In the Satoria Federation—
One ruler.
One will.
One Authority.
That absolute ruler was Haruto Satoru.
Now—
he was gone.
Panic didn't touch the streets.
Not yet.
Markets still opened.
Soldiers still stood guard.
Civilians still breathed in routine.
But above them—
in marble offices and sealed chambers—
pressure cracked the air.
High officials whispered.
Ongoing decisions stalled.
Emergency responses slowed.
Orders waited for a signature
that would never come.
Within one hour—
the most powerful figures of the Federation
would gather.
To decide their fate.
Liora sat alone in the royal living room.
Black walls.
Gold trims.
Silence too heavy for luxury.
She leaned sideways on the couch.
Elbow on the armrest.
Fingers pressing beneath her bangs.
Her brows faintly drawn.
Jaw tight.
"What am I supposed to do now…" Liora said softly.
Her voice barely held shape.
"Without him… I'm lost."
The confession lingered in the empty room.
She exhaled.
A dry sigh.
Controlled. Brittle.
"Haruto didn't appoint a successor," Liora said, straighter now, forcing composure. "No council. No second command."
Her fingers curled slightly against her temple.
"The nation is in literal pause. Everything ran through his Authority."
Not influence.
Authority.
She rose.
In the next breath—
space folded.
She stepped into a different corridor.
A royal hallway.
Endless.
Polished floors reflecting chandelier light.
Doors lining both sides like sealed verdicts.
Her heels clicked once.
Twice.
Measured.
(I have to find a solution. Fast.)
Her gaze sharpened.
(They'll turn to me. I was the closest to him.)
Not by title.
By presence.
By trust.
Her eyes lowered in thought—
—and stopped.
A pair of shoes.
Still.
Waiting.
Liora lifted her gaze.
Tsukasa stood beside Haruto's bedroom door.
Composed as ever.
Hands folded neatly before her.
Head slightly bowed.
Calm.
Elegant.
Unmoved by time.
Tsukasa bowed deeper when she noticed Liora.
Graceful. Controlled.
"You're still waiting for Haruto?" Liora asked.
Her tone was steady—
but something faint pressed beneath it.
Suppressed.
"…Yes," Tsukasa replied.
Short. Clear. Respectful.
Liora's eyes widened—just a fraction.
Then softened.
(She's been here the entire time.)
A pause.
(She doesn't know.)
"You can go," Liora said gently. "The other maids will inform you of the latest news."
She didn't say what news.
Tsukasa lifted her head slightly.
A flicker of confusion crossed her eyes.
Gone in an instant.
"Understood," Tsukasa said.
She bowed once more.
Precise. Final.
Then turned.
Her steps echoed down the endless hallway.
Steady.
Unquestioning.
Liora watched her from behind.
Just a slight tilt of her head.
Her hand rose—
rested over her chest.
Fingers pressing lightly
as if confirming her own heartbeat.
She held it there.
Then lowered it quickly.
Arms falling back to her sides
before hesitation could root.
"I have to be strong," Liora said quietly.
Not to anyone else.
To herself.
She turned.
Faced Haruto's door.
Her hand reached forward.
Fingers closed around the doorknob.
Cold metal.
A breath.
Then she pulled it open.
The room came into view—
Slowly.
Quietly.
Liora stepped inside.
Closed the door behind her.
Soft click.
Silence followed.
Haruto's scent reached her instantly.
Warm.
Familiar.
It wrapped around her senses.
Close enough to feel alive.
Her fingers twitched at her side.
But that wasn't why she was here.
She moved.
Dropped to one knee beside the bed.
Lifted the sheets.
Checked beneath.
Nothing.
She rose.
Pushed aside pillows.
Opened drawers.
One by one.
Measured movements.
Wardrobe.
Desk.
Behind the curtains.
Her jaw tightened.
She was searching.
And she wasn't finding.
Liora exhaled through her nose—controlled, quiet.
Then she let herself fall backward onto the bed.
The mattress dipped.
Her hair fanned across the sheets.
She stared at the ceiling.
She could not grow tired.
Not physically.
Not spiritually.
Yet something weighed on her chest.
"Perhaps… I overestimated his foresight," she said softly, lips curving faintly—half doubt, half challenge.
Her eyes sharpened.
A new thought sparked.
"Heavenly Spider," she said.
Nothing happened.
A beat passed.
Then—
The air creaked.
A thin fracture split the space in front of her.
Soundless.
Wrong.
Pieces of reality peeled away.
