The ruin of the Ediru Garden was inevitable, for when a Witch and a Demon Lord manifest in the same world, calamity is sure to follow; it is simply the nature of their existence as symbols of destruction.

Although this time the Demon Lord acted alone without the Witch’s involvement, a pure princess, once corrupted, can indeed transfer classes to become a Witch—much like Cinderella might transform into Snow White (or so it’s rumored).

If the young lady could also transfer to become a Witch, and a minor, unassuming Witch happened to join in, then with one Demon Lord and three Witches on the offensive, perhaps this world would become purer, more beautiful, more like a Suzumiya Haruhi scenario.

It was just a slight pity that enabling the young lady to become a Witch presented a high-difficulty challenge, impossible until her level shattered the MAX cap. As for the tertiary Witch, she was inherently lazy; mobilizing her to exert power in this low-level world felt like overkill.

In short, this was the state of affairs: killing followed by destruction, and destruction followed by more killing. Floating cities were cleansed in blood, life after life vanished into the wind, and the air was filled with fearful whispers—the requiem of sin and punishment.

The guilty were those who laughed and enjoyed the comfort bought at the cost of countless lives, showing no remembrance for the fallen, shedding no tears for the dead, yet continuing to pile up more lives under their castles with faces devoid of humanity. The punished were those who had extinguished the benevolent aspect of humanity—the villains who ruled everything with force and conquered everything with desire.

Countless floating cities crumbled under this requiem, and more lives perished beneath the dirge. Those who died paid the price with their existence, and those who lived would never forget this scene, a chilling warning echoing in their dreams at midnight.

Then, after nearly half an hour of slaughter by the Demon Lord and the corrupted princess, the wind that symbolized destruction finally began to subside. This was partly because there was little left to destroy or kill, and partly because the ultimate authority of the Ediru Garden—the President—had finally appeared before them.

The President’s sudden appearance caused the Demon Lord a moment of surprise, as far as his knowledge went, the President had not shown himself publicly in years. Though he remained the King of this garden, he almost never interfered, regardless of the crisis.

Of course, the Demon Lord felt no fear toward the President’s power, for the Demon Lord was invincible, irresistible, carrying out the duty of destruction as willed by the greater world.

“You can stop now. Nine-tenths of the members of the Oulkenard organization have perished by your hands. If retribution was the goal, it is largely complete.” The man, entirely shrouded in a white robe, spoke with a steady, slightly aged voice; even standing before the Demon Lord, the President maintained his composure.

“Indeed. To continue killing now would be mere massacre. While I hold little regard for these ignorant populace here, slaughtering unarmed civilians still induces a slight pressure,” the Demon Lord stated calmly, then looked upon the man before him. “So, what is your purpose in appearing now? Vengeance for your people? Or are you playing the hero?”

“If I intended to intervene, I would have done so long ago.”

“Then why present yourself before me now? What is your objective?”

“The Ediru Garden requires restructuring, as it has drifted far from its original founding principles. But I am the President; I cannot abandon my citizens.”

“So, you never obstructed the wrongdoings of your subordinates?”

“That is correct. Now that you have acted, and I lack the power to stop you, I had no recourse but to watch.”

The Demon Lord remained silent, merely observing the other.

“War and slaughter are merely means, not ends; I believe you must agree. While the root of the evil may not be completely eradicated by this massacre, the world itself will change because of it. Therefore, let my blood be the final point, and let this era of wickedness conclude.”

The President spoke quietly, and at that moment, a spreading stain of blood seeped through the white robe over his chest.

The President would not abandon his people, nor did he wish to halt the world’s metamorphosis. Thus, he chose to pass away with the era, ensuring that the age he governed would become history alongside his death.

When the supreme authority of the Ediru Garden fell, the black winds finally dissipated entirely. The princess, transformed into a Witch, opened her eyes, looked at the figure that had lost all breath, and finally spoke, “It’s over.”

“Yes, it is over,” the Demon Lord sighed softly. There was no longer any need to continue the killing. The high command of the Ediru Garden was decimated, and only insignificant pawns remained alive.

Very well, he would grant the request and let the slaughter end.

...

After a war concludes, a massive reorganization is necessary; it is an imperative step, otherwise the conflict holds no meaning.

When the king of an era falls, a new king for the new era must also be chosen.

Several days later, in a chamber within the Ediru Garden, Lin Luo occupied the highest seat. Below him sat two rows of people—men and women, some his companions, others former adversaries.

“So, you wish to become the President of the Ediru Garden, Greyaz?” Lin Luo asked one of the men, his voice deep.

“Me, the President?” Greyaz was profoundly startled, almost unable to process the statement. He was merely a minor elite within the Oulkenard organization, far from a high-ranking official, let alone a cadre. The gap between their statuses was immense; no matter how the fortunes turned, he never imagined himself becoming President one day.

