( AN: for those that didn't read my notes, don't panic, this is just a volume 1 epilogue and the story is still ongoing. )
( a long lost 1st POV )
Hello, it's me, Zeno Zavior, or my original name, Noah Klaus. If you still remember my original name, then I salute you.
It has been almost two years now since I arrived in this world, huh? I count the time I spent in the time chamber too if you're wondering, since why wouldn't I?
I've really come a long way from being a nobody in Kuoh Town to being a leader of an organization and an entire island nation. Who knows that I will end up here? I even had a cute daughter, the baby Ziah with Asia! I never expected that I would have a daughter with her, to be honest.
Life is really strange, huh?
I am currently walking alone in the hallway inside my palace. Usually I will be busy at this time with reading various reports in my office, but today I left them to my shadow clones to take care of the reports. It's too bad that I can't do it all the time since the girls will complain about it that they can't use the shadow clone to take care of their work just like me after Leila cracking down on them for being lazy and messing up her nightly schedule.
( AN: Leila is the clone of Kalawarna. )
By the way, my reign on Freedom Island is also very smooth. It's a wonder how peaceful people can be if the ruler doesn't care about their human rights and is willing to enslave them if they do not obey, huh?
Being a dictator is easy; you just have to have almost infinite resources, a mighty army, and no tax in your rule. Now they can't complain about anything since they didn't fund the government!
My citizens are also free to leave; I even fund them with a million dollars for leaving the nation! Not many are leaving for some reason, though. Seems like the no tax and free necessities policy are just too alluring for most of the poor Freedom citizens, and let me tell you that 99% of people here are poor.
The other mundane nations are also still making some noise after the coalition fleet already left my island border, but now their complaining has quieted down a lot after their failed "military exercise." I am wondering what they will do next, as their usual tactics and political maneuvers are all useless against my nation.
The supernatural factions other than the devil and Grigori also seem to be quiet for now, as no one tries to make contact with my faction yet. The church seems to be debating amongst themselves whether to make contact with me, though. The angel probably telling them to since the news of my awesome medical products probably reached their ears by now.
Oh, and by the way, I have already cleared Kuroka's crimes now. It's not very difficult since the evidence of her former master crime is in Koneko's hair clip after all. Serafall is being obnoxious, though, as she tried to make me give the devil some benefit; well, I'm not giving them anything, though even if she is pouting at me through the magic call's screen.
Kuroka is very grateful that I kept my promise, and now she is out there to see her unemployed terrorist friends so they don't have to be worried about her anymore, and she still chickens out on seeing her sister for some reason. What a timid cat that one.
÷×÷×÷
( 3rd POV )
Meanwhile.
"Hi~! Hi~! How are you doing, my unemployed friend, nya? Are you still broke, nya?"
Kuroka sauntering inside her friend's lair with full sass, dressed in her usual black kimono but with many pieces of jewelry and expansive-looking accessories that make her appearance quite gaudy and pretentious. Zeno had already paid her one month's salary in advance, and the Nekoshou, of course, blew it all up on useless things.
"..."
"What…?"
The people inside staring at her speechless, some with a blank expression on their face as they see their sudden disappearing friend finally come back after disappearing to who knows where for a month in this particular manner.
÷×÷×÷
( 1st POV )
My expedition to another world is almost ready now, and only the source of energy is left. Krisha said she will think of something when I consult her about the energy problem, and I can only wait and see if she can cook up something in her lab. That girl is becoming a hikikomori nowadays and rarely leaves her lab inside the time chamber.
( AN: Krisha is the clone of Rakshata Chawla. )
I guess I have to bring her some friends to stay with her in the time chamber. A couple of scientists will be a great addition to the Liberty, I'm sure. Well, I have to find them first, though.
And the recent additions to my faction, Baeta and Big Chill, are doing quite well, excluding Baeta, of course, since that woman was being quite grumpy about her employment circumstance, which is understandable.
Big Chill, on the other hand, was being spoiled rotten with affection from the girls since he was actually a cat and not a cat yokai like Kuroka. I think he can be my Liberty's therapy cat with how chill he is; he even managed to tank Himiko's tyranny like a champ, you know? Kuroka even praised him as her hero since he became a sacrifice to Himiko's tyrannical affection for her.
I reminisced about the recent day's events as I finally arrived and walked inside the living room to see if anyone was there.
And I see my spymaster, Ruth, bickering with her friend Baeta, who is holding Big Chill in her arms. Seems like they are arguing about their past.
