Crisis, Turmoil, and Arrangements

Night gradually fell, and the lights of Saint Suniel City lit up one after another in the darkness.

This ancient city, which had endured the threat of destruction, seemed especially quiet at night. After many days, it had finally welcomed an evening free of battle cries and explosions. Saint Suniel was like a colossal beast covered in wounds, quietly licking those wounds in the rare stillness of the night.

The city had far fewer lights than Cecil City, and the bright glow of Magic Crystal Lamps was largely limited to the castle district and inner city. Beyond those areas, the streets and alleys were lit by dimmer candlelight and dark, flickering Fire Basins. Yet even this inadequate illumination created a hint of peace and tranquility in the night.

Victoria stood by the window, gazing into the distance. After a long while, she turned back. "When do you intend to hold the coronation? Or... some other ceremony to announce the founding of the empire?"

"Tomorrow. We'll send word of the empire's founding throughout the realm to stabilize the situation everywhere. As for the so-called coronation..." Gawain shook his head. "There's no rush. We'll discuss it after we resolve the greatest crisis."

"You mean the remaining Crystal Cluster Monsters in the southeastern Holy Spirit Plain?" Victoria blinked. "Most of their main force has already suffered devastating blows, and they don't seem capable of launching another full-scale assault... Are you referring to some other threat?"

Gawain nodded. Here and now, he felt that the two guardian dukes could be told about the existence of that "ticking bomb."

"I suspect The End of All Things activated an ancient Divine Legacy. The Crystal Cluster Monsters were driven into madness because that ancient legacy suddenly went out of control. I have fairly solid evidence confirming that