The blue midday sky.
I never expected to see this again.
‘Have I returned?’
Raising my body with that question in mind, I set out on the path.
As I followed the light through the dark interior of the cave, I began to see vague shapes of several entities.
It was then that I felt something strange.
‘Something… Buildings…?’
This area had always been an empty plain. It had abundant mana resources, but nothing else.
However, the scenery unfolding before me looked entirely different.
‘Houses? And roads?’
A road fit for carriages and towering buildings lined the way.
That’s a magic tower.
I was marveling at the changes when—
“Dad! There’s someone coming out over there!”
A child pointed at me, and a man, presumably the child’s father, approached and asked,
“Who are you?”
“…Excuse me?”
“This area is strictly off-limits.”
I looked around and saw a round barricade surrounding the place.
Assessing the situation, I quickly replied.
“Sorry… I drank too much last night… and must have wandered in by mistake.”
“For now, please come with me to the security post.”
“And what happens if I go there?”
“Normally, you’d face a heavy fine, but since it seems unintentional, I’ll try to be lenient. However, you’ll still have to provide a statement and stay in custody for a few days.”
“That’s a problem.”
I didn’t have the patience to sit in a jail cell for several days, nor did I have any money on me.
“I’ll remember your face.”
“What?”
“I’ll swing by to apologize properly someday. I can see you’re with the security force. Thanks for your work as always.”
“What are you—”
Before he could finish, I leaped over the barricade and dashed off.
“Oh, hey! Stop!!”
“Sorry!”
I shouted back, promising to come and apologize properly later, and fled, jumping from building to building with Forest-style footwork.
From above, it was clear this place had changed drastically, but it was indeed the Closed Sector past the mountains where monsters once roamed.
Which meant…
‘Has a lot of time passed?’
Unless this was some parallel world, that could be the only answer.
*****
Crossing the closed sector, I arrived in the Duchy of Lemea, where I made a shocking discovery.
Checking a newspaper to determine the date, I realized it had been three years since the Empire began using Epherna’s era title.
Which meant that, at minimum, three years had passed since I disappeared.
My mind went blank with this revelation. I’d heard that trials would befall me, but I never imagined they’d be like this!
And this wasn’t the only trial the Divine Kings had set upon me.
When the Divine Kings returned me to this world, they imposed three trials.
The first was this three-year gap, delaying my resurrection.
The second was to reclaim my name—essentially to find others of my dragon lineage.
And for some reason—
‘The dragon’s essence has awakened.’
Now, at thirty years old, my body as a dragon has reached its prime.
It felt like the right time, but this trial likely served as the catalyst.
Of course, even with this awakening, finding another dragon kin would be no small feat.
They would have to be quite close for me to recognize them.
A mere passing encounter would not suffice.
And lastly, the third trial—
‘Is this really… a trial?’
It seemed less of a trial and more of a condition.
Under this condition, I was to overcome the other two trials.
I should head back to the capital. There’s not much time to solve these trials.
Half a year at most.
Within that period, I have to resolve everything.
‘And if anyone could help, it’s him.’
*****
“So, you’ve come to see me.”
“Please, help me, just this once.”
Duke Simon Lemea.
This was the man I’d greeted just moments earlier, though now with wrinkles and a beard.
I awkwardly explained my situation to him—that the Divine Kings had mercifully spared my life but left me with three trials to complete and that I needed his help.
“I’ll gladly help you.”
“Tha—”
“But I doubt I can offer as much help as you’re hoping for.”
“Yes…?”
“Of course, I and the North have not forgotten your kindness. Thanks to your initiative three years ago, we were able to wipe out the monsters in the Closed Sector and set up magic facilities per your advice, which continue to yield great profit. So, the debt I owe you only grows each day. However—”
“Enough of the explanations. Why can’t you help me?”
“You said it yourself. If Her Majesty learns the nature of your ‘trial’, then you won’t be able to hide it.”
“Exactly.”
Though it wasn’t that my identity absolutely had to be concealed.
Revealing my existence wouldn’t cause the trial to fail.
