“Greyfus, just listen to me! Why is it so difficult to understand for you that my proposal is for the good of the Empire?! You saw with your own eyes, didn’t you?” I shouted to the hardheaded moron I had for a little brother.
“You genuinely think giving my throne to an orphan of unknown origins is a wise move, Eliana? Even if he is the child of the Skull Crusher, in the end his origins are still unknown. Our protocols and traditions are clear, no royal shall ever marry a commoner.” My brother said while focusing on the documents in front of him.
The two of us had been like this ever since the tournament ended. Just like I thought he would, he won the tournament while representing my nieces bringing glory to their name and his own. Although, his victory wasn’t one without difficulties or twists…
While on the brink of loss, Julius displayed a power far beyond what I or anyone thought of him capable of. He became the the youngest to ever achieve Transcendence and he awakened his own pair of Evil Eyes… No, a pair of Demon Eyes.
With such power he went berserk, beating his opponent like he was merely swatting a fly. At that moment, Ophelia came searching for me to tell me that her son was in real danger and that we needed to intervene. Frederick and Lilia were about to intervene as well as they claimed that Julius was truly about to kill Alberis.
Before we could all jump down and stop him, he isolated the arena with the strongest barrier I had ever seen. His magic transcended beyond what a normal magician could do. He was superior in every way and his barrier was proof of that as neither Ophelia or I could dispel the barrier. Not even Lilia or Fred were able to break it…
We thought that the boy had fully lost his mind and that Alberis was doomed. With no to intervene, we braced for the worst, yet the worst never came. Julius recovered his senses and healed Alberis before defeating him in the most honorable manner I have seen in a long time.
Julius collapsed moments after destroying Alberis's bracelet, but at that moment everything became clear to me… Julius was a demon, part of a race everyone thought extinct. A genuine demon. And obviously not a common one either.
At first, I didn’t think it was possible, or at least I didn’t want to believe it… But I always knew, ever since our first meeting, I knew that the prophecy of Lady Marenna was talking about Julius.
I tried to think of it as a variety of different coincidences, but after the events of the finals there was no way to deny it… Him being the apostle of the Dark Goddess, his huge growth in strength in just three short years, and the awakening of his transcendence and his demon eyes after becoming enraged… Those eyes were the confirmation I was missing. Those silver-colored eyes…
It was exactly how Lady Marenna described the demons of old. True Demons… Demons with the power of the royal line. Even though demons and the dark races come in all shapes and forms, there was one standard for those who bore the royal blood of the demons… Fully awakened True Demons will always have both shining silver hair and bright silver eyes.
Which only means that Julius is a member of the demon royal family and he was one step away from becoming a True Demon.
I shiver at the thought of what would have happened if he had become one… Lady Marenna’s prophecy explained with great detail what that would entail. A True Demon gone berserk was a walking natural disaster, a being that could erase the life of an entire continent with their power.
“I am not saying that you have to give him the throne. He will support Marina while being her consort! The boy has no desire for position or power. Why can’t you trust my words?” I asked.
“I will answer your question with other questions, sister.” He said while finally looking me in the eyes. “Did you go blind during the tournament? Did you see the power that the boy displayed at the end? Didn’t you feel the frightening killing intent he directed at us? Are you seriously trying to marry off my daughter to such a dangerous unknown boy?” He asked.
“He is no mere boy and he is not unknown either. He is the child of Fred and Lilia and I know him personally. If the problem is his standing, you can reward him with an official title as you’re obliged to do so given that he is the victor of the tournament. But knowing him as well as I do, the boy will try to reject the title. Unlike some of the greedy nobles we have as subjects, the boy needs no title nor wishes for one as he sees no use in it for himself. The boy has a pure, humble and kind heart.” I said to him.
“I would like to disagree about your last statement after the events of today. The rampage we saw cannot be considered either pure or kind, sister.” My brother retorted.
Now, everyone would wonder why I am doing this. Why is the leader of the Ten Songs and a direct descendant of Rokkshar, the man who slain the Demon King, trying to put a demon on the throne along with my niece even though they are supposed to be our mortal enemies?
The answer is simple.
Two days before the tournament, I found a new hidden passage in the castle. Well… It is more accurate to say that the passage found me. I was in the crypts, paying respect to all the previous Ten Songs and my deceased sisters when one of the statues suddenly began to move, revealing the hidden passage.
The statue in question belonged to Lady Marenna, the wife of Rokkshar and the first empress of our country. Naturally, I decided to explore this new unknown passage as I had done countless times in my youth.
I walked for a very long time down through an endless corridor. There was no sound in that place, only the darkness trying to engulf me and the small fireball I used for light.
And then, at the end of the hallway, I found a secret room. A room that had been left untouched since the early days of the Empire. The room was very simplistic in nature, there was nothing of value worth mentioning in there other than three well preserved books which served as diaries. The diaries of Lady Marenna.
The first diary described her youth and her upbringing alongside with Rokkshar and their companions in nameless remote village until it was destroyed by bandits. All historical records had established that Marenna and Rokkshar were taken in by a band of mercenaries after the event, yet in Lady Marenna’s diary, she says that they were all adopted by a man with long silver hair and silver eyes. A man who called himself the king of all demons. A man called Bass.
I was in disbelief after I finished reading the first diary. I couldn’t believe that the contents were true, I thought it was the evil machinations from someone trying to slander Lady Marenna’s good name or that it was just a tasteless prank, but…
Who could have done so? Who could have access to the most hidden place I’ve found in an area that only the royal family know how to access. At that moment, I began to sweat profusely by the implications of my findings.
I immediately rushed reading through the second diary. In the book, Marenna described her and Rokkshar’s as well as their future companions' lives with the man who claimed to be the demon king himself. It was blissful according to Lady Marenna.
The man instructed them in the matters of martials arts and magic, in the wonders of the natural world and the arts such as music, painting and writing. She described her as a man who knew how to appreciate the good things in life, but also as a man with a deep remorse and who was scared of his own strength.
She explained that even though his real children had fought and perished in the war between all the races against the demons, he had no desire to fight left in him. He didn’t want to use his power again as it would result in the destruction of Hresviae. He wanted peace, but he couldn’t find a solution to end the war peacefully without ending his enemies for good.
The book continued to describe the lives of our founders and our ancestors under the tutelage of the Demon King in his kingdom. Bas was a caring father figure who always gave them the love they needed in their childhood, the knowledge they would need as adults and the guidance of a loving parent. He and his wife cherished them all as they once did their own children.
But not only that, Marenna portrayed the demons, the citizens of Bass’s slowly crumbling kingdom, as a peaceful and hardworking race, people who were tired of wars and fighting but who had no other choice to defend themselves. They knew they had done terrible things in the past, but they wanted to redeem themselves by teaching their next generations to be better and to take care of the world around them so a new tragedy like the one that happened in the distant past would never come to be again.
Marenna said that Rokkshar was shocked at first that the demons were so kind and honorable, contrary to what they all had heard before the war. Monsters that would slay anything in sight. Walking calamities who only knew how to cause destruction. He was shocked that they were just like them and the people of his village, people trying to survive and live as best as they could.
But not everything was good, exactly. Bass was plagued with nightmares. Nightmares of the deaths of his adoptive children at the hands of the ones who had killed his own children in the war. The more the enemy tried to attack his capital, Bass’s nightmares intensified more and more.
He cursed the names of his children’s slayers, yet he never took action for fear of the past repeating itself, even with his nightmares. He wanted to avoid the destruction of an entire continent alongside all of its good people and its beauty at all costs.
Almost at the middle of the book, due to his nightmares, he came with a solution that would finally end the war for good. Marenna said in the book that they were all gathered by Bass one fateful afternoon. He told them that he had found a way to stop the war.
Everyone was eager to hear what he had to say. He explained that he hoped to coexist with everyone in Hresviae, but that was no longer possible. So, he asked his adoptive children a huge favor.
