Chapter 37

Juddak☆) I’ve already sent someone, lol, sorry.

Just as I checked Juddak’s comment, a knock resonated in Evelyn’s room.

Knock, knock, knock.

“Mother!”

I hadn’t heard a knock since the catastrophe.

Evelyn felt a fear greater than when she was chased by monsters.

‘H-how did they get here?’

Duke Ophelia’s Mansion had long been occupied by monsters.

It was practically a dungeon.

A garden full of mazes, with monsters that could pop out from anywhere.

But who were these people calmly knocking on the door?

Evelyn peered through the crack of the door, and her confusion only deepened.

“We’ve come to deliver some good news.”

The first was a dwarf.

A dwarf, the kind that lives in the Antares Mountain Range, was knocking.

“P-please, oh noble human… can you open the door?”

Then there was a strangely speaking porter and

“Ehehe, if you open it right now, your life will be safe.”

Even a weird elf showed up.

‘What on earth is this!’

How did those races end up in the same place?

Evelyn trembled and chose to play dead instead of responding, but that wasn’t a good choice.

Creak!

“Yikes!”

“Oh, are you inside?”

A man who looked like a knight broke in with a monstrous grip on the doorknob.

At least he seemed the most normal among them.

He stretched out his hand and said kindly,

“We’ll guide you.”

“Uh… y-yes…”

She couldn’t bring herself to say no.

Evelyn had no idea.

Who would have thought that this party was the legendary multi-racial party known in the gallery?

And that the knight she held hands with was the crazy party leader?

Anyway, beneath the protection of the party, Evelyn could finally step outside the dukedom for the first time since the catastrophe.

*

Inside Kelton Castle.

Armored knights led soldiers brandishing spears and swords inside.

“Kyaaah!”

“Kill them all!”

The people who broke away from the Adrian Empire were reclaiming the Kelton Kingdom.

Though their armor and attire might be shabby, due to the countless battles that occurred day by day, their skills were superb.

“Grrrr…”

Crunch!

After dealing with a monster that dared to sit on the throne, the cleanup of the castle was complete.

“Did we finish them off?”

Lloyd chanted a spell, but no monsters appeared.

This signified that the castle was entirely cleaned out.

With half joy and half fear, the exhausted army had completed the reclamation after three days and nights of fighting.

Everyone was so tired they could collapse at any moment.

Just closing their eyes meant they would fall asleep at once.

Yet they could win because…

Title: Me

Author: Juddak☆

(Pictures of a spicy tuna can box)

(Triangular Rice Ball picture)

Make sure to eat while reading, haha.

– Lloyd) Oh my!!! What is all this!!!

n This guy has no shame, lol.

n Haha, his tone just screams he won’t take no for an answer.

– Chuncky Yay!

– Juddak, you know I love you, right?

– Seriously, what would have happened if you weren’t around? haha.

– Just a spoonful of Juddak can solve anything in these chaotic times, right?

– Thank you so much, you lovely person.

n Just how thankful are you to swear like that…

n It’s gratitude, that’s all.

That was all thanks to the gallery’s manager and owner, Juddak’s patronage.

You guys were at a level where you couldn’t afford to lose even if you wanted to.

Just as everybody was sprawled out, trying to eat tuna cans and warmed triangular rice balls, the entrance became noisy.

“Sir Lloyd!”

Just then, a middle-aged knight rushed in in haste.

It was Alfred, the knight who stood by Lloyd when the Adrian Empire split.

“What is it? Did monsters invade again?”

Surprised, I stood up hurriedly and asked. Alfred grabbed Lloyd’s shoulder and shouted.

“They have arrived!”

“Eh? Who… no way?”

“Lady Ophelia just arrived!”

Evelyn Ophelia.

The sole lady of the Kelton Kingdom’s dukedom and the one who would become the next queen of the Kellierhton Kingdom.

At this news, the soldiers forgot their exhaustion and quickly stood up to look outside.

And almost simultaneously, a figure appeared in the audience room.

“That person is…”

Lloyd stared at the entrance, astonished.

But he couldn’t help but frown.

Behind her standing at the entrance, the warm light pouring in made it difficult for everyone to keep their eyes open.

“O-oh… finally…”

“That’s the person we’ve only heard about…”

When the gloomy sky that had persisted throughout the reclamation cleared and the light shone into the audience room, everyone instinctively sensed it.

The one standing at the center was indeed worthy of becoming their queen.

With no hint of trembling or shrinking in the gaze that poured upon her, bold and whole.

And as everyone admired her in awe, Evelyn slowly opened her eyes and thought.

‘So, so embarrassing.’

I had been cooped up in a corner for years, just engaging in gallery activities.

Sudden attention and crowds were suffocating and burdensome.

*

The coronation ceremony commenced immediately.

Knights and soldiers parted left and right, and as Evelyn marched stiffly like a wooden puppet toward the throne, everyone knelt.

“Lead us!”

“Glory to our queen, Kellierhton!”

Amid the showering greetings, Evelyn thought with a calm expression.

‘I want to go home…’

Overwhelmed by staring eyes, Evelyn shut her eyes tight.

