Chapter 45.5

Final Chapter: Dawn "Then, Your Highness, I shall take my leave." "Ah, a parting that will be short-lived." As the sun began to rise beyond the horizon, Milano was at a particular port. He was not alone; Ente, heavily surrounded by guards, and Kumahachi, who led the group, were also present. A short distance away, Alue kept watch, accompanying them in a supporting role. Half a year had passed since Selene's death, and early spring had arrived. The sentence for Ente, who had been detained in Helifarte, was finally delivered. She was to be exiled from the continent. There were several possible destinations for her exile, but it had been decided that Ente would spend the several years of her sentence living on a remote island, which was also Kumahachi's homeland. During her exile, Kumahachi was to serve as her vigilant warden. Today was the day her sentence would be executed. "So, Princess Ente, it's nearly time to depart." "Yes..." Ente nodded obediently, without showing any resistance. Her imperious demeanor had vanished, and she seemed considerably diminished, consumed by both her guilt and the weight of her sins. Despite having killed Selene—a saint who had contributed greatly to the people of the entire continent—this judgment was far too lenient. There were many calls for a death sentence; however, the one who halted that was Milano himself, the prime victim. The fact that Princess Ente's actions triggered Selene's assassination was undeniable, but more grievous were the actions of the curse-spitter who had used her feelings as a stepping stone to plunge the continent into chaos. Besides, it was already the dragons, not humans, who had meted out their judgment upon that villain. Above all, Milano contended that if Ente had plotted Selene's murder, it was because he had dodged her affections, preoccupied only with the decorum between their nations and maintaining only superficial relationships. "Prince Milano, thank you for showing compassion to someone like me. During my sentence, I intend to study curses. So that no more foolish individuals like myself or victims are produced... I believe that's the atonement I can make towards Princess Selene." "Is that so..." "As long as I am present, rest assured Princess Ente will be closely watched." "I apologize for the trouble, but I’m counting on you, Kumahachi." "It shall be done." Both Kumahachi and Milano, perhaps due to the presence of their subordinates, treated Ente as a criminal, but in fact, they were not overly concerned. Since the curse attack, Ente had become a completely chaste maiden. It might be odd to say, but Ente was not an actress capable of sustaining such a performance for long. "Well, I was planning to return home soon myself. This is quite literally an opportune ship to catch. Prince, don’t slack off on your training while I'm away." "Stop speaking nonsense. Even in your absence, Gee will act as my sparring partner." "Ha ha, that is true indeed. Given Lord Gee's formidable skills, I shall not fall behind in my training as well." Although they will be apart for a few years, neither distance nor time mattered much to the two of them. Their bond was anything but shallow. As Milano and Kumahachi finished their conversation, Ente, about to board the ship, suddenly turned towards Milano. "Prince Milano!" Hearing Ente shout out, the surrounding soldiers adopted a defensive posture. However, Milano didn't flinch and gazed directly into Ente’s eyes, which seemed ready to cry. "Someday... when I've finished atoning for my sins, may I visit Princess Selene's grave?" After a brief pause, Milano responded. "Ah, I'm sure she would be pleased. When that time comes, I would like you to invite me as well." As Milano answered with a tender smile, Ente let out a sigh of relief. "Thank you. Farewell, my beloved..." Muttering these words softly, Ente turned her back on Milano and boarded the ship. Her steps betrayed no doubt; a resolve to face her sins head-on and move forward radiated from her back. With the ship's anchor withdrawn, the vessel bearing Kumahachi and Ente slowly left the harbor. Reflecting the dawn light, the ship set its course across the shimmering sea. In the silent port, Milano and Alue were left behind. "Your Highness, is it truly alright to forgive Princess Ente so easily?" "I have not forgiven her." Milano looked at the diminishing ship—now a mere speck—disappearing over the horizon and murmured with a sorrowful gaze. Neither Milano nor Alue had completely forgiven Ente, the murderer of their dearest Selene. Even though reason may dictate a judgment, human emotions can refuse to comply. However, they were royalty, exemplars for the people. They could not allow themselves to be swept away by anger, driven by an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth––that would only breed further tragedy. "Killing Princess Ente won't bring Selene back to life. Executing her would only make her family experience the same grief as us. The cycle of hatred must be broken somewhere." "Yes... I'm sure she would have said the same." "Yes. Selene would surely have forgiven her." Milano recalled seeing Ente and Selene conversing happily in Valvere. Even if it was a deception and he had learned of Ente's true nature, that kind-hearted and wise girl would surely have forgiven her. "Princess Alue, I want to make a vow here and now. Would you hear me out?" "If it pleases you, I would be glad to." "...I aspire to become a king like the sun." "The sun...?" Confused by Milano’s intent, Alue could not help but question him. Clearly, Milano was not jesting; his expression was utterly serious. "Astronomers say that the moon shines because of the sun’s light. To highlight