Chapter 288
Chapter 288
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 14
Chapter Title: One Empire, Three Legends
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“...”
Crackle. Crackle.
Shaaaah.
“...”
Rustle. Rustle.
Scratch. Scratch.
The sound of winter rain and burning firewood. People gathered before that warmth and low firelight.
“Excellent... Total of seven, one absent. Absentee reason, retirement—excluding that... we have all six here. First, as a celebration of reuniting like this in this insane imperial capital—let’s give them a round of applause.”
“Mmm... Y-Yeah. Seeing everyone so healthy again... it’s really great.”
“Right... isn’t it? We can only call it heavenly luck... Haha, hahahaha...”
Clap clap clap clap.
“Enough.”
Rubbing his throbbing brow, the Professor looked over the group gathered before him one by one, along with simple refreshments.
.
.
.
.
.
What the hell is all this?
“Let’s sort this out... Secretary, come forward.”
“Yes.”
At the Professor’s words, Idrasil stepped forward from the seated group.
The half-elf stalker full of a sense of duty, Idrasil. She had an excellent habit of recording everything that caught her eye.
“First, we were all together until we scattered in the holy city. When was that...?”
Flip.
“Right after entering the capital, All Amperia. The mage team of Ottoman, Notum, and Aldrich went to the Flower Consort’s palace. Professor went to the Empress’s palace. I hid Lucilla in the holy city with spirit magic, then followed behind Professor over the walls...”
“Let’s skip that. After that, combat broke out, I smashed the First Prince and went to the Empress’s palace, then the imperial palace. The mage team got caught by the imperial guards while leaving the Flower Consort’s palace and fled. Idrasil probably followed me, right?”
“Yes. I was providing support fire from a high spire. At the time, Professor was at the imperial palace’s main gate. The mage group was moving near the east gate. And Lucilla charged into the imperial palace alone—”
Flinch—!
“...Miraculously, she followed behind Professor into the imperial palace.”
“Yeah... Miraculously, huh. Truly miraculous... Hey, Inexplicable Number One. Care to explain?”
“Uh... It just felt like that would happen? Confidence? Conviction? Like finding something on the market floor that you’re dead sure will multiply tenfold in price within ten years, no matter what?”
Squeeeze—
At Lucilla’s ‘I dunno either?’ expression, the wrinkles on the brow-rubbing Professor’s forehead deepened further.
Yeah. Up to entering the imperial palace, it was all perfectly understandable progression anyone could follow. But from there, things started veering into utter nonsense.
The story that followed was straight out of a novel—no, the kind of absurd tale exaggerated ridiculously by street performers.
I vanished like an illusion right in front of Idrasil who’d followed me in.
While wandering that, I found Lucilla amid the collapsing imperial palace debris, evacuated to this underground storeroom for now, and it was packed with ancient imperial relics.
Among them was the sword of the founding emperor, thought lost, and this merchant girl got possessed by it or something, strapped it to her back, escaped the imperial palace, and wandered the chaotic capital looking for its rightful owner.
Wow. If this were a play I paid for, I’d toss a fistful of coins as a tip. Full force, like shotgun pellets.
No clue where to even start picking it apart, but this is supposed to be documentary, not fiction.
And it got worse from there.
“You didn’t even know that guy was Gaynax at first?”
“No... Just, this flickering golden aura was screaming ‘This is the guy! Him!’ so I grabbed him on impulse and asked if he’d ever thought about being emperor...”
After I shattered the aura corrupted by the empire’s power in that guy Gaynax, I saw his face. Like someone who’d lived locked in a cave his whole life finally seeing light, sharing liberation’s joy with his mother. A face that wouldn’t spit on the empire, let alone become emperor. And yet somehow she convinced him to take the sword.
“And that’s the result?”
“Yes... He even brought a few days’ rations and a change of clothes, saying he’d camp out on the coachman’s seat until I boarded that carriage...”
Outside the window in the falling winter rain stood a magnificently decorated carriage—how it survived this mess was a mystery—and atop it, a coachman in a thick cloak glanced this way while rubbing his hands.
“Achoo-!”
With a cough, snot dangled down, and the coachman quickly wiped it away with his cloak flap. A familiar face.
“Muto... was it? Glen ducal house? The duke’s servant?”
“Yes. I thought he was just the coachman too... but he’s the next heir to the ducal house. Apparently, the Glen ducal house raises heirs like that...”
Makes sense. With cursed wraiths raining from the sky like precipitation, it was odd seeing a squire next to the hero unit Glen duke. Must’ve brought along a decent one.
Definitely a cut above, raised in a family of imperial judges for generations. But Glen heir training or whatever doesn’t matter to us. What matters now is that the one who invited Lucilla, piling on the pressure via his nominal servant, is...