He devised a plan for his species and subjects to live without the horrors of war, far away from other civilizations and also a plan for Hresviae to experience a long-lasting peace. He wanted no more warlords, no more petty kings, and no more evil to plague the good people of the continent…
And thus, he asked Rokkshar and Marenna as well as the other now grown children to travel far and wide. To spread their names as mercenaries and gather as many allies as they could from all over the land. All in order for them to have witnesses for the moment in which they would slay him.
Marenna and the others were horrified by the idea of having to kill the man who had taken care of them for most of their lives, but after much reassurance and insistence, Bass was able to convince them.
He told them that peace between the demons and the other races was impossible during that time. There was simply too much hate from both sides.
So he decided to send the demons away including his wife to far and distant land by appealing to the Goddess of Knowledge to rescue the demons at the end of the war.
And lastly, he told them that he would leave the continent and peace in their hands after he was gone. For such a purpose, Bass had shared his power with Rokkshar and Marenna who were the most compatible with his power. A power that would aid their descendants to maintain the peace as well.
To the others, he gave them legendary treasures in the shape of weapons, armors and tools in order to compensate for the disparity he had created among his adoptive children.
Marenna said that before the demon king shared his power with them, they were just normal human beings, but after he did, they gained new special abilities and power beyond what any mortal could imagine.
Marenna had received the power of prophecy and a great dominion over the arcane arts, while Rokkshar received the strength of a thousand men as his power as well as an unparalleled ability with the sword.
Naturally, I was speechless by the revelation I had just read… I had discovered that the origin of the powers that the descendants of Rokkshar pass down from generation to generation came from the Demon King himself.
My family's power came from the demons…
Marenna briefly describes their adventures across the land and how they were successful in the mission their adoptive father had given them.
Bass had gone as far as creating carefully crafted backstories for all of his adoptive children to use during their mission, so there were no problems when people questioned their origin.
And then, the final steps of Bass's plan began.
Everything Bass had planned for had become a reality. He had taken every possibility into account to ensure that a lasting peace would follow after such a long and cruel war.
Instead of using the remaining demons as soldiers, he used his powers to create an army of monsters to fight his adoptive children's army, all so they would become heroes in the eyes of the people
Thus, the final battle began. A theatrical battle that would forever remain seen as a battle to decide the fate of the world.
It was all envisioned by a single man who dreamed of peace.
Even when an emissary of the gods, the Seraph Daliah had come down from the heavens to assist Rokkshar in his battle, Bass's plan was still successful.
He had fooled everyone, even the gods themselves. With a burdened heart, he fought against his children, split the continent in half to show his might and then he allowed himself to be slain by Rokkshar with his own weapon. A blade that Bass had jokingly once called the Demon-Killing Blade was the one that ended his long life.
But with his death, his plan was successful. Roksshar and Marenna founded the Marcelian Empire and the demons were safe in the care of Lia, who then became the Dark Goddess due to her role as their protector.
The second book ended with Marenna expressing her sadness and deep remorse about killing her adoptive father, the man who gave everything for them.
Her last words in the book were that she hoped that the little sibling that was growing in her adoptive mother's womb would live a happy and peaceful life, no matter where she was.
When I read that part, that single line of text made me think of Julius for some reason... And now, after the tournament is over and the things I saw, that line actually confirms that Julius is the descendant of the little sibling Marenna mentioned. A direct blood descendant of the Demon King Bass. A child from the royal line of the demons.
In other words, a prince. A prince with the same or even greater standing as Marina if we consider everything I read from the diaries as the absolute truth, which I am convinced that it is.
"You're judging him by the events of a single fight where the emotions were high and his frustration made him lose control of his power. You don't know that boy as well Marina and I know him." I hit my brother's desk with frustration, breaking it immediately.
"I can barely forgive the fact that you kept his friendship with my daughter a secret. But I cannot forgive that you're questioning my authority and my decisions. You lost that right when you abandoned your claims to the throne." He spoke with mild annoyance.
"Because you were certainly not going to allow her to make her own friends, especially with someone like Julius. Allow me to tell you that he is the most genuine friend she's ever had." I retorted with even greater annoyance. "And you're right about that. I might have lost the right to argue against the Emperor, but not against my little brother." I said.
My brother let out a huge sigh before opening his mouth again.
"Friendship and marriage are two completely different things. I can allow Marina to remain friends with him since you and her mother and even Agnes are being so insistent on it. I suppose he will prove to be a very important subject and ally of hers in the future when she's an empress herself, but I cannot and will not ever allow them to marry. No matter what argument you try to use, I won't change my mind." Just like our father, Greyfus was stubborn to a fault.
"You're making me question my decision of giving up the throne for you little brother. You clearly lack the vision of what is at stake." I sighed as well, frustrated beyond belief thanks to my brother.
"Then illuminate me." He said with a serious expression. "Why is it so important that my daughter gets married to this boy? What is at stake in this situation? Are you gonna tell me that Marina has a little crush on a boy younger than her and I should simply give them my blessing, just because? Don’t make me laugh! Marina is the crown princess, my heir, for someone like her some childish love is unnecessary. She’ll grow and I’ll eventually choose a suitable partner to be consort. She has responsibilities she must fulfill as the crown princess, so doesn’t have the time to play the act of a maiden in love. You shouldn’t encourage that kind of behavior in my daughter." As usual, my brother believed that he was perpetually the one in the right.
Because he might have an actual claim to the throne? Because your daughter is actually in love with him? Because he is the one that Lady Marenna, someone who was considered a saint in her time, called him a savior in her prophecy? Because you’re a lazy parent who does not know what her daughter actually needs in her life? Because he is the apostle of a goddess?
Most importantly, because there’s a huge war coming that we are awfully under prepared to face and Julius is the one who will rise to end it?
I had a dozen reasons and more in my mind to retort to my brother, but I was unable to do so. My words got stuck in my mouth and no sound ever came. In similar fashion to the deal I once made with Julius, a curse was placed on me to prevent me from talking about what I had read in Lady Marenna’s diaries after I began to read the third and final diary.
That curse was placed on me by Lady Marenna herself, my own ancestor in the flesh.
As soon as I picked the final diary, I was transported to the distant past in the early days of the Empire. I know because Lady Marenna explained that to me herself.
She was just… Beautiful. More beautiful than anyone I had ever seen. I could see some of my own features reflected on her person. She had the same white hair and the same pair of golden eyes as me. Her hair was way longer than mine and reached far beyond her hips, her eyes were bigger and more beautiful than what mine could hope to be. And lastly, the smile… That soft smile on her face reminded me of the caring expression of a mother who loves their child deeply, my own mother.
She was wearing a simple long white dress with a small and simple golden crown on top of her precious long white hair. She looked like a genuine angel who had descended to the world to grant her mercy to us mortals…
When she first spoke to me I just couldn’t understand what she was saying. It was almost like a goddess was talking to me, yet I was too dumb to understand.
It took me a bit to compose myself enough to be able to understand her.
Lady Marenna explained her prophecy to me in great detail, but not before talking to me like my own mother would. She knew who I was and the things I’ve done. Even though she disapproved of some of my actions, she said that she was proud that I had done everything in my power to defend the Empire and our people as well as her adoptive father’s vision of peace.
I was happy. I couldn’t believe that I had been praised by Lady Marenna herself. But unfortunately, that happiness wouldn’t last. It was replaced by shock and anxiety as soon as Lady Marenna decided to reveal what she had foreseen.
It was then that she said that although we, her descendants, had done our best, the Empire was destined to crumble to pieces, and that there was nothing that I could do to stop it.
In the years to come, not only this continent but the entire world would see itself engulfed in the flames of a war with no clear possible victor. Each nation would have fighters capable of matching entire armies on their own. A War of Heroes she called it. Hundreds of heroes summoned from different worlds by all the nations in Hresviae would fight in deadly combat until they conquered everything or nothing remained.
