CHAPTER 523: SIDE STORY - THE END

0% As the long—or perhaps short—years at the academy came to an end, graduation day finally arrived.

A new era of peace had once again dawned.

Riding on that momentum, Sunrise Academy held its largest graduation ceremony in history.

Thanks to that, the academy’s grand banquet hall was filled with familiar and welcoming faces.

“Who would’ve thought that rejecting the Ancient Oath would cost us part of our territory...”

“Shouldn’t we all protest this? We can’t just sit back and allow one-fourth of the Western Continent’s land to become part of the Starlight Grand Duchy...”

“...Against an empire with the strongest military force in a thousand years? Don’t be ridiculous.”

The envoys from various Western nations wore grim expressions, their discomfort palpable—a consequence of the millennia-old Oath being forcibly enacted in the Empire’s favor.

“Hahaha. That’s why we upheld the Oath.”

“We might have lost some resources, but we’re now allies with the Empire. It’s a major gain.”

Meanwhile, the smarter nations that had quickly sided with the Empire were celebrating their good fortune.

“Sigh... Elders, please...”

“The World Tree is furious! And the Spirit Kings—you’re saying they’re acting like pets?!”

The queen and priests of the Elven Kingdom fidgeted uneasily, glancing at the spirits lounging comfortably on my and my wives’ shoulders.

“Kuuu...”

“Chirp, chirp-chirp...”

They were still spirits, after all.

I had no idea what they were saying, but it seemed like they were having a lively conversation with the elves.

“That damn bastard seduced our Miho...!”

“Calm down, Chief. There’s no better husband in the world than him.”

“But he has multiple wives! Multiple, damn it!!”

“But... our tribe also practices polygamy, you know?”

“Shut up!!”

For some unknown reason, the chief of the fox tribe, whose once thick hair was noticeably balding, was glaring at me while shouting in frustration.

“All hail the Demonic Cult! All hail the Heavenly Demon! Ten thousand years of glory!!!”

“Please, everyone, this is NOT the place for that...”

The warriors from the Eastern Continent, who had gotten too rowdy chanting praises to Ruby, were temporarily thrown out of the hall.

“Is that... Lady Lulu?”

“No way. That terrifying woman?”

The defected demons stared in disbelief at Lulu, who was peacefully asleep with her head resting on my lap.

“Come and take a divine potion! It works wonders!”

“Anyone feeling unwell?”

Under Ferloche’s guidance, the New Church had begun prioritizing welfare and relief over rigid hierarchy and authority.

“...How long must we remain in this inferior form?”

“Silence. It’s the Dragon Lord’s command.”

Even the dragons, who had recently formed a treaty with the Empire, were here.

With so many dignitaries gathered, the grand hall was buzzing with activity.

But...

“Hey, look! I-It’s Lord Frey...!”

“Stop staring like that!”

“Shh, he might hear you!”

For some reason, I could feel all eyes in the room locked onto me.

“Young Master, you must be delighted.”

“Even as a married man, you’re still so popular.”

“... Cough.”

I cleared my throat, deliberately ignoring Kania’s chilling whisper from beside me.

“Next, we have the academy’s representative, Lord Frey, for the graduation pledge.”

With the resonating power of a voice amplifying magic device, Isolet’s voice instantly silenced the hall.

Smiling, she gestured toward me.

Since the Student Council President seat was still vacant, the responsibility of delivering the graduation pledge had fallen upon me.

“Well, I should get going.”

As I made my way toward the stage, I noticed a group of noble daughters trying to approach me—only to be firmly blocked by Kania.

“Ladies, I regret to inform you that the Young Master does not hire maids. The household staff is already at full capacity. And no, we are also not hiring servants. Goodness, aren’t you all noble ladies?”

Since I couldn’t neglect my duty, I slowly approached the stage, leaving behind the ladies who were blocked by Kania.

“Frey, a moment.”

“...Hmm?”

Just as I was about to step onto the stage, Isolet leaned in urgently, whispering in my ear.

“If my father acts rudely later... please, I beg you, forgive him...”

“Ah.”

