“If you know this much.” The King sighed as he sat in a chair next to the bed that contained his wife. “Then you understand why I stayed and why haven’t left.”

“So, that story was about you? You’re the Hero?”

“I’m no Hero…” the King shook his head. “Rather, it is my beautiful wife here who is the Hero. They used to call her the Maid Hero. She used to travel the world with that other woman. I was just a young, dumb man with a sword.”

“So… it was the maid who became queen and the other woman who became jealous?” I realized I had the story mixed up a bit.

“You’re not going to stop asking questions until I answer everything, are you?” The King sighed.

“I’m sorry, I’m just trying to understand. For example, how can this dungeon form from your wife’s death if it’s already thirty-five years old.”

“Is that not simple? My wife died thirty-five years ago.”

“What? But Edward and Eliana?”

“Edward is thirty-six years old. As for Eliana… she is actually the daughter of a slave-girl I took a fancy to. Ahem… let’s not talk about that now.”

The woman on the bed had given him a tight-lipped look, and he blushed. This news was a bit surprising.

“Edward is 36?”

“Hmph… he looks and acts young, doesn’t he? However, you can see he is clearly old enough to rule. There is no reason for him to refuse the crown. He should have taken it a decade ago, but he’s been afraid he won’t be able to do the job well. If you think I left the kingdom just for myself, you’re too naïve. I was also giving him a chance to finally take the throne. After six months of disappearance, he should have already claimed it.”

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

“He hasn’t! Plus, Ost republic is causing issues, and so is the Imperial Cloud. He needs your help, he really does.”

“I can’t help him forever.” The King responded, looking away sadly, “At some point, a man has got to become a real man. I just don’t know how to get him to see it.”

“Then… come back with me! Maybe we can convince him together!”

“I’m sorry… Deekson, was it? I won’t be returning. I heard a rumor that my wife was resurrected in this dungeon. I took the chance. Now, here I am. I’m not willing to lose her again, so I will remain here by her side, even if I can never touch her.”

He shot her a questioning expression, but the woman herself raised her hands and spoke. “It’s alright. You must understand that I’m only a fragment of the real queen’s soul and memories, corrupted by this curse. I’m a cursed being and by all accounts a monster. That’s what happened to everyone he came with; they all died fighting me. I consumed their souls. Husband managed to contain me and erect this barrier. While I am on this bed, my mind is kept in control, and I will not attack, but it is no existence for my husband to remain as my bodyguard.”

“Elaya, what are you saying?”

She smiled sadly at him before turning to me. “Since I have my mind now, I recognized that I am nothing but a broken existence, a monster that feasts on the souls of the living! Husband won’t listen. He has abandoned life to sit vigil over my grave, but it hurts my heart every day to see him like this.”

“Elaya! Enough!” His face turned angry.

“So… I ask you, please, while my soul is contained, kill me, and allow Husband to finally leave and return to his responsibilities.”

“Don’t listen to her!” King Aberis spun to me. “If you take a step near us, I will cut you all down where you stand! I will protect this dungeon with my life!”

Through various circumstances, it turned out that the final boss is none other than the King himself!