Jacob and Alice stood up from where they sat, staring at Legolas from afar.
The looks in their eyes felt dispirited.
They were hesitant to approach Legolas after their recent outburst, specifically Jacob.
Angelica stood behind them both, bonking their heads.
"On with it, you two!"
They held their scalps in pain, rubbing them back and forth.
"Alright... I'm going." Jacob was the first to approach his elf friend, as Alice followed behind him, visibly upset.
"Yeah... me too."
Legolas stood there, bowing before me, and thanking me for the offer I gave him.
Really he should be thanking Angelica, but I'm assuming he thinks I desire praise? Whatever the reason for his gratitude was, I'll accept it.
"Thank you for everything! Thank you for saving us, thank you for giving me another chance... I admire you, lord Emperor! You truly are great, thank you-"
"Dude, chill!"
Oh... shit.
My voice just now, was Haruto talking, not Emperor.
It just came out of me... I couldn't control it.
Maybe cause I'm so goddamn annoyed by his 'thank you's'?
"Pfft!"
What the hell is Angelica laughing for? She's acting like I don't see her covering her smug face.
Asshole!
"Oh, right, I'm sorry. Maybe I went overboard from my appreciation."
"...It's fine." I glared at Angelica who was standing in the background, trying her hardest to not laugh at me.
...What a pain in the ass.
Haruto's voice doesn't fit Emperor at all, he sounds like some annoyed teenager who's trying his best to sound edgy.
I wanna kill myself from embarrassment.
"Hey, Legolas." Jacob was finally standing behind his friend, eyes filled with determination, "I'm sorry."
"...?" Legolas turned around, noticing them both, "Jacob, Alice." He stood back up, taking a deep breath, "I'm also sorry."
"Huh?" Mumbled Alice.
"I lashed out at you, Alice, and I also left the party as well, so I apologize for that. Everything that's happened to us has been hell. Jacob's death, Alice's mental strain... and me sacrificing my life, but..." Legolas closed his eyes, smiling, "Despite all of that, we had fun times together, right?"
Their eyes locked onto each other as memories of the past came flooding inside their heads.
Legolas, Alice, and Jacob were smiling.
Tears wallowed in their eyes while their lips quivered in sync.
"Legolas!" Alice jumped forward, hugging around his waist, wailing from sentiment.
"...My... best friend..." Jacob slowly approached him, stumbling in his steps, "I'm so sorry!!" He hugged Legolas, digging his crying face into their chest, "I'm so sorry you had to go through all of this, Legolas! I'm sorry... I'm sorry best friend!" He squeezed his eyelids shut in the hope his tears would stop.
Their choppy breathing and watery eyes remained for some time, wailing in grief.
They couldn't comprehend what Legolas went through, but they were happy he was alive and sorry for how they felt before.
Legolas squeezed his eyes shut, twitching in his lip.
Emotions were about to pour out of him, but he kept them inside... and hugged both his friends around their necks, kneeling his forehead to rest upon their scalps.
"My friends, we had a great time together. We slept in the same room, we listened to the same songs, and we talked about stories over a glass of Orc Wine. There is nothing I regret from being with you both!"
"Then why?!" Sniffled Alice, "Why're you leaving us?!?"
Legolas smiled at her, still hugging Alice around the neck.
"It's because... I have to become stronger. Not in my levels, but in myself."
They both looked at their friend, wiping the tears from their eyes.
"I have to grow. I don't believe in myself enough—I'm too afraid I will always fail you guys, and I'm too scared that the same outcome will happen again," He took his arms from around their necks, exhaling deeply from his nose, "Well... not anymore! I will make sure that outcome will never happen again, even if it kills me. My friends are my most worthy prizes in Isekai World Online, don't you forget that."
Jacob sniveled, wiping away his tears, "Then... I'll do the same, best friend."
"M-Me too!" Shouted the blubbering Alice.
"We'll both follow in your footsteps and grow as people!" Jacob slowly lifted his hand, "What do you say, Legolas? Let's grow as people... together!"
Legolas looked at Jacob's hand, baffled by his determination.
"I think it's a great idea." Alice did the same, also lifting her hand.
"You guys... are so goddamn persistent."
"Hehehe!"
"You know it!"
"Alright." They all grasped each other's hand simultaneously, "Let's grow... as people!"
"Hell yeah!" Shouted Jacob.
"Remember our quote guys?"
"Of course we do!" Said Legolas.
"Even if death do us apart, our friendship will be eternal! No matter what happens, none of us will be alone, we eat, we sleep, and we die together, for we are one!" (All)
"Heheh..." Chuckled Legolas, "It's been some time since we said that."
"What better time to say it than now?" Said Jacob.
"Hahaha, agreed!" Proclaimed Alice.
"Right..." The elf turned his attention towards Angelica, smiling, "Is it about that time?"
"Yep, it sure is. I'm glad you guys made up."
Legolas looked at his friends once more as they nodded their heads at each other.
"Until we meet again." Said Legolas.
"Until we meet again." (Both)
He approached his newfound queen in satisfaction, grateful to accept this new life.
("When Alice touched me, I had a feeling of disgust from what she did to me... but that feeling went away after I was in Lady Angelica's presence. Did she calm my uneasy heart? Did she... heal my trauma? I can't explain it, but she's like a true angel, sent from heaven.")
Legolas stopped in front of his queen, kneeling before her.
"Your humble subordinate awaits his new life, Queen Angelica."
"Good, I'm glad you were willing to accept my offer, Legolas." Angelica gave a thumbs up, sticking out her tongue in a goofy manner, "You're gonna enjoy the nice new bed I prepared for you!"
"...Nice new bed? How did you prepare for that already?"
