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Immediately, the room—no, space-time itself—shook violently, as if struck by a cataclysmic earthquake.

“So the sub-space collapses with his death, huh.” The boy’s form blurred like static, his outline wavering and distorted.

“It seems my time in this axis has run out. Still, it is enough to access «Sefer Yetzirah» and wield the authority of the Creation God, if only for this moment. Let’s see… one miracle—no, two.”

The boy narrowed his eyes, dismissing Versa Amadeus. In its place, a crimson sphere of light appeared between his hands. It swelled steadily, glowing ever brighter, until it reached a critical point and burst outward.

“That should erase the Void Mist. Now, the next…”

His voice came in a whisper as his semi-translucent body flickered like a candle in a storm, on the verge of vanishing. Between his hands appeared a ball of purple light, thirty centimeters wide, glowing softly.

“I entrust this decision to you, Mother. As you believed in me, I will believe in you. Thank you… for giving me life.”

Those words became his final will, and his figure dissolved into nothingness. In his place, Hiyuki appeared, her eyes closed. She looked just as she had when first entering the temple, clad in the same garments and equipment. As Azure God’s temple crumbled around her, she fell into a boundless white void.

In her hands, held to her chest, she clasped both the purple orb the boy had left and a longsword shining with golden radiance—Versa Amadeus. Before the temple finally vanished into the void, she whispered a name with tenderness.

“—Shion.”

◆◇◆◇

The changes in the Void Mist did not escape the gathered forces. Within moments, the elites of Imperial Crimson pulled back, their wary eyes fixed on the phenomenon.

“What’s happening?!”
“I don’t know. But I sense a shift in the energy, something completely new. No… this isn’t the same signature as the Void Mist.”

Susa replied calmly to Tengai’s question, his countless alter egos working in unison to analyze the cause. Before their eyes, a speck of crimson light appeared on the surface of the Void Mist. In the blink of an eye, it spread, staining vast portions of the mist in its radiant hue.

“Crimson… c-could it be Her Majesty’s doing?!” Oliana, riding on Kurashi’s back and watching intently from the sky, blurted out the first thought that struck her.

“…If it is truly the Princess, then she must have won.” Revan, flying just behind her, muttered under his breath, his teeth clenched as though asking himself the question.

“……” Many heard his words, but none replied. Under the watchful eyes of all, the crimson hue spread until it covered the entire Void Mist. Then, with a burst of blinding radiance, the mist vanished with a faint pop, as if it had been no more than a fragile soap bubble.

“…It disappeared?” The truth was clear before their eyes, yet the shock was so great that none could accept it at once. A murmur of disbelief passed through the gathered crowd.

“Princess! Are you alright?!” Tengai finally snapped out of his trance and began frantically scanning the area, his bloodshot eyes darting about.

When the veil of the Void Mist vanished from the continent’s center, it revealed a vast forest stretching endlessly toward the horizon. A great river cut across the land, while flocks of birds and packs of beasts filled the lush wilderness with life.

No trace remained to suggest this had once been the heart of a thriving civilization, only untamed wilderness untouched by human hands. The change was so overwhelming that all were struck speechless. But Tengai’s desperate search shook them from their stupor, and like him, they descended to the surface to look for Hiyuki.

“Princess—I’ve found her!”
“Confirmed, she’s right below!”
“Princess is alive and safe!”

Hazumi, Susa, and Shiori—their most skilled scouts—called out in unison, their voices echoing across the air. The tense atmosphere finally loosened, and their unspoken question was answered: if she was safe, then she had surely won. Within moments, silence gave way to cheers and victorious cries.

“Uoooooooh!! All hail the Princess!”
“Long live Imperial Crimson!”
“The undefeatable Princess!”
“Ah, our Princess! Our Light!”

Their cries of triumph carried such force that every beast and monster within tens of kilometers scattered in terror. Had there been any human villages nearby, the uproar might even have triggered a Stampede.

◆◇◆◇

I stirred from sleep as the ground rumbled beneath me like a violent earthquake. No… I can’t. I’m too tired. At least give me one day of rest…

The firm ground beneath me made it obvious I wasn’t on a bed, but exhaustion dulled any concern. All I wanted was to shift into a more comfortable position and continue napping. Something small slid off my stomach as I lay on my side, then crawled up toward my face. Squishy little hands tapped my cheeks, tugged at my hair, and fidgeted restlessly. Irritating, I thought—but then—

A soft kiss brushed my lips, and the sweetness jolted my eyes wide open in shock.

“Wha—who?!” I turned my head to see the culprit—a baby, no more than four or five months old, staring intently at my startled face. “…Argh, seriously, who are you?”

I groaned, though of course a baby couldn’t answer. The child only smiled and tried to crawl higher, so I reflexively scooped him into my arms. A boy, I realized.

I had no idea where this child came from, but one glance told me he would one day grow into a striking figure. Black hair framed his head, though a tuft gleamed silver. Most striking of all were his eyes: the right crimson, the left a vivid blue—heterochromia.

“Hmm, this kid will probably grow into an eighth-grader with delusions of grandeur. But where are your parents, little one?” I muttered, still flustered. The boy, however, showed no unease and had even begun to doze off.

Unwittingly, I looked up at the vast, endless blue sky. Glancing around, I realized I was sitting at the center of a vacant lot, perfectly circular, surrounded by dense jungle. It was as if a great building had once stood here and vanished without trace. Wait—! I checked myself quickly. I was still wearing the same equipment I had donned before plunging into the Void Mist.

The Void Mist was gone, leaving no trace behind. It felt like waking from a fever dream, yet the Versa Amadeus lying beside me stood as undeniable proof of what had happened.

“So, what happened at the end?” My last memory was confronting Azure God, lunging in to strike. Everything after that was a blur. With the Void Mist gone, I wanted to believe I had won… but if that was true, shouldn’t I have become the «Creation God»? Nothing suggested I had. It was all a mess.

Soon, countless voices rose around me from every direction. It seemed everyone from Sky Garden had gathered nearby. The sound put me at ease. For a moment, I had feared I had been cast into another world once again, but those familiar voices dispelled my unease. Holding the baby close, I stood and glanced once more at the endless sky.

“Well, at least the weather is nice today,” I whispered, letting myself relax at last. A gentle smile formed naturally on my lips.