𝐒𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭
“Is it over…?”
ㅤ
Alma mutters as if in disbelief.
ㅤ
It was no wonder she felt this way, given the unexpectedly swift conclusion.
ㅤ
Just as Luke’s magic circle dome shone brilliantly, Behemoth vanished.
ㅤ
“Yes, Behemoth is gone now.”
ㅤ
“Defeated… is that what happened?”
ㅤ
“Hardly.”
ㅤ
Luke waves his hand, laughing weakly.
ㅤ
“Defeating a divine beast like Behemoth is impossible. He returned to his original realm.”
ㅤ
When Luke’s root magic touched Behemoth, he felt the sensation of a realm’s door opening.
ㅤ
Perhaps it was the opening of the realm’s door that allowed Luke to touch the root magic.
ㅤ
In any case, Behemoth flew to the connected realm at that moment.
ㅤ
No, like Iris and the other demons, it is said that the divine beast came from his realm.
ㅤ
So, it might be better to say he returned.
ㅤ
“Anyway, Behemoth is no longer in this world. I guarantee that. But it was close. We would have been defeated if we were any later.”
ㅤ
Actually, Luke was at his limit.
ㅤ
Touching the root magic for less than a second drained Luke’s magical power to its limit.
ㅤ
Probably, if he had been delayed by even 0.5 seconds, Behemoth would have broken through Luke’s magic.
ㅤ
Alma sighs with relief.
ㅤ
“That’s good… oh, I need to let everyone know!”
ㅤ
Alma leans out of the main tower and waves her hand.
ㅤ
Cheers resound from below in response.
ㅤ
“…Now we can finally go back… Oops.”
ㅤ
Luke tries to stand up but falls on his buttocks.
ㅤ
“Alma, could you help me? I can’t seem to stand on my own.”
ㅤ
“Of course! Don’t push yourself too hard!”
ㅤ
Alma extends her hand to Luke.
ㅤ
Luke pulls Alma’s hand and embraces her.
ㅤ
“L, Luke?!”
ㅤ
“Alma, I was saved by you. If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t be here now. Not just me. If things had continued, I probably would have sacrificed everyone else to defeat Behemoth. Including you. I couldn’t live with that. You saved me.”
ㅤ
“Luke… that’s not true.”
ㅤ
Alma embraces Luke in return.
ㅤ
“Alma, I don’t ever want to lose you again. I’m clear on that now. The reason I’ve lived up to this point and am here, it’s all because I want to be with you.”
ㅤ
Luke looks into Alma’s eyes.
ㅤ
Their reflections are in each other’s pupils.
ㅤ
“Alma, I love you.”
ㅤ
Alma gasps.
ㅤ
Her eyes begin to fill with tears.
ㅤ
“Luke… I love you too.”
ㅤ
“Alma…”
ㅤ
“Luke…”
ㅤ
Their faces slowly come closer.
ㅤ
Alma quietly closes her eyes.
ㅤ
ㅤ
ㅤ
“Luke! Alma! Are you alright?”
ㅤ
“Luke-san! You did it! Isn’t that magic amazing?!”
ㅤ
It was precisely then that Sir Wilfred and Tyrone rushed up.
ㅤ
ㅤ
Their faces separated abruptly, as if pushed apart.
ㅤ
“…What are you doing?”
ㅤ
“It seems they are safe after all. And they still have plenty of energy, it seems.”
ㅤ
“No, it’s not like that! This is… uh…”
ㅤ
Alma’s face turns bright red at her father’s words, which sounded exasperated.
ㅤ
ㅤ
Sir Wilfred sighs.
ㅤ
“Well, never mind, everyone is waiting, so come down quickly. I’ll go ahead.”
ㅤ
As Sir Wilfred turns on his heel to leave, he glances back at Luke with a sly grin.
ㅤ
“Take care of Alma, Luke.”
ㅤ
“Of course!”
ㅤ
Once Tyrone and Sir Wilfred had left, the two faced each other again.
ㅤ
“Well, shall we go too?”
ㅤ
Alma reaches out her arm to Luke.
ㅤ
“Yes, but…”
ㅤ
Luke, taking her arm, wraps his hand around Alma’s waist.
ㅤ
“Maybe we have time for a kiss?”
