Episode 254
“Our Brueckel County, in accordance with the wishes of His Grace the Duke of Saxony, seeks independence as the Kingdom of Brueckel!”
“Raymond of Tria also desires independence from the Empire, establishing the Kingdom of Tria!”
“Our Valor family too…”
Countless nobles, from renowned lords to minor aristocrats whose names were unknown, began to declare themselves as kings.
What is it about the throne that drives them so?
As soon as Dale mentioned the dissolution of the Empire, declarations of independence poured forth. Yet, Dale’s expression remained indifferent as he watched them.
“Titania of York.”
At that moment, the sorceress of the Blue Tower and self-proclaimed herald of the Shadow Lord spoke. Her voice silenced the clamor in an instant.
“May I have a word with His Grace the Duke of Saxony?”
“Speak.”
Unlike the scrambling nobles, she was a powerful figure from the influential York family.
“Why do you not establish your own empire here, Your Grace?”
Titania asked, and a chilling silence fell over the room. She was right. This man had toppled the Golden Empire with his own hands and had the power to claim the throne of a new era.
“If you wished, no one here would dare oppose you. Are you content to watch as nameless nobles declare themselves kings and plunge the continent into chaos?”
Her blunt words caused many to hold their breath.
“I have no interest in being the sole ruler of a nation or a throne.”
Dale remained silent for a moment, but not for long.
“At the same time, like Mistress Titania, I do not wish for this continent to be engulfed in war again.”
“Then what do you intend to do?”
After a pause, Dale spoke, and Titania questioned further.
“From this moment, declaring oneself a king will hold only one meaning.”
The Shadow Lord spoke.
“To serve from the lowest position.”
Dale replied, his voice colder than ever. Another chilling silence descended.
At the feet of the Duke of Darkness, ancient shadows swirled.
“I have no desire to be the king of kings. But I can certainly become the terror of kings.”
As the strongest on the continent who had brought down the Empire and its golden ruler.
“From now on, being a king will not be a luxurious or honorable position as you imagine. It will be a place for those who are the most honest and dedicated, truly serving the nation and its people.”
“That, that means…”
Confused voices emerged from the nobles, unable to grasp his words.
“Orelia of Britannia.”
In the silence, a woman in a hood stood up, her voice familiar.
“Our newly formed Kingdom of Britannia declares its independence from the Empire, and I vow to serve from the lowest position for the kingdom.”
“Your Majesty!”
A knight by her side gasped in shock, and Dale turned to her.
Once the shadow’s sword by Dale’s side, she had now left her lord to claim her long-desired prize on the island of Britannia.
Defeated by the ‘Black Prince’ of Saxony and losing her homeland, she finally reclaimed it at the very end.
As the queen of the newly formed Kingdom of Britannia.
“Charlotte of Lancaster.”
Following her lead, other rulers rose, pledging to serve from the lowest position.
“Our Lancaster Duchy also declares independence from the Empire, and I announce here that we will uphold the legacy of my father’s homeland, the ‘Teutonia Knights’ Republic.’”
With the two queens leading, others stood proudly to declare their nations.
And the Shadow Lord silently watched their shadows, maintaining his silence.
His task was complete. What would be built upon this continent now was up to those who would construct it anew.
Thus, the Shadow Lord’s role was simply to watch over them from the darkness.
Through the blue web spread across the continent, as the most feared overseer of kings.
Some time later, in the castle of the newly named Lancaster Knights’ Republic.
In the private chamber of Queen Charlotte Lancaster.
The nation Charlotte Lancaster had finally claimed after the fall of the Empire.
Queen Charlotte, officially continuing the legacy of the Teutonia Knights’ Republic, was steadily consolidating the power of the knights.
Alongside her husband, the Duke of Saxony, Dale was there.
And the two of them were no longer a boy and a girl.
“I remember that day.”
Sipping her wine, Charlotte smiled quietly, a mature and graceful smile.
“That day?”
“The first time I saw you at the Saxony estate.”
Charlotte spoke with amusement, and Dale smiled silently.
“Who would have thought this day would come?”
“This is just the beginning.”
Dale replied.
“New nations will rise from the ruins, and a new era will begin, one that won’t repeat the Empire’s mistakes.”
“How different will it be?”
“Who knows.”
Dale’s voice trailed off quietly.
