Reincarnated as the Final Boss of an Eroge, but I Just Want a Peaceful Life After the Game Ends - Chapter 20: In the Royal Capital

Chapter 20: In the Royal Capital

(Why… Why did I do something like that?!)

To raise her blade toward Her Majesty the Queen—

Elmia deeply regretted her actions.

But once a choice was made, it couldn’t be undone.

Even if it was the Queen herself, Elmia simply couldn’t accept the idea of bringing humans—impure beings—into their sacred homeland.

As an elf, it went against everything she stood for.

In the end, her defiance earned her the wrath of the Forest Elf Queen.

Elmia and her followers were cast out of the sacred forest by the Queen’s personal attendants.

Now exiled from the very land they once served, they were forbidden from returning to the elves’ hidden village—

Not until they had earned the forgiveness of the forest’s people.

Celebres was a High Elf—the ruling class among elves—and Queen of the Forest Elves.

The position of Queen was always given to one chosen from among the High Elves.

Even so, Elmia was furious.

To bring a human into the inner sanctum—a place even other elves could not freely enter—was nothing short of blasphemy.

Celebres had been chosen as Queen because of her unmatched magical power and the deep affection spirits held for her.

But to many elves—even other High Elves—her appearance was considered vulgar and improper.

She had none of the delicate features elves admired.

Despite being the most powerful Queen in their history, Celebres’s outward appearance made it hard for many of her people to fully accept her.

The elves of the forest relied on the mana concentrated at the base of the World Tree to wield [Spirit Magic].

Now that Elmia and her group had been banished beyond the Lost Woods, they no longer had access to that mana—

And with it, the very power that defined their identity as elves.

(Humans… how dare they!)

Frustration simmered in her chest.

Elmia and her group wandered the forest, desperately searching for areas where mana was thickest.

Several days passed.

Eventually, Elmia’s unit found themselves near the border of the Kingdom of Eternia.

They survived by foraging—gathering wild plants, flowers, and berries—but even that had its limits.

Then, they found it.

A mana hotspot.

It was located near the entrance to the forest—

A dungeon, said to have been sealed thousands of years ago by a former king of the Forest Elves.

But now, the seal had weakened.

Mana leaked steadily from within the dungeon.

They set up camp nearby, and on a night when the full moon shone down on the dungeon’s door—

Elmia stepped forward and broke the seal.

───GROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHH!!

A deafening roar echoed through the trees. The seal shattered—and a horde of monsters surged from the dungeon.

“Monsters!!!”

Elmia leapt back, instantly creating distance from the door as her elite guard rushed past her to intercept the threat.

“Lady Elmia!”

The elves quickly formed a protective circle around their commander.

And surrounding them was a pack of monstrous humanoids: ogres, high orcs, minotaurs, centaurs, and trolls.

An ogre swung its massive club, mowing down a group of elves.

A high orc grabbed a fallen elf and sank its teeth into him.

A centaur impaled another with its spear-like lance, while a troll swallowed the corpse of a fallen elf whole.

Of the ten-elf unit, one after another fell victim to the monsters—

Until only two remained.

“L-Lady Elmia! Please—run while you still can! I’ll draw them away!”

The last remaining female soldier tossed her quiver to Elmia, then drew her dagger and charged into the horde of monsters.

“Findril!”

Catching the quiver mid-air, Elmia clenched her teeth and let out a strained groan—then turned and fled.

◆

A few days later.

In the royal capital of Eterna, within the Kingdom of Eternia, the royal palace was in chaos.

Court officials scurried about, their movements frantic and hurried.

A stampede had broken out near the border.

A massive swarm of monsters had erupted from a dungeon, launching relentless attacks on the border checkpoint that separated the kingdom from the Great Forest.

From the moment the first report came in, the kingdom began assembling reinforcements and dispatched them without delay.

However, because of how sudden it was, many noble houses were unable to mobilize in time.

Now, a second wave of reinforcements was being organized.

Among them were the troops from House Faustler.

And within that force—stood Ars, a hero known throughout the land as the “Second Coming of the Hero.”

Despite his short career, Ars had made a name for himself by clearing numerous dungeons.

