Epilogue: Chapter 32
Aftermath
With the God of Meaninglessness gone, the rule of the Tenth Empire fell to Dale and his wise empress, Charlotte.
Yet, despite the trivial disputes that arose, even during meetings of the empire’s rulers, the “Lord of Black Gold” rarely made an appearance.
This was true even when conflicts erupted among the vassals that made up the empire.
While Dale maintained his silence within the imperial fortress of Saxon, individuals with their own agendas began to emerge.
There were those calling for religious reform, the revival of forgotten revolutions, and the overthrow of the old order.
In most cases, whenever the knights in black armor, marked with the raven insignia, took action, the unrest was swiftly quelled. The same was true in the presence of Charlotte, renowned as the continent’s greatest swordswoman.
As the Lord of Black Gold remained unseen, rumors about the emperor’s fate began to circulate among the people of the empire.
Whispers spread that the emperor was dead and that his wife was ruling in his stead.
What began as secretive murmurs soon became widespread gossip, and the entire empire buzzed with the tale. The power struggles among the great vassals for the emperor’s throne grew increasingly fierce.
They were not ignorant of the threat posed by the Raven Knights, the divine sword Charlotte, and the mighty figures of the Grand Magic Empire. Yet, none could compare to the absolute power of the Great Magic Emperor, the Lord of Black Gold.
And then, one day, without warning, the absolute ruler fell silent.
Years passed, and an imperial assembly was convened in the emperor’s name.
The great vassals of the empire, now settled into their roles, gathered one by one, and it was there that he finally appeared.
“Y-Your Majesty…!”
The Lord of Black Gold was present.
As he surveyed the room, unavoidable truths emerged from the shadows.
There were secret societies plotting revolution, individuals from the Ninth Empire conspiring to seize the throne, and those scheming to poison Dale’s wife, Charlotte, to create an opportunity for usurpation.
The insatiable ambitions of the rulers were grotesque beyond comparison.
It was enough to make one sick.
No matter how much one struggled, the world remained unchanged—absurd, unequal, filled with suffering and despair.
“Long ago…”
Facing this unbearably ugly world, the Lord of Black Gold spoke.
“I took upon myself the world’s sins to change it.”
The nobles, endlessly gossiping about the emperor’s death, could not grasp the meaning of his words. Yet, each word was a dagger to their hearts.
They had dared to harbor delusions before an invincible being, and now they would pay the price.
“I proclaimed an empire of unyielding ideals, seeking a path where all could find happiness.”
Silence fell, heavy with fear, as Dale continued.
“But no matter how much I searched, there was no path where everyone could be happy.”
He spoke with a calm detachment.
“Beneath the happiness you feel as the empire’s elite lies the suffering and cries of countless others, just as my happiness does.”
“Y-Your Majesty, we never…!”
“Not everyone can be happy. I have vowed not to resist the fact that my happiness stands upon someone else’s misfortune.”
Dale smiled bitterly.
“But for those who plot to poison my wife, to topple my empire, and to covet my throne… doesn’t it seem terribly unfair for them to find happiness?”
“Dale!”
Charlotte’s expression hardened at his words. Poison her? Such a laughable attempt would never succeed against her. Dale knew this too.
“Alan has taken up the sword, not magic.”
“Why bring that up now?”
“One day, he will inherit our empire.”
Dale spoke.
“This era can no longer be conquered by the sword, nor is magic any different. As the last great powers of this age, we must fulfill our duties.”
His voice was cold, devoid of emotion, yet also that of a father concerned for his son’s future.
”…”
Charlotte remained silent, nodding quietly. She thought of their son, Alan II.
She imagined the expression the Lord of Black Gold wore in front of their son. It was almost comical, never angry, the very picture of a doting father, enough to make her chuckle.
“Please, please forgive us!”
“Aaah, aaaaah!”
In the peace they had long forgotten, the expression the child’s father showed his enemies was one of cruelty and terror.
Yet Charlotte quietly shook her head. She was no different.
At that moment, in the courtyard of the Saxon fortress.
In the biting cold, a young boy was practicing with a sword.
“Ha ha, well done, Your Highness!”
Sir Helmut Blackbear exaggeratedly dropped his sword with a laugh.
“Wow, I beat Uncle Helmut!”
Alan II, bearing the name of his grandfather, beamed with a child’s joy.
