Mem said excitedly at that moment, "How about letting Stelle give it a try?"
Everyone understood what Mem meant.
Currently, when the Priests of Oronyx were no longer present, Stelle seemed to be the only one capable of using Oronyx's miracles on a large scale.
Even if she was an someone from outside Amphoreus, based on her power alone, her accepting the Coreflame was completely reasonable.
Stelle's eyes lit up as well.
She had almost forgotten that she possessed this ability.
Immediately, she cleared her throat, struck a pose as if she was the chosen one, and pretended solemnly:
"I've been waiting for someone to say that, friend."
"That's a good idea." Aglaea nodded.
After everything that had happened, even Aglaea had come to trust the Astral Express crew, and acknowledged them as allies of the Chrysos Heirs.
Once Aglaea agreed, no one else had any objections.
This unexpected development also caught the audience by surprise.
....
: Whoa! Stelle's going to become a demigod?!
: A Demigod of Time! Damn, that sounds cool.
: But does Stelle even have space left inside her? There's already a Stellaron in there, adding a Coreflame won't make her explode, right?
: Now that's a route nobody expected.
: Still, it counts as a reward for Stelle, who's been helping the Chrysos Heir all this time!
: And once she takes this Coreflame, the Astral Express crew will basically form an even stronger alliance with the Chrysos Heir.
: Nice!
: She's definitely going to brag to March later.
....
The comments scrolled past.
And just after everyone finalized the ownership of the Oronyx's Coreflame, the scene shifted.
It moved to a certain place within the Marmoreal Palace.
The aged Krateros stood by a railing, gazing into the distance.
Although Hyacine had pulled him back from Thanatos' grasp, it had not come without a price.
Now, Krateros resembled a man at the end of his years, his complexion pale, his body hunched, none of his former sharpness remaining.
As he stared absentmindedly at the distant scenery, footsteps sounded behind him.
"I see the Reaper has forsaken you, too, teacher."
It was Mydei.
Krateros turned his head and revealed a faint smile.
"Hmph, it simply put my life in the hands of the Twilight Courtyard."
"But this isn't about me, Mydeimos. I saw it... You've finally decided to embrace your own fate."
"And now, you can at last bring our people home and reforge the glory of Kremnos."
There was a trace of emotion in the old man's voice, but far more relief.
After countless twists and turns, Mydei had finally fulfilled the dream pursued by them and become their king.
And at this moment, the Kremnoans would no longer be wanderers without a home.
But Mydei interrupted him, "...Unfortunately, I harbor no such desire."
Krateros, still immersed in thoughts of returning home, froze. He opened his one remaining eye in shock and stared at Mydei.
"Wha-What do you mean by that?"
Mydei met his gaze directly, without avoidance.
"Over two millennia past, devotees of Nikador's might banded together beneath their feet and erected a city of their own. Ever since then, Kremnoans have served as the blades wielded by the god of war, following the Titan's path in its conquest."
"Yet, gazing upon our history through the lens of my newfound divinity, I now see it with unprecedented clarity."
"This history is sheer absurdity and inferiority."
Mydei's voice grew louder and louder until, at last, he raised it without restraint and declared his judgment openly:
"People surged onto the battlefield like ants, plundering and slaying for their own greed, only to be trampled upon... like ants."
"The city and the beliefs that Kremnoans hold so dearly, alongside the supposed tradition... are mere anthills that can be crushed with a single touch in the eyes of the Titan."
After Mydei finished speaking, panic, shock, and anger surged through Krateros' heart.
His trembling finger pointed at Mydei. Several times he opened his mouth, yet no words came out.
It felt as though the prime minister had suddenly witnessed his own emperor rebelling and running away.
An utterly absurd sensation.
"You...!"
"Are you trying to strip Kremnoans of the pride we've amassed over thousands of years with mere words?!"
At this moment, Krateros truly looked like a helpless old man, pointing at the rebellious demigod as he shouted in reprimand.
But before he could finish, Mydei cut him off mercilessly.
"...That pride holds little significance, Krateros. Now that I've assumed the divinity of Strife, my next step.."