"I said it was not my fault that you…!"
"Shut up! How can it not be your fault…?!"
I chuckled quietly at the two devils and decided to spend time with them for a while as I walked to them with a smirk. They noticed me and stopped arguing with each other while looking at me with different expressions from each other.
"Aren't you a good friend?"
I said to them with a teasing tone as I found a place to sit down.
"Please be quiet."
"Shut up!"
They are indeed a good friend…
÷×÷×÷
( 3rd POV )
In the next morning, at the empty ballroom of the Liberty Palace, all of Zavior household's maids are now gathered inside, as today is the day for the two trainee maids to finally graduate from their trainee status, as Leila, the head maid, deems them competent enough for the promotion.
To celebrate this occasion, Leila gathered all the maids at the ballroom despite the grumbling of Noa and decided to do a maid version of the knighting ceremony for Marian and Rurari so it will become more meaningful and memorable for the two trainee maids than her just casually saying, "You two are now full-fledged maids; congratulations!" to the two girls inside the kitchen.
( AN: Noa is the clone of Raynare, Marian is the clone of Momo, and Rurari is the clone of Ruruko. )
"Congratulations, Marian and Rurari, you both have proven yourselves worthy of the maid title under the Zavior House…"
Leila declaring to Marian and Rurari in front of her with a smile while the two girls who were standing beside each other at the center of the ballroom with an illusion spell of white flower petals that were slowly falling around them also smiled with a proud expression on their face in response to Leila as they listened to the ceremonial speech.
"You two had done well during your training, and, as a result, you both have passed the trial of competency; congratulations."
Leila nodded her head in approval of the two girls abilities in both household chores and combat as the two girls, right now already high-class beings, looked quite happy by the acknowledgment of their oldest sister.
"And congratulations~! You two also passed the trial of devotion~!"
Charmie, who is standing next to Leila with a fancy red pillow that has a Liberty flag sewn on it in her hands and on top of the red pillow there are also two maid headdresses placed on it, declared with a cute smile on her face to the two trainee maids after Leila finished her part of the ceremonial speech.
( AN: Charmie is the clone of Mittelt. )
In the trial of devotion, Marian and Rurari had proven themselves diligent in their duties as maids, and never once had they ever failed to perform their duty, so they naturally passed the trial of devotion with honor.
"Right, and congratulations, you girls have passed the trial of loyalty with honor as well."
Next, Noa, with her arms crossed under her large breasts at the other side of Leila, declared to the two trainee maids before she nodded at them as a sign of acknowledgment while thinking that this trial of loyalty is impossible to fail for her kind. The doppelgangers/clones that Zeno created are all instinctively loyal to him after all. If someone somehow actually failed this super easy trial, then they will be killed, no question asked.
"With the three trials having been cleared successfully and with the authority that has been granted upon me by our Master, I shall bestow upon you the symbol of your determination, dedication, duty, and lastly your new status. Now step forward, Marian of Zavior House."
Leila commanded as Marian immediately stepped forward with her hands resting in front of her stomach, her expression serious as she waited for Leila to continue. Leila looks at her apprentice with a mix of nostalgia and fondness in her gaze; it feels like yesterday that she was still teaching Marian how to cook in the kitchen.
"Swear that you shall serve with all your competence, devotion, and loyalty to Zavior House and to our most beloved master, Zeno Zavior, from this moment on to the end of your life and even in the afterlife; you shall forever serve."
Leila picked up one of the maid headdresses from the pillow that Charmie was holding in her hands as Leila stepped closer to Marian. She held the headdress high up over Marian's head with both of her hands and asked her to swear an oath.
"I swear that I shall serve with all my competence, devotion, and loyalty to Zavior House as well as my beloved master, Zeno Zavior, from this moment on to the end of my life and afterlife."
Marian swore solemnly as she bowed her head slightly for Leila to put the headdress on her.
"Your oath is clear; now rise, Marian; may you forever serve as the maid of Zavior House!"
With a slow, graceful motion, Leila placed the headdress atop Marian's head before she declared that Marian is now no longer a trainee maid but a full-fledged maid of Zavior House.
"..."
The weight of the headdress felt incredibly light to Marian as she got up from a bowing position with her back straight, but this lightness will not be the only thing she'll have to carry in her duties. It is the invisible weight of responsibilities that will be heavier than any physical burden.