the achievements of Princess Selene—who loved this continent—and to illuminate everything. I want to become such a king." Milano resolved not only to fulfill his duty as a prince, but also to polish himself, to guide Helifarte, no, all the people toward a luminous path, so that the name of Selene, who had returned to the faraway moon, would forever remain on earth. "Do you laugh at my childish, foolish thinking?" "No! I think it's wonderful. Although I have much to learn, I will assist you with all my might." "Thank you very much. There’s nothing more reassuring than having Princess Alue's cooperation." "If there’s anything I can do, please instruct me. It was also her last wish..." "Together with her sister, right?" "Together with her sister," that was the last will of Selene. She wanted her sister Alue, who shared her blood, to create a peaceful world on her behalf in place of herself, who was dying. That must be the wish Selene wanted to entrust to them. Afterward, for some time, Milano and Alue silently gazed at the tranquil sea. Then, in the distance, they could see a red dragon flying toward them. The dragon halted in mid-air, and stared intensely at Milano and Alue from high above. "O messenger of Selene, please watch over our path ahead." As if understanding Milano's wishful declaration, the red dragon seemed to respond by dropping a piece of cloth from its back. The cloth fluttered down right before Milano, who instinctively reached out and caught it. "What's this? It seems to have something written on it...?" The cloth was adorned with peculiar markings that made Milano look puzzled. Alue peered at it from the side, her eyes widening with shock. "Th-this...! It’s Selene script!" "Selene script?" Unfamiliar with the term, Milano tilted his head, but Alue, despite her excitement, managed to explain. Before being imprisoned, Selene had written in a script that belonged to no known country, likely one of her own devising. The patterns on this cloth closely resembled that script. This meant that the author was... "Could it be... Selene!?" By the time Milano and Alue hurriedly turned their faces back to the sky, the red dragon had already ascended to lofty heights, ready to soar off into the northern sky. "Are you really alright with going to the Dragon's Peak? I made the long journey here for you." "Yes." The girl straddling the dragon's back had hair like silk thread, pure white and neatly trimmed to shoulder length, and skin smooth as a pearl. Her exceptional beauty, as if bestowed with the love of the gods, was emphasized by her ruby-like eyes. —It was undeniably Selene Aquila. Though it appeared that Selene had been consumed by the Sun-Blocking Parasite, the creature could not complete its feast. Partially because the bug itself was weakened, but mainly due to Butler. Even after Selene was laid in her coffin and placed in the mausoleum, Butler had stayed close to her body, continuously returning the magical power he had received from his master and stored within himself. The power of the Day-Eliminating Bug was strangely similar to that of a centipede Butler had once eaten, granting him immunity and significantly aiding him in buying time. Using the magic power he emitted as a barrier, Butler desperately prevented the bug from consuming Selene. However, this was just a temporary fix. If the red dragon hadn't appeared, both Selene and Butler would have perished. But the situation was far from simple. Sasakure(The Red Dragon) was capable of immense destruction but quite inept at delicate tasks. Flooding the human child Selene with immense dragon magic could shatter her body. Thus, Sasakure frequently visited the Holy Selene Mausoleum, taking great care to remove the glass shards embedded in her body piece by piece, as if extracting thorns, and slowly eliminated the Day-Eliminating Bug that had infested Selene. It took months to completely rid Selene of the bugs. And then, last night, Selene, who had been in a state of suspended animation, crawled out of her coffin like a character from a B-grade zombie movie. The Selene Mausoleum was under heavy construction to be expanded, but the key component, the coffin, was left empty. So please don't cry in front of Selene's grave. She isn't there anymore; she's riding a dragon and soaring through the skies. "Why wouldn't you return? Didn't you say it’s best for humans to be amongst other humans?" "Lord Red Dragon, it's not that simple." Peering over Selene's shoulder was her close friend and reliable mouse butler, Butler. Though he appeared a bit thinner after continuous fatigue, his eyes brimmed with vitality. With his resonant baritone voice, Butler explained the human situation to Sasakure, which the dragon could hardly comprehend. "Currently, the human nations are very unstable due to the princess's death. If the princess were to appear now, it could cause trouble for Helifarte." "What does that mean...?" Announcing Selene's resurrection could bring joy to Helifarte's citizens, but the same might not hold true for other nations. There was a risk that some might accuse Helifarte of staging a miraculous resurrection to enhance Moonlight Princess Selene's powers and boost the nation’s influence. "The princess wishes to return as soon as possible. However, being noble, she puts the kingdom before herself and has decided to retreat. It might be best for her to lie low until the situation has stabilized." "Hmm... I can't say I understand, but humans sure are troublesome." Despite Butler's explanation, Sasakure couldn’t quite grasp the complexities. However, the dragon recognized that Selene was in a situation where she needed to prioritize her kin over herself. "Hmm, quite an impressive girl