Several days have passed since Jack's defeat, and the soldiers mourned their fallen comrades. Amid a cemetery littered with graves, they solemnly congregated numerous soldiers in all black. Countless coffins covered with the United Kingdom's flag had been placed in open holes around the cemetery and covered with dirt.

The sound of bugles and gunfire was audible as the soldiers paid their respects to their deceased comrades. At the center of this were the Enlightenment Program's soldiers. For the first time, Trixie didn't wear her usual jester outfit and donned clothing to fit the theme of where she was. She kept the jester's paint on her face, though.

As they stood by somberly, Amber's gaze shifted to the left where Baran stood. Upon noticing her gaze, Baran quickly turned his head away; he despised her for indirectly (in his mind) causing Aiden's death.

A frown formed on her face as Amber witnessed this. She then turned her head to the graves in front of her.

May you all rest in peace... Amber thought. I'm sorry for not saving you...

* * *

After the main precession, the mourning soldiers had spread out throughout the cemetery, likely to pay their respects to close soldiers of their own.

"I didn't expect you'd die, Altius. I was under the impression that you'd be too angry to die," Trixie muttered as she gazed at a grave in front of her. She then turned her gaze to Ariel and company, who stood over Aiden's grave. "Sigh, who would have thought I'd fail such a grand performance, and that failure became the cause of their friend's death."

Maybe I should do a bunch of tricks to lighten up the mood. Trixie thought. Or would that be too insensitive now?

While everyone grieved over their loved ones' graves, Amber strangely kept distant from this. She had stood at the far side with Kreuger.

"I'm surprised you aren't over there with the others," Kreuger commented. "So, why aren't you?"

"If I were to look at their graves, I would burst into tears. I've cried when I had to bury my family, and I've cried when I witnessed my dear friend and instructor dying before my eyes," Amber explained. "Aiden's final words have been playing in my mind. If I mourn now, I'd cry nonstop. My friends deserve to mourn now, not me."

"I see."

"Enough of my sorry sack self. I came here for another reason, Leo," Amber commented. "You still haven't told me why you hated and wanted personal revenge on that demon."

Hearing that, Kreuger looked into the sky.

"Well, I never always hated that bugger," Kreuger said. "He was my first...and only friend. Until I met you, that is."

"W-What?"

"We hailed from a rather secret clan and knew each other when he was eight and I was six. He had a pretty strange side, but we got along." Kreuger said. "I did bond with my clanmates but became extra close to Jack due to how close we were in age compared to everyone else."

"I think I know, but what strange side did he have?" Amber questioned.

"Well, the master of our clan trained us from a young age in bladed weapons to be assassins. We inherited his blessing and strengthened ourselves with it by going through gruesome training," Kreuger explained. "He'd send us on missions to kill, in his words, evil people secretly. It was pretty traumatic to most, except for Jack. He'd have the time of his life when killing targets. When he was up against a tough target, he'd break them mentally by killing their loved ones in front of them..."

"...So, he has always been a demon, even when he was young," Amber commented.

"Yeah, I disregarded his tendencies since he was my good friend. I thought he just felt differently about enemies of the clan, but I couldn't be more wrong," Kreuger continued as his eyebrows furrowed. "I realized he only saw us as prey when the day of our clan's massacre came. He killed thousands of my brothers and sisters, and all I could do was watch."

"Oh...I'm so sorry you had...to experience that," Amber responded.

"Yeah, well, he only did that because the master was away. When he came back, he beat Jack to an inch of his life. Strangely, the master failed to kill him. I guess Jack managed to escape like the rat he always was," Kreuger continued. "From that day, I only felt hate for him, and so I put myself through intense training so I could find him one day and kill him. Now that he's dead, I have nothing to do."

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

"...Will you go back...to your clan?" Amber questioned.

"Maybe one day, but not now," Kreuger replied. "Seeing the master brings back...traumatic memories."

Seeing his expression, Amber couldn't help but comfort him. She gently pats him on the head, much to Kreuger's surprise.

"Don't worry, Kreuger. You have me as your friend," Amber assured. We both have a lot in common with that demon ruining our lives. Unlike him, I won't betray you."

"...Uh huh," The flustered Kreuger muttered as he turned away.

Amid their conversation, they noticed a couple of people approaching them. Strangely, one of them was in a wheelchair. Upon witnessing this person, the duo's eyes widened with bewilderment.

