Chapter 97
Chapter 97
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 97
Chapter Title: The Last Emperor
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[You have completed the hidden quest 'The Last Emperor.']
[Hidden quest reward: Key of the Imperial Family]
[You have completed the hidden quest 'Evil God? Defeat the Soul-Eating Demonic Sword.']
[Hidden quest reward: Bounty / Black Jewel]
[You have acquired the title: Hero of the Empire Lv1.]
[Hero of the Empire: The people of the empire recognize you as a hero. The people of the empire show you goodwill. You are acknowledged as having inheritance rights to the relics of the empire's founding emperor, Leonhardt.]
[The Labyrinth World remembers your story.]
[The Labyrinth World remembers your story.]
[Your level has increased.]
[Your level has increased.]
[Your level has increased.]
[Your level has increased.]
[Your level has...?]
Light windows popped up one after another.
But Cheon-ho looked at the sky instead of the light windows.
He had defeated the Winter King—no, Soul Eater—but the sky was still ash-gray. The area hadn't been liberated like it had in the lower levels. The demonic energy in the mid-layers was too thick for that.
But in its place, sparkling souls were illuminating the ash-gray sky.
It was a beautiful sight.
And at the same time, a poignant one.
The empire's last emperor and his loyal knights.
Nameless soldiers who had fought to protect the empire from the invading enemies and died in the process.
Cheers of victory rang out from Silliphian Fortress.
Everyone was shouting in joy.
“The hero of the holy sword!”
“The hero of the empire!”
Everyone chanted Cheon-ho's name. The cries made the entire battlefield tremble.
Cheon-ho turned toward Silliphian Fortress.
Lucille and the angels were still praying.
Even if they didn't know the full details, it seemed they had sensed something from the ascending souls.
Lucas was crying.
Everyone in Silliphian Fortress might not have known, but he seemed to.
That the Winter King was the last emperor, and that the death knights were the empire's heroes.
[Hwahng, hng, hweek. Euhhng.]
Mitra kept crying.
It wasn't the kind of crying that would stop easily.
Cheon-ho took a moment to catch his breath. He had fought a fierce battle, but thanks to the Demon God Elixir just before, he was surprisingly fine. His mana had been depleted from using the hero's sword, but his stamina was intact.
So instead of collapsing in exhaustion or sitting down to rest, Cheon-ho looked around.
It would have been best if Lucille had flown over like usual, but she was praying with the angels right now.
“Ooh! Hero!”
Right then, Saschiell flew down from above his head.
Her face was extremely excited.
“Hm.”
Chicken in place of pheasant? No, not even chicken.
But this wasn't the time to be picky about hot rice or cold.
“Saschiell.”
“Ooh! Hero!”
Saschiell, repeating the same line, landed in front of Cheon-ho.
“I'm truly impressed. No, moved. Your sword dance was beautiful.”
The path opened by the Winter King.
The woman with golden eyes—Mitra—had led the way.
Saschiell had every reason to make a fuss. The newly ascended realm of the sword was truly beautiful.
But now wasn't the time to review the duel with the Winter King or match Saschiell's excitement.
Even at this moment, Mitra was crying.
[Hng hng. Hooeeng.]
Cheon-ho, who had thought it cute for a moment while she cried, cleared his throat and said to Saschiell.
“Saschiell, I'm counting on you for cleanup. I'll be losing consciousness for a bit, so take good care of me.”
“Hm? Ah, got it. After a battle like that, it's only natural. Pass out without worry. I'll protect you.”
Saschiell spoke with a serious face, emphasizing her words, and Cheon-ho smiled wryly.
“Then I'll pass out.”
“Yeah!”
It was a strange conversation, but it was the truth.
Cheon-ho closed his eyes.
There was no guidance from Mitra, but he could do it alone. It was something he'd repeated several times already.
In front of Saschiell's eyes, Cheon-ho collapsed with a thud.
He moved to the mental world.
* * *
As if reflecting Mitra's state of mind, the sky in the mental world—which had always been clear and blue—was dark.
It was gray, blanketed with heavy, overcast clouds.
Cheon-ho saw a girl crouched in the middle of the dry plains.
Jet-black hair and golden eyes.
She hugged her knees and sobbed like a child.
Cheon-ho approached her.
Early to mid-teens.
It was quite different from Mitra's true appearance he'd seen during the decisive battle with the Winter King. But it was unmistakably Mitra.
Now he could sense it clearly.
[Hweek, hng.]
Mitra looked up while crying. She saw Cheon-ho, and at the emotions and plea in those golden eyes, Cheon-ho smiled faintly. He sat down in front of her and spread his arms wide. He embraced Mitra.
[Hwahng.]
Mitra buried her face in Cheon-ho's chest. And as if this was just the beginning, she started crying even louder.
Cheon-ho carefully held her. He stroked her silky hair several times.
And how much time passed?
Mitra squirmed in Cheon-ho's arms. She was still crying, but it seemed like she was trying to find a comfortable position.
Cheon-ho adjusted accordingly for her, and soon both found a satisfying posture.
Cheon-ho sat cross-legged, with Mitra straddling on top.
Once the position was set, Mitra buried her head in his chest again, and Cheon-ho smiled faintly.
“Feeling a bit better now?”
[Hweek. Hng.]
Mitra nodded while crying.
Cheon-ho loosened his hold on her slightly and rummaged at his waist. True to the mental world, his thoughts manifested the item he wanted right away.
“Here, blow your nose. Blow.”
He wiped her face moderately with a handkerchief, then pinched her nose. Mitra hesitated but soon blew with a honk.
