บท 441: Chapter 441
Tears rolled down.
I poured liquor into my glass.
A clear drink with low alcohol content, accompanied by simple side dishes. I brought it to drink together with Nameless when we met today.
Nameless accepted it without hesitation. We swallowed our drinks in silence.
"Nice."
Nameless said with a faint smile as she put down her glass.
"I don't usually enjoy drinking, but the scent of liquor does have the power to bring back beautiful memories from the past."
"What kind of memories?"
"Before my kingdom became like this, during its prosperous times."
Nameless closed her eyes for a moment, inhaling the scent from the empty glass.
"Memories tend to be glorified, but still, this kingdom during those times... was truly beautiful."
She slowly opened her eyes and looked around.
"...But it all seems like a dream of the night. All that remains after the passage of time is this darkness."
A dungeon submerged under the lake, shrouded in pitch darkness.
That this place was once the most powerful magic kingdom in the world, and that the woman before me was its rightful heir.
How many in the world now know, and how many would believe it?
'I am here.'
Yes.
I know, and I believe.
I refilled her glass with new liquor. Then, I took out something I had brought and presented it on the table.
"Today, I came to return this first."
It was a shard of light, broken like a puzzle piece.
[Princess's Soul Fragment].
Nameless had split her own soul into pieces, setting them aflame and scattering them around the Lake Kingdom.
These flames were the last light illuminating the city drowned in darkness.
Once I drove away the darkness from the city through my conquest battles, these fragments, having served their purpose, were collected.
After my return, I intermittently progressed through the conquest battles, and now I have occupied all the dungeons up to Zone 4.
The soul fragments I had gathered in the meantime were considerable. That's why I kept visiting Nameless to return them.
"Here are the fragments of your soul that I've collected. Take them."
"..."
Nameless looked at the fragments reluctantly, then faced me.
"But Ash, these were lent to you to stabilize your soul..."
"I'm fine now."
I smiled slightly.
"During the six months I was missing, I defined who I am... I found myself. So, I'm okay now."
"Really."
Nameless looked intently into my eyes and smiled broadly.
"You have already reclaimed the light of your soul. Well done, Ash."
Nameless reached out and patted my shoulder.
I never had a sister, but if I had, and she praised me, would it feel like this?
As I awkwardly stood there, Nameless gently collected her soul fragments with a soft touch.
"Then I'll gratefully take them back."
Whoosh-
The soul fragments emitted their individual glows and disappeared into Nameless as if being absorbed.
Nameless's pale complexion brightened a bit. She too smiled sheepishly.
"Thank you, Ash. I feel a bit more alive."
"No need to thank me. It's yours after all."
I poured liquor into my glass too and shrugged.
"I'll continue to occupy other Zones and collect your soul fragments, and then I'll gradually return them."
Why does Nameless become the final boss in the end - [The Sleepless Princess of the Lake]?
I still don't know the process or the reason.
But if it's to prevent that, I will do whatever it takes.
Not just because the final boss is powerful. Not just because she is involved in the true ending.
I want to save Nameless as well. That's why.
'The only clue now is [Princess's Soul Fragment]...'
Even if I collect all of them, there's no guarantee she won't become the final boss. But.
If there is something I can do, I will continue to do it.
"...Thank you."
Nameless placed her hand over her chest.
"After recovering it for the first time in hundreds of years, my own soul feels unfamiliar to me."
Nameless murmured after closing her eyes and taking a deep breath.
"...If you drive away all the darkness from this city, and I recover all my fragmented pieces. Then, can I return to who I was before this place became like this?"
"..."
"Can this kingdom return to how it was in those times?"
"No."
I firmly denied it.
"You can't go back to how it was, nor can you live like that anymore."
Nameless looked at me with a slightly surprised expression, and I gave her a light smile.
"It's been five hundred years, right? You need to move on to the next era."
"..."
"The world will change, Nameless. You too, should live as the new queen of the new Lake Kingdom, right?"
Nameless, who looked as if she had been hit on the back of the head with a hammer,
"...Haha. I never thought about that."
Finally burst into a hearty laugh.
"I always thought about returning to how things were before, never about moving forward into a new era."
"It's just a hypothetical story."
But then, one of the most fun things is to drink the kimchi soup before the rice cake is even ready.
"If all this nightmare truly ends, and a new era comes. And you become the ruler of this Lake Kingdom."
"..."
"Then what kind of ruler would you want to be?"
"...A ruler."
Nameless stared blankly into space.
"That's right. I once imagined that. It's a story from the distant past now."
"It's okay to imagine. What do you think?"
After closing her eyes and pondering for a moment, Nameless said,
"...I definitely had a sparkling dream, my own ideal of kingship. But I can't remember it."
I had a feeling.
She was lying.
Her honest turquoise eyes were undoubtedly looking at her ideal.
But she deliberately lied about not remembering, to avoid revealing her vision of kingship.
Why would that be?
"If someday, my kingdom emerges from this darkness. If the brilliant sunlight from the outside world finally reaches the bottom of this lake, instead of the artificial flames I created by burning my soul."
Perhaps, Nameless.
Has she already given up on such a day ever coming...
"Then I will tell you, Ash. What kind of ruler I wanted to be."
After evading the question with a bitter smile, Nameless changed the direction of the conversation.
"What about you, Ash?"
"Huh?"
"What kind of ruler would you want to be?"
"...Uh?"
"When all the monsters disappear and peace comes to this place... What will you do then?"
This time, I was the one who was stunned.
