The royal palace of Luminith no longer resembled the symbol of glory it had once been. Entire sections of the upper floors had collapsed during the battle, leaving the throne room exposed to the dark evening sky above. Snow drifted endlessly through the ruined ceiling, covering broken marble, shattered pillars and fragments of ancient statues beneath a pale layer of white. Massive cracks spread across the surviving walls, and the cold wind moved freely through what remained of the once magnificent hall.
And yet, despite the destruction surrounding it, the throne itself still stood untouched at the center of the room.
It almost felt symbolic.
As though the kingdom itself refused to disappear completely.
King Mathias sat upon the throne in silence, leaning slightly against one armrest while staring toward the ruined entrance with a tired expression. His eyes had lost much of their former sharpness. Exhaustion hung over him heavily tonight, making him seem less like a king and more like a grieving man forced to continue carrying responsibilities long after reaching his limit.
Behind him, the five royal advisors sat atop broken slabs of stone gathered from the collapsed walls. None of them spoke. Their expressions remained dark and uneasy while the atmosphere inside the ruined throne room grew heavier with every passing second.
To Mathias' right sat Conor Berg, leader of the Church of Moonlight. Unlike the others, he had requested a proper chair despite the devastation surrounding them, and now sat calmly with his hands folded together while snowflakes melted quietly against his silver-white robes.
A woman with crimson hair tied into a practical tail rested atop a large piece of broken stone, one leg crossed lazily over the other while her armored fingers tapped lightly against the sheath of the sword hanging at her waist. Although she had also been offered a chair, she refused it without hesitation.
Her green eyes slowly observed the room in silence.
Even the knights stationed around the throne seemed careful not to look directly at her for too long.
Near the entrance of the hall, Bernard narrowed his eyes while quietly leaning toward Smith.
"…Is that who I think it is?"
Smith exhaled smoke slowly from his cigarette before nodding once.
"Yeah. That's her."
Harold frowned immediately.
"The leader of the Order?"
Smith nodded again without taking his eyes off the red-haired woman.
"The very same."
Harold swallowed unconsciously. He had imagined someone louder. Larger. More intimidating in an obvious way. Instead, the woman barely moved at all, yet her mere presence pressed down onto the room .
"She's terrifying," Harold muttered quietly. "Feels like there's a ghost sitting over there."
Ozvold remained silent beside them, but even he kept one hand resting near his sword instinctively.
Smith's expression darkened slightly.
"Her existence itself is an anomaly. Most of the time, when we receive orders from above, they come through her advisors or messengers. Very few people have ever met her face to face." He paused briefly before narrowing his eyes. "The fact she came here personally means she has her own purpose."
Harold scratched the back of his neck awkwardly.
"Does she at least have a name?"
Smith smirked faintly.
"As general of the army, I'm one of the few people allowed to know it."
Bernard looked toward him immediately.
"Well?"
"I'm not telling you."
Bernard blinked.
"What?"
"She'd kill me."
The bluntness of the answer made Harold stare blankly for a moment while Smith calmly took another drag from his cigarette.
"You earn the right to know her name."
Snow continued falling quietly through the ruined ceiling while more survivors gathered around the throne room to witness the trial. Nobles stood near the front in expensive coats dirtied by ash and blood, while exhausted knights and civilians crowded together farther behind them. Guards struggled to maintain order as whispers spread nervously throughout the hall.
Everyone had come to witness the judgment of the man who had saved the kingdom.
And nearly destroyed it.
Utsuki stood near the front beside Melissa, Elizabeth, Lilith, Kandaki and Tora. Her hands trembled slightly beneath her sleeves while her eyes remained fixed on the entrance.
Please…
Her breathing shook softly.
Please let this end peacefully…
King Mathias finally exhaled heavily before speaking.
"Bring in the accused."
The throne room immediately fell silent.
A moment later, the sound of chains echoed through the ruined hall.
CLANG.
CLANG.
CLANG.
Toki appeared through the shattered remains of the massive throne room doors, escorted by several members of the Church. Heavy enchanted silver chains wrapped around his wrists, chest and throat so tightly they restricted even his breathing. Every step seemed heavier than the last.
The moment Utsuki saw him, tears instantly filled her eyes.
"Toki…"
Bernard's expression twisted with fury.
"What the hell is this?"
Harold immediately reached for his weapon while Ozvold's hand tightened around the hilt of his sword.
Melissa looked horrified.
"He surrendered willingly…"
Elizabeth narrowed her eyes sharply toward Conor.
"This is excessive."
Before anyone could move, however, the red-haired woman finally spoke.
"Bernard Edmund."
Her voice wasn't loud, yet the entire throne room froze instantly.
Bernard stiffened unconsciously as her green eyes shifted toward him.
"You and your companions played a vital role in saving this capital. You are worthy descendants of Rindal's bloodline." Her fingers tapped softly against the hilt of her sword. "That is why I will only warn you once. Do not interfere."
The pressure behind her words spread across the room immediately.
Cold sweat ran down Harold's neck while even Ozvold slowly loosened his grip on his weapon. Bernard himself clenched his fists furiously, but his body refused to move beneath the weight of her gaze.
