The war ended swiftly, its duration not even exceeding a single day.

  The current King of Lidolu Kingdom decred an unconditional surrender, stepping down from the throne in favour of the second prince.

  However, after further investigation, Misako and her companions refrained from demanding excessive reparations from the Lidolu Kingdom. After all, the true mastermind behind the chaos was the secret organisation pulling the strings from the shadows.

  “I never expected Aris to go this far,” remarked Zilliane, sitting at a table in the Sky City of the Abyssal Confederation, her head resting in one hand.

  When Aris appeared on the battlefield, delivering a blow that sent the masked Ninth-tier individual flying, everyone heard the deafening crash. The moment she appeared before them, an inexplicable phenomenon occurred: every Lidolu soldier immediately dropped their weapons and bowed in unison. Had Zilliane not known Aris, she might have mistaken her for the King of Lidolu.

  As a result, they had scarcely been required to act, thus avoiding any potential backsh from the world's watchful eyes.

  “…Hold on. You used that level of power, yet there was no reaction from the world?" Zilliane suddenly realised. Aris had exerted an overwhelming force that seemed to surpass even the Tenth-tier. Yet, despite the masked man using an attack on par with a Tenth-tier, which had already drawn the world's attention, when Aris unleashed her overwhelming power, the gaze that had been aimed at them seemed to vanish without a trace.

  "Hmm… Perhaps the world saw Aris as an agent attempting to prevent further destruction," Farkonia suggested with a half-hearted expnation. "In any case, matters concerning the world itself are beyond our understanding, so let’s not dwell on it."

  Changing the subject, Farkonia looked toward Mira, who was sitting nearby. "I didn’t realise Lady Mira was actually a princess of Lidolu."

  Misako also joined in, her curiosity piqued. "Mira and Marlyno both have special backgrounds... Could it be…?"

  Mira answered without hesitation.

  "No, Sisi is just an ordinary person."

  "Hey!" Sisi protested, but Mira continued, her expression serious.

  "Unlike me, who relies on my background and inherent advantages, or Captain, who has her own burdens, Sisi is a normal person with only a bit of talent. She’s here purely through her own effort, not by virtue of her birth."

  "…Hehe~ You’re all saying that, but I’m not happy about it~" Sisi feigned indifference, but her tone and expression betrayed her.

  "I see…" Farkonia murmured thoughtfully, then shifted topics. "By the way, where’s Lady Aeroxia gone?"

  "Hmm? She seems to have returned to Lidolu. Veridith and Yuriyas followed her there."

  "…Aren’t you going to speak with her?" Marlyno asked, noticing Mira's ck of concern.

  "…No need. There’ll be time ter. Besides, I’m Mira now. I’m no longer the princess of Lidolu," Mira replied, her gaze distant. After her time at the academy, and the adventures with Sisi and Marlyno, Mira had found where she truly belonged.

  "And besides, there’s nothing for me to worry about over there."

  …

  Outside the royal capital of Lidolu Kingdom, in a secluded area, a young girl with sky-blue hair and a chest far beyond what her age might suggest, y on a deck chair, staring at the middle-aged man beside her. He was lounging in a rexed manner, one hand holding a hot coffee, the other a newspaper, resembling a retired, carefree individual.

  "Father…"

  "Ah... Aeroxia…"

  It turned out the former King of Lidolu had never died. His previous bedridden state had been a ruse, an act to abandon the throne and pass the burden to his children.

  "…Do you know what we’ve been through during this time?" Aeroxia’s tone was icy, her expression a chilling reflection of her displeasure.

  "Er… I’m sorry…" The former king, confronted by his daughter's terrifying gaze, found himself subconsciously kneeling, recalling the days when his queen would stare at him in such a manner when he had made mistakes.

  The shadow of his past mistakes forced him into an act of humility.

  "…Father, I’m so gd you’re alright."

  "Aeroxia…"

  Indeed, his daughter was his pride and joy, the apple of his eye!

  "Well then, I suppose someone deserve a harsher punishment now, don’t you agree?"

  "Huh!" The king, panic creeping into his voice, was taken aback by his daughter’s sudden shift in tone. Her smile was dazzling, but the gleam in her eyes was anything but warm.

  …

  "Apologies for all the trouble my family has caused you."

  Aeroxia emerged from the cottage, her earlier menacing demeanor gone, repced by a sweet, typical girl’s appearance.

  "It’s no trouble at all, really. The problem wasn’t with you all," Veridith replied in a carefree tone, now dressed in a fresh white robe.

  "Especially Aris. If it weren’t for you, I can’t even imagine where we’d be now."

  "…Mm." Aris's response was the same as Veridith’s in tone, but it was clear her mind was elsewhere.

  "Brother Barol has decided to relinquish the throne, and he’s doing his best to support Brother Dorol, who will take the crown. I’ve done all I can to help, and now, I need to improve myself, so I’m going to the ‘Alliance of All Living Things’ to study," Aeroxia continued, a serious look crossing her face. As a summoner, she had extraordinary talent, and after the war, Lynne, the founder of the Alliance, had invited her to study. Aeroxia accepted, determined to grow stronger.

  Her decision would also contribute to Lidolu's shift toward abolishing svery and ending discrimination against other races.

  "Also…"

  "Veridith, thank you," Aeroxia suddenly said, her tone soft as she leaned in and kissed Veridith on the cheek.

  "Huh?"

  "You…!?"

  Without waiting for a response, Aeroxia darted off, leaving Veridith and... Yuriyas—who was angrily muttering about wiping away the 'filthy thing' on Veridith's face—and Aris, lost in her thoughts, standing in her wake.

  …

  …

  "…Lady Misako, the results of the interrogation are in."

  In a room within the Sky City, Misako sat calmly in a chair, listening intently to her subordinate’s report.

  "Those masked individuals are indeed from the secret organisation, and that organisation…"

  Suddenly, Misako raised a hand, stopping the report.

  "Leave. Now."

  "…Understood."

  Once the subordinate had left, a familiar young girl emerged from the shadows of the room and pced an item onto the table.

  It was a golden, eight-pointed star, unmistakably a medal of some kind.

  This symbol revealed everything.

  "…Can we go there now?"

  "…Of course."