Billy blinked, holding his breath.

However, no matter how long he waited, the Heavenly Sword didn’t descend upon him. In fact, the pressure against his chest also vanished. The Dragon Emperor had removed his foot.

“Stay quiet there for a while.”

The Dragon Emperor spoke from the edge of the crater.

Billy tried to get up but couldn’t.

In order to fend off the encroaching death, Billy had exhausted all of his magical power. Somehow, he was still alive and well.

“Why? …By killing me, the Saber family as a whole will lose. You’d easily obtain Jill that way.”

“I have no real reason. Such an easy victory would be boring.”

“…Don’t tell me you’re worried about what my daughter might think?”

It was an attempt to provoke and mock, yet the Dragon Emperor visibly tensed up.

Billy’s eyes widened as he stared at the Dragon Emperor’s stiff back.

“…Not really? This is no different than usual. I don’t care about that.”

“…Damn, someone’s really worried.”

“Do you want to die? I told you that’s not the case—”

Just when Billy thought that the Dragon Emperor was glaring at him with murderous eyes, the side of the Dragon Emperor’s face was illuminated by intense magical power.

A mass of magical power was coming their way.

“Oh, so the Southern King is next? Sure, I’ll take you on.”

The Dragon Emperor quietly muttered as he repelled the magical power with his barrier. Then, after glancing at Billy, he kicked up off the ground.

Looks like he’s leaving from here…

…Is it so that I don’t get caught up in it?

He truly couldn’t wrap his head around that lad. Just who on earth was he?

“—Husband! Are you alive?”

“Ah, Charlotte, you’re safe… Urgh—”

Once the adrenaline rush had subsided, pain ransacked his entire body. It was such that his wife had to help him stand. Several of his bones were probably broken.

“Dearie me, look at you. You’re a mess. Jill will laugh at you.”

“Speaking of which, what happened to Jill? Will she break up with the Dragon Emperor and come back to our house?”

“No, it was no good after all.”

He could only laugh at that. Then, he cried out in panic.

“You did well, in trying to persua—ouch, ouch, ouch….”

“Oh no, your legs are bent the wrong way. I’ll get a stretcher. You just lie down here and wait.”

“B-but, what about the Dragon Emperor’s army?”

“Chris is keeping them at bay. It’ll be a good learning experience. His Imperial Highness Listeard is an excellent commander, so he’s having a hard time.”

“That’s not good! If the Saber family loses, it’ll affect our morale in the future!”

“It’ll take time, but Chris should be able to win as long as he keeps pushing. His Highness Geraldo had lent him a capable tactician. I also sent Rick and Andy his way. In the meantime, His Highness Geraldo himself will prepare the army and take the helm after the Southern King defeats the Dragon Emperor.”

In the end, a war will start after all. Billy smiled wryly.

“I see… I was prepared since the Dragon Emperor appeared.”

“It can’t be helped. At the very least, it’s none of our children’s fault.”

“You’re so calm.”

“Honestly, I’m still depressed. Jill didn’t hesitate to aim for my heart.”

Then there was no mistake.

Their daughter had chosen the path of the Dragon Empress.

“We stole the Sacred Relic of the Dragon Princess as planned, but she refuses to leave the Dragon Emperor.”

“…W-wait! There’s still a chance that the Dragon Emperor will abandon Jill!”

“Do you honestly believe that Hades will turn his back on Jill?”

I don’t think he would.

Billy remained silent, and that was all that his wife needed.

“It’s lonely, isn’t it? She’s about to get married.”

“…No way… Jill, Jill, with such an incomprehensible guy…!”

And she’s only 11 years old!

Whenever he remembered that, he couldn’t stop crying.

“You will just disapprove of anyone, won’t you?”

“Well, yes! But I also just can’t get along with such a son-on-law…!”

“Geez. Then, if by some miracle Jill manages to resolve this situation, let’s all takea trip to the Rave Empire.”

“As if—! Not on my watch! And not with that lad! He seems so narrow-minded!”

“I don’t know about that? Just like how I don’t know why he spared you.”

Having been left speechless, he was placed on a stretcher without any question asked.

As they were quite close to the summit of the Rakia Mountains, the sky was visible from there.

The brilliance of the Dragon Emperor’s magical power seemed to have waned. Although there was a difference in their strength, the Dragon Emperor was probably exhausted from fighting him.

The Dragon Emperor was being pushed back by the Southern King.

