Chapter 42: The Eternal Queen of Valor
The grand throne room of the Valenhart Kingdom stood silent.
No laughter.
No whispers.
No sound.
Only a suffocating heaviness filled the air.
The magnificent hall, normally filled with nobles discussing matters of state and knights boasting about their achievements, felt like a tomb.
Golden pillars stretched toward the distant ceiling.
Crystal chandeliers hung above like frozen stars.
Massive banners bearing the crest of House Valenhart fluttered gently from the cold wind entering through the high windows.
Yet none of those things mattered today.
Because something was wrong.
Very wrong.
Upon the golden throne sat King Aldric Valenhart.
The ruler of the strongest human kingdom.
A king respected by allies and feared by enemies.
His posture remained straight.
His expression remained calm.
But beneath that royal mask hid a storm of emotions.
Worry.
Fear.
Dread.
For days, an unexplainable feeling had haunted him.
A feeling that refused to leave.
It had begun the moment the Human Army marched toward the battlefield.
The moment Aria Valencrest departed.
Since then, he had been unable to sleep properly.
Unable to eat.
Unable to focus.
Every night he found himself staring into the darkness.
Every morning he awoke with a heavy heart.
As though fate itself was preparing him for something terrible.
Yet no one knew.
Not the ministers.
Not the nobles.
Not even the royal guards standing beside his throne.
Only King Aldric himself knew about the fear consuming his heart.
Then-
The massive doors of the throne room slowly opened.
BOOM!
The sound echoed throughout the hall.
Every gaze turned toward the entrance.
The atmosphere instantly changed.
Roland Ashford stepped inside.
The Second Commander of the Human Army.
The strongest warrior after Aria.
His armor was damaged.
His cloak was torn.
Countless scars covered his body.
Behind him marched eight soldiers.
Their heads were lowered.
Their expressions were grim.
Together they carried a single body covered by a white cloth.
The moment everyone saw it-
Their hearts sank.
Nobody spoke.
Nobody moved.
The soldiers slowly approached the throne.
Step.
Step.
Step.
The sound of their footsteps echoed like funeral bells.
Finally, they stopped before the king.
Roland raised a trembling hand.
The eight soldiers carefully lowered the body onto the floor.
Silence filled the room.
Then-
With shaking fingers-
Roland reached toward the white cloth.
For a brief moment he hesitated.
As though he could not bring himself to reveal the truth.
But eventually-
He pulled it away.
The moment the face was revealed-
King Aldric froze.
His eyes widened.
His breathing stopped.
The entire world seemed to stand still.
"No..."
His voice trembled.
"No..."
"No..."
His hands shook.
His lips trembled.
For the first time in many years—
The mighty king looked helpless.
"How...?"
"How did this happen?"
Before him lay the body of Aria Valencrest.
The Hero of Humanity.
The Commander of the Human Army.
The Sword of the Five Kingdoms.
The woman who had carried the hopes of millions upon her shoulders.
Her golden hair rested peacefully around her face.
Her expression was calm.
Almost beautiful.
As though she had simply fallen asleep.
As though she would open her eyes at any moment.
But everyone knew the truth.
She would never wake again.
King Aldric slowly rose from his throne.
His voice echoed throughout the hall.
"She achieved the Fifth Level of Dominion!"
"She surpassed every expectation!"
"She reached heights that countless warriors could only dream of!"
His fists clenched tightly.
His voice cracked.
"Then how..."
"How is she lying dead before me?"
Nobody answered.
Nobody could.
The pain in the king’s voice shattered the hearts of everyone present.
Finally, Roland Ashford lowered his head.
"Pardon me, Your Majesty."
"But the Demon General Kajkha was far stronger than Commander Aria Valencrest."
The king’s eyes darkened.
He clenched his fists until blood dripped from his palms.
Then he asked the question everyone feared.
"Did you kill the Demon General?"
Roland remained silent.
Several seconds passed.
Then he nodded.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"The Demon General is dead."
A small spark of relief appeared in the king’s eyes.
But it vanished instantly.
Because Roland continued.
"However..."
"We were not the ones who killed him."
The king frowned.
"Then who?"
Roland slowly lifted his head.
His voice carried both awe and disbelief.
"Mr. Vlox."
The entire throne room became silent.
Several nobles gasped.
Others exchanged shocked looks.
Even the royal guards appeared stunned.
King Aldric stared at Roland.
"Vlox...?"
"The man who appeared during the battle?"
Roland nodded.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"He killed Kajkha."
"He annihilated the remaining demon army."
"He ended the war."
A murmur spread through the hall.
The soldiers who survived the battlefield visibly trembled.
Even now, merely remembering Vlox filled them with shock.
One noble spoke carefully.
"Was he truly that powerful?"
Everyone turned toward the noble who had asked the question.
The moment those words left his mouth, the entire hall fell silent.
Not because the question was disrespectful.
But because everyone remembered.
They remembered that day.
The day that had shaken the entire kingdom.
The day that had rewritten history itself.
The day Vlox appeared.
The noble immediately lowered his head after noticing everyone’s reaction.
Cold sweat formed on his forehead.
Even the ministers looked at him strangely.
Several veteran knights exchanged glances.
Because among all the people present, there was not a single person who had forgotten what happened.
Roland laughed bitterly.
"Powerful?"
His eyes became distant.
"As we fought for our lives..."
"As we sacrificed everything..."
"He stood there as though the battle meant nothing."
The room fell silent.
Roland continued.
