After entering the underworld territory for a while, there was a cliff beyond that, and there was no way to proceed except to take a detour or go down the cliff.

　The group that had continued their progress from the royal capital Razhuisen finally arrived at the place.
　There was a battlefield at the end of the cliff in front of them, and even from that location, they could hear the noisy sounds of the battlefield's situation.

''Well, well, well, thank you for your efforts on the road, far and wide.

　Gid Sydow stands in front of them and impedes their progress beyond that.
　The inappropriate grin is still alive and well, and he will not succumb to that number of troops prepared by Rathhausen.

　Next to Giddo was a single spirit beast - the Nutrkelein.
　The reason why it was acting strangely was because Gido was using magic to manipulate its actions.
　He stroked his hand through the fur of the spirit beast to make sure.

''Would you like to recreate the devastation of the past here?''

　He smiled, showing his gums.

　It was Sierra who stepped forward from the silence of the group.

'I saw your faces sometime ago, I remember you guys,'

　Behind Sierra was not only her, but also the White King Knights, Daniel King and Emily Anderson.

It's a good thing that you are the last of the white king's knights. The number of people in the room is quite small. What has happened to you?

　Beginning with the murder of Edward Scotch by Giddo Sydow, followed by the death of Sierra's sister - Hilda - by Gazelle Crown, the story goes on to include the assassination of the previous king, Arnold, and the White King's Knight, Reinhard Rickman.
　The assassination of the previous king, Arnold, and the White King's knight, Reinhard Rickman, followed.
　They are convinced that the Empire is responsible for all of this.
　In the case of Reinhardt, he is actually alive and well, but Radshausen is still unaware of his survival.

　Immediately after Gid turned sideways, Nutkerene made a strange noise that affected his triceps.
　He ran across the ground, clad in particles, and closed in on Sierra.

　However, Sierra appeared calm.
　Gently, she pulled out the ice crystal rapier at her waist, and in the next moment, Nutkelein collapsed as if she was slumped to the ground.
　He lost his legs and moaned.

　Gid couldn't understand.
　He was bewildered and dumbfounded at the sight of the fallen Nutkerane.

　Sierra slowly approaches Gid.
　As she passed by, she cut off Nute Kellane's head as if it were a single-handed move.

''.........Ha, ha?''

　He turned his stationary gaze to the bewildered Guido and remained silent.

''Gofu!''

　He quickly raked Gid's belly with his rapier.
　How many times did he slice through it in that split second, and Gid collapsed, catching the overflowing guts with his hands.

　He didn't even see the end of him as he convulsed at his feet.

'We will now storm the Empire, all troops forward!

　With Sierra's command, Rashausen ran down the cliff.



*



　In the shallow crater-like hole, there were two figures.
　Zephyr, deep in arms and looking exhausted.
　Adolf, lying on his back and smiling to the sky.

'You're right, this is the end of our journey.

　Zephyr tells him in regret that he can't wipe it off.
　But he wasn't going to open his mouth to Adolf.
　The reason for this is the blood that has spread around him.
　He realizes that conversation is useless in the face of death.

　Adolph's defeated appearance made the beastmen upset and stop moving.
　The soldiers of Latosphilia and Greiberg also stopped their hands, and each began to look for signs of the end of the war.

　Then a man appeared.
　The soldier opened a path and let him through to the crater.

　The man reached Adolf's side and looked down at him, not even trying to work on him.

'What do you mean?'

　Ulanos asked Adolf.

'......

"There is so much blood on the battlefield that when the dragons appear there, they will be revealed...

....

What do you mean?



　Uranos drew his sword and thrust it at Adolf's neck.

'Answer me, what does this mean!　I'm not listening to a white dragon!

Didn't you get the situation you wanted, the one you wanted? ........nah.

　Adolf was bitterly mischievous.
　His tone was so boarded up that he couldn't take it.
　But it was a sign of his unwillingness to face what was in front of him.