“...You sent Gaynax off, and stayed in that secret passage with Idrasil and the Empress?”
“Yes...”
“What’d you talk about?”
“Well... The secret passage is for the imperial family, with safe house features for emergencies, so there was a place to rest. The Empress said I looked exhausted, so let’s catch our breath with some tea...”
“And?”
“Well... Stories about family elders, my age, how I joined the hero’s party, my life as a merchant, and... a bit about Teldrat’s suitors. Uh, quite a bit... a whole lot...”
Lucilla’s face, stuttering more and more, started flushing red. As quick on the uptake as she was, she couldn’t miss where the Empress’s interest lay.
“...You shattered the emperor’s sword—its iconic lion emblem—right in front of Gaynax. And then, to Gaynax with that thunderstruck face... what’d you say?”
“Waaah! I-Idi! Don’t say it! I wasn’t in my right mind then—”
“[Go, free man Gaynax. As you said, now forge your own destiny.] She said.”
“Kyaaa. And Gaynax’s reply to that?”
“[A merchant, huh... Then I suppose I must pay the price.]”
“Kyaahaha~ Deadly. Hey, Your Highness Lucilla Aedran the Fair. Let’s call all past rudeness even. Yeah? We’ve all seen each other’s ugly sides plenty, so it evens out.”
“Waaah#^^*@(@#!!! D-Don’t!”
“Let’s see. Barely any temples left intact in the capital. Should I officiate? As a saint, I might just pull it off.”
“Uuuu!!!’
Face beet red, she glanced at me, then the carriage outside, then finally hung her head.
Jackpot, jackpot. She’s drawn a huge stroke in the Teldrat suitor legend.
In truth, tales of women from Teldrat were about those in crisis or men who didn’t recognize their own worth being lifted up by their hands.
Crisis. The prosperous imperial capital crumbling into a curse’s hotbed.
To Gaynax, fleeing the empire’s past specters, she said ignore the past and do what you want now, guiding the new emperor’s hand to the sword. As a result, Gaynax slew the tyrant and opened new skies.
“...Alright. Inexplicable Number One, let’s chalk it up to the empire’s self-preserving power spotting a daughter-in-law for the new emperor and fulfilling that role.”
“P-Please! D-Don’t put it like that!”
“Why? Don’t like it?”
“...”
Gaynax was a given, and Lucilla herself didn’t seem to hate it much either.
Makes sense. After seeing a fit, burly, manly guy acting timid and pathetic, then watching him leap up at my word, charge out, and cleave stars with one sword—that’d hit anyone right in the heart.
If I swing by Teldrat later, I’ll make the Aedran family head treat me.
Alright. Lucilla’s done.
“Next. Inexplicable Number Two. The forest troll I was barely surviving with on 400 horses turned out to be an ancient empire pact-holder?? Hey, Miss Notum there. Thoughts on this wild play-of-a-fact?”
“Grooo. No big deal.”
“That’s why it’s a big deal.”
Thinking about it, the empire was littered with shamanic traces.
All Amperia’s walls, reinforced with grand magic and ancient shamanism, resisting even auras.
Massive shamanic golems blocking berserk knights wielding blood-dripping swords who swore to reach the emperor, even crafting legs for those with the imperial seal.
The imperial palace shifting locations at the emperor’s gesture like illusion—practical enough to deliver Lionel to Lucilla when needed.
As a mage, I didn’t sense magic, so it must be emperor’s power mixed with shamanism.
Centuries-old imperial facilities bearing heavy traces everywhere—not the work of ordinary folk.
“She’s right there. Ancestor. Just ask her. What’s the deal?”
Notum’s forehead still faintly glowed with shamanic markings—unfinished business?—and she kept scratching it, bothered.
“Grooo... When this country was made, lots of fighting. Thorn-Eyed Pupil, knew the emperor. Became friends after getting the six-legged horse the emperor cherished like a child. Agtak, who couldn’t walk well from birth, ate that horse and ran like one, grateful, fought on friend-emperor’s side. That’s it.”
Trolls got some horse-standard culture? Here too?
“And that’s one of the three ancestor spirits stuck to you? So the one possessing you could swing the empire’s golems and facilities wild?”
“Grooo.”
...If so, without Notum, resolving the empire and witch quest would’ve been way harder. Finding the talking forest troll of Lordric woods and dragging her here is the true clear route? Too forced?
Beyond difficulty—pure unreasonableness. Less ‘Notum essential,’ more ‘skipped steps naturally thanks to her.’
‘Ancestor spirits didn’t attach to Notum from the start. She was chosen by them. If without Notum, a shamanic character attachment spot en route to empire...’
