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Chapter 224: Epilogue, part 3

Translator: Denryuu; Editor: Ryunakama

I received a letter from Elvi the day after I visited Warwick’s workshop. In it were details of Van’s fate.

「Public execution, huh」, muttered Lyla, who had stuck her head over.

「There’s no mention of the actual crime attributed to him」, I replied. 「But those in power over at Reubens know he was the mastermind behind King Reubens’ assassination.」

It’s a fitting end for him, I thought.

「He was too naive」, commented Lyla. 「He believed too much in his own potential, something a child would do.」

「His skill did have a lot of potential, though.」

「He succeeded in creating a ‘Replica’ of you and, through the regicide he orchestrated, saw its power for himself. Little by little, he was consumed by his own ambition until there was nothing left.」

Van’s dream had been to create a new kingdom all by himself. If one does not have the ability to realise that ambition, one’s dreams would remain dreams forever.

That had not been the case for Van, however, who had been gifted with ‘Arsenal’. It was a skill that could have converted his dreams into reality.

In fact, had I not gotten in the way, he could very well have achieved all that he had wanted.

I had met the old man who appeared to be the villagers’ appointed leader on a subsequent visit to Jorvenssen. They somehow knew of the adventurers’ guild’s existence, so I set up a few repositories for requests that would be regularly collected.

「I believe that Jorvenssen is now free of ‘Resurrected’ magical weapons」, I said. 「The old man there told me so.」

「Really?」

「Their power is too much of a mystery. It’s best to let sleeping dogs lie.」

Overwhelming strength sows the seeds of discord — it was something Lyla, a sower of such seeds, had told me before.

「You said that the collar can be put on anytime, and I think we should do so now. There’s no telling whether people trying to make use of your power will show up in the future.」

「That’s true. Let’s do it.」

I grabbed her wrist as she stood up to fetch the collar.

「It’s with me.」

「Isn’t it in the bedroom…?」

「I returned that one to Warwick, and had him create a different one.」

「Mm? A different design?」

「Kind of.」

I opened the small box I had received from Warwick to reveal a simple, but dazzling, silver ring.

「It’s beautiful…」

「I’d like you to put this on.」

With a shy smile, Lyla nodded and stuck her hand out. I hadn’t given Warwick any precise dimensions, but the ring fit perfectly anyway. Lyla raised her hand high in the air, never taking her eyes off the ring on her finger.

Fufufu, she giggled. Fufufu…

「But what do you mean by this?」, she asked, looking at me as if she expected a certain reply.

「Hm? It suppresses your magicka.」

「…」

She became expressionless, as if I had killed the mood.

「It can’t be removed and nor can it be destroyed」, I continued. 「Just like the collar.」

She cleared her throat loudly.

「I like it」, she said at last. 「Warwick has my thanks.」

Yeah, I agreed.

「Recent events have reminded me why the Demon King’s powers must remain sealed away.」

「Mhm. The ring will stay with me forever.」

「And you, with me.」

We laced our fingers together, and Lyla rested her head on my shoulder.