It seemed that his son had finally shown his true potential, even if he was a little far away. Someone must’ve taken control. If Geraldo were to lead the army now, they’d win in terms of quantity. The army of the Rave Empire wouldn’t make it in time.

Afterwards, the war would start and end with a spectacular victory for the Kingdom of Kratos.

But would his daughter be okay with that?

There was another explosion. Such wasn’t uncommon on the battlefield. However, Billy was startled when he realized what the Saber family’s anti-aircraft magic was targeting.

“Husband…”

Charlotte, who was about to fall back with the others who were injured, grasped his hand.

The sun rose early in the high-altitude Rakia Mountains.

Within the darkness, a dragon heralded the coming of dawn.

It both deflected the homing magical beams and evaded them as it flew in a straight line without turning its gaze, and on its back…

“In the end, Jill was able to make it here on time.”

As his wife murmured, her voice was tinged with a mixture of bewilderment and sadness.

Hearing people say that their princess had arrived, Billy sighed, smiling wryly.

His daughter was unlikely to change her mind.

Thinking that the Dragon Emperor was going to take Jill away, Billy burst into tears again.

***

“The Saber family’s anti-aircraft magic is something else!”

Elynsia screamed, holding Rosa’s reins in one hand and her sword in the other while deflecting the magical beams.

“—But my Rosa is more amazing!”

“As expected, she’s the best!”

As Elynsia and Jill praised her, Rosa growled with pride, picking up her speed. Now that they were motivated, the sky of Kratos was just another battlefield for them.

They’d been flying for several hours, and their fear and hesitation had been completely blown away by the constant barrage of anti-aircraft magic. Endlessly evading and repelling them rewired their brains. Now, all that mattered was to advance. It was a state commonly known as hysteria. Rosa was also doing great.

As a side note, Natalie had long since passed out and was strapped to the saddle.

“Right now, I feel like I can break the Holy Spear of the Goddess just fine!”

“That sounds amazing! But I can’t let you do that. That’s my job, you see!”

“How unfortunate. It’s the last magic circle! Rosa! Let’s break through!”

This time, a magic circle shone from 3 o’clock. The northern slopes of Rakia Mountains were visible. Smoke was billowing. The enemy was making good use of the terrain to counter the Saber family’s surprise attack. The fact that Listeard was able to hold his own on a land that wasn’t his own was a testament to his talent.

But suddenly, Jill spotted Lawrence on the ground. There was a terrifying magical power lurking in the lush trees. Noticing the same, Elynsia muttered.

“I think I should go help Listeard.”

“Please be careful, my brother is strong!”

“It’s fine, I’m strong as well!”

Jill nodded and looked forward. Reflected in her eyes were clashing magical powers. Once she reached that place, her destination wouldn’t be too far away.

“We’ll part ways here, Your Highness Elynsia. Good luck!”

“Good luck, Your Highness the Dragon Princess!”

Without hesitation, Elynsia saw her off. Jill didn’t even have a ring anymore, let alone the Sacred Relic of the Dragon Princess.

Grinning, Jill jumped off from Rosa, landing on a platform.

Hades and Rufus were fighting against each other.

It’s the same as the battle that once occured in Radea.

However, the brilliance of Hades’ magic was even greater than that time. He shone like sunrise. It was probably because Hades’ magical power had recovered since then, but the Southern King wasn’t to be underestimated with. He was dripping with bloodlust.

Where is His Highness Geraldo?

If Geraldo wasn’t there, then it was their chance to gang up on the Southern King. There was no way she’d allow such a good opportunity slip away. Slightly shaking her head, Jill took a breath.

Far above the battle between the King of Kratos and the Emperor of Rave, the Holy Spear of the Goddess lied in wait. The spear was pointed at both men.

“—Stop it, Your Majesty, Southern King!”

As if mocking her, the tip of the spear glowed. They didn’t hear her. She wouldn’t make it in time.

Hades, who seemed to have noticed, turned to look at her. When he finally saw her, he lit up instantly.

Seeing such an innocent expression, her blood boiled.

Why would he stop moving when the Holy Spear of the Goddess is clearly targeting him?

It was just like her, who was unable to move an inch after being told goodbye.

“Move, you fool!”

Jill, who flew with all her magical power, kicked her husband’s back with both her feet. He, along with the Southern King who had also been caught up in the attack, were sent crashing into the ground.

---

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***T/N: Ah, the rare appearance of tsuntsun Hades…

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