Chapter 508 - 511: And You, You Are the True Hero

The hazy sunlight passed through the mountains and forests, spilling beneath the clear sky and gently illuminating the land of the royal capital.

Wrapped in silver snow dust, the world gradually donned golden robes under the early sunlight, occasionally flashing with dazzling radiance.

As the first rays of sunlight appeared, their glow climbed over the newly dug streets of the royal capital and the silver-white wooden rooftops.

Although most of the buildings and streets were crude, they could already be considered to have taken shape.

Snow was piled up on both sides of the newly dug dirt trenches, revealing hard roads formed from compacted sand and soil.

The road stretched into the distance toward the gates of the royal capital.

There, teams made up of knights and mages were busy transporting building materials and daily necessities.

The large carriages swayed as the convoy moved, slowly making their way along the dirt streets toward the depths of the royal capital.

Although the sun had only just appeared over the mountaintops, the hardworking residents and craftsmen had already begun their day's work.

The sounds of hammering wood and stone, as well as the noises of lighting fires and chopping wood, echoed through the air, forming a symphony of diligence.

Those who needed to build houses built houses, and those who needed to prepare breakfast for everyone prepared breakfast.

Amid all this activity, even the passing convoy did not remain idle.

Many knights constantly unloaded various daily necessities and building materials for the residents on both sides.

The residents came and went amid calls and shouts, helping one another build their neighbors' houses.

If one family's wooden boards weren't enough, all they had to do was call out, and several families would come over to deliver some.

What if a child needed looking after?

During this critical period, all the children in the city had been gathered in an area where dedicated people took care of them.

Although the royal capital had suffered a devastating battle, the people had not sunk into despair. Instead, they were full of vitality as they moved toward a new beginning.

Across this shattered land, there was a strong sense of life.

Before long, the royal capital would undergo a completely new transformation.

At the same time, on another road near the reconstruction area, the sounds of carriage wheels and horsewhips rose and fell one after another.

A group of luxurious carriages sped along the dirt road, heading straight for the central imperial palace.

Before long, these elaborately decorated carriages stopped one after another in the square before the imperial palace.

The carriage doors opened, and many noble ministers stepped out one after another.

As soon as the nobles met, they exchanged symbolic greetings and made small talk.

After the battle in the royal capital, the factions of the First Prince and Second Prince had both disbanded.

Their ministers, who had once despised each other, were no longer as openly hostile as before.

While exchanging pleasantries, the nobles raised their heads and looked at the imperial palace, which remained intact and radiated a lofty golden light.

Although its brilliance was dazzling and imposing like the sun, it could not drive away the biting cold wind blowing in from the winter outside.

They still endured the piercing cold, occasionally breathing out a wisp of warm air.

The ministers kept rubbing their hands, trying to gain a little warmth.

At the same time, they braved the cold and occasionally breathed out warm air.

Perhaps at this moment, these old fellows who had once disliked one another all had a common hardship.

Who would have thought that even their family estates had been bombed to pieces, yet these ministers still had to toil over state affairs in the cold wind every day.

Being a noble really wasn't much fun.

They couldn't even sleep in.

However, they all knew that the major events of the previous week still left them shaken.

The entire royal capital had suffered destruction several times.

The Rock Giant's outburst of rage, as well as the reckless actions of that defeated god.

And finally...

At this thought, all the ministers fell silent.

Because they all knew that some of Viktor's actions had been forced upon him in order to protect the royal capital.

But now that the royal capital had been destroyed, these noble ministers who held positions of authority would have to keep themselves busy for quite some time.

The royal capital was vast. Every minister had their own areas and duties to oversee, and they also had to report their progress to the emperor every day.

After considering and planning things over, the emperor would continue arranging the following work and assigning tasks to those below.

For them, every day was a heavy workload.

Fortunately, the emperor was not stingy with them.

Although they were busy every day, their pay was even more generous than before.

Otherwise, who would work overtime without overtime pay?

Just then, the palace doors, flowing with golden radiance, were slowly pushed open by two servants.

As soon as the doors opened, all the nobles surged forward, afraid they wouldn't be able to squeeze inside quickly enough.

The reason the nobles were so frantic was that the palace was simply too warm.

Inside and outside the palace were completely different worlds.

The noble ministers hurried toward the warm furnaces on both sides, feeling the warmth envelop their entire bodies, while sounds of comfort echoed through the palace.

But soon, everyone fell silent.

In this quiet palace surrounded by the crackling of the fires, steady and rhythmic footsteps came from the deep passage behind the throne.

At the same time, they were accompanied by light and gentle footsteps.

All the ministers withdrew their hands from the fire and consciously formed two lines.

They held their breath and focused their attention on the figure emerging from the dark passage.

Soon, Emperor Aubrey slowly appeared before all the ministers with Princess Aurelian supporting him.