In other words, this was a calamity waiting to happen. An even greater war than the war against the demons…
Naturally, due to her revelation of heroes being summoned by other nations, I grew a bit skeptical as only the Marcelian Emperor and a few select members of the royal family knew the ritual to summon the heroes, one of them being myself.
But she then revealed that there was someone pulling the strings behind this conflict for their own amusement… A god. Someone who would give such secrets to the other nations just to see the world burn down in front of his eyes for his own sick amusement.
I was in despair. There I was being told that there was nothing for me to do to stop such conflict and even if there was, I couldn’t possibly go against a god… We were doomed. The Empire was doomed. Everything I fought to protect was doomed. All the nefarious acts I did for the sake of family and country were for naught.
When Lady Marenna noticed my despair, she hugged me and comforted me in the same way my mother did when she was alive. She told me that while the situation was grim and there was nothing I could do to stop it, there was hope for us.
That hope came in the shape of a warrior with silver eyes and long silver hair, bearing the blood of her adoptive father through the sister she was never able to meet. This warrior would be a savior. A savior destined to put an end to the evil machinations of the god pulling the strings. A savior who would succeed in turning her adoptive father’s vision of peace into a reality.
A savior who would be known as the Demon King of Salvation… A warrior who wields lightning, shadow and flame. A hero of darkness.
She said that there will be signs before the appearance of this king. The stars will fall from the sky to pay tribute and the blackest night will engulf the world until he allows dawn to occur once more. Almost all forms of light will be extinguished during that night with the exception of the moon’s. A scarlet red moon will be the final omen of the appearance of the future king.
After that night, the ritual to summon the heroes will be performed all over the world, marking the slow beginning of the bloody War of Heroes.
Even at that moment it was difficult for me not to think of Julius, there was simply no one else who could fit into Lady Marenna’s prophecy. Looking back now, it is clear that the prophecy was all about him.
“I cannot say.” I said to my brother while thinking of my conversation with Lady Marenna. “But, how many times have I saved the Empire from danger? How many times have I protected our family and subjects with my strength and my cunning? Shouldn’t you trust my judgment by now?” I asked, trying to change his mind.
“You cannot speak of this threat, yet you expect me to believe that the son of the Skull Crusher and my daughter, blood of my blood, marrying each other will prevent it? As I thought… You don’t have much time left, do you? You’re starting to become delusional...” Greyfus said to me with a sad expression on his face.
He wasn’t wrong about me not having much time left.
The power that the hero Rokkshar passed down upon us is a heavy burden to bear on my own. I shared the burdens of this power with my sisters when they were alive, but the moment they died, it returned to me. This power cannot be held by a normal person for long. Unlike Rokkshar and Marenna who were exceptional, I am not suited nor talented enough for bearing the physical strain that this great power entails.
In short, not sharing the power of my ancestors… The power that the Demon King gave to his adoptive children, is killing me slowly and painfully.
Ever since my sisters died during the attack of that black dragon, my body has been breaking down bit by bit… Like a building that collapses under its own weight, my body is destroying itself thanks to that power. And I was completely unaware of my own body slowly crumbling on its own until a few months ago.
And the sad thing is that no amount of healing magic or healing potions can save me. I tried countless of those things and they barely alleviate the pain nowadays.
In short, my days are already numbered. Also, in hindsight, it is a wonder that I have managed to endure this pain for long since I found out about my condition...
Sigh... I don't think I can do it any longer… I'm tired of it… I'm tired of it all. I just want to rest and not feel pain for once...
“How much time do you have left Eliana?” He asked again.
After letting out a big sigh, I decided to reveal my deepest secret, hoping that it would change my brother’s mind.
“A month at best. I thought I could at least endure until summer, but it seems impossible to me now. If I use my power to fight again, it is more than likely that I will die right then and there. If I'm being honest with you Greyfus, I've been coughing a lot of blood lately and my muscles hurt like hell whenever I try to move faster than a simple walk. I feel like an old hag already…” I was truthful with him. “But you can rest assured, despite all that, I am not delusional.”
I am glad that I didn’t have the chance to fight Julius while he was going berserk. Otherwise, that would have been the end of me and I wouldn’t have discovered Lady Marenna’s diaries... It seems that fortune can favor fools like me sometimes. huh?
Also, I know I told Alicia that I was going to hold the tournament early to surprise Marina with Julius’s visit, but no. My demise was the reason why I decided to change the date of the event.
“A month at best… I see…” My brother leaned forward and covered his eyes. He was stressed but more than that, he seemed like he was beginning to mourn me like he once did with our sisters. “That’s… That’s unfortunate.” I could see the tears forming in his eyes.
“I know. I have made peace with that.” I said. “But I’m afraid your daughters have not, especially Marina. This is why I asked you to let her marry the one she loves. She needs someone to support her and fight by her side when the danger comes. I know that I will have to pass down my power to Marina and her sisters before long, but even with that Marina is not ready to face this threat alone. None of your daughters are ready. I truly cannot speak of what this threat is, but I know that the Empire and Marina will be safe with Julius by Marina's side.” I made my best effort to convince him.
“I understand…” My brother said, “If you put it like that, I could consider the idea. But given you won’t talk about this threat, can you at least give me an estimation of the level of danger that this poses for us all? We will be the ones who will have to face it after you're gone after all.” He asked while trying to clear his tears. He failed miserably.
“It is not that I won’t talk about it, I cannot. There is a big difference there.” I corrected him. “As for the level of danger… Marina might be the last empress to rule over the Empire while it crumbles, if the worst case scenario becomes a reality.” I had to lie to him as I knew that the country was already doomed.
“Are you certain of this? This is a very serious matter, Eliana. Please do not lie to me just because you want to marry off my daughter.” He looked worried and sad, yet he still tried to act like a proper ruler. It broke my heart to see my little brother like that.
“Brother, I have fought for the good of our family and our country since the moment I inherited my power from our aunts. I will never dare to lie about this, especially after I told you that I am suffering with unbelievable pain and that I am about to meet the Goddess of Death.” I looked him dead in the eye to show him that I was being truthful.
After long silence and careful consideration from him, he decided to speak up again.
“Very well, if your words are the truth. I will allow Marina to have Julius as a concubine if she wishes, but I just cannot allow them to marry. His origin is too dubious, even if he is powerful and the adoptive child of Frederick Laurent, he cannot get married to Marina no matter how many titles I give him. The nobles would simply not allow it, they would all rise in rebellion if they were to hear that Marina chose a commoner over their sons.” My brother explained with a burdened heart.
“Greyfus! Did you even listen to me?!” I grew enraged. I ended up shattering his desk completely this time. The pain that followed afterwards was not enjoyable at all. “Who cares about what they think?! We are talking about the fate of the entire Empire here! Julius is our only hope of survival!” I tried to make him change his mind.
“I heard you and I understand, Eliana. But what you’re proposing is simply going to break the Empire before this threat you speak of arrives. If this threat is as dangerous as you say, we cannot risk the integrity of the country for a simple marriage. I will ensure to do everything in my power for Julius to be by Marina’s side, but marriage is something I cannot grant in this scenario. We cannot afford to have another civil war, especially if we know the risks behind this incoming threat.” He shook his head with sadness, but he was adamant.
Just like Lady Marenna said, despite my best efforts to convince my brother, it was all useless in the end. I couldn’t convince him to take the best route to prevent the end of the Empire.
“You’re making a grave mistake, but I guess someone who's already half-dead does not have any sway in the realm of the living.” I laughed at the idea of my own demise. I was frustrated that I couldn’t do more before my end.
I was filled with sadness as I thought about my incoming end and Lady Marenna’s cryptic prophecy. I was sad that I was not going to be able to help my family before this threat, that I would leave Marina and my nieces behind before their education was complete, that they would have to face danger alone… Well, not totally alone since Julius will save them, that comforts me at the very least.
But what saddens me most is that I will have to leave Marie behind, all alone…
Just when I find someone I love deeply, I go and kick the bucket… Life is so unfair sometimes.