“I told him not to come...”

Following her troubled gaze, I immediately understood why.

“Hahaha! This guy hasn’t changed at all!”

“Let go of me, you damn berserker. I still can’t get used to you acting friendly. It’s unnerving...”

“Come on, let’s share a drink and forget the past.”

“...Let. Go.”

At the banquet hall entrance, Isolet’s father, the Marquis of Bywalker, was locked in a headlock by my father—and was staring daggers at me.

“That damned brat stole my daughter’s family name...!”

“A name? How big of a name are we talking about?”

“...Shut up.”

Isolet was already exasperated, but I knew the truth—the Marquis of Bywalker was just as overprotective as my own father.

“That’s not all. The swordsmanship I spent centuries restoring is now blended with some strange new technique... As head of my house, I cannot ignore this...!”

He was simply too stoic to express it properly.

“Oh, right! I heard you lost to your daughter—sorry, I mean my daughter-in-law—the other day.”

“...What?”

“So, how did that new fusion technique of Starlight and Bywalker swordsmanship feel?”

“.........”

“Even the ‘former’ Sword Saint had trouble handling it, right?”

- Crack...!

“What’s wrong, dear in-law?”

“GRAAAH!!!”

And just like that...

My father’s taunt set off two fully grown men into a petty scuffle.

“I can’t take this anymore.”

“Pfft—haha...!”

It was just like old times.

The sight of these proud warriors bickering like children.

A nostalgic scene from my youth.

“B-Both of you, stop it please!”

“Dear, please, stop provoking him already.”

By the time I snapped back to reality, Aria and my mother had already restrained them with magic.

“Fufu...”

Beside my mother, Clana’s mother—who had only recently recovered—smiled gently from her wheelchair.

Looking at all these familiar yet heartwarming faces, I finally realized something.

“The pledge.”

Everything had returned to how it was meant to be.

“As the representative of the academy and the voice of everyone gathered here, I swear—“

And at that moment, a single thought came to mind.

“We will protect it. A world of peace, of happiness, of tranquil days—for all of us.

“For centuries, for millennia, for generations to come...”

And as the hall erupted into thunderous applause, I saw her.

A familiar woman with long silver hair had just entered through the banquet doors.

Smiling at me.

Clapping.

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“I saw your pledge, our hero~”

“.......”

After finishing my pledge and returning to my seat, I found her sitting beside me.

“Oh, does this form feel unfamiliar? Should I go back to my old shopkeeper look?”

“...That won’t be necessary.”

She was once the Star God—the Main God of this world.

But now, she had lost that power and was nothing more than a mortal human.

“Where did all my wives go, and why are you sitting here instead?”

“Hehe, I asked them to grant us a little private time together.”

As she spoke, she glanced to the side—where the heroines stood together, glaring daggers at her from a distance.

“Oh dear, am I being treated as an enemy? How heartbreaking.”

“It’s not because of who you are.”

“Just call me Stellar. Anyway, let’s erase our presence for a bit. I have something important to discuss.”

With a smile, Stellar requested, and I snapped my fingers, briefly separating our existence from the world.

“You’re already using your divine authority so freely? Impressive as always.”

“...What is your reason for coming here?”

“Just as I told you before.”

And thus, in this isolated space where only the two of us existed—

“It’s time for you to take on the role of the next Star God.”

“.......”

She extended her hand toward me.

“As promised, I used the last of my divinity to restore your Stellar Mana. Though, I only accelerated the recovery process.”

“I’m grateful for that. Things could have gone terribly wrong otherwise.”

“Now, if I transfer the final divinity of the Star God to you, I will become fully human—and you will take my place as the new deity.”

As her hand enveloped mine, a silver light began to glow.

At the same time, I could distinctly feel the divinity touching my palm.

“Now that we’re at this point... If you’ve had second thoughts—“

“No, I haven’t.”

I answered firmly, narrowing my eyes as I met her gaze.

I had already made my decision.

Perhaps my dream of living a peaceful life would need some adjustments.

But that didn’t matter.

This world—our peaceful world—was something we fought so hard to attain.

