We had neutralized the Chaos Dragon and rescued Milim's friend.
When we returned to inspect the ruins, we discovered that the lowest floor had collapsed and been buried beneath layers of stone. Yuuki—standing unharmed, composed as always—explained that Mariabell triggered her own destruction in desperation, intending to take me down with her.
To think someone would go that far simply to eliminate me…
A faint sorrow touched my heart.
Not weakness—just the solemn weight of seeing a life throw itself away for malice.
But she was my enemy.
And the battlefield does not forgive hesitation.
Lingering in this melancholy served no purpose. I needed to consult Kagali and discuss restoring the ruins. It would take time, but we intended to excavate the entire buried floor, preserve every device unearthed, and eventually turn this castle into a museum.
We also planned to extend the magitrain line to this location, transforming it into a future tourist attraction. Who knew how many years these projects would demand, with the countless duties already filling my agenda? But one thing was certain:
Until a nonaggression pact with the Eastern Empire was signed, this territory would stand as the primary frontline.
Even within Milim's dominion, we could not afford complacency.
Thus, restoration would remain our sole focus for now.
Negotiations with the Council progressed smoothly. After we "moderated" several members, their influence diminished significantly. Meanwhile, the Western Holy Church thrived, and with Mariabell's control gone, Yuuki's authority also rose sharply.
The Western Nations now sought a new unifying force.
And that mantle fell to us… to me.
Eterna had become the Council's central pillar. The Freedom Association—led by Yuuki—supported us in exchange for financial aid, offering formal cooperation in return.
Even Hinata approved, insisting the alliance would stabilize the West.
Thus, my influence spread throughout the Western Nations.
On another note, I found myself relieved that Yuuki had finally been cleared of suspicion. With that obstacle gone, I could build a mutually beneficial alliance with him.
Or so he thought.
«Affirmative. The suspicion remains. Individual "Yuuki Kagurazaka" acted entirely of his own will.»
…Of course. I knew it.
But still—why wait until now to reveal it?
«Answer: Because that principle of action was convenient and available.»
That reason…
No. I see it now. I understand everything. You withheld this for my sake, didn't you, Solarys?
«…»
It was because I hesitated.
I did not want to kill Mariabell.
I should have done it—for the future.
If she had openly tried to harm me, my doubt would have vanished. But because the trouble she caused was minimal, I convinced myself that sparing her was acceptable.
Just like with Gai…
I felt I had gone too far. That guilt made me reluctant to act decisively again.
I could not bring myself to kill Mariabell—
and so you decided to keep the truth hidden.
«…Yes. I felt that it was necessary.»
How dare you act on your own—
No. I could not utter those words.
Because Solarys had made the correct choice.
Just as predicted, Yuuki murdered Mariabell without hesitation. With all evidence eliminated, he had nothing to fear. Solarys must have judged him predictable—someone we could control or crush when needed.
I had no complaints.
Only frustration…
not toward Solarys, but toward myself—
for forcing my partner to shoulder burdens I should have carried.
«I simply wished to prevent Master from dwelling too heavily on the matter.»
…Thank you.
For sparing me the guilt I would have carried.
But this cannot continue.
I am Atem, Pharaoh of Eterna.
I must face every consequence with my own will, not hide behind the comfort of ignorance.
"Solarys," I declared within my mind, my tone firm and absolute, "from this moment onward, speak the truth to me—always. I will bear the weight of every decision."
«Understood. As Master wishes.»
Whatever Yuuki seeks, whatever ambition he hides…
I will shatter it.
I am not alone—I have allies, comrades, and above all,
Solarys, the Sovereign of Wisdom, guiding my path.
With Solarys at my side,
I will never stray.
And in that quiet moment—only for a breath—I felt it:
A faint warmth.
A gentle shift.
Solarys…
smiled.
It was a pure white mansion. Blossoming flowers of every color swayed gently in the garden. A young girl smiled as a young boy quietly watched her.
That moment—years ago—was the happiest time of his life. And that memory had never faded. His one unchanging goal had been to reclaim that happiness. Yet achieving it felt harder than reaching the moon.
He built a new home—no, an entire golden city—to recreate the world of his memories. A beautiful garden, extravagant structures, the finest architecture, a paradise worthy of a celestial kingdom. Far more luxurious, far more majestic than anything from his childhood.
But the one thing that mattered most—the girl from his memory—was nowhere to be found.
No matter how mighty he had become…
No matter how feared he was as a Demon Lord…
He could not reach her.
Without her, he could never smile again.
Everything he constructed was meant for her…
His beloved girl.
His name was Leon Cromwell.
Demon Lord.
Platinum Saber.
And the girl Demon Lord Leon sought was—
This was the kingdom he ruled—the Golden Valley El Dorado. Its royal castle, shaped like a towering spiral, dominated the kingdom's center. In that castle, within the grand meeting hall…
Leon sat upon his throne, radiating an air of cold majesty as three suspicious individuals kneeled before him. Dressed entirely in black, wearing rain hats—an attire unmistakably similar to that used by the arms dealer Damrada. Naturally, this was Laplace's group.