“Have you gotten your affairs in order?” My brother asked. “I would like you to pass down your power to my daughters as soon as possible. If you're as bad as you say, we can't risk the possibility of you dying suddenly before you can pass it down to them.” His saddened expression became one of heartbreak, yet he still acted like a ruler like he was supposed to.
“So you’re essentially asking me to go die earlier than expected. A really nice thing to say to your older sister, don’t you think?” I jokingly asked. “I still have some things to do, but sure. I will love to stop being in so much pain soon. Our sisters are calling me from the great beyond and they are quite insistent. It is very tough to be the older sister in this family, you know? Everyone just wants to hoard my attention.” I smiled awkwardly.
“Eliana… I just… I never wanted any of this… Why must you leave us here all alone? Our sisters are long gone and now you leave me too… I know that it has to be done… We can’t risk your powers to be lost forever, but I don’t know if we are ready to lose you… I don’t know if I can’t do everything alone…” My brother covered his face with his hands. I had broken his heart once more. He began to sob loudly. My jokes were not well received...
“Sorry, but it can’t be helped. Can’t control the fact that I am dying.” I was blunt with him as I went to pat his back to comfort him. “But you gotta be strong, for your sake, for your daughters and for the sake of the country. It would have been preferable for you to listen to my request to marry Julius and Marina, but since you’re stubborn to a fault, I guess it can’t be helped. To think that the little crybaby of the family would suddenly grow a backbone to defy the older sister at the end of her life… It is amusing, you know?” I said as I tried to comfort him.
My brother didn’t say anything. He just began to cry louder while I held him in my arms. I understood his reasons to refuse my request, even if I knew that it was the worst possible course of action to take. But as Lady Marenna said, there was nothing that I could do to stop what was to come.
I could only die and meet my siblings and my ancestors in death and have faith in the boy of the prophecy.
“Though, I must warn you... Both Julius and your daughter can also be very stubborn and determined. If they are destined to be together, they will find a way to do it and they will spite you while they do it.” I gave my little brother a warning with a bit of good faith. “At least feel some comfort that even if you say that you are not ready to face my absence alone, you actually will not be alone, little brother.” I said as I thought of his wives and his daughters.
Even if he doesn't allow them to marry, I think they will find a way to do it regardless of anyone's opinion. If there’s someone who can go against all expectations is that black haired boy. If he truly cares for Marina, I’m certain that he’ll do something crazy like crash Marina’s wedding with whatever poor bastard Greyfus chooses to marry her and take her for himself.
I don’t think my precious niece would be against that.
Who knows? Perhaps Julius will take all ten of my nieces to spite my brother even further. Don’t think he would do it intentionally though.
I am convinced that Julius would end up saving the Empire, prophecy or not. He seems to have the tendency of getting wrapped in troublesome ordeals, some of which were due to me of course, but that is besides the point.
With those thoughts in mind, I smiled. I suddenly felt relieved, even though I had failed to convince my brother. I was at ease knowing that there was hope shining in the horizon, I was just sad that I wouldn’t be there to see it.
After all, someone like Julius wouldn’t allow soldiers to come to his village to harm his family and friends. He will have Fred and Lilia by his side to help him and Marina too, so I can die in peace knowing that the Empire will be in the capable hands of my little niece and her beloved.
“Now cry as much as you need to. You’ll need to be strong for what is to come.” I said as I held my brother.
Now it was the time to finish whatever business I had left with the living.
At the end of my conversation with Lady Marenna, she cursed me. She made me unable to speak about most of the contents of her diaries and the existence of the future savior.
She cursed me because she thought telling other people about the details of the calamity to come would alter the results of her visions of the future and also because this information was for the eyes of the leader of the Ten Songs only.
Before the conversation finally came to an end, Lady Marenna had a request for me. She wanted me to bring the future leader of the Ten Songs to meet her… The one who would be the last Marcelian Empress. She wanted to speak with Marina alone.
Marina deserves to know the truth, but before that… I wish to be selfish at least for one last time.
I want to spend time with the one I love before breaking her heart…
No… I prefer that Marie cries over breaking our relationship than her crying over my death. I think it would be less painful for her.
Marie deserves to be happy and I would make sure she lives a happy life, even if I have to entrust her to someone else. But before that, she will be mine for one last night. One last night where I will give her all my love.
It is funny… I never thought I would find love in a brothel of all places. Never thought I would wish to be with a beautiful yet simple waitress such as Marie. I’m glad that I was able to meet her and save her from the hands of Earl Casca.
I guess I have no more time to lose. I will live whatever time I have left with no regrets.
STATUS
Name: Eliana Rilaes Marcel
Race: Human
Age: 39 Years Old
State: Extremely Weakened - Dying.
Ability Points: 2,000 points
Titles: Former Crown Princess / Leader of the Ten Songs Of Rokkshar / Song of Courage / Eliana the Bloody / Conniving Liar / Asshole of a Princess / Fervent Patriot / Direct Descendant of Rokkshar / Mischievous Princess / Nagging Sister / Annoying Sister / Shameless Aunt / Loving Aunt / Grand Schemer / Commander of Marcel’s Armies / Monster Slayer / Dragon Slayer / Wyvern Slayer / Bandit Slayer / Marcel’s Justice / Defender of the Innocent / The Shield and Sword of the Empire / The Princess of the Battlefield / Chain Breaker / She Who Follows Rokkshar’s Will / She Who Follows Marenna’s Prophecy /
Jobs: Rapier Master Lv.10 / Peerless Fighter Lv.10 / Superior Sage Lv.7 / Superior Grand Tactician Lv.10
Level: 188
EXP: 120,215 / 401,316
HP: 29,810
MP: 60,702
DEX: 1,326
STR: 6,102
VIT: 20,804
DEF: 1,201
RES: 1002
LUCK: 425
SPD: 3,007
INT: 622
Analysis / Level 2
Cooking / Level 5
Enhance Mind / Level 9
Masterful Hunting / Level 10 - MAX LEVEL!
Masterful Riding / Level 10 - MAX LEVEL!
Stealth / Level 10 - MAX LEVEL!
Superior Focus / Level 8
Harmonious Mind / Level 10 - MAX LEVEL!
Sniper / Level 8
Armed Combat: Daggers / Level 10 - MAX LEVEL!
Superior Fighting Spirit / Level 10 - MAX LEVEL!
Spearmanship / Level 5
Masterful Swordsmanship / Level 8
Throwing Weapons: Knives / Level 10 - MAX LEVEL!
Superior Unarmed Combat / Level 8
Mana Manipulation / Level 10 - MAX LEVEL!
Mana Perception / Level 10 - MAX LEVEL!
Magic Dominion: All Elements / Level 3
Efficient Mana Consumption / Level 4
Charm Resist / Level 3
Elemental Resistance: All Elements / Level 4
Superior Pain Resistance / Level 10 - MAX LEVEL!
Paralysis Immunity / Level 10 - MAX LEVEL!
Poison Immunity / Level 10 - MAX LEVEL!
Construction / Level 9
Tailoring / Level 3
Woodworking / Level 7
Courageous Shout / Level 10 - MAX LEVEL!
Power Word: Morale / Level 10 - MAX LEVEL!
Power Word: Fear / Level 10 - MAX LEVEL!
6.5 EXP Multiplier: / NO LEVEL
GodlyKamui Heya! Author here back with another chapter! How have you guys been? I decided to focus a bit on Eliana and well, drop a little bombshell about her. It seems that our not-so-favorite schemer has already one foot in the grave huh...
It might come like something very shocking, but it was something that was planned from the very beginning. Though, more shocking than Eliana's death, there's also the prophecy of her ancestor and the fact that the early history of the Empire and the war was all a ruse made by the demon king. My man was playing 5d some chess!
Anyway, that is all for now. Oh, the next chapter would be a smut one, as you can already guess by the end of this one.
So, as usual, please don't forget to comment and leave some hearts since that motivates me to continue writing the story! Also, don't forget to join the discord: https://discord.gg/uH6APbzrFR
That will be all for now, peace!