If there was anything I could do to protect it, that would be my happiness.

And so, I chose to take on the mantle and responsibilities of the Star God.

“Mhm, I figured as much.”

Hearing my unwavering answer, Stellar smiled gently and nodded.

“But actually, there’s something I should clarify... or maybe confess.”

“Hmm? There’s more I need to know?”

Just as I reached out to accept the essence, she suddenly hesitated, looking away awkwardly.

“Well, um... you see...”

“What is it?”

Feeling slightly uneasy, I glanced at her expectantly.

Then, with an awkward yet mischievous smile, she spoke—

“The Star God... is actually the guardian of all dimensions.”

“...Excuse me?”

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Stellar, after suddenly dropping a bombshell of a revelation, continued speaking for quite some time.

“Our dimension... is actually one of the seven highest-ranking dimensions among countless others. More precisely, it is one of the seven dimensions responsible for maintaining order across the multiverse.”

“Then... Stellar, you were...”

“The highest-ranking deity among those seven, responsible for ‘Order.’”

“...That’s unbelievable.”

It was an unfathomable truth.

Yet, the evidence had always been there.

The system—the Management System—that even affected divine beings absolutely was something she could communicate with freely and override at will.

Not to mention, she had single-handedly driven the Outer God into a groggy state, even when it had devoured countless dimensions to reach peak power.

I had known she was far from ordinary, but to think she had been the Main God of the Multiverse...

“So, if you inherit the role of the Star God...”

“...It means I’ll be responsible for managing the entire multiverse?”

“To be precise, everything except Earth—since that dimension is under special protection.”

At that moment, I finally understood why Stellar had been smiling so awkwardly this whole time.

And for some reason, I felt slightly betrayed.

“P-Please don’t look at me like that. I don’t have a choice either! I lost all my power after this whole ordeal!”

“......”

“And even if I searched the entire universe, you’re the most qualified candidate. You’re the strongest being in existence—the one who defeated an entity even I couldn’t handle.”

“...We won.”

“Yes, you all saved the entire multiverse.”

As I pouted slightly, Stellar scratched her head, her expression turning serious.

“But... the danger isn’t over yet.”

A new concern?

“We completely destroyed that damned eye, but the Outer World it came from is still an unknown territory.”

“...”

“And based on recent interrogations in Hell, we discovered that there are more beings like it in the Outer World.”

“...!”

I couldn’t help but flinch.

Could it be... that infamous ‘He was the weakest among us’ trope?

“Don’t worry. We’ve confirmed that there aren’t any entities as overwhelmingly strong as that damned eye— at most, they’re only slightly stronger than a knight commander.”

“That’s... actually a relief.”

If that’s their level, even if they attacked in hordes, Ruby or Irina could wipe them all out alone.

“Still, the multiverse remains vulnerable. For example, monsters still haven’t disappeared, have they?”

“......”

“And we don’t know when another ‘Eye’ might emerge. That’s why a guardian is still necessary—for this world and beyond.”

Seeing me lower my guard slightly, Stellar instantly switched to her pleading expression.

“Why do you look so nervous?”

“...Huh?”

“I never said I wouldn’t do it, did I?”

I looked at her and smirked, tightening my grip.

- Shhhhhhh...!

As soon as I did, the divinity touching my palm began to glow and flow into me.

“Well, if I’m the Guardian of the Multiverse, at least no one will dare mess with us anymore. That’s a relief.”

“...”

“And besides—“

At the exact moment when all of her divinity merged into me—

“If not me, then who else could do this?”

I gave a calm smile as I looked at Stellar, who now had a complicated expression—now a fully human being.

“...Seriously, Frey. You’re always like this.”

“Am I?”

For a brief second, I thought I saw tears welling up in her silver eyes.

“Alright, then... I guess it’s time for my vacation.”

“...Excuse me?”

“I’ve been a transcendent entity for far too long. My body and mind are completely wrecked. Now that I have a competent successor, I can finally enjoy a peaceful retirement... Maybe drink some booze, too. Hehe.”

Her gleaming eyes and excited tone suddenly ruined the serious mood.

