Published at 14th of May 2023 7:21 am

Chapter 580 Part 2

This chapter is updated by NovelFree.ml

I stop moving.

「What kind of a woman was I to you?」

I could talk endlessly once I start, but let’s sum it up in one word.

「You were the best.」

Sekrit’s shoulders lift slightly.

「I’m sure you say that to everyone.」

I reply with a wry smile.

Everyone is truly the best, so it’s not like I’m lying.

「Enough. Go.」

I resume walking again.

When I try to show her a thumbs up, a fruit knife comes flying at me.

「Good bye, my man, my final man.」

Her shaky mumble would have gone unheard had I been a human.

That’s why I pretend not to have heard it and jump out the window.

Sekrit’s monologue continues as she stares at the window I leave through.

「I’ll raise your seed well. I’ll make him mercilessly kill any enemy he sees and indiscriminately fuck any woman he sees, just like you, until he eventually replaces that lazy son.」

I want to tell her I’m not like that and not to raise her son into such a beast, but I can’t respond like I can hear her the whole time at this point, and just leave her be.

I wanted a clean farewell and now I have this strange regret.

I’m scared there will be a rumor about him thirty years later, but I can only pray that she raises him well.

The next stop is a bit troublesome, so I psyche myself up before jumping through the window of the corridor.

When I do, I see an unexpected woman……it’s Casie sitting in the corner of the corridor holding her knees.

（Sniffle.）

I tap Casie, who has partially materialized into a vengeful ghost and is blowing her nose, on the shoulder, unable to ignore her.

（Fpsshu.）

She lifts her face, half-transformed because of her extreme sadness.

Then she blinks her eyes a few times when she sees me.

（Gyaaaaa! A ghoooost! Evil spirit, begone!!）

「You’re close, but wrong. Also, you’re one to talk, as a ghost yourself.」

Casie bounces around in fear, hitting the wall and ceiling, though she eventually calms down and descends in front of me.

There is a deflating sound and her face returns to the dumb-looking one I’m familiar with.

The order is wrong, but Casie is also family.

Let’s say goodbye to her.

When I tell her this is the last time we’ll see each other, she starts crying again.

However, she doesn’t transform this time.

「Well, I do have one thing to say to you.」

Casie wipes her tears with my sleeve and smiles, implying that I don’t have to say anything.

I know it’s late to ask, but where is the water for her tears coming from?

（I actually knew all along.）

“I see”, I mutter.

（My grudge has long since disappeared. I was just dragging it out.）

I simply nod.

（I wanted to stay here in this lively and warm house, even if just for a second longer.）

I gently pat Casie’s head.

（But everything changes. Everyone has grown older and Aegir-san is also gone. It’s weird for someone like me who never changes to stay here, right?）

「Yeah.」

The two of us don’t age anymore.

That’s why we must leave.

「You’re not going to say goodbye?」

（No. I wrote a note. I’ve also got some pumpkin for my final moments too.）

I’m a bit skeptical of her definition of a note, but let’s not nitpick.

「Then I’ll see you off.」

I stand Casie by the window.

Then the clouds part and the beautiful full moon peeks out.

Casie stares at my face and slowly rises up……only to come back.

（I-I’m not quite prepared……lend me your hand.）

「You’re a hopeless girl, aren’t you?」

I stick my hand under Casie’s arm, supporting her like I’m playfully lifting up a baby.

Then vigorously toss her up, without regret, towards the moon.

「Off I goooo.」

Casie soars high into the sky with a smile and vanishes, becoming a golden sparkle.

Palace windows open one after the other and patrolling guards stop to look around.

Apparently, her final words reached those who normally can’t see or hear her.

（What a pleasant farewell.）

Translucent entities slip through the ceiling and walls……Neisha and the other ghosts of the inner palace come out.

Neisha speaks first before I can say anything.

（You don’t have to utter a word. Everyone is aware.）

Neisha and the other ghosts smile and become more faint.

（You brought us, who were deluded by grudges, to our senses. You yourself fell to a plot and feel no resentment. I also want to live that way. I want to live once more with others who live like that.）

「Then you’ll have to start over.」

Because she can’t do that as a ghost.

The other ghosts don’t seem to have any objections either.

（Us ghosts of the inner palace will abandon the past and look toward the future.）

（Yes, my grudge is disappearing. Rather than remaining in this world, I want to move on to the next life.）

（Goodbye my beloved, goodbye my begrudged. I will forget it all and ascend to heaven.）

Everyone scatters into golden beads and fades away……and don’t disappear.

（――do the same for us please.）

With a wry smile, I lift the tiny Neisha up, and like I did with Casie, throw her toward the full moon.

（Thank you.）

Neisha extends a hand up at the moon and then vanishes.

I send them off, one by one.

After sending off the last one, I gaze briefly at the empty space in the sky, then walk to my original destination.

The reason I’m going to this room via the corridor is because the window is tightly guarded.

Of course, there is security in the corridor too, though they are easier to deal with than the ones in the room.

「Sorry.」

In an instant, I accelerate outside of their line of sight and take down four guards at once.

I hold back as much as I can, tapping them lightly, but they still spin around in the air once before fainting.

If I’m not careful, one day I’ll end up killing somebody.

Inside the room, I hear a disturbed woman’s voice rather than sobbing.

「Mother, stay strong……it’s not mother’s fault.」

The voice belongs to Rose, since this is Catherine and Rose’s room.

「It’s my fault……my son……I destroyed everything……I ruined everything again……」

Catherine sits on the bed clutching her head in distress, her teeth chattering.

It’s pathetic of me that I considered something as stupid as leaving without a trace knowing Catherine would end up like this.

This is no time to think about appearing in a cool manner.

I toss the troubled Rose to the corner of the bed and wrap my arm around Catherine’s shoulder.

「It’s not your fault. Don’t torment yourself.」

Then there is three minutes of confusion in their faces.

「……can you talk?」

「Nope.」

For some reason, Catherine strips naked and hugs me from the front.

She buries her face in my chest, staining my clothes with snot and tears.

