Chapter 223: The Aftermath

[✦ Player Profile ✦]

Name: Aestrea Moon (20)

Identity: The Moon’s Darling, The Deadliest Person Alive [NEW], The One Who Claimed The Throne [NEW], Number One Student, The Hero’s True Rival, Strongest Student of the Weakest Academy, The Moonlight Swordsman, The One Who Loves The Goddess Of The Moon, The Strongest Student, The One Loved By Dangerous Beings

(Note: The “Baron” title has been removed. Current status equals that of an Emperor.)

Affinities: ✦Winter✦, ✯Time✯

⤬ Aura: SS (↑UP)

⤬ Mana: SS+++ (↑UP)

⤬ Strength: SS- (↑UP)

⤬ Vitality: SS- (↑UP)

⤬ Agility: SS+ (↑UP)

⤬ Spirit: SSS- (↑UP)

✦ [Skills & Talents] ✦

[1] Moonlit Ice Lotus Sword Art Variants[SSS???]➤ Active Self-Created Skill

[2] Judgement Eye [S++] (↑UP) ➤ Active Self-Created Skill

[3]PerfectMemory [Unranked] ➤Passive Talent

[4]Extreme Combat Instincts [SSS-] (↑UP) ➤ Passive Talent

[5] Proficient Weapon Mastery [S] (↑UP) ➤ Passive Skill

[6] Moon’s Serenity [SS] ➤

Passive Talent

[7] Blood Dragon Eyes [S++] (↑UP) ➤ Your eyes ominously glow red and can now manifest killing intent.

[8] Blood Contract [???]➤ You can use Lumi’s Abilities.

[9] 『 ✯Moon Mark ✯』➤You can use the Blessing of the Moon.

——+——+——+——

Crazy, right?

It’s been only a few months, and I can’t believe my attributes jumped from A-rank to SS-rank… anyone might think that this transformation was… terrifying, right?

I guess after the body reconstruction with the Dragon’s Heart, everything just skyrocketed. But at this point, it doesn’t matter, does it?

The only thing that matters is that I’m extremely overpowered right now.

.

.

.

.

.

.

It’s been a whole month since I killed Emperor Francis.

Since then, the capital’s already been rebuilt, as expected of those royal mages, huh?

They restored everything like nothing had ever happened.

Meanwhile, Isabella… well, she’s been consolidating her power fast… let’s simply say that her methods… uhh…

They were quite forceful.

She even made me watch one of the torture scenes, and I must say… they really did a good job as I almost got traumatized by it.

Still, life’s been pretty calm on my end.

But that aside, my life’s been going pretty well, especially since I’ve accepted both Maria and Mia as my official girlfriends.

We’ve been hanging out quite a while in this past month, and well, I must say it was worth it. The way they interact when one is jealous of the other is quite funny.

Instead of being mad about it, they simply take the opportunity when the other isn’t looking to kinda ’steal’ me away for a second.

Aside from them, I’ve been spending time with the usual guys: Derek, James, and Ethan.

The Academy’s been on a break after the whole Emperor situation, so I’ve taken the chance to enjoy life a little.

So, my days this month have been quite peaceful.

I’d hang out with the girls, or the boys, then would head home to spend time with my own family, and also train the little twins.

They were more terrifying than I expected, and they were already on the verge of breaking through the B-rank!

They also bankrupted me twice… ahem.

Thankfully, Isabella basically handed me a blank check.

So we’re good.

Another thing is my interaction with the Hero’s Group…

They’ve been apologizing to me non-stop for quite a while, especially Rose, but well… the one person I’m actually worried about… is Ella.

Not once this entire month, even Lucas said she’s completely vanished.

I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little worried.

Oh!

And I’ve become friends with Eira’s group now, too. Ulgar and Rayn warmed up to me after what happened in the dungeon, and Eira’s always been easy to talk to anyway.

So yeah, everything has been great.

Except for Violet’s quest part.

It was completed, and I got the permanent scan function, but the grimoire about [Future Sight] is just too hard to master.

The best I could do was peek five seconds into the future, and that almost drained all my mana, even with SS+++ rank mana.

The progress’s been quite slow…

Thrum, thrum, thrum!

“Ah… It’s finally starting.” I muttered to myself, raising my head a little.

Today…

It’s the official coronation of Empress Isabella.

Honestly, I didn’t plan to show up.

But for some reason… my feet still brought me here.

The grand cathedral had been rebuilt, glowing with divine runes and newly restored stained-glass windows that painted the white marble in gold and emerald hues.

The banners were fresh, the people dressed in celebration, and above them all… stood Isabella, draped in royal white and crimson, with a gold crown slowly being lowered onto her head.

A Queen, no longer behind someone else’s shadow.

She stood proud, her chin held high, her gaze steady and cold.

The nobles knelt before her, the crowd cheered, and in that moment, Isabella officially became Empress of the Empire.

I watched from a distance, standing at the edge of the balcony inside the cathedral’s upper level.

I didn’t exactly clap or cheer.

I just stood there with my arms crossed, leaning against the cold stone pillar as I watched the scene play out like a silent film.

And yet… even from far away, Isabella’s eyes somehow found mine. She instantly gave me a smug smile, one that said:

“Everything is going according to plan.”

Well…

I guess it really is her Empire now.

——

After the ceremony, I disappeared from the cathedral without anyone noticing.