"Y-Your Majesty!?" Amber uttered with a shocked expression.

What is she doing here!? Kreuger thought. The Queen of England came to this funeral!?

The Queen seemed to be a fairly young woman. She had donned attire suitable to this event, as she wore a black long-sleeved cocktail dress and a large feathered hat. Her hazelnut brown hair tied in a bubble ponytail complemented her brown eyes and fair skin color.

She had no outstanding features except for strange stitches across her face and neck, making her look somewhat like a patchwork face.

The one pushing the wheelchair was another woman. They wore full black consisting of a trench coat, a dress suit on the interior, and evening gloves. Her features were difficult to see with the red-tinted sunglasses she wore.

"Good day. I am sorry for interrupting you two, but I wanted to speak with you," The Queen said. "I'm sorry if this is an inopportune time."

"N-No, it's fine. I'm just surprised because this is my first time meeting you, Your Majesty!" Amber explained. I wonder where she got those stitches. No, that's none of your concern.

"I'm sure you're wondering how I ended up like this and in a wheelchair, but I had sustained very threatening injuries in the past," The Queen explained.

"O-Oh, I understand," Amber responded. She saw right through me...

"Also, you don't have to be so formal with me. You can call me by my first name, Isabella," The monarch advised. "There's no need for you to feel frightened by me."

Wow, she's pretty nice! Amber thought.

"S-So, why did a busy person like you attend this funeral, I-Isabella," Kreuger asked.

"Well, I came here for two reasons. I wanted to say my goodbyes to everyone who fell, especially Altius. He was the one I chose as an instructor in the Enlightenment Program, after all," Isabella explained. "I came for that, but I wanted to commend you for your hard work!"

"C-Commend us?"

"Yes, you all fought valiantly against a threat like Jack the Ripper. That criminal was undoubtedly one of the strongest humans in the world," Isabella stated. "You've all proved yourselves as true soldiers!"

"Hehe, thanks!" Amber replied as she shyly scratched her head. Kreuger gazed at Amber and rolled his eyes in response.

"As for you, Amber, I noticed you have achieved something special," Queen Isabella continued.

"I-I have?"

"Yes, I have aided in the creation of the Enlightenment Program, and since its creation in 1990, its main goal wasn't achieved," Isabella explained. "Until a few days ago, that is. You have reached enlightenment, haven't you?"

"O-Oh, I guess so," Amber confirmed.

Huh? What the hell is she talking about? Kreuger thought. Amber doesn't even look different. Well, there has been a different presence about her.

"You've surpassed your natural peak. Do you know only two other people are registered to be enlightened?" Isabella said. "You will be the third! Jack the Ripper may have also reached that level in your fight, but he's now deceased. He would be unregistered."

"That's good...that monster doesn't deserve any recognition," Amber replied.

Wait, so only two people in this world are stronger than Amber? Kreuger questioned. Damn, there is nothing more left for me to do, then.

"I would like us to meet more often, Amber," Isabella suggested. "There's many things I can show you about your new self."

Isabella's words sparked curiosity in Amber as she raised her eyebrows.

If I can get stronger, I'll do it, of course. Amber thought. If a day of great mourning and grief like this doesn't happen again, I'll do it. Until I truly become strong enough to save everyone, then I'll get stronger.

"No problem!" Amber emphatically replied.

* * *

Before Aiden's grave, Sariel and Ariel stood. They gazed solemnly at the plot.

"...Amber has grown well past us while we couldn't even do anything," Sariel muttered. "We left it up to Amber...and she had to suffer the burden of everything that happened..."

"...I can't imagine how she felt...after witnessing Aiden and Mr. Altius's deaths," Ariel commented. "Not to mention all the people she witnessed dying at the hands of Jack."

"I hate it so much. Amber was a normal woman with a family she loved before coming here, and no one cared about people more than her. She was the most selfless individual," Sariel said with clenched fists. "But she received nothing but unfairness from these criminals...That made me realize how weak I am."

"I was secretly rooting for Aiden to get together with Amber...but these horrible criminals took that happiness from everyone," Ariel said. "We must acquire what Amber achieved...because there are still other S-Class criminals."

"Yeah, even if we'll become monsters to get stronger," Sariel said. "A day like this will never happen again..."