After wandering outside the castle grounds for hours, desperately trying to clear his head after what had happened with Clover, Jericho finally returned.
The castle was quiet now.
Most of the guests had already retired to their quarters.
As he walked through the halls, he noticed light coming from one of the sitting rooms. Inside, only three people remained—Erica, Alice, and Princess Diamond.
When they noticed him enter, all three visibly relaxed.
"Oh, it's you," Erica said, clearly relieved. "Where have you been all this time?"
Jericho walked over and took a seat across from them.
"Oh—uh… I was just out for a walk," he replied, then quickly added, "Have any of you seen Clover, by any chance?"
The women exchanged brief, curious looks.
{Not 'Princess Clover'… nice work, Tio.}
"Hmm," Diamond said with a light smile. "She was here about an hour ago, but she left. Said she had quite a bit of work to catch up on."
"I see…" Jericho murmured.
Alice leaned forward slightly, studying his face.
"Are you alright, Jericho? You look exhausted."
"Oh—no, no, I'm fine," he said quickly. "I just wanted to speak with her about something, but it's late now. We've all had a very long, very eventful day. She must be tired… just like everyone else."
He stood.
"I'll speak to her tomorrow. For now, I think I'll call it a night. We have meetings in the morning, after all."
He bowed politely.
"You should all get some rest too. If you'll excuse me, ladies."
"G-good night," Alice said. "Rest well."
Jericho turned, smiled at her, nodded—and quietly left the room, disappearing down the corridor.
The silence lingered.
"…That was strange," Erica said slowly. "He didn't use her title. And he looked completely out of it."
She crossed her arms, eyes narrowing slightly.
"I wonder what happened."
Diamond covered her mouth, giggling softly.
{Oh my… Tio, what exactly did you do to this poor man? She's bolder than I thought.}
"Well," Diamond said aloud, standing up, "I'm sure he's just exhausted after everything today. We probably should follow his example and call it a night as well."
"You're right," Erica replied, stretching. "Good night, LiLi."
She hugged Diamond before turning to leave. Alice did the same, and the three of them exited together, the corridor lights dimming behind them.
⸻
Long after the castle had gone quiet, a single chamber remained lit.
Princess Clover's research room.
Stacks of books scattered on the table. Arcane diagrams glowed faintly on parchment and crystal boards from a relic she found, formulas rewriting themselves as she refined them with calm precision.
She sat at her desk, posture straight, expression composed.
Focused.
Yet beneath that calm… her heart was anything but.
Her fingers paused mid-notation.
She leaned back slightly, closing her eyes.
{You finally said it…}
A soft exhale left her lips—not shaky, not regretful.
Relieved.
For years, she had buried those feelings beneath duty, ambition, and grief. She had convinced herself that loving a dead man was safer than hoping for the impossible.
But Jericho wasn't dead.
And she was done pretending she was still that timid girl waiting to be noticed.
Her eyes opened—clear, resolute.
"I won't apologize for it," she murmured to herself.
"Not this time."
She stood, walking toward the window overlooking the moonlit gardens where it had happened. Her hand rested lightly against the glass.
{You don't have to answer me yet, Jericho.}
{But now you know.}
Her lips curved into a confident, almost dangerous smile.
"And whether you realize it or not," she whispered,
"the world has already begun to change."
She turned back to her desk, sleeves rolling up.
Work resumed.
Precise.
Relentless.
A woman very much in love—and no longer holding back.
⸻
Jericho lay on his bed.
Wide awake.
Staring at the ceiling.
He had been like this for hours.
{That wasn't a dream… right?}
He raised a hand, brushing his fingers lightly against his lips.
Still remembered the warmth.
Still felt real.
"By the gods…" he muttered quietly.
Every time he closed his eyes, Clover's voice echoed in his mind.
I am in love with you.
I am no longer holding back.
His chest tightened—not with fear, but with something heavier.
Responsibility.
Confusion.
And a warmth he hadn't allowed himself to acknowledge.
He sat up abruptly, running a hand through his hair.
"This is bad," he sighed. "Very bad."
Not because he disliked it.
Because part of him—an honest, dangerous part—didn't want it to stop.
Soul energy stirred faintly around him, responding to his unrest, flickering like embers beneath his skin.
Jericho clenched his fist, grounding himself.
{Focus. You can't afford this right now.}
{Not with Jace. Not with the gods. Not with the world on the brink.}
And yet…
{But she's alive.}
{She waited.}
He leaned forward, elbows on his knees, staring into the darkness of his room.
"…Tomorrow," he murmured.
"I'll face it tomorrow."
He deemed the light powered by electricity, hoping to get some sleep.
But Jericho remained awake long after.
⸻
The next day, after everyone had cleaned up and composed themselves, the grand audience chamber of Warmark was filled to capacity.