Falling into nothing.
Blackness bled through—
Star-filled.
Endless.
The room tore open completely.
Revealed.
Liora pushed herself up slowly, brushing invisible dust from her sleeve.
"Hm. I suppose I was mistaken," she murmured, a faint smile touching her lips. "Only he would craft something so theatrical."
Subtext settled beneath her tone.
Of course he prepared.
This was a hidden layered spatial pocket—
Existing on the same coordinates.
Separated by phased dimensions.
Dormant until triggered.
She stepped forward.
Three books hovered before her.
Suspended in midair—
If air still existed here.
Each radiated a distinct aura.
One gleamed gold.
Symbols carved into its cover.
Ancient. Deliberate.
Another shimmered in shifting rainbow hues.
Light bending unnaturally across its surface.
The last—
Blank.
Utterly.
No title.
No marking.
Silence made object.
Her gaze lingered on it for half a breath.
Then shifted.
The golden book bore a title:
When I Am Not Here.
The rainbow one read:
Creation of Souls.
The golden book drifted forward.
Slowly.
Intentionally.
It settled into her hands.
As if it had been waiting.
Her fingers closed around it without hesitation.
She opened it.
Pages turned.
Her eyes moved once—
And understanding struck.
Immediate.
Complete.
Her expression did not change.
But her breathing stilled.
This was the answer.
Every contingency.
Every pathway forward.
How to move without him.
How to steady the nation.
How to decide.
How to command.
Every question already anticipated.
Every solution written.
One purpose.
To preserve the Satoria Federation.
Liora's thumb pressed lightly against the edge of the page.
Subtle.
Grounding.
"Ten steps ahead…" she whispered, almost fondly.
He had known.
If he was absent—
The nation would tremble.
And he refused to let it fall.
The original returns.
Fragments first.
Loose pieces.
Like unfinished puzzles sliding back into place.
Edges meet.
Corners lock.
Bit by bit.
Until—
The entire room stands whole again.
Liora lies on the bed.
On her back.
The book rests above her face.
Both hands hold its edges.
Pages turn slowly.
Her eyes move line by line.
Forty minutes remained before the meeting.
More than enough.
For a spider like her—memory was absolute.
Every word she read settled perfectly into place.
No blur.
No fading.
No loss.
Her eyes narrow.
A faint crease forms between her brows.
This position…
Uncomfortable.
She exhales softly.
Liora rolls onto her stomach.
The mattress dips beneath her weight.
Her chin settles onto Haruto's pillow.
The book slides forward in front of her.
Pages open wide again.
She freezes.
A faint warmth spreads across her cheeks.
The pillow—
Haruto's scent clings to it.
Thick.
Undeniable.
Her fingers tighten slightly on the page.
For a moment she just breathes.
Then—
Slowly—
She buries her face deeper into the pillow.
"This isn't weird… right?" Liora murmurs quietly to herself.
Her voice is soft.
Almost defensive.
Her feet lift behind her.
They kick lightly in the air.
Back and forth.
Like a child lost in thought.
The pillow muffles the small embarrassed sound she makes.
Minutes pass.
Pages turn.
Information settles into her mind with perfect clarity.
One detail after another.
Until—
Time vanishes.
Forty minutes disappear in a blink.
Before Liora even realizes it—
She is already sitting in the meeting room.
A grand circular chamber.
Gold and stone.
Ancient. Silent.
Five thrones shaped from living flame.
They rose in a slow ring.
Encircling the radiant star carved into the floor.
Light fell from above.
Thin beams.
Dust drifting through the glow.
All five thrones were occupied.
Lunara.
Velara.
Chloe.
Vhalzareth.
Liora.
Silence lingered.
Then—
"Disgraceful," Vhalzareth said.
His voice cut the chamber.
His eyes narrowed.
Crimson-black aura surged around him.
Wild. Violent. Rising like a storm.
"Our duty was to protect Lord Haruto," he continued, jaw tightening.
"Not the other way around."
The others lowered their gazes.
A quiet weight filled the chamber.
Guilt.
Velara lifted her head.
Crimson-red eyes.
Sharp. Narrow. Unshaken.
"We shouldn't be too hasty," Velara said calmly.
She leaned back slightly in her throne.
Unbothered by the tension.
"Father is the strongest," she added.
"Who knows… perhaps he still exists somewhere."
Vhalzareth blinked once.
Surprise flickered across his face.
Brief. Quickly buried.
Her confidence unsettled him.
Still—
His doubt was not unreasonable.
