Chapter 44: The Remains of the “King”

Deep within the royal palace of the Yaranli Kingdom, in a place untouched by sunlight, it resided. Even the faintest glimmer of light in the darkness revealed its golden eyes—eyes that no longer held any warmth, existing instead like those of a mere system.

Her long, unkempt hair, left untended for years, still shone with a radiant gold that never faded. Her body was flawless, without a single wrinkle, and her appearance retained the delicate youthfulness of a young girl. Combined with her small stature—shorter even than the spear resting beside her—she seemed utterly unsuited to sit upon a throne.

Only one thing stood apart.

Her open eyes alone bore the weight of age, containing a darkness so deep that none could begin to imagine the years she had lived.

Below her stood members of the royal guard, along with girls known as candidates for the next Spear King. Every person present was female. In this country, the queen was absolute and irreplaceable—and that belief had fostered a system in which female supremacy grew stronger the higher one rose.

"S-Spear King… Your Majesty. P-please wait just a little longer. I-I assure you, we will make Swordria return Shion—"

A flash too fast for the eye to follow—such descriptions often sound cheap, yet witnessing it firsthand left no room for doubt. Everyone present, though differing in age and experience, were warriors who had once contended for the title of Spear King. Yet not a single one of them could even perceive the trajectory of the spear that severed the diplomat’s head mid-sentence.

Seated deep upon her throne, the spear still embedded through the severed head resting by her side, elbow propped against the armrest and chin resting upon her hand, the formidable woman known as the Spear King—Aria Zero—spoke quietly.

"Slow."

That single word made every person in the room tremble. Their confidence, their pride in having fought their way to this place—everything was crushed beneath the overwhelming difference in power.

Just one word was enough to make the air grow heavy, so suffocating it felt as though it clung to the skin.

Without even glancing at her subordinates, Aria Zero spoke into the void. Whether she addressed someone who once existed or simply uttered words meant for no one, none could tell. And there was no fool present bold enough to ask.

"This body of mine is nearing its limit. The power to protect this nation wanes, and the sharpness of my spear has grown laughably fragile. And yet… why is my next body not here?"

There was no anger in her voice—only pure, unfiltered curiosity. It was the result of having existed as the Spear King for far too long, her humanity distorted and diminished.

She could no longer comprehend the most basic human instinct: the desire to refuse offering one’s body.

To preserve the form of the nation, she had continued to exist—discarding bodies one after another. The guilt she once felt had long since vanished, leaving behind nothing but the system known as the Spear King. A mass of madness that existed only as a symbol, having forgotten what it once wished for or what it ought to do, clinging solely to existence itself.

And yet, no one present could stop her.

They could not see her spear. She could kill targets beyond her reach without moving. And above all, she wielded that power without a trace of emotion. Everyone understood—they could never win.

Neither self-preservation nor rational judgment offered any hope of resistance. After years of facing this undeniable reality, no one had the will left to oppose her.

"Julia Deuce. You will go to the next ‘King’s War.’"

"Understood, my king."

Among those present, the smallest girl—Julia—answered. She knew it was reckless to face the Sword King who had defeated Shion, the strongest candidate. Even so, the thought of fighting the monster before her was far more terrifying.

To live under constant fear of death, never knowing what might provoke it—it was a strain beyond imagination. Even so, she understood that her chances of victory were slim.

"My king, I must apologize. I may not win alone. Therefore, I request permission to form a team and include other candidates."

"Very well. Use whoever you wish. Break the heart of Shion Ace at any cost. If you succeed, it matters not whether you bring her back. The rest is yours to decide."

"Understood."

With that, the Spear King closed her eyes and spoke no further. Everyone present understood—there was nothing more to be said. Quietly, yet hastily, they left the throne room. Not a single step faltered; all wished to escape as quickly as possible.

"..."

Left alone in the darkness, Aria Zero slowly opened her eyes.

Her golden gaze reflected nothing. Instead, it recalled a light from the past—a memory she could never forget. An unchanging memory. A time when she had still been inexperienced, when such moments truly existed. She reached out hesitantly, as though trying to touch something precious.

"Sword King… I want to see you. No matter the cost, no matter what I must sacrifice… just once more… I want to see you, Toma."

Her voice carried an emotion unlike before, as if even the name itself were something beautiful.

And then, her throne fell silent—devoid of both light and sound.

"Ugh, this is the worst!!!! Why do I have to go retrieve that idiot?!"

"It cannot be helped. If we do not, one of us may be made the next Spear King."

"That pisses me off too!!! I don’t want to go pick up some idiot who can’t even imagine what happens when they become the top candidate—but even more than that, I refuse to be taken over by something that disgusting!!!"

"On that point, I agree. Some say death is preferable to becoming the Spear King."

The one ordered by the Spear King—Julia Deuce—lashed out wildly, swinging her short brown hair as she kicked a palace pillar with all her strength, cracking the stone. She continued shouting, as if she hadn’t even noticed.

She had deliberately aimed for second place, not first—Deuce instead of Ace—and had achieved it. Talented and confident, she believed she could defeat Shion in a direct fight, even looking down on her as foolish, though she still acknowledged her strength.

She could beat Shion.

But against the Sword King, Toma—the one who had already defeated Shion—she was not arrogant enough to believe she could win head-on. In fact, her keen tactical mind told her she would likely lose.

"You’ll help me, Layla. If Shion doesn’t break—and I die—you’re next, Trey."

"I know. I’m not foolish enough to refuse. There’s always the chance the Spear King might whimsically take me instead. The safest option is to sacrifice Shion."

"That damn bitch…!! That worthless slave bitch definitely orchestrated this! She manipulated things so Shion would leave the country—!!"

"She was clearly obsessed with Shion. Once she understood what becoming the Spear King meant, she would gamble without hesitation. And she won—escaping this country."

"What kind of gamble is that?! Damn it all!!! She should’ve just quietly become the sacrifice!!! That slave bitch was supposed to be the chain binding Shion—and instead, she let her escape!!!"

Though Julia was usually fierce, this level of agitation was rare. As she stormed through the palace, she unconsciously destroyed parts of it, even losing control of her magic.

But it was understandable.

With Shion gone, she—Deuce—was next in line to become the Spear King. She had to fight desperately, wagering her very life.

"I don’t want to become that…!! I was so close to effectively ruling this country, and now I trip at the finish line?! No way… absolutely no way…!!"

"Depending on the situation, we may need to involve Lyra as well. If it’s just the two of us, the enemy will likely field both the Sword King and Shion. We could still succeed—but there would be uncertainties."

"So we make it three-on-three with Lyra. Yeah, her magic suits group battles… fine. If she refuses to fight, I’ll crush her."

"For better or worse, she lacks that kind of self-awareness."

While looking down on others, the two who stood near the pinnacle of their nation continued forward, forming their plans.

All for their own happiness—by pushing misfortune onto someone else.

Driven by raw human emotion, they walked a bloodstained path in search of a sacrifice.