"—You again. Isn't this the second time?"
"Yes. To be recognized by His Majesty Demon Lord Leon is an honor. However, we regret to inform you that we will be suspending the transaction of the confidential merchandise this time."
It was Teare who answered, adopting a serious and soft tone—an intentional tactic to appeal to Leon by letting the woman handle negotiations. This was to be their final meeting. They were following Yuuki's plan to suspend all activity in the Western Nations.
Misha of the Cerberus organization would continue acting as correspondent with the Rosso family, keeping old transactions intact. Meanwhile, Yuuki's faction would gradually relocate to the Eastern Empire.
The Rosso family had grown weaker with the loss of Mariabell. The truth was that their secret merchandise source was the kingdom of Siltrosso, and the family lacked the strength to continue summonings.
And now that Eterna, under the absolute authority of Demon Lord Atem, had joined the Western Council, surveillance was tighter than ever before. No movement went unnoticed.
Laplace's party agreed—it was time to retreat.
"Ho. Quite bold. Unlike Damrada, you wish to raise prices with me so soon?"
"No, no, Your Majesty misunderstands," Teare replied smoothly. "As you likely know, Demon Lord Atem has cemented his influence over the Western Nations. He forbids the summoning of otherworlders. Continuing our trade under these conditions would be difficult."
Hearing this, Leon thought:
—As I suspected.
His agents had infiltrated the Western Nations and reported the same. Leon expected this development eventually.
The summoning method carried far too much uncertainty. The success rate was abysmal. The process required over thirty summoners working together for seven days, following strict rituals. Even then, success was below one percent.
Once a summoner performed the ritual, they needed time to recover before attempting again. Their usable lifespan for summoning attempts was limited.
From the start, the odds were nearly zero.
Leon himself had conducted many summons—every one a failure. His last summon brought forth Shizue Izawa. Tomorrow would mark sixty-six years since that event. If he refined the conditions any further, the time gap required between summons would grow even longer.
He couldn't rely on the next attempt.
Thus was born his idea: the Incomplete Summoning Ritual. The girl he sought was young, so an incomplete summon—more likely to call children—offered a marginal improvement to the odds.
He spread the method across the Western Nations to increase the sheer number of summons, hoping the larger sample size would help him find her.
—Yet after all this time, still nothing.
No answers. No alternatives.
The uneasy dread gnawed deeper into his heart.
Leon responded in a cold monotone:
"—Atem, you say? We have not signed any agreement with him nor asked his aid. Yet he has become a hindrance. Still, that cannot be helped.
But what do you mean the trade will be suspended? Even if the West is lost, is the East not still operating?"
His deep voice echoed through the hall, carrying a chilling weight. Teare's body numbed under the pressure.
A half-trained majin would collapse under such force. Even Teare struggled to endure Leon's presence.
She had backup, however.
"Allow me," Laplace cut in. "Things in the East are heating up. They're preparing for war. Their mages are occupied, so gathering people for rituals isn't easy."
Leon narrowed his eyes.
—Troublesome.
He didn't care about conflicts between the Western Nations and Eastern Empire—except when they obstructed his goal. A prolonged war would delay his plans.
With that thought contained internally, Leon continued to glare silently at Laplace from the throne. His gaze alone was suffocating.
Laplace felt a shiver.
This guy is trouble. Nothing like the fake Demon Lord I took out. The real deal is on a whole other level… Boss wasn't kidding. Seeking revenge on this monster won't be easy…
Yuuki instructed them to stay low. And even now, with the man who killed Kazalim seated before him, Laplace had no intention of attacking Leon.
He couldn't—he had to maintain Yuuki's trust.
Still, if this was the man he sought revenge against… he could at least assess his strength. Even from Laplace's perspective, Leon was a monster.
If they fought seriously?
Impossible to predict the victor.
Even with Teare and Footman joining him.
Yuuki entrusted this mission to them so they could "gauge Leon"—to understand their enemy.
Just like Mariabell. She was dangerous—far more dangerous to fight head-on. But in the end, she fell.
Why?
Because she underestimated Atem.
Mariabell believed she could defeat Demon Lord Atem—because Yuuki fed her false information and twisted her thoughts.
She gambled everything the moment she concluded the situation would worsen the longer she waited. A gamble even Yuuki could not foresee.
But—
The one who steered Mariabell into this fatal trap was Yuuki himself.
Her confidence became her downfall. And Yuuki exploited that, weaving lies into her plan, forcing her into a corner.
Yuuki wasn't sure she would lose. His aim was simply to make the powerful clash so he could measure them.
In the end… Demon Lord Atem stood victorious.
The one even Yuuki deemed "difficult to deal with" was dead. And her power—Unique Skill Greed—chose Yuuki as its new master.
That was Yuuki's true objective.
Laplace was stunned. Robbing someone else's Skill should have been impossible—but according to Yuuki, he had…