He had also quelled a smaller-scale stampede in the past, adding to his rising fame.

His exploits earned him the title Second Coming of the Hero, and the name now echoed throughout the newly formed Second Army.

Back at the palace, a strategy meeting was underway with senior officials, discussing deployment of the new troops.

Among them was Rod Faustler, the commander of Faustler’s forces.

Rod firmly advocated for Ars to lead the assault on the dungeon—the source of the monster outbreak.

“Your Majesty, forgive my boldness, but I would like to speak. May I have your permission to do so?”

“Rod Faustler. You may speak.”

“Yes, sir.”

Rod stepped forward and began his report.

Ars was currently operating in a squad or team-sized formation, leading numerous dungeon expeditions as a squad leader.

Most recently, he had cleared a dungeon estimated to be around level 40—and in doing so, defeated a level 50 boss monster.

This was the information he presented to the court.

“Hmm. And so, you believe he is the right man for this task?”

“Yes, Your Majesty. Moreover, he has been working alongside the Saintess in his previous expeditions. I humbly request that Saintess Hanna be permitted to accompany him again for this mission.”

Professions like Hero and Saintess were known to be capable of feats far beyond what their level suggested.

So far, both Ars and Hanna had lived up to that reputation with consistent results.

That alone made them the most qualified candidates for this dungeon expedition.

“Very well. Then, we shall throw our full strength into securing a path to the dungeon entrance. Ars and his party will take the lead and aim to conquer the dungeon.”

“I agree, Your Majesty. That would be the wisest course of action.”

Following the king’s declaration, nods of approval and supporting voices echoed from the gathered nobles and other commanders.

“Then it is settled. Rod, before they depart, bring Ars before me. Considering all he has accomplished, it would be unseemly to send him forth as a commoner. I shall grant him knighthood.”

With that, the King formally requested an audience with Ars and Saintess Hanna.

“Understood, Your Majesty.”

Rod bowed deeply, accepting the royal command.

◆

Princess Fina Eternia, the second princess of the kingdom, had used her father’s name to publicly recruit a personal knight.

She now sat reviewing the submitted applications.

Lately, voices of admiration for Ars had become increasingly common throughout the castle.

Whenever someone brought her such news, Fina distanced herself from them.

She had no solid proof—but a bad feeling lingered.

And she chose to trust that instinct.

Out of over a hundred applicants, Fina narrowed it down to three female candidates for interviews.

(Sara Famtau, Rosa, and Karen Dyle… these three.)

The interviews were scheduled over three days.

Day One

Sara was a royal guard and a knight stationed at the castle.

When asked why she applied, her answer felt vague and unfocused.

It was clear her admiration for Ars was overly intense—enough to make Fina wary.

Even more telling was the ring on Fina’s left ring finger—

Its color had shifted to a deep, corrupted red, a sign of hostile intent.

Fina could tell: This woman will become my enemy someday.

That alone was enough reason to reject her.

Day Two

Rosa claimed to be from a southern village.

But when Fina checked her submitted stats, something felt clearly off.

So she used a basic appraisal scroll with low-level detection.

───

Name: Rosa Bardot

Gender: Female Age: 20

───

(A false name…? Bardot—isn’t that a noble house from the Empire?)

Everything about her was suspicious.

Fina briefly considered hiring her just to keep an eye on her,

But if anything went wrong, she’d be the first to be accused of collusion.

That, too, was enough to disqualify Rosa.

Day Three

Karen Dyle.

The very first issue? Her claimed level—99.

Fina was immediately skeptical.

“Level 99? Really?”

Wanting to know more, she used a much more expensive appraisal scroll—

one designed for high-level verification—on Karen.

───

Name: Karen Dyle

Gender: Female Age: 16

Height: 165 cm Weight: 47 kg

Class: Sword Saint Level: 99

HP: 19,700 MP: 9,900

VIT: 985 STR: 985

DEX: 100 AGI: 397

INT: 495 MND: 988

Skills: Magic (Fire: 8, Earth: 8, Wind: 8, Water: 8, Light: 8)

Non-Elemental Magic: 4, Chant Omission: 8, Swordsmanship

Shield Technique, Axe Technique, Staff Technique

Spear Technique: 8, Archery: 4, Martial Arts

Physical Counter

───

The appraisal scroll clearly confirmed it—

Karen’s claim was true.

