The North Sea had once been known as the Sea of Death. But now, it felt warm—almost cozy.
It was still rougher than the other waters, but with the dark mana long gone, it had become calm enough to sail without fear.
On the deck of a massive imperial warship, its hull engraved with the crest of the empire, Caron stood with his three children and watched the waves roll beneath the golden light.
"Father, I heard this ocean used to be incredibly dangerous," Bren Leston, Caron and Seria's firstborn, said, his eyes sparkling.
Bren had turned seven this year. He'd inherited the Leston family's signature blond hair and blue eyes—just like Caron—though his features were a touch softer, more delicate.
Caron chuckled at his son's earnest question and affectionately ruffled the boy's hair.
"It was," he replied. "When I first headed for the New Continent, our ship nearly sank on the way."
"Do you think I can become someone amazing like you, Father?" Bren asked.
"Don't become like me, Bren," Caron said, raising both hands dramatically. "I'm begging you."
"Why not?" Bren asked.
"...Honestly, I don't want you turning into another Halo. I want you to stay with me forever, alright? You understand what I mean, don't you?" Caron replied.
"Hehe," Bren laughed.
Caron's adorable son was just too precious to him. He merely nodded with a warm, helpless smile.
Caron's daughter suddenly appeared beside him without his notice, then shouted energetically, "Daddy! Make me a little sibling!"
Luina Leston—only one year younger than Bren—was just as precious.
"Aqua told you to say that, didn't she?" Caron asked.
"Uuuuuum... No! I want a younger sibling! It's not fair that only Bren has a younger sibling!" Luina protested.
"I'll try my best," Caron said with a smile.
"A little brother is good! A little sister is good! I don't mind as long as it's a younger sibling!" Luina added.
"Yes, yes," Caron replied.
Time spent with his children was always pure happiness. For them, he felt he could do anything—truly anything.
After losing the goal of revenge, he'd wandered for a long time. But eventually, he had found a new purpose: To build a happy future with his children. Nothing else mattered anymore. His head was filled only with the wish that his children would always have smiles on their faces.
Caron played with them for quite a while, letting their bright giggles dance across the deck.
It was then that he noticed a lone figure at the bow.
How gloomy, he thought.
Halo stood alone, staring out at the sea, deep in thought.
"Aqua, I'm going to go check on Halo," Caron said. "Keep an eye on your siblings."
"Okay," Aqua replied.
Caron handed Bren and Luina off to Aqua and approached Halo at an easy pace.
"Are you entering your rebellious phase?" he asked playfully. "It's about time for that."
As always, Caron teased Halo.
Halo slowly turned his head, wearing a tired, irritated expression. He said flatly, "As if I'd go through something like that, Uncle."
"Thinking about the old days got you sentimental, huh?" Caron asked.
"Good grief, that mental illness still hasn't healed? This is my first time visiting the North Sea. Can the Saintess not cure your delusions?" Halo replied.
"Watch your mouth, you little brat. I really might toss you into the North Sea," Caron warned.
"Go on then," Halo said.
"Oh, look at him. He's saying whatever he wants," Caron said, then stepped up beside Halo.
It had been fifteen years. Fifteen years of Halo stubbornly keeping up this completely ridiculous act. At this point, most people would have given up, but Halo had incredible persistence.
Of course, when he got angry, his old speech patterns slipped out—but that didn't matter to him. The only thing that mattered was that Caron knew Halo had reincarnated.
"When we reach the Demon Realm—ah, no, the New Continent—you're going to be shocked," Caron said.
"Why?" Halo asked.
"It's changed so much from what you remember. You're the Crown Prince—you can't leave the empire easily. But out there? It's practically a different world now," Caron said.
"Hmm," Halo responded.
"The demons are preparing very hard to welcome us," Caron added. "It'll be fun to expect a lot."
Caron himself hadn't visited the New Continent in about five years. The last time had been for Shiker's funeral.
Shiker—one of the last survivors of the ancient civilization—had entrusted everything he knew to his returning kin. Then, quietly, peacefully, he had passed away—not assassinated or killed, just... overtaken by the flow of time he'd long defied.