Nobles clad in finery lined the hall. Rulers of vassal states, lords of cities and villages, and high-ranking officials murmured among themselves as they awaited the proceedings. The rulers of the three great powers of the world were all present, seated at the highest tier of the chamber.
Jericho, however, stood just outside the audience room alongside Erica, as requested by King Leohart himself. Though confused by the order, Jericho did not question it. Disobedience was not an option.
At last, the meeting began.
A royal guard stepped forward, formally announcing each prominent figure in attendance. One name after another echoed through the hall, until the introductions concluded and King Leohart rose from his throne.
"Welcome, all of you—leaders and pillars of our great nation of Warmark," King Leohart began, his voice steady and commanding.
"I know we are still recovering from a grave crisis, and many of you would rather be tending to your own lands and people. Yet this summons could not be postponed. What is discussed here today concerns not only Warmark, but the future of our continent."
He paused, scanning the room.
"For answering this call so swiftly, I thank you."
With a subtle gesture, he signaled Duke Konrad to proceed.
"We will now begin with a report from the front lines," Duke Konrad announced, motioning to a soldier standing at attention.
The soldier stepped forward and dropped to one knee, head bowed.
"My king," he said. "I bring good news from the battlefield. The remaining invaders were eliminated far earlier than anticipated."
A ripple of murmurs spread through the hall.
"According to the reports," the soldier continued, "it was nothing short of a miracle. As our forces clashed with the enemy—alongside our allies from Righteous and Kosuke—a blinding light descended from the heavens."
Gasps followed.
"The soldiers witnessed a colossal tiger's head, formed entirely of lightning, roaring across the battlefield. Though both ally and enemy stood intermingled, the lightning struck only the invaders. None escaped its judgment. Every last one fell."
Shock swept through the chamber.
At the high table, the three kings exchanged knowing glances. William let out a quiet sigh, a grin tugging at his lips. Alice smiled nervously. Princess Diamond, observant as ever, noticed their reactions immediately.
{"I don't know why they are smiling, but it has to be Because of Jericho"}
She glanced toward Clover. The second princess stiffened, avoiding her gaze. That alone confirmed it.
Diamond's smile widened.
"Furthermore," the soldier said, "our allies from Righteous confirmed this was not the first time they had witnessed such a phenomenon. This divine entity has aided them before."
The murmurs grew louder.
"Thanks to this intervention, the battlefield was secured swiftly. Our forces are already returning to the capital and will arrive by tomorrow. We suffered no casualties."
Relief washed over the room. Smiles replaced tension.
"Thank you for your report," King Leohart said. "You may withdraw."
As the soldier departed, Duke Konrad stepped forward once more.
"Now we move to the next agenda: honoring those who stood with us in our darkest hour."
The chamber fell silent.
"First," Duke Konrad continued solemnly, "we honor a man who served Warmark with unwavering loyalty. A man who was our light for many years. A true patriot. A true hero."
He bowed his head.
"Let us observe a minute of silence for Captain Sirius Osborne."
The hall went deathly quiet.
Tears streamed down the faces of several royal guards as the weight of loss filled the air.
After a minute had passed, Duke Konrad raised his head.
"I now call upon Michad Osborne, son of the late Captain Sirius Osborne, to receive this honor on his father's behalf."
A young boy stepped forward—no more than fifteen years old. He had short, curly silver hair and dark skin, his expression composed despite the gravity of the moment.
He knelt.
By royal decree, Michad Osborne was granted the title of Baron and entrusted with governance over a small village within one of Warmark's vassal states. The vassal lord himself voiced full support for the appointment. Alongside the title came a modest fortune to aid his rule.
Michad bowed deeply, accepted the honors, and returned to his seat as congratulations quietly followed him.
"Next," Duke Konrad announced, "we honor an ally from the Kingdom of Righteous."
He turned toward the chamber doors.
"She stood between our second princess and mortal danger. Brave, resolute, and unwavering. I present Lady Alice von Hidenham—Four-Star Holy Knight of Righteous."
Applause thundered through the hall as Alice stepped forward and bowed.
She was awarded the Knightly Star Medal, an honor ranked just below the top three accolades bestowed by Warmark. As a foreign knight, she was also granted a generous monetary reward.
Alice bowed once more and returned to her seat.
"Finally," Duke Konrad said, his voice rising, "we honor a woman whose strength and courage changed the course of this battle."
The chamber doors swung open.
"She saved the lives of our princesses and our young prince. She defeated one of Jace's highest-ranking generals, dealing a devastating blow to his forces."
A figure entered.
"I present the Commander of the Holy Knights of Righteous—Crown Princess Erica von Righteous."
Erica stepped into the hall.