“My personal opinion is that the moment Her Majesty discovers your presence, you’ll be bound to the capital and unable to step outside.”
What are you talking about?
“Honestly, when you revealed yourself to me and explained your circumstances, I thought I should immediately send a letter to the palace. It seemed far better than getting caught later and facing punishment. In fact, I’m still conflicted. Wouldn’t it be more appropriate to subdue you now and bring you before Her Majesty? It’s truly frightening.”
What is this man saying with such a calm expression?
Is he afraid of punishment? What punishment? Is Epherna turning into a tyrant or something?
“It seems you’re not fully grasping the gravity of the situation.”
“Yes.”
That’s right, so please explain.
“Let me tell you about the day you disappeared. The four legions that carried out the extermination operation for the monsters gained great merit and were awarded significant honors. The First Princess at that time, now the current Empress, also saw a substantial rise in her standing. Most subjects and nobles believed this, and we advocated the same.”
“The Second Prince passed away that day. So did the late Emperor. I’ve heard rumors that he spoke a few words with the current Empress before he died, but I don’t know what they discussed. And that winter, the Epherna era began.”
“Since then, there have been no notable incidents, and the current Empress is still regarded as a sage ruler by the entire populace. It’s no surprise, considering she has neither recklessly purged her subjects nor squandered the national treasury. She has particularly gathered many capable individuals.”
One of the strongest pieces of evidence for the nation’s prosperity is the magic facilities built in the Closed Sector.
Simon spread positive rumors about the North with the support of the royal family, leveraging abundant mana resources to generate profit and boldly construct facilities.
It was a costly venture, and if the country were in decline, such an investment would never have been attempted. Yet, they succeeded, and the investments yielded results beyond expectations.
The ancient magic traces embedded in the ley lines were priceless.
Countless mages gathered, creating regions and sustaining markets based on their numbers.
“That’s impressive.”
“Indeed. Whether it could have been done or not, no emperor has achieved the development of the north. Thanks to that, especially in the north, public sentiment is soaring, and the people offer their gratitude to Her Majesty in the capital.”
So Epherna became the Empress.
I know that in my head, but it doesn’t feel real.
She truly has become Empress.
“By the way, that was all the good news. The story I’m about to tell now isn’t quite as pleasant. Still, will you listen?”
“…I have to hear it.”
I wanted to know how things had changed for Epherna since my disappearance.
While part of me didn’t want to know, I braced myself and began to listen.
*****
Three Years Ago.
Epherna opened her eyes.
As she regained consciousness and gradually lifted her body, she heard her attendants speaking loudly.
“Your Highness! Are you alright?”
“Quickly, fetch the physician!”
So noisy. Epherna told them to be quiet and ordered one of the attendants to bring her water.
She turned to the woman standing beside her, who was acting as a temporary head attendant.
“First… tell me how I ended up collapsing.”
Epherna squinted her eyes, trying to shake off the haze, then shook her head.
“…Ah, no. That’s not it.”
Recalling the events of the previous night, Epherna’s words were laced with murderous intent.
“Bring Astra to me.”
*****
However, her command went unfulfilled.
While no one in the palace could find Ern, Commander Schneider came to the princess’s quarters.
Leading the monster extermination operation in the Closed Sector, he realized it was time for Epherna to awaken and had come to tell her the truth.
“—I stake my life and honor that everything I’ve conveyed to you until now is the truth.”
Schneider had resolved to refrain from unnecessary lies.
Ern wanted it that way, and as a soldier of the Empire, he wanted to bear his responsibilities.
It was unthinkable for a subordinate to mobilize the army without the ruler’s permission.
And everything else besides that.
“…”
Epherna closed her eyes for a moment as she listened to his words.
Why? She wasn’t angry or sad; she felt nothing but emptiness.
She thought she had been angry at first, perhaps even sad, but now her mind was blank.
Crack.
It was the sound of something precious, something she had safeguarded since childhood, breaking.
Epherna’s unconscious mind gathered it up in a thin cloth and tightly bound the string.
Never to come out of her heart again.
Tightly.