[Euuuum. I feel like a baby.]
“You are a baby, kinda.”
Cheon-ho set down the tear- and snot-soaked handkerchief on the ground and looked at Mitra again. But instead of looking at him, she buried her head back in his chest and spoke.
“You.”
“Yes, Mitra.”
[I don't even know their names. That, that makes me feel so sorry...]
Mitra burst into tears again. But it wasn't the same sorrowful wail as before.
Cheon-ho rocked her gently, as if soothing a real baby, and held her close.
What would Father have said? He probably would have had some wise words.
After a moment of thought, Cheon-ho gave up on imitating his father. Even if it was a bit clumsy and uncool, he spoke his own words.
“Mitra was asleep. It's not Mitra's fault.”
[Still... still...]
She hadn't completely ignored it. She had vaguely heard. There were such memories.
The crown princess pleading for help.
Her meeting her end in front of his door.
Mitra knew it too. The crown princess hadn't resented Mitra herself. She hadn't hated her at all for not responding despite the pleas.
That's why she felt even more sorry.
That's why her heart hurt even more.
If she hadn't fallen asleep.
If she had somehow maintained her spirit by the side of Leon's descendants.
Mitra bit her lip. Emotions welled up, and she started sobbing again.
Cheon-ho stroked her head while thinking.
She was a holy sword so pure and kind it bordered on foolish.
No wonder her trait included being a pushover.
But he didn't dislike it. On the contrary, this Mitra was incredibly lovable.
So Cheon-ho waited without a hint of irritation.
And how much time passed again?
Perhaps having cried it all out, or exhausted from crying, Mitra's sobs finally subsided to sniffles.
She hugged Cheon-ho tightly with both arms and said.
[Thank you, you.]
For liberating the last emperor.
For being here with her now.
“It's Mitra.”
He wanted to say something longer and cooler like Father, but no more words came.
And that seemed enough, as Mitra beamed brightly.
[Yes, I am your holy sword. You are my hero.]
Mitra hugged him anew. She was a holy sword who cried well and loved being held.
Cheon-ho patted her back and said.
“We have a lot to sort out.”
[I figured. That... even if it's late, congratulations on your swordsmanship reaching a new realm.]
“Thanks to Mitra.”
He had grown during the sword duel with the Winter King.
He had seen a new path, and not just seen it—he had walked it.
He needed to review it.
He needed time to embody the newly learned sword dance, the beautiful dance of the blade.
But Cheon-ho didn't rush.
He even put off checking the consecutive light windows for now.
The new hero skills and holy sword skills would come later too.
“You.”
“Yes, Mitra.”
[Can we... stay like this a little longer?]
What was this sudden request?
Cheon-ho smiled faintly and tightened his arms around her instead of answering.
Mitra rested her head on his chest.
* * *
Cheon-ho opened his eyes the next morning.
It was reality, not the mental world.
“Hero!”
“Uwaa! Hero!”
“The super strong and cool hero has opened his eyes!”
“Are you okay?”
“If you all talk at once, how is the hero supposed to answer?”
“But, but!”
“You were amazing. I'm impressed. Saschiell and the combat angels are in awe too.”
“I'm impressed as well.”
Starting with Lucille, then Eizel, Lucillia, Aurael, Raguel, Eizel again, and Aurael and Silikiel.
It was like heaven before his eyes.
Angels everywhere. A sight that truly purified the soul.
All the angels gazed at Cheon-ho with sparkling eyes, but he looked at Lucille first. Lucille grinned broadly.
“The Angel Network is going crazy.”
The Winter King was a fairly notorious evil god even in the mid-layers.
Moreover, he was the one who had single-handedly defeated the god of couriers.
And Cheon-ho had taken him down. Even with preparations, he had done it alone.
“Seriously, seriously, seriously. It's a total bombshell!”
Eizel, greatly excited, opened a light window. Sure enough, huge articles even bigger than when the Plague God was banished from the 4th floor floated up.
Comments filled it too.
Cheon-ho stared blankly at the comments for a moment, then nodded.
Everything except the first two was nonsense, but somehow that made it more believable.
'Comment sections are the same everywhere.'
“Hehe, they say I'm cute.”
As Eizel beamed, Lucille spoke again.
“Anyway, Hero, you're incredible! The Goddess of Healing sent praises several times while you were asleep. The soldiers at Silliphian Fortress are in an uproar too. Everyone's grateful to you.”
Lucille was as happy as if it were her own achievement.
Mitra was Mitra, but Lucille was pure and kind too.
[Yes, just like an angel. I approve. She's a real angel.]
Mitra chimed in first, and Cheon-ho smiled faintly before sitting up in bed.
“Is the battlefield cleanup done?”
“Mostly.”
There had been a big fight, but with all the undead ascending, the battlefield was empty. Of course, there was the issue of repairing the fortress damaged in battle, but that could be done slowly over time—it wasn't urgent right now.
After asking Lucille a few more things, Cheon-ho made up his mind.
First, eat, then head back to the site where he fought the Winter King.
[Why?]
“Why there?”
“I get it! You beat the boss, so you're going to pick up the loot it dropped, right?”
“Yeah, I picked up Soul Eater and the rest for now.”
Mitra, Eizel, Lucillia in order, and the last answer was from Lucille.
“Good job, Lucille. But going to the Winter King fight site is for a different reason.”
[Hm, I really don't know. Why?]
“For information.”
At Cheon-ho's words, Lucille and Raguel's eyes widened simultaneously.
Because they understood what Cheon-ho intended to do.