「Let me explain, father.」

Rose speaks after raining my face with kisses.

Her eyes are a little red, but she doesn’t hesitate. Despite her soft appearance, she’s quite composed.

「Mother became like this because she blames herself for your death at the hands of Antonio. She says that we are people with a curse that ruins families.」

Catherine nods while still against my chest.

That can’t be true.

I was the one who destroyed Catherine’s previous family, and what happened this time was my just deserts.

……perhaps the curse is actually me, no it can’t be, right?

「She wanted to at least end things with her own hands and tried to kill Antonio……」

I poke Catherine’s side strongly.

She lets out a choked grunt, though she doesn’t separate from my chest.

「Obviously I stopped her, then next she suggested a double suicide.」

I flip up Catherine’s shirt, blow on my hand, and slap her back with an open palm.

A distinct hand print forms on her back as she lets out a cute shriek.

Still, Catherine doesn’t let go.

「Lastly, she tried to take responsibility by offering to kill herself……I put her to sleep temporarily with Natia’s medicine and now she’s like this.」

「Gosh, you……no, I guess it’s my fault for not saying anything.」

I hug Catherine’s head and talk to her like a child.

「There’s no such thing as a cursed people. If you consider all the things I’ve done, the kind of fate I met was not anything strange.」

Catherine lifts her head……her tearful and anxious expression makes her look like she’s in her twenties.

「But I……I said it would come someday. That retribution would come……and that became a jinx……」

I show her an exaggerated smile.

If some cursed words could kill me, then I’d have died decades ago.

I pull away from Catherine, put her hands on my neck and lift her up.

She is surprised for a second at my cold body and tries to close her eyes, but I rain kisses all over her face, not letting her do so.

「I died how I was supposed to die. I won’t let you girls shoulder the burden.」

I carry Rose with the opposite hand.

After the two of them briefly crawl their hands over my face, they smile……Catherine forces herself to while Rose’s comes from the bottom of her heart.

「If I can tell you a regret a have.」

With the two still in my arms, I walk over to the window where the king’s quarters can be seen outside.

「Will you forgive Antonio?」

「「Not a chance.」」

Both of them answered simultaneously.

「How could you kill our loving father and take me, your sister, as your wife, are you crazy? Die!」

「How dare you use foul play to kill your own father! I should never have given birth to you!」

「「We told him together.」」

Wow, harsh.

As someone who loves his mother and sister, he must be enduring a lot.

「Well, don’t be so quick to say that. No matter what happened, he’s still family. I’m not too familiar with the details, but he still loves you two.」

「「……」」

They don’t reply.

「He has no friends here. The only thing he has is the blood connection with you.」

Catherine and Rose look at each other, their eyebrows furrowing like they are contemplating the issue.

Then they break out in a smile.

「Now that I think about it, it’s weird for my dead father to appear to me as a ghost and tell me to forgive Antonio.」

It’s sad to hear my daughter say that.

「As a woman, I can’t forgive Antonio for killing you and making a mess of everything. However, I can still feel some affection towards him as a mother. ……I guess I can forgive him after giving him a good spanking.」

That’s good enough.

No matter what kind of evil deed he did, you forgive him because he’s your child.

That’s how it should be.

「Alright, I should be going, now that I have no regrets.」

I lower the both of them.

「Yes, and I also have something to say. I forgot about it before.」

Rose mentions lightheartedly.

I only turn my head around to her and smile sheepishly because she ruined the perfect mood for an eternal farewell.

「I’m pregnant. Father’s seed hit the bullseye in one shot.」

My neck rotates 180 degrees, making a bone-cracking sound.

If I was a human, it would have been a fatal injury.

Catherine also falls down with a thud.

「Just letting you know.」

「You said it like it was nothing.」

I help Catherine get back up from the floor as she struggles to stand on her weak legs.

「Anyways, I’ll accept Antonio’s proposal along with forgiving him. Even if we aren’t connected by blood, it’ll be bad if the public knows I am pregnant with my father’s child, so I’ll make it his child instead.」

「Being pregnant with your brother’s child is still bad……gosh.」

I’m afraid of the strength of Rose’s heart.

Catherine will be fine if I let Rose look after her.

「Now then……」

I return my head to its proper alignment and sit Catherine on the bed.

「Did you have fun?」

「Yes!」

「Of course!」

I have no regrets.

This is goodbye to the two of them.

I watch the three of them surround a campfire silently from atop of the roof.

Their sad and vacant expressions cause feelings of guilt from leaving without saying anything well up inside me.

But I have something to address first and foremost.

「Isn’t it a bad idea to start a campfire in the courtyard in the middle of the night」

I land next to Pipi, who is poking the fire with a stick, Luna, who is adding leaves to the flames, and Ruby, who is about to cook a potato.

「Chief!」

Pipi throws away her stick and pounces on me.

「Did perhaps the mountain god answer our prayers and project the chief’s soul to us!?」

Luna drops the pile of leaves straight into the campfire without thinking and clings to my waist.

Sorry, I’ve become an existence that’s more on the evil side.

「Err……ummm……」

Ruby turns left and right in a panic, not sure where to put her potato, then joins in and hugs Luna.

There’s something more important that I must do first.

I pull the three of them off me.

「Extinguish the fire! The stick and leaves are burning!」

I didn’t come to the palace as a ghost intending to set the palace aflame.

I stomp on the scattered embers, smother the flames with my cloak, and pick up Pipi and let her pee over the fire to finally completely extinguish the campfire.

We lay wearily on the ground on our sides, and I explain the details while I’m at it.

It was supposed to be a more emotional development, but now it seems more like a second thought.

「I want to ask one thing.」

Pipi murmurs.

「Did the chief lose to Antonio? Were you challenged to fight fair and square lose……then died?」

「Yeah, I lost. Antonio was the one who made it back here alive, not me.」

Other things happened, but that’s the truth.

The three of them look devastated.

