Side Story
She wanted to make everyone happy with magic.
So, she needed a magic that could bring happiness to all.
When a naive young girl, unaware of the world, grasped the wisdom of the blue and faced the truth of the world once more.
Even as the Blue Tower Master, ruling over the tower of lies and schemes, Lize still wished for everyone’s happiness.
Even when the Third Empire fell and Dale crowned himself the Lord of Black Gold, reaching the pinnacle of a new empire, her wish remained unchanged.
“I believe in the empire you will build, brother.”
“You’re the only one who believes in me, Lize.”
Nothing had changed.
She wanted to support her proud brother and help him achieve his dreams.
And then one day, a realization etched the eighth circle into Lize’s heart.
“An unawakened illusion is indistinguishable from happiness.”
The key to the magic that could make everyone happy was right there.
“Lize.”
Her brother sat upon the Black Gold Throne. The Fourth Empire, built upon the ruins of the Golden Empire.
Just as one empire fell and another rose…
“What are you trying to do?”
“I’m in the process of inheriting the throne, brother.”
The Empress of Lies spoke.
Once again, an empire was on the verge of falling, and another was about to rise.
“That’s an amusing joke, Lize.”
But Dale laughed, as if mocking his naive younger sister.
The king of humans and monsters alike. The lord of gold and shadow, lies and truth.
As the Black Gold Emperor, whom no one on the continent dared to defy.
“It’s not a joke.”
Yet, facing the Black Gold Emperor, Lize of Saxon did not smile.
“It’s for the happiness of you, me, and the entire world.”
“You still don’t know what you’re saying.”
With a whoosh!
Dale’s shadowy cloak engulfed the area, threatening Lize. Light faded, and specters roamed the hall.
But Lize, the Blue Tower Master facing the king of humans, did not flinch.
“An unawakened illusion is indistinguishable from happiness, and an ungraspable lie is indistinguishable from truth.”
The world around her feet began to fade. What overlaid it was unmistakably Lize’s world.
The once naive girl who wished for everyone’s happiness had now created a barrier of thought, having realized the truth of the world.
And that world was vastly different from the one Dale remembered as Lize’s.
”…!”
With a clatter!
Blue chains wrapped around Dale, beginning to bind him. Only then did he understand that her resolve was no lie.
“I will create a world where everyone can be happy, and an empire where everyone can be happy.”
And her resolve had already begun long before Dale realized the anomaly.
“A world without meaningless slaughter, without pointless wars and bloodshed.”
“I wish for that too.”
“Yes, we promised to build a world where everyone can be happy.”
“Then why are you trying to dethrone me?”
”…”
Lize did not answer immediately.
“Because you…”
Silence fell. But it was not a long silence.
“Because you look so terribly sad, brother.”
At the end of the silence, the blue veil spoke.
“I don’t want to watch you bear the burden of unhappiness any longer, for the sake of a world where everyone can be happy.”
“I’m not unhappy.”
“Do you really think so?”
Lize asked, almost mockingly. Dale found it hard to answer.
“What I wish for is a world where ‘everyone’ can be happy. And I don’t want you to be the redeemer of pain for all humanity.”
“So you’re going to bear that pain instead?”
“No, no one needs to bear this pain.”
Lize smiled gently.
“In the new empire I will bring, no one needs to be unhappy.”
”…”
“Even if someone must bear that pain— I don’t want you to be the redeemer of that pain, brother.”
“Someone has to do it, Lize.”
“Why…”
At Dale’s words, Lize murmured as if she couldn’t understand.
“Why do you always try to be that someone, brother?!”
Her composure shattered, she spoke with a sob.
“I remember how much you’ve sacrificed for humanity. Even if the world fears and points fingers at you, I remember how much you’ve given up for our happiness!”
Lize raised her voice, unable to comprehend.
“I don’t want to see you suffer for us any longer. You deserve to be happy, brother. No, you must be. Even if the world fears and points fingers at you.”
Dale did not answer. He simply didn’t know what to say.
“My wish has always been for your happiness, brother. That was my ‘world.’”
”…”
“Look around you, brother. And Your Majesty.”
Lize gestured mockingly.
“Everyone fears and dreads you. No one understands your true intentions.”