Replacing the Universe Core…
The cost was absolute.
An existence erased beyond mortal comprehension.
"Velara is right," Lunara said softly.
She straightened slightly in her seat.
Hands resting lightly on the throne's arm.
"We should uphold what Lord Haruto left behind."
Chloe glanced at her.
Then lowered her eyes again.
She said nothing.
Chloe rarely spoke unless necessary.
And Haruto's death—
It unsettled her more than anyone here.
"Correct," Vhalzareth said after a moment.
His aura settled slightly.
Still restless. But contained.
"Now—to the main matter," he continued, voice firm.
He leaned forward.
"We must bring the nation back under control."
"Let it move forward again."
The others nodded slowly.
Agreement.
Responsibility settling in.
Then—
"The question," Liora said.
Narrow eyes gleaming faintly.
Long dark lashes fanned outward.
Framing the wide, doll-like shape of her eyes.
"Who," she finished quietly,
"is capable of ensuring the Satoria Federation does not fall?"
Silence settled over the room.
Heavy.
Thoughtful.
"No one below our rank is suitable for this," Vhalzareth said calmly.
"And we are not placing anyone on Lord Haruto's throne."
"There is not a single life-form worthy of sitting on Lord Haruto's throne," Lunara said seriously.
Her expression didn't shift.
To her, replacing Haruto was unthinkable.
"So that option is off the list," Velara said, tapping one finger lightly against the table.
She paused.
"If that's the case… maybe one of us should do it."
Chloe's head turned instantly.
Her sharp gaze locked onto Velara.
"…What do you mean by that?" Chloe asked.
Her tone was calm.
But her eyes were not.
Velara raised both hands slightly.
"Relax," she said quickly.
"I'm not saying one of us should replace Lord Haruto. None of us are worthy of that."
She leaned forward slightly.
"But we can handle things together."
She gestured between them.
"Like a team."
Liora watched quietly.
Then a small smile touched her lips.
(Incredible… the book was right, )she thought.
Haruto predicted this exactly.
For a brief moment, a strange thought crossed her mind.
Could he actually be omniscient…?
The idea faded just as quickly.
She remembered the golden book.
Haruto himself had written it.
And the book had clearly said something else.
Haruto is not omniscient.
Liora folded her hands gently.
"I agree," she said calmly.
"This is the best option we have."
Her gaze moved across the others.
"None of us want someone else occupying Lord Haruto's place."
Vhalzareth nodded slowly.
His fingers rested against his chin as he thought.
Analyzing.
Calculating.
After a moment, he lowered his hand.
"This could work," he said.
His voice was calm. Certain.
"I have no objections."
"I'm fine with it," Lunara added.
She shrugged slightly.
"I didn't have a better idea anyway."
Four votes.
That left one person.
The others slowly turned their heads toward Chloe.
Waiting.
Chloe crossed her arms.
Her eyes narrowed slightly as she considered it.
Then she exhaled quietly.
"…I'm fine with it," she said.
"But only if it doesn't replace Lord Haruto in any form."
Everyone nodded.
Small smiles appeared around the table.
It might not seem obvious—
But Chloe held Lord Haruto in extremely high regard.
If anything threatened him, the others would act immediately.
The meeting ended faster than expected.
Then again—
Everyone present was a genius among geniuses.
Decisions came quickly.
The five stood.
Chairs slid softly across the floor.
Without another word, they went their separate ways.
Returning to their duties.
Continuing the work they had always done.
Vhalzareth and Liora remained in the meeting room.
For a moment… neither spoke.
The chamber was quiet.
Too quiet.
Liora sighed softly.
A strand of her jet-black silk hair slipped across her cheek.
She lifted a hand.
Smooth.
Elegant.
She slid the strand behind her ear.
"You destroyed the entire Valecyne Empire," Liora said calmly, her gaze resting on him. A faint crease formed between her brows. "That will certainly attract the attention of the World Legitimacy Authority."
"The High Circle," she added quietly.
Vhalzareth didn't react.
"I am aware," he replied.
His voice was calm.
Matter-of-fact.
"That was Lord Haruto's order."
Liora's eyes narrowed slightly.
Not in anger.
In thought.
(What exactly was Haruto thinking… allowing that?)
Her fingers tapped lightly against the table.
(No…)
(Understanding that man was never within my ability.)
She exhaled slowly.
"Even so," Said Vhalzareth. His gaze sharpened slightly. "They will not know the source of the destruction."