"They said they're planning to start full-scale intercontinental trade with tourism as the first step," Caron said. "I think it'll go well."
"They've restored a lot of ancient technology," Halo said.
"Most of our empire's new technologies were inspired by ancient ones," Caron said. "We develop tech, they get help rebuilding—everyone wins."
Until now, operating a business in the New Continent had required special permission from the Continental Union. Entry had been severely restricted. But with the empire's recent membership in the Union, those limitations had vanished.
It was a full opening. A flood of investment would soon crash onto the New Continent.
The Demon Kings who ruled for three centuries had never exploited the land's resources, and enormous deposits of mana stones had been confirmed.
With arcane engineering advancing rapidly, demand for mana stones had skyrocketed. To many, the opening of the New Continent was salvation itself.
"We opened this future," Caron murmured, his eyes on the waves.
Halo—still clinging to his ridiculous persona—didn't answer. He merely smiled faintly and stood beside Caron.
"A huge port has been built where the expedition first landed," Caron said. "And around it, a whole bunch of villas were built."
"You mean the demons built them?" Halo asked.
"No? I did," Caron replied. "It's my land. If you want to make real money, real estate is king. Write that down."
"I'm the Crown Prince," Halo said.
"Even a Crown Prince can commit embezzlement if he uses the treasury for personal expenses," Caron said. "This isn't the ancient era. The treasury isn't your personal piggy bank."
"You're really irritating," Halo grumbled.
"This is adulthood, kiddo," Caron said. "Try acting cute. Your uncle might give you pocket money."
"Ugh, stop bothering me and just go away," Halo said.
Despite the bickering, the two of them were as close as ever.
***
The ships carrying the imperial family and the Ducal Family of Leston finally reached the New Continent after a long voyage. They arrived at Vanguard Bay.
At the end of the route where the original expeditionary force had first set foot on the New Continent, an enormous port—large enough to be seen from afar—now stood proudly, crowded with grand buildings.
"...It looks almost as splendid as our capital," Revelio remarked, his mouth falling open as the port drew nearer.
"As an emperor, can't you at least pretend to keep your dignity?" Caron asked dryly.
"Well, I thought they were a nation that needed help, especially since they only recently joined the Continental Union," Revelio answered.
"I'm willing to bet the reports were submitted diligently, but you didn't bother to read them closely, did you?" Caron asked with a smirk.
"Why should I? It's practically your kingdom, not mine. I just assumed you handled it well," Revelio replied.
"For the last time—it's not my kingdom. It's an autonomous nation. Autonomous," Caron insisted.
The ship eased into port and finally docked.
The moment Caron stepped off the ship with Revelio—
"Your Majesty the King!"
"Your Majesty the King!"
The demons who had been waiting ahead erupted into thunderous cheers. Every one of them kneeled, chanting Caron's name with feverish devotion.
Faced with that overwhelming greeting, Caron scratched his cheek awkwardly.
"And you call this an autonomous nation? At this point it's practically a theocracy," Revelio said.
"Are you insulting the Holy Kingdom right now?" Caron asked with a smirk.
"Fanatics who worship the human god, and the Demon King who receives their worship... Yes, the enemy of continental peace was right here," Revelio muttered as he looked around. Then the demons suddenly changed their chant.
"Your Imperial Majesty!"
"Your mercy shall be remembered forever!"
"Glory to the emperor of the Orias Empire!"
The surprise wave of imperial worship completely flipped the mood.
Revelio finally nodded in deep satisfaction and said, "Now this—this is a proper civilized nation."
"Two minutes ago you called them a backward land ruled by fanatics," Caron reminded him.
"When did I say that?" Revelio asked.
As the humans, including Caron and Revelio, set foot on land, Judas—the regent of the new nation Piamen—approached with a flower garland in hand.
Caron shot Judas a discreet look. Judas immediately understood, nodded, and placed the garland gently around Revelio's neck.
"Welcome to the New Continent, Your Imperial Majesty Revelio. We are deeply grateful for your precious visit," Judas said.
