Chapter 169 – Epilogue

TL: Zimming

I took Shulia’s hand. Then she opened her eyes bigger and gulped down.

“How is it?”

I grinned and let go of her hand.

“I’m all better.”

“Really?”

“It’s true. I’m feeling better. Thank you for treating me.”

I patted her hair.

She eventually overcame the tancinol. There was no trace of twisted mana anymore in her body.

“Then can I go back to the orphanage now?”

“Of course.”

“Can I meet Brother Luo?”

“Yes, you’ll see each other soon.”

Kaluo’s alive. His sister, Karan is also alive.

Richard didn’t want it, but because of his mistake, he gave his life to save Karan and leave the world.

Anyway, they were investigated.

Kaluo is a child, and he is just swept away by the surrounding situation without knowing anything, so he will be released soon after the investigation is completed.

However, Karan and Connin committed crimes.

They regretted the past and confessed all their sins.

In particular, Karan was greatly shocked by the fact that Richard was the enemy who killed their parents and tried to sacrifice them.

However, no matter how much Richard deceived them, their crime was too big.

They’re not an adult, so even if they avoided the death penalty, they will have to spend their life in prison.

“Shulia!”

“Teacher!”

Michelle came to meet Shulia after hearing that she had recovered completely.

As soon as she saw Michelle, she ran with a big smile.

“Thank you, Your Highness. Thank you very much.”

“Thank you, Your Highness.”

When Michelle thanked her, Shulia quickly followed the teacher and bowed her head.

“Shulia, stay healthy. Have a healthy meal for the time being, okay?”

“Yes!”

Shulia answered bravely. She looked so healthy that I couldn’t believe she had just overcome a tough illness.

“Goodbye, Your Highness.”

She waved her hand and went back to the orphanage.

The last patient left the training center.

And the outbreak that shook the empire completely disappeared.

I found the tool that caused the tancinol in the secret fortress where Richard kidnapped me.

It was an old old box. But there was only a letter inside.

It was Ser’s letter saying that everything was purified.

Tancinol will never show up on earth again.

Not only Richard, but also the Kensway family’s deed, which had been causing the tancinol for a thousand years, was revealed.

When the Kensway family was revealed to cause tancinol, everyone ignored the words and blamed the roums only.

But when the cure was developed and the disease was gone, people gradually began to accept the truth.

People cursed Richard and were angry with the Kensway family.

However, when the first emperor Phillip’s deed was revealed, people were astonished.

The empire was shocked when the reality of the great founder, who had been chosen by the goddess, was revealed.

Tenstheon apologized for Phillip’s evil deeds as Emperor of the Asteric Empire. Blake and I were also there together.

We revealed all the truths that happened a thousand years ago, and re-compiled the Zelkan Empire’s history books.

Rakshul’s name was also cleared after a thousand years.

This was something that had been prepared even before tancinol took place.

If all the facts were revealed, there could have been a crisis in the survival of the Asteric Empire and the imperial family, but if we kept hiding it, we could not solve the tangled thread from a thousand years ago.

However, the people of the empire were shocked by Phillip’s misdeeds and did not get angry with the present imperial family.

Tenstheon is now the greatest emperor in the history of the empire, as the empire was in an unprecedented era of peace and prosperity.

Furthermore, there were no longer any reckless asmodian trials and tancinol, which had terrorized the people for a thousand years.The goddess of light also gave her powers to the Crown Prince and the Crown Princess. The people of the empire thought that this was a way for the goddess to forgive the past and pray for the blessing of the empire.

A series of events also changed the perception of the roums.

For a thousand years, the roums had no choice but to become slaves or to live secretly.

Even if they were freed from slavery, they did not know when they would be taken back or killed unjustly.

Tenstheon tried to crack down on the roums slave trade and prevent murder, but he could not control everything that was done secretly.

But now, everything was different.

Their view of the roums was also changing. Of course, the deep-rooted disdain for a thousand years will not disappear in an instant, but it will gradually improve.

Right for the roums was also given.

The empire abolished the roums entry ban and many other things.

There was a backlash against this, but it was not as strong as I thought.

It was revealed that the roums were not sinners but victims of Phillip’s desire, so there was no justification to stop them.

The year was already coming to an end when I settled the tancinol and revealed the truth of a thousand years ago.

There was a place I really wanted to go before this year passed by. It was my mother’s grave.

I went to my mother’s grave with Blake. It was the first time in seven years, but the cemetery was well managed. This is because Blake and Tenstheon paid special attention to it.

I laid flowers on the grave and touched the monument without a word. Blake also bowed politely, laying down the flowers.

“Mother, I’m here.”

Blake says he stopped by whenever he went back and forth to the valley of chaos to find me. He also said that he came alone and greeted her even after he found me.

However, I hesitated to come here even after returning to the palace.

Seven years ago, I only made a formal visit once a year.

I just thought of her as the real mother of Ancia. I didn’t even dream that she’s my real mother who gave birth to me.

I really wanted to come here after coming back to the capital. But I hesitated, because I didn’t have my original body. After having my body back, I put off my promise to come even when the situation stabilizes, and time has already passed.