“Of course, you. There are very few alive now in the Oulkenard organization with higher standing than you, and those who survived are mostly mentally shattered. Besides you, there is no one more suitable,” Lin Luo said as if it were obvious.

“But how could I possibly be President? Besides, aren't you far more fitting?” This question wasn't just Greyaz’s; most others present thought the same. If anyone was suited to be President, it was Lin Luo.

However, Lin Luo waved his hand in exasperation. “Don’t joke around. I have no desire to be President. Have you ever seen a Demon Lord serving as President?”

“But I still feel I cannot bear such a high position. I lack that kind of authority,” Greyaz protested, feeling immense pressure.

“I am well aware of that. You’re just a niche chuunibyou,” Lin Luo quipped.

“If you know that, then why…”

Lin Luo explained, “There are still matters within Oulkenard that require someone familiar to handle them. This isn't a task for a day or two. Currently, only you can manage this. Furthermore, you possess no ambition, your desires are small, you wouldn’t treat the Holy War Angels as mere tools, and you’re a mere street performer whose power isn't great enough to stage a coup.”

“A coup?” Well, the street performer part could be ignored, but Greyaz couldn't fathom the concept of a coup, as he was already being appointed President; what power would he need to seize?

“Indeed, there is,” Lin Luo stated immediately. “I never said the President is the highest authority. Perhaps he was before, but not now, because above the President, there is a Queen.”

“The Queen? Who is that?” the crowd below asked in unison.

“Why, it’s her, of course,” Lin Luo said, gesturing toward a door nearby. Two serving maidens gently opened it, and a young girl walked out.

“CIA!” The crowd gasped in shock, for the girl was none other than C.C.

However, the C.C. before them was different from the one they knew. There were no vines wrapping around her body, nor the cruel and ruthless expression. She looked just like an ordinary girl, a Holy War Angel in human form.

“She has given so much to the Ediru Garden; no one is more suited to occupy the position of Queen than her,” Lin Luo stated gravely.

After Lin Luo’s treatment, C.C. had reverted to her original state. However, for certain reasons, Lin Luo had also modified her brain, wiping clean all memories concerning Kith and the experiments. Her consciousness now existed in the time she spent living with Lei, five centuries prior.

Naturally, this procedure consumed a significant portion of Lin Luo’s life force—saving her and modifying her memories cost him four thousand vitality points. Still, the outcome was perfect.

Some things must be etched into memory forever, but others have absolutely no value in being remembered. A scumbag like Kith, who would use his own wife and child as test subjects, held no value even in historical record, despite being considered a hero by the Ediru Garden.

Therefore, Lin Luo had spent a sleepless night making a decision akin to the Burning of the Books and Burying of the Scholars: erasing all documentation pertaining to Kith within the Ediru Garden. Statues, books, records—anything bearing Kith’s name was to be destroyed.

Simultaneously, the decree “It is forbidden to speak the name of Kith” was established as law in the Ediru Garden. Anyone daring to utter Kith’s name would face harmonious dissolution.

Although this directive initially drew widespread dissent, history is written by the victors. Lin Luo, who had annihilated ninety percent of the Ediru Garden’s military might through sheer force, was the embodiment of unquestionable authority. After ruthlessly eliminating a few vocal dissenters, no one dared to raise objections.

Lin Luo believed that in a few decades, or perhaps just a dozen years, Kith would vanish entirely from history. Though he couldn't desecrate the corpse himself, Kith had been killed by the irrational C.C., and now, by erasing his existence, Lin Luo felt a modicum of satisfaction.

“Me? Be Queen?” C.C. seemed unaware of the decision. Upon hearing Lin Luo’s words, she was utterly astonished, pointing to her nose in disbelief, her face a mask of fear. “Th-this won’t do at all! How could I possibly be Queen?”

“If I say you will, you will,” Lin Luo glared at her. This current C.C. was unrecognizable from the previous CIA: clumsy, slow-witted, an atrocious cook, cherishing life above all else, careful even around flowers and grass, let alone people.

To turn such a pure soul into that kind of relentless monster—Kith... Ah, no, thinking about it made him want to whip the corpse again.

“You don’t need abilities as Queen; you don’t need to manage this or that. You just need to sit on the throne and enjoy everything. Because this is what you deserve. If anyone disobeys, simply take their head off.”

“No, life is precious.”

“...” Lin Luo sighed internally. Right, she wasn’t the CIA anymore.

Because she had reverted to her original self, C.C.’s power had significantly receded. While she was no longer as terrifying as the CIA, she could still overwhelm most ordinary Holy War Angels; only the Seven Luminaries could fight her to a standstill—provided their limiters were active.

