Crossroad. Temple.
I had numerous conversations with King Poseidon.
Nameless's corruption, the Demon King's return, the state of the Lake Kingdom, and future plans...
And also about King Poseidon's retirement.
He had expended all his physical and mental strength in the last battle against the black dragon. His current appearance, having aged significantly, was proof of that.
"Of course, it only means stepping down from the front lines. I will remain in this city and help in any way I can."
King Poseidon looked at his withered hand.
"Besides, I am still wielding the power of our ancestral deity. At least until I pass this power onto my successor, I must stay here."
I nodded but then paused, recalling Hecate and the Glory Knights.
I had prevented their retirement. I had stopped them from leaving the front lines.
I wanted them to find answers to how they should live moving forward here on the front lines, rather than fleeing in despair, thinking their lives were useless.
But was this the right decision as their superior?
Wasn't it just my unnecessary meddling...?
"Do you have someone in mind as your successor?"
Shaking off my thoughts, I asked. King Poseidon scratched his chin with a somewhat troubled expression.
"I hinted to Serenade about it in advance..."
"What?!"
I blurted out in shock.
"You're going to make Serenade your successor?!"
"No, no! That's not it..."
King Poseidon hurriedly waved his hands with an awkward smile.
"The person I have in mind for my successor is someone Serenade really dislikes. So, I sought her consent first."
"Someone Serenade dislikes?"
"The one I intend to pass the power of the ancestral deity to is... someone every merchant on this continent dreads."
King Poseidon crossed his arms and looked at me cautiously.
"Have you ever heard of the Rompeller Pirates?"
I looked stunned. I vaguely remembered discussing them with someone else a long time ago.
'Of course, I know. They're the worst pirates in the southern continent, the most notorious among the roaming hostile NPCs...!'
Come to think of it, their leader in the game had...
'Blue hair!'
He must be of merfolk blood...!
"I plan to make them my successor."
King Poseidon nodded awkwardly as he said this.
'First the Bandit King Kuilan, now the Pirate King Rompeller.'
It was a moment where connections with new heroes were being made.
Am I going to collect bandits by attributes now, following my role as a master of captured monsters...?
***
The Demon King had returned, and the authority of the royal scepter, which had been so useful, was also reclaimed.
'Taking back what you gave is cruel...'
Thanks to it, we managed to breeze through the final four stages, but still, it felt a bit disappointing now that it was gone.
And with the Demon King's return, the mysterious fog that blocked the teleport gate had also cleared. Now we could re-enter the Lake Kingdom.
'This is Stage 45.'
Once again, we were at a boss stage.
This made reconnaissance even more critical than usual, so I planned to assemble an elite squad for a direct scouting mission into the dungeon...
"Wait a moment, lord."
Aider, who had suddenly rolled into my office, stopped me.
"Please decide carefully about entering the dungeon this time. It's going to be... different from usual."
"Huh?"
"Prepare thoroughly before entering. And be aware that after this, many things will change."
After hearing Aider's warning in a daze, I asked.
"So, what are you saying? It's like one of those RPG warnings: 'Entering this dungeon will progress the main scenario event'? You can't go back, so prepare thoroughly?"
"Hahaha!"
At my geeky example, Aider clutched his stomach in laughter.
"Well, it's not exactly that grand, but..."
After his laughter subsided, Aider nodded.
"If you visit the dungeon this time, a trigger will activate, advancing the final boss transformation of a certain someone, and the stage progression to the ending will be confirmed. It's about that scale."
"That's plenty grand!"
I was astonished.
Aider scratched his head awkwardly and glanced at me.
"And... it will be my last time in this city."
"..."
"When you go on this free exploration, this poor director will leave Crossroad. So I came to say my final goodbye."
Then it hit me.
The end was indeed near.
Just as there are events in games that start the ending sequence, this free exploration seemed to be such an event.
Some will eventually leave, some will fall into darkness, and those who remain...
Whatever happens, they must continue to fight.
"Sigh... Even if I ask where you're going, you won't answer, right?"
"Haha."
Aider just gave a bitter smile at my grumbling.
"I'm just trying to help you on your way, so please understand."
"Alright, I'll trust you."
"And... I thought I'd tell you an old story. Is that okay?"
"Huh?"
Surprised, I opened my eyes wide and asked urgently.
"Are you finally going to tell me your love story?!"
No matter how much I pried, he always avoided it, but could I finally hear the summary of
"Yes. Well, it is my unrequited love story."
Aider awkwardly brushed his mouth and cast a distant look through his glasses.
"All the events that took place 500 years ago in the Lake Kingdom."
"..."
"How the most prosperous magical city-state in the world fell. How it became a hell that spews monsters. Who orchestrated it and how the survivors tried to overcome the downfall."
