Chapter 76 – The Unreachable Heights
The world was no longer the same.
In just one week, everything had changed.
The empire had declared Leonhardt Valerian Everhart a traitor, stripping him of his titles, his rights, and even his name. Yet, instead of fading into obscurity, he had risen higher than ever before.
The strongest swordsman in human history.
The youngest 9th-class magician.
A man on the verge of becoming the first Grand Swordmaster.
And worse—the woman he had chosen, the woman for whom he had abandoned his empire, was no ordinary woman.
She was Aetheria Nyx Lunaris Solis.
The Daughter of the Sun God.
The Ruler of the Night.
The future goddess who had forced the entire world to bow.
The Empire's Struggle
The imperial court was in chaos.
Ministers, nobles, and generals argued day and night, struggling to understand how they had lost not only their greatest genius, but also their position as the strongest power in the world.
"If we had known—" one noble began.
The emperor slammed his fist against the table, silencing the room. "It doesn't matter. He made his choice."
The nobles flinched.
They had seen it with their own eyes.
They had felt it with their own souls.
The suffocating pressure. The absolute authority of the Night's Queen.
Even now, their knees ached from having been forced to bow.
"We declared him a traitor," the emperor continued, his voice cold. "We cannot take that back."
A noble hesitated. "Then… what do we do?"
The emperor exhaled slowly, his golden eyes burning with something unreadable.
"We wait."
Because Leonhardt Valerian Everhart had been raised in the empire. He had been trained by its strongest warriors, guided by its greatest magicians.
And now, he was stronger than all of them.
If he ever decided to turn against them…
A shiver ran through the room.
The Grand Dukedom – A Family Divided
At the same time, a tense silence filled the Everhart estate.
The Grand Duke sat motionless, his usual calm gaze now filled with something far colder.
His wife, the only 9th-class magician in the world, stood beside him, her expression unreadable.
Their son—the heir they had raised for ten years, the pride of their bloodline—had abandoned them.
Their second son and daughter, both geniuses in their own right, remained silent.
For years, Leonhardt had been the center of their world. The eldest, the strongest, the one destined to inherit everything.
And yet, he had walked away without hesitation.
Not for power.
Not for ambition.
But for love.
Their mother sighed, rubbing her temple. "…We always knew he was different."
The Grand Duke's jaw clenched. "Different doesn't mean he should have abandoned us."
Their younger sister, barely holding back tears, finally spoke.
"Then why did he thank you?"
Everyone turned to her.
"…Before he left, he thanked you," she whispered, her voice trembling. "If he was truly abandoning us… why would he do that?"
The Grand Duke's fingers curled into a fist.
His son—his heir—had thanked him, and then walked away forever.
And he still didn't know why.
The Other Kingdoms – A Shift in Power
The Kingdom of Aurion, once at war with the empire, was now under the protection of Aetheria Nyx Lunaris Solis.
This single event had changed everything.
Other kings across the continent watched in fear.
Leonhardt had left the empire, but he had not grown weaker—he had become stronger.
The empire had cast him aside, but he was still the son of the Grand Duke, still the strongest human alive.
And worst of all—he now belonged to her.
The Daughter of the Sun God. The woman who had made every ruler on the continent bow against their will.
"What if they turn against us?" a king whispered, gripping his throne.
His advisor's face was pale. "Then we are doomed."
The People – The Myth of the Betrayer
Across the lands, stories began to spread.
The Empire's Betrayer. The Demon's Champion. The Man Who Chose Love Over Power.
Some saw him as a fool.
Others saw him as a romantic legend.
But all knew one thing—he was no longer just a noble or a warrior.
He was becoming something greater.
A force of nature.
A myth in the making.
And as for the Night's Queen…
She had claimed him as hers, and in doing so, she had placed herself beyond the reach of any king, emperor, or god.
They were no longer just two powerful individuals.
They were a legend being written in real time.
And the world could only watch.