“Things might improve, or they might get worse. Watching over that is my final duty as the Shadow Lord.”
The terror of kings. Though no one doubted the Duke of Darkness’s reputation, the new rulers declaring their nations still didn’t understand its full meaning.
The blue web that was everywhere and nowhere, with eyes that could discern their ‘truth’ day and night.
“Why didn’t you establish your own empire?”
At that moment, Charlotte asked, just as countless others had once questioned the Shadow Lord.
“Because it’s not worth it.”
Dale answered without hesitation.
“I only need enough power to protect what I must.”
“What do you want to protect?”
“The House of Saxony.”
Dale said.
“And Saxony’s Charlotte.”
He reached out, speaking his beloved wife’s name. Charlotte smiled shyly at his words.
“How many do you think we should have?”
After smiling, Charlotte asked. Dale tilted his head, not immediately understanding, but it didn’t take long to grasp her meaning.
“Two.”
Dale replied, uncharacteristically shy.
“Then let’s have a son and a daughter.”
“Can we decide that?”
“How would I know? We just have to try our best.”
Dale asked incredulously, and Charlotte sipped her wine with a bashful smile. Her face was slightly flushed.
“You’re drunk.”
“Yes, I’m drunk.”
Dale said. Charlotte nodded leisurely, sipping her wine again.
After nodding, Charlotte kissed Dale. Her pale, slender shoulders turned red, and her body felt hot from the alcohol.
Dale wrapped his arms around Charlotte’s neck and buried his head.
Four arms entwined, and two bodies became one.
Duchy of Saxony.
“I intend to become the overseer of kings.”
Dale said there, and his father, Alan, blinked in surprise.
“What are you planning?”
“Exactly what I said.”
Dale replied.
“I have a duty to watch and oversee what will emerge from the ruins of the Empire I dismantled.”
With the Empire fallen, new nations would spring up like mushrooms. And those who would declare themselves as the new rulers.
“I have the blue web, and it whispers to me day and night. I will do what I must.”
“Even if it means leaving your own country behind?”
“The House of Saxony has you, Father.”
”…”
“As the Duke of Saxony, I appoint you as my representative.”
At Dale’s words, the Duke of Darkness smiled wryly.
Just as the former Duke of Saxony had once spoken to Dale, Dale now spoke to his father.
“More than anything, this land still needs your wisdom, not mine.”
“You have already fulfilled your duties admirably as the head of the House of Saxony. Is there really a need for this?”
“I hope this continent does not repeat the mistakes of the Third Empire. That is my final mission as the Shadow Lord.”
Dale answered. Alan, too, said no more and smiled quietly.
“I will always respect your wishes.”
“Thank you, Father.”
As Dale left his father’s room, he was greeted by Lise, who had grown into a fine young lady.
Alongside her mentor, the elf mage Sepia.
“Brother, are you going somewhere again?”
“I’m not going anywhere.”
Lise pouted, puffing out her cheeks.
“Both Father and you keep saying you’ll teach me necromancy and then put it off every day.”
“Do you really need to learn necromancy?”
Dale asked reluctantly, and Lise replied with determination.
“As a member of the Jaxen family, it’s unthinkable not to learn the dark arts.”
“But still…”
“You seem to have forgotten what it was like to be a tadpole before becoming a frog.”
Watching Dale’s attempts to change Lize’s mind, Sepia burst into laughter, clearly amused. She recalled Dale’s stubbornness as a child, insisting on learning dark magic.
“Isn’t the situation different now?”
“What’s different? To me, you both look exactly the same.”
Sepia laughed, as if she couldn’t understand his point.
“And Lize has a talent for necromancy.”
Hearing this, Dale swallowed quietly.
“Surely not…”
“In just a few weeks, she managed to resurrect a dead creature.”
“S-Sepia!”
Dale started to speak but then let out a resigned laugh. It seemed bloodlines couldn’t be denied.
Lize, flustered by Sepia’s revelation, raised her voice in protest, then quickly glanced at Dale and lowered her head.
“Well, a promise is a promise.”
Seeing this, Dale silently patted Lize’s head.
“You’ll need to be resolute.”
“Yes, brother!”
Following in their father’s footsteps, the continent’s greatest dark magician spoke. Lize beamed and nodded in agreement.
It was a sunny winter’s day.