With my life barely intact, the seven dragons that scorned the accursed world vanquished the single Shadow Dragon, and the cursed blessing that had afflicted Alice and the old man was completely eradicated. My most important goal was accomplished.

After that, I was paraded as a national hero, and there was even an impromptu event where I publicly proposed to Freesia at a party. If this were a heroic tale or a fairy tale, it would have ended with a “happily ever after.”

However, reality doesn’t offer such clear endings like a story. Life as Claym Bradley simply continued as if nothing had changed, until the day I died.

“Phew—there we go…”

So passed the dense days of my second life. It had been just over ten years since that Dragon Slayer War. Today, I was working the fields alongside my people.

“It’s peaceful, huh~”

The weather was clear. Once again, I took up my hoe and diligently tilled the vast farmland.

“Lord Clay! You’ve ditched your important duties and run off to the fields again, haven’t you?”

“Farming is important work too, isn’t it?”

“That’s true, but… that’s not what I meant…”

“Don’t worry, I’m handling my duties as a lord properly. But sitting at a desk all day just isn’t my nature. I’d much rather be out here working with everyone.”

“We appreciate it, but if the lady of the house finds out…”

“...Could you help me apologize when that happens?”

“Please spare me!?”

During a break, I exchanged lighthearted banter with the people. We had grown quite close. When I first became the ruler here, they were wary of me… but the best way to build bonds is to sweat alongside them.

This vast coastal land, formerly the Granger territory, was bestowed upon me—Claym Bradley, Margrave of the Frontier—by King Chronos Chronostaria, who entrusted me with its governance.

In the end, I didn’t inherit the Bradley household. Instead, I was granted a personal title in recognition of my accomplishments in the Dragon Slayer War and other achievements. Then my granduncle, upon hearing of this, suddenly declared he would pass his domain to me. The kingdom agreed, and just like that, right after graduating from the academy, I found myself governing this land.

Throwing an inexperienced brat fresh out of school into the deep end of territorial administration was downright cruel. I was furious at first, and I had to fight tooth and nail to manage the land. Luckily, since my granduncle had already been ruling here, there was an established foundation. But that didn’t stop the people from being highly distrustful of a young, unproven lord—even if I was a war hero who had slain dragons.

Still, somehow, thanks to many people—including my granduncle’s secretary and steward, as well as Freesia and the retainers who followed me here—I was able to build a relationship with my people to the point where we could work the fields together.

The world calls me the Dragonblood Demon Emperor and places me alongside—no, even above—the Seven Peerless Swords, a dragon knight who has earned the king’s utmost trust. But within this domain, I am just an unremarkable decorative noble, toiling the fields daily with my people. At heart, I still seek a life of quiet obscurity.

And in a way, despite all the differences, I had mostly achieved the goal I set for myself at the beginning.

“I really worked my ass off for this…”

As memories from years past resurfaced, one stood out in particular: the royal succession dispute involving Prince Chronos.

In my final year at the academy, the still-healthy previous king abruptly announced his abdication and declared that one of his two sons would inherit the throne. This sudden proclamation shocked not only the kingdom but even neighboring nations. What followed was chaos—a fierce struggle between the two factions, filled with elections, political scheming, and aristocratic maneuvering. As his guardian knight, I was temporarily drawn into the fray.

In the end, Prince Chronos ascended the throne upon our academy graduation, and before I knew it, I was granted a margrave’s domain. Thanks to that (or perhaps because of it), I am now free from the entanglements of nobility, enjoying life at my own pace.

—I truly owe everyone.

As for the Bradley family, my sister Alice took on the role of heir in my place. She was now training under our father, Zeke, to learn the ropes. Initially, I had misgivings about burdening her with the responsibility. I wanted her to live freely, to choose her own path. But she had no complaints—if anything, she was eager.

In fact, one could argue she schemed behind my back, ensuring I was sent off to a remote frontier land so she could claim the family headship. Well… that’s only half a joke. She had remembered something I had said long ago.

It was after my mock battle with Gilflare, when I had lost consciousness and then woken up:

‘I don’t even need to defeat him. Like I said, I just want to live a peaceful life. As long as I have enough strength to protect the life I want, that’s enough. I won’t be greedy anymore—I learned that the hard way the first time.’

She had taken those words to heart. To make that wish a reality, she had worked with various people and orchestrated my escape from all obligations.

“My brother’s dream is my dream. This is my way of repaying you! So you don’t need to feel guilty, and I have no complaints whatsoever. In fact, I’m brimming with enthusiasm! I will make the Bradley family even greater than the legacy you left behind!”

That was what my beloved sister had said. The moment she told me that, I was so overwhelmed with emotion that I nearly cried… no, I did cry.

“My sister is seriously an angel…!!”

“Oh no, Lord Clay’s having another episode…”

“Eh, don’t mind it. Happens all the time.”

As I reaffirmed Alice’s brilliance, the villagers gave me exasperated looks.

—Wait, am I being treated a little too lightly here?

Their cold reactions stung, and my fragile heart was on the verge of shattering. But then, something completely wiped that feeling away—a small figure barreled into my chest.

“Papa—!!”