Despite that, Marian felt determined to never fail her master and everyone in the Zavior household.
"Now step forward, Rurari of Zavior House…"
And then the process is repeated for Rurari, as she swore the oath and received the maid headdress from Leila just like Marian. Rurari smiled proudly as she stepped back to stand next to Marian with the headdress now on top of her head.
"I hope you two will continue to serve with the same diligence that you have shown throughout your training."
"Yes!"
"Yes~!"
Leila said warmly to them as Marian and Rurari responded in kind before Leila stepped back, allowing the others to approach and congratulate Marian and Rurari.
÷×÷×÷
Meanwhile, at the entrance to the ballroom, the Liberty combatant girls also gathered as they watched the maid version of the knighting ceremony inside the ballroom through the double door outside the room with intrigued and curious expressions.
"We totally should do something like this too!"
"I agree."
Ezrah suggested they do this kind of ceremony for the future combatant newbies as Zestia and Yae nodded their heads. The ceremony looks cool and they want to do the same as well.
( AN: Ezrah is the clone of Irina, Yae is the clone of Tsubasa, and Zestia is the clone of Xenovia. )
"But what about Noa? She is also a combatant leader. Should we also invite her to partake in our ceremony too?"
With an uncertain expression, Yae asked her sisters, causing them to look at each other with uncertainty. Noa is both the maid and combatant leader, but she is being a maid longer than she is a combatant, so they are a bit unsure if they should invite her.
"Well, let's ask her if she wants to come then!"
"Umu!"
"Right!"
They eventually decided to leave the decision to Noa instead of thinking too much...
Noa will be quite annoyed when they ask her if she wants to participate in the combatant ceremony, but she agrees to join them nonetheless since she wants to be included as she is also a combatant leader.
"It's not cool as I thought, being in two positions..."
÷×÷×÷
In the sunny afternoon after the ceremony at the Liberty Palace, inside the living room, Leila and Himiko are currently facing each other at the center of the room as they size each other up. The sudden showdown between them is happening out of nowhere when the two of them see each other face to face.
"..."
The subtle tension in the room was quite uncomfortable for Zeno, who was sitting on the couch and minding his own business while chilling with Asia and Ziah, who was on her mama's lap as Zeno looked at his head maid and his girlfriend, who suddenly came inside the living room and then immediately sized each other up for unknown reasons.
"Hmph...!"
After a minute of sizing each other up and seeing that their opponent is very confident, they just harrumphed and turned their faces towards Zeno, who is looking at them with a wry smile. The two girls are quite competitive with each other, unlike the other girls.
"Master!"
"Zeno-san!"
The two call him at the same time, and their expression brightens up instantly like the previous confrontation didn't happen.
"Yeah? What is it?"
Zeno asked with a curious expression as he looked at his two lovers, who almost skipped as they came towards him with happiness radiating from their bodies, their bright expression telling him that they have something great to tell him. He wonders what this is about.
""I'm pregnant!""
"Eh...?"
Himiko and Leila spoke at the same time as they threw themselves at him while the man himself was caught off guard by the surprised revelation with a dumbfounded expression on his face while he subconsciously caught Himiko and Leila in his arms.
"Oh my! Congratulations, you two!"
"Ahh~?"
Asia, who was watching from the side, gasped in surprise at the news of their pregnancy before she congratulated them with a happy smile while the baby Ziah just looked at them curiously, not really knowing what was happening.
"Is it great? You will be a big sister soon, Ziah-chan!
"Ah~ Ahh~?"
Asia giggles as she pats her daughter's head while Ziah is just babbling cutely in response, not knowing that she will have a little siblings soon.
"Master~! Master~! I'm going to be Mama~!"
While Zeno was being kissed by both girls in his arms, who were showering him in affection, Charmie's voice from outside the living room announced her sudden arrival before the petite maid skipped inside the room with an excited grin.
"For real...?"
Zeno chuckles nervously at the additional pregnant girl, and before he could say anything more, another voice announces her arrival to the people in the room.
"Master, I have amazing news to announce as well~!"
Klara walking inside after Charmie as she rubs her stomach with a smile on her glossy pink lips.
( AN: Klara is the clone of Katerea. )
"…..."
Zeno started to sweat as he was afraid that another one would come next, but fortunately only four girls are pregnant this time around.
Zavior Household is definitely going to be very lively in the future, Zeno thought with a wry smile while being surrounded by his girls, who were showering his face with their kisses.