“Regardless, this decision stands. You will be Queen whether you wish it or not. If you dare refuse, I will kill every flower you planted in the flowerbed yesterday, and every single one you plant thereafter, until you accept,” Lin Luo threatened viciously.

“...” The onlookers were speechless. They had seen coercion, but never before had they witnessed someone being forced into a queenship.

“W-Waaah, I’ll do it,” C.C. whispered pitifully.

“Excellent. Since you agree, come and take this seat.” Lin Luo stood up and gently placed the reluctant C.C. into the position he had just vacated.

“Next, the position of President. Greyaz, if you refuse, then Kokowitt…”

“I agree! I agree! I absolutely, very much agree to be the President!” Before Lin Luo could finish, Greyaz quickly stood up to declare his resolve. Being President certainly wasn't a loss; a little extra pressure was manageable.

“Good, you are wise.” Lin Luo nodded, then looked toward another young man in the room. “Oruha, you will be the Minister of Defense from now on.”

“Minister of Defense? What is that?” the young man asked, confused. He was the wielder of the ice-attribute Seven Luminary he had previously fought against. Lin Luo had secretly investigated him; apart from a slightly aggressive temperament, he was fundamentally a good person who never treated Holy War Angels as weapons or tools and never abandoned his comrades. This was why Lin Luo allowed him to be present. Indeed, everyone seated in this room was someone Lin Luo recognized and approved of. Most of those he didn't approve of had died in the preceding slaughter, and the remaining few would be handled by Greyaz for final clearance.

Although Oruha was furious about Lin Luo’s earlier massacre, his Holy War Angel had no intention of fighting Lin Luo, and as a mere mortal, he was powerless to object. Furthermore, over the past few days, he had witnessed the changes in the Ediru Garden, and his inclination to resist had faded.

“Oh dear, Oruha, you are so dense. The Ministry of Defense is naturally the department that protects the nation,” Lanjū commented with a smile.

“The President and the Minister of Defense both serve the Queen. In this newly reborn Ediru Garden, the only humans I trust are you two,” Lin Luo told Greyaz and Oruha solemnly. “So, do not disappoint me. I hope that the next time I visit, the Ediru Garden I see will be a true paradise. Otherwise, I will wash it clean in blood once more.”

“We will strive our best,” the two immediately replied with gravity.

“Very good. Then there is one last matter. Siska, Longwei, Qi’ya.” Lin Luo nodded, shifting his gaze to the three individuals standing nearby. “The Ediru Garden will form an alliance with you.”

“An alliance? With our Angel Protection Association?” Siska was momentarily stunned.

“No, not the Association, but the three of you,” Lin Luo shook his head. “There are internal conflicts within the Angel Protection Association, so I do not trust them entirely, but I trust you three. With the support of the Ediru Garden, combined with your own efforts and resources, I believe within a few years, you can climb to the upper echelons of the Protection Association. At that time, both the Association and the Ediru Garden will enter a new phase. Naturally, I hope that when that time comes, you will still remember the dream you hold now.”

“I understand. We will not disappoint you,” Siska finally nodded firmly after a long silence.

“Yes, with this, most matters are settled. I won't bother with the trivial details left behind. However, the reconstruction of the Ediru Garden will likely take a considerable amount of time, haha,” Lin Luo clapped his hands together, speaking easily.

You’re the one who destroyed it in the first place... everyone thought helplessly.

“What about you all? Are you staying in the Ediru Garden?” Kokowitt inquired.

“We are preparing to depart.”

“Depart?” The assembly was momentarily taken aback.

“Of course. We are not originally from this world. Now that the incident is resolved, we naturally must leave,” Lin Luo stated matter-of-factly.

“Wait, what does that mean?”

“Well, you will know soon enough,” Lin Luo smiled, offering no further explanation, then looked at a green-haired girl beside him. “C.C., as an observer, what is your decision?”

C.C. smiled and nodded. “I am rather satisfied with the decisions you’ve made this time. Although there are still many areas that could be improved, I will accompany you to see the world you speak of.”

...

Several hours later, on the sole remaining floating city of the Ediru Garden, Lin Luo activated the Starlight Avenue. While only three people could travel through it on their arrival, there was no such restriction for returning to his own world.

After Lei and C.C. tearfully bid farewell, they finally stepped onto the Starlight Avenue, tears streaming down their faces—not tears of sorrow, but of overwhelming joy.

“Lei, goodbye, and take care of yourself.”

“C.C., you too. Be happy.”

“Yes, this time I promise you, I will be happy, and I will wait for you to return here again.”

“Yes, we have a promise.”

The girl nodded firmly, and then the Starlight Avenue began to ascend.