"The Demon General who nearly destroyed humanity..."
"The same monster who defeated Commander Aria..."
"Was erased with a single attack."
The nobles inhaled sharply.
Roland lowered his head.
"Compared to him..."
"We were no different from children."
Silence followed.
King Aldric slowly sat back upon his throne.
His expression softened.
"I see..."
"So that man truly saved humanity."
Roland nodded.
"He did, Your Majesty."
For several moments, nobody spoke.
Then King Aldric looked toward Aria once again.
The moment his eyes landed upon her face-
The king’s composure finally cracked.
Not as a ruler.
Not as a king.
But as a father.
Because Aria was more than his commander.
More than his greatest general.
She was the daughter he had raised.
The child he had watched grow.
The little girl who once ran through these palace halls laughing.
The girl who dreamed of becoming a knight.
The girl who promised she would protect everyone.
Memories flooded his mind.
A young Aria swinging a wooden sword.
A young Aria proudly showing him her first victory.
A young Aria promising to become strong enough to defend humanity.
And she had done exactly that.
She had fulfilled her promise.
At the cost of her life.
A single tear rolled down the king’s cheek.
Nobody dared mention it.
Finally-
King Aldric rose once more.
His voice thundered across the throne room.
"Hear my words!"
Every noble.
Every knight.
Every servant.
Immediately knelt.
The king looked toward Aria’s body.
His gaze was filled with pride.
And sorrow.
Then he declared:
"From this day onward..."
"Aria Valencrest shall no longer be remembered merely as Commander Aria Valencrest."
The room trembled.
Everyone listened carefully.
The king raised his voice.
"She shall forever be known as..."
ARIA VALENCREST
THE ETERNAL QUEEN OF VALOR
THE SHIELD OF HUMANITY
THE WOMAN WHO STOOD AGAINST DARKNESS
The declaration shook the entire hall.
Many nobles widened their eyes.
Several knights began crying openly.
Because they understood the meaning of those words.
This was not merely a title.
It was immortality.
A title that would outlive kingdoms.
A title that history itself would remember.
King Aldric continued.
"Though she never wore a crown..."
"She protected humanity more than many kings."
"Though she ruled no kingdom..."
"She ruled the hearts of millions."
"Though she has fallen..."
"Her courage shall never die."
His voice shook slightly.
Therefore-
"By royal decree..."
"I, Aldric Valenhart..."
"King of the Valenhart Kingdom..."
"Hereby proclaim Aria Valencrest as Humanity’s Eternal Queen."
The throne room erupted with emotion.
Tears flowed freely.
Even veteran warriors who had survived countless battles wept openly.
Then the king raised his hand.
The hall instantly fell silent.
"I command the preparation of the greatest funeral this kingdom has ever witnessed."
"Let every bell ring."
"Let every banner be lowered."
"Let every citizen pay their respects."
"For seven days and seven nights..."
"The kingdom shall mourn."
Everyone immediately answered.
"YES, YOUR MAJESTY!"
The king nodded.
Then his voice became even louder.
"Send messengers to every city."
"Every village."
"Every fortress."
"Every kingdom."
"Tell them that Aria Valencrest has fallen."
"Tell them humanity has lost its greatest hero."
Within hours, the entire kingdom learned the news.
And grief spread like wildfire.
Mothers cried.
Children cried.
Soldiers cried.
Even strangers who had never met Aria felt their hearts break.
For seven days, the kingdom mourned.
No celebrations were held.
No music was played.
No festivals occurred.
Every street became silent.
Then came the day of the funeral.
Millions gathered within the capital.
People filled every road.
Every rooftop.
Every window.
They came from every corner of the kingdom.
Farmers.
Merchants.
Knights.
Nobles.
Adventurers.
Commoners.
All united by one purpose.
To say farewell.
Aria’s coffin was carried through the capital atop a magnificent golden carriage.
White flowers covered every inch of it.
Thousands of knights walked beside it.
Not a single person spoke.
Only tears remained.
As the procession moved through the city-
Citizens knelt.
One after another.
Then another.
Then another.
Until the entire capital was kneeling.
Paying respect to the woman who gave everything for them.
High above the city-
Thousands of white petals drifted through the sky.
Like snow.
Like blessings from heaven itself.
At the end of the procession-
The coffin reached the center of the capital.
And there-
A monument unlike anything the world had ever seen had been completed.
A colossal statue.
Forged from the purest white stone.
Towering over every building.
Towering over every wall.
The statue depicted Aria standing proudly.
Her sword pointed toward the sky.
Her cape flowing behind her.
Her expression calm and fearless.
As though she were still protecting humanity.
The crowd stared in awe.
Many broke down crying.
King Aldric stepped forward.
His voice echoed throughout the capital.
"Look upon her."
"Remember her."
"Tell her story to your children."
"And let them tell it to theirs."
"May a thousand years pass."
"May ten thousand years pass."
"But let humanity never forget this name."
He pointed toward the statue.
And declared:
"ARIA VALENCREST!"
"THE ETERNAL QUEEN OF VALOR!"
The entire capital erupted.
Millions of voices answered as one.
"GLORY TO THE ETERNAL QUEEN OF VALOR!"
"GLORY TO ARIA VALENCREST!"
The sound shook the heavens.
Outside the capital...
The bells of the kingdom began to ring.
One after another.
Announcing the death of a hero.
And the birth of a legend.
A legend whose name would never fade.
A legend who would forever live in the hearts of humanity.
Aria Valencrest.
The Eternal Queen of Valor.