Aider smiled bitterly.
"Knowing this might help you with the final adjustments."
Aider and I sat opposite each other on the office sofa.
After clasping and unclasping his fingers, Aider slowly began to speak.
"Where should I start... No, the beginning of the story is fixed."
His gray eyes suddenly sparkled with a distant, transparent light.
"When I first met her..."
***
500 years ago.
Lake Kingdom.
The most prosperous magical city-state in the world, Lake Kingdom, floated above a clear, turquoise lake.
The entire country, suspended in the air over the lake, was a testament to the kingdom's formidable magical prowess and also a form of protection against invasions.
"The history of humanity can be seen as a history of resisting extinction."
Lake Kingdom's royal palace.
The king of Lake Kingdom, seated on his throne, spoke slowly as he surveyed the entire nation floating in the air.
"In ancient times, humanity struggled to survive under the tyranny of various divine beings. Later, in the historical era, we fought with all our might to survive as a weak race amidst countless uprisings."
"..."
"We defined all beings that sought to exterminate humanity as 'monsters,' and we fought against them together, regardless of nationality or affiliation."
The king's speech was calm but resonated throughout the audience chamber.
"Our Lake Kingdom was at the forefront of such humanity."
Before the king, numerous knights and mages knelt on one knee, listening respectfully.
"Our kingdom was the first to discover the guardian beasts of humanity and the first among humans to kindle the flames of magic."
Moreover, the king's voice and image were being broadcast across the entire Lake Kingdom through magical devices.
"For hundreds of years, countless invasions sought to extinguish that flame. To avoid those invasions, we moved our base from the land to the lake, and even then, as the kingdom remained precarious, we eventually lifted the entire country into the air like this."
Across the floating Lake Kingdom, people filled the streets, listening intently to the king's speech.
"And today, finally, after 500 years since the founding, we can proclaim it."
The king slowly stood up.
A brilliant hope shone on his face, broadcast throughout the city.
"Proud citizens of the Lake Kingdom!"
The king roared, spreading his arms wide.
"We have won!"
Cheers erupted from the streets filled with people.
"We have succeeded in repelling the last of the final monster legions!"
Indeed, today was none other than the victory declaration ceremony.
Having eradicated the last bloodline monster legion, this event confirmed that no beings threatening humanity remained in the world.
"Also, I hereby proclaim!"
The king clenched his fist.
"Our Lake Kingdom has seized the hegemony of the world!"
Cheers and applause shook the entire country at the king's declaration. Knights and mages in the audience chamber, unable to contain their joy, shouted as well.
The magical achievements of the Lake Kingdom were extraordinarily advanced. They were incomparable to other human nations and overwhelmingly superior even to the four major non-human races who had discovered and used magic first.
Despite efforts by these non-human countries and even other human nations to bring down the Lake Kingdom, the technological gap eventually became insurmountable.
Representatives of the four major non-human races and envoys from other human nations, attending the victory declaration ceremony, all wore bitter smiles.
For hundreds of years, the Lake Kingdom had fought at the forefront against monsters and achieved magical advancement proportional to the bloodshed.
Now was the time to monopolize and savor the fruits of that labor.
"Be proud, my people! We have protected this world, and we stand at the pinnacle of this world!"
The king shook his fist.
"Now, our Lake Kingdom will remain the undisputed ruler of the world forever-!"
The entire city-state resounded with cheers and applause.
In front of the knights and mages shedding tears and applauding, a young princess, watching her father deliver the speech, also clapped with a radiant smile.
The young princess, with long, flowing silver hair and deep turquoise eyes like the lake.
Her name was Ariel. (TL Note: Lol)
***
At the same time.
While all the 'citizens' of the Lake Kingdom rejoiced at the king's proclamation under the brilliant sunlight.
"Wow..."
In the shadows, all the 'non-citizens' were.
In the outer sector, outside the inner district, they were still handling rough and dirty work.
"It seems there's good news."
Sewer.
A non-citizen boy, helping clean up the sewage, covered in filth and grease, looked towards the distant royal palace.
He listened quietly to the king's victory declaration from afar, then raised both hands and cheered.
"I wonder if I'll ever get to visit that palace someday..."
The boy muttered with a faint smile.
"Now that our country's path is paved with glory, I wonder if someone like me will ever bask in that light."
Immediately, the boy adjusted his grip on the broom with a gasp. The sewer manager was glaring at him with sharp eyes from afar.
The boy diligently swept the trash and rat corpses from the sewers.
The shining royal palace and the glory of the country.
It was all a distant story.
***
The boy didn't know.
That within a few days, he would enter that royal palace.
And that the future path of the Lake Kingdom would be.
Not of glory, but filled with downfall.
At this time, the boy had no idea.