"Will be to renounce the title of "King.""
The camera lingered on the two of them.
On the left, Krateros trembled as he pointed accusingly.
Opposite him, Mydei calmly accepted the accusation.
One had grown frail and diminished. The other stood powerful and unstoppable.
Left and right, everything spoken and unspoken existed within that single frame.
Krateros' expression shifted rapidly within seconds. Extreme anger, sorrow, and confusion flickered across his face.
"...No! NO!" Krateros instinctively rejected the declaration.
But Mydei issued a firm command: "Convey my message to every Kremnoan, this is an order."
Hearing this, all emotion drained from the old man at once. His hunched posture sank even lower as he nearly begged: "Do not do this, Mydeimos... I beg you...!"
This general, who had never begged anyone in his life, now looked like a helpless child, sorrow written across his face as he pleaded with the young demigod before him.
He could not imagine what path awaited them without a king.
Yet no matter how he pleaded, Mydei remained unmoved.
"Our history commenced in Year 2506 of the Light Calendar and concluded in Year 4931."
"I, Mydeimos, last King of Castrum Kremnos, son of Gorgo, do hereby proclaim..."
"The Kremnoan dynasty comes to an official close today."
Hearing these words, Krateros could only shake his head again and again.
His eyes were filled with tears. Only after hearing that final, thunderous declaration of ending… did he finally lower his head in despair.
Fate.
At this moment, it had finally reached its conclusion.
The audience watched the exchange between the two, their confrontation.
Combined with the backdrop of the Marmoreal Palace, and the colossal statue of Kephale not far away… an overwhelming sense of epic grandeur poured forth.
...
: I so badly want to ask Krateros, "Did you at this moment regret pushing Mydei to take the Coreflame of Strife."
: The fall of a dynasty!
: A person who upheld tradition, and a king who ends the dynasty, this scene has the beauty of a Greek tragedy!
: Ah… Krateros, such an ordinary character, yet he feels so complete.
: The performance was incredible.
: Mydei really is destined to become the final king of Castrum Kremnos.
: Sigh… the system of Castrum Kremnos has problems, but Krateros himself wasn't actually wrong.
: Those few words from Mydei basically denied everything Krateros devoted his entire life to.
: Only now do we realize where the true tragedy lies.
: It hurts a little, but there's nothing that can be done.
: Maybe this is the necessary pain… Feel pain. Accept pain. And know pain.
: The contrast in this shot is both beautiful and tragic, the aged, powerless general and the unstoppable new king. This scene could literally become an oil painting.
...
The comments swept past.
On the screen, the image froze on the figures of the two men.
After a long while, Krateros finally raised his head sorrowfully.
"You have killed us..."
"You have killed us all..."
Mydei shook his head and refuted, "No, I am granting you a new beginning."
After saying that, he took out a ring and handed it to Krateros.
It was something his mother had left him.
"This is mother's signet ring. It served as a symbol of kingship, and I now imbue it with a fresh significance."
"Take it and rally those who have lost their identities. Convey the words of Mydeimos, now ascended to divinity:"
"You no longer need to chase fleeting honors or face death on the battlefield as if it were your sole destination. However, you must adapt to fit into this city that you once observed with indifferent eyes."
In the end, Mydei did not remain unyielding. His voice softened noticeably.
"Why task me with being your messenger? Why not explain all this to them yourself?" Krateros had already lost all hope; even his speech sounded heavy and drained.
"Because only humans can guide the path to be trodden by humans. It's not the lot of "humans" who crave the power of gods and spiral into madness for it..."
"But "humans" who stand ready to raise their shields high to protect the lives behind them."
Mydei said firmly.
Krateros fell silent for a moment before painfully accepting the ring. He knew Mydei was right. Whether they accepted it or not, there was no longer any way to reverse what had already happened.
After Mydei finally became a Demigod, Krateros finally realized that urging Mydei to accept the Coreflame all this time might not have been a wise decision.
But regret was meaningless now. With this ring, at least he still possessed prestige, and Mydei's endorsement, to prevent unrest among the remaining people of Castrum Kremnos.
And only then… could they live their own lives, just as Mydei had said.
