Chapter 18: The Mad Emperor of the Empire, Balthazar (Conclusion)
Chapter 18: The Mad Emperor of the Empire, Balthazar (Conclusion)
The Emperor's tentacles struck at Ban like whips.
But without a shred of hesitation,
-Kwaaaaa!!
Ban lightly rotated his body to dodge them, then brought his Great Sword down once more, cleaving the tentacles apart.
-Chwajajajajak!!
"Gyaaaaaaaah!!"
The Emperor's scream of agony echoed out.
Despite having transformed into a demonic beast, the fact that he couldn't even leave a single scratch on Ban filled Emperor Balthazar with intense rage.
"Diiiiiieeeee!!!!"
In a final desperate struggle, the Emperor began to condense all the mana he had stored up.
Soon, the condensed mana erupted toward Ban like a beam of light.
-Kwagagagagagang!
Facing the incoming beam, Ban gripped his Great Sword tightly with both hands and raised it above his head.
"Yeah, it's time to end this."
The sword strike, fueled by Ban's pure physical strength, tore through the beam and advanced toward the Emperor.
-Kwagaaaaaaaaaang!!!!!!
And then, a strike filled with sincerity was brought down.
As if everything was equal before the Great Sword,
it even cleaved the Emperor, who had transformed into a demonic beast, in two.
"Gyaaaaaaaah!!"
In the aftermath of the shockwave, the barrier Celestia had created slowly lifted, revealing the landscape of the battlefield.
Emperor Balthazar, who had turned into a grotesque demonic beast.
His massive body was split apart and lay collapsed in a miserable state.
"Do you... think you are human...?"
"Look at your own appearance and say that."
"You're right... I'm sorry, but I won't die like this..."
The Emperor's final voice echoed, and soon the corpse burst as if exploding, and a hideous object scattered into the sky.
Ban sliced through it with transcendental reflexes, but it split into several pieces and scattered into the sky.
Ban looked up at the sky, but it was already too late to pursue the scattered Balthazar.
"Persistent bastard."
Balthazar's body, which had flown toward the sky.
That grotesque creature didn't make it very far.
"Hmm~ It's about time I paid back what I suffered earlier, right~ Since Ban has cooked up a delicious meal, shall I take a bite?"
Waiting in the sky, floating in the air with a seductive pose, was Priscilla.
And as she gestured,
"Kwaaaaaaaaang!!"
With a massive explosion, the remainder of Balthazar's body burned and turned to ash.
A moment later, on the quieted battlefield, Ban stood catching his breath, his Great Sword slung over his shoulder.
An unbelievable silence hung over the battlefield.
The Imperial Army, which had been fighting with weapons raised, and the Allied Forces all stood frozen, witnessing the scene.
Someone's trembling voice broke the silence.
"The Emperor... The Emperor is dead... !"
"The Great Warrior Ban has... slain the Emperor!!!"
Starting with that shout, a roar that seemed to shake the earth erupted from the Rohim Kingdom Allied Forces.
"Waaaaaaaah!!!!"
"We won!! The Great Warrior has cut off the Emperor's head!!!!"
On the other hand, the Imperial Army dropped their weapons and slumped to the ground.
In their eyes, the death of the Emperor, who had been the absolute power and object of terror, looked miserable.
Their morale was completely broken.
"Retreat!!!!"
"Surrender!!"
Imperial soldiers scrambled to throw away their weapons and flee or kneel.
The Emperor's long, long tyranny had been brought to an end by a single Great Warrior named Ban.
In the middle of the battlefield where shouts of victory were pouring out, Ban wiped off the blood and looked around.
Soldiers rejoicing in victory, and his close friends.
A faint smile spread across Ban's face.
"Waaaaaaaah!!!"
"Drink up!! For the Great Warrior Ban!!!"
The massive grand banquet hall inside the Papacy.
Although the scars of war had barely faded, the joy of victory against the Empire filled the banquet.
The expensive liquor that the nobles who frequented the Papacy used to drink in secret was being emptied.
And at the head table of that banquet hall.
Ban, the number one contributor to the victory, was downing drinks with a stoic expression despite the pouring praise and cheers.
"The stuff we had at the mansion tasted better."
Approaching Ban's side was the Witch of Fire, Katarina, dressed in a flashy dress and holding a large beer mug.
-Bang!
"Hey! Ban!! On a day like today, you've got to pour more! Here, this Witch of Fire will personally pour you a beer!!"
