The traces left by Nadja, who had ruled the Empire with an iron fist for over forty years, were countless.
Nadja’s feat of defeating Lust was etched into the Empire’s history and would be remembered for generations to come, but simply defeating her didn’t automatically solve all the problems.
In fact, the real trouble was only beginning now.
The biggest problem was that nearly all the high-ranking nobles and officials who had worked in the Imperial Palace and executed state affairs were practically wiped out.
Prince Klavis, who had only been in the early stages of Demonization, was completely cured the moment Lust died, but those who had fully transformed into demons were beyond saving.
Even after defeating Lust, the prince and his party had to scour the entire palace grounds for a full day to eliminate the remaining demons.
Only after eradicating all physical threats inside the palace could they finally reach the starting point.
It was as if they had just completed the initial cleanup in a field—there was still an overwhelming amount of work ahead, and the manpower available was tragically insufficient.
Soares sent her subordinate spies to urgently gather rebel forces from various regions, but it was uncertain when they would arrive.
Meanwhile, the prince had to handle all state affairs alone.
It was impossible.
The government was practically paralyzed. Â
Despite all this, Zion and Yuria could relax as if detached from it all.
This demon extermination would have been unthinkable without Zion and his group.
They weren’t even citizens of the Empire, nor would they gain anything if the Empire returned to normal.
They saved the Empire purely out of goodwill.
Naturally, the prince treated them with the utmost respect.
He provided each of them with one of the most luxurious bedrooms in the palace, separately.
After all, there were more rooms than needed at the moment.
“Uuuuuuh.”
And so, unexpectedly indulging in luxury, the two shut themselves away in their respective rooms, distrusting everything in the world.
“I wonder if the world will end tomorrow…”
[Pu ha ha ha ha ha ha!]
Frey burst out laughing.
“Uncle just sits there laughing while watching… You’re the worst! You knew exactly how I’d react if that happened, and you should have stopped it!”
[You wouldn’t listen to me anyway in that state.]
“Damn! Now that you mention it, that’s true!”
Zion, who had buried himself under the blanket up to his head, didn’t know what to do and flailed around before finally kicking the innocent blanket with perfect execution.
[F-Frey, pff, aren’t you bullying him too much, huh?]
[Decide whether you want to laugh or comfort him.]
[Ahahaha! I’ll just laugh! How can I help it?]
Even Arcs, whom he had trusted, rolled on the bed laughing.
Zion wanted nothing more than to disappear from the world like a water flea.
[Alright. Then since we’ve sufficiently tormented him… it’s about time to do that thing.]
[Huh? That thing?]
Frey crossed his arms and pronounced solemnly, [From now on, the first ‘Zion’s Greatest Quotes Contest’ begins.]
“Don’t do that kind of thing!”
It was two whole days later when Zion finally pulled himself together and left his room.
“Ah, Zion. Good morning!”
It was the fourth day since arriving at the palace, early morning.
Just as Zion struggled to free himself from the blankets and stepped outside, a bright voice called from the room opposite him.
It was Yuria, staying in the room directly across the hall.
“Good morning, Yuria. You look surprisingly fine… uh, never mind.”
Zion, taken by her usual demeanor, carelessly spoke before quickly swallowing the rest of his words.
It was hard to notice at a glance, but Yuria’s earlobes were as red as if they had caught fire.
Despite sharing the same embarrassing past, she was making an effort to appear composed out of consideration for Zion.
“Ah, hahaha. Oh, it’s a bit hot today, isn’t it?”
“Y-Yeah! Maybe because it’s summer, it’s been warm since morning! Haha, ha…”
The conversation didn’t continue smoothly.
Both awkwardly watched each other’s expressions, silently making a firm resolution in their hearts almost simultaneously.
‘Let’s pretend none of that ever happened and never bring it up again.’
‘That night never happened. For both our sakes, let’s bury it deep in our hearts forever.’
It was a moment that deepened the bond between the two.
“I-I’m going out to get some fresh air for a bit!”
Finally unable to endure the embarrassment, Yuria fled first.
Zion stared blankly at her rapidly retreating back, deeply moved.
As long as Yuria was by his side, he felt he could overcome any dark past.
“Zion, are you feeling better?”  Soares was next to arrive. Â
Wearing a high-quality maid uniform befitting her service to the Imperial Family, her steps were precise and flawless.