「If the chief was defeated in a fair battle, then Antonio is the new chief……we have no choice but to accept it. That is the law of the mountain nation……as frustrating as it is.」

Now that they remind me, I did at one point slay the shaman and chief of the mountain nation at the time and made them follow me.

I couldn’t say it in front of Catherine, but everything I’ve done is coming back to me, and that’s pretty ironic.

「If the new chief orders it, we will have to do as he pleases.」

Ruby grumbles, causing me to stop moving.

「……as he pleases?」

「Whatever he desires. If he asks for it, we cannot refuse.」

Luna continues.

「Mu, gu……so that’s the mountain nation’s law?」

I’m starting to get some lingering attachment again.

「He will violate us one at a time from behind. He will stick it in roughly, slapping our ass at the same time.」

Pipi adds, sticking her own ass out as if imagining the scene.

「Guooo……」

When I grab my head in agony, the three of them burst out laughing.

「Fufu, we’re just teasing. Think of it as a way of venting our anger for visiting us so suddenly.」

Luna smiles, bowing politely to me.

「As people of the mountain nation, we will accept him as the new chief. If war breaks out, we will join in haste. But as women who had their beloved man taken away, we will refuse to let him mount us.」

Ruby playfully pokes me as I’m suffering.

「Pipi will also listen to his orders but refuse mating! Antonio is strong though, if he assaults me, I can’t resist.」

He won’t do something as heinous as forcing himself on an unwilling woman, right?

Right?

「「「Who knows.」」」

「Guoo……」

The campfire is lit once more as they happily watch me act like I’m suffering.

「We bid you farewell. This is goodbye to you in this life, but if you see our children and our descendants, please take good care of them.」

「Pipi too! I want to stare at your face so I don’t forget it!」

Pipi jumps on my head, and Luna and Ruby also bring themselves near my face.

「Hahaha, you should be fine after looking so much.」

I etch their faces in my memory as well, and give their noses a final light poke, triggering them to sneeze.

「I’m going now.」

The three wish me well and wave their hands.

Death is not something to be sad about in the value system of the mountain nation.

It’s a different story if one dies and becomes a vengeful spirit, but souls that die without regrets return to the mountain and simply get reincarnated in another life.

That’s why our parting will end smoothly.

Or so I thought, as Pipi sobs, Luna cries, and Ruby falls to her knees in tears.

I leave the courtyard without daring to look back, despite thinking that I left a lot of loose ends.

「Shall we go greet the new chief tomorrow?」

「What will we do if he desires our bodies?」

「It’ll be fine. Our wombs already have a guest, we can confidently reject him!」

I approach the bed silently.

There is no need to keep our voices down because this place has no light or guards.

But she won’t come back even if I talk to her so I stroke her hair quietly.

「In some ways, you’re my biggest regret. I couldn’t get you to open your eyes.」

Benel remains asleep, almost like she’s dead.

She’s been this way for many years. Doctors have also given up on her, saying she’ll likely never wake up.

「It’s pathetic that I went and died without being able to nurse you back to health.」

Benel, who doesn’t seem to have aged possibly as a result of her comatose state, doesn’t react when I put my hand on her cheek or when I give her a soft kiss.

About thirty seconds passed and I was just about to leave a single rose behind.

「……ugh.」

I’m surprised.

The most surprised I’ve been since dying.

Her eyes open a tiny crack, look around in confusion and land on me.

「……Aegir?　……good morning.」

She shouldn’t be able to generate sound from her throat or lungs after sleeping for so long.

I answer her hoarse ghost-like whisper with a wide smile.

「Good morning. Nice night, isn’t it?」

I mutter, placing a rose on the bed of Benel, who is perplexed at how her weakened body can’t move.

Then, I leave as I hear the maid come around for her night shift.

「What is this sound so late in the――B-Benel-sama!?」

「My body……can’t move……how strange.」

I hear more sets of footsteps.

The nurses and doctors likely told her she’s been sleeping for years.

「……but I’m lucky to even be alive with that wound. Aegir’s the one who saved me, right? Eh, where did you go? Aegir, where are you?」

I stop eavesdropping.

「It can’t be! You were right here, it’s not a dream! This rose too――」

I don’t want to make her sad right after she wakes up.

Hopefully, she thinks it’s an illusion.

I systematically visited each woman’s room.

Soon, there were no more people who cried, forced themselves to smile, were glad they got to see me for one last time, or despaired in a mix of emotions as they watched me leave.

The ones I couldn’t visit were Leah, Natia, Felteris and the elves.

Although I’m worried about them, I just have to concede that I can’t meet everyone.

「While I’m at it, I’ll also take care of some trivial business.」

There is still time until dawn.

If I can do some clean-up, I might as well do it.

I open the door of the room where light is leaking out even though it’s close to daybreak without knocking.

The sound of a pen scribbling on a sheet of paper pauses and resumes moving less than one second later.

Without worrying about hiding my footsteps, I walk toward and stand behind the source of the noise and light.

「Hey, any problems?」

The sound of the pen doesn’t stop.

Leopolt doesn’t turn around either.

「None. Or are you suggesting one will happen soon?」

I shake my head and show him the red eyes that prove I’m no longer human.

「A king is nothing more than an accessory to the nation. If the new king has sufficient capabilities, he would just be a higher quality alternative. What problem is there?」

This guy, saying what he wants until the end.

I’m getting so angry that my eyes are shining like crazy.

It’s gotten to the point that the whole room has a red glow, how do I stop it?

I want to just knock this unpleasant guy down and leave, but since I’m here, I might as well say what I have to say.

「I said I’d get you promoted to the top, but that ended prematurely. Well, I guess this is what they call the changing of times. It was unexpected to me too, so forgive me.」

I can write him a letter of recommendation now. No, that’d have the opposite effect.

Leopolt covers his eyes with a hand because my eyes are too bright, then answers.

「I don’t mind. The new king seems to have endless ambition. I’m sure there will be plenty of opportunities in the future.」

That’s fine then.

