# Chapter 122
Ion looked down at the core and asked Levi with a serious face.
“Are you really okay with this?”
Levi nodded without hesitation.
“Yes.”
Nevertheless, Ion seemed worried about the many things Levi would experience and wouldn’t stop talking.
“Now you won’t heal easily when you’re hurt, and you might even get sick. Humans are susceptible to many more diseases than you know. And from now on, there’s no regeneration, and you’ll be moving with a heart…!”
“Ion.”
Levi interrupted Ion’s endless words by calling his name.
“I have you.”
Levi, who had placed his black core in Ion’s hand, reached out with his black hand that no longer possessed any abilities. He gently pulled Ion, holding the back of his head, and gazed into Ion’s golden eyes with their foreheads pressed together.
“You’ll protect me, so why worry?”
“…No reason.”
Ion smiled softly with a reddened face. His lips gradually moved closer to Levi’s.
“Levi doesn’t need to worry about anything.”
Just as Ion and Levi’s lips were about to meet.
As if deliberately interrupting, loud noises from outside the hall grew closer. It seemed that Ion’s army had already completely taken control of the imperial palace. Things had progressed so quickly probably because Raziel had relocated most of the palace personnel early on.
Levi seemed to notice this too, as he turned his head from Ion to look toward the entrance of the hall.
“We need to tell Hest. There’s no need to kill the remaining people in the imperial palace anymore.”
Levi was concerned even for the nominal imperial knights and soldiers who barely remained in the palace and headed toward the entrance. Ion, who had looked down at Levi’s core while setting aside the disappointment of missing the opportunity for a kiss, firmly grabbed his arm to stop him.
“Are you… really okay?”
Ion’s concerned gaze fell on Raziel’s black ashes, which had already scattered more than halfway. Levi, who was looking at the black ashes along with the emperor’s splendid garments, nodded.
“I’ll meet Raziel again. Someday.”
Ion made a bitter expression seeing Levi’s confident nod.
Until now, Raziel had been nothing more than a detestable person to Ion, someone he wanted to kill cruelly with his own hands.
But when Levi, who had recovered part of his memories, said he understood how Raziel and Theodore felt, Ion couldn’t just hate him unconditionally anymore. After all, it was clear that the Levi he loved had compassion for Raziel and empathized with his emotions to some extent.
Moreover, listening to Levi and Raziel’s conversation, there was a cruel past in their memories that he didn’t know about. Although he didn’t know the specific details, he could vaguely guess from their brief conversation. He too had memories of suffering at the hands of fellow humans due to his unusual abilities.
Raziel, because of his past memories, had made humans the object of his hatred and planned to become “death” himself, taking on Levi’s burden along with the infinite lifespan he so desired. And Levi would become a “true human” as he wished.
Now that he knew everything, alongside his hatred and anger toward Raziel, there was also pity.
Before departing for the Caron Empire, Levi had told Ion:
“Raziel just wants to live.”
It was both what Raziel had said to use and hold onto Levi, and his genuine feelings that had never once wavered until now.
“I’m fine.”
Levi, as if comforting Ion, extended his black hand as though asking him to hold it.
“Let’s go.”
From the tip of Levi’s black hand, which he could now extend readily without a magic ring, no fear was felt anymore.
Seeing the red pattern on Levi’s palm that had become dull as if it would never shine again, Ion grabbed his hand with a pleased smile.
❖ ❖ ❖
Soon after Verdit’s forces from the Delos Empire seized the former imperial palace and capital of the Caron Empire.
The Caron imperial family, who had already relocated to another domain, immediately requested an armistice agreement from the Delos Empire to end the war.
According to the Caron Empire, they wished to move toward ending the war smoothly and peacefully without further bloodshed, and for this purpose, they were willing to share an agreement document from one step below. In other words, it meant they were acknowledging their defeat and were on their knees, willing to accept even somewhat unfavorable terms.
The young emperor of the Caron Empire had already died of a chronic illness during the war, many territories near the border had been taken, and they had even resorted to relocating the capital. So it was reasonable for those within the empire to judge that they no longer had any chance of victory.
The Delos Empire accepted the Caron Empire’s request for an agreement as if they had been waiting for it. Because of this, other neighboring countries that had been preparing to attack the Delos Empire again hesitated. Since the powerful nation had already bowed its head to the opponent, the smaller neighboring countries naturally had to take a humble stance and hastily request peace agreements.
About two months after the armistice agreement.
The Caron Empire had to give up five regions with the most fertile land among their adjoining territories, while smaller countries had to squeeze out substantial tributes and massive war reparations.
Thus, all countries on the continent were able to conclude peace agreements with the Delos Empire.
In some ways, the Delos Empire gained far more than it lost through this war and became the undisputed hegemon without even a competitor, and their dominance did not seem likely to be threatened for hundreds of years to come.