Her crimson hair was tied neatly into a ponytail. Her pale skin glowed beneath the lights, subtle makeup accentuating her sharp features. She wore a flowing blue dress, elegant and regal—so different from the armor she was known for.
Gasps echoed through the room.
Those who had only ever seen her in battle now stared in awe.
This was not just a knight.
This was a princess.
Erica walked forward, every step confident, every gaze drawn to her. She stopped before the throne and offered a graceful bow.
She was awarded the Twinstar Continental Medal—one of the highest honors on the continent.
⸻
The Three Great Powers first created the medal system during their initial alliance and peace treaty thirty years ago.
It was meant to honor the heroes of the First World War—a brutal, four-year conflict against the residents of the neighboring continents: the Demonoids and the Drakziel. A war that ravaged the earth and nearly drove the world to extinction.
It was a dark chapter in history—one that many of the current leaders desperately wished to never repeat.
Yet, despite the treaty, resentment still lingered.
On the human side…
On the demonoid side…
And on the drakziel side…
There were still those who were dissatisfied with the war's conclusion—those who believed the outcome was unfair, unresolved, and unfinished. Extremists who sought to decide, once and for all, which race truly stood above the rest.
⸻
Back to the present.
These historic medals could only be bestowed under one condition:
All three leaders of the Great Powers must unanimously agree—ahead of time—on the recipient.
Without the approval of every ruler involved, the medal would hold no meaning, no authority, and no legitimacy.
In this case… all three had agreed.
The Twinstar Medals were divided into three tiers:
The Twinstar National Medal – the lowest rank of its class, yet still exceedingly difficult to obtain.
The Twinstar Continental Medal – an honor of immense prestige, reserved only for those whose actions altered the fate of nations.
The Twinstar Worldly Medal – the highest honor in existence.
This final medal was considered unreachable.
In fact, no one in the current generation even knew the full criteria required to obtain it. What was known, however, was terrifying:
Anyone who bore the Twinstar Worldly Medal possessed authority comparable to that of a king.
Even without a nation.
Even without land.
They would be treated as royalty by every major power.
Because of how absurd its authority was, many believed the medal didn't truly exist—that it was merely symbolic, a legend meant to inspire.
Yet rumors had begun circulating…
Whispers that **Princess Clover Tio von Warmark—the Golden Mind—**might one day become the first person in history to obtain it, due to her unparalleled contributions to the world's restoration.
⸻
But for now—
Someone had already been deemed worthy of the honor just below it.
Applause erupted throughout the hall.
Many nobles stared in disbelief. Those who had not personally witnessed Erica's achievements struggled to comprehend how someone could earn such an honor.
Others, however—those who had seen her fight—were filled with excitement.
King Gustavious looked as though he might burst from pride.
William and Alice could not stop smiling; they had never thought their respect for Erica could grow any further—yet here it was.
After receiving the medal, Erica returned to her seat beside the princesses of Warmark.
Princess Diamond immediately took her hand and squeezed it in congratulations.
Princess Clover offered a nod—one filled with respect.
That alone startled Erica.
It was the first time Clover had openly acknowledged her worth.
Erica smiled and returned the nod.
And for just a moment—
She could have sworn Clover smiled back before looking away.
⸻
The chamber stirred once more.
"Next," Duke Konrad announced, "for her undeniably immense contribution to the recovery not only of our nation, but of the entire human continent, following the war four years ago."
Murmurs spread.
"With her groundbreaking inventions, her research into ancient relics, and the application of lost knowledge to modern society—she revolutionized agriculture, strengthened our economy, advanced infrastructure, modernized the military, increased literacy through education, and transformed healthcare itself."
Gasps echoed.
"I present our very own second princess—
Princess Clover Tio von Warmark,
The Golden Mind."
Shock swept through the room.
While some had already heard the rumors, many were still left speechless.
She was only eighteen years old.
"TIO—DID YOU KNOW ABOUT THIS?!" Princess Diamond exclaimed.
Clover simply shrugged, a faint grin on her lips.
"Who knows?"
She rose and walked forward.
King Leohart looked down at his daughter as she bowed.
For a moment, he tried to restrain himself.
Then he smiled.
"For your single-handed efforts in the recovery and advancement of not just Warmark, but the world itself… for giving us wonders we never dreamed possible… for spearheading a better future for all races—"
He opened a finely crafted box, small enough to fit in his palm.
Inside rested a golden medal:
A dragon, holding aloft a star, coated in shimmering diamonds.
A masterpiece.
"A medal befitting your achievements," King Leohart said warmly.
"Congratulations, Princess Clover."
The hall exploded into cheers.
A legend had been proven real.
The Twinstar Worldly Medal had been awarded.
History had been made.
Clover closed the box and returned to her seat, ignoring the countless stares fixed upon her.