“You’re serious?”

Fina couldn’t help but ask aloud.

“Yes. It’s all true. I assure you.”

Karen’s calm reply made Fina glance down at her own hand.

The ring on her left ring finger shimmered with a serene, deep black.

(This means… it’s okay to hire her, right?)

Still, one thing kept nagging at her.

“You mentioned you’re from Bahamul Barony?”

Fina had heard reports that Sidol had been appointed as acting lord of Bahamul.

But soon after, a message came reporting his death.

Since then, no new information had come in.

Now, out of nowhere, came an applicant claiming to be from Bahamul.

Fina couldn’t suppress her curiosity and asked Karen directly.

“Yes. Before my father passed away, he was acquainted with the late Baron of Bahamul. After he died, the Baron took care of me.”

Karen answered Fina’s questions honestly and without hesitation.

Sidol had told her she could speak freely, so long as they were alone.

Though she sensed someone might be present in the adjoining servants’ room, she felt that speaking in vague terms should be safe enough.

Even as Fina fired off question after question, Karen responded with calm and sincerity.

“Karen, was your father Lord Garen Dyle, the Viscount-Designate?”

“Yes, that’s correct. I’m impressed you knew that.”

“Good, I remembered right. His name’s not one I hear often, so I wasn’t sure.”

“Ahaha, that’s understandable. Even in the frontier, he wasn’t well known.”

“And you’ve officially inherited the title, correct?”

“Yes. The late Baron of Bahamul instructed me to do so, so I completed the formal process.”

“I see… And after the Baron passed away, what did you do?”

“For a while, I managed the territory together with the village chief. But I didn’t have the knowledge to do it well—it was very difficult. Fortunately, someone reliable is acting as lord now. Thanks to him, I’ve been able to leave the territory to gain life experience and look for work.”

“I understand. Thank you for answering all these unrelated questions.”

“Not at all. I know there’s a lot to be curious about, so I’m happy to answer whatever I can.”

“That’s very kind of you. Oh, by the way—aside from martial arts, do you have any hobbies?”

“Cooking. I love it. I can handle most household chores too, so if needed, I can help out with things beyond just being a guard.”

While staying with Ivelia, Karen had been thoroughly trained in noble etiquette.

Though Karen was a musclehead through and through, and she and Ivelia looked like complete opposites—an energetic tomboy and a refined noble lady—their personalities were surprisingly alike.

Still, Ivelia had a soft spot for Fina, so when Karen decided to apply as a personal knight, Ivelia took every spare moment to drill her in proper courtly manners.

“Karen, just to confirm—if you’re selected, when would you be able to start working here?”

“Well, I’ve saved up enough to stay at an inn for about a month, so anytime within the next month would be fine.”

“Even as soon as tomorrow?”

“Yes!”

“Then I’ll inform my father. Can you come to the palace at the same time tomorrow?”

“Of course. I’ll be here.”

“Great. Thank you for today.”

Later that evening, Fina reported her choice of personal knight to her father, King Zimon Eternia, during dinner.

“Karen Dyle, huh? You’ve found a fine candidate. Her father, Garen Dyle, was a skilled warrior who rose from commoner ranks. My father, the previous king, had wanted to grant him the title of Baron, but due to opposition from the court, he had to settle for Viscount-Designate. So she’s Garen Dyle’s only daughter, is she…?”

With no objections raised, Karen’s appointment was officially approved by the king.

For context, Garen Dyle had served as a strategist in a war where he achieved many feats.

Supporting him at the time was Zenon Bahamul, a self-made scholar who had also risen from the commoner class.

Despite his achievements, Zenon too had been pushed aside by the nobility and assigned to the kingdom’s most remote region—far from the royal capital.

If Karen were applying to be a lady-in-waiting, her title of Viscount-Designate would have been a heavy burden.

But for a knight, even a low noble rank like hers gave her an edge over true commoners.