At the same time, her world replayed the scenes Dale remembered.
Those kneeling in submission before the new emperor, their faces etched with fear and dread. Even those closest to Dale were no exception.
Where did it all go wrong? He couldn’t tell.
“Your false evil ends here, brother.”
”…What do you want me to do?”
“I just want you to be happy, brother.”
“You don’t realize that what you’re doing now is pushing me further into unhappiness.”
At Dale’s words, Lize smiled quietly.
“You always justified your responsibilities that way, brother.”
”…”
“Even as those you love most fear and revere you, growing distant, you never changed. As if it was the pain and responsibility you had to bear, believing without doubt that through it, you would atone for humanity’s sins.”
Lize spoke, as if she had nothing left to hide.
“I just want you to be honest with yourself, brother.”
With those words, Lize extended her hand.
Countless blue chains swirled around.
In this world, no one could defeat the king of humans. Who could dare challenge the ‘lord’ wielding eight circles and the circle of shadows?
It should have been so.
“I remember the world you showed me when we were young, brother.”
Lize chuckled as if delighted.
“The world you showed me was everything to me.”
”…”
“Dream, brother.”
Lize said.
“And please, don’t wake from that dream.”
“Lize…!”
Before Dale could utter a word, his world sank into darkness.
“Dale.”
A voice called out. Startled, he sat up, greeted by a familiar face.
“Lady Sepia…?”
“What’s the matter, Dale?”
At Sepia’s words, Dale looked around. It was the courtyard of the Saxon ‘Ducal Castle,’ no different from usual.
“Isn’t it time for your blue magic lesson?”
”…”
Sepia tilted her head in confusion, while Dale remained silent.
“I had a dream.”
“A dream?”
”…Yes.”
After a pause, Dale spoke.
“A dream where I sacrificed for the happiness of the world.”
“The happiness of the world, you say.”
Sepia chuckled, as if amused.
“Was it worth it?”
“I wonder.”
Dale trailed off, falling silent.
“It was just something someone had to do.”
After a pause, Dale answered.
“──Lize, even if you don’t wish for it.”
Clang!
The scene shattered like glass.
”…Why.”
Amidst the shattering landscape, a voice echoed. A voice all too familiar.
“It’s time to wake from the dream, Lize.”
With those words, darkness began to swirl beneath Dale’s feet.
”…That can’t be.”
Yet still, Lize stood in his way.
“From the start, it was you who was dreaming, brother.”
With those words, Dale’s world shifted once more.
Only then did he realize.
”…Was it you all along?”
─ Forgive me, brother.
From within Dale’s shadow, a smile spread like a crescent moon.
“Does my forgiveness even matter to you?”
─ Humans are such fascinating creatures, aren’t they?
”…What have you done to my sister?”
Dale asked coldly. In response, his shadow writhed mockingly.
─ I did nothing.
“Then how did my sister become such a delinquent?”
─ Who knows.
From the shadow, the ancient Mother of Darkness, Shub, spoke with amusement.
─ I’m just curious, that’s all.
“What is it?”
— Which ‘truth’ is more genuine, the child’s or yours?
“I’m sick of this nonsense about truth and lies,” Dale scoffed coldly. But before he knew it, a girl in a dress was smirking beside him.
— That child might not agree with you.
“Do you really find it so amusing to make everyone in the world your puppets?”
— They’re not my puppets. They’re yours.
Shube burst into laughter without a hint of hesitation. Dale responded with a bitter smile.
“Let me ask you something, Shube.”
After a moment, Dale asked again.
“Was it all your doing?”
A silence fell between them, but it didn’t last long.
— Yes.
At the end of the silence, Shube laughed. Dale replied icily to her laughter.
“Lize isn’t your plaything. Let her go.”
— Do you really believe that?
“I do.”
— Then let’s make a wager.
“I can’t bet my sister.”
— I know.
As if she had been waiting for this, Shube laughed again.
— Let’s play a game.
After her laughter, Shube continued.
“What kind of game?”
— A game to protect the things you love.
Without a trace of emotion, the ancient mother of darkness chuckled.
Dale couldn’t bring himself to laugh. Yet, nothing would change.
The final game had begun.