Today was destined to be recorded in the history of this planet.
Even though not many people could fully comprehend the situation yet, there was no doubt—after more than a year, beginning in 2018 and continuing until today in 2020—the crisis of Human Order Incineration had finally been resolved.
Human history was restored.
The foundation of Human Order had been reestablished.
The flames that had burned across the surface of the planet were extinguished, and countless destroyed things gradually reappeared, as if being restored to their original state.
Naturally, this also included countless humans who had once been burned away completely.
They would surely be shocked.
For them, it would feel as though they had only fallen asleep for a brief moment, yet 2018 had already passed, and even 2019 was gone—human history had leapt straight into 2020.
They would surely be shaken.
Because this inexplicably lost year and more existed neither in their memories nor in any record on this planet. Only the world itself carried the scars of that experience—and beyond that, only Chaldea, which had endured under immense pressure, remembered everything.
At the very least, when Chaldea returned to its base atop the 6,000-meter snowy mountain, everyone within wept and laughed at once, hugging one another with joy, cheering with unrestrained voices. No longer caring about identities, positions, or anything else, they vented the joy in their hearts without restraint.
Even Olga Marie, gravely injured, forced herself to endure the urge to sob with joy, though tears still slipped from her eyes.
Naturally, Roman was the same.
"Thank goodness… thank goodness…"
The one who had discarded everything and become an ordinary human—once King Solomon, now Romani Archaman—shed a tear.
That tear represented not only joy but also rebirth.
This man had abandoned the throne of Solomon because he yearned to become human. Ever since he had become one, from the moment the end of the world loomed, he had lived under unrelenting pressure, constantly striving, constantly searching for ways to act, never once tasting true freedom.
Until today. With everything finally resolved, his delayed freedom and human life could at last begin.
And so, even he shed tears.
That tear was something no one knew—it was both Roman's and Solomon's first and only tear in their entire existence.
Joy.
Exultation.
In this moment, Chaldea was filled only with these emotions.
Even though they knew that afterward, because of this year-long ordeal, Chaldea would undoubtedly face investigations and questioning from the UN and the Mage's Association, and no one knew what the future would bring—for this one moment, they needed think of nothing, worry about nothing. All they had to do was laugh and cry to their hearts' content. That was enough.
Even heaven itself seemed to smile upon Chaldea today. Normally, endless blizzards consumed the mountains, never allowing clear skies—but today, the sun broke through.
As if all the gloom had vanished along with the collapsing temple, sunlight shone upon the snow-covered peaks, illuminating the sky in brilliant blue.
Today was destined to be recorded in the history of this planet.
On this, surely not even the countless heroes upon the Throne of Heroes would object.
———
Chaldea, Roman's room.
Rozen came here and looked at Roman, who had buried his head before his laptop and was still sniffing, and spoke helplessly.
"You still haven't finished crying, huh, big bro?"
At that, Roman immediately snapped back.
"Shut up! None of your business!"
He sniffled, scolding without an ounce of dignity.
Rozen could only find it both amusing and exasperating.
"I know you're emotional right now, but isn't hiding in your room to cry a little embarrassing?"
That was how Rozen saw it.
"I said, it's none of your business!" Roman retorted without shame, snapping again: "So what if I'm happy? So what if I'm emotional? Embarrassing or not, who cares! I've already lost face enough, whether in my past life or this one!"
In his past life, as King Solomon, though flawless, he had left humanity with the human order incineration and the Evils of Humanity—failures far beyond mere embarrassment.
In this life, as Roman, he was hardly dignified. His frivolous, lazy attitude had provoked Olga Marie's fury countless times, earning plenty of scolding and disdain—again, thoroughly shameful.
So Roman had nothing left to lose.
Today, he was going to cry, he was going to be emotional, and no one could stop him!
That was Roman's attitude—or, perhaps, simply his shamelessness.
Rozen couldn't help but laugh helplessly.
But he hadn't come to tease or berate Roman.
The reason he followed Roman—who had slipped away alone while everyone else celebrated—into his room, to face him directly, was simple.
It was because…
"What do you plan to do about this?"
Rozen held out his hand.
Resting on his palm were nine brilliant, dazzling rings.
They were none other than Solomon's rings.
"You… actually managed to get them?"
Roman finally stopped hiding behind his laptop and sniffing. He stared at the nine rings, stunned.
Rozen shrugged innocently.
"It wasn't me who took them. They flew to me on their own."
Indeed.
When Rozen used Cleansing to completely obliterate Goetia's very existence, and then escaped the collapsing temple with Mash, these nine rings had suddenly transformed into streaks of light and flew into his hand.
That was why he had come to Roman with them.
After all…
"These are yours, aren't they?"
Rozen said.
"..."
Roman didn't answer. He only gazed at the nine rings, plus the tenth ring already on Rozen's finger, with eyes filled with complexity.
These ten rings had indeed once been his possessions.
Although one had changed—becoming an untamable, unpredictable force—the ten rings were still Solomon's rings: the proof of the wisdom granted by God to His representative, proof of sorcery, and proof of kingship.
Now, though, the tenth had transformed, no longer belonging to Solomon and not even within God's grasp. But the other nine still rightfully belonged to Roman.
And yet…
"I already abandoned the identity of Solomon, and within myth returned them to God," Roman said after a long silence.
"So, they no longer belong to me."
In other words, he had no intention of reclaiming them.
"Take them."
Roman said to Rozen.
"Though they cannot compare with the transformed tenth ring you hold, you should still be able to use them."
At that, Rozen fell silent—unsurprised, but thoughtful.