「He doesn’t charge recklessly or let himself be overcome with anger. Although he lacks in experience, he has the potential to eventually become someone capable of leading hundreds of thousands of soldiers. He’s far superior to his predecessor, who was only competent enough to command a thousand-man army, and much easier to use.」

Damn him, thinking of me so poorly.

Does he want me to grab him and throw him out of the window?

Getting angry once more seems to have made the light in my eyes disappear.

Do I control it by turning them on and off in my mind?

「However.」

Leopolt continues.

It’s not bright anymore, you don’t have to cover your eyes.

「It’s become boring and dull as he isn’t as much of a hassle or as irrational as his predecessor.」

I didn’t think I’d hear those words come out from Leopolt’s mouth.

「……I see.」

I turn around, unable to hold in a smile.

I don’t have to talk long with him. It’s always been that way with him.

Leopolt stands up from his chair, making me wonder what he’s thinking.

He better not be hoping for a hug, I’ll punch him.

「Thanks for your hard work, Lord Hardlett.」

「Sure.」

He offers his hand and I reciprocate on reflex.

I guess this will do, since I’m not a king or noble anymore, nor am I a close friend.

We let go of each other’s hand after the brief handshake.

I exit the room.

Leopolt returns to his seat and resumes his work.

That’s the end.

Not that I care, but I guess I’ll also visit Adolph and Tristan.

If they’re there, great, if not, I’ll scribble a message on the wall.

Also……oh.

「Haa, I can’t get over it. This kind of ending is possible?」

「……how disappointing.」

「The general lost to such a brat? I won’t be able to go on unless I drink.」

I pass by the dining hall where a gloomy Christoph, Mack and Yakov are drinking.

「Let’s just drink. Let’s be cheerful even if it’s a lie.」

「……I doubt it will change anything.」

「It makes me feel sick no matter how much I drink. Still, there’s no other option.」

The three of them clank their glasses together in a mood that is by no means happy.

「「「「Cheers.」」」」

I smile and leave the dining hall behind as the three of them tip over from their chairs.

Then I see the stable from the window and descend with a sigh.

「I’ll drop by, I guess. Not like I have time to spare for a perverted horse.」

I curse, stroking the wide-eyed Schwartz’s nose a few times before stopping.

「You’ve gotten pretty small.」

Of course, a horse can’t shrink, but his entire body has shriveled and his spirit is almost non-existent.

Schwartz turns away coldly.

I tug on his mane which is more ruffled than it is in my memory.

Schwartz snorts, but it doesn’t have the same impact as it used to.

「Are you going to die too?」

Schwartz glances at me and then nuzzles his nose against me.

He’s not yet at the age considered to be an old horse.

And it doesn’t appear like he has any illness.

And somehow I know that he can’t be saved.

「Gosh, you’re so annoying, chasing after me.」

I take a brush and step inside the stable.

I’ve ridden him for a while. I can groom him one last time.

When I set foot inside, I come across four mares lying down with white liquid dripping from between their legs.

One of them is an especially big one with an abnormal sex drive.

Schwartz neighs like he’s laughing.

「……damn horse, you’re just exhausted from overdoing it!?」

I jam the brush up his ass and stomp off, ignoring his neighs of agony.

「Do your best to live long, dimwit.」

The night is not over yet.

But it is time for light to start emerging from the horizon.

「……」

There is an idiot who is casting a fishing line into the creek……or rather, the aqueduct outside the palace.

That person, who doesn’t appear to know how to fish, is holding the rod blankly.

I sit down next to that idiot.

「Catch anything?」

The response comes after a long long time.

「There’s no way I can catch anything this late at night.」

However, right as those words were said, the floating lure gets pulled into the water.

「You got a bite.」

The person doesn’t reply or do anything with the fishing rod.

Eventually the lure stops moving.

「You suck, you let it run away.」

「Well yeah, because I’ve never done this before.」

What a hopeless guy.

「I’ll show you. Give me the rod.」

I grab the familiar rod and reattach bait to the end.

Getting a bite in an aqueduct is a miracle, and it won’t happen again, but you never know unless you try.

Besides, there is some fun in just waiting with your lure in the water.

「Hey, what are you crying about, silly?」

I drape my cloak over the person’s nightwear and slap the person’s back.

「Is it tough?」

I ask with my eyes still on the rod.

I sense a nodding motion.

「It comes with the job. You had the determination too, I’m sure it’ll go well.」

「Really?」

With that, things go silent.

I’m really not getting any bites.

Maybe I’ll try using an apple as bait instead.

「Father.」

「What?」

Don’t keep looking at me, watch the movements of the rod.

「Sorry. I’m sorry, father.」

「Yeah. Don’t worry about it.」

If you cry, you’re not going to see my graceful rod handling skills.

「Father, you got something.」

「Mu.」

I quickly pull the rod up.

What was on the end of the hook, however, was not a fish, but a blackened shoe that I’ve seen somewhere before.

「It’s Ana’s. Half a year ago, she said she lost it when we went on a trip.」

「That brat, she threw her shoe in the aqueduct because she wanted new ones. Damn, she really isn’t picky on how she does it.」

I……as well as Antonio smile together.

「Haa, no luck huh? Well, it’s your fault for fishing here in the first place.」

It’s going to be daytime soon.

Perfect timing.

「You’re going already?」

「Yeah, I got to fish a little with you.」

I toss the rod back to Antonio.

He catches it, holding it carefully like the ordinary rod is a precious treasure.

「……I won’t ever see you again.」

「Yeah.」

I pat Antonio’s head as he goes quiet.

「That’s why I told you to wait another four years, stupid son.」

After giving his head a good rub, I take Head-helmina, who I found lying in the corridor, out from my pocket.

「She’s somewhat troublesome, but knowledgeable. You can also carry her around easily, I’m sure she’ll come in handy.」

「Umu, we’ve talked about this. The point of contention is whether I am alive or dead.」

「No……this looks……wait, isn’t this Emperor Wilhelmina’s head? Father, you’re more fiendish than I thought.」

The sun is about to come up.

「Goodbye father.」

「Goodbye, stupid son.」

「Kefun.」

I hear someone clear their throat softly.

