As the daze from the jetlag due to traveling through Violetta’s warp wore off, I found myself staring at another tomb in a middle of a forest. Alstroe was staring at the tomb with a saddened countenance.

Soon, Violetta came out from the warp and speaks.

“This is a forest at the northern part of the Astlan Castle. I figured that I’ll Milin is better off buried in this kind of place, not that I actually know her preference but knowing that she doesn’t have any relative, this is better.”

“This forest is…”

“It’s better…so we are the only people who knew where she is. I bet she is extremely joyful knowing that you visited her.”

“Yeah…this is better for me too.”

“After all, you are the only one who truly cared for her.”

I want to refute Violetta’s words but I am aware that no one really bats an eye to Milin. There’s a lot of people who respect her but not the person she is, not with that perverted attitude that she showed me. Despite that, I learned how she truly values me, even if she is only swayed by my appearance at first.

However, she accepted me for who I am unconditionally. She is willing to go all the way to teach me something valuable. She may seem to spoil me but she would do everything so I could learn. She is the reason I was able to touch the surface of Calm Dragon Tempest.

She is the head maid in the Astlan Castle before Priscilla came. It makes me wonder how did she end up in that place.

I can clearly recall all of those memories that we had together, all of the shenanigans, and the last battle the fought together. But what etched in my heart is her last smile that never fades even as she took her last breathe.

A smile broke out across my lips as I remembered how she’d always cling to me that she got punished.

“What an idiot…”

“Asagao?”

“Ah, no…I was just thinking all of the things we’ve been through together. She left nothing but good memories after all. Well, not all of those are favorable but those are still a part of her.”

“The way you put, you have a conflicting opinion about her.”

“Well, you know the rest of the story.”

“Not exactly. She isn’t like that before you came.”

“So I’m told. What was she like?”

Violetta closes her eyes and started recalling memories about Milin. Since she knew Milin longer than I, I am kind of excited to hear about it but at the same, I fear that Milin has done so many terrible things before that I might hear now that she is gone.

“She is as it is.”

“Eh?”

“No need to fuss over the past.”

“Are you really…no…okay.”

I replied to her response.

I’m really not that smart but I know that she purposely held herself back.

For what reason did she do that? I can only assume that she doesn’t want me to know more about Milin and everything. But for what reason she didn’t want me to?

I know myself I am not going to get an answer. I look at the grave in front of me and made a faint smile. I’ll respect Violetta’s decision and will keep Milin’s personality as it is. After all, even she is a big pervert, I do care and respect her.

Violetta might have thought that this respect that I have for Milin might crumble if she told anything about her past.

“Asagao, this person is…”

“She’s a precious friend too Alstroe. She saved me so many times before…”

“I know, Asagao. This place…it feels oddly pleasant and calm. The Ki specifically swirls around this area. It’s so serene and transient.”

Stolen story; please report.

“Why is that?”

“I don’t know. I feel like the whole place is happy or something?”

“Ahaha…that’s really vague.”

I want to keep it like that then if she is happy.

One more thing…

“Hey, Milin…do you know a girl named Topaz?”

I asked as I kneel on one knee in front of her Tomb. Again, the couldn’t answer my question but it is something I really wanted to ask since meeting with Topaz. She behaves differently from Milin and they are in the opposite degree of courageous and coward.

But what makes Topaz stand out the most in my eyes is her uncanny resemblance to Milin minus the breast size.

“Asagao, if I remember correctly, that Topaz girl is a devil, no?”

“She is a devil, a modified devil. She is given personality, emotions, and even feelings so please don’t treat her badly.”

“I don’t intend as long as you wanted to. Come to think of it, Ashfon is willing to take her in as a little sister too so I don’t think I have any nuances about her.”

Damn it…

Now that I remember about Topaz, I want to squeeze her tightly right now.

“Hm? I thought you’d be more emotional.”

“Eh? Why do you say that Violetta?!”

“Well, aren’t you a crybaby? Isn’t it fine for you to shed tears?”

“I’m just doing Milin’s final wish.”

“That is…?”

“Smile. I’ll smile at her. She likes it better that way.”

Like what I said, I beam a smile towards Violetta. This was an innocent yet selfish request from Milin but it’s a cheap price knowing that she smiled back at me that time.

“I see, that’s nice Asagao. It seems we need to go now too.”

“Eh?”

“There’s a lot of things to do, for you and for me that is.”

“Yeah…I guess we have to go…”

“I can take you here anytime you want after everything we need to take care of. I promise you that.”

“Don’t forget okay?”

“I am not like Ashfon.”

