Chapter 6

"It has been seven hundred and nine years, King of Man."

The incarnation of the evil god that needed to be defeated, and the holy beast they had called the Blue Demon Beast, had reappeared.

The scene of the palace enveloped in flames and the king's stunned figure was similar to the last time, but the situation was different.

The people finally understood.

That everything had been wrong.

They thought it was impossible.

That the young princess, who had been placed in such a situation, could not possibly save this country, save them.

That she must be filled with resentment and hatred.

The scene changed.

A small boy was sitting cross-legged by the bay window, wearing a coat, goggles, and a green collar. In the chair in front of the window, the princess wearing a mask was sitting, a book on her lap, talking animatedly with gestures.

People just stared in amazement.

The encounter between the princess and the boy, however, came to an end.

The princess, riding in a carriage, leaned out of the window, calling the boy's name. On the wall behind the castle, the boy sat cross-legged, watching the carriage leave with a slightly sad look.

The scene changed.

An old man was in what appeared to be an office.

"This is what the old man left behind."

He extended his trembling hand.

It was King Ramon.

Compared to his appearance ten years ago, he had changed dramatically. His hair had turned white, his wrinkles had increased, and he had become emaciated. Most of all, the expression that had been filled with confidence and vigor was gone.

He looked like nothing more than a trembling old man.

"Yes, this is the plan left by Master Hou."

The man who handed the stack of papers to the king was a middle-aged man with a loose smile on his lips. He wore a black collar.

The people in the capital knew his face.

He was the man who led the Hero Corps formed to save the country, named Ozma.

"Does, does this mean that if we proceed as instructed, the country will be saved? Will I be forgiven?"

"Of course, Your Majesty."

"Oh, I see, I see. As expected of the old man. The old man always helps me. No matter how desperate the situation, he always gives me a winning strategy."

"Absolutely, that's right."

Smiling, Ozma explained.

The Black Collar Corps would serve as the princess's guard. However, the Royal Guard would accompany them to the city of Caron, where the damage from the demon beasts was minimal.

"To avoid battles with the demon beasts and head to the 'Altar of the End,' the old man judged that the Black Collar Corps, skilled in stealth, would be the most suitable."

King Ramon nodded enthusiastically.

The explanation to the princess would be kept to a minimum. If the young princess knew that she would be sacrificing herself to save the country, she might refuse to go.

Therefore, she would be made to accept it without question.

"In the audience chamber, Your Majesty will issue a decree. The head lady-in-waiting will persuade the princess beforehand, so there's no need to worry."

"Umm, yes."

Finally, Ozma argued that since this was a journey that would determine the fate of the country, the cooperation of all cities and subjects was necessary.

However, the name of the Black Collar Corps lacked appeal.

"Therefore, we will call ourselves the Hero Corps. If we hold a grand unveiling ceremony with the princess before departure, everyone will be convinced and cheer us on. Ah, the name Hero Corps is my idea."

"Do as you please."

Without even reading it properly, King Ramon signed the plan.

"Oh dear."

The one who was stunned by this scene was Paulun, standing on the outer wall of the city of Alshe.

"If this continues, we'll end up being the lackeys of a foolish evil master."

"Hmph."

Batts, who was sitting next to him, turned away.

"There's no choice."

Looking up at the sky, Fuuri muttered.

The irregular movements of Teng, who was scouting around the city, were probably due to seeing the same scene.

After that, the glowing window showed the princess being led to the audience chamber by the head lady-in-waiting.

"All you need to do is say 'yes.' Even if you have questions, you must not ask them. Refusing the king's command is absolutely out of the question. Do you understand?"

It was a forced persuasion in name only.

When the princess entered the audience chamber, a large number of adults murmured at the sight of the masked girl. It was as if they were observing a rare animal in a freak show.

The king ordered the girl to remove her mask, revealing her face.

She was pale and trembling, presumably from tension and anxiety.

"From now on, you are to go to the 'Altar of the End,' said to be in the deepest part of the 'Wasteland' far to the north, and slay the Blue Demon Beast."

The old king's face also showed signs of anxiety and unease.

"When you successfully complete this trial, I will allow you to use your true name and recognize you as a member of the royal family. Is that clear?"

Following the head lady-in-waiting's instructions, the girl replied with a trembling voice, "Yes," and bowed her head.

◇

The numbers disappeared.

The glowing window showed a luxurious bedroom. On the bed, an old man was on all fours, staring intently.

It was the emaciated King Ramon.

"I did not know! If I had known from the beginning, such a situation would not have—"

"Do not misunderstand, King of Man."

The goddess's voice interrupted the king's words.

"Forgetting the 'Covenant' is of no concern to me. I am not angry."

Only the king's figure was visible in the glowing window.

"Is that true, Goddess?"

"Of course."

"Hehe."

The king prostrated himself.

No, that's not quite right. Probably, the glowing window in front of the king showed the goddess.

This scene was not a depiction of past history.

It was the current appearance of the king.

