“Excuse me, Your Majesty Chrono.”
“Please, take a seat, Divine Heir.”
“Just call me Fiaara.”
That beautiful, flower-like smile is a splendid charm that Fiona could never replicate, even if she tried.
After greeting the guests and finding a moment to settle down, the Heir of the Sun, Fiaara, approached my seat.
There were no attendants with her; she came alone. It was clear that no one dared to approach the seat where only Fiaara and I sat. This setting was obviously devised with intention.
King Hanau, the mastermind behind this, was engaging in a lively conversation with Zanairius, the leading figure among the brainwashed politicians of Karamala, who has firmly established himself as our Minister of Foreign Affairs.
The Chancellor, Cornelius, was likewise conversing with the imperial guests, while the Second Deputy, Sojiro, naturally positioned himself nearby to attentively eavesdrop.
Meanwhile, my companion for this ceremony, Nel, was overwhelmed, as she was connecting with a number of familiar faces from the nobles of Rune, who were arriving one after another.
As for Fiona… she seemed to have insisted that Sariel make sushi, turning a corner of the venue into a sushi counter and indulging in gluttony. Well, it appeared that such a situation, though bizarre, drew a crowd of curious onlookers, turning into an enjoyable event.
In another corner, Princess Fanako was hosting a cosplay photo session with Prim and Celis & Falkius. My guards seemed to have disappeared.
Of course, it was impossible for a monarch to be alone, so soon the dark knights led by Ain surrounded me.
This was the current state of affairs, and for a while, I would be in a one-on-one interaction with Fiaara.
Even if this was set up on Rune’s side, it was something I desired.
“I wanted to talk to you once.”
“That is quite an honor… But what you are really curious about is my face and name, I presume.”
“That is indeed part of it, but first, I would like you to enlighten me about the Sun Temple directly from you.”
“In that case, I would be happy to. Teaching is within the scope of my expertise.”
Thus, Fiaara began to eloquently narrate the history of the establishment of the Sun Temple. The content was not like a boring lecture but was crafted in a story form centered around the deity, ‘Golden Sun Solphiria.’
It seemed to have been fashioned to be easily understood by anyone, with a storyline to convey the information. Fiaara had a truly seasoned tone. Indeed, being a professional showed; it felt as though I was listening to a drama CD performed by a heroine voice actress.
As for the content, it spoke of a time long before antiquity, during the age of the gods when real deities governed the people of this world. While there were benevolent gods who protect and cherish people, there were also raging gods and evil deities causing chaos, rendering the world of the divine chaotic.
Amid such times, as the influence of evil gods was strengthening, ‘Golden Sun Solphiria’ guided suffering people from various places to a new land. Well, this felt akin to a biblical story like that of Moses, so it’s a classic development in mythology.
“Solphiria sat atop that mountain and gazed at the rising morning sun, saying, ‘What a beautiful sun I see. This will become a land of golden sunrises.'”
The destination they reached was the main island of Rune. The mountain referred to was, of course, Mount Mera, a symbol of the land.
More precious than the first sunrise of Fujiyama is the dawn of Rune.
“And with the end of the age of the gods, Solphiria ascended to the heavens from Mount Mera and now watches over us as our guardian deity known as the ‘Golden Sun.'”
“I see, it is indeed a beautiful founding myth. It’s clear that Rune is a land loved by the gods.”
One could boast that it was the birth of a nation in Japan, but I believe only a few genuinely believe that what was described in myths occurred in reality.
However, in a world where gods exist, if indeed ‘Golden Sun Solphiria’ grants protection and has continuously passed down faith as the Sun Temple, then the content of this myth might be quite accurate.
“I saw the old god during the era of Karamala.”
“That is… a hard story to believe at first…”
Well, encountering and conversing with real gods is a rare miracle that only a select few experience, even in a world blessed by divine beings. Especially if it was an old god that was supposed to be forgotten over the long passage of time, it’s not an easily believable story.
Nonetheless, it is true that ‘Golden Demon King Karamala’ stirred people’s desires with the Great Maze as bait and built the farthest desire city.
“That was indeed a type of evil deity that toyed with people. If such beings roamed the world of the gods… then it is believable that Solphiria saved and guided people.”
“To encounter such evil gods and come out unharmed is quite a feat.”
“We were powerless, but it seemed to be the realm of gods from there. My Demon King helped me.”