She turns around and summons her warp again. She then beckons me and Alstroe to enter the warp. I take one last glance at Milin’s tomb when suddenly, Alstroe tugs on my clothes.

“Asagao.”

“What is it Alstroe?”

“This person…is she also a family of yours?”

“A family? Hmm…you might say she is also like you. She is dearly important to me like a family.”

“I see. You’re important for me too Asagao.”

“You never get tired of saying that. I have the same answer to it though.”

Alstroe takes one last glance at Alstroe’s tomb. I tried to pull her with me but her glance seems awfully long. After she considers something inside her head, she started walking in front of the tomb again.

“Thank you for taking care of Asagao!”

She lowers her head towards Milin’s grave and said her thanks. Her bow is firm and sincere. I couldn’t help but smirk at her actions. It’s like I am seeing a new side of Alstroe. She is always cheerful and positive that it’s contagious.

Seeing Alstroe do this, I also walked beside Alstroe and bows my head too.

“Milin, thank you for everything. Thank you for being my very first friend in this world even though it’s forced. You may be a deviant but you are not short of a kind person for me.”

“Praise her or insult her, choose one…”

Violetta muttered to herself but I was able to catch those words.

I think it’s fine since Milin has always been frank and honest with me with her wish, her desire, and her unstoppable actions that led to her demise.

For me, she is a hero I look up to.

.

.

.

We returned back to the Astlan Castle after saying our visit. Violetta warped us back to the grassy plains where I was training earlier. The atmosphere of the whole place seems like it has changed drastically.

“Everyone is moving about and preparing. Asagao, after this event, there are a lot of things for Ashfon to do. If possible, could you support him?”

“Of course I will. What are those things you are talking about?”

“After this…a few days later, a congregation will be upheld. “

“Meeting?”

“Yeah. As of now, thirty percent of the center continent’s land is now usable and infrastructure was already built. Those undead sure are something…”

“So, that upcoming congregation is about the center continent’s territory and boundary that will be parted for each leader right?”

“That’s correct but not entirely the main goal. There’s a lot of problems now.”

“What exactly does that mean?”

I don’t like this boiling feeling in my guts. It tells me that a problem will arise again, no, it may have risen already and I am just too naïve to see it.

“Remember when I told Ashfon that Higanbana, Casablanca, and Hibiscus are working on their respective positions, right?”

“Yeah, they are working very hard.”

“Everyone has gone through a dire situation, however, ever since overcoming that calamity, that inevitable is bound to come.”

“Surely that’s not…”

“But it is. All kingdoms…are now neutral to each other. Meaning, we are not bounded by any unspoken rule anymore, instead, a common sense of a leader will come first and think for their subject rather than an outside objectivity.”

“No way…”

That’s why we just can’t casually invite Higan, Casablanca, and Hibiscus here. Since upholding responsibilities, their positions have drastically changed for the betterment of their kingdom. Something like territorial domain and boundaries for each nation was not thoroughly stretched for us back then but seeing it now happening, it’s quite obvious that this place has strict rules.

It only makes sense that each town and cities have their own guards that inspect traveler and adventurers. It something implemented a long time ago.

Now that this world is back on track, it’s politic will soon again grow and a lot of this congregation will happen in the future.

“Asagao, that’s why I am asking for you to support Ashfon.”

“I will do it but what are you worried about?”

“Because in this congregation, Ashfon is in disadvantage due to his absence.”

“And you are worried that we will get the bitter end of this talk?”

“I am. It’s probably our interests as someone who involves in politics so I am not backing down and get a tiny portion of that land.”

Is that so?!

That’s really complicated but I still don’t get the reason why fight over the center continent’s land that much…

Wait…

“What if…what if…Violetta…”

“Ashfon don’t want to use your very own achievement for his own purposes Asagao. Certainly, you have done something great for this world but, Ashfon still has his pride so don’t try to mention it.”

“That’s…okay…”

In hindsight, overruling every protest of the other leaders using my achievement will be nothing short of a tyrant at that point. That’s what I’d like to think Fonfon’s reason…

But even if he doesn’t use mine, Alstroe, on the other hand, is also a citizen of our Kingdom. Surely that’s also a large contribution from the human, right?

“Asagao, I know what you are thinking. We don’t plan to use Alstroe too…not that Cecille begged us to keep Alstroe’s profile low.”

“That’s a relief…”

“I shall cover you with more information later. For now, the dressing room is waiting for you.”

“…Wait…”

“Come, let’s go! You too Alstroe!”

Violetta started pulling me!

I knew it, I am still reluctant about this whole dress thing even though I have done it several times!