Epilogue

After defeating Oltram, I—Klaus—strolled leisurely toward the capital. Along the way, I raised my sword, now gleaming after the rust was blasted off by my mana burst. “Once the rust came off, it actually looks like a proper sword. Though, this shape feels familiar…”

Specifically, it resembled a weapon the Demon King wielded in the game’s final battle. But there’s no way such a weapon would be casually sold at a shop, so it’s probably my imagination. “More importantly, I’m satisfied with taking down Oltram today. At this rate, I’ll grow strong enough to surpass the final boss!”

With renewed resolve, I returned to the capital triumphantly. But as I approached the castle gate, a sense of unease hit me. “What’s with all the commotion inside? Is there a festival or something?”

I hadn’t heard of any festivals today. In Renford, this would’ve led to another round of unwarranted praise, but this was the capital—surely that wouldn’t happen. With that conviction, I crossed the gate.

Immediately—

“““Welcome back, our hero!”””

A massive crowd of citizens greeted me with overwhelming enthusiasm. “…Huh?”

My mind went blank. Before I could process, Marie appeared with a flourish. “Welcome back, Master.”

“M-Marie, what’s going on…?”

“As you already know, Master, they’re welcoming the hero who defeated the Demon King’s Four Heavenly Kings attacking the capital.”

“Defeated the Four Heavenly Kings? Who?”

“You, of course, Master.”

“…Huh?”

Bewildered, I listened as Marie explained. After stopping Blazek’s rampage alongside three passing girls, the Four Heavenly King, Gate Link, appeared. Wait—Gate Link? That’s the boss the game’s protagonists teamed up to defeat! Recalling how his constant monster summoning dragged out the fight, I grimaced. Unfazed, Marie continued. “You know the rest, Master. Your mana blast through Gate Link’s gate defeated him.”

Hold on, I have no memory of that… Wait! I recalled a moment from my fight with Oltram. Right before my final strike, a black gate appeared behind it. Apparently, that wasn’t Oltram’s but Gate Link’s unique magic. (Come to think of it, I vaguely recall something like that in the game… But that’s not the point! This is bad—really bad!)

Cold sweat dripped as I recognized the familiar pattern from Renford. At that moment, the worst possible person—Alden—approached. “Well done, Renford! Following your last feat, you’ve defeated another executive—this time a Four Heavenly King! Your glory shall be honored here!”

“…”

“First, regarding your request. I was undecided, but I hereby promise to fully grant it!”

He meant my demand: “I want the largest territory in this kingdom.” What, am I getting the capital? I couldn’t even muster a retort. The real blow came next. “For your repeated achievements, I grant the Renford Viscount House a new title!”

“…Huh?”

“Henceforth, the Renford House is elevated from viscount to earl! Let none mistake your title!”

The crowd erupted, some already shouting, “Earl Renford!” Wait, hold on! This isn’t what I wanted! I had to refuse before it was too late. “Sorry, but I must decline the promotion—”

But my words were drowned out by the crowd’s cheers.

“““Earl! Earl! Earl! Earl!”””

The entire capital chanted in unison. Gritting my teeth, I seethed. Damn it, damn it, damn it! What did I even do in the capital? I just beat up a passing noble to test my swordsmanship! Provoked the king with rebellious intent! Kidnapped the princess and nearly got her killed in a dungeon!

Why did it turn out like this!?

Amid the cheers, I quietly shed tears.

Epilogue 2: Heroine Side

While Klaus returned to the capital and was celebrated by the citizens, the Royal Academy’s recovery facility, the “Healing Bath,” was in use. This bath, infused with special mana, boosted HP and MP recovery, a key spot in «Altena Fantasia» for restoring the protagonists’ stats. It was also a sacred site for fans, hosting events with heroine-centric stills showcasing “this and that.” Due to its overly enthusiastic fan service, fans dubbed it the “Lustful Bath”—but that’s beside the point.

Four girls were currently there. “My first time here. So this is the Academy’s famous ‘Healing Bath.’ Hmm, I can feel gentle mana coursing through me,” said Sophia von Solstia. Amid the steam, her porcelain skin glowed, her silver hair elegantly tied up, exuding royal grace.

“Yeah, no matter how many times I visit, it’s always relaxing,” said Eleanor Cobaltleaf, sitting on the bath’s edge, her slender legs in the water. Droplets traced her blue hair, adding allure to her usual valor.

“R-Really, is it okay for us to be here? Unlike Chloe, I didn’t fight…” said Arianna, cradling her ample chest, her voluminous flaxen hair floating on the water, her expression hesitant.

