Js06: Created page with "==Phase XX: Castle Gate Bridge – Path to the Capital== “But are you really sure you should have given the Water Lord throne to me when there’s so much I still have to learn, mother?” “I honestly found that grandiose Lord position to be a pain in the ass. Now I’m just a normal person, free to resume my love life without my position getting in the way. Yes, it’s time I did a whole lot of loving. And on that note, I believe there’s a guy with brains and th..."

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Created page with "==Phase XX: Castle Gate Bridge – Path to the Capital== “But are you really sure you should have given the Water Lord throne to me when there’s so much I still have to learn, mother?” “I honestly found that grandiose Lord position to be a pain in the ass. Now I’m just a normal person, free to resume my love life without my position getting in the way. Yes, it’s time I did a whole lot of loving. And on that note, I believe there’s a guy with brains and th..."

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==Phase XX: Castle Gate Bridge – Path to the Capital==

“But are you really sure you should have given the Water Lord throne to me when there’s so much I still have to learn, mother?”

“I honestly found that grandiose Lord position to be a pain in the ass. Now I’m just a normal person, free to resume my love life without my position getting in the way. Yes, it’s time I did a whole lot of loving. And on that note, I believe there’s a guy with brains and the skinny type of macho body right over there.”

“You really do need to be careful, mother. As much as I’m thankful for your help, if you don’t return to Laguntreat soon, it will cause a panic here!”

Demon Lord Nirvelphany and the Four Lords.

The representatives of the Mardhazath Banking State and the Properod Divine Water Nation.

With the fighting over, it was time for them all to return to where they belonged.

Hemylina Luxshine must still have been worried about Emperor Milbert’s condition because she left the audience chamber with the half elf bodyguards.

Yes…

“…”

Queen Astaroth Revolver had been defeated.

This time, she would never again return to life.

Ayato Criminaltrophy had ensured it of his own free will.

He had brought an end to his past.

“Ayato.”

Someone spoke from behind him.

It was Striker Henrietta Split Destrius.

“…You do remember your promise, don’t you?”

“Yes.”

Henrietta hadn’t called him a dangerous individual.

And that said it all.

He had promised to let her arrest him once his fight was over. With his past settled and his old ties no longer a threat to so many people, he no longer had to pursue his own truth as a Sorcery Hacker.

This was a ceremony for honestly admitting to his crimes and accepting the punishment.

Because he had chosen to accept it instead of running away, Henrietta hadn’t referred to him as a dangerous individual.

“Coach.”

“…”

Dark Elf Mamilis tried to stop him, but someone else held her back: Teleria Nereid Aquamarine.

She should have been joined with Ayato once it was all over, but she had accepted this ending herself.

“Since you are a demon, you might as well have an endless lifespan.”

“Right…”

“So even if I end up spending decades in a cell, I’m not really all that worried. After I properly atone and can walk free as a new man, then we can flirt our hearts out without caring who is watching. Openly and unabashedly.”

They probably would be fine with that.

They were likely imagining that happy future.

Their different lifespans did stand as a barrier between them. As a human, Ayato would die first. But despite that, Teleria had shaken off Queen Astaroth Revolver’s temptation and exclaimed her love for every part of that human.

Even if they would only have a brief moment to be together.

This was the happiness that boy and girl had won together.

“No, wait.”

A strange voice interrupted. Belonging to the 1st Prince – no, the minotaur who was now king.

“An ordinary regional courthouse can’t handle someone guilty of crimes as serious as Ayato Criminaltrophy’s. In the end, judging a traitor would require opening a special court here in the palace, wouldn’t it?”

“Y-yes. But…um, my king, what is your point?”

“And as king, I’d be the judge, right?”

Sweat beaded up on Henrietta’s brow. Did she have a bad feeling about this? A very bad one?

“Ayato did stick his nose in a lot of different incidents and caused a whole mess of trouble, but I hired him to do it all. I assure you it was all proper, justified, and urgent. I only hire people when it’s really necessary, after all. And I don’t think he ever used any sorcery hacking beyond the bounds of the jobs I hired him for. That means it can all be explained as extralegal secret operations authorized by the Combined Royal Family.”

“But, wait, Your Majesty! I need something to declare this case properly closed!!”

The king wasn’t even listening as he continued.

“Then we can’t exactly punish him for any kind of crime. I’ll give him a royal pardon and erase all record he was ever arrested.”

Henrietta Split Destrius petrified.

She counted to three in her head and then loosed an unintelligible scream with all her might.

With that, the final obstacle was gone.

Ayato placed his hands on the short and busty blonde girl’s shoulders and stared earnestly into her eyes.

“Now, where shall we spend our wedding night?”

“I think you’re getting ahead of yourself there!!!”

Water Lord Teleria bristled quite seriously, but the clock remained ticking in the world beyond them.

“Henrietta Split Destrius!”

“Stare… Gasp!? Wh-what? That would be me.”

As Henrietta recovered from her daze, a postal worker handed her a letter.

“I was hired for a tracking delivery. That means tracking down your location wherever your journey has taken you and delivering the letter to you, so I apologize for the delay.”

“Only because that ultra dangerous individual hid our tracks so well. But a tracking delivery is unusual.”

Henrietta unsealed the letter and looked to the contents. It only contained an alphanumeric string. In other words, an address. A tracking delivery was a public service used when the recipient could not be reached by media summoner mail but a rapid response was required.

All she needed to do was place her hand over one of the round media summoners found just about anywhere in the palace.

“The House of Destrius Effectively Bankrupt? Lady Henrietta Cannot Be Reached as Time Runs Out.”

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

“What does that mean?” asked a puzzled Mamilis as she peered in from next to the knight family head.

Ayato approached and said, “The head of the family has been away for quite some time now. I don’t know what’s happened, but that would have left quite an opening for someone to run off with the family’s assets or to rewrite some crucial documents.”

“Eh? But that would mean I need to head back to the sky city or I’m in serious trouble!”

“Yay, then I can see grandma again.”

Setting aside Mamilis’s misplaced joy, the butlers and such wouldn’t choose to betray Henrietta with no reason. Something more was happening at her mansion in Sky City Celedileka.

“Trouble?” asked the minotaur with a chuckle.

Something fluttered in out of the corner of their eyes and then a purple butterfly became a beautiful maid.

“What now? This had better not be another jo-”

“Hmph.”

Ayato was cut off by a slap. The force of the blow from the maid who protected the king and his swords knocked the Sorcery Hacker off his feet. Then she stomped and kicked him. Expressionlessly.

“Gbh, hey, what are you even doing here?”

“I am here to make you pay for the crime of needlessly overheating my body with your sorcery hacking.”

And, with the pervert’s legs in a wrestling hold, she continued.

“Now, with that purification complete, I can tell you that His Majesty has a new job for you. You will go to the Destrius residence in Sky City Celedileka. Do you have any interest in hearing more, Sorcery Hacker?”

Their adventure was not over. The capital’s long, long bridge would take them back out into the world.

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