LANYA STOOD ON THE BALCONY OF CENTRAL AKUNI’S MAIN HALL, her greyish-blue eyes gazing at the night sky. As she gazed out into the stratos, her attention was slowly drawn to the buildings over which the night sky blanketed itself. The last few lights in numerous houses were being turned off as the people of the town went to bed. Gazing upon her subjects finally returning to a peaceful life despite all of the turmoil of the past few months, she felt a sort of pride toward her people.

From behind her, a familiar voice arose.

“So, you were able to handle it after all,” Zero said.

“I suppose so,” Lanya replied. “I guess it was just a matter of experience. You don’t know you can do it until you’ve done it.”

“Is that how you think of it?” Zero responded.

“Yes,” Lanya continued. “When I was last looking out on the balcony like this, I was kept awake by my fears of ruling a country. For a while after becoming sixteen, I struggled to fall asleep some nights. But now, I do not worry about my subjects as much as I worry for them. I feel a concern for their plights and wish to show hospitality to all within the borders of Akuni, but I know that there are some I need to turn down. I fear the day I need to say ‘no’ to a person in need.”

“You haven’t lost your sympathetic side one bit, Lanya. You will do just fine as a ruler. That being said, I feel that I must depart.”

“Very well. Will I see you tomorrow then?”

“Yes, you shall, but I will be returning to the Unkempt in two weeks' time.”

“Why’s that?”

“I’ve already done what I must in Crenon,” Zero began. “I helped end the Great Trifecta War, thus ending my original mission. After that, I was tasked with watching over the Kenshis and Mujihinas to ensure that the Fabled Swords are not used for evil. This task was only recently finished. With the Omega Blade and Alpha Blade now safely buried in the mausoleum’s floors, I feel there will not be any further consequence from my departure.”

Lanya pondered all of this. Just when she had thought she had a strong advisor in the form of Zero, she found that he had no more drive to hold this position. Despite this, she knew that Zero did this not to neglect his duties, but because he had trust in her.

“In that case, why wait two weeks? You may leave today if you like.”

“Thank you, Your Highness!” Zero exclaimed, albeit still in a hushed tone, as they were on the palace’s balcony and he wished not to wake any of the people in the town. “I know it might be hard on you to rule without me by your side, but there are plenty of other great minds in Akuni if you find yourself in need of an advisor again. I’ll make sure to tell Astrid that you said ‘hi’.”

With that, Zero left the palace, packing his luggage and heading off to Orban’s Ferry once more. On the dock, he saw Satsujin waiting for him.

“So then,” the aforementioned maila called out. “Are you ready to go back home?”

“I’ve waited eight decades for this,” Zero said as the two boarded Orban’s Ferry, beginning the long journey home.

After so many decades of strife, compassion finally triumphed over hatred. Zeronius Kantoku III could finally rest well that night, knowing that the Kenshis and the Mujihinas once more saw each other as brothers and sisters and that all wrongs had been made right between the two bloodlines. The era of the Fabled Swords had ended and, just as a war between nations ends with an eventual truce, so too had this conflict been resolved by a treaty of its own.