Side Story 53. [After Story] Lucas
10 years later.
Imperial Year 702.
50 years since the final battle against the beasts.
Everblack Empire. Imperial Capital, New Terra.
Imperial Palace. Audience Chamber.
“Lord, I believe the time has come for me to hang up this Knight Order uniform.”
Lucas, who had come early in the morning, spoke, and Ash dug into his ear with a startled face.
“…Huh? Did I just hear that wrong, Lucas?”
“You heard me correctly, my lord.”“What?!”
“Please grant me permission to retire from my position as Captain of the Glory Knights.”
At Lucas’s request, Ash jumped up from the throne in alarm.
“Hey, now, Lucas! You said we’d live and die together! What’s this about running off first?”
“Don’t say such scary things. And I’m not running away…”
Lucas laughed awkwardly and stroked his white beard.
“Your Majesty, you’re about to hand over the throne to Her Highness Crown Princess Stella, aren’t you?”
“That’s right. The coronation is only a few months away now.”
“After that, you’ll be living in the secondary palace being built in Crossroad.”
“Right. I plan to spend my twilight years basking in the warm sun, taking it easy.”
“Then who do you think will be responsible for guarding you at that secondary palace?”
“Uh…”
Ash paused in thought, then pointed at Lucas with his finger.
“You?”
“Exactly. That’s why I should be supervising the construction of the secondary palace where you’ll be staying.”
Lucas intended to continue serving as Ash’s personal guard even after retirement in Crossroad.
He planned to personally inspect whether the secondary palace under construction was truly suitable for a retired emperor.
“And you plan to take the train when you go down, correct? I should inspect the safety of the railway in advance as well.”
Ten years ago, there had barely been rail laid near New Terra.
But now, the rail network stretched across the world. The steam trains had become nothing short of the new lifeblood of global logistics.
Among them, the southern line to Crossroad had recently been completed, and Lucas intended to ensure its safety himself.
“Our old knight is still as meticulous as ever.”
“Haha, I’ll be back up before you know it. I should also bring Evangeline and Sapphire along.”
Lucas added, looking slightly embarrassed.
“We’ll need to attend the wedding of Her Highness Crown Princess Stella and Emerald…”
“If you’re going to bring them, just round up everyone you know in Crossroad too. Even if it’s a small ceremony, I’m sure plenty of people want to celebrate with them.”
Ash waved his hand with a grin.
“Alright then, Sir Lucas. I grant you permission to retire a few months before me.”
“I am forever grateful for your grace.”
“Of course, that’s retirement from being the Captain of the Glory Knights—not from being my personal guard. You understand that, right?”
Lucas returned a gentle smile.
“How could I not, my lord.”
“Still, the wedding of my daughter and your son…”
Ash rested his chin on his hand, lost in thought.
“Makes me think of the wedding we had, me and Serenade, and you and Evangeline. The two couples.”
“Haha, that was nearly fifty years ago now.”
As they reminisced about the distant past, both men’s faces suddenly paled.
They had just recalled why that double wedding had become the stuff of legends…
“…Let’s hope nothing terrifying happens this time.”
“Haha. Surely something like that won’t happen… again?”
Their voices trailed off. They looked at each other with trembling eyes.
A heavy silence fell between the Emperor and his knight.
Imperial Palace. Hall of Glory.
This place, the heart of the Glory Knights, welcomed Lucas’s slow steps.
Ambitious, young knights now filled the hall. They were full of confidence in their swords and their skills—burning with youthful spirit.
‘…I must’ve worn that same look back in the day.’
As the young knights greeted him with salutes and respectful gazes, Lucas slowly made his way through the Hall of Glory and opened the office door.
“You’re here, Captain.”
Rupert, who had served as Lucas’s adjutant for many years, stood straight, waiting.
“How did the audience with His Majesty go?”
“Thankfully, it went well.”
“Then, it’s really…”
“Yes. I’m finally allowed to retire.”
Inside the office stood a large, aged desk. On it lay an old nameplate with elegant lettering.
[Lucas Cross, Captain of the Glory Knights]
Lucas sank into the chair he had used for decades and let out a long breath.
“I stayed in this seat for far too long. Don’t you think?”
“Someone known as the Empire’s Greatest Sword shouldn’t say such things.”
“Greatest Sword, my ass. These days, even a little movement leaves my whole body aching.”
“You say that, but you still beat everyone in the last sparring session…”
As Rupert murmured, Lucas gestured to him.
When Rupert approached, Lucas stood up and pointed at the chair he had just vacated.
“Sit down.”
“…”
“This is your seat now. You need to start getting used to it.”
Lucas urged him, and Rupert reluctantly sat down.
Standing behind him, Lucas placed his hands on both of Rupert’s shoulders and grinned.
“I can trust you to lead the Glory Knights, right?”
“…”
“A shield that protects the Imperial Family. A sword that strikes down invaders. There’s no one else I can entrust that role to but you. Will you accept it?”
Rupert exhaled deeply and nodded.
“Of course, Captain.”
“You’re the Captain now, remember.”
Lucas unfastened the epaulettes from his uniform and attached them to Rupert’s shoulders.
Then he unbuckled the longsword from his waist and handed it to Rupert.
“Will you accept this as well?”
Standing up, Rupert faced Lucas and carefully received the sword.
Lucas smiled gently.
“That’s the second sword you’ve received from me. Take good care of this one too.”
“…!”
Rupert looked at him in shock.
He had never revealed that he was the boy who once received a sword from Lucas.
“When did you find out?”
“Hm? From the beginning, of course.”
“Why didn’t you say anything? I thought I was hiding it pretty well.”
“Was there any need to say it out loud?”
“…”
“We’re connected through the sword. There are things that don’t need to be said with words.”