The ministers looked at Aubrey before them and felt that he seemed even older and more stooped.

Even Aurelian, who was supporting the emperor, had a trace of gloom and disappointment on her face.

They all knew that the princess's current state was related to the "disappearance" of her teacher, Count Viktor.

Viktor's younger sister, Liya Clavenna, had announced news of Viktor's disappearance not long after returning to Braeston.

She had offered a huge reward, promising an enormous prize to anyone who could find Viktor Clavenna.

When they heard the news, many of those present could not help sighing.

They too regretted Viktor's disappearance.

After all, everyone knew how much Viktor had done for this country.

Fighting disasters, fighting gods.

Without Viktor, this country would probably have to rely entirely on Emperor Aubrey.

Many nobles could not help recalling things about Viktor from the past.

They had always disliked Viktor before, thinking that he was cold and arrogant.

They had even wished to pick faults with Viktor from every possible angle.

This had made the already poorly reputed mage's reputation even worse.

But in the end, no one could have expected that Viktor would be the hero who saved the entire empire.

Yet now that things had come to this, no matter how much they regretted it, they could not stop Viktor from disappearing.

A week had passed, and Viktor's life or death was still a mystery.

The ministers stood silently on both sides of the palace, watching as the emperor sat upon the towering throne.

Aubrey coughed twice, and the nobles in the hall immediately straightened their postures.

Aurelian also stood quietly beside the throne, her hands folded in front of her abdomen.

Everything was ready, and the ministers were preparing to begin reporting their work to the emperor.

But today, Aubrey unusually raised his hand and pressed it downward, signaling the ministers to remain silent for the time being.

Several ministers who had been preparing to report returned to their respective positions, and the palace once again fell silent.

Aubrey slowly spoke, "Before long, it will be a new year."

Hearing this, the nobles all looked at one another.

Indeed, the empire's New Year was approaching.

But now, with the royal capital destroyed into this state, there was naturally no way to celebrate it as grandly as before.

In previous years, preparations for the New Year had to begin half a month in advance.

And with the participation of mages, efficiency could be greatly increased.

However, this year, the mages were busy helping the residents rebuild their homes.

Even with that, there still weren't enough mages. Even the magic apprentices from the academies had to go carry bricks.

The young mages from noble families also experienced for the first time what it meant for labor to be glorious.

At the current pace, it would already be considered good if fifty percent of the entire royal capital could be repaired by the New Year.

But the ministers did not interrupt Aubrey.

Immediately afterward, Aubrey's words left everyone present frozen in place.

"I intend to pass the throne to Aurelian on New Year's Day."

Those words were like the cold wind blowing across the northern border, freezing everyone where they stood.

One minister's notebook even fell from his hand. In his shock, he forgot to pick it back up.

'The new emperor taking the throne?'

'This... this is far too sudden.'

Although they had long known that Aurelian's succession to the empire would eventually become a certainty, they had not expected this day to come so soon.

Normally, there were only two possibilities when a new emperor took the throne.

The previous emperor died.

Or the previous emperor became too old and was no longer able to continue ruling the empire.

Either way, it could not be separated from the previous emperor's physical condition.

But now, Aubrey had not passed away, yet he was taking the initiative to abdicate.

That basically meant...

All the nobles' gazes focused on the unusually aged and haggard emperor.

The emperor who had faced gods without the slightest fear and continued to display an invincible bearing.

But... in just these short seven days, Aubrey had aged far too quickly.

The wrinkles covering his face and the heaviness of every breath showed his exhaustion.

First came Viktor's disappearance, and now came the abdication of their great emperor.

The empire had directly lost two pillars.

"There is nothing to be sad about."

Aubrey's aged, deep voice suddenly rang through the palace.

They could not help raising their heads in unison and looking at Aubrey.

They saw Aubrey turn his head and look at Aurelian, who had lowered her head and fallen into sorrow.

The ministers also followed Aubrey's gaze.

Aurelian stood to the side with a gloomy expression, making it impossible to see her face clearly.

Only her folded hands were clenched tightly together.

Then Aubrey's aged voice continued to ring out heavily, "Just as you believe that your teacher will definitely return."

"I have always believed in you as well."

Aubrey's warm gaze was like the gentle sunlight of spring, slowly falling upon Aurelian.

In a daze, Aubrey seemed to see what Aurelian would look like when she grew up.

Wearing the imperial robes, a crown upon her head, and holding a scepter radiating golden light.

Aurelian was no longer the weak little girl she had once been.

She stood at the pinnacle of the empire, her face cold and emotionless as she looked down upon all the people of the empire.

Looking at the future in his daze, Aubrey's gaze softened a little more.

He gently narrowed his eyes, and the corners of his mouth lifted slightly.

'So, even without us...'

"You will surely become that brilliant star that always shines upon the people."