“You talk as if you were never a transcendent being.”

“I was human once, you know. So were Solar and Lunar. They each had their own stories.”

“...That actually makes me curious.”

“If you ever meet them, I’ll tell you. Though, it’s quite a long story—even compared to yours.”

Her eyes sparkled like a child eager for adventure, making me chuckle.

“Alright, then.”

“Great! Well, I suppose I’ll be off n—“

“See you in a week at the Hall of the Gods.”

“...Huh?”

Because—

“Take a week off. Then, report back to work.”

“... What are you talking about?”

Sorry, but I never intended to let you guys just relax.

“Stellar, Lunar, and Solar—you’re all getting hired as Demi-Gods under me.”

“...What?”

I mean, why waste three perfectly capable employees when I could delegate?

“Come on. What kind of handover period is only ten minutes? Ten minutes?”

“W-Well, that’s true... I guess I should at least teach you the basics and—“

“Let’s work together for another thousand years.”

At that moment, Stellar’s face turned pale.

“Y-You’re joking, right...?”

“It’s for the multiverse. Haha.”

“B-But I was so excited about drinking again... Y-You... You wouldn’t actually do this to me... Right?”

She desperately began pleading, but it was too late.

“Alright, time to distribute Stellar Mana. Here you go.”

“NOOOOOO!!”

After all—I was the Star God now.

“LET GO OF ME!!! I WORKED LIKE A DOG FOR ETERNITIES!!! I JUST WANTED TO FINALLY RELAX!!!”

“Oh, by the way—if you work well, I’ll give you unlimited alcohol during office hours.”

“...So where should I begin, Lord Frey?”

And that—

is how I went from being the Hero to the Multiversal Guardian the very day after my graduation.

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A few months later.

“Young Master.”

“Honey!”

“...Hmm?”

As I stared absentmindedly into the vast darkness of the divine realm, I heard the familiar voices of my wives calling from behind.

“Are you here again?”

“Come have dinner with us.”

Through the portal they had opened, I could see the warm glow of a dinner table, its fragrant aroma making my mouth water.

“You can start eating without me. There’s still something I need to do—“

“How can we eat without you, Young Master?”

“That’s right, honey. Hurry up and come back.”

I had intended to send them back home while I finished my task, but upon realizing my intent, they pouted, clearly unwilling to leave.

“Even if you send us away, we’ll just come back, Young Master.”

For context, Kania, now the Demon God, could freely enter and leave this space at will.

“That’s right. We’ll keep coming back until you eat.”

“Frey, how dare you. I haven’t visited the mansion in so long, and you’re ignoring me?”

Meanwhile, Serena and Clana, now the next Moon and Sun Gods, could also freely enter this divine space.

“Frey, do you really want me to come all the way here wearing an apron?”

“You’re insanely lucky, you know that? The Demon King and a Dragon just spent two full days cooking for you, and yet, you didn’t show up once.”

Ruby and Irina, having shattered their own limits, had awakened divinity by their own strength.

At this rate, I was genuinely terrified of how much stronger they would become.

“Lunchbox! Let’s eat with Frey!”

“You seemed really busy lately, so I brought you some food.”

“Let’s eat together, Master!”

“U-Um... this is where I write my novels... hehe...”

And lastly, Ferloche, Isolet, Lulu, and Roswyn—I had recently granted them demi-god status.

I was completely surrounded with no escape.

“Hero, what are you doing?”

“Urk.”

As I gazed blankly at my wives spreading out a picnic blanket beside me, I realized that Glare, the literal embodiment of anomaly, was perched on my shoulder.

That was the moment I gave up and sat down.

“Frey, seriously though. What have you been up to?”

“Your actual duties as the Star God don’t start for another hundred years, right?”

“Yeah. Didn’t you say it would take that long just to finish the handover?”

The questions came flooding in.

“I was watching that.”

Rather than answering directly, I simply pointed toward the darkness ahead.

“.......!”

“Wow...”

“That’s... incredible.”

My wives turned their gazes, and gasps of awe escaped their lips.

