Don’t Concern Yourself With That Book

As soon as our lips touched, a loud explosion devastated our surroundings. I was flung backwards as my back struck the wall behind me. I let out a groan.

Could I feel pain from strikes inflicted by divinity? I could feel a vague ache in my back. I got up with a start.

‘The diary!’

In the blink of an eye, it had been strewn someplace close to the crystal. But it was so dark there I couldn’t even see it.

Still, when I reached my hand out towards it, the diary flew into the air, throwing itself into my hand.

“Protect Julian.”

Not too far away, I spotted Julian who had been flung backwards like me. He didn’t seem to have awoken yet given that he was still motionless. However, from his weak breaths, I could see that he was still alive.

The diary shuddered in protest. The thickening mist of light surrounding me was a sign that it was rejecting my will.

“Listen to me.”

Dividing my divinity like this would make it even harder to fight against Castor.

‘But Julian would die too easily if I left him alone.’

I couldn’t let any more innocent lives go.

“Castor!”

Castor reached his hand towards the crystal. But his hands swung backwards as if the crystal was rejecting him.

“I wonder if it’s because it listens to the emperor?’

His harsh words brought me back to my senses.

I patted my head. The crown I had been wearing just a moment ago had fallen to my side. With a gesture, one purple butterfly flew over to hand me the crown.

‘I am the emperor.’

The crystal listened to the emperor before it did the heir. Whatever Castor wanted to do with the crystal wouldn’t go smoothly because the crystal followed my orders now.

It was at that moment.

“If you block me, I just have to cut you down.”

The muttering Castor sliced the crystal down sharply with the swing of his blade. But he didn’t even leave a scratch on it. Still, clang. A thin film was exposed along with the sound.

I noticed that the crystal was shrouded in a thin shield of magic.

‘No!’

Kicking my feet off the ground, I placed myself in front of Castor.

Squeezing out whatever divinity I had left, I protected the crystal. Both our powers collided.

“Hmph!”

Castor’s sword struck down like lightning, as my divinity tried to protect the crystal from his immense power.

“You’re too late.”

Castor said as he turned just his head around to stare at my flabbergasted expression. Behind him, the crystal cracked like the mesh in nets. It looked like it was on the verge of shattering.

“No…”

He had turned around completely now. Perhaps it was because of the light illuminating his back, I could only see his smile.

“It was thanks to the Lord’s blessings, that these lands have only seen spring and summer with sunny days all year round. He had always protected us from external forces.”

As soon as he finished his sentence, I heard a roar, something that sounded like faint thunder.

It was a sound that no one would have thought to head in this land that was always sunny.

“Finally, the connection protecting this land has been severed.”

Castor remarked calmly. I noticed blood dripping from his fingertips.

“This is something I can bear.”

He must have placed his body on the line to break the crystal.

“The crystal will shatter completely soon.”

Behind his madness, the crystal’s light seemed to be dimming.

But like the light of fireflies that lived for only one day, the crystal shone brighter and even more blindingly than ever before. My anxiety felt as if it was going to burst out of my chest.

“Ashley, this land deserves to disappear. And I will never give up on its ruin.”

Thud, thud.

He walked over and pulled on my arm.

He gently wrapped his hand around my cheek as if I was something fragile before slowly removing it from me.

“Now I’ll have to step up for the final part.”

I widened my eyes when I spotted what was in his hand.

“That’s…”

It was the Artefact of Wind. Abel, the 3rd Prince, had gifted it to me but Rusbella had stolen it from me.

“Would you hate me more if I finally destroy this land until only you and I are left alive?”

There was a madness that was impossible to understand swirling in his eyes. Accompanied by a satisfied smile.

“Ashley, do you mind taking a nap until the end comes?”

“What?”

I narrowly dodged his hand. His hands were glowing in an ominously golden colour.

“Since you became the emperor, things did get a little more cumbersome.”

“You’re going to put me to sleep?”

“More like I will be sealing you. Once you awaken, everything will be over.”