Just as Katarina triumphantly held out the mug and tried to claim the seat next to Ban, a fragrant rose vine that sprouted from somewhere swiped Katarina's beer mug aside.
"Wait your turn... Katarina..."
It was Valentine, the Witch of Flowers, who had appeared with her hair now turned pink, fluttering it.
She approached Ban's side with a subtle smile.
"Hey, Valentine! I was here first!"
Katarina snapped back, but Valentine was holding her ground, uncharacteristically.
However, taking advantage of the moment they were arguing, Celestia, the Witch of Celestial Bodies, approached Ban.
"Ban... I've thought about it in many ways, and I've become curious to know in detail why the girls are so into you."
Celestia, the Witch of Celestial Bodies, who had sat next to Ban at some point, crossed her legs and smiled provocatively.
"Celestia!!! Wait your turn!!"
Valentine became uncharacteristically excited, and the three witches occupied both sides of Ban, bickering.
Taking advantage of that gap, this time Elysia of the Edelrite Knights Order and her sister Alucia charged toward Ban.
"Prince!! It's been a while!! Since the war has settled down, let's have a cozy chat now...."
"My destiny~ Although I didn't participate in the battlefield, I saw your brave appearance well. Of course... there should be a reward for the victory."
Elysia and Alucia clung to Ban's arms and rubbed their bodies against him.
"Wait... stop it..."
To make matters worse, even the Saintess Charlotte approached, fidgeting with both cheeks flushed red.
"Um, Ban-nim... I wanted to share the stories we couldn't finish..."
It was nothing short of a chaotic mess.
Ban, sitting in the middle of it, was feeling overwhelmed for the first time.
"......"
Ban silently set down the glass he was holding.
And taking advantage of the moment everyone was keeping each other in check, Ban smoothly rose from his seat.
"Oh, oh? Ban-nim?"
"Hey! Where are you going!"
Leaving the voices calling him behind, Ban leisurely slipped out to the terrace outside the banquet hall, where people's gazes couldn't reach.
A cool breeze brushed past his cheeks.
Below the terrace, the scene of soldiers lighting fires and enjoying the victory festival came into view at a glance.
Only then did I let out a short sigh and lean against the railing.
-Creak.
At that moment, the terrace door opened softly, and someone approached.
"Our Great Warrior, did you run away because you're too popular~?"
A playful voice. It was Priscilla-nim.
Priscilla-nim approached with wine glasses in both hands and stood side-by-side with me.
She handed one glass to me and looked up at the night sky.
"Inside the banquet hall is a battlefield. Just how many people have you been seducing?"
"I haven't done anything."
I answered as if I were aggrieved and emptied the glass.
Priscilla-nim looked at my face quietly for a moment, then asked with a faint smile.
"The Imperial Army has retreated, and you've slain the Emperor. It's finally time to go home, Ban."
I smiled at Priscilla-nim and said.
"That's right, let's finally go back to our home, Priscilla."
-Tap.
Then, Priscilla-nim hugged me and burrowed into my arms.
And she buried her face in my chest and rubbed against it.
"I still haven't had enough of Ban's scent. I need to recharge before we go home."
Priscilla-nim muttered in a small voice.
"When we first met, you were just a little brat, but when did you become so cool... I love you so much."
I carefully stroked Priscilla-nim's hair.
"It's all thanks to you. I love you."
A smile spread across Priscilla-nim's lips, and I watched that sight for a long time before hugging her tightly.
The moonlight was stretching our shadows long.
**
A few months later, the capital of the Rohim Kingdom.
To honor the achievements of the Great Warrior Ban, the King personally summoned Ban and held a knighthood ceremony and banquet.
Thanks to that, Ban, who had been having a good time at the Witch of the Swamp's mansion, headed to the kingdom's capital for the first time in a while, exuding an air of annoyance.
Inside the royal castle's grand hall, there were King Heimlich II and numerous nobles and officials.
And in the center of it all, Ban stood stoically.
"Great Warrior Ban! The achievements you have made will be recorded in the history of the Rohim Kingdom forever!"
King Heimlich II shouted from the throne.
"I highly value the courage and martial prowess that ended the Empire's tyranny and protected the peace of the continent that was crumbling! Therefore, I bestow upon you the title of Honorary Knight along with a prosperous territory!"
-Clap clap clap!!
The nobles applauded and cheered in unison.
But the expression of Ban, the person in question, was calm.
"Yeah, well.... Thank you."