「Brynhildr. Goodbye……no, I guess you don’t want it.」

「I’ll kill you if you do.」

I thought so.

It’s not needed.

「That kid is incomplete.」

Brynhildr points at Antonio, who is crying with the fishing rod still in his hand.

What does she mean by that?

「That woman, she must have hesitated quite a bit because the transformation stopped halfway. His life has extended, but it doesn’t mean he won’t die. And he might find it harder to have children, but if he repeatedly does it over and over, it’s not impossible.」

A smile unconsciously forms on my face.

「In the first place, a newborn can’t protect himself from the sun with a hood. A few seconds of exposure will turn him to dust.」

I have doubts about the few seconds part, but whatever.

Should I go back and inform him?

No, I don’t know if going back right after saying goodbye is a good idea.

I’m sure it’ll also hurt his pride if I see him bawling.

Brynhildr continues.

「In the end, it’s going as that woman wants, she’s doing whatever she wants and destroying everything……」

Something feels off here.

Brynhildr clearly sounds angry.

But what is she angry at?

I was killed.

But I just became like her, it’s not like we have to say farewell.

My family is a mess, but it’s not like that concerns Brynhildr.

「Oh, by the way, I’m not a mindless puppet. I can do this kind of thing.」

I flip up Brynhildr’s skirt.

Just as the thought of her racy underwear comes into my mind, she cracks my cheekbone. Damn, she’s merciless to her own kind.

「I know that. If you were a puppet, I would have annihilated you already.」

Then I don’t know what it could be.

I glance at Brynhildr, trying to figure it out, and see her looking sadly at Antonio.

I’m even happier.

She must feel sorry for Antonio who had to kill his father.

「Brynhildr. This is only if you want to.」

「What?」

I lower my head.

「You only have to do it until the end of my children’s lifespan. Will you watch over them?」

Brynhildr puffs her cheeks and turns her back on me without giving an answer.

In other words, she accepts.

「The price is great though. You’ll have to accompany me on a date.」

「Very well.」

That kind of price is nothing.

I’m more than happy to do it.

「The location is that woman’s bedroom. I’ll aim for when she’s away, be prepared for that.」

「……」

That price is steep.

If we’re discovered, I’ll literally be torn to pieces.

「I’m counting on you.」

When I agree with a troubled face, Brynhildr nods, and runs back to the sobbing Antonio with a sisterly aura.

I confidently leave from the main gate.

At this point, I don’t care if someone sees me and makes a scene.

「Ah, there he is!!」

I turn around, thinking that I was found pretty fast, and see all the girls on the balcony.

Although cramped together, they do their best to wave at me.

However, the narrow space quickly creates discontent.

「So tight! I’m getting squished!」

「Ow, someone stepped on my foot! This weight must be Irijina-san!」

「Hey, Nonna! Move your boobs! They’re in the way.」

「Melissa-san, stripping is against the rules! If everyone does the same thing, it’ll get out of hand!」

「Ugh, it stinks! Doing it now of all times! Who was it!?」

「Mama’s makeup is rubbing off and shifting almost like a mon――eek!?」

「Now now Pipi, don’t climb on me. You’ll hurt yourself!」

「Gyoee! A severed head!!」

I shout and wave back.

The guards gather in a hurry, but it shouldn’t be a problem if I simply cover my face with my hood.

「You’re here after all! Heey, Aegir!」

「……what?」

「Is it really the general!? I don’t believe it.」

The drunk companions also show up, but the girls complain about their breasts and asses being touched and kick them out right away.

Lammy hangs from the roof and Mirumi jumps up from the aqueduct.

I also see Pochi’s form high in the sky.

「Father, I am also――!」

「Ah, it’s the main villain!」

「Everyone, step on his feet! Pinch his side too!」

「Knee him hard in the balls.」

「Father’s killer, I’ll cut off his dick.」

「Ana, bright objects are a bad idea!」

Antonio, who shows up late, gets ganged up on by the others.

He does keep the promise of not fighting back.

I can’t keep track of who’s there anymore, but the boisterous atmosphere is fitting to sum up my life.

「Aegir-sama!」

Celia hops off the roof, then runs toward me.

There on the roof, Leah is watching with wet eyes.

I was wondering where she was, so she was with Celia, good for her.

「Leah said she wanted to die so I gave her a mission of becoming the best confectioner.」

It was that serious?

She would have done something horrible if we didn’t come to say goodbye then.

While those on the balcony make a fuss about how Celia is getting a head start, I turn around and leave behind the nostalgic clamoring. This is the end.

Or so I thought.

「Uwahahahahaha! I found you, man!!」

A mass of muscle stands in front of us.

It’s Gildress.

「Read the mood! You ruined the touching farewell!」

Gildress disregards my yell and Celia’s shooing, and draws his sword.

「If you returned alive, you would have displayed your joy with a passionate manly hug!」

Absolutely no thanks.

「From what I see, it seems you aren’t alive. So let me ask you this! Are you the true man that I have come to know!? Or are you a foul monster wearing the skin of a man!?」

This can’t be resolved unless I answer.

And morning is near.

「I’m a monster, but I’m still myself. I came to deliver my final goodbyes. I don’t have any hostile intent.」

Gildress peers into my eyes with a piercing stare.

「I see, man. So that’s how it is.」

Then, oily tears gush out of his eyes.

「Ooh, man. It is an honor for a man to die in battle. But he should not have been able to defeat you yet.」

Gildress was the one training Antonio.

Naturally, he knows Antonio’s true ability.

「I am more of a parent than a man. Don’t you understand?」

This guy might really not get it.

「I understand. Of course I do. That’s why I’m frustrated! It’s frustrating to see a man such as yourself die without giving his best!」

Gildress says as he throws off his shirt.

He’s always been wearing only a pair of underwear to begin with, so it’s safe to say he has completely stripped.

「Let’s fight, man. My friend. Getting a chance after death is also because of the discretion of the God of battle. Show me your full strength!」

Gildress wails, drawing his glowing red sword.

