The Kingmaker System Chapter 753 - 752. Aftermath (2)

The Ryujin Mansion continued to function with remarkable efficiency despite Ocean’s absence. The household had long since grown accustomed to operating according to the systems he had painstakingly established, and even without their Master issuing orders personally, every individual knew what was expected of them.

Enora took charge of the internal affairs of the mansion, overseeing the servants and making sure that the Princes who had returned from the battlefield were properly attended to. At the same time, Lyall remained in the operations room, receiving verbal reports from the leaders of the various dispatched units one after another, redistributing manpower where necessary.

By the time Lyall had received confirmation that every dispatched unit had safely returned, Eric and Carlos had also arrived back at the Ryujin Mansion, while Miri, under escort, had departed for the Royal Palace.

The Eldarf team had likewise returned after completing their assignment, while the surviving Dark Mages captured during the battle were escorted beneath the mansion into its heavily secured underground prison.

Azar’s condition was by far the worst. Drac had burned away all four of his limbs during the battle, leaving behind little more than his head and torso. Even so, no one within the Ryujin Mansion underestimated the man. His maimed body had been secured to a reinforced restraint platform, layers of mana-suppressing shackles and sealing formations fastened around him despite the absence of his limbs, ensuring that should he somehow regain consciousness, he would remain utterly incapable of resisting.

Gargi had been confined within a neighbouring cell under similar restraints. Her injuries, though far less severe than Azar’s, had also been treated only to the extent necessary to preserve her life.

By Kai’s explicit instructions, both prisoners were to remain under constant observation until Ocean returned. Neither captive was permitted a complete recovery. They had received only the most basic medical treatment- enough to keep them alive, but not enough to allow them to regain the strength to resist whatever questioning awaited them.

The Montaire Family retired back to their capital manor after everything was done. The couple was tired after having to fight waves after waves of mutated shifters, it was even more exhausting that having to fight the rogue shifters during their month long expeditions.

Davian, however, had been trying to reach Ocean through his communication brooch ever since he returned. He hadn’t managed to connect even once which is why he was worried sick. He knew Ocean was strong but he also knew that despite all the reassurances, he would still be worried. He loved Ocean after all.

The realisation had been unexpected and his feelings were only clear to him. At first he was sure that he really liked Reina and talked about her to Ocean but eventually, he realised that he was falling for Ocean. It was a strange feeling, Davian felt the complicated web of tangled feelings in his chest that kept tugging at his heart.

"Maybe it’s because he came to me when I needed him the most and made me feel as if I’m the only one for him, that’s why I started leaning towards him..." Davian mumbled as he sat in his room.

A glass bottle of deep honey brown colored fluid sat in front of him on the table halfway emptied and a glass in his hand. He leaned back in the chair, his eyes glazed over and body slumped.

"Love is love though, isn’t it? Why does it matter if it’s towards a man or a woman?" Davian mumbled as he poured the remaining contents of his drink down his throat.

Earlier, the liquid had gone burning down his throat but now it felt more like a wave of calm that washed over him, as if he was floating along the stream.

"I know he likes me but... he cares more for other things..."

The uncertainty was maddening for Davian, being on his own, the thoughts of all kinds would come crashing down on him. He couldn’t ever know what was going on in Ocean’s head.

At one time, in the past when Davian had asked him to leave, Ocean had left and for years Davian had regretted his words. He had tried persistently from his side to reconcile with Ocean but there was no success. Ocean had truly walked away, to have a person say to you that they would bring the world to you and then leaving on one word...

Wasn’t that hypocrisy?

But then again, Ocean had said that he wasn’t angry in the first place, he had left because his work was done with Davian.

"What will I do if tomorrow he feels like the things between us are done?"

Davian slammed the glass down on the table and grabbed the bottle pressing it to his lips letting the liquor flow into his mouth and down his throat. He felt the burning sensation in his chest which ached terribly.

He couldn’t imagine losing sight of Ocean again. He was notorious for being unreachable if he decided to stay away.

Once most of the liquor was gone, Davian put it down on the table. The sweat and the beads of tears that had swelled from the corners of his eyes slid down his face. He quickly wiped them away with the sleeve of his black shirt.

The window of his room was open, letting in the cool, crisp wind along with the faint shafts of moonlight.

Davian rose from the armchair, staggering a little as he made his way towards the window out to the balcony.

He remembered Ocean entering from that balcony, he could almost see the long aqua blue hair gleaming in the moonlight and the breathtaking beautiful face along with those hypnotising eyes that stared at him.

Davian trudged ahead until he was standing right by the railing. As the cool wind brushed against his sweaty body, he couldn’t resist the shudder.

There was no Ocean here tonight.

Davian released a heavy sigh before he turned to go back inside his room but just as he turned, his peripheral vision caught something on his left. He was already too drunk to notice what it was, his vision swam as he turned his head and saw a black blob.

It was a tense period of wait where despite it being night time there was no rest. Usually after such a long day, one would just fall into their warm beds and drift off to sleep instantly but this night was tumultuous.