“Greyfus, just listen to me! Why is it so difficult to understand for you that my proposal is for the good of the Empire?! You saw with your own eyes, didn’t you?” I shouted to the hardheaded moron I had for a little brother.
“You genuinely think giving my throne to an orphan of unknown origins is a wise move, Eliana? Even if he is the child of the Skull Crusher, in the end his origins are still unknown. Our protocols and traditions are clear, no royal shall ever marry a commoner.” My brother said while focusing on the documents in front of him.
The two of us had been like this ever since the tournament ended. Just like I thought he would, he won the tournament while representing my nieces bringing glory to their name and his own. Although, his victory wasn’t one without difficulties or twists…
While on the brink of loss, Julius displayed a power far beyond what I or anyone thought of him capable of. He became the the youngest to ever achieve Transcendence and he awakened his own pair of Evil Eyes… No, a pair of Demon Eyes.
With such power he went berserk, beating his opponent like he was merely swatting a fly. At that moment, Ophelia came searching for me to tell me that her son was in real danger and that we needed to intervene. Frederick and Lilia were about to intervene as well as they claimed that Julius was truly about to kill Alberis.
Before we could all jump down and stop him, he isolated the arena with the strongest barrier I had ever seen. His magic transcended beyond what a normal magician could do. He was superior in every way and his barrier was proof of that as neither Ophelia or I could dispel the barrier. Not even Lilia or Fred were able to break it…
We thought that the boy had fully lost his mind and that Alberis was doomed. With no to intervene, we braced for the worst, yet the worst never came. Julius recovered his senses and healed Alberis before defeating him in the most honorable manner I have seen in a long time.
Julius collapsed moments after destroying Alberis's bracelet, but at that moment everything became clear to me… Julius was a demon, part of a race everyone thought extinct. A genuine demon. And obviously not a common one either.
At first, I didn’t think it was possible, or at least I didn’t want to believe it… But I always knew, ever since our first meeting, I knew that the prophecy of Lady Marenna was talking about Julius.
I tried to think of it as a variety of different coincidences, but after the events of the finals there was no way to deny it… Him being the apostle of the Dark Goddess, his huge growth in strength in just three short years, and the awakening of his transcendence and his demon eyes after becoming enraged… Those eyes were the confirmation I was missing. Those silver-colored eyes…
It was exactly how Lady Marenna described the demons of old. True Demons… Demons with the power of the royal line. Even though demons and the dark races come in all shapes and forms, there was one standard for those who bore the royal blood of the demons… Fully awakened True Demons will always have both shining silver hair and bright silver eyes.
Which only means that Julius is a member of the demon royal family and he was one step away from becoming a True Demon.
I shiver at the thought of what would have happened if he had become one… Lady Marenna’s prophecy explained with great detail what that would entail. A True Demon gone berserk was a walking natural disaster, a being that could erase the life of an entire continent with their power.
“I am not saying that you have to give him the throne. He will support Marina while being her consort! The boy has no desire for position or power. Why can’t you trust my words?” I asked.
“I will answer your question with other questions, sister.” He said while finally looking me in the eyes. “Did you go blind during the tournament? Did you see the power that the boy displayed at the end? Didn’t you feel the frightening killing intent he directed at us? Are you seriously trying to marry off my daughter to such a dangerous unknown boy?” He asked.
“He is no mere boy and he is not unknown either. He is the child of Fred and Lilia and I know him personally. If the problem is his standing, you can reward him with an official title as you’re obliged to do so given that he is the victor of the tournament. But knowing him as well as I do, the boy will try to reject the title. Unlike some of the greedy nobles we have as subjects, the boy needs no title nor wishes for one as he sees no use in it for himself. The boy has a pure, humble and kind heart.” I said to him.
“I would like to disagree about your last statement after the events of today. The rampage we saw cannot be considered either pure or kind, sister.” My brother retorted.
Now, everyone would wonder why I am doing this. Why is the leader of the Ten Songs and a direct descendant of Rokkshar, the man who slain the Demon King, trying to put a demon on the throne along with my niece even though they are supposed to be our mortal enemies?
The answer is simple.
Two days before the tournament, I found a new hidden passage in the castle. Well… It is more accurate to say that the passage found me. I was in the crypts, paying respect to all the previous Ten Songs and my deceased sisters when one of the statues suddenly began to move, revealing the hidden passage.
The statue in question belonged to Lady Marenna, the wife of Rokkshar and the first empress of our country. Naturally, I decided to explore this new unknown passage as I had done countless times in my youth.
I walked for a very long time down through an endless corridor. There was no sound in that place, only the darkness trying to engulf me and the small fireball I used for light.
And then, at the end of the hallway, I found a secret room. A room that had been left untouched since the early days of the Empire. The room was very simplistic in nature, there was nothing of value worth mentioning in there other than three well preserved books which served as diaries. The diaries of Lady Marenna.
The first diary described her youth and her upbringing alongside with Rokkshar and their companions in nameless remote village until it was destroyed by bandits. All historical records had established that Marenna and Rokkshar were taken in by a band of mercenaries after the event, yet in Lady Marenna’s diary, she says that they were all adopted by a man with long silver hair and silver eyes. A man who called himself the king of all demons. A man called Bass.
I was in disbelief after I finished reading the first diary. I couldn’t believe that the contents were true, I thought it was the evil machinations from someone trying to slander Lady Marenna’s good name or that it was just a tasteless prank, but…
Who could have done so? Who could have access to the most hidden place I’ve found in an area that only the royal family know how to access. At that moment, I began to sweat profusely by the implications of my findings.
I immediately rushed reading through the second diary. In the book, Marenna described her and Rokkshar’s as well as their future companions' lives with the man who claimed to be the demon king himself. It was blissful according to Lady Marenna.
The man instructed them in the matters of martials arts and magic, in the wonders of the natural world and the arts such as music, painting and writing. She described her as a man who knew how to appreciate the good things in life, but also as a man with a deep remorse and who was scared of his own strength.
She explained that even though his real children had fought and perished in the war between all the races against the demons, he had no desire to fight left in him. He didn’t want to use his power again as it would result in the destruction of Hresviae. He wanted peace, but he couldn’t find a solution to end the war peacefully without ending his enemies for good.
The book continued to describe the lives of our founders and our ancestors under the tutelage of the Demon King in his kingdom. Bas was a caring father figure who always gave them the love they needed in their childhood, the knowledge they would need as adults and the guidance of a loving parent. He and his wife cherished them all as they once did their own children.
But not only that, Marenna portrayed the demons, the citizens of Bass’s slowly crumbling kingdom, as a peaceful and hardworking race, people who were tired of wars and fighting but who had no other choice to defend themselves. They knew they had done terrible things in the past, but they wanted to redeem themselves by teaching their next generations to be better and to take care of the world around them so a new tragedy like the one that happened in the distant past would never come to be again.
Marenna said that Rokkshar was shocked at first that the demons were so kind and honorable, contrary to what they all had heard before the war. Monsters that would slay anything in sight. Walking calamities who only knew how to cause destruction. He was shocked that they were just like them and the people of his village, people trying to survive and live as best as they could.
But not everything was good, exactly. Bass was plagued with nightmares. Nightmares of the deaths of his adoptive children at the hands of the ones who had killed his own children in the war. The more the enemy tried to attack his capital, Bass’s nightmares intensified more and more.
He cursed the names of his children’s slayers, yet he never took action for fear of the past repeating itself, even with his nightmares. He wanted to avoid the destruction of an entire continent alongside all of its good people and its beauty at all costs.
Almost at the middle of the book, due to his nightmares, he came with a solution that would finally end the war for good. Marenna said in the book that they were all gathered by Bass one fateful afternoon. He told them that he had found a way to stop the war.
Everyone was eager to hear what he had to say. He explained that he hoped to coexist with everyone in Hresviae, but that was no longer possible. So, he asked his adoptive children a huge favor.