Many people tried to chat with me, but I ignored them entirely as I had no interest in mingling with nobles.

Instead, I walked down the flower-covered path of the outer palace garden, my hands tucked in my coat, until I stopped near the edge of the outer wall.

And there, sitting on a stone bench, was Violet.

She wore a long, deep-purple dress that shimmered slightly under the moonlight. Her usual cold expression softened when she looked up and saw me approaching.

“You came,” she said softly.

I nodded.

“I watched from afar. You looked good in that dress.”

Her cheeks turned slightly pink, though she quickly looked away.

“Hmn~, thank you.”

I sat beside her without another word.

And just as I did, she turned to me again.

“Hey… that day, when you brought my mother back… I never got to thank you properly.”

“You don’t have to,” I replied, raising an eyebrow.

“You paid me with the Dragon’s Heart.”

Violet narrowed her eyes.

“That wasn’t payment. That was… fulfilling a deal. Gratitude is separate.”

“…Then you’re welcome,” I muttered.

She smiled faintly.

It was rare to see it… But when she smiled like that, she really looked beautiful.

Suddenly, she stood up, brushing off her dress.

“Come on,” she said, motioning toward the teleport stone at the garden edge. “You promised to spar with me before classes start again.”

I blinked at her words.

“…That was a month ago.”

“You’re not getting out of it.”

“…Fine.”

I stood, stretching my arms slightly as the moonlight caught the edge of my coat.

SHWOOM!

As soon as we stepped on the teleport stone, the palace garden blurred, replaced by a shattered training field deep in the inner territory, one that was specially reserved for royalty.

But now… it was specially reserved for me.

The perks of having a connection with the Empress are pretty nice, heh.

And just as we arrived, she immediately took a stance, raising her hand, crystal shards floating gently in the air around her, forming a blooming circle.

“I’ll go all out, so don’t complain if I crack that pretty face of yours,” she teased.

I exhaled slowly, raising one hand, and instantly…

FWOOM!

Six violet-colored swords floated into the air behind me, humming softly.

“Try.”

Her eyes glimmered, and the next second…

『 Crystal Series: Spearfall Descent! (✦ 6th-Level Spell ✦) 』

CRACK-CRACK-CRACK!

Dozens of massive crystal spears erupted into the sky, then came crashing down like meteors.

KRRRSHHHHH!!!

But as soon as she did that, I moved my hand slighly, and my swords spun once, colliding with every single one mid-air.

The shockwaves sent dust flying, and the stone floor cracked.

I still didn’t move from the same spot.

Violet gritted her teeth at his and was already casting another spell.

『 Crystal Series: Cage of the Prism Rose! (✯ 7th-Level Spell ✯) 』

From the ground, elegant walls of crystal bloomed upward, forming a dome to trap me inside, spikes growing inward like a blossoming flower.

VVRRRRRMMMM!!!

But before the cage even touched me, the swords shot towards it.

SHWING!

SHWING!

Like razor wind, they spun around me, tearing the cage apart mid-growth, the shards flying like rain.

I stepped forward, slowly.

“That’s not enough.”

Her expression tightened.

『 Crystal Series: Queen’s Mirror! (✦ 6th-Level Spell ✦) 』

A giant crystal mirror formed between us, probably meant to reflect my attack.

So I tested it.

FWWWWIP!

One sword, and a straight jab.

PING!

The mirror cracked.

FWWIP! FWWIP!

Two more.

CRACK!

Then I snapped my fingers, and all six slammed into it at once.

KRAAAANG!!

The mirror exploded.

She shielded her eyes as glass-like shards flew past, and in the instant she lost vision, I appeared behind her.

“Huh?!”

She gasped, spinning around.

I ducked under her counter-blast and whispered behind her.

“Too slow.”

BAM!

One of my swords struck her side, not that deep of course, but just enough to make her body spin mid-air.

“Guh—!”

She tumbled, rolling across the ground, but she wasn’t done yet.

『 Crystal Series: Thorned Glory Garden! (✯ 7th-Level Spell ✯)』

A hundred crystalline vines shot out from the ground, all targeting me with spiked ends.

I simply raised my hand at it.

SHHHHNNNGG!

My swords formed a perfect sphere, a spinning barrier around me.

CRSH!

CLANG!

CLANG!

Every vine struck but was immediately shredded.

Then, in that chaos, I moved.

FWOOOP!

Straight in front of her.

Her eyes widened as she quickly summoned a defensive wall of crystal.

I pointed a finger.

“All six.”

The swords spun to my side, then launched towards her.

SH-THNK!

SH-THNK!

Each one struck with pinpoint control, not hitting her body, but slicing through her defenses like butter.

And then, the final sword stopped one inch from her neck.

I didn’t say a word and just looked at her.

She panted, her clothes a little torn, small cuts along her arms, her magic visibly dimming. She looked down at the sword glowing near her throat…

And then, she exhaled.

“…I lost.”

I pulled the sword back and let all six float idly behind me again.

“You’re too strong now,” she muttered, stepping back, brushing dust off herself.

I smiled at her words, offering a hand which she took.

The spar ended quite quickly. And even though she lost… her faint smile told me she wasn’t mad about it.

Well… this was pretty nice.

Peace was rare.

But maybe… just maybe…

I could enjoy it a little longer.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep