“It’s been determined you’ll be part of the Holy Spear of the Goddess, it seems.”

The Sacred Relic of the Dragon Empress had been absorbed by the Goddess.

“Is it too late to tell you to surrender and return to Kratos?”

“Obviously…!?”

Jill tried to break free from the restraints with her magic, only to be assailed by a wave of nausea. She couldn’t even adjust her magic properly.

“A word of advice, do not push your luck. Considering how close this place is to the sacred area, your magic is unlikely to work as usual. At least, not without a sacred relic.”

Although she had heard about it, she never expected the magical field in the Rakia Mountains to be that crazy. Even though it was midsummer, her breath was white.

“I won’t know unless I try…!”

“I’m still puzzled by your vehement rejection, but I’m relieved that you refused to take my hand.”

Geraldo smiled wryly. His breathing also turned white.

“To withdraw just to garner attention, it doesn’t suit my nature.”

“I know, right? It’s just not you…”

“You understand me quite well. Perhaps that’s why. Well, it’s better this way. If you had been fond of me, everything would have been much more difficult. I made a mistake in my judgment because I wanted you to like me.”

Geraldo brandished the holy spear.

The scene, location, and everything else were different.

Yet, that blizzard night flashed across her mind.

With the holy spear in his hand, Geraldo advanced. Her left hand refused to budge, so she could only block it with her right—

—But then, the tip of the spear stopped right in front of her eyes.

Hades had grabbed the holy spear with his right hand.

The magic of Hades and the holy spear collided, resulting in an explosion. The wind carried the smell of charred skin. Hades’ hand had been burned by the magic of the holy spear.

“Your Majesty… behind you—!”

Without wasting a second, Rufus flanked him from the left. Hades repelled him with the Heavenly Sword in his left hand.

“So, the Dragon Emperor is protecting the Dragon Empress now!? What a masterpiece! Someone who succumbs to love and bends his logic is no Dragon Emperor!”

Rufus’ laughter echoed.

—Ah.

It dawned upon Jill.

The Goddess of Love succumbed to the power of love, whereas the Dragon God lost to the righteousness of reason.

The Dragon Empress had to be the one who protected the Dragon Emperor, instead of the contrary. Otherwise, it went against reason.

“…Rave taught me to take good care of my wife.”

Hades murmured, turning his back on Rufus and the others as he shielded Jill.

“As the Dragon God of Reason, he’ll never be able to give me love, and that’s just the way it is. Nevertheless, everyone, including the Dragon Empress, love me, so I mustn’t give up.”

Hades raised his head. His magical power shone—the silvery gleam of the Dragon Emperor.

“Rave will not fall—it only makes senses that I protect my dear wife!”

“Spare me your nonsense, Dragon Emperor! You don’t even know the first thing about the Goddess’ love!”

The fact remained that he was going up against the Sword of Protection and the Holy Spear of the Goddess. A pained look appeared on his face, but he was unmoving, determined to keep Jill safe.

Move, my left hand! Why won’t your listen—!?

The magical barrier of the Rakia Mountains was there precisely to protect the Dragon Emperor.

[—I remember.]

Suddenly, Jill looked up. She glanced at her left hand. Her left ring finger, it was dazzling with a golden light.

[My Dragon Emperor loved lullabies. Somehow, he was still tone deaf. How bizarre.]

[Oh, my Dragon Emperor was a bookworm! Sometimes, he would be so absorbed in reading that he forgot to eat, so I often scolded him!]

[My Dragon Emperor’s hobby was drawing. He asked me to be his model so often, I was sick of it.]

…Aah.

Jill touched the magic shield with her left palm.

[—I remember. Thank you.]

She thought that the Goddess had taken everything, but that wasn’t the case.

It remained.

[The Goddess understood—but this is simply unfair, isn’t it?]

The magical barrier of the Rakia Mountains only functioned when the Dragon Empress appeared. It was the power of the first Dragon Empress who delivered the Dragon Emperor from the Goddess.

Even after she was consumed by anger and sadness, even after everything, it had never disappeared.

[Latest Dragon Empress, do you understand our feelings? Our feelings, which we can never entrust to the Goddess.]

She was being pushed from behind.

The magical barrier of the Rakia Mountains. The unbreakable love of the Dragon Empress that had brought her to fall hundreds of years, the reason that pierced it—all were condensed into the golden ring that shone on her left ring finger.

“I do.”

Hades was the first to notice, and his eyes widened.

“I shall inherit your love and reason.”

Then, Geraldo also noticed. Rufus followed suit.

Jill didn’t waste that opportunity.

“A Goddess or not, don’t lay a finger on someone else’s husband!!”

She could feel that the other Dragon Empresses were bursting with laughter.

What women!

They entrusted their wrath to their enemy the Goddess, and their encouragement to their junior who was fighting that very Goddess. It must not have been easy.

As expected of the Dragon Empresses!

They were her seniors who protected the previous Dragon Emperors.

The golden Sacred Relic of the Dragon Empress resided in Jill’s hand as she spoke. Geraldo screamed as he withdrew.

“No way, how did you—!?”

The sacred relic manifested into a sword that repelled the Goddess’ sword, throwing it into the air. Then, she kicked Rufus.

Geraldo tried to pierce her from the side with the holy spear, but she caught the Sword of Protection, and flicked the tip of his spear. She drove her fist into Geraldo’s gut, forcing him to stagger. Afterwards, she pried free the Holy Spear of the Goddess from his loose grip.

“Now be a star!”

She swung and threw the Holy Spear of the Goddess somewhere else. Then, she wrapped her whip around the stunned Geraldo and slammed him downward. At the same time, she swung the Sword of Protection in her other hand towards Rufus and Geraldo who had fallen.

A multitude of magical blades ransacked the earth, mowing down the trees. At the same time, she also delivered a blow to a certain area that was still involved fighting some distance away.

“—And the drill is over!”

Jill screamed so that everyone could hear.

“The Southern King will personally affix the National Seal on the engagement vow between His Majesty and I!”

“No one will believe such nonsense, Dragon Empress-chan.”

As expected, Rufus still got back up after suffering so much.

“Even if the ring and the Sacred Relic of the Dragon Empress have returned, the situation hasn’t changed. Although, it’ll be a different story if the Dragon Emperor says that he’ll run back to Rave.”

Nevertheless, the battle was already over.

“But why, though? Aren’t Kratos and Rave friends from today onwards? …Right, Your Highness Geraldo?”

With the sacred relic in her right hand, Jill bound and suspended Geraldo from the air. There was no way he could unravel the sacred relic unarmed. She tightened his restraints, making him to gasp.

Rufus’ expression shifted instantly. She’d be lying if she said she wasn’t surprised. Regardless, the hierarchy was becoming clear.

Jill looked down at Rufus.

“It seems that Crown Prince Geraldo would like to study abroad in the Rave Empire. Isn’t that right?”

Geraldo, who had been rendered immobile, grimaced in humiliation and glared at her.

“Are you trying to keep me hostage?”

“Now, ‘hostage’ is a strong word, or are you simply admitting your defeat?”

Geraldo clicked his tongue.

Incredible.

Then, Rufus’ bitter muttering entered her ear.

“You’re surprisingly quick-witted, Dragon Empress-chan.”

“That’s not true. By the way, about the stamp. You need this, right?”

She waved the sword at Rufus, smiling, yet her voice was low and unforgiving.

“—If you don’t want me to destroy it, stamp the vow right away.”

Rufus clenched his fist and grimaced. However, he voiced no objection.

With a snort, Jill turned back to Hades.

“Any complaints, Your Majesty?”

“N-no…”

“Then, it’s my win.”

Their marriage was thus approved by the Kingdom of Kratos, with the blessing of Jill’s family.

Covering his face with his hands, Hades squealed into the twilight sky.

“—Rave, what do I do!? My wife is too cool!”

Obviously?

Victorious, Jill puffed out her chest.

---

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