"And what is next, Mydeimos...?"
"...Where will you be headed now?"
Krateros asked.
"To the place where I belong, to fulfill my promise."
"The madness that has plagued Nikador and the darkness that has consumed Amphoreus..."
"It's now my turn to fight against it."
Mydei replied.
Krateros lowered his head, remaining silent. Only now did he understand that Mydei had not acted on impulse.
Most likely, this new king had long ago struck a deal with Aglaea.
In exchange for heading to Castrum Kremnos to suppress the Black Tide, he must have secured certain benefits.
And now it seemed the greatest possibility was that those benefits ensured the survival of the people of Castrum Kremnos.
How had things come to this… How had it come to this!
Seeing Krateros immersed in complicated emotions, Mydei did not disturb him further.
He simply turned and left. No matter how uncertain the road ahead might be, it was still a path humans had to walk on their own.
...
Not long after, Mydei arrived at the Marmoreal Palace.
He bid farewell to everyone one by one, Phainon, Stelle… And finally, he stopped before Aglaea.
"You aided Okhema through yet another trying ordeal, and my gratitude knows no bounds." Aglaea spoke sincerely.
"Isn't that exactly what you wanted?" Mydei did not stand on ceremony.
"Not everything unfolds according to my plan. In the current state of the world, I can only proceed one step at a time. Furthermore..."
"You are ready to dedicate all that you have, regardless of the promise you made to me, aren't you?"
Aglaea easily read through Mydei's thoughts and spoke them out.
"Throughout my time in the holy city, I've gleaned valuable lessons from you, strategy, leadership, and adaptability to change... Yet, it's only recently that I've come to realize the truly remarkable quality you possess."
"And what is it?" Aglaea asked curiously.
"It's the magnetic allure in your presence. It draws people to gather around you willingly, to seek your guidance. They strive not to disappoint you, not due to fear of repercussions, but out of sincere alignment with your ideals."
"That is precisely what every ruler of Castrum Kremnos has been missing."
"...I am truly honored to hear that." Aglaea calmly replied, while giving a small bow.
"And as decided, I will secure enough time for the Flame-Chase Journey until you manage to lead everyone to reach the miracle of "Genesis.""
Aglaea shook her head.
"Mydeimos, a new chapter awaits Amphoreus... Yet, the one who guides the people to the destination need not be you and I."
Their conversation seemed ordinary.
But the audience failed to notice, after Aglaea spoke those final words, a shadow passed through both her eyes and Mydei's.
After becoming a demigod, Mydei had also received a prophecy about himself.
His visit this time was also to confirm that matter.
"What did you see after assuming Mnestia's divinity?" Mydei asked gravely.
Aglaea's gaze turned distant. After thinking for a moment, she replied,
"...Despite the passage of a thousand years, every word of that prophecy remains as vivid as ever."
"You shall have your final bath in warm and radiant gold."
It sounded unmistakably like a prophecy of death.
One final bath… an ominous phrase.
But Mydei suddenly burst into laughter.
"What's the reason for the laughter?" Aglaea asked, puzzled.
"I was just thinking... if an ordinary person encountered these words, they would probably stay away from the baths for the rest of their life." Mydei shook his head with a smile.
"But I cannot forgo the delightful experience a bath offers." Aglaea replied calmly, then looked at him.
"So, I assume you also glimpsed yours, Mydeimos?"
The smile on Mydei's face faded slightly as he spoke, word by word: "One day, you shall die with a wound in your back."
As those words fell, the audience, who had thought this was merely a normal conversation, finally realized.
This was a death prophecy.
...
: Huh??
: Wait, what?!
: Damn it, these cursed prophecies again?!
: This time they're not even hiding it, they're directly predicting both their deaths?!
: Die from wounds on the back… does that mean someone who knows Mydei's weakness…?
: AAAAAH! No! Stop turning this into a werewolf game again!
: So every demigod receives a prophecy upon ascension, and they're all related to their deaths?!
: Holy shit… this isn't foreshadowing that Phainon kills Mydei, right?!
: Stop it! What the hell are you doing, Mihoyo?!