sesor, who always comforted everyone with music in the coalition forces.
During the war and even after it.
Music was needed.
The band followed the conductor and played cheerful music, while people mingled.
Of course, it wasn't just nobles and royals present here.
——
"Scarlett."
"Ah, Evia."
Of course, Scarlett, with her red hair, was quite noticeable among the attendees.
"The dress suits you well. Where did you get it?"
"Well… Charlotte gave it to me. She said I might need it."
Scarlett blushed at the seemingly envious gaze of Evia.
Telepathic ability user, Evia.
She was also one of the hidden heroes of this war.
Evia's telepathic ability greatly accelerated the speed of command transmission in the headquarters.
It wasn't just those who fought who were heroes.
Among those who didn't fight, there were countless heroes.
Those who came from the temple were numerous, all deserving of the title of war hero.
The musician Ranian Sesor.
Telepath Evia.
Adelia, who was quietly dining next to the Archduke and his sons.
And the countless others who could no longer be here.
All those who died in the war were worthy of the title of hero.
Evia quietly pointed to Ranian Sesor, the conductor of the orchestra, and spoke to Scarlett.
"It seems Ranian will become a bard."
"A bard…?"
"Yes."
Ranian Sesor's contributions were also considerable.
He could sit in the court orchestra of the palace, and there would be plenty of wealthy people still willing to employ Ranian.
However, to become a wandering bard across the continent.
Especially at this time.
"He said he'll sing about what he saw and heard in the allied forces. Whether that's a good or bad thing, I don't know. But he seems to want to tell the truth."
How hard the fight was.
How tragic it was.
Yet how heroic it was.
Upon hearing that Ranian would wander the world singing such songs, Scarlet nodded.
"I still don't know. My ability… it seems to have lost its meaning now."
Speeding up communication.
While it was a highly necessary ability in the army, now that the allied forces had disbanded, Evia didn't know what she should do.
With the war over, the responsibility for survival now fell on individuals.
The Empire was not wealthy enough to provide eternal rest and meals to the war heroes.
The command from the new Emperor, to live and eat well, was a harsh one.
It was a way of saying, you've done enough, now take care of yourself.
Perhaps in the future something could be given to the veterans of the war, but right now it was difficult.
Everyone was starving.
Therefore, Evia, uncertain about her immediate future, had a somewhat gloomy expression even while attending the Emperor's wedding.
"Scarlett, have you thought about what you'll do?"
"Um…"
Scarlett bit her lip slightly at Evia's question.
"I think I might become a knight."
"A knight? You're skilled, Scarlett. That seems natural. As a knight, would you stay here?"
Evia pointed to the ballroom floor, namely, the palace.
"Yes, I might… I might become one of His Majesty the Emperor's bodyguards."
"Really?"
Evia could only open her mouth in surprise.
There were those who had faced the Demon King directly, but among their peers, there were also those who feared the Demon King vaguely, like Evia.
Especially those who had not been close even during the days when he lived under the name of Reinhardt.
Scarlett was to become the Emperor's bodyguard.
"Charlotte… she said that my power is strong in protection… she asked how I would feel about being in that position…"
"That was Charlotte's suggestion," said Scarlett.
In the case of a supernatural like Scarlett, her power was used in a unique way, often for destruction and neutralization.
However, her strength was, in fact, originally specialized in protection.
With a knight capable of neutralizing all magic and superpowers by his side, the Emperor's safety would be ensured in any situation.
"Of course… I think I'll likely end up in a more pitiful situation, requiring protection more often…"
Regardless of her superpowers, Scarlett was convinced that she would rarely need to protect the Demon King, who was incomparably stronger than she was.
She even had a grim prediction: in case of an emergency, she feared that the Demon King might risk his life to protect his own knight.
She was almost certain of this grim future.
Thus, as Scarlett and Evia watched the wedding banquet, the room was filled with countless guests.
The Duke of Saint Owan and his family, having dinner at one side of the room, were among them.
——
"It's… hard to describe this feeling in words."
"I see."
They were watching their beloved youngest daughter's wedding.
But it was a joint wedding.
The Demon King was marrying five brides, and their youngest daughter was one of them.
Adelia, who was dining with them, still couldn't quite believe that Harriet had ended up in this unusual situation.
They had recently met and talked for a long time, but it still felt surreal.
The Duchess was sobbing silently, and the Duke couldn't bring himself to reprimand her.
Their confusion was inevitable.
And in one corner of the table, Heinrich von Schwarz sat with a vacant expression, his mouth agape.
Around him, including Erich, Cayer, Kono Lint, and Cliffman, were seated, wearing expressions identical to Heinrich's.
They were all in a state of shock.
"What is this? Shouldn't we be celebrating? Your mo… no, your sister would be very happy if she saw you like this."
"Shut up, Liana…"
"Huh! Huh!"
Cliffman, usually a reserved man, had to forcibly shut Liana's mouth.
Everyone, including Heinrich and his friends, was too shocked to accept this astonishing situation.
Soon.
The wedding ceremony began.
All the attendees stood up.
The Demon King and his brides were instantly in their places.
Centered around the Demon King.
In the closest spot, on his right, stood Harriet de Saint Owan.
There were no complex and lengthy procedures, no long wedding speeches, no moments spent discussing the new Emperor's vision for his new empire.
Louise von Schwarz, Harriet de Saint Owan, the Demon King, Charlotte de Gardias, Olivia Lanze, and Airi.
Each dressed in a dazzling dress, they stood side by side as the Demon King, positioned between the five, quietly opened his mouth.
"Those who know me, know that I hate long speeches."
"Surely no one's come this far without knowing who's marrying whom? So, I'll skip the explanations."
"We're getting married."
"Also, today is not only our wedding day but also the day we declare a new empire."
"From this moment, we declare the new empire."
"We've announced the wedding and the declaration of the empire, so we've done everything we need to do."
"In these times of poverty, it would be shameless to linger and chatter."
"Thank you for making the time."
"Obviously, not just for me, but for all of you who are busy."
"I don't want to keep you for too long."
"So, eat moderately, get moderately drunk, and leave when it's appropriate."
"Now I hate anything that drags on."
"The war and rebellion were too long."
"So now, let's keep everything short."
"Let's proceed swiftly and wrap this up."
Everyone was stunned by his radical speech.
There was no formality.
It was rude.
There were no procedures.
It was chaotic.
This was the new empire?
They were getting married.
It was a new empire.
In just a few sentences, everything was over.
Could this be the behavior of the new Emperor, the new ruler of the continent?
Was this kind of rule really correct?
Regardless of what everyone else thought, the new rule had begun.
What could they do?
The man who called himself Emperor had decided so.