CHAPTER 15 — The Beginning of Love and War
Two weeks had passed since the chaos in the castle.
In that short time, Tsukiko and I had grown close—so close it felt like only a single step separated us from becoming a real couple.
She trusted me completely.
I fought for her without hesitation.
And in every battle, every training session, every late-night moment, I was grateful that she was by my side.
Now that my army had fully awakened and could speak with me, I no longer stood alone.
During these two weeks, we learned much about our enemies—the gods, their identities, their movements, and the paths that lead to their domain.
But one mystery remained:
Who is their leader?
And how do I reach them?
Even though defeating a god with our current power was absurd…
I didn't care.
Not anymore.
As my feelings for Tsukiko grew deeper, my resolve hardened.
I wanted to protect her.
I wanted to make her happy.
And I wanted revenge for everything she endured.
War was coming.
And so was love.
---
Two Weeks Later — Evening Training
The sun sank behind the castle walls, painting the sky in shades of burning orange as my army and I began our usual training.
Metal clashed.
Magic cracked like lightning.
The air trembled with every strike.
I trained directly with my right-hand man, Saigo—learning real combat techniques and sword skills that my past life never allowed me to learn.
> "Magic and willpower alone won't win a war," he said, voice calm and composed.
"To conquer, you need skill as well, my lord."
His tone was always cool, always level—so annoyingly confident that it almost felt unfair.
Meanwhile, my seven commanders clashed against the fourteen vice-commanders—each taking on two opponents at once.
Their strength was monstrous, so I created a powerful barrier around the arena to prevent the shockwaves from tearing the kingdom apart.
Hours passed.
Blades sang.
Magic roared.
And when the moon finally replaced the sun, the matches reached their end.
---
Match Results
CRISH vs SAIGO
→ Winner: SAIGO
Commander MATSUTSUKI TOMURA vs 2 Vice Commanders
→ Winner: MATSUTSUKI TOMURA
Commander HINATA KOCHOU vs 2 Vice Commanders
→ Winner: HINATA KOCHOU
Commander EDWARD KRUSCH vs 2 Vice Commanders
→ Winner: EDWARD KRUSCH
Commander KAGUYA TOMURA vs 2 Vice Commanders
→ Winner: KAGUYA TOMURA
Commander TSUYU KOCHOU vs 2 Vice Commanders
→ Winner: TSUYU KOCHOU
Commander DALPH KRUSCH vs 2 Vice Commanders
→ Winner: DALPH KRUSCH
Commander KOSUKE KEN vs 2 Vice Commanders
→ Winner: KOSUKE KEN
(All the commanders were originally twins from different regions who had died under different circumstances.
The original owner of this power recruited them.
There were supposed to be eight commanders—but one remains sealed inside a sword: the twin brother of Kosuke Ken.
The original ruler used him as a weapon.
And now, that blade is wielded by me.)
I was the only one who lost.
They were monsters—even after centuries of sleep, each of them retained overwhelming strength.
Meanwhile, I was a reincarnated successor still climbing from zero.
Saigo barely looked tired.
He stepped toward me with that infuriating calmness of his.
> "At your current level, you cannot defeat gods or any true high-level opponent," he said.
"You've improved more than I expected these two weeks… but this is only thirty percent of your full potential."
He was right.
My magic was ten times stronger than his, but power meant nothing without skill.
In my past life, I never had a chance to fight.
No sword training.
No real instincts.
Just scars and desperation.
But now, I was here.
Alive.
Learning.
Growing.
And I swore I would master everything—this power, this role, this destiny.
---
After Training
By the time Saigo dismissed the troops, the sky was coal-black.
My muscles ached.
Sweat glued my clothes to my skin.
Dirt streaked my arms and face.
Every part of me screamed from exhaustion.
And yet… I smiled.
I had come a long way in just two weeks.
Stepping into the castle, the warm glow of lanterns washed over me.
Servants whispered softly.
The smell of freshly cooked food drifted through the air.
For a moment, in this mad world of gods and war… I felt human again.
---
10 PM — Dining Hall
The dining hall glowed softly with warm, golden light—almost romantic.
Tsukiko sat at the long table, waiting.
When our eyes met, something inside me tightened—not fear, not tension… something warm.
But the moment turned instantly embarrassing when she suddenly burst into laughter.
Her laughter rang across the hall as she covered her face.
Only then did I realize:
I hadn't washed up.
Mud.
Sweat.
Dust.
Everything still on me.
"Go wash your face!" she giggled.
"I'll wait so we can eat properly!"
I bowed my head, defeated.
Ruler of three worlds, brought down by dirt.
After I washed up, we ate together quietly—comfortable silence, soft smiles, and small talks about nothing and everything.
For the first time in a long time…
I felt normal.
---
After Dinner — Castle Balcony
We stepped onto the balcony, where the night breeze whispered through the air.
The moon painted the world in silver.
Tsukiko stood near the railing, the moonlight illuminating her hair and skin.
She looked ethereal—almost unreal.
As we talked, she glanced up.
"Isn't the moon pretty tonight?" she said softly.
But she didn't realize…
The only thing glowing wasn't the moon.
It was her.
I felt it—my heartbeat, my breath, everything pulling me toward her.
"I've fallen so deeply in love that I can't imagine a life without her," I thought.
My body moved before my mind caught up.
I stepped closer.
Wrapped an arm around her waist.
Pulled her gently toward me.
She gasped—soft, surprised… but she didn't pull away.
Our eyes met.
And I kissed her.
She froze for a heartbeat—shocked, unsure.
Then slowly, her eyes softened.
Ten seconds passed.
I was still kissing her.
And finally…
She wrapped her arms around me and kissed me back.
Warm.
Soft.
Certain.
In that moment, love and war truly began.
---
To be continued…