章 241: Chapter 240
[Third Person's PoV]
When the others arrived in Japan, they were left in a state of shock. They had seen how Cid previously made buildings rise from the underground, restoring them to how they appeared before the apocalypse began. But now? Now the city looked entirely different—completely remodeled. It had transformed into a stunning blend of modern architecture and fantasy elements, perfectly merging the two worlds.
With magic becoming a permanent force in their new reality, they would have to adapt and incorporate it into their everyday lives.
However, that wasn't even the strangest part. People were casually moving about, walking the streets as if life were completely normal—nothing like the chaos and despair that dominated the outside world.
When they saw Cid, the people greeted him with warm smiles and looks of gratitude.
"What the hell happened while we were gone?" Alexia finally asked the question on everyone's mind.
"Well," Cid began, "I'm not sure if you've noticed, but most of the monsters have started to dwindle. Claire fought and defeated the one responsible for them. Although there are still monsters appearing because of the tear, they aren't nearly as dangerous as the ones that came through the gates." He paused, giving them time to absorb the information before continuing.
"Since that issue has been handled, I decided to build the first city of my empire—"
"Empire?" Alexia interrupted, raising an eyebrow.
Cid gave her a look, clearly annoyed at being interrupted. "Yes, my empire. I'm going to rebuild this world from scratch and turn it into a safe haven for us."
"Are we just going to abandon our original world?" Alexia asked hesitantly, her thoughts drifting to her father and sister, whom she dearly missed.
"What? Of course not," Cid replied. "I'm going to connect them. But right now, we're waiting for Alpha and the others to gain enough power to cleanse our original world of the cult that plagues it."
"Connect them?" Rose asked curiously. "How exactly?"
"I'm going to create a gateway between the two worlds," Cid explained. He raised one hand upward and the other downward, forming two floating images of globes between his palms. "In one world, we'll rule openly, in the light. In the other world, we'll rule from the shadows."
"And I take it our original world is the one where we'll control things from the shadows?" Sherry asked timidly.
"Exactly. And the key to that plan is you two," Cid said with a snap of his fingers, pointing at Rose and Alexia.
"Us?" they echoed in unison, pointing at themselves before glancing at each other in confusion.
Cid nodded. "As princesses, you'll be made queens of your respective kingdoms. Rose is technically already a queen, so that just leaves Alexia."
"Me? A queen? But that's Iris's role—she's the eldest. I can't become queen!" Alexia protested, utterly bewildered.
"Who was born first and who was born last doesn't matter when it comes to power," Cid explained. "You may not realize it yet because you're probably comparing yourself to the other members of Shadow Garden, but as of now, you're far stronger than Iris."
Alexia looked taken aback at first, but after a moment of thought, she puffed out her chest with pride. "I suppose you have a point… Oh, right, you can continue with your earlier explanation."
Cid rolled his eyes. "Right. As I was saying, I decided this will be the place where we'll begin building the empire before expanding to the other territories we've conquered. Aurora has taken it upon herself to organize the inner workings of this new society—how it will be established and thrive with the addition of magic."
He gestured toward the bustling streets outside. "The reason people now have homes and their normal lives back is thanks to Aurora. With the help of others, she devised a system of jobs people can take to earn wages. Those wages allow them to secure temporary housing, and after working for a while, they'll be able to afford homes of their own. Everyone is just grateful to have some semblance of normalcy again."
Once again, everyone was stunned. The most incredible part was that all of this had been accomplished in just a few weeks.
As they continued walking, their eyes fell on a giant castle in the distance. Nearby, a towering statue of Cid stood proudly, its presence impossible to ignore.
They all turned to Cid with a questioning look.
He let out an exasperated sigh. "That wasn't me… That was Zeta, Beru, and Lucifer. Anyway, let's head to the castle. It's time to reward everyone."
At the mention of rewards, their eyes widened with curiosity and excitement.
---
When they reached the castle, Cid pushed open the grand doors. A steady march of footsteps echoed behind him. Before entering the throne room, Beru and Lucifer appeared by the doors, their voices booming.
"NOW ENTERING, HIS MAJESTY! OUR GREAT LORD!!" they announced with dramatic flair, opening the doors with a flourish.
Cid rolled his eyes. "Do you guys really have to do that every time I enter?" he asked as he strode forward.
As he stepped inside, his clothing transformed. His usual Shadow attire, black and gold, was replaced with white and gold, giving him an aura of regal authority. Unlike his typical outfit, this one lacked a hood, revealing his composed expression.
He ascended the golden steps to his throne and sat down. Shadows surged beside him, and from them emerged Alpha and the other key members, along with Claire and Aurora.
"Yukime, Alexia, Elisabeth, Rose, and Sherry, step aside for now," Cid ordered. "Your rewards will come after everyone else's after which will be Lambda's own and final reward."
The women nodded and moved to the side without question, their anticipation building as they awaited what was to come.
"Now then, for all of you…" Cid began, his tone commanding and regal. "As a reward for your grand efforts and unwavering dedication to me, I grant you the knowledge of a brand-new magical system. You will now learn how to construct your own mana core—a privilege until now reserved for a select few."
Cid's eyes gleamed as he thought, Although they won't have my bloodline's unique advantages, this knowledge should elevate them to a higher state of power.
The room fell silent as the gravity of his words settled over them. The gathered crowd's eyes widened in awe. They had heard of mana cores—an advanced and mysterious system of magic that allowed users to wield elemental powers far beyond the basic enhancements their standard magic provided. It had been a long-hidden desire among them to attain the same kind of abilities as the Seven Sins.
Rising from his throne, Cid spread his arms slightly. A glowing magic circle appeared above the crowd, radiating with intricate designs and ancient runes.
In an instant, the knowledge of mana core construction surged into their minds. Even those who had been standing to the side, like Yukime and Elisabeth, felt the revelation blossom within them.
The room erupted with movement as every single individual dropped to one knee, their voices uniting in a thunderous roar of gratitude.
"WE ARE FOREVER GRATEFUL TO YOU, MY LORD!"
Cid smiled, a hint of satisfaction in his expression. "Once I finish distributing the rewards, I will personally train you all in mastering this newfound power."
Another wave of reverent shouts filled the hall.
Cid gestured for silence and then spoke again. "Now then, Claire, Aurora, Yukime, Alexia, Elisabeth, Rose, and Sherry… step forward."
The seven women exchanged glances, some curious, others slightly nervous. Yet, without hesitation, they moved to stand just below the steps leading to the throne.
Cid gazed down at them, his voice steady and resonant. "Where there is darkness, there is always light to cast it away. Light and darkness are two sides of the same coin; one cannot thrive without the other. I have established the Seven Deadly Sins to embody the darkness, but this creation remains incomplete. Darkness cannot exist without a counterbalance.
"After careful thought, I have chosen the seven of you to embody that counterbalance. From this moment onward, you will represent the light. If the Seven Deadly Sins are the personification of darkness, then you—The Seven Heavenly Virtues—shall represent the light."
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