The sun is dazzling.
Ah, the morning sunrise is so bright.
After waking up for the first time in three days, I felt as refreshed as if I were reborn.
As I stepped outside, I saw priests and family members, like me, waking up after three days, enjoying a rare moment of peace while doing morning exercises or having breakfast.
“Yuren! You’re awake!”
“Yeah, just got up. I’m craving coffee now. Sora, could you get me a cup, please?”
“Sure! Just wait a moment!”
I asked Sora, who had woken up before me and was busy taking care of everyone in the kitchen, for a cup of coffee.
Sipping on coffee in the refreshing morning, I relished the tranquility it brought me, a reward after finishing my work.
Whether the Three Kingdoms were working properly, if the Emperor had regained his senses, and a dozen other headaches lingered, but for now, let’s forget everything and enjoy a moment with this cup of coffee.
Just as I was pondering this while waiting for Sora’s coffee…
“Yuren, His Majesty summons you to the palace.”
The deer guys came, shouting for me to hurry up and head to the palace.
Ah! Can’t I just have a sip of coffee first?!
*
Yuren, who at least wanted to enjoy his coffee, hurriedly dressed at the word of the Emperor’s order and accompanied the platinum deer to the palace.
Feeling gloomy, he entered the Emperor’s office, still thinking of the coffee aromas from the morning.
There was an overwhelming amount of paperwork and the Emperor handling it all.
“Ah, Yuren, long time no see. Have you been sleeping well during that time?”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
In fact, while Yuren was sleeping, the Emperor had sent the platinum deer once.
However, Yuren had been such a deep sleeper that even when jolted awake with the spell ‘Jeda (Lightning Magic)’, he didn’t stir, and the deer had waited until he finally woke up by himself.
Yuren sweated at the thought that he had kept the Emperor’s messenger waiting.
Once the Emperor finished all his urgent matters and dismissed everyone, he spoke to Yuren.
“I’ve heard well of what you wanted to convey.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty.”
Seeing the Emperor radiate a light reminiscent of a character awakening event in a shonen manga, Yuren felt joy in knowing his plan had succeeded.
This greatly increased the chances of avoiding a war in the Empire, allowing him to continue his happy game life.
“Thanks to you, I’ve felt a sense of frustration for the first time in ages. Truly, thank you, Yuren.”
“Y-your Majesty…”
Seeing the fiery look in the Emperor’s eyes, Yuren felt a surge of fear.
That was definitely a furious gaze.
Was it because he made a scene with so many details?
Or was it that the late-game rebellion event felt too contrived?
Yuren trembled in fear, recalling the many aspects that might have made the Emperor angry.
“So as a sign of my gratitude, I’ve prepared something for you, Yuren. Please accept it.”
The Emperor produced a certain document for Yuren.
Upon learning the Emperor wanted to bestow a gift, Yuren felt reassured.
Gifts from the Emperor were always excellent presents.
However, upon seeing the document presented by the Emperor, Yuren tasted the despair of his life.
“Your Majesty!!! This… this is too harsh!!!”
“The discussion is over, no matter what you say, it cannot be changed.”
“Y-your Majesty!!!!”
“Dismissed!!!”
“No!!! Your Majesty!!!! This is something that cannot be! Your Majesty!!!!”
Yuren was forcibly escorted out of the palace by the platinum deer.
During the carriage ride home, Yuren was in a daze.
“Things turned out like this… I’m done for… completely finished…”
Even after returning to the lodging in Zephia, Yuren was still in a stupor.
He was so out of it that sparrows could perch on his head without him reacting, causing concern among the girls looking at him.
“Yuren, is something wrong?”
“I don’t know. Julia, ever since he came back from the palace, he’s been like this.”
“What on earth did he hear from His Majesty?”
“I’ve never seen Yuren, who has solved so many incidents, so defeated.”
Until now, Yuren had never been frustrated despite overcoming countless events.
What on earth did the Emperor say to make Yuren feel like this?
They were too curious about this but couldn’t ask Yuren, who seemed utterly defeated.
As time passed, the day of the Coming of Age Ceremony approached.
*
The day of the Emperor’s Coming of Age Ceremony had arrived.
The capital of the Zers Empire, Zephia, was bustling with people, just like the founding festival.
Fireworks erupted throughout the city, and game character dolls, now renowned, wandered around, fully immersing everyone in the festive atmosphere.
From the highest point of the palace, the Emperor looked down at the celebration.
At that moment, Lord Herness entered the room.
While he appeared extremely tired, his expression was much brighter than before.
“All preparations are complete, Your Majesty.”
“Is that so?”
The Emperor replied coolly to Lord Herness’s statement.
As he observed the scene outside the window, the Emperor spoke.
“Lord Herness, may I ask you something?”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“What do you think my father… the late Emperor would say if he saw me now?”
Lord Herness had served the late Emperor closely.
The Emperor asked him this without hesitation.
“I’m sure he would be proud,” Herness answered with a smile.
“Is that so…”
Herness thought that to be true.
Having once wandered, he believed the late Emperor, as a father, would surely be proud of his child who had chosen a challenging but great path.
The Emperor took a deep breath and said, “Then let’s proceed, Lord Herness.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
The Emperor walked alongside Lord Herness.