ㅤ
ㅤ
ㅤ
ㅤ
◆
ㅤ
ㅤ
ㅤ
ㅤ
As they descend, they are greeted by the cheers of the soldiers.
ㅤ
“Luke-san! You did it!”
ㅤ
“As expected of Luke-san!”
ㅤ
“We won! We defeated Behemoth!”
ㅤ
“Luke!”
ㅤ
“Luke!”
ㅤ
“”””Luke! Luke! Luke!””””
ㅤ
The soldiers’ cheers gradually turned into chants of praise for Luke.
ㅤ
“Congratulations, Luke. Thanks to you, not only us but the entire country is saved. I don’t know how to thank you enough…”
ㅤ
Tears glistened in Flora’s eyes.
ㅤ
“No, this is everyone’s victory. Without everyone, I couldn’t have been here.”
ㅤ
Flora wipes the corner of her eyes and smiles warmly.
ㅤ
“You are truly humble. But your contribution is an undeniable fact. As the royal family, we promise to express our gratitude on behalf of the country.”
ㅤ
ㅤ
“I, I can’t accept it!”
ㅤ
At that moment, a voice was heard from behind.
ㅤ
Standing there was Gale.
ㅤ
Barely able to stand, covered in wounds, too weak to even look Luke in the eye, but still trying to put on a brave front.
ㅤ
“I, I don’t recognize it… I’ll never accept it.”
ㅤ
Staggering towards Luke.
ㅤ
“Prince Gale…”
ㅤ
Flora sighs.
ㅤ
Yet Gale’s words did not stop.
ㅤ
They couldn’t be stopped.
ㅤ
To stop speaking would mean admitting it in his mind and heart.
ㅤ
Gale screams as if spitting blood.
ㅤ
“Why, why only you… why you! I am… I am the strongest in this country! Yet why are you there! That’s my place! Why you… why, why not me!!!”
ㅤ
ㅤ
ㅤ
A dry sound echoed across the battlefield.
ㅤ
ㅤ
ㅤ
It was the sound of Flora slapping Gale’s cheek.
ㅤ
ㅤ
ㅤ
“Enough is enough, Gale Arrogas!”
ㅤ
Flora shouted at a stunned Gale.
ㅤ
“Are you still the First Prince of this country? Can’t you even offer words of comfort to those who fought desperately?”
ㅤ
“Flora… I… just…”
ㅤ
Gale muttered faintly.
ㅤ
“Why are you like this! Always boasting about how strong and great you are! What good is it to be proud of yourself!”
ㅤ
Flora’s rebuke didn’t stop.
ㅤ
“Look around! Is there anyone else here who only thinks of themselves? Everyone fought to protect their comrades and families! Yet you act like a child, always throwing tantrums and fits of anger… Is that how a royal should behave! Is that the kind of king you aspire to be!”
ㅤ
“I… I…”
ㅤ
Flora sighed deeply.
ㅤ
“Gale, I’ll say what no one else will. You are not fit to be a king. I don’t want you to be king in your current state.”
ㅤ
Those words were the final blow.
ㅤ
Gale distorted his face and fell to his knees.
ㅤ
Tears began to overflow from his eyes.
ㅤ
“Uh… uhh… uoooh.”
ㅤ
He fell to his elbows, covering his face and sobbing.
ㅤ
The man known for his arrogance, conceit, and haughtiness was crying openly without any regard for others’ eyes.
ㅤ
Flora, who had been watching him with a somber expression, eventually looked up and surveyed the surroundings.
ㅤ
“As a member of the royal family, Flora Nightingale declares in place of Prince Gale. The large-scale subjugation is over. We have won!”
ㅤ
Cheers echoed across the battlefield.
ㅤ
“Mr. Luke, successful subjugation of Behemoth,”
ㅤ
Holst noted on the parchment.
Translator’s Blog
Blog
- If I Got Isekai’ed 101: Your Guide to Surviving Another World (And Maybe Even Becoming a Harem Protagonist)
- How to Not Die Like Jiraiya: A Guide to Staying Alive
- Light Novel Addiction: How One Hour of Sleep Loss Can Ruin Your Day (and Your Life)
- The One Thing I Gotta Do Before I Kick the Bucket: A Bucket List For The Rest of Us
- Your Crush is With Someone Else? Channel Your Inner Samurai, Not a Sad Puppy Dog.
Leave a Reply