Shamanism. Other races. Primal feel. Empire quest...
Snap!
“Howanuman! That’s why Howanuman was squeezed into the empire quest path!”
If the emperor’s power pulled me in, its true start was that letter dragon... crashing the airship. Crash site: Howanuman. Imperial territory but not fully, home to other-race steppe tribes.
Among great war foes, blatant shaman users like that Peo shielding with tribe life-link. Howanuman’s steppe folk decked in primal patterns, plenty of greenskins.
True route: Recruit shaman NPC here, ancient empire-linked ancestor spirit possesses for pact gathering.
In my case, thanks to greenskin history’s top output Notum securing spirits early, I could mindless-rampage Howanuman.
‘Probably that shield guy’s tribe I met post-tourney, the one I sent to Lordric—they recruited one? Come to think, their leader’s daughter eyed me like ‘take me.’’
Anyway, another puzzle solved. trusty Notum logically linked the awkward Howanuman detour.
“Finally. Inexplicable Number Three. Aldrich... we covered it when you came in, so skip. Otman, no issues?”
“Mmm... Feels a bit left out, but no. Suppressed the witch tower, blocked curse spread with pact-holders... After, worked to extinguish capital fires. Rain helped, so I rested a tad earlier than others.”
“Good... So I’ve heard most of what happened without me.”
Summary.
Lucilla – True Teldrat suitor legend. Raised the despairing First Prince of the empire at journey’s end, handed him the sword opening new fate. Estimated to receive new imperial palace gate key in exchange.
Notum – Ancient empire pact-holder. With ancestor spirit consent, could collapse All Amperia walls via embedded shamanism wholesale, rampage capital with 5-to-10-meter varied shaman golems.
Aldrich – God.
Snap!
“Ow! Why hit?! God smites man!”
“Argh, I said not a god!”
“Bu—... Ahem! You inherited the pure divinity forged by the saintess’s soul, curses and junk stripped—originally a shard of god’s soul, so if that’s not divine power, what is?!”
“I’ve told you it’s not that grand! It was just... enough to refill my depleted life force, mend my broken vessel. Fully human power. Just that much. Purely power-wise, I’m pathetically weaker than before. No evil spirits to trade life from soul-gaps, can’t even cast basic black magic. Now just a slightly healthier old codger than peers. Even now, the souls my mother... brought to the capital haunt my side. Overwhelmed sending them off one by one.”
Aldrich said that, gently stroking empty air. Amid dim hearthfire, faint light danced at his fingertips. Less light, more colorless ripple.
At Aldrich’s awkward face, the Professor quietly met his gaze, then spoke.
“Then. From now on, will you live for them?”
“...No excuses about being unhelpful. Sorry. I can’t turn from them. In their dazed eyes, faces chewing pain—52 years filling me with Neria’s face. Mother’s pain as witch shows. I... want to use this power inherited from mother, aid their rest. Spend remaining life on that. Shameless, but sorry...”
.
.
.
.
Silence fell over the group, pondering the weight of those words.
“...Good for you. Happy ending, right?”
As always, leader’s role to say the right thing in such moments.
To Aldrich eyeing the group with sorry-filled eyes, the Professor spoke casually.
“Congratulations, Aldrich. You’ve finally shed all the heart’s knots you carried a lifetime.”
“Only received help and leaving like this, shameless... Thank you, truly, everyone. Black mage trusting no gods or miracles, all my gratitude goes to you who led me here...”
Clap.
Clap clap clap clap.
Applause echoed again in the dim room. Unlike the first—celebration and encouragement conveying wordless emotions through action.
“Good work, teacher. Learned well. Thanks to you, learned souls, met ancestor ghosts.”
“No, Notum, you’ve talent beyond imagination. Even without me, you’d bloom it surely.”
“...Time without meeting ghost elder far longer than with. That span, only wielded rocks, tree clubs. Ghost elder wrong. Learned. Awakened, changed much. All after meeting ghost elder. Thanks.”
Notum’s thick hand clasped Aldrich’s shoulder, green face baring fangs in bright smile.
“Congratulations, Aldrich. Seeing your mana—dense, heavy as heavy water—always impressive, yet stagnant, unmoving, I worried when you’d lose yourself. Now water finds path to flow again—naturally worth celebrating.”
“Otman. You...”
“Hohoho. Know without saying. Me? Just go with flow, no? If lucky, reach my sea someday. Till then, flow on. Small brook’s clear stream nice, but riding raging river better to leave mark on riverbed.”
Wrinkled arms embraced, glass bottles in robes clinking—both elders burst into unbefitting laughter.
“Aldrich...”