He devised a plan for his species and subjects to live without the horrors of war, far away from other civilizations and also a plan for Hresviae to experience a long-lasting peace. He wanted no more warlords, no more petty kings, and no more evil to plague the good people of the continent…
And thus, he asked Rokkshar and Marenna as well as the other now grown children to travel far and wide. To spread their names as mercenaries and gather as many allies as they could from all over the land. All in order for them to have witnesses for the moment in which they would slay him.
Marenna and the others were horrified by the idea of having to kill the man who had taken care of them for most of their lives, but after much reassurance and insistence, Bass was able to convince them.
He told them that peace between the demons and the other races was impossible during that time. There was simply too much hate from both sides.
So he decided to send the demons away including his wife to far and distant land by appealing to the Goddess of Knowledge to rescue the demons at the end of the war.
And lastly, he told them that he would leave the continent and peace in their hands after he was gone. For such a purpose, Bass had shared his power with Rokkshar and Marenna who were the most compatible with his power. A power that would aid their descendants to maintain the peace as well.
To the others, he gave them legendary treasures in the shape of weapons, armors and tools in order to compensate for the disparity he had created among his adoptive children.
Marenna said that before the demon king shared his power with them, they were just normal human beings, but after he did, they gained new special abilities and power beyond what any mortal could imagine.
Marenna had received the power of prophecy and a great dominion over the arcane arts, while Rokkshar received the strength of a thousand men as his power as well as an unparalleled ability with the sword.
Naturally, I was speechless by the revelation I had just read… I had discovered that the origin of the powers that the descendants of Rokkshar pass down from generation to generation came from the Demon King himself.
My family's power came from the demons…
Marenna briefly describes their adventures across the land and how they were successful in the mission their adoptive father had given them.
Bass had gone as far as creating carefully crafted backstories for all of his adoptive children to use during their mission, so there were no problems when people questioned their origin.
And then, the final steps of Bass's plan began.
Everything Bass had planned for had become a reality. He had taken every possibility into account to ensure that a lasting peace would follow after such a long and cruel war.
Instead of using the remaining demons as soldiers, he used his powers to create an army of monsters to fight his adoptive children's army, all so they would become heroes in the eyes of the people
Thus, the final battle began. A theatrical battle that would forever remain seen as a battle to decide the fate of the world.
It was all envisioned by a single man who dreamed of peace.
Even when an emissary of the gods, the Seraph Daliah had come down from the heavens to assist Rokkshar in his battle, Bass's plan was still successful.
He had fooled everyone, even the gods themselves. With a burdened heart, he fought against his children, split the continent in half to show his might and then he allowed himself to be slain by Rokkshar with his own weapon. A blade that Bass had jokingly once called the Demon-Killing Blade was the one that ended his long life.
But with his death, his plan was successful. Roksshar and Marenna founded the Marcelian Empire and the demons were safe in the care of Lia, who then became the Dark Goddess due to her role as their protector.
The second book ended with Marenna expressing her sadness and deep remorse about killing her adoptive father, the man who gave everything for them.
Her last words in the book were that she hoped that the little sibling that was growing in her adoptive mother's womb would live a happy and peaceful life, no matter where she was.
When I read that part, that single line of text made me think of Julius for some reason... And now, after the tournament is over and the things I saw, that line actually confirms that Julius is the descendant of the little sibling Marenna mentioned. A direct blood descendant of the Demon King Bass. A child from the royal line of the demons.
In other words, a prince. A prince with the same or even greater standing as Marina if we consider everything I read from the diaries as the absolute truth, which I am convinced that it is.
"You're judging him by the events of a single fight where the emotions were high and his frustration made him lose control of his power. You don't know that boy as well Marina and I know him." I hit my brother's desk with frustration, breaking it immediately.
"I can barely forgive the fact that you kept his friendship with my daughter a secret. But I cannot forgive that you're questioning my authority and my decisions. You lost that right when you abandoned your claims to the throne." He spoke with mild annoyance.
"Because you were certainly not going to allow her to make her own friends, especially with someone like Julius. Allow me to tell you that he is the most genuine friend she's ever had." I retorted with even greater annoyance. "And you're right about that. I might have lost the right to argue against the Emperor, but not against my little brother." I said.
My brother let out a huge sigh before opening his mouth again.
"Friendship and marriage are two completely different things. I can allow Marina to remain friends with him since you and her mother and even Agnes are being so insistent on it. I suppose he will prove to be a very important subject and ally of hers in the future when she's an empress herself, but I cannot and will not ever allow them to marry. No matter what argument you try to use, I won't change my mind." Just like our father, Greyfus was stubborn to a fault.
"You're making me question my decision of giving up the throne for you little brother. You clearly lack the vision of what is at stake." I sighed as well, frustrated beyond belief thanks to my brother.
"Then illuminate me." He said with a serious expression. "Why is it so important that my daughter gets married to this boy? What is at stake in this situation? Are you gonna tell me that Marina has a little crush on a boy younger than her and I should simply give them my blessing, just because? Don’t make me laugh! Marina is the crown princess, my heir, for someone like her some childish love is unnecessary. She’ll grow and I’ll eventually choose a suitable partner to be consort. She has responsibilities she must fulfill as the crown princess, so doesn’t have the time to play the act of a maiden in love. You shouldn’t encourage that kind of behavior in my daughter." As usual, my brother believed that he was perpetually the one in the right.
Because he might have an actual claim to the throne? Because your daughter is actually in love with him? Because he is the one that Lady Marenna, someone who was considered a saint in her time, called him a savior in her prophecy? Because you’re a lazy parent who does not know what her daughter actually needs in her life? Because he is the apostle of a goddess?
Most importantly, because there’s a huge war coming that we are awfully under prepared to face and Julius is the one who will rise to end it?
I had a dozen reasons and more in my mind to retort to my brother, but I was unable to do so. My words got stuck in my mouth and no sound ever came. In similar fashion to the deal I once made with Julius, a curse was placed on me to prevent me from talking about what I had read in Lady Marenna’s diaries after I began to read the third and final diary.
That curse was placed on me by Lady Marenna herself, my own ancestor in the flesh.
As soon as I picked the final diary, I was transported to the distant past in the early days of the Empire. I know because Lady Marenna explained that to me herself.
She was just… Beautiful. More beautiful than anyone I had ever seen. I could see some of my own features reflected on her person. She had the same white hair and the same pair of golden eyes as me. Her hair was way longer than mine and reached far beyond her hips, her eyes were bigger and more beautiful than what mine could hope to be. And lastly, the smile… That soft smile on her face reminded me of the caring expression of a mother who loves their child deeply, my own mother.
She was wearing a simple long white dress with a small and simple golden crown on top of her precious long white hair. She looked like a genuine angel who had descended to the world to grant her mercy to us mortals…
When she first spoke to me I just couldn’t understand what she was saying. It was almost like a goddess was talking to me, yet I was too dumb to understand.
It took me a bit to compose myself enough to be able to understand her.
Lady Marenna explained her prophecy to me in great detail, but not before talking to me like my own mother would. She knew who I was and the things I’ve done. Even though she disapproved of some of my actions, she said that she was proud that I had done everything in my power to defend the Empire and our people as well as her adoptive father’s vision of peace.
I was happy. I couldn’t believe that I had been praised by Lady Marenna herself. But unfortunately, that happiness wouldn’t last. It was replaced by shock and anxiety as soon as Lady Marenna decided to reveal what she had foreseen.
It was then that she said that although we, her descendants, had done our best, the Empire was destined to crumble to pieces, and that there was nothing that I could do to stop it.
In the years to come, not only this continent but the entire world would see itself engulfed in the flames of a war with no clear possible victor. Each nation would have fighters capable of matching entire armies on their own. A War of Heroes she called it. Hundreds of heroes summoned from different worlds by all the nations in Hresviae would fight in deadly combat until they conquered everything or nothing remained.
