The greatest empire in human history, Arhan.

Eria, the capital known as the heart of Arhan, is a city that never sleeps.

True to its reputation as the largest city on the continent, even during the war against the Demon King’s army, the capital had never lost its lively energy. But today, the usual buzz seemed almost insignificant compared to the excitement that filled the air.

The city was overflowing, not only with its loyal citizens but also with nobles from across the land, emissaries from various kingdoms and races, all gathered to witness the return of the hero’s party after slaying the Demon King. The streets were so packed there wasn’t even room to take a step.

In one of the palace’s reception rooms, which offered a view of the entire city, I welcomed a guest who had come to see me.

“Duke Fael, you’ve arrived.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

‘Ron Fael’

One of only three dukes in the empire and the father of Riel Fael, a member of the hero’s party.

He plays a significant role in “Chronicles of Xian”

A man known for his unwavering loyalty to the emperor, exceptional personal strength, and a powerful family that has been a great support to me over the past three years.

If it weren’t for Duke Fael, I wouldn’t be sitting here right now.

I greeted the loyal man with warmth, happy to see him after some time.

“You must be pleased to see your daughter again after so long.”

“Haha, how can I be happy when my daughter hasn’t sent me a single letter?”

Despite his words, the duke’s face was lit up with joy.

He really is a doting father.

As we continued our light-hearted conversation, the head steward quietly approached and reported to me.

“Your Majesty, Sir Xian has arrived at the city gates.”

“Ah, I see. It’s time to head out. Duke, shall we go together?”

Today, the capital is abuzz with the hero’s grand return ceremony.

The final event of the ceremony was set to take place here in the imperial palace, where I would formally welcome Xian. The steward had just informed me that it was time for me to step forward.

As we made our way down the long corridor toward the palace entrance, I turned to the duke and spoke lightly.

“Ah, Duke. May I ask a favor of you?”

“Of course, Your Majesty.”

“This afternoon, there will be a banquet in honor of Xian and the rest of the hero’s party. I plan to commend Xian there, and I intend to present him with a gift. However, I’m concerned that some of the nobles might object, thinking it excessive. I’ll need your support at that moment.”

“I am always at your service, Your Majesty. But what sort of gift requires such a request?”

There was no lack of imperial authority at the moment.

What could I be planning that would require his support?

He must be thinking that.

The duke asked, his curiosity evident, and I responded.

“I plan to elevate Xian to the rank of duke.”

“…Excuse me?”

Duke Fael’s face showed clear surprise.

“A duke, Your Majesty? While Sir Xian’s achievements are indeed remarkable… isn’t that a bit excessive? The other nobles will surely resist. And Sir Xian doesn’t seem like the type to crave status. Even granting him a more modest title wouldn’t stir much opposition.”

It’s true. No matter how impressive the feat of slaying the Demon King, raising a commoner to the rank of duke overnight is a bold and unprecedented move.

Until now, every duke has come from at least a count’s lineage or higher. There has never been a case of a commoner being elevated directly to the rank of duke.

Unlike me, who played the game and understands just how powerful the Demon King truly is, the other nobles haven’t fully grasped the extent of his strength. Naturally, their resistance is to be expected.

“Fortunately, my authority is strong enough to crush any opposition. I simply need a little help from you, Duke.”

This, however, is the best solution I can think of.

Even if I have to face backlash, in order to complete the vision I’ve set, Xian must be elevated to duke.

“Ah, but I don’t plan to keep him as a duke for long.”

I spoke, recalling the countless stories from my previous life.

The hero who slays the Demon King or a dragon and returns home.

Only to be met with closed castle gates.

The king’s cold, distrustful gaze.

Why has the trope of the hero being betrayed by the king after his triumphant return become so common?

Because a hero is, by his very nature, a threat to the monarch.

“You don’t plan to keep him as a duke…?”

“I plan to give him a proper title, elevate him to a grand duke, and after a few years, I’ll grant him independence as a sovereign prince.”

Xian has earned significant goodwill, not only among commoners but also from the nobles who fought in the war.

And most importantly, he fought his way through countless Demon King armies and ultimately killed the Demon King himself.

The palace’s guards are hardly stronger than the Demon King’s army, so if he was able to slay the Demon King… what else might he be capable of?

“A sovereign prince, Your Majesty?”

“Yes. If it were up to me, I’d give him an entire kingdom to rule right from the start, but that would cause too much of a stir.”

“I understand that Your Majesty is quite close with Sir Xian, but…”

“Haha. Duke, do you really think I’m planning all this simply because of my friendship with him?”

The duke didn’t respond with words, but his eyes said it all ”Isn’t that the case?”

It wasn’t an unreasonable assumption. No matter how great Xian’s achievements, the idea of granting a mere commoner a duchy was far from ordinary.

However, what Duke Fael didn’t know was that Xian was not just any commoner.

“Duke, Xian isn’t driven by wealth, power, or even fame.”

“Of course, Your Majesty.”

“But he’s also not someone motivated solely by loyalty.”

“Ah...”

I let out a bitter smile, and Duke Fael, seeming to catch on, fell silent.