“It’s fine, Anna. It’s a rare chance, so let’s enjoy it!” said Chloe Rosemist, her toned physique from daily training evident, her black ponytail swaying as she grinned.

The situation traced back to a few minutes earlier. Sophia and Eleanor, heading to the bath to recover from the Blazek fight, ran into Chloe, who’d reunited with Arianna. Chloe’s contribution to the victory was undeniable, so they invited her along. Chloe agreed instantly, but Arianna remained hesitant. Eleanor smiled at her. “Chloe-kun’s right. I got staff approval after explaining, so relax. Besides, I owe you an apology.”

“An apology?” Arianna asked, puzzled.

Eleanor nodded. “Two days ago, when Blazek-sama harassed you, I was there. I should’ve intervened, but I noticed the commotion late and arrived too slowly, leaving you scared for too long. I’m truly sorry.”

She bowed deeply. Arianna waved her hands frantically. “N-No, please, raise your head! You did nothing wrong, Eleanor-sama!”

“Anna’s right. That lolicon creep’s to blame, so don’t feel bad, Eleanor… And, Anna,” Chloe said, exchanging a nod with Arianna, their expressions turning dreamy.

“It’s a bit odd to say, but… that incident led to a fateful encounter,” Chloe said.

“Yes! His fighting was incredible!” Arianna added.

“Him…? Oh, I see,” Eleanor said, instantly realizing they meant Klaus, who’d saved them or their friend. Their admiration was natural, and Eleanor felt the same. Though Klaus hadn’t saved her directly, his swordsmanship from that day inspired her victory against Blazek. “Without Klaus-kun, we wouldn’t have won today’s fight. I can’t thank him enough,” she said.

But Chloe and Arianna reacted differently. “Klaus… (That’s the guy who beat Gate-whatever, right? Why bring him up now? Well, he did help us…) Yeah, I’m grateful! (Not as much as to that guy, though!)” Chloe thought.

“Klaus… (Who’s that? No clue, but if Chloe’s agreeing, he’s probably related to the fight. I’ll just go along…) Yes!” Arianna said.

Unbeknownst to them, their savior was Klaus, leading to a misunderstanding. Eleanor meant the Blazek fight, while Chloe thought of the Gate Link battle, yet they miraculously aligned. Then, Eleanor noticed Sophia. “Ufu, ufufufu…”

“Sophia?”

Soaking in the bath, Sophia gazed dreamily at her left ring finger—or rather, the ring on it. Eleanor recalled another pressing matter. “Right, Sophia! I missed it earlier, but what’s with that ring? An unmarried princess without a fiancé—what are you wearing!?”

Sophia remained unfazed, resting a hand on her cheek and glancing at Eleanor with composure. “What can I say? This is proof of love between me and my future husb—ahem, Klaus-sama. I can’t take it off, not even for a moment.”

“That’s not what I asked! Who’s it from, and how did you get it? Does His Majesty even know!?”

“Not yet, but I’ll tell him tomorrow. Don’t worry, Eleanor, my dear friend—I’ll inform you first once it’s official.”

“…”

Eleanor was stunned. The Sophia she knew was noble, tirelessly training in sword and magic for the coming Demon King battle, a fellow warrior. But now? Her sharp edge had softened, smitten by some unknown suitor. At this rate, Sophia’s growth might stall— (…Or maybe not? Today, Sophia was undeniably stronger. If this ring and attitude boosted her…)

Eleanor recalled a saying: Love makes a woman stronger. As a swordswoman, she’d scoffed at it, but seeing Sophia, it felt plausible. (Do I need love to grow stronger…? No, that’s ridiculous. I don’t even have anyone—)

Then, a gray-haired boy—Klaus—flashed in her mind. His Cobaltleaf swordsmanship was etched in her memory, his stance and demeanor her ideal— (No, no, no! What am I thinking!? I’m not letting Sophia’s nonsense sway me!)

Though she protested inwardly, her flushed face betrayed her. (Ugh… I can’t mock Sophia now.)

Glancing around to ensure no one noticed, she saw Sophia fixated on her ring, while Chloe and Arianna passionately discussed “that man” (why they avoided Klaus’s name was unclear).

“It was fate meeting him,” Arianna said.

“Me, liking Klaus-kun…? No way…” Eleanor muttered.

“We’ll find that guy, Anna!” Chloe declared.

“Yeah, I need to thank him properly this time!”

Despite their misunderstandings, all present thought of Klaus. Unbeknownst to them, they’d soon spark various incidents around him—but that’s a story for later.