1203: I mean, if I gave myself the title of "Kingmaker" right now, surely nobody would object, would they?

Although Triss seemed to have brought up the subject out of the blue, Ivirios and Shiragui weren't surprised.

In fact, even if Lord Murphy hadn't brought it up himself, the young couple would have come to seek final confirmation from the Chosen of the Creator and the Lord of Decay today or tomorrow.

Of everything they needed to discuss, the most important matter was, of course, the succession to the throne of the Kingdom of Castia.

It might sound like an internal elven affair that didn't require anyone else's involvement, but the Netherworld's Adell World Tree stood plainly where the great tree of Castia had once stood. There was no hiding it. Some elves were already calling it the "Pale Tree of the Dead," and the elven kingdom's officials were preparing to step in and guide public opinion. But the two young leaders didn't dare proceed without the Lord of Decay's permission.

Murphy had single-handedly created the Netherworld in the elven kingdom. The moment the World Tree of the Afterlife appeared, he was destined to have an undeniable say in the kingdom's succession.

The Elven King had once needed to govern only the living. But now the dead on these lands had a place of their own, instantly complicating what had been a straightforward matter of succession.

"First, speaking as the Lord of Decay, I want to make one thing clear to the leaders of the living."

They couldn't very well discuss serious business in Murphy's cabin, so everyone moved to the Origin Vanguard's conference room. Adele, who was good at just about everything, had already made all the arrangements. Once the delicious refreshments had been served and the fussy incense lit, Murphy took a sip of tea and spoke first:

"No matter where they come from, the dead belong