'Where is the observer!'

....

'You said it!　If you create a great deal of conflict and instability, they will emerge!　If it is--

You're lying, of course.

..........

It's a lie they don't show up for such a trivial reason.

　Uranos trembled with unbearable rage, and he wanted to grab Adolf by the chest and kill him.
　But he was reasonably well versed in the abyss, and he knew that he could not kill Adolf.

'Wait!'

　Zephyr stops him.

"...what the hell, you're...

"Adolph will be dead soon.

　Looking at him, Uranos knew such a thing.

　There was only one person that Ulanos could think of who could be mortally wounded by Adolf if he looked into Nito.

''You may be the dragon heart's...''

'It's the Zephyr. Let him go, and I understand your anger.

He used me.

　It was a tone of voice that seemed to ask.
　Why shouldn't I kill them if that's the case, why shouldn't I finish them off?

'I suppose I should be grateful.

　Leaving behind the sorrows of others, Adolph stared at the sky.

But you see, Ulanos, I am not grateful to you for anything. You have saved me a lot of trouble. We have the beastmen, and though I didn't think it would be enough, we have the goal of growing our forces. Maybe I was able to forget my loneliness for a bit.

For that, you're going to make me...

'But I don't blame you, I'm not grateful. I only care about myself, I don't always care about others, yes ... I didn't always care about them, I'm sure.

　Adolph was nearing death, and for the first time he was beginning to realize that the gears within him were in disarray.
　This is because the abyss that had engulfed him is beginning to peel away before his death.
　He is slowly trying to regain his former self, which was normal.
　But he can't keep up with the change in his mind, he can't understand it, and it comes in the form of words.

'I'll reward you, you're an observer.　If I die, they'll show up they'll come get me.

....

　Uranos could no longer believe the words.

''They don't care about the well-being of the people. They don't care about people's well-being, they only care about the birth of the King of the Abyss. They take us, who have lost our bodies and become nothing more than beings, and hide us in the Pleiades, which is called the Garden. They hide us in a place where no one can see us, and pretend that we were never isolated from the world. We've been doing this since the beginning of time.

Lie, or not?

'Victoria didn't tell you anything? I think I got what I wanted. The rest is just a matter of time. But Uranos don't get your hopes up. A dead man does not come back to life Jade, nor does your wife. If you said you could do that, I would have been able to........

　Then Khalifa appears, kneels down, and gently takes Adolf's hand.

　But his vision and consciousness were so fuzzy that he could no longer see her.
　But it is Khalifa, he realizes.
　He can't speak, but his mouth calls out 'Khalifa'.

'Adolf....'

　I have not forgiven him.
　Neither Zephyr nor Khalifa have forgiven Adolf for his actions.
　But to both of them, Adolf is a companion and a childhood friend.
　If you think this is what it means to be swallowed by the abyss, or if you think it was unavoidable, then you can think that it was inevitable.
　But I have not forgiven him.

''I will not forgive...''

　But Guinevere was different.
　Her steps on the gouged earth were heavy with unbridled killing intent.
　Step by step, she approached Adolf with her heavy feet.

'Why don't you put a stop to it? He's nursechenka....'

Don't do it.

　Zephyr is going to watch Adolf die like this.
　Guinevere doubted her sanity.

''That's ridiculous, then what does my sister.......what do you say I have lived to this point for?''

　Once, Guinevere resented all the dragon hearts.
　Including Cagetra.
　She thought it was all of them that had led to the death of Naschenka and wanted to kill not only Adolf, but all of them who had survived.
　Only Zephyr knew that.
　But Zephyr knows that she has changed her mind over time.

'If we hadn't gone to the Godland, your sister wouldn't be dead. 'I know, I know, but'

What do you understand?

　Guinevere couldn't stand it.

'Do you intend to end this in private, without even punishing him? He is the mastermind of the Empire, of all this turmoil!　If it weren't for him, the rest of the world wouldn't have fallen!　It didn't even kill Naaschenka or Lord Kagetola!