"In the first place, the reason I gave my blood to your royal family was just a whim. Whether humans perish or survive is their fate. Is that not so?"

"As you say."

"But."

The goddess's voice became slightly sharp.

"My daughter, who carries my blood, is different. Born into the royal family, she sacrifices her life to save her fellow beings. I hold such a noble daughter in high regard."

The king stiffened.

"How you treat my daughter, King of Man, is not a matter of knowing or not knowing."

The king began to tremble violently. He looked like a criminal awaiting judgment.

"Well, what shall we do? Yes, that's it."

The goddess's voice said something unexpected.

"How about you renounce all rights to Tuenitye?"

"…What?"

"Exactly as it sounds. That girl is not your daughter, nor is she a member of the royal family. Just a human child. In exchange, I will take care of her as a mother. If you accept these conditions—"

The goddess's voice was filled with compassion.

"I will forgive you. And I will no longer interfere. Live as you please in the human kingdom."

The king's trembling stopped, and he looked relieved.

"Hmm, do you not like it?"

"N-no!"

The king reacted as if he had been struck and prostrated himself again.

"Of course not. I will gladly give my daughter to you."

"Understood. Then I will forgive you."

The king did not realize that the people who had survived in the country were watching him sell his daughter for self-preservation and feel genuine relief.

"Thank you, thank you."

"There is no need to thank me. After all, I cannot proceed with the ceremony without the parent's consent."

"Huh?"

"Do not worry. I will cut it."

◇

After that, the glowing window showed the journey of the trial.

The early part of the journey was relatively safe, involving the Hero Corps and the Royal Guard. When they reached a city near the capital, the residents welcomed them with cheers.

In the middle part, only the Hero Corps continued from the city of Caron.

Avoiding or fighting demon beasts, they headed north. When they saw the awkward cat house Batts had made, some people chuckled. When the carriage overturned due to a Medusa snake attack, everyone screamed.

The place they reached after losing the carriage was a white castle.

The girl's gestures, reminiscent of the boy, touched everyone's hearts.

Then, the strange behavior of Ozma, holding a lantern that emitted a suspicious light.

"This is it. He is trying to manipulate the girl's mind with demonic power."

Occasionally, the goddess's commentary would be heard.

"It is futile. My blood will not allow it."

The pattern on the girl's forehead glowed brightly, and the lantern's flame was extinguished.

People sighed in relief.

The group reached the city of Alshe. The northernmost city, thought to have already fallen.

The girl desperately searched for the boy in the parade. At night, suspicious men in black sneaked into the girl's bedroom. People watched anxiously, but when the girl found and embraced the boy, they cheered.

Immediately after.

The conflict with the Hero Corps and an unexpected resolution.

"Well, why don't you just take her away?"

But the boy, after confirming the girl's will, fulfilled her wish.

The men in black were the survivors of the Mail Cult. There were only five of them, and the people were uneasy about the elderly knights, but they had finally returned to their original form.

The journey through the "Wasteland" was relatively smooth, but an incident occurred at the "Altar of the End."

"What are you being so careless about!"

The goddess was angry at the holy beast's lackadaisical response.

"Is this creature asleep?"

Ozma transformed into an amorphous blob and enveloped the holy beast.

"For a servant of mine to yield to demonic power is unacceptable. This is a punishment."

It is uncertain whether Funiappi, at the bottom of the "Great Hole," cried out "funya!"

After that, it was a journey with only the boy, the girl, and the holy beast in the form of a kitten. The unfamiliar landscapes and absurdly large demon beasts captivated the people.

"This hollow is filled with evil magic. Without my power, you cannot endure for long."

As the goddess predicted, the boy collapsed, and the girl carried him to the destination.

"…Ugh"

Suddenly, the goddess's voice stopped.

They arrived at a beautiful spring with a silver tree.

"Well done, my daughter."

It was clearly a sob.

The six shining women who emerged from the hollow of the silver tree were, of course, remembered by the people.

"Although they lost their physical bodies in the human world, I saved their souls. They are my proud daughters."

The boy and the girl were supposed to face a sad farewell, like Princess Ophelia and the hero Marteus.

In fact, the girl was about to say goodbye under the silver tree.

Immediately after, the boy let out a pained cry.

"Hey, what's wrong? Don't give up. Keep going!"

Logically, they should have accepted the farewell and ended there.

But the boy did not give up.

"…It's good, isn't it?"

With a heartfelt murmur, the shining figure of the goddess appeared.

"Well, that's the end of the story. After this, the two of them faced the being you call the evil god and defeated it. Eventually, the evil magic will disappear, and no more demon beasts will be born. Rejoice, humans. You have been saved."

People who thought the abrupt ending lacked a sense of reality were then stunned by the next words.

"But, more importantly."

The goddess was never a being for the sake of humans.

"I made a promise. To perform the marriage ceremony between the human child Ru and my daughter Tuenitye. Those who have a good relationship with the two will be specially invited. Come, let's celebrate grandly!"

The goddess clasped her hands in front of her chest and recited complex words that human ears could never hear.