「Father, use this!」

Antonio tosses the Dual Crater to me from the balcony.

Why does an emotional farewell have to take such a sweaty turn?

And Celia, don’t sprinkle salt on Antonio, it might work on us if you’re not careful.

（How surprising. Your life-）

Shut up.

（Muu. I’m going to sleep.）

「Here I come――!!」

Gildress holds his treasured sword, the Light of Aless, above his head and charges.

Despite his bulky body, he is faster than the wind.

I wonder how much power his defense-abandoning downward slash possesses.

Regardless, he is no match for the current me.

This body, which has given up its humanity in exchange for a weakness of sun and silver, has strength incomparable to――

「Uoooooh!!」

I meet Gildress’s full-powered slash with my Dual Crater, held only with my right hand.

My knee buckles, my chest is kicked, and I am sent flying in the air.

「You’re kidding.」

I curse as I’m knocked back.

I lost in a pure contest of strength. Don’t tell me he’s also a vampire.

「Man, have you gotten weaker!?」

「What did you say?」

I sweep my sword sideways, angry that I was embarrassed in front of the girls.

The unrestrained inhuman strike blows dirt to either side and gouges the earth without the sword even making contact with the ground.

「Nnrgh!!」

Gildress accepts the attack head-on with his blade, and the resulting sparks created by the clash emit a blinding flash.

The torrent of power stirs up a gust of wind that spins up into the sky.

「Grrr!」

「Nnuu!」

Both of us push the other, and Gildress takes two steps back while I take one step back.

「Man. Have you stopped being human and gotten stronger!?」

「I’m not so sure if you’re a human anymore.」

We both distance ourselves and prepare for a clash between downward swings.

Defense or tricks are not considered, this collision of swords relies solely on strength.

I did not hold back.

I threw all of my monstrous strength at him.

However, Gildress did not break.

He blocks multiple strikes capable of crushing the earth, and when I run out of steam for even a second, he counters with attacks as solid as a boulder.

Guards rushing in because of the intruder are blown backward by the force of the sword swings, the glass windows of the palace shatter from the impact, and the flames of the torches dance as if fanned by a great gale.

The girls and Antonio cheer me on from the balcony.

Losing in front of my family after becoming a vampire is not an option.

Murderous intent swells from within my body as I increase my strength, gradually accepting the possibility that I may kill Gildress.

Gildress’s body is pushed away.

「I’m not done!!」

When I go in for the finishing blow, he adjusts himself in midair, knocks away my thrust and retaliates with a slash aimed at my neck.

I block and my sword is deflected far from my body.

Although I wouldn’t have died if the attack landed, my head would have been chopped off.

Our swords clash for a third time, then a fourth time, but the battle isn’t settled.

「Aau……au……uu.」

Celia stares at the sun rising from the horizon and begins to panic.

「Nuoo!!」

「Hmpp!!」

We both unleash a grand horizontal sweep at each other that knocks us to the ground on our butts.

In that moment, Gildress’s fighting spirit disappears.

「My friend. Did you fight for real?」

「Yeah. It pains me to admit that I was serious.」

I fought with the intent to kill him.

It was unmistakably my best effort.

「I should be the one asking if you held back.」

If we’re equals now, then I’d be outclassed as a human.

「I won’t be so rude as to go easy against a friend. I always give my all……and a man becomes stronger the stronger his opponent.」

You’re pretty much a monster with the name of a man.

「I did push myself……just a little.」

Gildress drops his sword and falls forward.

He did not get hit, but the fight itself must have been hard to endure.

He managed to bear it to the end though.

All for the sake of encouraging me to fight with my full power.

「Goodbye, my friend.」

Gildress, who is lying face-down on the ground, raises a closed fist in response to my words.

The sun emerges as if to see me off.

Celia shouts something from a nearby house, but I’m in no hurry.

We have a limitless supply of time ahead of us.

Antonio is also yelling something after withdrawing from the balcony, but I don’t answer him.

I’ve said all that I needed to for a farewell. Further words are redundant――

「Guwaaaaah!!」

「You got burned again!? Please learn to take cover!」

Celia tosses a rope at me, which gets caught around my neck, allowing her to pull me into the shade.

「My road led to the kingdom. And that led to a happy ending to my story. The future will be the start of another story.」

The road to the kingdom has reached the end.

Where the next path leaves and where it goes, I don’t know, and that’s okay.

We have all the time in the world.

～FIN～

~500? Years later.

The artificial intelligence of the ancient civilization began to use its own judgement with the loss of its administrator.

They defined human happiness as the absence of any suffering, and concluded that it could be achieved by not giving life to mankind, in other words, the extermination of mankind.

Ruins scattered across the continent started the mass production of unmanned weapons, preparing several million steel soldiers to erase humanity――

「Platoon leader! Platoon leader Hardlett! Please wake up!」

My cheek is slapped.

I open my eyes with a groan.

「Gh……a dream?」

It must be because of the movie I watched yesterday

「Where am I? The palace? Rafen?」

「What are you saying, leader? Palace? Did you have a dream about becoming king or something?」

I hear the din of multiple voices.

My senses gradually return.

I see eight men crammed into the interior of a vehicle that is as narrow as a steel coffin.

The stench of body odor from sweaty male bodies and fuel wafts in the air.

My ears are filled with the sound of a noisy engine and the endless treading of uneven ground……

「It sucks to sleep in this thing. A carriage would be better.」

When I mutter, the jovial soldier who woke me up laughs.

「Hahaha, you’re not wrong. The M-205 armored combat vehicle, commonly known as ‘Smoothie’, has a piss-poor ride quality in exchange for its tough armor and 30 mm chain gun――right, where did I leave off?」

「If you’re referring to your monologue that nobody is listening to, you left off at the part about the second emperor.」

A middle-aged man with a stern face answers.

His rank, if I recall, was sergeant.

