Parallel Memory

Chapter 709 709: The Crown of Shadows and Dawn

The Devil Kingdom had never known silence like this.

For generations, coronations were occasions of thunderous roars, armies gathering in parade formation, skies filled with crimson banners. But now, after the fall of Aamon, after the collapse of the palace, after the signing of a treaty with humans—nothing was the same.

The throne hall was rebuilt in haste, not out of vanity, but necessity. Massive slabs of blackstone were cut and lifted by dozens of devils working tirelessly. Runes—simple ones, predating the era of advanced magic—were etched by claw and blade, creating a solemn atmosphere that seemed older than the concept of war itself.

Devils from all factions gathered:

The winged sentinels.

The horned warriors.

The shadowborn mages.

The beastlike tribes.

And, for the first time in history… humans observed from the balcony above, invited guests rather than prisoners.

Mia, Amelia, Kaileon, Hiro, Seraphine, and Nock stood shoulder to shoulder. Though tense, they felt no hostility directed toward them. Instead, every devil's eyes held the same emotion:

Hope.

At the center of the hall stood Lilith.

Not as the girl they met in ruins…

Not as Zero's silent guardian…

Not as the frightened heir hiding in Aamon's shadow…

But as the one who would reshape the Devil Kingdom.

Her long black hair flowed like liquid night. Her crimson eyes glowed with quiet determination. The ceremonial robe she wore was simple—white at the shoulders, black toward the hem, ending in a faint red gradient symbolizing the dawn after darkness.

The crown was not a ring of jewels.

It was a single fragment of obsidian—shaped centuries ago—resting on a piece of polished darksteel.

An elderly devil stepped forward, his horns cracked, his back bent with age.

"In the name of the First Flameborn. In the name of the Arcturion bloodline. In the name of the forgotten peace our late king sought…" his voice trembled, "…we crown Lilith Arcturion as the rightful ruler of the Devil Kingdom."

The hall vibrated with a deep, resonant hum as every devil placed a fist over their chest in unison.

Lilith knelt.

The elder lowered the obsidian crown.

It touched her hair—

—then dissolved into particles of black and red light.

The crown merged with her.

Her mana surged upward, spiraling into the air like a pillar of luminous shadow. The hall shook from the pressure, but not violently—warmly, like a hearth flame awakening after centuries of neglect.

Her voice echoed, strengthened by the crown's power:

"I will honor my father."

"I will not repeat Aamon's mistakes."

"And I will create a kingdom where strength does not overshadow compassion."

Devils cheered.

Humans stared in awe.

And Lilith, now fully sovereign, turned toward the human representatives.

"Thank you for trusting me," she said softly.

Mia bowed.

Amelia followed.

Kaileon placed a fist to his chest in acknowledgment.

Hiro nodded, muttering, "Zero would've probably just waved."

Lilith smiled faintly.

"Zero will wake," she said. "And when he does… I have much to tell him."

The Return to the Human World

Three days after the treaty, the portal anchor pulsed to life.

The devils had rebuilt the dimensional stabilizer using energy cores extracted from former rebel caches. Dozens of mages and engineers worked under Lilith's orders, carefully merging their mana streams. The final structure—an obsidian ring etched with luminous red cracks—was far different from the original human design.

But its function was flawless.

A crimson vortex blossomed within the ring, swirling with streaks of blue—the signature of human-space mana.

The gate home.

Humans lined up, weary yet hopeful. Some hugged devils who healed them. Others exchanged uneasy but sincere nods.

"We made the impossible happen," Nock whispered.

"Peace between devils and humans…" Seraphine murmured, "…never thought I'd see it."

Hiro crossed his arms but smiled.

"Zero will be mad he missed this."

Mia looked toward the citadel, toward the room where Zero still slept.

"…We'll bring him back once he wakes."

Lilith approached them one last time.

"I will keep my word. Zero will be protected until his consciousness returns. And when he is stable… I will personally send him to your world."

Mia nodded. Amelia bowed deeply.

Kaileon placed a reassuring hand on Lilith's shoulder—an unprecedented gesture between species.

"May this be the first of many peaceful days," he said.

Humans stepped through the crimson portal, one group after another.

As Mia passed through, she whispered a final prayer:

"Zero… please wake up. We're waiting."

And then she vanished into the light.

Chapter — Celebration After A Century of War

The portal opened directly into Delta Outpost, and the moment the first soldiers emerged, the human side erupted into chaos.

People rushed forward—healers, commanders, scouts—overwhelmed with disbelief.

"They're alive!"

"They made it back!"

"The elite vanguard returned!"

As Mia stepped out, a wave of cheers exploded.

"It's Frostine!"

"She's the one who defeated the devil king!"

"The strongest ice mage!"

"Our savior!"

Mia felt her chest tighten. She hadn't defeated Aamon. Zero had. But she forced a calm smile—because arguing now would only cause confusion and danger for Zero.

Hiro was practically lifted off his feet by fellow soldiers.

"Hiro!! Rank S and still alive!"

"You saved us, man!"

"You and Mia took down the devil king together, didn't you?"

Hiro scratched the back of his head.

"Well… something like that."

Amelia received softer attention—bows from clerics, grateful hugs from injured warriors.

"Saintess Amelia… thank you."

"We wouldn't have survived without your prayers."

"Please, bless us again."

She smiled gently, though her thoughts were far from celebration.

Zero… please don't stay asleep for too long.

Then came the biggest shock.

The commanders, generals, and high-ranking officials at the outpost gathered at the main plaza. The entire outpost—thousands of soldiers—stood in formation.

And Kaileon stepped forward to announce the news:

"The war is over.

We have signed a peace treaty with Lilith Arcturion—the rightful successor to the Devil Kingdom."

Silence.

Complete, absolute silence.

Then—

"What—?"

"Peace?"

"Is this a joke?"

"A treaty with devils?!"

"How—who—why—"

Kaileon raised a hand.

"It was achieved thanks to Mia Frostine and Hiro Tanaka, who defeated the devil king Aamon and opened negotiations."

Another eruption—this time cheers, applause, shouts of pride.

Mia closed her eyes. She could almost hear Zero sighing in annoyance from a thousand miles away.

Hiro looked embarrassed as soldiers slapped his back.

"Brother Hiro! The hero of Delta!"

"Hahaha—no, seriously—ow—don't hit so hard—"

Amelia watched with a conflicted smile.

Yet despite the noise, despite the celebration, despite the overwhelming relief…

They all felt it.

A storm of change was coming.

A peace treaty between humans and devils would shake the entire continent.

And Zero—still unconscious—was at the heart of it all.

But for one night…

Humans celebrated freedom.

They celebrated survival.

They celebrated heroes.

And while fireworks burst in the sky above Delta Outpost, Mia looked up at them quietly.

"We'll bring you home soon," she whispered into the wind.

"To the world you changed without anyone knowing."