This was the moment the path of the Emperor genuinely began.
Soon, numerous people, nobles, and high-ranking diplomats from foreign countries gathered in front of the royal palace, awaiting the upcoming Coming of Age Ceremony and speech from the Emperor.
And shortly after, the Emperor made his appearance.
“Look!”
“It’s His Majesty!”
The crowd erupted in cheers at the sight of the Emperor.
The Emperor, Queen, and Pope of Krea Cathedral ascended the stage.
The Pope took the crown from the Queen’s head and placed it upon the Emperor.
With this, the reign of “Olivia Aurelia” officially ended, and “Cassius Zers Rohan IV” became the Emperor.
After the Coming of Age Ceremony, it was time for the Emperor’s speech.
Stepping forward quietly, the Emperor opened his mouth.
“The late Emperor wished for peace more than anyone.”
All eyes were focused on the Emperor.
Millions of people in Zephia and countless others throughout the Empire leaned in to hear the Emperor’s words.
“But peace has not yet come to this world. The reason is…”
Originally, the Emperor was going to discuss the terrorist incidents involving the Kingdom of Ra and the Yura Republic next.
He planned to use that to formally prepare for war.
The only ones who knew this were Lord Herness and the General Odilson, both of whom had been under immense stress because of it.
Momentarily, hell should have been breaking loose, but that world had vanished.
“It is because of the demons. They always aim to invade us from underground, threatening our peace!”
As the Emperor engaged in the Three Kingdoms, there was one aspect that Yuren believed he had wronged.
It was the matter of the demons.
The emergence of demons was recognized by people as sporadic disasters that occurred like earthquakes and monster waves, but in reality, they were threatening to happen much more frequently.
Hearing about the daily issues throughout the Empire, the Emperor felt Yuren was underestimating that danger and devised a countermeasure.
“Thus, I declare here today the establishment of the ‘Magic Response Agency’ to prepare for the invasion of demons, which will unite the Three Kingdoms!”
As the Emperor’s declaration echoed, Yuren, riding a Magic Armor Knight adorned with the V mark of the Magic Response Agency, made his entrance from the skies.
“Wow!!!!”
“Mom!!! What’s that? A real-life giant doll!!!”
This was the solution that the Emperor had envisioned to address the parts Yuren had overlooked.
The Emperor shared information about the Magic Armor Knights with the Yura Republic and the Kingdom of Ra, suggesting they establish the ‘Magic Response Agency’ together and operate the Magic Armor Knights specifically designed for demon response.
Is there anyone who would oppose when the most powerful nations came together to share a new weapon and clearly outlined the peaceful direction for its usage?
They took on their own thoughts and turned it into a discussion about war, which led to the Kingdom of Ra and the Yura Republic agreeing.
However, a problem arose over who would lead the agency.
The institution possessing the powerful Magic Armor Knights would gain a political edge simply by existing.
Thus, a person who could be recognized by all three kingdoms was needed, and the Emperor recommended Yuren.
As a first-class archmage with a talent for combat, who also only operated within the peaceful cultural industry of gaming, had been involved with orphan support initiatives, and was like a brother to Prince Lethers of the Kingdom of Ra, and had a wife from the Yura Republic, he satisfied all conditions everyone could agree upon.
Thus, both the Kingdom of Ra and the Yura Republic agreed.
Thus, the ‘Magic Response Agency’, which signified an age of peace among the three kingdoms, was established.
“Let us all move forward together! To an era of peace!! To a golden age!!!”
[ “Waaaaaah!!!!” ]
[ “Long live His Majesty!!!” ]
As the Emperor’s speech ignited passionate feelings within the crowd, they fervently cheered.
Even the citizens of the Yura Republic, who detested the Emperor, felt for that moment that he was indeed their Emperor.
When the cheers of the populace had quieted, the Emperor spoke.
“Lastly, Yuren, please step forward.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Yuren, who had been waiting after dismounting from the Magic Armor Knight, kneeled before the Emperor.
The Emperor approached Yuren as if to bestow upon him a knightly rank.
“To commend your efforts for peace, I bestow upon you the title of ‘Peacemaker’.”
In that moment, Yuren made a new record by receiving a title from the Emperor after the Queen.
And the meaning behind that title was clear.
Peacemaker.
(The one who creates peace.)
Knowing that the Emperor aimed to leverage Yuren to maintain a peaceful world, Yuren felt as if he were facing death.
And witnessing Yuren nearly at his wit’s end, the Emperor smiled and said,
“Let us strive together for the golden age, Yuren Peacemaker.”
“Yes… I will do my best, Your Majesty.”
You proposed this path.
Endure it with sheer stubbornness,
In that moment, Yuren felt he heard the Emperor say just that.
—————
Afterward, the “Three Kingdoms” were released with various downgrades in graphics and difficulty.
As a new chapter opened in strategy simulations after tactical simulations, audiences were thrilled, and citizens from the Kingdom of Ra and Yura Republic even embraced the challenge of unifying the continent within their games, gaining popularity.
The original “Three Kingdoms” which was made first was upgraded by the Emperor’s order and was placed in the royal palace.
And it began to be used as an educational material for princes for generations to come.