"Oh, well when you guys were talking to each other, I used Spatial Warp to teleport back home and set up your new room. I brought you plenty of snacks, ale, clothes, and some new items and equipment. I also brought you-"
"Wait a second... how did you manage to do all of that when I saw you in the corner of my eye the whole time? I never saw you vanish!" Exclaimed Legolas.
"Maybe I'm just too fast."
"Something like that wouldn't happen in less than a second!"
"Well... knowing me, less than a second can be a few minutes."
"I... have no words."
You'll get used to it Legolas, you'll get used to it.
Angelica's speed is topnotch, she can even beat me when it comes to it.
Hate to say it, but I'm no match when it comes to Angelica and her ridiculous haste.
But besides that, Legolas gave his last goodbyes to everyone. Jacob and Alice waved him off as they walked out of the throne room, leaving Ottenmore Castle.
Now, only these two were left with me, wondering what they should do next.
"You two, Alice and Jacob, I would like to give you a parting gift."
"My lord..." Jacob widened his eyes, quite ecstatic to hear that, "A parting gift from you? I'm grateful."
"Thank you... Lord Emperor."
"Right." I lifted my hand at them both, "Open your personal hubs."
"Yessir!" (Both)
They both followed orders fairly quickly, unfolding their Personal Hubs.
"Authority, Resistance Hub."
From casting a magical circle from my hand their personal hubs would glitch and evolve into something never seen in Isekai World Online.
Before their very eyes, they were given a clear view of their resistances.
That's right, their resistance. Each resistance was labeled, and underneath those labels were numbers. These numbers determine how many layers of resistance they have to certain debuffs, or spells in the game.
From the looks of it; Alice's highest resistance was Mind Control from being exposed to it for long periods of time.
Naturally, a Game Avatar evolves and gains resistance to something they're exposed to and dealt with over long periods of time, only if it's on their level, or close to it.
I know mods are well beyond their levels, but it's not meant to be in the game in the first place, so naturally, she would still evolve from it affecting her game avatar since the game cannot comprehend the existence of a mod, and only does what it can understand, and that's Alice being under the control of a debuff.
"What is this? I never seen this before..." Announced Alice.
"It's your Resistant Hubs. It's naturally hidden in the game's coding, and it exists inside your Personal Hub to track your resistances in the game when you level up."
"Something like this exists? Holy cow..." Exclaimed Jacob.
Hmm, for Jacob... he has a lot of resistance to death spells and other forms of unholy spells. I'm assuming it's because he's an undead under Dorothy's control?
"What do these numbers mean underneath the debuffs? Like... the Mind Control debuff has a number 3 underneath it."
"That number three means you have three layers of mind control resistance. You cannot be affected by any mind control spell unless they can bypass those three layers."
"...B-But what about players with higher levels than me?"
"Only if their Items are higher than your items and they have magic tiers higher than your own, they'll still affect you."
"Ohhh... so it's only if they have items and spells higher than me? I get it now!" Said Alice.
But wait... isn't that supposed to be common sense?
"Why are you showing us this... Lord Emperor?"
"It's simple really. I would like to bestow some of my resistances onto you, so you can have a safe journey once you leave."
"Bestow your resistances?!! You can do that?" Exclaimed the loudmouth girl.
"Yes... you can, only if you're a Great King."
"We can't possibly accept something like... your resistances? Wouldn't you need something important like that?" Asked Jacob.
"Hmph." I unfolded my Personal Hub, standing up from my throne to show them my Resistant Hub.
Their jaws dropped, as each resistance marked on my hub had the symbol of infinity underneath it.
"I-Infinite resistances?! That's not fair! That's like... super not fair! How can someone beat a person with infinite resistances?!"
"We Great Kings aren't affected by any debuff or spell in Isekai World Online, so it's only natural we possess resistances such as these."
"...And I thought modders were cheap!" Mumbled Alice.
"Kuhahaha, funny remark!" I snapped my fingers as their elemental, mind control, death, dark, and absorption resistances were amplified by twenty.
"Woah... you really gave us a big boost! Thank you, Lord Emperor!" Alice bowed in front of me and Jacob could only stare in awe.
"We'll remember your kindness... as long as we live."
"Fumu. I expect you to."
They both bowed their heads once again and departed from me.
Jacob and Alice left my castle together, holding hands as they smiled.
Everything was over.
Their pain had ended, and they didn't have to worry about the Swindlers Guild anymore.
But there's one more thing I have to do... and it should be obvious.
"Dorothy."
Appearing next to me via spatial warp was my avatar, Dorothy.
She may be created from me, but she does have a mind and morality of her own.
"Yes... Emperor?"
"I need you to watch over them, and make sure they're safe. After all, you're the one who controls Jacob, aren't you?"
"Yes... I am... but how did you know?"
"I could tell from the high levels of mana radiating from him. Naturally when a Necromancer raises the undead, those undead will emit their summoners mana. The mana is hard to discern who it belongs to, but from the large outputs of mana, I instantly thought of you."
"Oh... I see. You're very perceptive, Emperor."
"Naturally."
"Nothing can hide from you... but I guess that's what makes you a Great King." She nodded, "But very well, I will watch over them; I do owe you for saving me."
"Thank you, but I also have a question."
"What is it?"
"Your entire purpose was to take down the Swindlers Guild when I created you, but now that they're gone... what will you do next?"
"Right now I'm doing what you told me to do." She vanished before my eyes, following through with my orders.
"I see." I closed my eyelids, sitting back down on my throne, and huffing a sigh of relief, "Now then... I'll just wait for Kuma, Lucienne, and Crimson's reports on Christopher and Emerald. I hope everything ends up okay."