Chapter 269 : Chapter 269

Chapter 269

[The ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍Authority of ‘??’ is temporarily released.]

Violet ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍mana imitating an Authority replenished his exhausted mana and stamina.

The ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍presence that had remained at 8-Star met a new sign.

9-Star.

The ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍final stage a mortal could reach.

‘I ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍can use it now.’

“Remember, Adamas.”

He recalled the slash Edan had shown him when they met in the Mind Image World.

WHOOOOSH.

Blue mana devoured the violet and green mana.

The power flowing from the sword was beyond what a Transcendent’s remnant or fragment could endure.

“This is the presence I achieved with you.”

The realm that a human who forged a Mana Heart should pursue, which he had taught his dear friend.

A slash capable of cutting even a complete divine nature.

“Palatium.”

Killian murmured low and swung his sword.

Whoooooosh—.

The instant blue mana brushed past Murus’s barrier blocking the way.

CRACK!

The enormous barrier was cut cleanly in two.

Beyond the severed barrier, Neptune stood certain of victory.

[That flimsy barrier can no longer protect you......]

WHOOOOOOSH.

[......]

By the time he noticed something was strange, it was already too late.

The wave of presence unleashed from the sword.

SLICE.

Cut through Neptune.

[......!!]

It not only cut the god and the radiance that had fused with him and watched from the shadows.

RIIIP.

It even split the space filled with the Demonic Sea.

Ssssssss.

Demonic energy surged as though trying to fill the rift in the split space, but.

“Solaris.”

FWOOSH.

A massive sun manifested by violet mana blocked the gathering demonic energy.

At its end.

[This cannot be.]

Neptune stood severed in two.

***

It felt as though time had stopped.

That was literally an illusion. Neptune had truly been cut down.

Yet it felt that way because the enormous energy was collapsing, causing them to enter an infinitesimal time interval in which time temporarily flowed slowly.

Both Killian and Neptune knew that fact.

Killian looked at Charles.

Unlike Killian, who had used a god’s Authority, her presence remained at 8-Star.

Unable to enter the infinitesimal time interval, she seemed to be concentrating all her attention on maintaining two Solarises.

And before them.

[This is ridiculous.]

Neptune, completely separated from the radiance, let out a hollow laugh.

[You cut down me, who had fused with ‘that bastard.’]

“Yes.”

Killian nodded calmly.

[Yes...... So that is it....... Heh, hahahaha!]

“......”

Neptune shook as he laughed.

[At last, I face you alone.]

After he stopped laughing, Neptune looked genuinely pleased. It was hard to believe it was the expression he wore just before vanishing.

[Mutation. What do you think a species is?]

“Are you trying to lecture me out of nowhere?”

Neptune continued regardless of Killian’s lukewarm response.

[Have you ever considered how this world is constructed?]

How a god with the presence of Transcendence was born, and who made the laws of the world.

[Why the ‘Anomaly’ beyond the boundary is trying to cross over here.]

Neptune stopped speaking for a moment and stared at Killian.

[My experiments were not in vain.]

Tens of thousands of years until a godslayer was born.

Thousands of years since the godslayer had been sealed.

He had lived spans of time like eternity and reached the world’s secrets, yet.

[Tsk. Is it time already?]

Neptune seemed truly regretful that he was permitted no more time.

Then he separated a portion of his divine power, which had begun to collapse.

[Take it.]

Float.

A blue scale that rose into the air flew to Killian.

It had the form of a scale, but the power he felt was an Existence Force comparable to dozens of Divine Objects put together.

“This is......”

[A fragment of a god.]

“......”

[Do not worry. I am not clumsily trying to take your body. You have already accepted Murus’s divine nature, after all.]

Not only did he imitate the gods’ Authorities with mana, he had even forged a Hollyheart.

[The present you will be able to accept it completely.]

It meant that even fragmentary power would help strengthen incomplete divine power.

“This is unexpected. I thought you would curse me.”

It was too generous a gift from someone vanishing, so Killian looked at Neptune with suspicion.

Neptune clicked his tongue as he watched him.

[Gods do not truly vanish completely anyway.]

Other gods had said the same thing several times.

‘Well, Murus is here too.’

Killian picked up the scale without hesitation.

RUMBLE.

The collapse of the Mind Image World, which had stopped, resumed.

[It was truly splendid encroachment.]

With those words, Neptune turned into sea foam and vanished.

“I thought I was going to die.”

No one heard the mutter.

As the space formed by the merged Mind Image Worlds of Neptune and Murus collapsed, Killian watched quietly, then closed his eyes.

When he opened them again.

“Hey, there! Do not block the way. Move aside!”

“Knights, carry the injured inside!”

“Are there any more mages who can use healing magic?!!”

He saw the Temple in a state of disorder.

It seemed Neptune’s divine nature had affected reality as well.

‘I really thought I was going to die this time.’

Haa.

He quietly sighed when.

“Gasp, Killian?”

A familiar voice calling his name reached him.

‘Still, I somehow made it back alive.’

Only then could Killian be certain that the dungeon had completely collapsed.

***

It took two weeks to repair the ship enough to sail again, and three days to return to Aquares’s capital.

When they returned, Aquares itself had also just endured a sudden tidal wave and a Monster Wave.

Princess Levia made her report immediately.

“I thank you, sirs, for your efforts on behalf of Aquares.”

In place of Crown Prince Marcelo, who had gone to the subjugation battle, Aquares’s old king personally commended them.

After lengthy conversation mixed with praise for their contributions, the essence was that the crown prince’s return date was near, so they should rest comfortably until he returned.

