Reincarnated In The World Of The Last Game I Played

A few weeks after Athena's official coronation, the emperor of Elsna, Sued Tarna Elsna, summoned his right-hand man, saint Veta, to a meeting.

"Now that Basilica is in the hands of a woman. It will be much easier to take her." Said the emperor.

"Are you talking about another war?"

The emperor smiled. "No, I'll marry the new queen."

"I see... As the empire is without an empress at the moment, if his majesty marries Princess Serien-"

The emperor narrowed his eyes as Veta spoke and sighed. "Veta, didn't you know? Rerian suffered a coup d'etat. The queen is now a woman nicknamed 'Queen of Death.' They say she is beautiful and dark."

"How can a person be beautiful and dark at the same time?" Veta asked, although he already knew about the rumors about the queen in the south.

Veta feigning ignorance in front of the emperor, was something usual. He did the same when he killed the empress and let the imperial prince escape. All this for the emperor to keep his guard down around him.

Veta, son of the saint archer Lanar, had spent thirty years serving the man who killed his father. During this period, he fought wars and proved his loyalty several times to the man he hated.

Being a formidable warrior, at the age of 46, Veta achieve sainthood and became the 'Saint of War' and time stoped for him as well as for all saints.

However, that still wasn't enough to accomplish his revenge.

His plan was to bring the empire to glory and then wait for the prince to return, giving absolute happiness to the emperor, who thought his son was dead. Then, with the emperor watching from his cabin, he would destroy the empire from within and bury a sword into the chest of his beloved son.

Only then would his revenge be complete.

"I don't know. But she will be perfect and then Basilica will be mine and with it, the Marquis' dungeon and when we conquer the dungeon, the Marquis' heart stone, I will finally be able to resurrect my Den." The emperor smiled a smile that bordered on madness.

Veta smiled kindly at the emperor's plan. (Fool...)

***

During the trip back to Basilica, three days had passed and Mifa was still on the deck. Even though she was still recovering, she didn't want to leave Athena alone.

"Mifa, come inside, she doesn't even know you're there." Sahari said.

Winter was approaching and the night lit by only one moon was cold, causing ice to form here and there.

Mifa blamed herself for what happened to Athena. She thought that if she wasn't too weak to deal with the demon, Athena wouldn't have to go that far.

As if reading the girl's mind, Sahari sat beside her and stroked her hair. "You can't blame yourself. Not even Dria..." Overcome with longing, Sahari was silent for seconds. "Not even Dria, who was as strong as Nijha and Lobana could defeat that thing... You are not weak, the enemy that was too strong."

Mifa took a deep breath, filling her lungs with icy air, in a futile attempt to hold back her tears.

Sahari hugged the girl and stroked her hair, which now, due to the metamorphosis, was long. They stayed like that until Mifa fell asleep and Sahari took her to the room below deck.

Lobana, who was at the wheel, watched the scene and looked at Athena with a bitter expression. She felt useless for not being able to help Athena.

(I'm not allow you to fucking die before you go back to your daughter.) Lobana thought as her fist tightened around the wheel.

***

Athena looked at the girl and smiled, finally being able to talk to someone who was not part of her. (My name is Athena. And you?)

The girl, with her cheeks flushed, smiled a beautiful and bright smile when she realized that Athena was right there.

(I am Uran/End. Is Athena grounded too?)

(Grounded? No. What is this place?)

The girl made a sad expression. (We are in punishment...)

Athena frowned. 'Punishment' didn't explain what she wanted to know, but then End continued.

(Mom put me here after I tried to exercise my existence. You know, having two goddesses who have the same purpose doesn't make a lot of sense, but Naph's job should just be guiding the dead...)

(Two goddesses? Death? Uran, are you a goddess?) Athena asked with surprise on her face and the girl gave a big wave.

(I am the goddess of all ends.) Uran said, but then shook her head. (No. I was. A short time ago some mortals told me that I am now called the 'Goddess of Destruction'... I...) Uran sobbed (I... I didn't destroy anything. I just kicked a human city... .)

Athena couldn't connect the dots of the girl's story. She only knew a little about Lhia and Faena, but no goddess of destruction other than Faena appeared in the story, let alone a goddess of the end.