In other words, this was a calamity waiting to happen. An even greater war than the war against the demons…
Naturally, due to her revelation of heroes being summoned by other nations, I grew a bit skeptical as only the Marcelian Emperor and a few select members of the royal family knew the ritual to summon the heroes, one of them being myself.
But she then revealed that there was someone pulling the strings behind this conflict for their own amusement… A god. Someone who would give such secrets to the other nations just to see the world burn down in front of his eyes for his own sick amusement.
I was in despair. There I was being told that there was nothing for me to do to stop such conflict and even if there was, I couldn’t possibly go against a god… We were doomed. The Empire was doomed. Everything I fought to protect was doomed. All the nefarious acts I did for the sake of family and country were for naught.
When Lady Marenna noticed my despair, she hugged me and comforted me in the same way my mother did when she was alive. She told me that while the situation was grim and there was nothing I could do to stop it, there was hope for us.
That hope came in the shape of a warrior with silver eyes and long silver hair, bearing the blood of her adoptive father through the sister she was never able to meet. This warrior would be a savior. A savior destined to put an end to the evil machinations of the god pulling the strings. A savior who would succeed in turning her adoptive father’s vision of peace into a reality.
A savior who would be known as the Demon King of Salvation… A warrior who wields lightning, shadow and flame. A hero of darkness.
She said that there will be signs before the appearance of this king. The stars will fall from the sky to pay tribute and the blackest night will engulf the world until he allows dawn to occur once more. Almost all forms of light will be extinguished during that night with the exception of the moon’s. A scarlet red moon will be the final omen of the appearance of the future king.
After that night, the ritual to summon the heroes will be performed all over the world, marking the slow beginning of the bloody War of Heroes.
Even at that moment it was difficult for me not to think of Julius, there was simply no one else who could fit into Lady Marenna’s prophecy. Looking back now, it is clear that the prophecy was all about him.
“I cannot say.” I said to my brother while thinking of my conversation with Lady Marenna. “But, how many times have I saved the Empire from danger? How many times have I protected our family and subjects with my strength and my cunning? Shouldn’t you trust my judgment by now?” I asked, trying to change his mind.
“You cannot speak of this threat, yet you expect me to believe that the son of the Skull Crusher and my daughter, blood of my blood, marrying each other will prevent it? As I thought… You don’t have much time left, do you? You’re starting to become delusional...” Greyfus said to me with a sad expression on his face.
He wasn’t wrong about me not having much time left.
The power that the hero Rokkshar passed down upon us is a heavy burden to bear on my own. I shared the burdens of this power with my sisters when they were alive, but the moment they died, it returned to me. This power cannot be held by a normal person for long. Unlike Rokkshar and Marenna who were exceptional, I am not suited nor talented enough for bearing the physical strain that this great power entails.
In short, not sharing the power of my ancestors… The power that the Demon King gave to his adoptive children, is killing me slowly and painfully.
Ever since my sisters died during the attack of that black dragon, my body has been breaking down bit by bit… Like a building that collapses under its own weight, my body is destroying itself thanks to that power. And I was completely unaware of my own body slowly crumbling on its own until a few months ago.
And the sad thing is that no amount of healing magic or healing potions can save me. I tried countless of those things and they barely alleviate the pain nowadays.
In short, my days are already numbered. Also, in hindsight, it is a wonder that I have managed to endure this pain for long since I found out about my condition...
Sigh... I don't think I can do it any longer… I'm tired of it… I'm tired of it all. I just want to rest and not feel pain for once...
“How much time do you have left Eliana?” He asked again.
After letting out a big sigh, I decided to reveal my deepest secret, hoping that it would change my brother’s mind.
“A month at best. I thought I could at least endure until summer, but it seems impossible to me now. If I use my power to fight again, it is more than likely that I will die right then and there. If I'm being honest with you Greyfus, I've been coughing a lot of blood lately and my muscles hurt like hell whenever I try to move faster than a simple walk. I feel like an old hag already…” I was truthful with him. “But you can rest assured, despite all that, I am not delusional.”
I am glad that I didn’t have the chance to fight Julius while he was going berserk. Otherwise, that would have been the end of me and I wouldn’t have discovered Lady Marenna’s diaries... It seems that fortune can favor fools like me sometimes. huh?
Also, I know I told Alicia that I was going to hold the tournament early to surprise Marina with Julius’s visit, but no. My demise was the reason why I decided to change the date of the event.
“A month at best… I see…” My brother leaned forward and covered his eyes. He was stressed but more than that, he seemed like he was beginning to mourn me like he once did with our sisters. “That’s… That’s unfortunate.” I could see the tears forming in his eyes.
“I know. I have made peace with that.” I said. “But I’m afraid your daughters have not, especially Marina. This is why I asked you to let her marry the one she loves. She needs someone to support her and fight by her side when the danger comes. I know that I will have to pass down my power to Marina and her sisters before long, but even with that Marina is not ready to face this threat alone. None of your daughters are ready. I truly cannot speak of what this threat is, but I know that the Empire and Marina will be safe with Julius by Marina's side.” I made my best effort to convince him.
“I understand…” My brother said, “If you put it like that, I could consider the idea. But given you won’t talk about this threat, can you at least give me an estimation of the level of danger that this poses for us all? We will be the ones who will have to face it after you're gone after all.” He asked while trying to clear his tears. He failed miserably.
“It is not that I won’t talk about it, I cannot. There is a big difference there.” I corrected him. “As for the level of danger… Marina might be the last empress to rule over the Empire while it crumbles, if the worst case scenario becomes a reality.” I had to lie to him as I knew that the country was already doomed.
“Are you certain of this? This is a very serious matter, Eliana. Please do not lie to me just because you want to marry off my daughter.” He looked worried and sad, yet he still tried to act like a proper ruler. It broke my heart to see my little brother like that.
“Brother, I have fought for the good of our family and our country since the moment I inherited my power from our aunts. I will never dare to lie about this, especially after I told you that I am suffering with unbelievable pain and that I am about to meet the Goddess of Death.” I looked him dead in the eye to show him that I was being truthful.
After long silence and careful consideration from him, he decided to speak up again.
“Very well, if your words are the truth. I will allow Marina to have Julius as a concubine if she wishes, but I just cannot allow them to marry. His origin is too dubious, even if he is powerful and the adoptive child of Frederick Laurent, he cannot get married to Marina no matter how many titles I give him. The nobles would simply not allow it, they would all rise in rebellion if they were to hear that Marina chose a commoner over their sons.” My brother explained with a burdened heart.
“Greyfus! Did you even listen to me?!” I grew enraged. I ended up shattering his desk completely this time. The pain that followed afterwards was not enjoyable at all. “Who cares about what they think?! We are talking about the fate of the entire Empire here! Julius is our only hope of survival!” I tried to make him change his mind.
“I heard you and I understand, Eliana. But what you’re proposing is simply going to break the Empire before this threat you speak of arrives. If this threat is as dangerous as you say, we cannot risk the integrity of the country for a simple marriage. I will ensure to do everything in my power for Julius to be by Marina’s side, but marriage is something I cannot grant in this scenario. We cannot afford to have another civil war, especially if we know the risks behind this incoming threat.” He shook his head with sadness, but he was adamant.
Just like Lady Marenna said, despite my best efforts to convince my brother, it was all useless in the end. I couldn’t convince him to take the best route to prevent the end of the Empire.
“You’re making a grave mistake, but I guess someone who's already half-dead does not have any sway in the realm of the living.” I laughed at the idea of my own demise. I was frustrated that I couldn’t do more before my end.
I was filled with sadness as I thought about my incoming end and Lady Marenna’s cryptic prophecy. I was sad that I was not going to be able to help my family before this threat, that I would leave Marina and my nieces behind before their education was complete, that they would have to face danger alone… Well, not totally alone since Julius will save them, that comforts me at the very least.
But what saddens me most is that I will have to leave Marie behind, all alone…
Just when I find someone I love deeply, I go and kick the bucket… Life is so unfair sometimes.