His eyes glowered at me. I was left temporarily motionless.

‘Damn, the Power of the Lord!’

I was frozen for only a moment but that was enough.

“It seems like your inability to control your power has allowed me to be one step ahead.”

After belittling my inexperience, he reached his hand out to me. Just then. Castor raised his head with a start before taking a step back.

“Who is it?”

He javelined his sword like thunder.

A fountain of blood burst in front of my eyes. The sight of blood flying across the air like beads moved in front of my eyes in slow motion.

“A… Auresia?”

The alluring strands of purple hair danced before my eyes.

“To get in my way now?”

Castor clenched his teeth. He lifted his blade again but I could see his hands trembling. He could only raise his sword halfway. Because not only did he shatter the crystal, he had also suffered many injuries.

“At this point in time..”

Castor clasped the artefact.

“We’ll only be parting for a while.”

Wind gathered beneath his feet as his figure faded.

“Your hatred will always be with me.”

Just before he left, he bent over. The moment our lips were about to touch.

“This is war, Ashley.”

He disappeared.

“Auresia!”

Before I registered his disappearance, I grabbed the collapsing body in front of me.

“… Stop making such a fuss. This is no big deal.”

Auresia grabbed my arm before saying softly.

“H-How can this be no big deal?”

Blood dripped from the handle of the sword that sprouted the flower blooming on her body, the one that was dyeing her white clothes.

“The sword, your body…”

My hands were trembling.

“It pierced your heart!”

Even though he was rushed, Castor managed to aim right at Auresia’s heart. As if that was the only spot he could see.

Auresia took a deep breath.

“Have you forgotten? I am the Head Templar of Death. I can manage even if he pierced my heart.”

Just as she said, Auresia was still alive though she had a sword sticking out of her chest.

“For a while.”

Her calm words forced me to raise my head. My hands which had been fumbling about her wound froze.

“W-what do you mean?”

She never replied me. Instead, she got up and headed for the crystal.

“Isn’t it strange? If the crystal had really been destroyed, it would have shattered.”

“What, what are you trying to say… The crystal is broken.”

“No. Look closely.”

The crystal looked to be barely holding it together with cracks across its core.

“The crystal has not been completely broken. I can feel its power.”

“You can?”

“Yes.”

At the very last moment, I had protected the crystal with all my might. Auresia nodded slowly as if to affirm my thoughts.

“From the looks of it, I can still use my hands.”

“Stop it. You should get treated first.”

“The emperor is dead.”

I was about to continue but I stopped.

According to her, I was not the emperor.

‘The late emperor.’

She must have been referring to the worst emperor in history, the culprit behind all this.

“Now, I no longer have any regrets.”

I could tell when I saw her smile. The emperor had given her different orders in his final moments.

“But you still lack life in your eyes, do you think you’ve been free now?”

I spoke with a scoff.

“What can I do now?”

To prevent Castor’s accession to the throne, I had enlisted the help of Templars of Chaos. I had hid my awakening. But the crystal was destroyed.

I had succeeded in half my plan.

“Lightning is striking the ground right outside and our everlasting sunny days are gone.”

It would be futile if it wasn’t a complete success.

“…. What can I do now?”

“I never wanted to see those eyes on you.”

Just then, I ran to support her body as she fell.

“Damn it. Stop talking anymore! We have to treat…”

“Listen to me. I have something important to say. It is true that the God of Death has been sealed inside this crystal.”

Her grip on my arm slowly weakened before her hand fell off. Before I realised it, I noticed blood dripping from the corner of her mouth.

“The reason why this land was so blessed with divinity was because a god had been chained down here. For the longest time, his physical body had disappeared, and his mind had deteriorated leaving only his divinity behind in the crystal. That’s why you didn’t get to see your god when you awakened.”

“Stop talking, this is not important now. Get up! We can–”

She shook her head.

“It was her companion, the God of Death, who saved the First Emperor from her crisis.”

She spoke as she continued to cough out blood.

“So, I shall help you as the God of Death did. Using my useless life.”