「Oh yes, that’s right. Uhh, the second emperor, Antonio……it feels odd because that was his childhood name at the time. Even though it was normal to change one’s name upon ascension of the throne, he kept it until the end for some reason……is anyone listening?」

The other soldiers make a face like they’re fed up.

「I knew you were a history major, but I’m surprised you can still babble on when we’re going to be fighting a war.」

「At least it’s not as annoying as the propaganda I’m tired of hearing. Keep talking about the cute emperor with the childhood name.」

Implicitly urged to continue, the cheery man resumes his story.

「Well, the second emperor was far from cute. His reign was extremely harsh, killing enemy and ally alike if they defied him, burning down cities of enemies who didn’t surrender, and going so far as making his mother his lover and his sister his wife, who he had children with――he was dubbed the mad emperor.」

「So you’re saying he was crazy and did whatever he liked?」

One soldier chuckles.

I act like my foot slipped and kick him in the shin.

The upbeat individual shakes his head and goes on.

「The second emperor was not merely a tyrant. He challenged the Olga Federation, a nation that was unstoppable at the time and controlled 90% of the continent after annexing the Garland Empire, with less than a tenth of their strength and kept pushing forward, winning consecutive battles.」

Some of the audience let out oohs in admiration.

「And it was in the state capital currently known as Beldograd, which was……what was it again?」

「Greidel.」

The cheery man claps his hands.

「Right, it was near Greidel where the decisive battle took place, in which he defeated and killed the supreme commander Stessel, and invaded White City. In just one generation and 15 years, he crushed the mighty Olga Federation!」

I nod in satisfaction.

「Then he also repelled a large scale invasion by an ethnic tribe from the east which happened at the same time the Federation surrendered……and went on to disappear without returning to the capital of Goldonia.」

「What the heck? Did he not just die in battle?」

「It’s unthinkable that a king ran away.」

The jolly man shakes his head.

「One theory claims he died from illness, but if that was the case, his body should have been retrieved. The most reliable record at the time simply wrote “he disappeared in the middle of the triumphant return and never came back”. Nothing else is known about his whereabouts……」

The cheery individual smacks his knee and continues.

「Succeeding him as the third emperor was Bartolome――here, the name is officially the empire and the king is the emperor――anyway, this one is again a complete contrast to his predecessor, and is said to be mild-mannered, gentle, and indecisive. He has a personality not suited for violence, however, was perfect for an empire which had already swallowed the Federation and annihilated the ethnic tribe. It is because of the third emperor that our homeland continued to experience great prosperity unprecedented in history for the last four hundred years!」

Sparse unenthusiastic applause comes from the audience.

「Well, after that……as you know, a democratic revolution happened and the emperor was overthrown, which then led to a communist revolution and the establishment of the People’s Assembly, which then led to the forming of the patriotic party who defeated the People’s Assembly through a coup d’etat……I won’t go into detail as it gets messy……but the nation strayed too far and declined in power, resulting in our current situation.」

「That was terrible. Not only did the ruler change every year, the political system also changed.」

Although Lucy laughed, finding the era all too amusing.

「Leader, you sound like my grandfather.」

Oh, leave me alone.

「So, going back in history again, the second emperor was merciless to his enemies and allies……but strangely, he never laid hands on his family. It is said that those who blatantly disobeyed him or attempted to assassinate him were never punished, let alone executed or exiled.」

He promised after all.

That’s when the stern sergeant grumbled.

「I get the second emperor, but why aren’t you mentioning the first emperor when talking about the rise of the empire?」

The cheery fellow scratches his cheek with an uneasy look.

「There are very few documents on the first emperor. Actually, there are plenty of places he’s mentioned. In novels, in plays……for example, this book.」

He takes out a small paperback from his pocket.

I catch a glimpse of the author’s name: Christoph.

「Apparently, the original creator of this book is my ancestor. Isn’t that amazing?」

He gets jeers of “who cares” and “never heard of that book”, but I nod to myself.

No wonder he has a similar aura about him.

「It says he rode a dragon in the sky. It says he led an army of monsters. It says he faced a thousand enemies alone, and repelled a cannon with his sword――」

「That stuff can’t be true.」

The upbeat guy acknowledges the retort.

「Right, there are too many elements of fiction that the real image can’t be pictured. If you were to believe everything written about him, he’d become like a hero in a children’s RPG――with that said, the Chronicles of Tristan, said to be close to historical fact, describes the movements of the first emperor vaguely.」

「Then he probably didn’t accomplish anything and was probably a boring guy, no?」

I act like my foot slipped and kick the soldier in the knee.

「That can’t be possible. It was undoubtedly the first who transformed the Central Plains from a sea of rivaling warlords into an entity capable of competing with the then strongest Olga Federation in just a decade or so. We know the result, but we have no idea of the process.」

As respect for what he said, I give the guy a cookie from my pocket.

「A Celia cookie……leader, despite the way you look, you have a sweet tooth, huh?」

The stern sergeant laughs with a scary expression.

「By the way, this cookie, with a lot of sugar and cream in it, is famous in our nation and also has its origins in the era of the third emperor. The creator named them after her best friend who passed away.」

I slap the shoulder of Christoph III.

Don’t talk about that too much, it’ll make me cry.

That’s when the radio suddenly roars.

「Oh, there’s the company commander.」

A voice that sounds young and hot-blooded comes from the wireless transceiver.

『The 2nd Mechanized Infantry Company is now entering the combat zone! The goal of this operation, in which three corps have been deployed, is of course to recapture the capital city Rafen and its surrounding area! We must take back the land of our home that has been stolen by the vile 8-nation alliance――the air force is fighting hard and vying for control of the air space!』

「They still haven’t gained air supremacy……?」

One of the soldiers mutters.

「That reminds me, you’re part of the volunteers, right? Is it because you wanted to protect your home……?」

Christoph III asks.

「I’m not interested in that, but a bomb landed near us. It almost blew us to bits. And I couldn’t let things continue or else my family would get hurt.」

「Aah……you mean the enemy’s indiscriminate bombing of the city?」

To be precise, it did blow us up.

We just returned to normal afterward.

