“No! Your Majesty!” Alicia’s voice echoed for miles.
Just as everyone began to sink into despair, Wilhelm’s stern command broke the silence: “Give me your hand, Alicia!”
“Huh?”
“Hurry up and give it already!”
Baffled at his sudden outburst, Alicia let him grab hold of her hand. He guided it just above Luxeria’s body, then did the same with his other hand.
“You can feel it too, can’t you?” he said. “The last remnants of magic that isn’t your own.”
“Magic that isn’t mine…?” Alicia echoed.
“I can feel it. Most likely from having the Sacred Sword of Love inside me for so long. It’s still in there.” His fist glowed with a crimson light. “The power of Eternity still lies within you, doesn’t it? That means the Sacred Sword’s blessing is still there! It’s how you’ve come this far!”
Alicia blinked back her tears as she renewed her resolve. “Let’s do this!” she yelled, a beautiful amber light shining from her hand.
The magical light emanating from their hands melted into Luxeria.
“Will this save her?” Tommy asked Godfrey in a hushed voice, not wanting to interrupt Alicia or Wilhelm.
Godfrey’s eyes were filled with unease and uncertainty. “I have no idea. But if the powers of Love and Eternity are still within them, then it may be possible. The Sacred Sword of Love protects those close to the wielder. The Sacred Sword of Eternity, as its name implies, can thwart even a fated demise.”
“Then…!”
“I’ve never once heard of someone outside the royal family using the power of the Sacred Swords,” Godfrey went on. “I do not know how this will end. All we can do is pray that they succeed.”
“Mm. Right.”
Alicia and Wilhelm continued pouring magic into Luxeria, sweating and clenching their teeth in exertion. As the color drained from their faces, so too did the hopes of everyone present.
“Wake up, Luxeria! Don’t leave us! You’re the one that can save this twisted world! You may think your death will bring about my freedom, but I don’t want that! How could I possibly be happy without you here?!” Wilhelm begged, rallying against the futility of it all.
“Please, Your Majesty! Wake up! I didn’t protect you all those years ago just so our lives would end like this! Even without my memories, I still loved you! I was so grateful that royalty like you considered a commoner like me to be her friend. Who could I possibly serve tea, if not you?! Who will be there to enjoy my sweets?! Please, I need you! I want to keep serving you!”
“My queen, please. You must wake up,” Tommy said, adding to Alicia’s plea. “I always thought it strange how you set up the government to function without you. Staying up late at night, writing instruction manuals and whatnot… You knew this day would come, didn’t you?”
Tommy laughed dryly, as if he were mocking his own inability to realize Luxeria’s intentions in time.
“But it’s too soon for you to leave us just yet. You really think you can abandon us and leave your work behind?! The foundation you’ve made is still too brittle! Without you, we can’t possibly build up the nation! Aren’t you the prideful Demon Lord?! If you claim that title, then you must have the strength to live up to it!”
Godfrey followed with his own words. “Tommy is right. You are a fearsome woman. The merciless judgment you delivered upon our enemies was enough to make even our allies’ blood run cold. But you were also incredibly kind. The warmth you showed, especially to Alicia, and the words of wisdom you gave us… It was difficult to understand you sometimes, but there is undeniable humanity within you. Our kingdom would not have pulled itself back together without someone like you. You ordered me before not to try to handle everything on my own. I understood that order quite well. So why are you doing the opposite?!”
“Come back, Luxeria!” Wilhelm yelled as loudly as he could.
As the last of the swords’ magic seeped into Luxeria, something amazing happened: her eyes opened. Her vacant gaze regained its light bit by bit.
“Why am I still…?” Luxeria’s question was barely even a whisper, yet it delighted everyone around her.
Godfrey and the military doctors rushed to her side immediately. “Pardon us, my queen.”
“Hmm. We’ll need to do a more thorough examination back at the capital, but her condition isn’t critical.”
“Your mana veins have been restored. They will surely break apart with misuse, but nonetheless, it’s a miracle.”
Upon the pronouncement of good health from the doctors, Alicia shoved everyone aside and hugged Luxeria. “Oh, Your Majesty!”
“So warm,” Luxeria murmured. With her face squished and her hands trembling, she hugged Alicia back. “I’m alive…?”
“Yes, you are! I’ll keep reading books with you and serving you tea forever!” Alicia said as her tears flowed freely.
“My dear Alicia…” Luxeria then looked at Wilhelm, her lady-in-waiting still in her arms.
“Welcome back, Ria,” Wilhelm whispered into her ear. “Even bathed in the flames of hatred, your beauty shines like the full moon.”
It was an echo of his confession from their youth, and his answer to all the times she’d mentioned not wanting to show her anger to him while he slept. His smile was that of a teasing little boy, unbefitting of his status and his age. She didn’t want anyone else to see the gorgeous, sincere smile she gave back to him.
“We should return now. She needs rest.”
“Dudley, can you send us back to the capital with Transfer? If we can’t all go, can you at least ensure the queen makes it back?”
“Apologies, but that’s not possible,” Dudley said. “Without the Sacred Sword of Wisdom’s blessing, I can’t move even one person that far.”
“And we certainly cannot allow her to use the swords right now,” Tommy said.
“Agreed.”
Wilhelm raised his hand. “In that case, I’ll bring us back.”
“You can handle this many people?”
“Not the whole army by any means, but just us? Yes, I should be able to handle it.”
“Then I will stay behind. Someone needs to order the troops to regroup,” said Godfrey. “Pardon me, Your Majesty, but we must part ways for now. I’ll come to see you the moment I return to the capital.” Godfrey left the scene in a hurry.
“Let’s go,” Wilhelm said, and they all floated into the air. Riding on the wind, they all returned to the capital.