"Why are you doing this, Lucio Graymen?!" Louis said vigorously.

Louis was vigilant.

From what he knew, Lucio was a formidable opponent. But the armored person beside Lucio also seemed dangerous.

"..."

Smiling innocently, Lucio stepped forward.

He opened his yellow eyes.

"Norman Milar. You’re a great king, however, your reign will be unfortunately put to an end today." Lucio stated calmly.

"We helped you when Loogam was invaded! How dare you return the favor like this!"

Norman was completely devoured by wrath.

"That’s right. And that makes it even more difficult for me to kill you." Lucio sighed, acting regretful.

"However, this is necessary to achieve my goal." he added with a stern smile.

Zhen, Louis and Norman tensed up and raised their guard. Louis and Zhen gathered flames in their hands.

"Your name is Louis, right?"

"..."

Louis did not respond to Lucio.

"Louis. Will you kill Zhen for me?"

"?!"

Louis frowned.

"Are you screwing with me? Why should-"

However, Louis’ body moved on its own.

"!"

Flabbergasted, Zhen looked at Louis who pierced his chest with his hand.

"Keh...!"

Zhen coughed blood out.

"You bastard! What did you do?!"

Norman was about to fire off a lightning attack.

"Dreyar."

"Yes."

In an instant, Dreyar, who accompanied Lucio to the castle, appeared before Norman and swung his sword, cutting off both of Norman’s arms.

"Y-your Majesty!"

Louis wanted to head to Norman but his hand was still stuck in Zhen’s chest.

"...!"

Zhen tried to make Louis get off him but it was as if Louis’ body was not listening to him.

"Shit! What’s happening?! Zhen push me away! I can’t control my body!"

At his words, Zhen kicked Louis away from him.

"Lucio...!"

His breathing was ragged and he knew that he could not hold out any longer with such an injury but he still stood on his feet.

And with killing intent, Zhen dashed toward Louis with blue flames gathered in his right fist.

He retracted that fist and was about to throw the punch at Louis.

"..."

Lucio stood there unfazed and with a smile while Zhen’s fist stopped before touching him.

"W-what...?!"

"The knight is coming for your head. Dodge it." Lucio said cheerfully.

"?!"

Zhen turned around and saw Dreyar swinging his sword.

Normally, he could dodge it somehow but this time, his body did not move. He felt like his feet were glued to the ground.

"Zhen!!!" Louis shouted frantically.

With ease, Dreyar beheaded Zhen.

And in the meantime, Louis aimed at Lucio with a fire arrow.

"Are you trying to hurt me?"

Then, the flames dispersed.

"...?!"

Louis was shocked which distracted him from the fact that Dreyar was behind him.

Dreyar quickly stabbed Louis and pulled his sword out again, making Louis fall to his knees.

"Lucio...! Did you come here to claim the throne...?!" Norman said, glaring at Lucio.

"Took you long enough to realize, huh?" Lucio mocked Norman while still smiling.

"Aren’t you satisfied with being the leader of Loogam?! Why Malnor, too?!" Norman shouted.

"You’re wrong. It’s not just Malnor."

Lucio’s smile turned into a wicked and wide smirk.

"You’re crazy..." Norman muttered taken aback.

"After Malnor, only Rostanta and Grat are left on my list."

Hearing only those nations, Norman looked at Lucio with an even greater shock in his eyes.

"Don’t tell me..."

"Oh, sorry for introducing myself so late."

Lucio put one hand on his chest and one hand behind his back as he bowed lightly.

"I am Lucio Graymen, the ruler of Loogam and the new king of Stakew."

"Y-you already took over Stakew...?"

"Yes. I did so a few days ago. I assume that the news will be spread all around the world by tomorrow." Lucio replied nonchalantly.

"Well, taking over Stakew was easy as the previous ruler was already a loyal retainer of mine. It was just a matter of time when I returned to Stakew to claim the throne."

"..."

With a shaking hand, Louis tried to point at Lucio. Even if he was struggling in vain, he wanted to at least leave a wound behind on Lucio. Therefore, he tried to summon flames on his finger and shoot it at him.

However, nothing came out.

