Choi Kangjoong packed his bags.
His luggage consisted of only three pieces of underwear and two sets of street clothes. Everything he needed for daily life was already provided at the hotel, and Arthil had promised to deliver the clothes he would wear for the Coronation Ceremony.
“There’s still time before the attack, right?”
*Kiee!*
Kai, who was hidden aboard Archduke Ventresca’s flagship, replied that it would take at least one month just to get there.
‘They won’t suddenly open a Gate and arrive, right?’
Kangjoong picked up the bag containing his clothes and stepped through the Gate. Choi Jooyoung, Yoo Haein, and Choi Yunseo were waiting for him. All three were dressed perfectly like tourists. Their faces were full of anticipation.
“I’m opening it.”
Kangjoong opened the Gate, and the three of them crossed over.
“This room is really nice.”
“Where are we?”
“Whoa. How many meters tall is this ceiling?”
The three of them marveled incessantly as they entered a room in Raelena’s finest hotel, a room where no one but a Noble could even stay.
“Greetings. Welcome to the finest hotel in Raelena. I am Lagren, the butler who will be serving the Outer and his family for the next seven days.”
A dignified, middle-aged Elf bowed politely.
“Oh, hello.”
“You’re the butler?”
Choi Jooyoung and Yoo Haein greeted him awkwardly. In contrast, Choi Yunseo, an A-Rank Hunter, accepted the greeting with ease.
“Please, feel free to call me butler. And there are others I would like to introduce.”
A female Elf wearing a dress and a male Elf clad in armor walked in from the entrance.
“This is Lady Diondre, Princess Iselin’s lady-in-waiting. She will assist you with matters regarding the Coronation Ceremony. And this is Sir Iwalot, the Princess’s knight. He will be responsible for your security.”
Diondre and Iwalot bowed politely. They were familiar faces to Kangjoong, who had frequented Iselin’s residence.
“Please, give your luggage to me. I will have it organized while you enjoy your sightseeing.”
“I can do it myself…”
“It is a basic service of this room, so please do not feel burdened.”
“This is a basic service? How much is the lodging fee here for one day?”
“It is approximately 100 million won per day.”
Yoo Haein could not close her mouth.
“Mom, why are you surprised by something like that? Think of how much money my brother and I earn!”
Choi Yunseo smiled brightly as she handed over her parents’ suitcases along with her own. The staff opened the suitcases and began organizing the belongings.
“Mom, let’s head out. We’re in Marsala; we can’t waste even one second.”
Yunseo tugged on Yoo Haein’s hand. Lagren informed them that a vehicle was ready and guided the family. Diondre and Iwalot followed as well, but Choi Jooyoung and Yoo Haein wanted to have a family trip, so the attendants decided to stay at the hotel.
Since Kangjoong and Yunseo were with them, security was not an issue. They would be traveling through Gates, so no one would even be able to attempt an assassination.
Kangjoong and his family traveled around Marsala until nightfall. Thanks to the Gates, they were able to visit Deraellan and then go to tourist spots on the opposite side of the world. Upon returning to the hotel, they fell into a deep sleep as if they had collapsed.
The next day, they enjoyed a relaxing time at the hotel and its surroundings. It was in preparation for the upcoming Coronation Ceremony. The hotel was located in a tourist district, and there were many things to see and eat within the hotel itself.
—
At dawn on the day the Coronation Ceremony was to begin, Diondre woke Kangjoong and his family and called in Elves to groom them. Yunseo sat faithfully through the makeup process without even dozing off. Since this wouldn’t just be for her own lifetime, but would remain in Marsala’s historical records for hundreds or perhaps thousands of years, her hair and makeup had to be more than perfect.
Wearing the clothes Diondre had brought, they went to Derael Castle. In the Grand Hall where the Coronation Ceremony was held, chairs were set up facing each other on the left and right. At the furthest end was the throne where High Elves of the past had managed the affairs of their house.