“It’s... sparkling.”

“Wait, are those all separate dimensions?”

“They’re beautiful...”

Countless dimensions shimmered in the dark void like stars filling the night sky.

“Young Master, were you... just stargazing?”

“Haha, not quite.”

At Kania’s curious question, I shook my head and turned my gaze back to the cosmic expanse before us.

“I was... observing.”

And that was the truth.

For the past few days, I have been using my ‘Starlight Gaze’ to watch over different dimensions.

The divinity I had inherited, combined with Aria’s borrowed ability, allowed me to observe them as if I were right there.

“Everyone.”

And through this, I had come to a realization.

“The world... has far more tragedy than I imagined.”

It wasn’t just the seven highest-ranking dimensions that maintained the multiverse’s balance.

There were countless dimensions that desperately needed help.

The aftermath of the Outer God’s rampage had left scars across existence—ones that had yet to heal.

“Frey.”

As I continued staring into the void, Serena quietly moved beside me, whispering softly.

“No matter how strong you are... you can’t save every dimension at once.”

“...I know.”

“So, please... don’t overdo it.”

She was right.

I had only been the Star God for a few months.

Even though I had become an existence capable of affecting the entire multiverse, it would still take time before I could act properly.

Rushing in recklessly would only backfire.

“Don’t worry. I won’t push myself too hard.”

But... that didn’t mean I could just sit back and do nothing.

I slowly raised my hand, drawing divine energy into my palm.

“Frey?”

“........?”

My wives watched with curious and confused expressions.

As the energy gathered, it began to take shape—

“...Fly freely.”

A silver bird spread its radiant wings in the palm of my hand.

[https://edit.genesistudio.com/assets/bf129054-27ad-4d3e-8579-3d2d6bb5fad9]“Go wherever help is needed.”

A gentle wish escaped my lips—

A wish that no dimension would suffer helplessly again.

That no tragedies like the ones we faced would ever happen again.

“What a beautiful bird.”

“It looks like you, Frey.”

“For once, you didn’t make a cat, huh?”

As Kania and Serena admired the bird, Ruby tilted her head and asked curiously.

“It’ll find places in dire need of help, carrying my will with it.”

“Oh?”

“A bird is perfect for soaring through the dimensions, delivering hope.”

As I spoke, all eyes turned back to me.

“You’ll help me, won’t you?”

I smiled playfully, and one by one, my wives began to grin.

“That goes without saying, Young Master.”

Kania, summoning a black raven onto her shoulder.

“Exactly. It’s obvious.”

Serena giggled as she stared at my face.

“I’ve been getting way too strong lately. This should be fun.”

Irina rubbed her scars as she smirked hungrily.

“I... chose the path of the Sun God...! So I...!”

Clana regal as ever—yet still hiding in a corner.

“...Chomp.”

Ferloche, licking her lips while staring at me.

“Ever since we awakened divinity to stand beside you, our answer was always obvious.”

Ruby revealed her true demonic form with a soft gaze.

“I haven’t fully broken my limits yet, but my answer remains unchanged.”

Isolet eyes burned with determination.

“Master will always be Master, no matter what...”

Lulu wagged her tail as she nuzzled into my lap.

“I... I’m pretty useful now! So...!”

Roswyn beamed as she pounded away at her desk.

“Hero... I like you...”

And even Glare, still perched on my shoulder, pretending to talk in her sleep.

“Thank you, everyone. And...”

Seeing the unwavering resolve in their eyes, I smiled.

“I love you all.”

With that, our shared wish took flight, soaring toward the light beyond the darkness.

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That being said, there was one thing I had completely overlooked.

“Alright then, let’s eat our lunch now.”

“This is a special eel bento we made just for you, Frey. Please, enjoy.”

“Uh... huh?”

That was the fact that—aside from Serena and Ruby—the rest of my wives had been waiting for today.

The exact day marked one year since they had become pregnant.

“I also managed to get some oysters from the Eastern Continent. The warriors there, as well as Miho, mentioned that they work wonders for your stamina!”

“Wow! Let’s eat together!”

“...Guys?”