And if she proved herself after her appointment, there was always room for promotion to an even higher title.

That was King Zimon’s line of thought—

Though, in hindsight, this would be the last time he could reason so clearly.

The Next Day

Karen arrived at the castle and asked to see Fina.

Fina welcomed her into a reception room and informed her of the decision.

“Haa… That’s such a relief. Thank you so much, Princess Fina.”

Despite Karen’s lack of polished language, Fina didn’t feel it was disrespectful.

Strangely enough, it didn’t bother her at all.

“You’ll be staying in my attendant’s quarters, alright?”

“So from today onward, I’ll be living in the royal castle, huh?”

“That’s right. You’re now my personal knight. Depending on the situation, I may ask you to help out with things more like a maid’s duties—is that okay?”

“Of course, I don’t mind. It’s just that, uh… (wait, no—) I’ve been learning lately, but I still haven’t quite gotten the hang of court etiquette…”

“Then I’ll teach you myself. I’ve got more than enough free time, after all.”

“In that case… please go easy on me.”

“Good. Also, your weapons and armor will be provided by the royal family. During your shifts, I ask that you wear the sword we issue you, alright?”

“Understood. But are you sure about this? Letting someone like me carry a weapon?”

“It’s fine because I say so. If anything happens, I’ll take full responsibility—because it’ll be under my orders.”

Just as Fina began explaining the terms of employment, Karen suddenly felt a sharp, stinging jolt at the back of her head—like something had pierced straight into her mind.

Fina sensed it too. 

She glanced down at the ring on her left hand—

And saw it glowing with a radiant crimson light, brighter than ever before.

The atmosphere within the castle shifted in an instant—sudden, dramatic, and unmistakable.

“Your Highness, are you alright?”

“Yes… My head hurts a little, but I’ll manage.”

“This is a mental attack, right? The kind that causes a status effect…”

“You can tell?”

“Yeah. Stuff like this happens sometimes when you’re deep inside dungeons. It stopped bothering me much once my Mind (MND) stat got higher, though.”

“This isn’t normal, is it?”

“A mental attack like this inside the castle? Yeah, that’s not normal at all. But the thing with mind-control-type abilities is… most people don’t even notice they’re being affected. So if someone without resistance reports it, nobody believes them.”

Fina had already guessed where the attack was coming from.

She’d seen something similar during Ivelia’s duel.

And seeing Karen remain unaffected—calm and composed—only reassured her further.

(She really is the perfect person to have by my side.)

And just like that, Karen was officially appointed as Princess Fina’s personal knight.

◆

Meanwhile, in the audience chamber, a brief knighting ceremony was being held.

“───To Ars of Umiberi Village, I hereby bestow the title of Knight. From this day forth, you shall be known as Ars Umiberi.”

Seated on the throne, the King read aloud the decree written on the parchment handed to him, formally granting Ars his title.

Ars, kneeling on one knee a short distance from the throne, bowed his head low in solemn respect.

“You will serve as a key defender in response to the recent monster stampede. Should you fulfill your duties with distinction—a reward fitting your efforts will be granted.”

As Zimon looked down at the boy kneeling before him, he felt a powerful sense of potential radiating from him.

(This one… will go far.)

Due to Ars’s skill, [Protagonist Privilege★], Zimon had already begun entertaining thoughts that would have been unthinkable under normal circumstances—

If Ars continued to grow and achieve great deeds, he might one day welcome him as Princess Fina’s husband.

Normally, for someone of royal blood, marrying into a newly risen noble house would be out of the question.

But such was the subtle influence of Ars’s skill.

Of course, in the finale of Violation of Eternia IV, things would spiral far beyond that.

After being welcomed into the royal family as Fina’s consort, Ars would later find himself entangled with both Fina’s older sister, Liana, and even Zimon’s own queen, Marie.

But that’s a story for another time.

For now, Zimon sent Ars off with great expectations for his future.

The hastily simplified knighting ceremony came to a swift end,

And the Kingdom’s Second Army immediately departed from the capital.

After nearly a month of marching,

Ars would finally arrive at the final stage of Violation of Eternia II—

The Abyssal Labyrinth.