❖ ❖ ❖
Around the time when the entire restless continent gradually entered a period of stability.
“Why is it so hard to see your face these days?”
Tis, who had been buried in work, grumpily addressed Ion, who had visited his office after a long time.
“It’s Your Majesty who is hard to see, if anything.”
As Ion retorted, Tis’s face was not even visible due to the mountain of documents piled on his desk.
Tis carefully pushed aside some of the documents as if annoyed, creating a small gap. Through the space he had secured, about the size of a palm, Tis made eye contact with Ion and chuckled as if finding it ridiculous.
“Judging from your healthy complexion, I can see why you wouldn’t want to show your face. I suppose you think being summoned here now is a waste of time?”
“You misunderstand. How could I, a mere subject, dare to have such disrespectful thoughts?”
Despite his respectful words, Ion’s face was filled with subtle irritation. There was a strong sense that he wanted Tis to say whatever he had to say quickly and let him go.
Tis clicked his tongue and tapped one of the highest stacks of documents piled on his desk.
“Take a look at this.”
“Don’t tell me you’re trying to dump your work on me…”
The corner of Ion’s mouth twitched. He looked ready to mess up the pile of documents and flee if that were truly the case.
Fortunately, Tis shook his head.
“It’s not that, so just take a look.”
Ion eyed Tis suspiciously as he picked up the topmost sheet of the document pile he had pointed to.
After checking the content of the document, Ion’s expression was unexpectedly indifferent. He then roughly looked over the next document, and the one after that.
After checking about five or six documents, or rather petitions, Ion stacked them back as if there was nothing more to see. Tis, who had been quietly observing him, put down his quill with a sigh.
“This is how many petitions have been submitted in just the past three days. I think they’ll continue to come in for a while.”
“I’m sure they will.”
“I see our Grand Duke Verdit isn’t worried. This means there are so many who are wary of you.”
“Kindly speaking, these are heartfelt petitions from those who want to continue supporting and protecting Your Majesty. Well… there seem to be some base individuals mixed in who are waiting for an opportunity if I were to be dragged down.”
Tis rose from his seat as he looked at the mountain of petitions piled high enough to make one’s head shake in disbelief. Finally able to see Tis’s whole face, Ion was secretly concerned, noting how haggard he looked compared to himself. If Tis were to collapse at this rate, Ion would be the first person drafted to deal with this enormous amount of paperwork.
Tis, who came around the desk while massaging his brow as if tired, stood right in front of Ion and faced him.
“It’s about time I make an announcement.”
“Isn’t it too early?”
“The volume of petitions is more serious than I thought. Think about me who has to look at such useless things every day, will you?”
Tis, with a furrowed brow, poked Ion’s chest. The fine fabric of the golden emblem, which only he and Tis could wear, was pressed in by his fingertip.
“Everyone is giving quite the warning that the day will come when your immortal army takes control of the imperial palace.”
“I would never do something so troublesome even if Your Majesty ordered it.”
Ion’s face was clearly covered with annoyance as he recalled one by one the people of the imperial faction who followed Tis.
Tis removed his finger from the emblem and personally smoothed out the wrinkles he had created in the golden emblem.
“This is the most appropriate time. Surely you don’t want those who wrote those petitions to go mad among themselves because they can’t stand it anymore.”
Tis’s golden eyes sharpened as if in warning.
“What will you do if they ignorantly try to touch that black boy?”
Ion’s eye corners quickly rose sharply at the provocative words.
“…That’s true. Fine. Do as you please.”
It was better to yield early since it was obvious Tis would use any method necessary to get that answer. Above all, what Tis said was also something Ion had been concerned about. Though he wouldn’t have let that happen anyway.
With a satisfied expression, Tis grinned and patted Ion’s shoulders.
“Good.”
Tis’s eyes curved pleasantly.
In contrast, Ion’s eyes were still full of annoyance.
A few days later.
Emperor Tis Benarion Delos of the Delos Empire proudly announced to his people.
That he would bestow the surname “Delos,” which symbolized the empire, upon Grand Duke Ion Verdit, the top contributor to this continental war and the widely respected Holy One.
This was equivalent to saying that Grand Duke Ion Verdit was the official heir to the imperial throne and would soon wear the emperor’s crown.
Because of this, the imperial faction members who had been wary of Grand Duke Verdit’s position and the immortal army had no choice but to hesitate.
Those who had been concerned that Grand Duke Verdit might raise his sword against the emperor at the head of the immortal army and who had been intensely wary of his power, showed dismay at this unexpected development.
On the other hand, the grand duke faction, who supported Ion, the only imperial family member left by the emperor, was so delighted with the right of succession to the throne obtained smoothly without bloody battle that they even held secret celebrations among themselves. Though Ion, who didn’t particularly care about them, didn’t even join the gathering.