"This was long overdue, Regent Judas. This place is the symbol of a new age. I'm truly astonished—it's far more splendid than the rumors suggested," Revelio remarked.
"Is that so?" Judas asked.
"By the way, this is my first vacation since ascending the throne," Revelio added.
"It is the highest honor of our lives to host Your Majesty's first vacation. We shall devote ourselves to ensuring it becomes unforgettable," Judas continued.
"I believe it already will be. Thank you for the welcome," Revelio said.
Revelio was a simple man. No one had known he would be this happy just for being fussed over first.
After bowing to the emperor, Judas turned discreetly toward Caron and said, "My king."
"...Do you think you could refrain from saying that when the emperor is standing right beside me?" Caron asked.
"What does it matter? You are the king here. It's already defined by international law. Ultimately, you're the one in charge," Revelio jumped in.
"So if something goes wrong, everyone gets to dump the blame on me. That's what you're thinking, right?" Caron asked with a smirk.
"As expected of my clever younger brother," Revelio said with a pleased grin.
Seeing the two of them bicker, one could mistake them for real siblings.
"Dad!"
While they exchanged greetings, Caron's family disembarked. Seria approached them with the children—Aqua, Bren, and Luina.
Judas bowed deeply to them and introduced himself, "It is an honor to meet the prince and princesses. My name is Judas, loyal servant to Lord Caron."
"What's a servant?" Bren asked, tugging at Caron's sleeve.
"Well, that's...." Caron trailed off.
Before Caron could answer, Halo stepped forward from behind and said, "Think of him as this place's version of Urhan."
"Halo!" Luina cheered and immediately leaped into his arms. For some reason, she adored Halo more than anyone.
Holding Luina, Halo turned his gaze to Judas. A strange sensation washed over the latter. It was his first time seeing the imperial crown prince up close, but he felt familiar.
"Your Highness, it is an honor to—" Judas began, but was cut off.
"I like this port," Halo interrupted.
"What a coincidence, Your Highness. This port bears the same name as you—Halo Port. It was named for the other hero who freed us from our wretched fate," Judas explained.
"Maybe that's why I like it more," Halo said.
"As we speak, priests, paladins, and laborers from the Holy Kingdom who arrived earlier are decorating the port. I must apologize in advance if things seem a bit busy," Judas continued.
After offering his apology, he guided the imperial family and the Ducal Family of Leston into the city. They boarded automobiles crafted using the restored demon technology.
As the gateway to the New Continent, the demons had clearly spared no effort in the city's construction. The buildings were brilliant yet clean, the districts precisely divided, the entire city planned meticulously. It looked nothing like the cities of the continent, and that novelty alone made it charming.
But before long, Caron and his family encountered a far too familiar sight.
"Here! This is where our Warrior achieved his great deeds! Put up more monuments!"
"O Radiant Light! Sending the great Warrior Caron Leston to perform such miracles...!"
"We must build statues so grand that worship becomes instinctive! Caron struck the ground once, and the sea split! The land and sky turned over! Carve it like that!"
The fanatics of the Holy Kingdom had completely invaded the place.
Seria glanced out the window and shook her head. She muttered, "Fanatics. Always fanatics."
"Seria," Caron called.
"What?" Seria asked.
"...Those are your worshippers, you know," Caron replied, then let out a long sigh.
"We are currently developing a tourism package themed around following the journey of Warrior Caron, savior of the world—covering major battlefields and even areas near the Void," Judas eagerly offered an explanation.
"Judas," Caron called.
"Yes, my king?" Judas answered.
"Does that even make money?" Caron asked.
To that question, Judas beamed and answered, "We have already passed thirty thousand reservations! Thanks to the down payments, we covered the entire development budget for the tourism sector."
"The world really has gone crazy... Fine, do whatever you want," Caron said.
"Self-reliance! We are working hard toward the goals His Majesty set!" Judas added.
The demons, diving headfirst into capitalism by monetizing the Warrior...
...Truly, this world had become a spectacle.
Thus began their vacation on the New Continent.