I no longer cared what happened to the political system or whether territory was gained or lost, however it mattered if Lucy and Celia were going to get hurt, and so I decided to volunteer and put a stop to things before it got out of hand.

At the recruiting site, I told them to make me a commander because I had experience, but after going through the aptitude test I was deemed qualified to only be a platoon leader.

How disappointing.

The stern sergeant leans over and smiles creepily.

「Actually, I’m like you. Look, this is my daughter.」

I tilt my head when he shows me the photograph.

The familiar face revives a distant memory.

「She’s a weird one, and although I was not there to witness her birth, according to my wife, as soon as she was born, she yelled “I’m finally here!”」

「……」

The sergeant goes on with a lovestruck expression unbefitting his exterior.

「She’s still a toddler, yet doesn’t like playing with dolls, instead she is happy when looking at bodybuilding magazines.」

「……does she also like pumpkins?」

The sergeant becomes surprised.

「It’s her favorite. Also, sometimes she would crash into windows and say, “I thought I could pass through like before”.」

It’s confirmed.

「After the war, I’d like to meet her once.」

「Sure, please do.」

The company commander’s briefing continues while we chat.

『There are reports of a formidable enemy in Rafen. However, they are nothing to――』

「Uwah!?」

A loud boom interrupts the fervent speech.

「The company commander was hit! It was a missile!」

At the same time the report comes in, the armored vehicle ramps up in speed, making the ride laughably bumpy.

「Two combat helicopters overhead――hey, this is bad.」

Things aren’t looking good for me either.

The shaking is making me want to vomit.

An autocannon begins firing rapidly above my head.

「Third vehicle, severely damaged……fourth vehicle also incapacitated……damn it, the sixth vehicle got blown apart!」

「Where are the anti-air guns and surface-to-air missiles!?」

「Both of them got blown up by the first strike!」

Christoph III stores his book away and trembles.

「The Smoothie is the world’s strongest combat vehicle……but I don’t know if it can withstand combat helicopters without support from the air……」

I hear a high-pitched whistling sound.

I grab Christoph III’s helmet and press him to the floor.

「Everyone, get down!」

A powerful impact hits us and tips the vehicle sideways.

「Raise your hand if you’re dead.」

Good, everyone’s still alive.

I kick the completely destroyed back door and step outside.

The vehicle which was brand new an hour ago is crumpled and on fire.

Surviving soldiers are crawling out of the other wrecked vehicles, with the exception of the company commander’s vehicle, which is totally engulfed in flames.

I think they’re all done for.

A faint whizzing of wind prompts me to twist my body, narrowly avoiding a bullet aimed at my chest.

The enemy is hovering just above the ground, shooting at allied soldiers, and launching missiles and rockets at our combat vehicles.

I try retaliating by spraying a few shots with the gun provided to me.

My gun makes the guns in the Federation battle seem like a joke, as the bullets travel in a straight line as fast as light.

「Things would have been easier if we had these.」

Bullets hit the enemy directly, but don’t seem to have any effect.

「It’s not working.」

「Of course not, leader! A rifle is as effective as a pea shooter against a combat helicopter!」

Is that so? I’m going to need something bigger then.

I scan my surroundings and put my hands on the vehicle we were riding earlier.

The 30 mm……whatever-it’s-called. The barrel is still intact, I can probably use this.

I rip the bolt fixing it in place and drag the gun along with all the stuff resembling guts attached to it.

I press a few buttons to test if it works and a shell shoots out. I can use this.

「Leader, what are you doing!? Without a motor, that thing still weighs 170 kg――」

I ignore the babbling Christoph and pick up the gun with my right hand.

The enemy happens to circle around.

I take a breath and strain my eyes.

It’s harder to see because of the sun, but I can clearly make out the spinning rotor, the bullets being spit out at a constant interval by the gun, and the pilot who has a smirk on his face.

I step on the dangling button and fire the gun.

The shell flies slowly with a clockwise rotation.

Although it’s hard to aim with the opponent and the shell both being fast, it’s still easy enough for me even as a human.

Now, it’s practically child’s play.

The rotating shell pierces the cockpit and hits the pilot in the abdomen, spraying blood everywhere.

Scattering broken metal debris, the combat helicopter passes over my head and crash lands not long later.

「In one shot……」

I yell at the dumbfounded sergeant to lower his head.

I fire the gun, aiming at the three rockets fired by the other helicopter, making them explode mid-flight.

The pilot’s face warps in astonishment and hastily tries to breakaway by ascending.

「Too slow.」

I lower my waist and set my aim on him.

The fired shell hits the helicopter’s rotor, causing it to spin wildly until it crashes into the ground and explodes.

「Man, that was heavy.」

Turning into a vampire has increased my physical strength, but heavy things are still heavy.

Moreover, it is unpleasant to fight in the sunlight, even though it has become more bearable after the first five years.

「Well, it looks like the company commander was burnt to a crisp.」

There should be three other platoon leaders besides me.

One of them is unable to stand due to fear.

Another is searching for his right arm that was blown off.

The last one is getting cardiac compressions by a combat medic.

「I’ll take command. Everyone, ride the remaining vehicles separately.」

「W-we can’t possibly ride them.」

I smack the sergeant’s forehead.

「If you can’t ride inside, ride the top. If you stick close together, I’m sure you can fit about 20 people.」

Another sergeant speaks up.

「But the company commander has suffered major injuries! We lost 60% of our vehicles and 30% of our personnel! We should wait for reinforcements……」

「The enemy is likely thinking that too. That’s why we’ll charge forward.」

Leave this to me.

Despite how I look, I should be the most experienced of everyone in war.

The weapons might have changed, but the essence of battle hasn’t.

And neither has human nature.

I fight endlessly, eat endlessly, and laugh endlessly.

And I sleep with the beauties of the period endlessly, while also taking a little of their blood.

「Aah, this is wonderful. Don’t you think?」

A book falls out of Christoph’s descendant’s pocket.

Its title……makes me smile.

『Road to the Kingdom』, huh?

～True End～

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