After the great battle, Killian asked Charles whether it was possible to use the Warp Gate once more.

“Your request was urgent, Sir, so I had to overextend myself quite a bit as well.”

Charles’s face was pouty as she answered, as though it had truly been difficult.

Under the circumstances, crossing the sea through her magic was impossible.

In the end, Charles also stayed in Aquares with them for the time being.

“Will Cornelia form an alliance with Aquares too?”

“Yes. Princess Levia is favorably disposed toward me.”

“I see.”

“It seems Sir Julian intends to rejoin the contest for the throne because of this achievement.”

“Hmm.”

Julian was striding around the palace proudly due to his accomplishments at the Temple. From the look of it, he seemed to be building close ties with several princes and princesses as well.

“You are truly strange, Sir.”

“What did I do?”

Avoiding an answer, Charles left, saying she had an appointment with the princess. She appeared ready to spend most of her time in the royal palace with her.

Before long, the subjugation force led by Crown Prince Marcelo returned.

They had something new to negotiate with him due to what happened at the Temple, but Killian had already handed every role as prince to Julian, so with the royal family’s permission, he quietly walked along a nearby beach.

The two knights assigned as a formality followed at a suitable distance.

Killian walked endlessly along the quiet seashore.

As fewer people appeared and sea fog thickened, beginning to obstruct his vision.

[Aaaaaah—.]

Somewhere, a woman’s mournful voice rang out.

The first phrase of a song that made waves had not even begun, but its effect was certain.

THUD. THUD.

Just after he sensed the knights following him collapse.

A woman covering her nude body with blue scales walked out of the fog.

“Siren.”

[We see each other more often than I expected.]

“You are the one who came this time.”

Divine power and demonic energy that only she could release were mixed within the fog around them.

At the water’s edge, Telesas escorting her watched this way with only their eyes above the surface.

“It appears you have fully recovered.”

Even while Polymorphed, her presence felt stronger than before.

[Thanks to you.]

Siren looked Killian’s body over.

[I can feel Neptune’s power from you as well.]

“We were tangled together for quite a while.”

[......]

After a moment of silence, Siren spoke.

[Is he dead?]

“Who knows. He said it was not complete annihilation.”

[I see.]

Siren’s expression grew complicated.

Relief that the being who had made her tremble in fear was dead.

Anger that she had not dealt with him personally.

Her face seemed to hold many other emotions as well.

The clearest among them was emptiness.

‘If I leave her this way, she may go around bothering innocent humans again.’

Her presence had risen greatly compared with when they made the covenant before. If she became a little stronger and gained power befitting 9-Star, the covenant she had made with him would become meaningless.

Yet fighting again for a new covenant would be a ridiculous situation.

Therefore.

“What do you think of species?”

[......]

“Neptune said he had no regrets.”

Killian told her of the brief conversation he had shared with the God of the Sea just before the Mind Image World collapsed.

“Is that so.”

Her expression looked as though she both understood something and did not.

He could not know her exact feelings, but at least her face was much lighter than before.

‘My role ends here.’

She had become a being that could no longer be kept in a narrow fish tank, so their future relationship would depend on Crown Prince Marcelo.

At that moment.

[Blegh.]

Siren spat a small bead into her hand.

Then.

[Take it.]

She handed it to Killian as though it were nothing.

“......”

[There is no need to be suspicious. It is like a mana crystal.]

She added that it was condensed energy accumulated within her body over a period of one year.

[It is a worthless residue to me, but it should have research value to you.]

A newborn species formed by the fusion of demonic energy and divine power.

The crystal containing the queen’s power was certainly precious.

‘The Head Apothecary’s eyes will roll back if I give it to him.’

How was it that gods and their creations behaved so alike?

Killian put the crystal into his chest without offering particular thanks.

“What will you do now?”

[I will accumulate merit to become a complete god.]

Splash!

With those words, Siren departed.

Killian silently watched the sea as the fog gradually began to clear.

***

“Where in the world did you go?!!”

The moment he returned to the kingdom, Julian came to find him, his face pale.

He had apparently come looking for Killian because they had things to discuss, then broken into a cold sweat when Killian was nowhere to be found.

Julian repeatedly emphasized how much he had suffered to conduct diplomacy in a foreign country where he could barely communicate.

“Is that not why I gave you the authority? Are the negotiations finished?”

“Of course they are.”

“I suppose that is an obvious answer.”

“Ahem, but.”

“What now?”

“That...... the merit......”

“Ah, that.”

While Killian entered the dungeon and caused a commotion, he had heard that Julian had worked hard at the Temple in his own way.

‘For Julian, did he resolve it well?’

In the end, everything had been resolved well.

“Say that my brother solved it all.”

“Really?!!”

“The Temple’s Warp Gate has become usable, so the Holy Kingdom will wish to express gratitude as well. You can take the negotiating rights too, Brother.”

“As expected, you are the only one who looks out for me, Killian!!”

Cling.

Julian clung to him with tears in his eyes.

“Get off me before I change my mind.”

“......!!”

Swish.

Julian sprang away like a flash.

“Leave.”

“A-All right! Thank you, little brother!!”

Afterward, it took a month of repair work to put the Warp Gate into practical use.

After two days of travel by ship, Charles went to Cornelia first.

“Let us go.”

“All right!”

Killian, holding one sword, and Julian, carrying a bag full of treaty documents, stepped onto the Gate.

It took longer than originally planned.

‘Well, nothing will have happened.’

FWOOSH.

With bright light, divine power that was now familiar enveloped their bodies.