A lot of people couldn’t sleep.

The whole ordeal was a nightmare so, the people were divided into those who didn’t want to sleep, fearing that they might not be able to wake up the next day. Then there were those who wanted to sleep and wake up the next morning, hoping to find that the earlier day was just a horrible dream. And then there were those who despite laying in their beds couldn’t feel even the traces of sleep.

The night dragged on until the light slowly started streaming from the eastern horizon. The golden light of the sun lit up the tall spires of the royal palace, the noble houses and also the broken kingdom.

Just as dawn began to break over Sestia, the sun was slowly sinking beyond the western horizon on the opposite side of the world.

Compared to the kingdom, Edrisyl had weathered the calamity far better.

The losses had been heavy, and countless Elves had perished defending their homeland, yet the island itself had survived what should have been its inevitable destruction. The World Tree stood once again, and with it, hope had returned to the world.

The Dwarves remained behind to help rebuild the shattered towns, while the faint sapphire dust still drifting through the air continued to mend the wounds of those who had survived. Wherever the glowing particles settled, torn flesh slowly knitted together, broken bones healed, and even scars that should have remained for life gradually disappeared. It was as though the newborn World Tree was quietly embracing every soul beneath its branches.

That, however, could only heal the wounds of the body.

The resentment between the Pure Mana Elves and the Dark Elves had survived the battle.

Reina knew better than anyone that forcing reconciliation through authority would only bury the hatred beneath obedience. It would not erase it. If the two races were ever to coexist again, they would have to take those steps themselves, however slow and painful the journey might prove to be.

For now, all she could do was wait.

Bathed beneath the silver glow of the moon, the newborn World Tree rose proudly over the island. Moonlight shimmered across its emerald canopy, while the bluish tint of its leaves and the faint azure veins running beneath its silver bark gave the colossal tree an almost ethereal beauty. Whenever the evening breeze stirred its branches, the countless leaves rustled softly, carrying that gentle sound across the palace before the wind drifted through the open balcony where Reina quietly sat.

The chamber prepared for her lay closest to the World Tree, adjoining King Aelfric’s own residence. As for Fior and Yttriva, they had been temporarily accommodated within the palace’s servant quarters at Reina’s request.

At the moment, however, Reina’s attention wasn’t on either of them.

Her view of the World Tree was almost entirely obscured by the cascade of translucent blue notifications unfolding before her eyes.

[Goddess of Wisdom asks how you acquired the Seed of Life.]

[Giver of Gifts asks if you are feeling well.]

[Defender of Divine Glory praises your courage and ingenuity.]

A faint smile tugged at Reina’s lips.

The three primary Patrons were unusually talkative tonight.

Considering everything that had transpired within a single day, she supposed they had every reason to be. Besides the numerous rewards she had received for protecting Oasis, Sestia and Edrisyl, there was also the matter of the emergency quest to safeguard Yggdrasil.

Although that quest had ultimately been marked as a failure, the penalty had quietly disappeared the moment the new World Tree took root.

"I’m fine," Reina replied inwardly before adding, "And I received the Seed of Life from the Eternal Ascetic."

Silence.

For nearly several seconds, not another notification appeared.

Then they came all at once.

[Goddess of Wisdom demands to know when.]

[Giver of Gifts is checking the Time Archives.]

[Defender of Divine Glory is stunned.]

Reina couldn’t help releasing a quiet sigh.

"He gave it to me personally before I came to Edrisyl last night."

Another silence followed.

This one lasted longer.

She almost thought the three Patrons had gone speechless before the notifications began flooding her vision once again.

[Giver of Gifts is conflicted.]

[Goddess of Wisdom insists that such an event never appeared within the Time Archives.]

[Defender of Divine Glory says they would certainly have known had you met the Eternal Ascetic.]

"I suppose time itself had been frozen," Reina replied. "I remember receiving a notification."

That answer seemed to stun the trio into silence once more.

None of them had ever met the Eternal Ascetic. The ancient deity was infamous even among the Gods for living in absolute seclusion, and only a handful of deities from His own Pantheon had ever seen Him in person. For Reina to casually mention receiving a gift directly from Him was no different from someone claiming they had spent an afternoon chatting with a legend.

Seeing no further replies, Reina dismissed the notifications and leaned back in her chair.

The cool evening breeze brushed gently across her face, carrying with it the soothing rustle of the World Tree’s leaves as her long snowy-white hair danced lazily in the wind. For the first time since arriving on Edrisyl, the island felt... peaceful.

Somewhere in the distance, faint music drifted through the night.

Reina tilted her head slightly, listening.

Perhaps the islanders had begun celebrating.

After everything they had endured, she thought they deserved at least one night of joy. The hatred that had divided Elvenkind for generations would not disappear overnight, but neither would it prevent people from appreciating the simple miracle of still being alive.

A small smile found its way onto her lips.

"All’s well that ends well," she murmured quietly.

"It’s not the end though."