Kangjoong and his family’s seats were the closest to the throne. All they had to do was sit there quietly. He quietly exchanged greetings with Dielka, who had arrived earlier.
Soon, the hall was filled. There were High Elves Kangjoong had seen before, heads of Earth’s states, leaders of giant Guilds, Serad from M2721, Master Metra, and many others who would normally be impossible to gather in one place. Such a gathering happened perhaps once every 100 years.
Not long after, Iselin, who had departed from her residence by carriage, arrived. The Grand Hall of Derael Castle brightened significantly at the appearance of the woman known as the most beautiful in Marsala. Her long train, stretching out behind her like a robe or mantle from Earth, fluttered.
Dressed like the Elf kings of Marsala’s past and wearing a solemn expression, Iselin already looked more like a Queen than a Princess. Iselin walked to the front of the throne, recited the oath, took up the scepter herself, and placed the crown on her head. Since there were no other High Elves in Derael, it was Marsala’s custom for her to perform it alone.
The corners of Iselin’s eyes turned slightly red. Had it not been for Natasha, her mother or grandmother would have been sitting on that throne. Now that she had recovered the Spirit Tree and become a High Elf to ascend the throne herself, it felt as though she had completely relieved the two of their worries and anxieties.
She felt grateful once again to Kangjoong, who had stopped the Devil of Devouring and protected the Spirit Tree. The smiling faces of her mother and grandmother passed through her mind.
‘Now rest in peace. Goodbye…’
When Iselin turned around and sat on the throne, there was no trace of sadness. She tilted her head up and looked down regally at the Elves, Humans, and Metra.
Even though the Coronation Ceremony had been simplified compared to the past, it proceeded for another four hours. After the ceremony ended, they had a meal and returned to the hotel. They spent time with the family until night, and the next morning, they moved to Deraellan.
Because a concert and a fleet review were scheduled, the streets of Deraellan were already filled with Elves, Humans, and Metra. Arthil appeared before Kangjoong as he was walking the streets with his family and eating street food. Her complexion was poor. It was an expression Kangjoong had never seen before.
“Yunseo, stay with our parents.”
“Okay.”
Yunseo didn’t ask further and walked away with their parents.
“What’s going on?”
“I am sorry. The EEE terrorists have escaped from prison.”
“Multiple people, not just one?”
“Yes. The prison was attacked, and many other criminals escaped with them…”
“We just have to catch them again.”
“However, it seems that a Demon was involved in this incident. Chaos Magic was used in the EEE’s attack on the prison.”
“Those things are causing trouble again. I should just wipe out the Chaos Legion or something.”
“I apologize. We tried to pull them out by the roots after the cruise incident, but we couldn’t take care of all of them.”
“Well, they don’t exactly stand out like Demons do.”
Kangjoong summoned a Central Stealth Scout. Going out into the Dimensional Sea, he left ten Sky-eye Giants with Kuongi and stationed all the remaining 190 in the sky above Deraellan.
“I see things carrying Demonic Energy. I’ll mark their locations.”
“Thank you.”
Whenever Kangjoong pointed out where a Demon was, Arthil sent a radio transmission, and Elven knights flew out to capture or kill them.
“We’re going according to plan, right?”
“Yes. The Princess—no, the Queen—will be pleased.”
“Good.”
—
Aife lay in a solitary prison cell that had no windows and contained only a toilet and a sink. Since he had been captured and locked up here, there was nothing he could do. He could only hope that the plan went well.
‘Eleanor wouldn’t have blabbed everything.’
Having not uttered a single word despite all kinds of conciliation and threats, Aife’s only concern was Eleanor’s mouth. One word from him could mean the failure of the operation and the execution of his EEE comrades. As the son of a High Elf, he would surely slip away easily.
*K-Boom!*
An explosion blew his thoughts away. Aife pressed his ear to the wall and checked the situation outside. The walls were thick, so he couldn’t hear voices, but the vibrations from the explosions didn’t stop.