I know!

　Zephyr's voice echoed across the still battlefield.

'But there's no getting it back now, what in the world does killing him, such a dying man, clear you up, Nathchenka, what in the world floats your mind, Kagetra!

Then I'm going to kill you myself.

　It was Gram the Warrior King who appeared.
　With a naginata on his shoulder, he appeared and swung it hesitantly down to Adolf's neck without hesitation.

　But Zephyr silently stops the blade with his fingertips.
　Gram hides his surprise and remains calm while keeping a wary eye on Zephyr.

''........It was a brilliant fight. It appears to be a considerable warrior. But this guy is the head of the Empire, and by extension, the underworld, right?　Do you have any idea what it means to cover for someone like that?

It's not for outsiders, so back off.

　Zephyr's foolish eyes caught Gram's.
　Gram could see that he was an abyssal passerby.
　It was a common understanding among the Eightfold King.
　The red eyes also communicate with the abyss.

　Gram understood the difference in power, that if he strengthened the tip of this blade, he would be the one to lose his life in that instant.
　Feeling that he was in limbo, he then spoke to Guinevere.

'Princess of Graysberg, daughter of Arthur, I presume.

　Of course, Guinevere was not Arthur's daughter.

''I didn't know that the princess was such a warrior that she would show her face on the front lines. So I would like to ask you a few questions, how do you intend to deal with this great sinner?

....

'This war has caused a lot of damage across the continent, so far. Sorry to eavesdrop on some of the stories, but Modherne and Pastera, as well as several nations, have been destroyed. So precious royal blood has died out. Clearly, the war can only end with the head of the mastermind.

　Khalifa gave Gram an angry look at his words.

'He looked like he was in some kind of dispute about stopping it, but that doesn't matter. What we need is the fact that the enemy's head is dead. That can't be done by anything other than his own head, the people won't believe it by words alone, right, princess?

　Gram was making threats to Guinevere.
　What he's proposing is a general way of deciding who wins and who loses.
　It's the easiest to understand and publicize.

'People are waiting for the word of the end of the war,' he said. But this war, though it lasted only six years, had left too strong an impression. With only three countries left, the eighteenth of the eighteenth century was not a reliable source of strength, and holding up the head of the enemy general and announcing it would make a strong impression. It gave the impression that the power of the Yagis had not yet waned. And that brings us peace.

　Khalifa's anger was at an all-time high.
　But Adolph gripped Khalifa's hand tightly.

'No, Khalifa...'

　The abyss that had engulfed him had almost been peeled away.
　The once good heart - the personality - that was in Adolf was returning.

'Adolf....'

It's all right get out of here. Zephyr, take the Khalifa and get out of here. Observers are coming.

　Gram's eyebrows moved at the words.
　Then, what did he think, he suddenly turned into a divine face and asked.

''You guys aren't really abyssal users, are you?''

　He was sure of it.
　Those who knew the Abyss could only speak its name when they were assured.

''If you look closely, all three of you don't feel the same magic as the heroes (Nito) here... who are you guys?''

　Gram stared at him with an even sharper look than before.

　It was also what Adolf had feared.
　He knew more about the world than Zephyr and Khalifa, for he had lived the last one hundred and fifty years without constraint.
　Overwhelming power is easily misunderstood.
　Can no one know themselves now and still live in peace?
　The Abyss had always been persecuted, he remembered through half his body.

　-- but then Gram's head jumped up and flew through the air.

　Streaks of blood formed a parabolic line and the head fell to the ground.
　They all stilled at the suddenness of the event.

'Hey Masamune, I've got a few questions for you... ah?'

　It was also just after Oliver had emerged from the crowd.
　What he saw was Masamune with Gram's head cut off.

'The war is over,'

　Gram's blood was dripping from the enforcer's axe that Masamune held.
　He let both of his red eyes glare around him and told them to tell him so.