Chapter 69 – A New Path, A New BeginningThe Aftermath of a Name Lost
The world had changed in an instant.
For seventeen years, the name Leonhardt Valerian Everhart had stood above all others.
The genius heir of the Grand Dukedom.
The swordmaster who defied all logic.
The youngest commander to ever set foot on the battlefield.
The pillar of the empire's future.
And now?
He was a traitor.
His name, once a symbol of glory, had become one of shame and betrayal.
But Leonhardt himself?
He felt nothing.
Standing on the highest cliff overlooking the vast wilderness beyond the empire, he gazed into the horizon, where the world stretched before him, untouched, unclaimed.
For the first time in two lifetimes, he was free.
No crown.
No empire.
No chains of duty.
The weight of his past life and the burdens of this one had finally shattered.
And all that remained was one singular truth.
He had found her.
The woman who had been his light in the past, his obsession, his love—his very existence.
He clenched his fist, the memory of their reunion burning in his mind.
The way her silver-white hair glowed under the moonlight.
The way her deep violet eyes locked onto his, as if no time had passed.
The way her voice, trembling with emotion, whispered his true name.
For so long, he had searched.
For so long, he had waited.
And now—he had nothing else to seek.
His path was clear.
The Empire's Court – The Emperor's Decision
The Imperial Court was in chaos.
Nobles argued back and forth, voices raised, their expressions a mix of fear and outrage.
The Grand Dukedom's seat was empty.
The once unshakable pillar of the empire had fallen—because its heir had walked away.
And the emperor, Aurelian Valtis Regalis, sat upon his golden throne, his expression unreadable.
At last, he raised a hand.
The room fell silent.
His golden eyes, sharp as a blade, scanned the gathered nobles.
"…I understand your concerns," he said, his voice calm, but with an undercurrent of authority that brooked no defiance.
"He was the empire's greatest warrior."
The nobles tensed.
"But he was also a man who chose to abandon his duty."
His voice turned colder.
"He chose a woman over his empire, his position, his honor."
The emperor's fingers tightened on the armrest of his throne.
"I have declared him a traitor."
Murmurs rippled through the court.
One noble, braver than the rest, stepped forward.
"Your Majesty… will the Grand Dukedom accept this?"
The emperor's gaze darkened.
"…They will have no choice."
Silence fell once more.
Because everyone knew—the Grand Duke was the strongest warrior alive.
But even he could not defy the emperor's will.
At least, not without consequences.
The Grand Dukedom – A Father's Response
In the Grand Dukedom, the news had arrived.
The Grand Duke, Reinhardt Everhart, stood alone in his study, his hands clasped behind his back, staring at the imperial decree.
His son—his heir—had been declared a traitor.
A part of him had expected this.
He had seen the resolve in Leonhardt's eyes when he had stood before him and spoken those words.
"I have found my reason to live. My love. My everything."
He had known, in that moment, that nothing would change his son's mind.
But even so…
His heart was heavy.
He had raised his son to be a warrior, an heir, a ruler.
And now—Leonhardt had walked away from it all.
His wife, standing by the window, spoke softly.
"…You should be proud."
He turned to look at her.
She met his gaze, her expression unreadable.
"He has chosen his own path. Just as we did."
A long silence stretched between them.
And then, Reinhardt Everhart closed his eyes and sighed.
"…Then the world must be ready."
His wife tilted her head.
"For what?"
He opened his eyes, and in them burned an unshakable certainty.
"For the day he returns."
Because no matter how much the empire tried to erase him—
Leonhardt Valerian Everhart was not a name that would be forgotten.
The Other Kingdoms – A Storm on the Horizon
The news had traveled far.
Across mountains and oceans, to foreign kings and rulers.
The King of Drakos leaned back in his throne, a smirk playing on his lips.
"The empire has lost its strongest heir…" he murmured. "Interesting."
His advisors shifted uneasily.
"If he is a traitor, then the empire will hunt him."
The king chuckled.
"And if he chooses to seek revenge?"
Silence.
Because they all knew.
Leonhardt Valerian Everhart was not the kind of man who simply disappeared.
He was the kind of man who changed the world.
The Kingdom of Aurion – The Night Queen's Rule
Aetheria Nyx Lunaris Solis stood on the highest balcony of her palace, overlooking the vast lands of the night.
The empire had turned against him.
The world had branded him a traitor.
But she?
She had never seen him as anything less than what he was—
Hers.
She had waited centuries for this moment.
And she would never let him go again.
She turned to the knight kneeling behind her.
"Send a message to the king," she ordered.
The knight bowed. "Your Majesty?"
Her violet eyes gleamed.
"The war is over. The empire will not attack again."
The knight hesitated. "And if they do?"
Aetheria smiled.
"Then we will remind them who stands in their way."
The knight bowed and left.
Alone, under the moonlight, she whispered softly—
"Come back to me, my love."