But closing her eyes only made the whispers around her louder.

“I heard you’re closest with Juddak…”

“I heard the queen was the first to share items and speak casually with Juddak?”

“I heard she stayed behind and defended her territory to the end when fleeing after the defeat.”

All sorts of misunderstandings filled the rumors.

The item exchange was just her grasping Juddak’s arm on the brink of starvation and selling her bed.

Not only had she not defended her territory, but she had spent her time hidden in a room, practically dead.

As for her relationship with Juddak…

‘Ahem, that part is true.’

Everything else was overly exaggerated.

Moreover, the coronation was exposed directly in the gallery due to Lloyd’s brain fade moment.

He had gloriously spammed an entire page of grand posts with the coronation.

– Season 402124, Founding the Human Kingdom

– But this person is the same as the fallen lady, right?

n No way, that doesn’t match up at all.

n I thought she’d be adorable, but surprisingly she has a regal air about her.

– She’s cute but somehow has an unintimidating nobility…

n This is a case of gap moe.

n I want to pet her so badly, for real.

– So she was messaging Juddak with emojis and cheerily chatting like that?

n Ugh, I didn’t want to say this…

n ?

n I didn’t say it, so it’s fine.

n This is just insane.

Especially in the gallery.

I missed the days when it was just casual gallery chatting.

But what’s this now?

Her white cheeks began to redden.

This excessive attention was not what she wished for.

That was when she stumbled upon an inappropriate chat comment.

– Juddak☆) I was just a fallen lady, and now I find myself as a queen of a kingdom?!

n Why is this guy suddenly acting weird?

n Die.

n (Queen’s expression of disgust)

n When did they release the queen’s con, lol?

– Juddak☆) If the queen blushes, she’s super cute, upvote for sure haha.

n Upvote for sure.

n Oh, it’s true?

n How do they even catch on to these things, lol?

n Blushing Queen recognized… ㅇㅇ

n Can I request fanart expressing my respect for the queen?

n Ohh.

n Get right on it!

“Y-you Juddak…”

The mastermind who turned her into a queen.

As she watched him type, seemingly enjoying the situation, Evelyn couldn’t help but feel annoyed.

Moreover, becoming the comfortable queen was no easy feat.

As soon as the coronation was over, knights rushed over to update her on the situation.

“Your Majesty, I’m sorry, but there are still some remaining monsters…”

“Your Majesty, we’re running low on food supplies…”

“Your Majesty! There are reports of monsters gathering in the eastern forest, preparing to attack!”

Your Majesty, Your Majesty, Your Majesty.

Feeling dazed and with her mouth slightly ajar as her soul felt like it was slipping away.

At that moment, a notification rang out from the gallery.

Juddak☆: Congratulations on becoming a queen!

Juddak☆: And I have something to discuss about investments, is it a good time now?

The one who appeared was both too much and very grateful; truly, an object of love-hate.

And the congratulatory message was for becoming a queen?

Congratulations on becoming a queen?

Evelyn: Aah!

Juddak☆: ???

Evelyn: Hah!

Juddak☆: Excuse me ma’am.

Evelyn:

┗＼┛ /┗

┗＼┗ /┗

┗＼┛ /┗

┗＼┗ /┗

Evelyn completely lost her grip on reason.

*

Beyond the rift, in what was literally an unknown space.

A lifeless, shriveled corpse saw a hand rise with a glimmer.

“Gasp!”

A golden-haired figure devoid of shine.

Ragged and shabby.

No one would suspect this was once Crown Prince Frederick.

“Juddak, you damned fool! Adrian scum shall pay for this! I will surely take my revenge!!”

Frederick’s eyes, filled with venom, searched through the remains of the assassins he had commanded.

He breathed heavily, looking around.

A world painted entirely in shades of violet, beyond the rift.

This place was truly bizarre.

“This is… outside…”

A peculiar tower stretching high into the sky.

Or, a familiar structure of a castle.

The landscape seemed like all these were crumpled together in a nonsensical manner.

Frederick felt as if he might lose his mind at this surreal sight.

“F-first, I have to survive.”

Madness teaches one to behave gently after seeing even greater madness.

Frederick held his breath and tried to hide behind a nearby structure.

“Oh, a living person?”

If it wasn’t for the figure staring directly at him.

“People…?”

Frederick turned his head with a dazed voice.

And there, at the center of the ruin, was a person.

“Indeed, there are people here too! Hey! Help me out!”

Frederick shouted toward the something.

He couldn’t possibly deem it a monster.

For the figure was immaculate, not matching any of the characteristics of monsters at all.

Slowly, it approached Frederick.

“Come on, help me out!”

Just as Frederick was struggling to grab its hand,

Crack!

“Kaah…?”

Frederick was split into two, “Pre” and “Drik.”

It happened in an instant, too quick to believe it was done by a delicate hand.

While Frederick blinked in agony, it whispered with a smile.

“Bon appétit.”

The atmosphere around it grew denser.

“Juddak? I remember you.”

Soon, it looked intently at the rift, smiling as if it were expectant.