Chapter 223

Chapter 223 - Father and Son Reunion

In ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍the Land of the Ancient Dragon, there were rarely more than two people standing.

Originally, ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍there was one, and at most two, but today there were three. One human and two dragons.

“I ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍am Fire Dragon Kairos. It is an honor to meet the Ancient Dragon.”

The ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Fire Dragon and the Yellow Dragon faced each other from a distance that was neither close nor far.

One ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍introduced himself, while the other narrowed his eyes and began assessing him.

“…For ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍a Fire Dragon, you are quite polite. What did you say you came here for?”

“For training. I want to become stronger, and with that strength, I want to be of help to my master.”

“Wanting to become stronger is very much like a Fire Dragon, but the reason is extremely strange.”

“Is it because of the existence called a master?”

“So you do know.”

Before continuing, the Yellow Dragon introduced himself first.

“First, I am Gold Dragon Alicious. In accordance with the oath of sworn allies I made with the first emperor in the distant past, I protect the Imperial Family.”

Both the Fire Dragon and the Yellow Dragon had formed deep relationships with a single human, but there was a difference.

“The first emperor was the only human with whom I ever desired a horizontal relationship. With all others, it was vertical. Yours is vertical too, but…”

“The direction of above and below has changed.”

At the Fire Dragon’s calm answer, the Yellow Dragon’s brows bent.

“Why do you serve a human as your master?”

“Is there absolutely no precedent for it?”

“Yes. As far as I know, there is none at all.”

“Even if he saved my life?”

“Then you would repay him separately with compensation equal to the value of your life. You would not suddenly serve him as your master.”

Kairos slowly shook his head.

“I came because I want to become stronger. I did not come to hear a sermon from the Ancient Dragon, and I do not have time for that either. If you will not help me, I will try it alone.”

Just as the Fire Dragon bowed and was about to turn around, the Yellow Dragon laughed heartily.

“To think I would hear the words ‘I do not have time’ from one of my kin. I am seeing several rare sights today. Is that not so, Miliard?”

“Let dragons resolve matters between dragons. I do not want to become a shrimp caught between whales.”

The emperor was here merely as an intermediary. The emperor himself did not want to play any greater role than that.

“Stop there, Kairos.”

“Will you teach me?”

“Seeing how impatient you are, you are definitely one of those red-haired lizards.”

Alicious stroked his chin, covered in a short beard, then continued.

“I have a condition in exchange for teaching you. Tell me why a Fire Dragon like you came to serve a master.”

“Rather than a reason, it is closer to a story.”

“Even better. When you have lived to my age, your ears are always drawn to new stories.”

“What should I begin with?”

Alicious gestured with his chin toward the far side of the Land of the Ancient Dragon.

“Follow me for now. It seems the emperor must receive guests at the moment.”

With those words as his last, the Yellow Dragon transformed into a golden hummingbird and flew off like a bullet.

The Fire Dragon also Polymorphed into a hummingbird, a red hummingbird. However, since the answer sheet was right before his eyes, he also realized the difference himself.

It is so slow that I can hardly bear to watch.

He had taken less than a single breath to Polymorph, choose a direction, and fly. But the red hummingbird had only just finished preparing to fly.

I have a long way to go.

The red hummingbird flew after the golden hummingbird.

In the end, the emperor, left alone in place, mulled over the words the Yellow Dragon had left behind before flying away.

“…Guests?”

His head naturally turned toward the entrance of the land.

Then he saw two people walking from the far side. They were siblings whose heights differed by a head.

“Older Brother. Go and greet him.”

The younger sister among the siblings sent her older brother ahead first and slowed her own steps a little.

Thus, encouraged by that push from behind, the older brother walked as quickly as he could. Though his body had withered from illness, he did not hesitate to run.

In that way, he arrived before his father.

His father’s face, where wrinkles had increased each time he fell asleep and awakened. Yet his golden eyes alone were still vividly alive.

Those golden eyes held an astonishment that would never again be seen in his lifetime.

“…E-Exil…”

“Father. I apologize for greeting you again after such a long time. Also, I apologize for disturbing affairs of state with unnecessary concern—”

“Unnecessary concern?”

The father cut off his eldest son’s words. He could not possibly listen to them as they were.

“Unnecessary concern, you say. How can that make any sense? How could worrying about my one and only son be unnecessary concern?”

“…I am sorry.”

The Crown Prince tried to kneel on one knee according to the etiquette of the Imperial Family. But this time as well, the emperor did not merely watch.

“Stop.”

He strode forward and caught the Crown Prince’s body as it lowered. The body he held was terribly thin.

It was thin enough that he felt sorry for holding it, and the bones he could feel in that way showed what suffering the Crown Prince had endured.

“You are not the one who should apologize.”

“…Father. Please do not do only that.”

“No. I will do it. I have always been selfish toward you, and so I will be selfish this time too.”

The Crown Prince, raised by the emperor, faced his father from less than a single step away.

The aged father put into words something it seemed he would never say for the rest of his life, until the day his life ended.

“I am sorry, my son.”

“…….”

“I could plainly see that you were suffering, yet I demanded iron blood from you. I forcibly poured ice water over your warm nature.”

“…It was necessary. It was only that I failed.”

“No. That was not a failure. If it must be called a failure, then it was a failure that had to happen.”

A failure that had to happen. He had heard those words before. Not in the distant past, but moments ago, when the Youngest Son began the treatment.

Furthermore, the emperor recited the answer the Youngest Son had given.

“Do you know this? The greatest emperor is an emperor who does not waver.”

“An emperor… who does not waver.”

The Crown Prince also repeated that answer. The emperor nodded.

“You and your unconscious did not change yourselves, no matter how much I, your father and the emperor of the Empire, pushed and shook you.”