Rupert shook his head in disbelief.
“I never told you, but I always thought of you as a mentor. In swordsmanship, and in life… I learned so much from you.”
“And though I never said it either, I learned a great deal from your sword as well.”
Lucas raised the corners of his lips faintly.
“I’ve always thought of you as a friend.”
Rupert clicked his tongue.
“Damn it. I can’t beat you, even at the end.”
“Of course not.”
Lucas laughed freely and looked down at his now-empty waist.
“Because I was the Empire’s Greatest Sword.”
After leaving the main palace, Lucas made his way to Stella’s residence.
Five years ago, Stella had ascended to the position of Crown Princess and had gradually begun inheriting the responsibilities of the Everblack Empire from Ash. By now, she was functioning as the de facto ruler of the nation.
In other words—
“Your Highness! An urgent message from the West!”
“An envoy from the Ariane Kingdom is requesting an emergency audience!”
“There’s a critical miscalculation in New Terra’s tax revenue!”
—she was incredibly busy.
Ash had first trained thoroughly as the Lord of Crossroad and Grand Duke of the Bringar Duchy before ascending to the throne of the Everblack Empire. By the time he became Emperor, he already had the composure of a seasoned leader.
Stella, on the other hand, did not. Though intelligent and wise, and despite her extensive theoretical studies, she was still in the thick of learning on the ground, without a moment’s rest.
“Uwaaaaagh! I haven’t even taken the throne yet! Why am I already this busy?!”
Buried under piles of paperwork, Stella’s scream reminded Lucas of Ash during his rough days as Grand Duke of Bringar.
Lucas wore a faintly pleased smile as he spotted a blond knight running frantically down the corridor.
“Hey there, Sir Emerald.”
The knight, who was urgently carrying something on a tray, stopped in his tracks with a start.
“Gah! Fath— I mean, Captain!”
“You can call me Father now. I just stepped down from the captain’s post.”
“Seriously? I thought you looked more relaxed than usual.”
Father and son shared a brief laugh. Lucas gestured with his chin.
“You look busy.”
“Haha. Her Highness hasn’t had lunch yet.”
Emerald slightly lifted the cover of the tray he was holding. There was a sandwich and a drink inside.
“So I brought her something to nibble on.”
“Haha. It’s good to see you attending to Her Highness so well.”
“When I first became her guard, I thought it would be all about gallantly protecting her. But in reality, it’s just… chores. All the time.”
Lucas recalled his fifty years of serving Ash.
Looking back, he realized he’d spent far more time doing menial tasks than actually drawing his sword.
“If it helps the one you serve, does it really matter how you do it?”
“I wanted to be like you, Father. A sword that protects its master with dignity…”
“But the finest sword is the one that stays sheathed. If it never has to be drawn, that’s a good thing in its own right.”
After offering that advice, Lucas let out a quiet sigh.
“Still… you really went the distance. Became her guard, earned her trust… and now you’re marrying her.”
He had scurried after Stella, head over heels, and somehow clawed his way up to become her knight. Eventually, he was chosen by the Crown Princess herself for marriage.
“Well, the truth is…”
Emerald scratched the back of his head awkwardly and glanced around before confessing to his father.
“Her Highness doesn’t particularly like me.”
“Hm?”
“She was worried staying single would cause gossip, so she looked for someone suitable with decent background… and I ended up being a convenient pick. Ugh.”
Emerald scratched his head again.
“So, yeah. It’s a so-called political marriage. Yup.”
“…”
“Even after the engagement, nothing’s really changed. I’m just being used as a kind of errand dog, honestly.”
Emerald looked a bit dejected, but Lucas chuckled and patted his son on the shoulder.
“Even so, that distant star is closer to you now than ever.”
“…”
“If you do your best, whoever it is—you’ll reach them in the end. So… I entrust Her Highness, the next Empress of this nation, and the world to come, to you.”
Taking in the words of a father laying down his sword and stepping away,
Emerald slowly smiled and gave a firm nod.
“With all my body and soul, I will.”
The father and son seemed like they had more to say.
But before they could speak further, a voice called out from inside—Stella, shouting, “Sir Emerald! Where are you?!”
Emerald rushed inside in a panic.
Lucas chuckled softly and turned around.
He was curious how their story would unfold—but that tale belonged to the next generation.
“The Emperor’s bodyguard marries the Lord of Crossroad, and their children become the Emperor’s bodyguard and the new Lord of Crossroad.”
Lucas murmured with satisfaction.
“Looks like we did well raising our kids, Evangeline.”
New Terra Central Station.
Pooooooo—
The whistle signaling imminent departure echoed through the air, and steam billowed from the train.
Standing at the front of the train, Lucas slowly looked around.
The cityscape had transformed into something unimaginable fifty years ago.
Centered around the train station, new buildings and shopping districts stretched outward. The taller buildings were all draped with massive advertising banners.
The world always changes.
But some things remain the same.
“…”
New Terra Central Plaza.
He saw a massive advertisement hanging from the clocktower.
It was the first commemorative poster in continental history, revived through a retro trend. Newly repainted, it had been rehung.
[Let’s Go to Crossroad]
A family of four in comfortable southern clothing held hands, smiling happily as they stood on a green field under a bright blue sky.
Lucas knew that illustration well.
Because the models were none other than himself, Evangeline, Sapphire, and Emerald.
Looking up at that long-distant portrait of their youth, a peaceful smile touched Lucas’s lips.
“Shall we go, then? To Crossroad.”
Having entrusted the sword he’d wielded his entire life to worthy successors,
the now-liberated old knight stepped toward the train with a light heart.
His beloved wife was waiting for him in the city at the far southern edge.
Now that both had fulfilled their long obligations, they would never be parted again—those lifelong lovers.
–TL Notes–
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