for her age..." To Sasakure, Selene was nothing more than a weapon. The elderly human in Valvere who had been attacked in anger was merely because his tool had been tampered with. However, after hearing the recent conversation, Sasakure found a slight interest in Selene as a human being. "Cheers." "Cheers, huh..." To Selene, who was toasting to the future of her brethren, Sasakure felt a sense of respect. Despite her youth, thinking about the welfare of her entire species indicated that she possessed the dignity of a pack leader. —Of course, Selene wasn't thinking about any of that. Unaware of Butler and Sasakure's conversation, she was overwhelmed with a feeling of defeat. It was a complete loss. Selene had to admit a de facto defeat to Milano. She thought she had him cornered, but she was the one caught in a trap. Who would have imagined that the genteel-looking prince harbored not just a dark heart but an actual monster within him? Yet, she should have used her imagination. After all, she herself privately kept a talking mouse butler. Then, wouldn't it be possible for a prince of a powerful nation to harbor one or two monsters for self-defense? Thanks to Butler and Sasakure, Selene barely managed to survive by a hair's breadth. When she awoke, it was already too late. Having urged Sasakure and hastily chased after the prince, Selene beheld the scene of her dear friend, Princess Ente, and Kumahachi being put onto a ship and sent away. "It’s too late..." Selene whispered with a face filled with bitterness. That prince must have commenced the expulsion of those who became unnecessary or an inconvenience. "Curse him..." What she really wanted was to swoop down right then and rescue at least Alue. However, if such a vile monster belonged to him, what other unfathomable grotesque creatures or despicable traps might he have? Even if Selene sought help from the elves, they had already been won over by Helifarte. In other words, she was now completely isolated and without support. Recognizing that to plunge into her current situation would be recklessly foolhardy, she had to concede. To rescue the captive Alue, she would need to acquire an equivalent power. ― Exactly, the power of dragons. Once she possessed a force so overwhelming that not even Prince Milano could counter it, she would challenge him again. Therefore, Selene had inscribed a message on the piece of cloth, akin to a knight throwing down a gauntlet as a declaration of war. "That girl, always causing worry..." Despite saying this, Alue's face bore tears of joy as she watched the dragon disappear into the clear blue sky. Logically, the resurrection of the dead was impossible. Yet, accomplishing the impossible was what made Selene the person she was. Milano and Alue looked up at the sky, now shifting from lavender to a bright blue, with a feeling as if they had been foxed, yet at the same time, the stuffy air that had surrounded them had been cleared, leaving them feeling incredibly refreshed. "By the way, what does the message written on that cloth say? Since it's in Selene script, it must mean something, right?" "That's... I have no idea. Probably only that girl would understand." "I see..." It was slightly disappointing not to understand the content. After all, there wasn't absolute proof that Selene was the one who wrote the note. But in it lay undeniable hope. ― The cloth simply read, in hiragana: "I'll be back!" I will indeed return. With these words, Selene murmured atop Sasakure's back as they sliced through the wind, heading straight for the Dragon's Peak. She had gradually expanded her power when taken from Aquila to Helifarte, established ties with elves, and managed to strike at the prince. Thus, no matter how reckless it might be, why not raid this so-called Dragon's Peak and subjugate the dragons? With overwhelming military power, she would defeat the prince, rescue the captive Alue, and create a garden of lilies for and by Selene. "Your Highness, a difficult path lies ahead for a while. However, I, Butler, am at your service as your butler. At all times, I am your ally." "Yes! I'll do my best!" "That's the spirit! There is no trial that Your Highness cannot overcome. Although modest, I, Butler, will offer my assistance too. Please be assured of this!" With a gentle stroke of Butler’s chin as he perched on her shoulder, Selene had him squinting with pleasure. Prince Milano, enjoy this momentary peace while you can. But be aware that Selene Aquila is not as feeble as you think. I will rise from the depths of hell to appear before you once again. Wait for that time, with your neck washed and ready. "Sister, wait for me!" Selene looked back just once. Having already traveled so far, neither Alue nor Milano was in sight. Shaking off any hesitation, she focused straight ahead. In the dawn light, the figure of the red dragon carrying Selene eventually faded and was absorbed into the sky. Thus the morning sun rises, and the moon disappears from view. But just because it is invisible to human eyes does not mean the moon itself has vanished. Just as there is no night that does not end, there is no sun that never sets. When the darkness creeps up on the sun once again, the moon will shine brighter and reveal itself once more. The story of Sun King Milano Helifarte and his counterpart, Moonlight Princess Selene Aquila, commences at this moment, though no one has yet realized it. This concludes the main story. —————— Thank you very much for following along to the end! Also, I am pleased to announce that this series will be published in book form. Details on my future activities and more information can be found in my activity reports. If you're interested, please take a look.