The father’s wrinkled hand roughly stroked his son’s long-grown hair.

“Do you understand? The future you has the makings of the greatest emperor.”

“…Is that not simply sophistry? How could I, who cannot even say a harsh word to another, be the greatest emperor?”

“Your younger sister will say the bitter words, not you. Your sister took all of that talent.”

When he turned slightly to look back, his younger sister, who had approached at some point, was standing with her arms crossed. She was the pinnacle of talent when it came to driving others into a corner and freezing them.

The emperor smiled.

“The emperor must be lonelier and more solitary than anyone else. I had forgotten that for a moment.”

“I still do not quite understand what you mean.”

“That is all right. One day, you will naturally realize it.”

“When will I be able to realize it?”

At that question, the emperor sank into thought for a moment. Even so, he slowly shook his head.

“I do not know. It may be as soon as tomorrow, or you may never realize it for the rest of your life.”

“Even if I become emperor?”

“Even then. It is something no one can know.”

The emperor touched the Crown Prince’s shoulder.

“For now, let us begin with a meal. What do you most want to eat?”

“I do want to eat, but the person I want to eat with comes to mind first.”

“…Yes. It is the same for me.”

“It seems we are thinking of the same person.”

“Yes. It seems so.”

The Princess, who had also ended up thinking of that same person, sighed softly beside them.

She had faced him as though it were truly the last time and parted from him as well.

If this was how things turned out, did that not mean she had to see him again?

Whether he knew his daughter’s feelings or not, the emperor lightly clapped his hands.

“Today, let us hold a family banquet for the first time in a very long while. And let us invite the Fifth Son of Millesdusk as a guest to that place.”

“I agree.”

“…I do too.”

The Princess’s answer was slightly late, but the banquet was decided with everyone’s agreement.

***

The neutral zone close to Millesdusk.

They had heard bad news from the Communications Unit. It was the news that the Delegation plan had completely failed.

“…Our responsibility has become even heavier.”

The leader of the thirty-member Teleportation Mage Corps who had been dispatched swallowed a groan.

The tension and burden had grown even greater, but seeing the result that was nearing completion still gave him some peace of mind.

“Vice-captain. How is the progress?”

“It is proceeding smoothly. Now that we have established a defensive line, we can eliminate the monsters we encounter every day without much difficulty. At this pace, it will be complete in four days.”

“There is not much time left, so push the speed even harder. The family has placed very high expectations on us. You understand what that means, do you not?”

“Of course.”

Wisdom placed almost no expectations on those who were not bloodline members. Unless the situation was special.

However, this was a special situation, and all expectations were placed on this site.

“In troubled times like these, heroes from history are born. Such heroes can truly emerge from anywhere.”

“I have long believed that person would be you, Captain.”

“Enough. Go over there and manage the work. Numbers 14 and 18 have been noticeably slow for a while now.”

“Yes, yes.”

He waved away the Vice-captain, who was rubbing his hands together, but the corners of his mouth rose on their own.

“A hero…”

Was it not a truly pleasant sound, one well suited to being called here at the forefront of the East-West War?

“Hero Kelsey. Yes. In four days, I will be Hero Kelsey. I will return as a hero. It truly is not far off.”

“Hero.”

“Haha. Why call me Hero already?”

“What are you doing right now on someone else’s land?”

Goosebumps rose over the body that had answered naturally.

He hurriedly turned around, but there was no person there. One might say it was enough to make a ghost wail, but this was eastern land where real ghosts were said to appear.

Even if it was a neutral zone and not the complete East, it was a place infinitely close to the East.

If one went just a few hundred meters from here, the remnants of past demon worshipers still remained as they had been.

Perhaps because of that, the Teleportation Mage Corps had nightmares every night.

Of course, that was because the Clone Son had released the Dream Ghosts he had received from the daughters, but setting that aside.

“Anyone can become a hero, but not just anyone can be one. Did you know that?”

“…Are you the Fifth Son?”

“Proxy. I am the Fifth Son’s proxy.”

The Clone Son appeared calmly before the Teleportation Mage Corps.

Since this was a place to which he had sent undead every day anyway, even though they had cast a double barrier, he could enter as if it were his own house.

This time, he had entered personally rather than sending undead, and after what felt like quite a while, he encountered the Mage Corps.

“Your faces have worn down quite a lot. It is not easy to suffer after coming to a foreign land.”

“You, how are you here?”

The captain backed away with an expression of disbelief. Around this time, the other teleportation mages also realized the presence of the uninvited guest.

“Wh-What is this… The Fifth Son…?”

“Th-The Fifth Son is in the Empire right now as part of the Delegation. How can someone like that be here…!”

While the other mages trembled in fear, the captain quickly spread detection around him. But there were no other undead. There were no other sorcerers either.

There was only the Youngest Son here.

“I do not know what you are, but you are not the Fifth Son himself.”

“I am not the main body, but I am still him.”

The riddle-like words tormented the Wisdom mage’s head, but the fact that this was someone they had to kill did not change.

“Mage Corps! Deploy the combined magic circle!”

.

.

.

Cough…

Someone’s final breath escaped with the fresh blood caught in his throat, and his life ended.

Was it the twenty-fifth mage or the twenty-eighth mage? I did not remember exactly, but in any case, he was a mage.

“You damned fool…”

Furthermore, the final mage cursed in a completely hoarse voice.

It was Kelsey, who had been going on about being a hero moments earlier. I approached him to finish it. Even until then, his bloodstained mouth did not stop.

“If you were going to come like this, why did you not come four days later? To magic-blind eyes, did this look like a completed magic circle?”

“You had already done all the difficult parts.”

“Puhaha… Are you saying you, your sorcerers, will complete the rest?”

“No. You will do that too.”

To be precise, you will do it after becoming undead.

CLATTER—