Zion smiled awkwardly and nodded in greeting.
The last four days, Zion and Yuria had been known to have collapsed from the exhaustion of fierce battles.
He couldn’t admit that they had holed themselves up in their rooms to calm down because of embarrassing memories.
“Is Yuria inside?”
“She seems much better too. She went out for a walk a little while ago to get some fresh air.”
“I’m glad to hear you’re both recovering without any major problems.”
Soares sighed with relief and smiled softly.
Her expression was pure and unpretentious.
Zion looked at her, somewhat surprised.
Perhaps Soares was a purer and more honest person than he had realized.
The harsh past had only forced her to adopt a cold, guarded attitude.
“The prince requests your presence.”
“Is there something we can help with?”
At the natural question, Soares paused briefly but then gently shook her head.
The prince would never ask for their help for trivial matters.
To him, they were guests of honor and heroes.
“He said he wants to have breakfast together for the first time in a while.”
They were comrades who had fought back to back, even if only briefly.
***
“Kyaaa! Drinking distilled liquor first thing in the morning tastes exceptional as always.”
Breakfast with the prince was far from what Zion and Yuria had imagined.
Documents piled higher than a person covered not just the desk but the floor around it.
In the middle, a small table and two chairs had been barely squeezed in.
On the table were a bottle of distilled liquor, two warmed cups of horse milk, a simple grilled dish combining vegetables and meat, and a large meat pie.
Better than what they had eaten on Rock Island or during their travels through the Empire, but by no means a proper meal from the Imperial Palace.
“Again with the distilled liquor? Why don’t you drink something better?”
Of course, Zion and Yuria didn’t care about such trivial matters.
“Hmph. What’s good or bad about alcohol? It just has to taste good to me. Distilled liquor suits me best.”
The prince finished more than half the bottle at once and slammed it down.
His pristine uniform, the hat adorned with iridescent feathers—it was the image of Prince Klavis from Zion’s old memories.
Though unfamiliar after everything, the attire suited him surprisingly well.
“The next destination is the Jewel Tower, right?”
They both nodded.
The Jewel Tower was a nation of mages located north of the Empire.
Further north, covering about a tenth of the continent, was the World Tree Forest.
Currently, these two places were their final destinations.
“It’s not easy for an ordinary person without any connections to enter the Jewel Tower.”
“I know. Magic there is a secret art to be monopolized.”
The Jewel Tower was an alien country even when viewed from the continent as a whole.
Strictly speaking, it was even debatable whether it should be called a country.
The true Jewel Tower was a single towering spire.
The surrounding villages had naturally formed as people gathered around it.
The mages who owned the tower controlled and managed these villages to some extent, but it was more a buffer to prevent interference with their research than outright rule.
Entering nearby villages required no special permission.
But the center—the real tower—was a different matter.
Only recognized mages or those with special authorization could set foot inside.
“Well… I guess we’ll have to figure things out once we arrive. Smuggling in is kind of my specialty anyway.”
“What the hell have you been up to?” Zion chuckled at the ridiculous joke. Â
The prince stood and carefully sifted through the mountain of documents on the desk, extracting several pages before returning to hand them over.
“This is a letter of introduction. I wrote it myself and sealed it with the royal seal.”
“Huh?”
“No matter how stubborn those old tower hermits are, they won’t ignore a letter from the prince… or rather, now the emperor of the Empire. Even during Nadja’s reign, the Jewel Tower maintained steady relations with us.” Â
“You mean…”
Zion took the letter from the prince, stunned.
His first thought was to refuse such a grand favor.
But the next moment, he realized he couldn’t.
Judging from the prince’s eyes, there was no way he would back down simply by refusal.
“I will accept it gratefully.” Zion nodded obediently. Â
The prince grinned, “Yeah. Although the palace is a mess right now, I plan to organize the personnel as soon as possible and hold the coronation. It’ll be tough with people and resources stretched thin, but the biggest problem is not having a proper leader in such a situation.” Â
All other imperial family members had lost their lives.
Meanwhile, the regional nobles had managed to maintain some power.
Nadja hadn’t cared much about the distant provinces.
If no one took the reins quickly, the nobles—freed from brainwashing and able to view the Empire’s true state objectively—could cause untold trouble.
