Five hours had passed since the battle ended.
The chaos that had engulfed Glimreach Castle was finally settling down. The injured guests had been treated, the surviving soldiers were restoring order, and the bodies of both allies and enemies had already been removed from the ruined wedding hall.
Night had fallen over the floating city.
Thousands of magic circles beneath the floating city maintaining its thrust.
Inside one of the castle’s dining rooms, a rare peaceful scene was unfolding.
A large table was filled with food while Ron, Lia, Maera, Selene, Drevin, Valeriana, Zayne, and Zane sat together eating. After everything that had happened, everyone looked exhausted.
For a while, only the sounds of cutlery and occasional conversation filled the room.
Then Zane put down his plate.
"Anyway, now that this is over, it’s my cue to leave."
The conversation paused.
Ron looked up from his food while Lia blinked in surprise.
Zane, however, continued as casually as ever.
"Ron. Lia. Focus on recovering and stabilizing the kingdom. After everything is settled, co back to the academy as soon as possible."
The two nodded.
"Yes, Professor."
Beside them, Zayne lazily leaned back in his chair.
"After all, you two are going to be king and queen now."
The mont those words left his mouth, the atmosphere changed.
Ron lowered his gaze.
Lia’s hand tightened slightly around her spoon.
Until now, neither of them had truly thought about it. There had simply been too many things happening.
But now...
Dex was gone.
Maya was gone.
There was nobody else left.
The throne of Glimreach and the throne of Thesris would inevitably fall to them.
A heavy silence settled over the table.
Valeriana imdiately elbowed Zayne in the side.
"Idiot."
The atmosphere beca slightly less gloomy, though not by much.
anwhile, Zane completely ignored the exchange and continued eating.
"Anyway."
His gaze shifted toward Maera and Drevin.
"You two are already healed. Once things are settled here, Zayne will take you back to the academy."
After everything settled down, Zane had restored the injuries of his students.
Maera imdiately frowned.
"But Professor, what about—"
"I was about to get to that."
Zane interrupted her before she could finish.
Then he calmly grabbed another plate of spaghetti.
"I know where Jax is."
The room instantly fell silent.
Even Ron and Lia looked up sharply.
Selene nearly stood from her seat.
"You found him?"
"I did."
Zane nodded while taking another bite.
"He’s currently in Malgrith Kingdom."
Valeriana’s eyebrows rose.
"The Demon Kingdom?"
"Are you sure?"
She frowned slightly.
"Why would he be there?"
Zane shrugged.
"I don’t know."
Then after a mont he added,
"Maybe because he’s half demon."
Clank.
Drevin dropped his fork.
Maera stared blankly.
"...He’s what?"
"Half demon," Zane repeated.
Neither Ron, Lia, nor Selene reacted much since they already knew.
Maera and Drevin, however, looked as though soone had just inford them sothing incomprehensible.
"He never told us that."
"No."
Zane nodded.
"He didn’t."
Then he pointed his fork toward Selene and sai.
"Which is why only Selene is coming with ."
Selene straightened slightly.
"Because she’s his childhood friend."
For the first ti that evening, genuine anticipation appeared on Selene’s face.
Months.
Jax had been missing for months.
And now they finally had a lead.
Ron looked at her and smiled.
"Looks like you’ll finally get to punch him."
Selene didn’t even hesitate.
"I’m punching him twice."
That finally earned a few laughs around the table.
Even Lia smiled.
For the first ti since Maya’s death, the heaviness in her expression lessened, after all however maya was, in the end she was her sister..
Seeing that, Zane quietly continued eating.
A mont later he looked around the table once more.
"Good."
"Then it’s settled."
"Zayne takes Maera and Drevin back."
"I’ll take Selene to Malgrith."
His gaze shifted toward Ron and Lia.
"Take care, kids."
Across the table, Valeriana sighs slowly anf looked at the shattered castle visible through the dining room window.
"...It’s been a long day."
Neither Ron nor Lia spoke butnjust nodded.
"Anyway I am going."
Zane calmly pushed his empty plate forward.
"After I eat so more spaghetti."
The servant blinked.
"...Professor."
"Yes?"
"That’s your seventh serving."
Zane looked at the empty plate.
Then at the servant.
Then back at the plate.
"Correct."
He pushed it forward again.
"Anyway, more spaghetti."
--
Soti later, as workers continued repairing the damage throughout Glimreach Castle, Zane stood outside with Selene beside him. The atmosphere was much calr now compared to before. Soldiers moved through the streets carrying supplies while mages repaired damaged structures using earth and reinforcent magic.
"Well then," Zane said while looking at the group gathered before him. "See you all later. We’re going."
Ron, Lia, Maera, Drevin, Valeriana, and Zayne stood together to see them off. Although everyone had rested, traces of exhaustion could still be seen on their faces.
