Is it wrong to try to meet someone in a dungeon?

It means that the invaders have been eliminated—the girl's oasis country has regained its freedom.

"Ah~ It's Solsana...! I'm really back!"

After leaving the remaining situation to the soldiers, Ari and the generals returned to the capital of Sharzad, "Solshana," ahead of time. Their aim was to inform the people as soon as possible that Valsha had been annihilated and that peace had been restored.

In the distance, a pinkish-white palace and the city could be seen. The beautiful streets had been ravaged by the Valsha army's invasion, and the city walls had been mercilessly destroyed. However, from the other side came the continuous cheers of the people who had suffered so much until now. Ari and her companions could hear this sound from afar—a cheer praising the triumphant return of their heroes. The Sharzad soldiers, who had contributed nothing from beginning to end, looked embarrassed, but Ari was still too overjoyed to speak.

Back then, I so pathetically fled the capital.

Now I can finally return to this homeland.

The girl's eyes began to well up with tears.

"...Freya!"

As the soldiers riding camels began to descend the dunes, Ari turned and ran away.

The goddess and her eight retinues stand there against the backdrop of a crimson sunset.

Ari ran alone towards the group of "familia" who had helped her.

"Thank you! Thanks to everyone, Sharzad has regained peace!"

"yes."

"Whether it's returning to my hometown like this, or helping people regain their smiles, I definitely couldn't do it alone!"

"Right."

"Please allow me to express my gratitude! Even though it was just a small favor for you... I am still deeply grateful to you for saving my life!"

"I have already accepted your gift."

Ari repeatedly expressed her gratitude aloud, but Freya's responses remained rather bland.

Ari, who had been shouting excessively, was panting heavily with her shoulders heaving. After finally calming down and catching her breath, she met the goddess's silver eyes.

As time passed, the sun gradually sank in the west.

The shadows lengthened accordingly.

It transformed into a thin, long black shadow stretching towards the sea of ​​sand.

The girl's shadow swayed helplessly in the sandstorm, as if she were having an internal struggle.

"...Freya...I..."

Bathed in the afterglow of the sunset, she felt that she was no longer a prince (Aram), but an ordinary girl (Ari).

He then shed the mask and armor of being a "king," leaving only a naked longing.

Memories from less than two weeks ago flooded back. During that time, Ari had experienced anger, sadness, and despair. But every word the goddess had said then was now shaking Ari's heart, making her desperately want to tell her something.

Freya simply watched Ari quietly, without uttering a single word.

The real "choice" is now laid out before Ari.

Standing before her were the goddess and her retinue.

Behind her lies an entire country, with magnificent palaces and a large population.

Twilight kept reminding her to choose between the two options.

"..."

Ari glanced at the cat-man youth.

Allen seemed to want to say something to Aly, but ultimately didn't speak.

It felt like he was just letting her decide with his eyes.

"...Your Majesty Aram?"

Jafar and the others, who were walking down the dunes, turned around and looked back after realizing that Ari hadn't followed.

Is it really a good idea to hold the hand of your goddess?

No, I can't abandon my country.

But what I truly want to pursue is—

Desire and inner turmoil intertwine, with the last vestiges of reason condemning the forbidden torment. At this moment, she is not the prince (Aram), but a naked young girl (Ari) who cannot resist this impulse, nor can she refuse the irreplaceable time she shared with the goddess.

"I'm sorry I couldn't give birth to you as a son, nor could I let you experience the happiness of being a woman—"

Her mother once said that Alyssa was destined to be unhappy.

"Whether in a male or female way, I can satisfy you..."

The goddess, who overlaps with her mother's shadow and is the mother of all things, once said that she could bring happiness to Ari.

The true self, unrewarded whether male or female, cries out its first and last act of willfulness.

Just as the girl was about to extend her trembling hand—

"I don't need you anymore."

The goddess's voice made the girl stop what she was doing.

“Eh…?”

"I told you I don't need you anymore, Ari."

Freya emphasized it again to the stunned girl.

Unable to accept this statement, Aly felt her limbs gradually growing cold.

"I misjudged you. You don't meet my expectations and can't be my partner (Odr)."

The goddess seemed to be appraising the wavering radiance of a "soul," coldly narrowing her eyes.

Despair filled Ari's face.

The fact that she was pushed away was heartbreaking.

A sense of frustration, stemming from her unwillingness to disappoint the goddess before her, pierced her heart, and tears were about to spill from her pale purple eyes.

Wait, please, don't go.

As the screams that could not be uttered overflowed from the depths of the girl's throat, just as the goddess was about to turn away—

She said it.

"Therefore, you must live as a 'king'."

"────────"

Ari opened her eyes wide in shock.

In the afterglow, what came into view was the goddess's smile, which showed no disappointment or mockery.

Soon after, Freya turned around as if nothing had happened and strode forward.

Eight of her family members also went with her.

There was no farewell, no promise of meeting again, not even a single word of goodbye.