After the ending-
It was a story I had never thought about. My thoughts had always been focused only on safely clearing these three years.
But already in the latter half of the second year.
The third year will soon come crashing in,
The battle with Fernandez and the remaining Nightmare Legion commanders, and finally the showdown with the Demon King...
Yes. That's the ending.
'What about after that?'
This place is not a game. It's a complete reality.
I am Ash, with only the memories of RetroAddict.
So... even after the ending, I have to live.
There won't be a game statistics screen, no staff roll, no "The End" text appearing. Life goes on.
"You too have sufficient qualifications as a sovereign, don't you?"
Nameless smiled gently.
"What kind of king would you want to be?"
"..."
I clenched my mouth shut and gripped my glass tightly.
I have no intention of avoiding it. Nor do I plan to pretend to be naïve.
With the rumors rampant that Crown Prince Lark is dead,
If I engage in battle with Second Prince Fernandez and win,
The imperial throne – needless to say, will fall into the hands of me, Third Prince Ash.
Indeed. I did not mention it because it seemed unnecessary to say, but... declaring war on Fernandez is no different from throwing my hat into the ring for the throne.
And if I were to take the throne...
"...I."
After closing my eyes and organizing my thoughts.
I opened my mouth with an awkward smile.
Because it was none other than Nameless, I could speak comfortably.
"The royal path I wish to walk is..."
***
The next day.
Crossroad. North gate.
Clip-clop, clip-clop-
Amidst the peaceful sound of hooves, dozens of deer entered, each carrying a rider.
The ones riding the deer without saddles were elves.
At the forefront, the Elf Queen - Skuld, riding the largest and whitest deer, admired the city.
"Just a few months have passed, but the city has developed quite a bit."
All around the city, new barracks and various new buildings were rapidly being constructed.
The city's development pace was extraordinary. It wasn't just about architectural techniques or the influx of population.
'Why are so many people flocking to a city on the front lines of fighting monsters...'
Skuld, observing the unique growth of the rapidly expanding human city, turned to her side with a smile.
"I heard that Prince Ash has returned, and indeed, things seem to be moving quickly. Right, sister?"
"Uh-huh... Seems so..."
"Oh, sister, why so formal? Is it because I dressed you up nicely?"
"No, it's not that..."
Verdandi broke out in a cold sweat.
Certainly, she was dressed stiffly in accordance with Elven etiquette, but that wasn't the issue...
Clank.
Currently, Verdandi's left hand was handcuffed, and those handcuffs were connected to Skuld's right hand.
Skuld, covering her mouth with laughter, shook the handcuffs on her wrist.
"Is it because of these handcuffs? Oh well, can't be helped. You keep trying to run away."
"..."
"If you try to run away again, I won't just tie your wrists; I'll tie your whole body to me. Just so you know."
At that, Verdandi screamed in terror.
"No, just let me be! Why did you... make me a Deputy Queen!"
Above Verdandi's head, although smaller than Skuld's, was a similarly shaped crown made of white branches.
Skuld, fixing Verdandi's crooked crown with a grin, said,
"Sister, you are of the Elven royal bloodline. You're more than qualified."
"Qualified my foot! I've been wandering around for a hundred years abandoning my kingdom...!"
"And after those hundred years, you brought back the Holy Grail... the seedling that could become the World Tree of the next era. So, you deserve this treatment."
"But that's..."
"Alright, enough! Let's get going."
Skuld whispered softly as they drove the deer further into Crossroad.
"Soon, events so big that they'll turn the world upside down are going to happen, sister."
"..."
"I can't handle it alone. I need you to help me right by my side."
"Ugh, fine..."
Even though Verdandi had lived her life as a warrior in the field, she found this new position extremely awkward.
Suppressing the urge to flee, Verdandi moved along beside her sister.
"Welcome, Queen, and to the elves as well."
In front of the elves appeared a woman - Serenade, with aqua-colored hair and a neatly tailored suit.
Serenade greeted them courteously, with a professional, clean smile, gesturing them to follow.
"We've been expecting you. This way, please."
Serenade led the elves to a newly built hotel.
It was a clean and sophisticated facility, unbelievable for such a remote location. Both Skuld and Verdandi were astonished.
"Do you need such a luxurious hotel on the monster front?"
"Prince Ash wishes to turn Crossroad into a tourist city."
"A tourist city...? Crossroad...?"
Skuld looked utterly incredulous.
In such a city teeming with monsters, how could people come for tourism...?
Sure, there might be a demand among a few thrill-seekers, but as long as the threat of monsters exists, it's natural for people to be hesitant to visit.
'Anyway, that prince, can't tell if he's extraordinary or a bit mad.'
Skuld, shaking her head in disbelief, was led by Serenade.
"The banquet hall is this way. Please, come."
Leaving the deer and other elves behind, only Skuld and Verdandi entered the banquet hall.
And as soon as they stepped into the neatly arranged banquet hall-
"Somebody save me!"
Kellibey, a dwarf artisan who had arrived earlier, burst out screaming.
"Kellibey? What's wrong?"
A flustered Verdandi blocked Kellibey and asked, and Kellibey, trembling, gestured towards the inside of the banquet hall.
"My, my son!"
"Your son? You mean... the Dwarf King?"
"Yes! That damned traitorous child!"
Kellibey let out a wretched scream.
"He's trying to kill me-!"
Before he could finish,
Thud. Thud.
Exuding a terrifying murderous aura, Kellibey's youngest son - the Dwarf King, emerged from inside the banquet hall.
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