"Damn..." Louis huffed with a self-deprecating smile before Dreyar finished him off.

"..."

In despair, Norman slumped down on his throne with his head hanging low.

"Do you really think this nation will acknowledge you as the new king...?"

"I have my ways to deal with it."

"But let’s not waste more time. It’s time for me to become the ruler of three nations." Lucio declared confidently.

He and Dreyar approached Norman.

"What are you trying to pull off in the end...? Becoming the world leader seems too low of a goal for someone like you..."

"You’re right. Being the world leader will be only a byproduct of my actual goal." Lucio responded happily.

Lucio stretched his hand to him and pointed two fingers at Norman’s forehead.

"However, you won’t be alive to see me realize that goal."

He charged his fingers up with lightning and shot off a thin beam, piercing Norman’s head.

Zhen, Louis and Norman were now dead.

"What’s the next step? Taking over the two other nations?" Dreyar wondered.

Lucio tossed Norman’s body to the side and sat down on the throne.

"Not yet. Grat and especially Rostanta could prove to be annoying, therefore, we have to prepare our army until then. And you know what we have to do to expand our army, right?"

"Yes. I was already taught the methods."

"Good. I will tell you the locations of the others so gather them up and command them."

"Understand. But what will you do?"

"I will return to Loogam for now. It would put me in a bad light if I, the headmaster, would be late for the start of the new term." Lucio joked.

Back to Fuera.

It was the next day.

Mika, Olivia, Elsa and Sara were gathered in front of the entrance of the castle in order to send off Ophelia who had to return to Loogam for the start of the new term.

"You’re sure that you don’t want to come with me, Mika?" Ophelia asked with a sad smile.

"Yes, I can’t return yet." Mika replied.

Before he could even think about returning to Loogam, he had to work off the list Olivia had given him previously.

That list contained information about every possible location of a demon. It was far-fetched but that was the only means he could use to track down Dreyar.

"I see..."

"Then, what about you two? Will you return to Grat?" Ophelia asked Elsa and Sara.

"We will stay here for the time being. I decided to train that little girl." Elsa replied, smiling softly.

"Since Ms. Waret passed away, I was given the title of the water mage of the Grand Order but there are still many things I’m lacking at. That’s why I asked Elsa to train me here." Sara elaborated firmly.

And in order to not make her family worry, Sara sent out a letter to them.

"Is that so? I suppose we will see each other occasionally then." Ophelia chuckled lightly as she entered the carriage.

Ophelia and Olivia made an agreement to train together whenever Ophelia had the opportunity to leave the academy for a few days.

"Ophelia."

"?"

Mika called her out.

"Please don’t tell the others about me yet."

If they were to know about his current circumstances, then they would surely go after him, however, in his current state, he did not want to meet them.

"..."

Ophelia did not need to hear it out loud. She already understood his intentions.

"Do you know when you will come back?"

"I don’t know but I will try to show up at the graduation ceremony at the latest."

"The graduation ceremony? You’re kidding, right? How could a student, who didn’t attend his second and third year, even dream of graduating?" Ophelia joked.

She closed the door but the small window was open.

"See you." she said bluntly, waving her hand out of the window.

The carriage began to move.

"Honestly... What is he thinking?" she chuckled.

She lifted her face and stared at the ceiling with an indifferent expression.

"The graduation ceremony..." she muttered absentmindedly.

Meanwhile, Mika and the others headed back to the castle.

"At the latest? Heh, who are you kidding? You mean at the earliest, right?" Olivia huffed.

"I heard that you’re departing soon, Olivia. But when will you return?" Elsa asked curiously.

"I don’t know but I won’t be away for longer than a month. I have to do my work as the queen after all." Olivia stated with a sigh.

"However, that brat intends to continue traveling."

Olivia pointed at Mika with her thumb.

"Hey, Mika. How long will you be away then?" Sara asked.

"..."

He pondered for a moment as he stared at the sky.

"I don’t know it depends. The journey could take two weeks or months. Maybe it will also take two years until I return. I really don’t know." Mika said.

However, the latter one would turn out to be true.

It would take 2 years for Mika to return from his journey.