After bowing his head briefly, Ban carelessly shoved the flashy medal and land deed he had been awarded into his chest.
It was an attitude as if he had just finished a bothersome homework assignment.
Afterward, even before the royal congratulatory banquet was over, Ban made a reasonable excuse and slipped out of the royal castle.
Ban, having shed the stuffy formal wear and wearing his usual outfit, black cloak, and carrying his massive Great Sword, stepped out into the bustling streets of the royal capital.
"A territory... I'm not really interested, I'll just give it to Priscilla-nim."
Ban muttered as he crossed the downtown area.
By the time he passed the crowded streets and reached the outskirts, a familiar street caught Ban's eyes.
It was the place where he had begged for food when he first transmigrated to this world.
"Seeing it again like this, it brings back memories."
Ban looked around, reminiscing about the memories.
The young boy who used to tap dance in beggar's clothes
had now become a hero and a Great Warrior who defeated the tyrant of the Empire and brought peace.
Ban wandered the streets for a long time, enjoying the scenery,
and stopped by a small flower shop.
"Oh my! Aren't you the hero, Great Warrior Ban-nim?"
"That's right... Do you have a flower called a lily?"
"Who are you giving it to~ How romantic~ Of course! Just a moment."
Soon, a beautiful bouquet of lilies came out.
The bouquet of lilies was held in the rough hands of Ban, who had always held a heavy and massive Great Sword.
Clutching the bouquet tightly, Ban set off on the road to his own nest where his beloved woman was waiting.
The Saintess of the Papacy, Charlotte.
She vowed to devote her whole life to the peace of the Empire that Ban had created.
She completely purified the corrupt church and established poverty relief centers all over the continent.
The fact that she lived a celibate life and kept only one Great Warrior deep in her heart was an open secret of the church.
Elysia and Alucia of the Edelrite Knights Order, and Fishel.
Fishel admired Ban's overwhelming martial prowess and devoted herself to swordsmanship.
Later, she rose to the position of Knight Commander, and she became a proper Knight Commander who would often say to junior knights, "Shall I tell you the story of how I conquered the Empire with the Great Warrior Ban back in the day?"
However, in the most visible place in her office, a picture of Ban and everyone together was preciously hung.
She would often stare silently at the figure of the Great Warrior she had fallen for.
Elysia and Alucia couldn't give up on Ban and kept chasing after him.
But they became discouraged by the fact that their turn never came, and eventually gave up.
They returned to their respective places and continued their lives, but they would talk about Ban from time to time.
They still live as single women, hoping that a chance might come, just in case.
The Witch of Fire Katarina, the Witch of Flowers Valentine, and the Witch of Celestial Bodies Celestia.
They still occasionally traveled between the swamps and continued their exchanges.
They would gather together to drink subtle tea and reminisce about the war they had with the Empire in the past, sharing stories.
Valentine seemed not to have given up on Ban yet, but she failed to seduce him every time due to Priscilla's subtle checks and Ban's refusal to be swayed.
**
Decades had passed, but the swamp mansion remained quiet as if time had stopped.
The witch's life was close to infinite, but it was when a human's life had reached its end.
-Swoosh.
Priscilla stepped out into the garden with a small watering can.
In the middle of the garden, a huge grave was situated.
In front of it, a heavy Great Sword was stuck firmly like a tombstone.
"Ban. The weather is so nice today."
Priscilla sat squatting by the stone grave and smiled faintly.
Her gaze lingered on the bouquet of lilies, which meant pure love, lying next to the grave.
"Thanks to you, the noisy continent has become so peaceful."
Priscilla gently stroked the cold handle of the Great Sword.
As if trying to remember its warmth.
The wind blew and scattered her long hair.
Priscilla looked up at the clear sky and smiled the happiest and most beautiful smile anyone could.
"Please stop doing that, Priscilla-nim."
"Oh? You woke up?"
Behind Priscilla was Ban, still boasting his massive physique.
"Well, I can't go around telling the whole neighborhood that I cast an immortality curse, can I~ You are the hero of the kingdom, after all~"
"But still, a fake grave? It feels creepy just looking at it."
Priscilla smiled brightly and clung tightly to Ban's arm.
"Make me some breakfast~"
Ban looked at Priscilla's appearance, smiled faintly, lifted her up in a hug, and went back into the Witch of the Swamp's mansion.
The Witch of the Swamp, Priscilla, and the Great Warrior, Ban.
The two live forever, cherishing each other in the peaceful and quiet mansion in the swamp.