“You don’t need to say anything for that…”

“I will become the crystal’s final offering.”

From her gaze, it was evident she had already prepared herself for death.

“Of course, even if I am to give my life, it will be difficult to restore the crystal completely, but you’ll be able to manage.”

No, perhaps it was the gaze of a woman who no longer cared about her life.

I was filled with rage.

“Shut it. You’ve talked too much. Did you think I would appreciate this? Save yourself. Be thankful that you’re still alive!”

“I don’t know about that. I feel happier than anyone else in the world right now.”

“Then, you should go and die alone. Why are you doing this to me?”

I didn’t want to sacrifice anyone. I was sick of people sacrificing themselves for me.

“I don’t want your sacrifice. I don’t want it… You’re not even my mother. You abandoned me. Why are you doing this? Live for yourself. If you’ve been unhappy, live happily from now on!”

She had ignored me for all these years. We were strangers. She was someone I barely knew.

So, why was she looking at me so warmly now?

“While I was teaching you, I suddenly had the thought.”

She reached out towards me before pressing her hand into my face further.

“You must not have had an adult to take care of you in my absence.”

As my vision blurred, I found it harder to look into her eyes.

“That’s how you became an adult child. So that you could take care of yourself.”

“I had a nanny.”

“Right. But you never had an adult. An adult who was strong enough to protect you.”

She smiled faintly as if she was already familiar with my nanny’s nature.

“You always found the answers to your questions by yourself. No one would tell you anything. Even when you felt the loneliest…”

Her calm words struck my heart.

“So, ask away. I’ll answer all your questions for you.”

“What’s the use of this now?”

“Don’t you have words you want to relay?”

Her hand brushed against my cheek sweetly. As if her warm hands were encouraging me to act like a child, tears welled up in my eyes.

“I’m the only one aware of this side of you.”

I clenched my teeth.

“Is there still hope for this land?”

”Of course.”

Her fingers wiped my tears away.

“And this possibility was something you created.”

Her hands were feeling colder.

“Child.”

She addressed me gently.

“I do not want to be the mother of the emperor’s child,”

“…..”

“I want to be yours.”

I held her hand as I burst into tears.

“Why, why are you telling me this now…”

“I had fallen in love with you.”

Auresia flashed a smile more beautiful than anyone else’s.

“Who are you?”

She wasn’t simply asking who I was. She was probably probing deeper.

“I, I’m…”

I had a hunch. She knew that I was not the real Ashley Rosé.

“I am… who you see in front of you.”

“I see.”

Who knew she would be so bright on her deathbed?

“What’s your name?”

“Ahn. Ji-Ahn.”

“That’s a pretty name.”

Mustering her final efforts she planted a kiss on my forehead.

“You’ve grown well.”

That was her final smile. She collapsed towards the crystal as if she had been waiting. I quickly reached out for her but her divinity blocked me.

“Child, you are carrying that hope in your hands, and it’s something you created.”

Her toes were dissipating. Her body, from the tip of her toes, were disappearing into particles.

“Alas. Will I finally get to see him…”

She murmured.

“There will be no more tragedies. I have a feeling there won’t be. Child.”

She slowly raised her head to look towards me.

“I’ll be watching you from here.”

Finally, my mother smiled for one last time.

“With my remaining strength, I shall pray for your blessing. Your happiness.”

Her brilliant smile was my last memory of her.

***

I followed the templars who came for my rescue before returning alone. The moment I finally returned to the throne.

“S-Something big has happened!”

The man glanced around the devastated hall before running towards me. The templar must have noticed the Power of Lord. It must have been instinctive.

“The Kingdom of Walter has waged war on us!”

Everyone stared at the man, startled. But I alone stared at the man calmly.

“The commanding officer of the invasion is the 1st Prince of the kingdom, Slorenian le Walter.”

Though we were not following the plot in the novel, the path towards destruction remained the same.

“And they’re heading here at a frightening pace! What should we do?”

“Hurry and repair this place.”

This story’s end.

War.