“I’m here…mom.”

The word “mom” felt unfamiliar.

A thousand years ago, and in Korea, I rarely said “mom” because my mother always passed away early.

The moment I spit out the awkward word, tears filled my eyes.

“I’m late. I’m sorry I haven’t visited all this time…”

Blake patted me on the back and held my hand tightly. His temperature calmed me down.

“We’re going to have a wedding.”

I asked Blake to hold a ball to celebrate him becoming an adult, but he insisted that he would not have such a party unless I held a debut party myself.

In the end, we decided to hold a wedding ceremony instead of a separate party for ourselves.

In the Asteric Empire, when they are young, they simply hold a small ceremony, and even after they become adults, if they are willing to marry, they report to the church and hold a grand wedding ceremony.

We had a small ceremony in our childhood. However, the words “marriage of the imperial family” or “wedding” itself were not fit to describe our shabby ceremony.

That’s why I decided to hold a real wedding again.

Instead of the monstrous crown prince and an abandoned daughter. It was now the wedding of the crown prince and crown princess.

“We’re going to do it next spring. Please watch it from the sky.”

If my mom was watching my wedding 10 years ago, she would have been very upset. But I’m sure she’ll be happy to see it this time.

“Yes, please keep an eye on us. Mother, we’ll have the best wedding ever.”

He held my hand firmly. He looked more reliable and trustworthy today.

“I’m always happy.”

“I won’t make her suffer.”

“I’ve never had a hard time.”

I never thought our time together was hard. All the time I spent with him was precious.

Blake hugged my shoulder without saying a word. I also leaned my head on his shoulder.

***

As I rode back to the palace in a carriage, I could see people filling the square.

“Shall we take a look?”

“Sure.”

I nodded at Blake’s words.

Since the tancinol outbreak was over, the crowd was much bigger than usual and people seemed more energetic than usual year-end festivals.

We walked down the street holding hands.

We don’t have to do anything. Just being able to walk on such a crowded street made my heart happy.

Holding his hand tightly, I stopped in one place.

New books were displayed in front of a bookstore.

One of them was a fairy tale book called ‘Blessed Princess.’

It was the same title as the book I saw in this bookstore before. The cover changed, but seeing the same title, it seemed to be the same book as then.

But that book is new?I hesitated for a moment and opened the book.

The blessed princess married the monstrous crown prince of the neighboring country. The princess and the prince loved each other, and the prince was eventually released from the curse. But in return, the princess loses her life.

The prince shed tears alone, missing the princess who died because of him.

It was the same story as I saw before.

I became gloomy, and regret that I saw it for no reason.

But that was not the end of the book.

A goddess appears in front of the tearful prince, telling him how to recover the blessed princess.

The prince is willing to endure the ordeal to find the princess, and the goddess also gives him strength to meet the princess again.

In the end, the prince and the princess meet again.

[The blessed princess and the prince of light lived happily ever after.]

The fairy tale ended with the scene in which the two returned to the imperial palace and looked at each other with a loving gaze.

Seeing the prince and the princess smiling broadly, I naturally smiled.

“What book is it?”

I gave Blake the book. Blake, who read the book, smiled just like me.

After we bought a fairy tale book, we walked down the street again.

“Blake.”

“Yes.”

“Let’s live happily too.”

“Of course, I’ll make you smile every day.”

Blake held my hand tightly. I also held his hand tightly.

The crowd was suddenly buzzing.

“It’s snowing!”

“Snow!”

As I raised my head, I saw white snow pouring from the sky. It was the first snow of the year.

“How long has it been…”

I looked at the snow blankly. It was the first time I’ve seen it in seven years. And it’s been seven years since I saw the snow with Blake.

“Let’s keep seeing it together from now on.”

“Yes, let’s be together every time it snows.”

I smiled at Blake’s words.

Next year, I will see the first snow with Blake, in the next two years, 10 years and 20 years. We’ll be together forever.

But Blake shook his head.

“No, not the first snow.”

“Then?”

“The second snow, third snow, fourth and fifth snow, let’s see it together.”

“When do you think it’ll snow again?”

“No, we can be together every day.”

“Everyday?”

Yes, everyday.”

I was so dumbfounded that I laughed. Blake’s expression quickly became gloomy.

“Wife, what’s wrong? You don’t want to be with me?”

“No, it’s not that…”

“Then you’re gonna be right next to me everyday right?”

“No, that’s… we have to work.”

There is something to be done as the Crown Prince and the Crown Princess. It was practically impossible to be together all day long like when we were young. I tried to say that but I shut up.

Looking at Blake’s pitiful expression, I couldn’t say no.

I was always weak towards that expression.

“Alright, let’s always be together everyday.”

“Really?”

“Yes, really.”

“Promise me.”

“I promise.”

Blake smiled brightly and hugged my waist.

The cute rabbit when we were young disappeared and he quickly became a mesmerizing beast.

How did the rabbit become a beast?

Blake’s face came closer and our lips overlapped with each other.

It was a soft and sweet kiss like the snow.

<The End>

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This is the Official end of Novel. Now only 13 Side Story Left.