“Lucilla. Sorry to you most. Should’ve seen you as you, always. I saw Neria’s lost life in your shadow. Neria was that bright. Neria that lively. If lived, grown into such bright lively girl, I thought. You shine so bright, yet I couldn’t face you proper.”
“Even so, you always cared for me tenderly—can’t erase that. No grandpa since grandfather gone, wondered if this is what having one feels like. Geez, not parting forever, yet tears... Hm! Ah! Ahem! Cong...ratulations, Aldrich!”
Hiding tears, deliberately bright voice as she hugged into Aldrich’s embrace.
“Elves set little store by farewells. Return to earth, reunite at mother tree eventually. But... Borca, you too. If learned from human partings. Humans don’t grieve parting itself. Grieve accepting what follows parting, it seems.”
“...Intriguing view.”
“Lucilla cries recalling you won’t be on future travels. Notum gave thanks knowing few days left to thank, conveying heart. Humans, short-lived, know many ways to cherish moments. Though new to world, can’t empathize as they...”
Flip. Flip.
“Your moments left with me. I’ll treasure, savor them.”
“Elven send-off... Rare gift. Wish you safe return to woods too, Idrasil.”
Idrasil showed worn notebook open to Aldrich records. His flustered face, hand grabbing Professor’s collar, grinning with Otman sharing sedatives.
At unexpected gift, Aldrich swallowed rising emotion between wrinkled lids.
And turn came. Professor, who’d watched all tenderly, approached Aldrich.
“Moment every party faces eventually. Member leaving side.”
“To you, no matter how many apologies—”
“Ways so varied. Human, longer together, clashing parts stand out. Ill will piles, shatter like broken vessel. Highest odds: accident splits survivors from cold graves. Like us now, journey’s end achieves goal. New life in blessing. Rarest, but finest.”
“Professor, you...”
“I think our party advances in ideal form. Total seven. Absent two. Absentee reason: achieved desires, retired to happy life. Moment that fills seven—isn’t that our all’s happy ending?”
Professor’s callused hand gripped Aldrich’s wrinkled one.
“Drop by temple sometimes for contact. Some heretic struts? Just say ‘Priest relaying this connects straight to Saint.’ Barefoot priests’ll roll out, not one or two. That’s my level now.”
“Huhuhuhu, truly you to the end. So you...”
Thus, final farewells ended.
Rising, Aldrich deeply bowed to all.
“First words of lifelong gratitude, left here. Unforgettable experiences, memories. Friends to recall at life’s end—truly thankful. Thanks to you, achieved impossible wish, now depart for new goal. Now, roam world. Live guiding lost souls like these...”
Drip. Drip....
“Shamelessly, leave my spot in Professor’s hero party... empty.....”
Tears fell at last from the bowed elder’s dry eyes, nearly touching floor.
As if cheering his path, remaining five’s fervent applause followed.
Clap clap clap clap—
Outside, eavesdropping servant-cum-duke-heir Muto reddened eyes at unintended tale, clapped, then cautiously knocked window as thought struck.
Knock knock knock.
“Uh... Sorry to interrupt mood warming my freezing winter-rain body. But Saint and party all invited by Duke and Gaynax ahead. Beyond celebration, for empire’s future, please attend coronation by all means. Uh... If go now, I who watched front’ll get beaten dead by Duke... How about, no?”
“Kehum! Uuum. Old fool’s shame... Right, coronation. Forgot. Umm...”
“Uh... Did everything else. Wanna watch? You’re party elder. See Lucilla off, combo farewell then go.”
“Coronation, huh. Ah, that meaning. Yes. Turbulent times, stabilize imperial house first to quell nobles. Yes, Lucilla—uum... Must see this.”
“...Eh? Huh? Huh??”
“Friend waited long, on topic—let’s depart. Got talk with Gaynax too. Wait more, real coachman’ll freeze dead.”
“Excellent judgment, Saint! Carriages prepped elsewhere besides mine, if short take those. Ah, Lady Aedran... must ride here. Separate protocol needed.”
Quick-witted or timed perfectly.
Chatty servant...-like Muto lightened heavy stifling mood.
“W-Wait, my... dress all torn, these merchant rags, face not, prep not yeeet—”
“Capital survivors all from servant city survivors, no? Experts aplenty, just bring body. Come on, hop in. Quick!”
Deadpan yet commanding tone, gestures. Before protests, Lucilla’s carriage rolled into half-cleared capital streets; watching party eyes sparkled playful smiles.
“We go too. Say waited long.”
“Yeah... Let’s.”
Slap!
Coachwhip cracked horse rump; remaining party’s carriage followed.
Aldrich resolved to fully savor this final journey with the group.
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