“Then you have met and exchanged words with the ancient Demon King Mia?”
“Mia casually roams this world. She often buys street food and even once gave me a chikuwa bread.”
“Chikuwa bread…?”
It’s fine to let the minor local bread go for now.
In any case, what remains certain is that gods move according to divine principles. For the sake of the world. This applies not just to beings like Mia, former humans who became gods but also to terrifying entities like the raging dragon god that caused disastrous calamities.
“However, only the ‘White God’ seems to be able to break those principles.”
“I see, and thus bestows an excessive blessing upon humanity.”
To the apostles, the greatest power. To the faithful, the ‘Stigmata.’ Even just a priest can wield a small amount of light magic.
With only one entity retaining great combat power, that deity can also distribute power to many priests rooted deeply in daily life. The extent and range of blessings seemed overwhelmingly vast.
“Then, Your Majesty, you bear the great responsibility of preventing the principles from being broken by the White God; it’s like a proxy war between gods.”
“If divine principles were completely broken, it would become a cataclysmic issue that could lead to the world’s destruction… but I have no intention of thinking I’ve been given a divine mission to save the world. The reason I’m fighting is the same as everyone else.”
“The same, you say?”
“Hatred for the destruction of my homeland. I want to protect those dear to me and save as many people as possible. Moreover, I also have personal grievances towards them for the terrible things they did to me.”
A reason to fight like that is more than enough. It exceeds enough.
“The fact that I became a Demon King is merely a result of what I thought was necessary to fight against the Crusaders. In doing everything I believed was needed, I ended up like this… and now, I can sit here in front of you with such a lofty demeanor.”
“Surely, that is what it means to walk the path of supremacy.”
Who knows? I think of supremacy as moving with a clear ambition like in the old Zenongart.
“In fact, a great number of people are following you, Your Majesty. The common folks, soldiers, vassals, and even the beautiful heroines, all like shining jewels.”
Ugh… Although I pretend it’s not a big deal, being told I have built a harem leaves me speechless.
But if I back down here, a Demon King would lose their standing. I decided to surround everyone with my own will; there is nothing to be ashamed of, and I have no doubts or regrets.
“My fiancées all came together through various trials and tribulations… but if you’re interested, shall I tell you about my first encounter with Fiona?”
“Yes, please do.”
Heh, she’s intrigued. After all, girls her age love love stories. Though she holds the lofty position of a Divine Heir, it’s still true.
Especially regarding Fiona, she might be curious.
Somehow, she seems to harbor a strong sense of caution and hostility toward Fiona, not at all a good impression.
There might be something related to the family troubles of the Soleil clan, but still, I want her to know Fiona herself.
Now known as the Empire’s greatest force, Witch Fiona was still a maiden who reached me after experiencing a proper romance.
“I first encountered Fiona when I had just started out as an adventurer—”
With a tone as if recounting events from over a decade ago, I shared a scene of being asked for ice candy by Fiona.
“Huh… that’s rather greedy on a first meeting…”
“Well, I thought she was just a bit peculiar, but not to that extent.”
“I wouldn’t want anything to do with such a rude person.”
Suddenly, Fionas’s favorability level plummeted. That was just a cute, innocent act, yet why…?
Is it that if you hate a monk, you also hate their robes; if you hate a witch, do you hate their robe too?
“Even so, the next time I met her, she saved me from a dangerous situation.”
“Is that just to put me in debt before asking for more?”
“Your wording…”
When Fiona came rushing in with Vulcan and the others to Irz Village, I highly doubt she was counting anything. Since I had just registered as an adventurer here, she probably just thought to help out.
“It was rather Fiona who owed me a favor. At that stage, she had no particular reason to side with Pandora. She could have simply returned as one of the Crusaders if the situation turned dire…”
Yet Fiona chose to side with us, a mere hundred members, against the approaching large army of the Crusaders.
“You must have known that she came as a mercenary for the Crusaders. Why did you not doubt her?”
“Well, I could say it was because of Lily… but more than that, she didn’t look like someone who intended to betray.”
“Just what was your intention in leaving the Crusaders? Were you planning to explore the magic path in a new land?”
“I quit because the food was bad.”
“Huh…?”
“But the ice cream was good. And here’s some delicious food to keep enjoying, so I invited her to join my party.”
“That doesn’t seem sane at all.”