“Could it be?”
The vibrations grew louder before suddenly vanishing. An Elf wearing a mask opened the door to Aife’s cell with a cluster of keys.
*Creak.*
“Aife.”
“Denzil? How are you here…?”
“How do you think? I broke everything on the way in. Come out.”
Denzil threw the keys to a subordinate. The subordinate went around opening the locked doors with them.
“To think you’d move personally. The Spirit Tree would be surprised.”
“I can’t just stay in the back either. And you’ve suffered the most; shouldn’t you see it with your own eyes?”
Denzil smiled meaningfully as he handed Aife his sword. The two Elves left the prison and headed toward the trading port. When they ascended to the top floor of a building occupied by the EEE, the plaza crowded with people and the city streets were clearly visible. Elves, Humans, and Metra were mixed together in the plaza like a single entity.
“Let’s start before the atmosphere peaks.”
Denzil held out a switch.
“Thank you.”
Aife gripped the switch tightly. Pressing this would kill and injure many Elves, but that was their punishment. A penalty imposed on those who, in their ignorance, forgot they were Elves and mingled with other races. If they did not know, it was a sin worthy of death.
*Click.*
Aife pressed the switch with a face full of conviction. He looked down in anticipation, but nothing happened.
‘Is it broken?’
*Click, click, click.*
Even after shaking the switch and pressing it again, the excitement in the plaza remained the same.
“It’s not broken. It worked perfectly.”
“But no explosion happened.”
“What you installed wasn’t a bomb.”
“Then what was it?”
“It was a tool to open a Gate. It will swallow those gathered there to create something very large and powerful.”
“A Gate…? Connected to where?”
“The Demon Realm.”
“What?”
A rift appeared in the sky above the plaza. The gap in space widened rapidly, reflecting the other side. A crowd of murderous Demons of Ruin stood there.
“Denzil! What is the meaning of this?”
“It’s what you wanted. Punishment for the ignorant.”
“I don’t want Demons to kill Elves!”
“How is that any different from you killing them with a bomb?”
“I’m a revolutionary! I’m enlightening them as an Elf! But this isn’t that! Demons just enjoy the slaughter!”
“You’re the same.”
Aife drew his sword. The sharp tip of his blade stopped at the end of Denzil’s sword.
“Do you know what your face looked like right before you pressed the switch?”
“How would I know that!”
“You were grinning ear to ear. Conviction, my foot. You just like detonating bombs and killing people.”
“Shut up.”
“Don’t hide it. How about becoming a Demon and being faithful to your desires?”
The tip of Aife’s sword trembled.
“Aaaaaah!”
Aife thrust his sword forward with a scream-like roar.
*Thump!*
The one who fell was Aife. He was hit in the abdomen by Chaos Magic cast by Denzil’s right arm, which had been resting at his waist.
“You… since when…”
“Since before I even knew you.”
“Damn… Demon…”
Denzil left. Aife tried to get up but collapsed back into a pool of blood. There was a hole through his stomach; there was no hope of survival.
*Step, step.*
Arthil, who had come looking for Aife, looked down at him. Her gaze was as cold as ice.
“A fool is dying after being tricked by a Demon.”
Aife couldn’t open his mouth at Arthil’s sarcasm.
“Elves are superior, but you are not. You’re just a moron who can’t distinguish between conviction and desire.”
the light faded from Aife’s eyes.
*Squelch.*
Hoping that he would suffer as much as possible, Arthil swung her sword imbued with a Fire Spirit. After confirming his end, she looked out the window. The Gate had opened according to the EEE’s plan. And this was also Iselin’s plan and the festival she desired.
Kangjoong, who had taken out his Chitin Gauntlet, flew up and positioned himself in front of the Gate. Iselin, sitting on her throne in Derael Castle, smiled as she watched the scene on a large screen.
“Death and terror to the Demons.”