“Xian is moved by his beliefs. He acts for the good of the people, for justice, and to protect the weak.”

That’s precisely why I’ve decided to grant him independence.

Xian is the epitome of a hero, in every sense of the word. He cannot tolerate injustice.

“Though I may be close to him now, I can’t promise I’ll remain pure and clean forever,” I said.

Nor do I intend to.

I added that last part quietly and watched the duke, who had now fallen deep into thought.

I am the emperor who governs this great empire.

How can the ruler of an empire remain untainted while chasing ideals of righteousness?

Now that the war is over, the other kingdoms and the old priests will start making moves again. The scheming elves of the Grand Forest, and those walking beasts, will soon stir up trouble once more.

In this situation, acting always in a just and upright manner to align with Xian’s beliefs would be no different than begging to be cast aside and left behind.

Of course, as is the cliché in stories about heroes, one option would be to kill him. But I never seriously considered it.

It’s not because I doubt our ability to succeed.

The empire I command performed admirably during the war against the Demon King, and we’ve preserved a considerable portion of our military strength.

If we were willing to accept some losses, it would certainly be possible to kill Xian.

But I have no desire to see him dead.

In my previous life on Earth, I spent thousands of hours playing with this character, and in this world, after three years of building a close relationship, Xian is more than worthy of being called my friend.

That’s why I decided to grant him independence.

Some might say I’m letting a potential threat to the empire linger because of personal feelings, but who would dare challenge me?

I am the ruler of this empire.

_____________________

The hero, Xian, returned to the capital after a long absence.

From the city gates to the imperial palace, a path that would have typically been blocked by countless obstacles was now cleared exclusively for Xian and his companions.

On either side of the path, a sea of people gathered, cheering, their numbers too vast to even estimate.

‘So, it’s finally over…’

It was only now beginning to feel real.

The long war had finally come to an end.

At last.

‘...I ended it.’

Xian, lost in thought as he gazed at the road ahead, was snapped back to reality by his companion, the knight, Riel.

“What are you doing, Xian?”

“Ah, Riel.”

“All these people came here just to see the hero, so why don’t you wave to them?”

At Riel’s suggestion, Xian waved, and the crowd responded with an overwhelming roar that nearly deafened him.

Xian and his companions began their march down the grand boulevard.

While Xian and Riel walked with looks of gratitude on their faces, the rest of the group didn’t share their enthusiasm. The expressions of the archer, the warrior, and the priest were somber, while the mage remained expressionless.

“Xian, don’t let your guard down.”

“Seria…”

The ranger who had always guided them on the right path, Princess Seria of the Elf Kingdom, spoke with a stern expression.

“I’ve always told you, humans are greedy and untrustworthy. Oh! I don’t mean you, of course. You’re different. But you need to be careful of the human emperor.”

“His Majesty isn’t like that.”

“Ha, you just don’t understand how vile humans can be. An emperor? Deceiving someone as innocent as you would be child’s play for him.”

“Seria! I won’t stand by and let you insult His Majesty, no matter who you are.”

Riel Fael, daughter of an imperial duke, raised her voice in protest, but the beastman Nia quickly sided with Seria.

“Riel, Seria’s words might have been harsh, but I can’t say I disagree with her.”

Nia, the warrior who always fought at the front lines and the next leader of the Beastmen Union, subtly added her support to Seria’s concerns.

“Seria, Nia, please stop. I understand where you’re coming from, but this is the empire, and we’re in the capital,” said Ella, the party’s healer and the saintess of the Holy Kingdom, trying to mediate, though she didn’t outright claim they were wrong.

His Majesty is a good person.

‘He’s always trusted me, a commoner, and spared no support.’

‘Despite the opposition from the nobles, he gave me full authority to lead the fight and defeat the Demon King.’

‘And that’s not all—when I asked him, on several occasions, how we could help the villages devastated by the Demon King’s army, he used his own personal funds to aid them.’

How could someone like him be as corrupt and greedy as Seria or Nia suggest?

‘But then again, Seria had never led us astray throughout our journey, and Nia had always thrown herself into harm’s way to protect others without hesitation. Dismissing their words as mere nonsense was difficult.’

Xian found himself torn, unsure of what to believe.

After about five minutes of waiting, I finally spotted Xian and his party approaching from a distance.

“I’ll go down to greet them.”

“Pardon?”

“You stay here and wait.”

“Your Majesty? Your Majesty!”

Ignoring my guards, I started walking forward.

How many spectators are gathered here right now? From foreign envoys to imperial nobles—if I missed this chance to display my close relationship with the hero, I’d have no right to call myself a ruler.

“Xian!”

“Your Majesty!”

“You’ve done such an incredible job.”

How many potions did I give you? How much equipment did I provide? Slaying the Demon King was the least you could do.

“Defeating the Demon King is truly an extraordinary feat. It’s something no one else could have accomplished.”

“It was only possible because Your Majesty trusted me.”

“We shouldn’t stand around talking here. I’ve prepared a banquet in your honor, for you and your companions. Let’s go.”

I guided Xian toward the banquet hall.

Some of his companions gave me insolent looks, but I paid them no mind.