Besides, Lhia and Faena weren't even goddesses.

But the divine problems didn't matter at the moment. Uran had said that someone had spoken to her and that was a hope for Athena.

(Has anyone come here before me?)

(Here? No. I've always been alone.) Uran said as she bowed her head.

(So ​​who told you they called you the 'Goddess of Destruction'?)

(It was Ytria and her friends. They created a key that opened one of the punishment seals.)

(And why don't you go through this loophole?)

(I've already tried, but…) The girl floated and then chain appeared on her ankles and wrists, pulling her back. (Mom put this on me.)

(How long has that voice been here alone, Uran?) Athena asked with a bitter expression.

The girl laughed the way only a naughty child would after being punished. (Hehehe... Only fifteen thousand years. Mom will soon forgive me.)

Uran had spent fifteen millennia trapped, alone there. Thinking of the girl alone for all this time and seeing that awkward smile made Athena's heart shrink in pain and her face harden in sadness.

***

In Basilian, Serien was going through the building grant documents, which Athena had started and left for her to manage.

It had been three months since Athena was gone and her workload still didn't decrease.

Serien dropped the documents onto the table and massaged her neck with her right hand as she pulled her hair over her left shoulder as the door echoed the knocks.

"In between." Serien said in a tired voice.

The door opened with a heavy creak and a red-haired woman dressed in men's clothes, black coat and black pants with tall black boots.

Her calm expressions brought relief to the princess, unlike her words.

"Princess, an emissary from the empire awaits."

Serien looked up tiredly, her face twisted in surprise and disgust.

"What does he want?"

"He didn't said."

Serien threw back her head and blew out her weariness as she rose from her chair.

"Guide him to the throne room."

"As you wish, princess."

When Serien sat on the smaller throne to the right of an empty throne, the man who was dressed pompously tacky did not kneel in reverence.

The man wore a tomato red suit, just like his hair and beard, with blue accents. This sight made the knights hold back their laughter.

His disdain for the princess of a defeated kingdom was clear as day, but Serien didn't mind his lack of education. Basilica was getting up again and her people were happier than they had been in the last hundred years. That was enough for her.

Serien looked at the man with a sharp look. "What does an emissary from the empire want?" Serie said in a dignified voice.

The man looked at the princess and clicked his tongue as he was seen from above.

"I come to convey the words of His Majesty, Emperor Sued Tarna Elsna." The man looked at Serien with annoyance. "What are you doing?"

"What do you mean?" Serien maintained her dignity as princess regent.

"I just said that I am here to convey the Emperor's words."

"Well then, do it."

"Get off the throne and kneel!" The man ordered.

Serien raised an eyebrow at the man and signaled to the knights, who were beginning to pull their swords from their scabbards, not to.

"And why should I? We're not empire vassals and we don't have any friendly relationship either."

"Why your-"

"Complete this sentence and you will spend a week in the castle dungeons." Serien rose from her throne and descended the stairs to the emissary. "Know that in Basilica, not killing the messenger is a courtesy and not a rule."

Serien was shorter than the man and she had to look up to speak with his face, but her presence was greater, which made the man flinch.

"Now, if you came here just to see me on my knees, I believe you wasted your time. Basilicans no longer knelt." Serien walked through the throne room, which was now dark due to the thick curtains covering the windowpanes, lit only by torches, as Athena had requested. "Speak. What does the empire want?"

The man never thought he would be afraid in this mission he was given, but there he was, with his heart pounding and his hands sweaty.

"H-His Majesty, Sued Tarna Elsna, wishes to propose to the queen of death, Athena, in marriage so that the kingdom of Basilica can join the empire and the people stop suffering."

"Hmph…" Serien snorted. "What if she doesn't accept?"

"Huh?"

"I asked: What happens if she doesn't accept?" Serien repeated as she opened one of the curtains a little.

"I... I don't know. I wasn't told the consequences." The man replied.

"I imagine…" Serien turned to the man and smiled. "It's a pity. This matter should be dealt with with her highness, as only she can answer."

As soon as Serien said this, a knight entered the throne room.

"Your highness, Queen Athena has returned." The man enunciated and Serien smiled with her whole face.

"Looks like you won't have to wait that long.." Serien said to the man and ran out the door.