Conor smiled faintly from his chair, clearly amused by the reaction.
The woman ignored him completely.
"However," she continued calmly while looking toward Toki, "they are correct. This is not how we treat a man who has yet to be proven guilty."
Conor's expression darkened instantly.
The woman slowly rose to her feet, snow drifting softly through strands of crimson hair as one hand moved toward her sword.
SHING.
Nobody even saw the slash clearly.
CRACK.
Every enchanted chain wrapped around Toki shattered apart instantly, fragments of glowing silver scattering across the ruined floor while the pressure restricting his body vanished completely.
Gasps erupted throughout the throne room.
Conor stood up immediately.
"Have you lost your mind?!" Genuine irritation surfaced across his face for the first time. "He's too dangerous to leave unrestrained!"
The woman calmly lowered her sword again.
"I respect strength," she answered coldly. "And from everything I have heard, Toki Ikaru is an exceptionally powerful man. A warrior has the right to defend himself honorably."
Conor clenched his jaw.
"You're forgetting what he is."
"No," she interrupted immediately. "You are forgetting something far more important."
Her green eyes sharpened slightly.
"He belongs to the Order."
The temperature in the room seemed to drop.
"And that means I possess more authority over him than you do. So know your place, Conor Berg."
Several nearby nobles immediately lowered their eyes awkwardly while Conor slowly sat back down, visibly furious beneath his composed expression.
The woman ignored him afterward and instead turned toward King Mathias before placing one armored hand against her chest respectfully.
"Your Majesty, I still have several uncertainties regarding this judgment. Would you permit me to ask a few questions personally?"
Mathias stared at her silently for several moments before nodding.
"…Do what you believe is right."
The woman bowed her head once before approaching Toki directly.
She stopped only a meter away from him.
Up close, the difference in height became noticeable. She was taller than most women, yet Toki still stood slightly above her. Even so, not for a single moment did she appear intimidated.
Then suddenly—SHING.
Her sword appeared against Toki's throat so quickly that several people screamed in shock.
The rubble behind him exploded apart from the force of the slash while the blade itself stopped perfectly against his neck.
Utsuki nearly rushed forward immediately.
Bernard stepped instinctively toward them.
But Toki didn't move at all.
His golden eyes remained calm while staring directly into hers.
The woman observed him silently for a few seconds before speaking.
"Toki Ikaru. I personally observed your rapid ascent through the ranks of the Order. No one can deny your talent, nor the speed at which you surpassed your peers." Her eyes narrowed slightly. "However… did you obtain that power yourself, or was it given to you by someone else?"
Toki answered firmly without hesitation.
"If you want to ask me something, then ask directly."
For the first time, a faint smile touched her lips.
"Very well. Then I'll speak plainly."
The sword remained near his throat.
"Is it true that you conspired with the Star Collectors?"
"No."
His answer came instantly.
"And is it true that you are a Star Collector yourself?"
This time the whispers around the throne room spread immediately despite everyone already knowing the truth.
The voices mixed together endlessly.
Toki answered anyway.
"Yes."
The woman remained expressionless.
"And is it true that you are Rindal's son?"
Toki looked at her quietly.
"He said it himself."
She studied him silently for several moments before continuing.
"I was informed that the Dragon King himself proclaimed you the rightful king of Luminith, yet you refused the throne. You could have accepted his declaration and escaped all of this. The accusations, the hatred, the fear… perhaps even this trial itself." Her gaze sharpened slightly. "So why refuse?"
For several seconds, Toki remained silent while looking toward the ruined capital visible beyond the destroyed walls.
"…Because I don't think it would be right."
His voice sounded calm, but exhaustion lingered beneath every word.
"I spent my entire life avoiding that responsibility. Lady Utsuki and the other candidates fought and sacrificed too much to stand where they are now. I refuse to trample over their efforts simply because my blood grants me the right."
Utsuki's breath caught softly.
"And besides…" Toki continued while staring outside, "if I became king, I would eventually become trapped behind these walls. I wouldn't be able to see the suffering of ordinary people anymore."
The room slowly quieted further.
"I don't want to rule from above. I want to help from beside them."
The woman watched him carefully.
Toki slowly lowered his eyes toward his own hands before smiling faintly to himself.
"…It's strange," he admitted quietly. "For most of my life, I was terrified of this exact moment."
The throne room remained silent.
"I spent centuries hiding who I was because I thought the moment people learned the truth, everything would change. I thought they'd stop seeing me as a person." His voice remained calm, though exhaustion lingered beneath every word. "And maybe I was right."
Several people looked away awkwardly.
Toki, however, didn't seem angry.
"If people fear me now, I understand. If they doubt me, I understand that too." His golden eyes slowly lifted toward the crowd again. "A man who lived for over four hundred years while hiding his identity should appear suspicious."
A few nobles shifted uncomfortably beneath his gaze.
"But even so…" Toki continued softly, "I don't want fear to decide the kind of person I become."
The wind moved quietly through the ruined throne room while snow gathered around his feet.