"With that," he continued evenly, "our nation will remain unaffected."
Liora studied him for a second longer.
Then she shook her head faintly.
"I hope so."
Her voice was softer now.
"This universe is filled with unknown powers." She folded her arms loosely. "I would not be surprised if someone possessed an ability capable of uncovering what you just stated."
Vhalzareth smiled.
Not widely.
Just enough.
"Fear not."
His eyes glinted faintly.
"I possess "Perception Scramble"."
Recognition flickered across Liora's face.
"Ah…"
Understanding followed.
"I see."
Her shoulders relaxed slightly.
"That certainly makes things safer."
She straightened.
"Well then," she said smoothly, turning toward the exit. "I shall take my leave. I have matters to attend to."
"Very well," Vhalzareth replied.
His tone remained calm.
"Take care of whatever keeps you occupied."
Liora gave a small nod.
A ripple of spatial distortion formed around her.
Then—
She vanished.
A silent teleport.
The room returned to stillness.
Vhalzareth watched the empty space for a brief moment.
Then his own figure blurred.
And disappeared as well.
Several days passed.
Liora sat alone in her office.
Leaning back in her chair.
One document rested in her left hand.
She lifted it slightly.
Her eyes narrowed.
Curious.
"Again…" Liora murmured.
Her gaze moved across the paper.
"This is the second time they've requested permission to use the Tower of Heroes."
The Tower of Heroes—also known as the Grave of Heroes.
It stood within Haruto's land.
Which meant one thing.
Anyone wishing to enter it required permission.
Haruto's territory was among the largest domains in the entire world.
A vast land.
Divided into five distinct regions.
The outermost biome surrounded the entire territory.
A ring of devastation.
Endless pits of lava.
Dark, burned stone.
Flat plains broken only by jagged hills.
Above it—
A crimson sky.
This was where the Tower of Heroes stood.
This biome was known as the Nether.
The heat there was absolute.
If a human remained within it for even a second… their flesh would boil.
Their lungs would burn from the scorching air.
Few things survived there.
Fewer still thrived.
Moving inward, the landscape changed completely.
The second biome formed another massive ring.
The Ice Biome.
The perfect opposite of the Nether.
Endless snowstorms.
Frozen mountain ranges.
Ice stretching beyond the horizon.
Water could not remain liquid for even a second.
The cold devoured everything.
This was where the Borderwatchers maintained their main base.
Even breathing was dangerous.
The air itself froze the lungs.
Further inward lay the third region.
An endless ocean.
Water in every direction.
No land.
No islands.
Just depth.
A sea so vast it swallowed the horizon.
Beyond that came the fourth biome.
A desert.
Golden sand stretching endlessly beneath a clear sky.
A blazing sun hung overhead.
Sand dunes rolled like waves across the land.
Then—
At the center.
The final region.
Not a ring.
A full-sized country.
A forest.
Ancient.
Vast.
Alive.
This was where Haruto's kingdom existed.
Liora lowered the document slightly.
Then—
Tap.
She stamped the paper.
Accepted.
There was no reason to deny the request.
The Satoria Federation maintained a strong partnership with the Solmaria Kingdom.
Refusing them would serve no purpose.
Her fingers rested lightly against the desk.
Her eyes drifted upward.
(Hmm…)
(Perhaps the Tower of Heroes could be used differently.)
A slow smile formed.
(A dungeon…)
(Adventurers climb the tower.)
(And they pay for the privilege.)
Liora crossed one leg over the other.
Her hand rested casually on her knee.
"Yes…"
Her smile deepened.
"I could turn this into a global enterprise."
Her eyes glinted.
"The Satoria Federation's popularity would spread across the world."
"Our influence would expand."
"Our economy would grow dramatically."
Then—
Her smile faded slightly.
A realization settled in.
Her gaze sharpened.
Everything within Haruto's territory…
Was already like a dungeon.
The most powerful creatures in the world lived there.
Simply traveling toward the kingdom was a death sentence.
The only safe route for outsiders was the Teleportation Crystal located within the Solmaria Kingdom.
Without it—
No one would survive the journey.
Liora tapped a finger against her knee.
"I'll ask Fuyume to tame the high-ranking monsters within the four outer biomes."
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
"The forest will remain untouched."
She leaned back further.
"That shouldn't take long."
A quiet pause followed.
"If I recall correctly…"
"There are Special S-Rank monsters in each biome."
Creatures of catastrophic power.
Beings capable of destroying the world itself.
Dragons were the most famous example.