“There’s a mountain of other problems to solve… but those don’t concern you.  When do you plan to depart?” Â
“I intend to leave as soon as preparations are complete. Maybe as early as tomorrow.”
They could leave immediately if needed.
There wasn’t much luggage to speak of.
Still, they wanted at least a day to accept their parting and exchange promises to meet again.
“I see. Then… Soares.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
The door opened, and Soares entered naturally as if waiting.
Zion and Yuria looked puzzled at her sudden appearance.
“If you’re both okay with it, I’d like Soares to accompany you. What do you think?”
“Huh?”  Zion’s eyes widened in surprise. Â
It was too sudden.
Of course, gaining a comrade was welcome.
But…
“Is the prince okay with that?”
“I’m okay. I’ve already discussed it with Soares. Of course, if you dislike it, it’s your choice. By the way, this was Soares’s idea first.” Â
That was unexpected.
Looking at him, she glared resentfully at the prince. Â
“Your Highness, didn’t you decide to stop unnecessary words?”
“Why is this unnecessary?”
Watching their bickering, Zion opened his mouth to refuse.
Their relationship—the bond forged through countless life-or-death situations—wasn’t something an outsider could simply cut off at will.
“Zion, Yuria.”  At that moment, Soares spoke. Â
“I wish to offer whatever little assistance I can to your journey. Is that unacceptable?”
The timing was so perfect it seemed as if she had read Zion’s mind.
The refusal that had almost escaped Zion’s lips stopped.
The prince was grinning at the sight of the two.
“It’s not… unacceptable.”
In the end, Zion never uttered a refusal.
***
The next day, in front of the main gate of the Imperial Palace, a carriage was preparing to depart.
“Well done, Soares.” The prince, who had come out to see them off, quietly spoke to Soares as she made final preparations with Zion and the others. Â
She paused briefly but smiled without turning her head.
“I shared the same feelings as Your Highness.”
“Is that so? Take good care of Zion.”
If he could, the prince would have joined Zion’s journey himself.
It was a complicated feeling not easily put into words.
But the prince understood his role well.
To serve the Empire faithfully until death from the lowest position possible.
“Your Highness, thank you for providing the carriage…”
“It’s nothing. It was just a cheap carriage lying around the palace.”
The prince spoke casually, but Zion’s response was a bright smile.
Seeing that innocent expression, the prince finally smiled too.
He hoped this pure boy filled with goodwill, who had fought without hesitation to save a country that wasn’t even his own, would have a comfortable journey.
He prayed that Zion would reach his goal without injury.
In truth, he wanted to give more.
But knowing Zion’s personality, he was sure it would be refused.
So he carefully selected a sturdy carriage and travel supplies and funds enough for about a year.
“Don’t get hurt, and don’t recklessly jump into things just because you’re strong. Make sure to eat properly. I don’t know if you’re an Awakened or what, but a healthy mind comes from a healthy body, and a healthy body comes from proper meals. And…” Â
Listening to the prince, Zion felt as if he were hearing his father’s scolding.
His father, the Aleph Count, had been too busy to say a word when Zion left the House of Aleph.
Had the count not been busy that day, and had they been able to say a proper goodbye, he was sure the count would have said something similar.
Thinking of that brought an involuntary smile.
“And when the day comes that you achieve all your goals and finish your long journey, come visit the Empire freely. I will always welcome you warmly.” Â
Zion silently but firmly nodded.
When he glanced back, the carriage was fully prepared.
Soares sat on the driver’s seat, and Yuria watched the conversation between Zion and the prince with a strangely moved expression.
“I will go now, Your Highness. I look forward to the day I can call you Emperor.” Â
Zion boarded the carriage.
Soares glanced once at him and the prince and nodded lightly.
There was no need to waste any more time.
They had completed all farewells.
Their next conversation would be on the day they met again.
The prince took off his hat, pressed it to his chest, and saluted with all due respect.
From the perspective of a prince—and soon to be emperor—it was an action he should never have done.
So this would be the last time he acted like this.
The carriage moved northward, gradually fading away.
***
A dusty, old stone chamber.
In darkness where no light penetrated, Envy gazed slyly at the faint, fragile power he had barely grasped.
“I’ve finally found it.”