He resembled Dale and Charlotte greatly, with his hair the color of black gold.
“Ha ha, even I, Helmut, cannot stand against Your Highness!”
In an era where magic was fading, a few strong individuals still carried the legacy of past powers. Helmut was no exception.
His beard was streaked with gray, and the wrinkles of time were undeniable. Yet, nothing had changed.
The child of the empire, bearing the blood of Dale and Charlotte.
The blood of Saxon, and the lineage of the Orhart family, once known as the divine sword.
Yet Alan II was neither particularly special nor outstanding. Like everyone born in this era.
When Sir Helmut deliberately lost, Alan did not sharply perceive it like Dale would have. He simply rejoiced like a child. And that was enough.
Living in a new world and era, Sir Helmut could understand the coming times.
In fact, he was grateful for a world where no single monster could dominate with magic alone.
Wars would still rage, and conflicts among people would never cease.
But that was enough.
For he too was once a monster, and now a world where such monsters would no longer be born had arrived.
“Your magic training is progressing remarkably.”
Rize said to Yufi, who bowed her head quietly.
“Thank you, Master Rize!”
“Isn’t it fascinating?”
At Rize’s question, Yufi extended her arm silently. The northern chill danced around her fingers, and that was all.
“Yes!”
Yufi had a talent for magic. But in this era where magic was dying, her magic would never fully blossom.
She could not manipulate the strings of a puppet in people’s minds, nor cast a web of blue across the continent to watch over them.
Yet Rize found great joy in teaching this girl magic.
“What do you hope to achieve as a full-fledged magician, Miss Yufi?”
When Rize asked, Yufi answered without hesitation.
“I want to use my magic to make people happy.”
Just as Rize once did in the past.
Every time she looked at Yufi, she saw her younger self. The past she thought immature, the time she believed herself too naive and young.
“Indeed, that is the spirit our Blue Magic Tower strives for.”
But seeing Yufi, she realized.
That sincerity was the true virtue a magician should possess.
Amidst the world’s ugliness and turmoil, Rize too had lost that heart, becoming one of the countless powerful monsters of that time.
Since the goddess of this world fell into eternal slumber, the last of the mana would soon vanish.
Yet there were still monsters like Rize, harboring immeasurable ancient power within them, and it would take time for them all to rest.
Even so, the monsters would gradually age. Eventually, a true “world of humans” would remain.
When that time came, the girl before Rize would be the true magician to lead the “world of humans” rightly.
“Shall we continue with your training?”
“Yes, Master Rize!”
“Miss, could you reconsider?”
Master Baro, once the most disgraceful yet honorable knight in the world, now held a new title in the new empire, spending his days drinking idly.
The woman before him replied.
“Baro, why are you afraid to be with me?”
“Well, it’s just that I’m a good-for-nothing drunkard, living each day like a layabout…”
“Indeed, it’s a pity for a woman to be with a man who spends his days idling and drinking.”
Once, she had been a priestess devoted to the goddess of shadows, but now, such titles held no meaning. Just as Master Baro was no longer a blade of slaughter wielded for Dale.
“How about cutting back on the beer and joining me for a rare inspection of the estate today?”
”…”
At those words, Master Baro glanced at the beer mug in his hand. He looked at the swirling liquid, scratched his head, and gave a wry smile.
“As you wish, my lady.”
“Father!”
At the sound of the voice, Dale turned his head to see his mother, Elena, standing there with “two Allens.”
“Father, and Mother.”
Dale bowed his head silently, and Allen the Second beamed.
“Grandpa, Grandma, let’s play again tomorrow!”
Calling out to them like a child, Allen the Second ran toward Dale. The couple exchanged silent smiles, and Dale lifted Allen into a hug.
“Dale, are you ready yet?”
Just then, Charlotte called out to Dale, dressed in her nightgown. Realizing his oversight, Dale swallowed hard, while Allen quietly smiled, understanding the situation.
“Allen, how about spending the night with Grandpa?”
“Can I really?”
Surprised by the suggestion, Allen the Second grinned widely and approached them, while Dale gave a sheepish smile.
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t worry about it. I’m looking forward to the day I meet my new grandchild.”
“I’ll do my best.”
“Continuing a married life isn’t as easy as it seems.”
Allen remarked, and Dale chuckled softly.
Indeed, it was just as he said.