Then Zane turned toward Valeriana.
"It was nice eting my sister-in-law."
The effect was imdiate.
Valeriana’s face turned completely red.
"W-What sister-in-law?!"
Zayne had to turn his head away.
Lia stared for a second before looking away to hide her smile, while Maera outright failed to suppress hers.
anwhile, Zane simply looked pleased with himself.
His gaze shifted toward Zayne and the two exchanged a small nod but they were actually talking in mind.
Zane says in mind.
Now that Ron and Lia would beco king and queen, there was a good chance that so greedy bastard would try to get rid of the remaining royal family and throw the kingdom into chaos to gain power .
There is always soone like that.
If that happened...
Fucking kill them all.
Zayne just nodded.
Turning toward Selene, he asked, "Ready to go?"
Selene nodded imdiately.
"Ready."
"Good."
Zane was just about to leave when he suddenly paused.
"...Wait."
Everyone blinked.
"What happened, Professor?" Lia asked.
Zane rubbed his chin.
"I just rembered sothing."
"What thing?" Ron asked.
"Just an errand."
The answer only confused them more.
Before anyone could ask another question, he vanished.
--
Far away from Glimreach, Thesris, and every known kingdom of the current world, on the opposite side of the planet, existed a small island kingdom hidden from history.
Life there was peaceful.
Simple.
Ordinary.
From a modest house near a large town, a man stepped outside while stretching lazily. Looking up at the two crimson suns hanging in the sky, he smiled.
"What a good day."
With that, he headed toward the marketplace.
The trip itself was uneventful. He bought several packets of seeds, a few farming tools, and so household supplies before starting his journey ho.
Along the way, a broad-shouldered man with a rough face waved at him.
"How are you today?"
The man smiled.
"Just fine."
"I was about to tell you," the rough-looking man said with a grin. "Co to our celebration tonight. We had a baby yesterday. My wife and I both want you and your wife there."
The man looked pleasantly surprised.
"Congratulations, Winston. We’ll co."
Winston smirked.
"When are you going to invite to a celebration like that? It should be soon, right? After all, you have such a beautiful wife."
The man laughed awkwardly and scratched his cheek.
"Soon. Soon."
The two continued talking as they walked back toward the neighborhood.
Eventually they reached a familiar house.
The man opened the door and called out,
"Honey, I’m ho."
The door imdiately opened wider and a woman stepped outside.
"You ca back?"
Her eyes imdiately moved toward the bags in his hands.
"Did you bring the carrot seeds?"
The man raised one of the bags proudly.
"Ah yes, yes. I did."
Watching the interaction, Winston suddenly nodded to himself.
"Just as I thought."
The man blinked.
"What?"
Winston pointed at the two of them.
"You both don’t look like commoners more like so noble couple or royalties."
Then he smirked.
"Are you sure you aren’t so hidden prince and princess from a kingdom?"
The man and woman looked at each other.
Then both burst into laughter.
"You’re such a funny guy, Winston!"
"Is that how you impressed your wife..?"
The woman laughed so hard she had to hold her stomach.
The rough-looking man looked offended.
"I’m serious!"
That only made them laugh harder.
Then the man suddenly scratched his head.
"But I did have a strange dream recently."
"Hm?" Winston looked curious.
The man thought for a mont before saying, "I dread I was a prince and had a younger brother."
Unexpectedly, the woman imdiately reacted.
" too."
Both n looked toward her.
"I also had a dream. I was a princess. I had a little sister."
For a mont the three looked at each other.
Then they burst out laughing again.
"As if that’s possible."
Still smiling, the woman stepped aside and opened the door wider.
"Co in already. Let get you so snacks."
The three entered the small house together.
Only now was it clear who they were.
The man was Dex.
The woman was Maya.
They had sa face sa voices.
Yet they were like completely different people.
Away from the crowns,responsibilities and burdens of royalty.
Only a husband and wife remained.
Far above the island, hidden from everyone’s sight, Zane silently watched the scene.
Beside him, Eira’s voice ca from his watch.
"Boss... what was that?"
"Aren’t they supposed to be dead?"
For a few monts, Zane remained silent while looking at the small house below.
Then he finally answered.
"I just tried kindness."
His voice was calm.
"They wanted a life away from kingdoms, politics, and responsibilities as their last wish in next life. They wanted to live together as husband and wife."
His eyes remained on the house.
"To be honest, I’m not impressed. Stories always make it sound like being kind feels amazing."
He shrugged.
"I don’t really feel much."
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"Still... they wanted this."
"It’s basically a reincarnation for them."
After watching the small house one final ti, Zane vanished.
Leaving behind two people who would never again rember kingdoms, wars, Abyssals, or their siblings.
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