"For a very long time, I kept changing myself depending on what others wanted to see. I tried to become harmless. Invisible. Easy to accept." A faint smile crossed his face, though sadness lingered behind it. "But eventually I realized something."
His eyes slowly drifted toward the ruined capital beyond the broken walls.
"No matter how much you run, you can't escape yourself forever."
Silence spread once more.
"My blood won't change. My past won't disappear. The things I've done will always remain part of me." His voice strengthened little by little. "But that doesn't mean I have to become cruel simply because people expect me to."
Bernard quietly lowered his head while listening.
Toki pressed one hand gently against his chest.
"I've made many mistakes. I've lied. I've hidden things. I've hurt people. But despite all that… there were still people who chose to believe in me."
His gaze shifted briefly toward Utsuki.
Toward Bernard.
Toward the others standing behind him.
"And because of them, I finally understand what kind of person I want to be."
The warmth in his expression slowly returned.
"So even if people begin seeing me differently after today… I will still continue doing what I believe is right."
His voice echoed clearly through the ruined throne room.
"Not because I expect praise. Not because I want forgiveness. And not because I think everyone will accept me someday."
"I'll continue because this is the path I chose for myself."
A quiet calm settled over his face.
"And because this is the path my parents left behind for me."
The mention of Rindal caused several people to tense instinctively.
But Toki continued anyway.
"My father gave everything he had to protect this kingdom, while my mother gave me the chance to live ." His golden eyes softened slightly. "If I allow hatred, fear or rejection to change who I am now… then I would betray both of them."
The throne room had become completely silent again.
Toki slowly looked toward the people gathered around him.
"I don't know whether history will remember me as a hero, a monster or a fool." A small tired laugh escaped him. "Honestly… it'll probably be all three."
A few quiet chuckles spread through the room.
But Toki's expression soon grew serious once more.
"Still, regardless of what people call me… I want my actions to remain the same. If someone suffers, I want to help them. If someone is afraid, I want to protect them. And if this kingdom falls into darkness again…"
A faint pressure quietly spread from his body.
"…then I'll stand and fight for it again."
No pride existed within his voice.
Only conviction.
Because for the first time in centuries, Toki no longer sounded like a man trying to hide from himself.
He sounded certain of who he was
"You understand that Lady Utsuki's chances of becoming queen were already low because of her resemblance to the Witch. Now that the kingdom knows the man beside her is a Star Collector, your position has only worsened." Her voice remained calm and merciless. "So why continue? Would it not be more honorable to withdraw now rather than lose humiliatingly?"
Several nobles quietly nodded in agreement.
But Toki smiled faintly.
"What purpose could possibly be more honorable than dying while trying to fulfill your dream?"
Silence spread once again.
"Maybe we stand in a terrible position right now," he admitted softly. "But we still have each other. And as long as that remains true… we'll find a path forward somehow."
His gaze slowly shifted toward Utsuki.
"The sun cannot remain hidden behind clouds forever. In the same way… my Utsuki cannot continue hiding from who she truly is."
Utsuki froze slightly.
"She's afraid," Toki continued gently. "She carries pain deeper than most people could endure, but despite that, she still chooses to fight. Seeing that inspires me to continue standing beside her."
Emotion trembled quietly within his voice now.
"One day, Lady Utsuki will have to face her fears directly. And when that day comes…" He smiled softly. "…I want to be there beside her."
The throne room became completely silent.
Even some of the nobles looked away awkwardly.
Because the sincerity in his voice was impossible to fake.
The woman stared deeply into Toki's eyes for a long moment before speaking again.
"I cannot deny that you are Rindal's son. The resemblance is undeniable. Your body, your gaze and even your resolve belong to nobility." She paused briefly. "You claimed to have lived for four hundred and twenty-one years. That means you have witnessed more wars, kings, betrayals and tragedies than most people could ever imagine."
Her eyes sharpened once more.
"You have heard countless philosophies and seen countless ideals fail. So tell me this…"
The ruined throne room held its breath.
"Among power, justice and hope… which do you believe matters most?"
Toki answered instantly.
"None of them."
Several people frowned immediately.
"Power without responsibility and perseverance means nothing. Hope without action is merely a dream, while justice without logic becomes blind." His hand slowly pressed against his own chest. "There is, however, one thing capable of completing all three."
His golden eyes softened.
"Love."
No one spoke.
"That is why I do not seek power, nor revenge. And although I am a dreamer, I refuse to offer false hope." His voice slowly strengthened. "I simply wish to love with all my strength, with all my will and with my entire existence."
A faint warmth entered his eyes despite the cold surrounding them.
"And by pursuing that purpose… I will become the strongest."
For several seconds, absolute silence filled the ruined throne room.
Then slowly, the woman lowered her sword completely.
"…Thank you," she said quietly. "For sharing your vision."
Conor immediately stood up in irritation.
"At last. Can we finish this ridiculous farce already?"
But the woman ignored him completely.
Her eyes remained fixed on Toki.
"…I believe I have reached my decision."
King Mathias slowly straightened himself upon the throne.
"…Then the final verdict shall now be delivered."