“Have you gotten your affairs in order?” My brother asked. “I would like you to pass down your power to my daughters as soon as possible. If you're as bad as you say, we can't risk the possibility of you dying suddenly before you can pass it down to them.” His saddened expression became one of heartbreak, yet he still acted like a ruler like he was supposed to.
“So you’re essentially asking me to go die earlier than expected. A really nice thing to say to your older sister, don’t you think?” I jokingly asked. “I still have some things to do, but sure. I will love to stop being in so much pain soon. Our sisters are calling me from the great beyond and they are quite insistent. It is very tough to be the older sister in this family, you know? Everyone just wants to hoard my attention.” I smiled awkwardly.
“Eliana… I just… I never wanted any of this… Why must you leave us here all alone? Our sisters are long gone and now you leave me too… I know that it has to be done… We can’t risk your powers to be lost forever, but I don’t know if we are ready to lose you… I don’t know if I can’t do everything alone…” My brother covered his face with his hands. I had broken his heart once more. He began to sob loudly. My jokes were not well received...
“Sorry, but it can’t be helped. Can’t control the fact that I am dying.” I was blunt with him as I went to pat his back to comfort him. “But you gotta be strong, for your sake, for your daughters and for the sake of the country. It would have been preferable for you to listen to my request to marry Julius and Marina, but since you’re stubborn to a fault, I guess it can’t be helped. To think that the little crybaby of the family would suddenly grow a backbone to defy the older sister at the end of her life… It is amusing, you know?” I said as I tried to comfort him.
My brother didn’t say anything. He just began to cry louder while I held him in my arms. I understood his reasons to refuse my request, even if I knew that it was the worst possible course of action to take. But as Lady Marenna said, there was nothing that I could do to stop what was to come.
I could only die and meet my siblings and my ancestors in death and have faith in the boy of the prophecy.
“Though, I must warn you... Both Julius and your daughter can also be very stubborn and determined. If they are destined to be together, they will find a way to do it and they will spite you while they do it.” I gave my little brother a warning with a bit of good faith. “At least feel some comfort that even if you say that you are not ready to face my absence alone, you actually will not be alone, little brother.” I said as I thought of his wives and his daughters.
Even if he doesn't allow them to marry, I think they will find a way to do it regardless of anyone's opinion. If there’s someone who can go against all expectations is that black haired boy. If he truly cares for Marina, I’m certain that he’ll do something crazy like crash Marina’s wedding with whatever poor bastard Greyfus chooses to marry her and take her for himself.
I don’t think my precious niece would be against that.
Who knows? Perhaps Julius will take all ten of my nieces to spite my brother even further. Don’t think he would do it intentionally though.
I am convinced that Julius would end up saving the Empire, prophecy or not. He seems to have the tendency of getting wrapped in troublesome ordeals, some of which were due to me of course, but that is besides the point.
With those thoughts in mind, I smiled. I suddenly felt relieved, even though I had failed to convince my brother. I was at ease knowing that there was hope shining in the horizon, I was just sad that I wouldn’t be there to see it.
After all, someone like Julius wouldn’t allow soldiers to come to his village to harm his family and friends. He will have Fred and Lilia by his side to help him and Marina too, so I can die in peace knowing that the Empire will be in the capable hands of my little niece and her beloved.
“Now cry as much as you need to. You’ll need to be strong for what is to come.” I said as I held my brother.
Now it was the time to finish whatever business I had left with the living.
At the end of my conversation with Lady Marenna, she cursed me. She made me unable to speak about most of the contents of her diaries and the existence of the future savior.
She cursed me because she thought telling other people about the details of the calamity to come would alter the results of her visions of the future and also because this information was for the eyes of the leader of the Ten Songs only.
Before the conversation finally came to an end, Lady Marenna had a request for me. She wanted me to bring the future leader of the Ten Songs to meet her… The one who would be the last Marcelian Empress. She wanted to speak with Marina alone.
Marina deserves to know the truth, but before that… I wish to be selfish at least for one last time.
I want to spend time with the one I love before breaking her heart…
No… I prefer that Marie cries over breaking our relationship than her crying over my death. I think it would be less painful for her.
Marie deserves to be happy and I would make sure she lives a happy life, even if I have to entrust her to someone else. But before that, she will be mine for one last night. One last night where I will give her all my love.
It is funny… I never thought I would find love in a brothel of all places. Never thought I would wish to be with a beautiful yet simple waitress such as Marie. I’m glad that I was able to meet her and save her from the hands of Earl Casca.
I guess I have no more time to lose. I will live whatever time I have left with no regrets.
STATUS
Name: Eliana Rilaes Marcel
Race: Human
Age: 39 Years Old
State: Extremely Weakened - Dying.
Ability Points: 2,000 points
Titles: Former Crown Princess / Leader of the Ten Songs Of Rokkshar / Song of Courage / Eliana the Bloody / Conniving Liar / Asshole of a Princess / Fervent Patriot / Direct Descendant of Rokkshar / Mischievous Princess / Nagging Sister / Annoying Sister / Shameless Aunt / Loving Aunt / Grand Schemer / Commander of Marcel’s Armies / Monster Slayer / Dragon Slayer / Wyvern Slayer / Bandit Slayer / Marcel’s Justice / Defender of the Innocent / The Shield and Sword of the Empire / The Princess of the Battlefield / Chain Breaker / She Who Follows Rokkshar’s Will / She Who Follows Marenna’s Prophecy /
Jobs: Rapier Master Lv.10 / Peerless Fighter Lv.10 / Superior Sage Lv.7 / Superior Grand Tactician Lv.10
Level: 188
EXP: 120,215 / 401,316
HP: 29,810
MP: 60,702
DEX: 1,326
STR: 6,102
VIT: 20,804
DEF: 1,201
RES: 1002
LUCK: 425
SPD: 3,007
INT: 622
Analysis / Level 2
Cooking / Level 5
Enhance Mind / Level 9
Masterful Hunting / Level 10 - MAX LEVEL!
Masterful Riding / Level 10 - MAX LEVEL!
Stealth / Level 10 - MAX LEVEL!
Superior Focus / Level 8
Harmonious Mind / Level 10 - MAX LEVEL!
Sniper / Level 8
Armed Combat: Daggers / Level 10 - MAX LEVEL!
Superior Fighting Spirit / Level 10 - MAX LEVEL!
Spearmanship / Level 5
Masterful Swordsmanship / Level 8
Throwing Weapons: Knives / Level 10 - MAX LEVEL!
Superior Unarmed Combat / Level 8
Mana Manipulation / Level 10 - MAX LEVEL!
Mana Perception / Level 10 - MAX LEVEL!
Magic Dominion: All Elements / Level 3
Efficient Mana Consumption / Level 4
Charm Resist / Level 3
Elemental Resistance: All Elements / Level 4
Superior Pain Resistance / Level 10 - MAX LEVEL!
Paralysis Immunity / Level 10 - MAX LEVEL!
Poison Immunity / Level 10 - MAX LEVEL!
Construction / Level 9
Tailoring / Level 3
Woodworking / Level 7
Courageous Shout / Level 10 - MAX LEVEL!
Power Word: Morale / Level 10 - MAX LEVEL!
Power Word: Fear / Level 10 - MAX LEVEL!
6.5 EXP Multiplier: / NO LEVEL
GodlyKamui Heya! Author here back with another chapter! How have you guys been? I decided to focus a bit on Eliana and well, drop a little bombshell about her. It seems that our not-so-favorite schemer has already one foot in the grave huh...
It might come like something very shocking, but it was something that was planned from the very beginning. Though, more shocking than Eliana's death, there's also the prophecy of her ancestor and the fact that the early history of the Empire and the war was all a ruse made by the demon king. My man was playing 5d some chess!
Anyway, that is all for now. Oh, the next chapter would be a smut one, as you can already guess by the end of this one.
So, as usual, please don't forget to comment and leave some hearts since that motivates me to continue writing the story! Also, don't forget to join the discord: https://discord.gg/uH6APbzrFR
That will be all for now, peace!
