After taking a bath and getting changed, I’m now getting ready to return to Troy City.
My trip here this time wasn’t in vain. Seeing those heads hung on the city wall made me feel particularly good. It’s just that the most important one was missing. But whatever, I’ve managed to pick Luna up and avenge her while I was at it, so the trip wasn’t for naught.
That was my goal at the start and I have accomplished it now. Further, I have obtained the most crucial tool.
The most crucial tool I speak of is the Elven King’s sword. Mommy Elizabeth gave me the Elven King’s sword this time, and the most important thing, which is the letter of appointment. The name below where it says “Captain of the Valkyrie Guard Unit” is Nier Galadriel Rosvenor. Once Nier becomes the captain of the Valkyrie squad, I don’t need to worry about that happening again; plus, my relationship with Nier will guarantee Her Majesty’s safety.
I can’t allow such a dangerous power to exist next to me again, although I admit that I really do want to totally destroy the Valkyries. I wouldn’t be able to protect Elizabeth if I did that, though. Therefore, the best course of action was for me to control the Valkyries. However, I will never let that sort of incident happen again after this time. I will keep my guards by my side at all times and only let my guards have more rights than the Valkyries.
I rode on my horse next to the horse carriage with the Elven King sword at my waist. Perhaps I truly moved Elizabeth, leading to her trusting me with her safety and even giving me the Elven King sword that she had always carried with her. That said, I’m stuck for ideas to break Mom’s cage.
I can’t destroy the Royal Palace that Mom resides in, but I can crush the vassals around Mom, though. I can get her to leave her cage. I can bring Mom to my side. The system Mom employs is best suited in such a society where the ability to produce to a certain extent has yet to be reached. Totalitarianism is more suited for development. If I forcefully change society’s evolution, I’ll just end up destroying this empire.
I don’t want to change this empire, and I shouldn’t change this empire. I want my own empire. I want my own world. I want to establish a nation where I’m not questioned just as Mom isn’t questioned in her empire. Nobody will question me there, and nobody will harm the people around me.
I escorted Luna’s casket back to Troy City. Though I still see Luna’s smile when I close my eyes even now, I won’t have my face smothered with my tears. I’ll feel very upset, but I won’t feel guilty because of Luna anymore. I just dearly miss the days when Luna was with me.
‘I miss her so badly. I really love her.’
Fortunately, I’m able to send her home this time. I’m able to take her back to that most beautiful sea of flowers. I think Luna would smile if she could see it. I believe that the sea of flowers will bloom for Luna after this. Luna’s smile is the brightest thing in that sea of flowers. From now on, flowers will bloom when Luna smiles.
I now have a place that will allow me to commemorate Luna, as well, the same way I can commemorate Mera.
I’ve travelled this road so many times and every single time I’ve walked it, it’s been filled with a heavy stench of blood.
Once I get back to Troy City this time, I intend to stay outside for some time. After all, I’m going to be under house arrest in the outer court. I’m certain that Mom is absolutely serious. If I refuse, I’ll definitely be dragged back there.
“Onii-sama!!”
As soon as my guard unit and I dismounted at the palace, a small silhouette leapt over to me and hugged me tightly. I hugged her and touched her small head. I softly asked, “What’s wrong, Freya?”
“I was so worried about you, Onii-sama! You’re too reckless! What would I do if you died over there for storming the Royal Palace?! What do you expect us to do?!”
Freya raised her head up from my chest and hammered my chest with hard hammer fists. She sobbed as she complained, “You made us worry so much. What are we supposed to do? Are we supposed to tell Her Highness to lead an attack on Hilles City?! Plus, if something happened to you, Her Highness would definitely destroy this empire!”
“I believe that Mommy Elizabeth wouldn’t do anything to me. That’s why I went back. Of course, I was prepared to storm in with force if she didn’t apologise.” I gently touched the casket next to me and solemnly continued, “But I accomplished my goal in the end. I picked Luna up. We can take her home now.”
“Mm… Miss Luna…?”
Freya released me. She looked at the casket in front of her with a sad look and softly said, “Miss Luna was akin to an older sister who always took the utmost care of me. She always took care of me. Always… I truly never thought that I would part with her because of this…”
“I never imagined it would end this way, either.”
I made a long sigh. I then stroked Freya’s head gently, “I couldn’t stay by Luna’s side forever, and she died for me. I couldn’t see her off in the end, so I, at least, need to send her home… I can take her to where she should be.”
“Mm… Onii-sama, I, too, wish to send Miss Luna home, then. I am to blame for Miss Luna’s death, too. If I was more vigilant, if I made it back in time, she would not… she would not have had to die. You also would not have suffered so much.”
Freya looked vexed. She looked at the ground with her fists tightly clenched. Her eyes were filled with regret and resentment.
She was genuinely vexed. I’m sure she couldn’t forgive herself for her impulsiveness at the time. Such an amateur trick shouldn’t have been able to catch her off guard, but maybe she fell for such a sloppy trick, because she was too worked up at the time. She can’t be blamed, though. You can only say that I was too careless, as I overlooked the possibility of them going after Freya.’
‘Moreover, I went and told Alice our plans back then. That’s what led to Freya’s failure. So at the end of the day, it was my fault for lacking vigilance.’
‘I almost got Freya killed, too.’
‘Luckily there was that guard… What was his name again…? I’ve forgotten… What was his name? Whatever, I’ll put that aside for now. I’ll reward him later.’
“Let us go now then, Onii-sama. Her Highness has been waiting for you for a long time. If you still had not returned, we really would not have been able to stop her. Although Miss Nier and Miss Lucia were both very worried about you, too, they still desperately tried to stop Her Highness.”
I chuckled helplessly. Vyvyan did say she’d be back once she finished business. She must be back already.
“Is she looking for me for something?”
“Of course it is about your coronation. Your coronation.”
Freya giggled. She then looked at me and congratulated me, “Congratulations, Your Majesty. You just need to return to the elven side, and you will be able to succeed the throne. Her Highness has already prepared everything. You just need to return and succeed the throne. Congratulations, esteemed Elven King.”
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