The goddess departed from Alyssa, who stood there, like a casual breeze.

The desert wind swept in her face, and her beautiful long hair flowed in the wind.

A tear gently slid down someone's cheek.

"Is this really okay?"

Freya responded to Ota's concerns with an affirmative answer.

"That child cannot let go of her motherland. If she truly chooses to abandon it, she will no longer possess the 'glory' I desire."

Freya explained as she walked.

She had long seen through Ari's inner turmoil.

That's why I decided not to let the other party make a choice.

Instead, he pushed her away.

"The reason that child was able to resist my 'charm' was because she was a 'queen'; what I was attracted to was the radiance of her being a 'queen'. If that child were no longer a 'queen,' her radiance would become meaningless... reducing her to an existence indistinguishable from any other child."

No longer a "queen," Ari is just an ordinary girl. Just a rough stone, no different from a rock.

It means that only by not obtaining her can she possibly transform into a gemstone radiating elegant brilliance.

Therefore, Freya prefers the natural, exquisite brilliance of gemstones to holding them in her hand.

"Although it's a little heartbreaking... it's ultimately wrong to use happiness as bait to deprive that child of any possibility."

Freya only turned back once.

The girl could be seen still standing in the same spot, gazing at the place even though she was far away.

But she finally raised her hand and wiped her eyes several times.

Then, as if demonstrating his resolve, he turned his back to Freya and the others and took a step forward.

They walked toward the people who were waiting for the "King's" return.

Heading towards the kingdom located in the desert.

Freya smiled again, her expression like that of a loving mother watching over her child.

"I'm so sorry, Allen, it's all my fault. All your worries were for nothing."

"...I don't understand what you're saying; you must be hallucinating."

"Hehe, that's true, let's just say that."

Freya chuckled as she looked at the stern-faced cat-man.

Otto and the others only glanced at the girl once before turning back. Even Hedin, who had been watching the girl the longest, finally turned around.

As a member of the Lord God's retinue, I will be loyal to Him to the death and completely obey the Goddess's will.

Accompanied by her kin, Freya paused on the towering sand dunes to bid farewell to this vast desert world.

"Well then, let's go back. Back to the labyrinthine city (Orario), which is both boring and hotter than anywhere else."

*

This series of wars, which involved Sharzad, Warshah, and Islamic vassals, is known to later generations as the "Jesusa Rebellion".

Starting with the desperate situation of the fall of the capital, the Kingdom of Sharzad, which stood up to the crisis of survival, has since flourished at a speed that has impressed the surrounding countries.

Needless to say, such development was naturally influenced by the superb skills of the fifteenth king, Yalam Ras Shahrzad.

Not only did Valsha decline rapidly after the "Battle of Sind," but even the secretly active [Lashap Familia] no longer posed a threat to Sharzad. The reason was that this country was under the protection of the strongest goddess faction (familia)—a seemingly plausible rumor that spread from the labyrinth city.

Although unconfirmed, King Aram, to express his gratitude to the "Eight Heroes" for their invaluable assistance in the war to save the kingdom, erected statues of these individuals in the square of the restored capital, Solshana. Whether the statues resemble "a certain group of adventurers" has been a subject of much discussion from time to time.

Furthermore, rumors of the kingdom's booming development are also closely related to the Fazl Merchant Guild, a muscle-bound organization that has been carrying out muscle reforms. Pofman Fazl, who played the unsung hero in the battle against Valsha and continued to assist King Aram, has since become a prominent figure, using his muscular physique (leadership qualities) to successfully lead the guild to significant growth. With the revival of "Leod City," the Fazl Merchant Guild completely withdrew from the slave trade, even experiencing the strange phenomenon of "transforming into a militant group that even a regular army couldn't match."

Sharzad reached its zenith under the rule of King Alam.

According to historical records, King Aram, who was hailed as the number one player in the "halvan" world of the Caios Desert, also demonstrated great political and military skill and possessed extraordinary courage to take desperate gambles at crucial moments. However, this king, who successfully "awakened" after the "Hot Sands Rebellion," also had a mischievous side. It is said that he often sneaked out of his household to the city to play "halvan" with others, and was also seen on several occasions walking and eating a kebab on the street.

King Aram, who had diverse interests and was both wise and handsome, was always deeply loved by the people.

He, who was later hailed as a wise king, once said this.

"During that turmoil, I was bathed in a dazzling silver light."

The light was like a bright moon hanging high in the night sky, or like ripples spreading across an oasis.

I did receive a divine revelation at that time.

In order not to violate that teaching, and in order to have a clear conscience, I keep moving forward.

That's all there is to it.

He nurtured a successor who, until the very end, implemented benevolent policies and became a renowned wise ruler.

Moreover, it achieved the great feat of the birth of a major power for the first time in the central region of the Western Caios Desert.

"To become a hero of the king."

"A king who strategizes and plans."

"Aram and the Eight Warriors".