Below them were S-Rank monsters.
And beneath that—
A-Rank monsters.
Creatures like Cravemind.
Or Morvak.
Yet still insignificant compared to the monsters that ruled Haruto's land.
The Solmaria Kingdom.
Inside the royal office of Maeltharion Veyros.
A large room.
Quiet.
Heavy with authority.
Veyros sat behind his desk, posture composed, fingers loosely resting on the polished surface.
Across from him stood Alistair.
Straight-backed.
Hands clasped behind him.
"Lord Veyros… have you heard about Lord Haruto's death?" Alistair asked, his sharp gaze lowering slightly toward the king.
"I did," Veyros replied calmly.
His eyes drifted for a moment.
The memory surfaced again.
That moment Haruto revealed his real name.
The question he never answered.
Veyros's fingers tapped the desk once.
"What are your thoughts about it?" Alistair asked.
"You don't seem troubled."
"Yes… of course," Veyros said slowly.
He leaned back slightly in his chair.
"Do you truly believe Haruto is dead?"
Alistair blinked.
"Huh?" he muttered, brows tightening.
"Are you saying he's still alive?"
"That cannot be said officially," Veyros replied.
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"But I believe he is alive."
A small pause filled the room.
"This event… may simply be part of his plan."
Alistair's brows lifted.
"You really believe that?" he asked, surprised.
"That's a lot of faith."
"Yes," Veyros admitted quietly.
His fingers interlocked on the desk.
"But we may be in trouble."
Alistair tilted his head slightly.
"Haruto gathered many powerful monsters," Veyros continued.
"If they lose control… no one knows what might happen."
"I agree," Alistair said with a slow nod.
His eyes hardened.
"I have a feeling one of his subordinates is responsible for the destruction of the Valecyne Empire."
His jaw tightened.
"They may have unleashed their rage."
Veyros sighed quietly.
"I hate to say it," he said.
"But I'm glad it happened."
He looked down briefly.
"Not the part where women and children were spared," he added quickly.
His voice lowered.
"But with the Valecyne Empire gone… slavery and many crimes may finally end."
Alistair's eyes darkened.
"Yes," he said firmly.
"Perhaps the enslavement of other species will finally come to an end."
He paused.
Then looked directly at Veyros.
"Lord Veyros… why did the High Circle do nothing about it?"
Veyros's eyes narrowed.
Slowly, he placed both hands flat on the desk.
"The High Circle was meant to spread justice across the world," he said.
His voice remained calm.
"But they turned a blind eye to the Valecyne Empire's crimes."
He looked at Alistair.
"Can you guess why?"
Alistair's fist tightened at his side.
"Because they were bribed," he said quietly.
His voice carried restrained anger.
"That would explain why they ignored those illegal activities."
Veyros noticed the movement.
The clenched fist.
The tension in his posture.
He understood immediately.
(He hates injustice, )Veyros thought quietly.
More than most.
"Now that the Valecyne Empire is gone," Veyros said aloud,
"perhaps the High Circle will return to their former righteousness."
He gave a small shrug.
"As they say… everyone deserves a second chance."
Alistair's expression remained cold.
"Giving someone a second chance," he said slowly,
"is like reading the same book twice."
His eyes hardened.
"You already know how it ends."
Veyros studied him silently.
(He truly despises injustice,)Veyros thought.
(I doubt he'll ever forgive those who allow it.)
The king exhaled softly.
"Enough about them," Veyros said.
He straightened slightly.
"How are the Heroes progressing?"
"They're doing extremely well," Alistair replied.
His tone shifted—professional again.
"Each one of them could already be considered Special S-Rank."
He paused.
"But they haven't reached full spiritual life-form status yet."
"Only semi-evolved."
Veyros smiled faintly.
Pride flickered in his eyes.
"That's good news," he said.
Then his smile faded slightly.
"But that's not what I asked."
His gaze sharpened.
"How are the four Heroes who went missing?"
Alistair hesitated.
"Oh… those four," he said quietly.
His sharp gaze lowered.
"Not well."
Veyros's expression stiffened.
"Their mana cores are damaged," Alistair said.
Silence filled the room.
Veyros leaned back in his chair slowly.
His hand slid over his face.
"That's… unfortunate," he murmured.
A trace of helplessness crept into his voice.
"There is no known method to repair a damaged mana core," Alistair added quietly.
He looked toward the window.
"All they can do now… is wait."
"Until it disappears."
The room fell silent again.
Heavy.
Uncertain.