“Whoa—”

The one who had leaped into my arms was a young girl who bore a striking resemblance to a younger Freesia. Her long, silvery-white hair was interwoven with streaks of crimson, creating an enchanting appearance. She buried her face in my chest, nuzzling against me with a contented expression. This girl was—

Hey, Frey! Jumping in all of a sudden like that is dangerous, you know? What would you do if I couldn’t catch you?

She is one of my precious daughters with Freesia. This year, she turned five—an age where playing is her top priority. My adorable little princess answered my question with a beaming smile.

“It’s fine! Because Papa always catches me!!”

“I see… so it’s fine, huh?”

“Yep!!”

────What is this ridiculously cute creature…? Oh, right, she’s my daughter. I mean, seriously? She’s way too cute. Too angelic. The absolute best in the world.

As I reflexively activated my doting parent mode, Frey seemed satisfied with rubbing her cheek against mine. Then, as if remembering something, she handed me the letter she had been holding.

“Papa, here! Uncle Weiss sent a letter, so I brought it!!”

“Oh, thanks… but let’s stop calling him ‘Uncle,’ okay? Weiss really cares about that stuff. At least call him ‘Big Brother.’ Worst case, ‘Big Sister’ is also acceptable.”

“Uncle!!”

“Hmmmm… You’re too cute, so I’ll allow it!!”

My dear friend and first disciple, the brave hero himself, would probably be mortified, but my daughter is too adorable. He’ll just have to accept being called ‘Uncle.’

Checking the letter from the said ‘Uncle Hero,’ I found that he was planning to visit our territory soon.

────He says it’s for work, but I can guarantee he forcefully squeezed it into his schedule…

I could see right through him.

Since graduating from the academy, Weiss’s achievements have been remarkable. He joined the Royal Knights, and then its elite special unit, the Refined Magic Sword Corps. With his overwhelming skill, he climbed the ranks in just a year, earning a spot among the Seven Peerless Swords. Recently, I heard he even secured the top position. The world calls him the Hero of Light or the Radiant Hero, and thanks to his talent and good looks, his popularity is immense. Rumors have even started spreading about how this exceptional knight occasionally appears in the Bradley Territory.

“I mean, that guy comes here way too often…”

Honestly, I’m starting to doubt whether he’s even doing his job as a knight. He always finds an excuse to come here, spar with me, or train before heading back. I can’t help but worry that he’s following the same path as a certain old geezer I once knew.

“Lord Clay! It’s about time we resumed work!”

As I sighed, a villager called out to me. I responded instinctively.

“Oh! Alright then! Frey, Papa’s going back to work in the fields, so you should head home.”

“It’s fine!!”

Lowering my daughter from my arms and gently urging her, Frey declared with confidence. I had no idea what she meant by ‘fine,’ so I asked, and immediately regretted it.

“Huh? What do you mean by ‘fine’?”

“Well, you see! Mama is coming this way soon, so it’s fine!!”

“Wha… What did you just say…!?”

Cold sweat burst from my entire body at my daughter’s bombshell statement. Desperate, I glanced at my only remaining allies—my fellow workers.

“Oh, right! Now that I think about it, my wife called for me earlier────”

“I, uh, need to take my dog, Pochi, for a walk────”

“My stomach… suddenly started hurting────”

Like spiders scattering, they fled from the fields, abandoning me completely.

“You traitors!!”

“Who are you calling traitors, Clay???”

“Hiiiii!?”

A cold, beautiful voice rang out from behind me. I let out a pitiful squeal, knowing my end was near. When I turned around, there she was—an absolute beauty with long, flowing silver hair. Holding a young boy even smaller than Frey—our son, Zeke—she stood towering over me, gazing down with authority.

“H-hey, my beloved, my sweet honey… You’re so breathtaking today, I nearly fainted. For a second, I thought a goddess had come to take me to the afterlife! Haha!!”

“Oh my, what a lovely compliment. You’re quite wonderful yourself. But unfortunately for you, unlike a goddess, I’m neither merciful nor kind────You understand that, don’t you, Clay???”

“…………Yes.”

I’m doomed.

────Life never goes as planned, huh…

The life I first envisioned was far different from this. But, of course, that was to be expected. In fact, the future I now had—what the once arrogant and slothful Claym Bradley had achieved—was many, many times greater than anything I had ever imagined. No matter the circumstances, my efforts had led me here, and above all, I had gained something truly irreplaceable.

My second life would continue, all the way to the end—this time, with no chance of a redo.

・

・

・

But let’s end the tale here.

After all, the lone observer, the Time Dragon, had closed his time-sight as if satisfied, like shutting a book he had just finished reading.

“Ahhh, that was satisfying! Any more, and it’d just be nosy, tactless, and redundant. Now then… which story should I peek into next? Whose life should I steal a glimpse of?”

Before him stood an infinite library, filled with as many stories as there were lives. In this place, the Sacred Peak of Time, where no other soul would ever set foot, one of the Seven Dragons of the world overlooked everything. And once again, today, he would peek into another future.

Why?

Because it was what made him, a dragon, feel alive. Because to him, that was the essence of existence.

“Even if I was just a minor character, it was an honor to be part of your story────Claym Bradley.”

The beautiful dragon smiled, then immersed himself in yet another tale.

～Final Chapter: The Dragon-Slaying War Arc, Concluded～