“Yet, if she were someone intending to infiltrate, she would have told better lies. For better or worse, Fiona is honest with herself. When I heard she came from Sinclair, I decided to trust her.”
“Did you ever regret trusting that woman?”
“Never.”
I can declare that with certainty. Not in the past, nor in the future.
“Is she really that attractive to you?”
“I have envied the power of Fiona’s magic on multiple occasions, and I still do. But that alone does not lead me to want to marry her. She has many cute aspects too.”
“Her face, perhaps?”
“Absolutely, she is indeed a beautiful girl.”
However, for Fiaara, who possesses a beauty similar to Fiona, that cuteness might not contribute positively in any way. Instead, there could be a perspective that I was wooed solely for my looks, indulging her whims.
Alright, let me present one of Fiona’s charming traits.
“Actually, Fiona was the first to confess to me.”
“Is that so? I assumed it would be Queen Lily first.”
“It was after I returned to Spada following the Galahad War, and things were rather complicated back then…”
I found myself lost in thought about that time. Looking back, that might have been one of the toughest times.
“I heard that back then, you successfully repelled the general of the Crusaders.”
“Yes, the current Imperial Guards include Sariel, who was that general.”
“It was true that you requested King Leonhart to make that captured general a slave.”
“Indeed. Sariel is a true Apostle, and I had trained hard to kill her up until that point… But just as I was about to deal the final blow, I realized she was a familiar face from my hometown.”
“So… she was also a foreigner?”
“That’s correct.”
Becoming unable to kill Sariel, I somehow managed to return to Spada with her in tow.
“Wasn’t that an incredibly chaotic situation?”
“It was. A hellish mess.”
“What happened?”
“Lily cried and left…”
This was the beginning of Fiona’s fairy-killing and my final trial, leading to many struggles, but that’s for another time. The key point here is that Fiona took the initiative to confess at that moment.
Lily, pure and innocent, could not forgive me for saving Sariel and bringing her into the fold. No one could forgive that. But Fiona bravely declared that she would forgive me here.
“Is that just an example of the weakness of love?”
“Indeed, she confessed that it was because she loved me that she’d forgive me. But Fiona then continued…”
“Do you have the confidence to protect Sariel while making enemies of me and Lily?”
“That sounds like a mere threat…”
“True that Fiona used Sariel, the one I could never abandon, as leverage, and furthermore, she seized the moment when Lily dropped out.”
Using the troublesome Sariel as a hostage to draw concessions from me, and stepping ahead of Lily, my greatest love rival, at a perfect opportunity.
Lily could not forgive Sariel. Yet she believed she could forgive me.
She probably thought that if both of them confessed simultaneously, I would choose Lily. Therefore, it was crucial for Fiona to present a decisive advantage that it should be her I would choose over Lily.
That was the choice of forgiving Sariel—now, only now, I finally comprehend her feelings from back then.
“That was a cruel confession. Many might think that it lacked any sense of love or humanity, but… I was still genuinely happy.”
Fiona’s confession brought me the agony of an ultimate choice, yet I never felt resentment or hatred.
“Because of this face of mine, for a long time women tended to avoid me, even back in my days as a foreign student… when it comes to such matters, I had no self-confidence.”
I had convinced myself of that, which led to my utter obliviousness towards Lily’s and Fiona’s blatant feelings for me.
Consequently, it ended up being Fiona who made the first move, but under normal circumstances, someone would have been frustrated and distanced themselves long ago.
“That’s why I was happy because I felt truly loved. And Fiona, she didn’t just confess spontaneously; she earnestly sought me out, even resorting to underhanded tactics.”
“No, that seems purely underhanded to me…”
Eh, I thought this was a moment to be touched by the depths of love… Sorry, Fiona, it seems I can’t boost my favorability any higher…
In front of Fiaara, whose expression was wholly taken aback, I felt ready to give up everything.
“But look, I’m on good terms with Sariel now.”
Pointing out to where Fiona was enjoying sushi made by Sariel in a cheerful atmosphere.
“Hey, Sariel, where’s the grilled salmon mayo? You need to hurry and complete your role.”
“My apologies, Lady Fiona.”
“Well, let’s try adding some cheese next time.”
Watching this scene, Fiaara frowned and said,
“It looks like you are exploiting her as a slave, doesn’t it?”
This time, I was truly left speechless.