Though I had many thoughts about killing Geranium, the fact that Shion had regained consciousness spoke volumes that what I had done was not wrong.
Yes, I was right.
I did the right thing.
By chance, I had helped the hero, the lifeline of all humanity.
This was the right outcome.
"Brother… I'm… really sleepy… Why is that?"
"You're just tired. It's okay to sleep."
"I'm scared… to sleep…"
"Why?"
"I dreamt… that I wouldn't wake up again…"
"You'll wake up again. Don't worry."
"…Stay with me… Brother…"
"…"
Lying on the bed, struggling against an overwhelming drowsiness, Shion looked at me and said that.
"I… don't need anything else as long as you're here, Brother…"
"…"
"So… stay with me forever… Don't ever leave…"
"Yes. I'll stay with you. As long as you want me to, I'll always be with you."
"Yeah…"
Shion then closed her eyes and fell into a peaceful sleep.No, he isn't dead.
I killed him.
The man who had lived and schemed in this world for over five hundred years.
"…"
I glanced around me.
He might not be the kind of man to die from just that.
Maybe he's still alive, laughing at us.
If we're not careful, he might suddenly appear from behind.
Maybe part of his body survived, and he could regenerate from that state.
While thinking such thoughts, I gazed at the Timeflow Sword embedded in the courtyard.
However, nothing happened.
"…"
The eight saintly sword wielders behind me were all staring at me.
They observed intently, waiting for what I would say next.
Yet, I said nothing.
I felt as if the Timeflow Sword, which had been cherished by the same master for over five hundred years, was eloquently telling its tale.
—You killed someone using the power of others—
—Without any purpose or ambition—
—Even though you said saintly swords shouldn't be used in human conflicts—
For some reason, I felt accused by these thoughts.
The Timeflow Sword, now masterless, seemed to be silently protesting against me.
That's why I felt no sense of accomplishment.
Chapter 5/Epilogue: Crow
"Brother…"
In Shion's private room within the royal castle, I heard her voice for the first time in a while.
Though I had various thoughts about killing Geranium, the fact that Shion had safely regained consciousness powerfully affirmed that what I had done was not wrong.
Yes, I was right.
I did the right thing.
By chance, I had saved the hero, humanity's lifeline.
This was the right outcome.
"Brother… I'm… so sleepy… Why?"
"You're just tired. You should sleep."
"I'm scared… of sleeping…"
"Why?"
"I dreamt… that I wouldn't wake up again…"
"You will wake up again. Don't worry."
"…Stay with me… Brother…"
"…"
Lying on the bed, Shion looked at me and said that, seeming to struggle against an overwhelming sleepiness.
"All I need is you, Brother…"
"…"
"So… stay with me forever… Don't leave me again…"
"Yes. I'll always be with you. If you want me to stay, I'll always be here."
"Yeah…"
Shion then closed her eyes and fell into a peaceful sleep.It seems she's worried about her misjudgment.
"Holly, I'm not blaming you. It's my fault. This happened because I took advantage of your and Holly's goodwill."
"That's not true! I—I mean, Shion and I… we… you…"
"You are always with Shion. Don't do anything that would halve her powers again."
"…Yes."
Holly, looking downcast, took the gem and placed it back on the pommel of the Holy Light Sword.
"Don't worry, Holly. I don't want to die either. I'll always be near Shion from now on."
"Crow…"
I grinned at Holly.
"If you guys weren't around, a weakling like me would have died long ago. Keep protecting me."
"…Yes!"
Holly hugged me tightly.
"Really, thank you. To me, you are a true hero."
"Ha ha. That makes me happy. A dream come true."
"Will you play chess with me again?"
"Till death do us part."
"…Thank you…"
"…"
After leaving Shion's private room, I entered my own and stripped off my clothes.
I took off my private clothes, stained with blood and mud and torn from battle, and changed into the clothes I had stored in the wardrobe.
A black shirt, black pants, black boots.
And over that, a black coat.
The tailcoat that only saintly sword wielders, like Iris and Instructor Cattleya, are allowed to wear.
After changing, I headed to the round table room.
All the saintly sword wielders were assembled at the round table, waiting for me.
When Shion regained consciousness, everyone thoughtfully decided to leave us alone, but I had asked them to wait in this room.
Despite it being close to dawn, everyone waited without complaint.
Instructor Cattleya, seeing me in the black tailcoat, looked surprised for a moment but then smirked.
I took my seat at the open chair and looked around at the saintly sword wielders present.
Iris, Instructor Cattleya, Prince Heath.
Saffron, Platanus.
And Amaranth, Cineraria, Jasmine.
All eight saintly sword wielders."It seems you had something to discuss, Lord Crow."
Platanus, seated next to me, initiated the conversation.
"I want to discuss what we're going to do moving forward. Rest can come after that."
Platanus glanced at the three who had betrayed Geranium to assist us.
"First, we need to quickly decide what to do with these three."
The three stared back at Platanus with expresshionless faces.
"Despite their cooperation this time, they are clearly traitors to the state. Even considering they were deceived by Geranium, that cannot be defended. Moreover, their ideologies are dangerously extreme."
"Make them our allies."
"What?"
"These three are to become our allies."
"…With all due respect, that seems excessively dangerous."
"You being an ally is dangerous too."
"…You jest…"
"I actually wanted Geranium as an ally too."
I leaned on the round table, clasping my hands and muttered.
"It was a waste to let him die. He should have aimed for humanity's salvation, not its destruction. With over five hundred years of life experience, he could have joined Shion and achieved that. He had the talent to make it possible."
Amaranth listened with her eyes closed.
Cineraria and Jasmine, who likely felt revulshion knowing Geranium's goals, showed complex expresshions.
"This incident has been a valuable lesson. I was naive. Thinking that as long as Shion is with us, everything will be fine. That nearly led to humanity's extinction. I never imagined someone would target Shion."
Everyone listened to my words in silence.
The five who were initially my allies felt ashamed for failing to protect Shion.
The three who had been my enemies regretted their recklessness in endangering Shion.
Everyone felt they might have nearly caused humanity's extinction.
"I had anticipated being killed. I even considered the possibility that someone among us saintly sword wielders might die in the fight. But I never expected Shion to be harmed. It seemed impossible that anyone would target the hero. Right, everyone? If Shion dies, we all die. None of us would survive the Demon Lord. So, I always thought this: there are all sorts of people in this world, but surely no one foolish enough to harm the hero. I've always believed that."
I tapped the round table lightly with my fist."From now on, we won't let our guard down again. We won't let anyone lay a hand on Shion, not even by accident. Just because Geranium is dead doesn't mean we can relax. We won't assume everything is safe just because all the Saintly Swords have gathered. We should assume anything can happen and act accordingly."
"…And by that, you mean…"
Platanus, with an incredibly grim smile, addressed me.
"First, we'll have King Daria abdicate and have Prince Heath ascend to the throne."
"What!?"
Heath stood up, but I ignored him.
"Once Heath is king, he'll appoint Platanus as his chancellor."
"Eh?"
"Then, we'll make Instructor Cattleya the marshal and Iris the general."
"‘What!?’"
Everyone seemed taken aback by my proposal.
"Wait, hold on, Crow."
Heath, still standing, spoke to me.
"It's possible for me to ascend. My father has weakened considerably. He would probably be glad to abdicate. However, making Platanus chancellor is unreasonable."
"Why?"