Chapter 474 – A World Made Real

The next morning.

As the first light broke over Itogami Island, the alarms finally ceased. Residents and tourists, who had been cowering in fear after last night’s chaos, slowly emerged from hiding. They shuffled back onto the streets, whispering to one another, desperate to piece together what had just happened.

Nobody really knew the truth. All they remembered was preparing for the Festival’s eve celebration when the sirens suddenly blared. Then came the strange, unnatural phenomena centered around the Keystone Gate—tremors shaking the island again and again, entire districts rattling, structures collapsing, even entire blocks freezing over. For a moment, people genuinely believed they were going to die.

After an ordeal like that, how could they not demand answers? The Island Management Corporation’s emergency lines lit up—complaints, reports, desperate questions. The sheer volume alone showed just how massive the fallout was.

Eventually, after scrambling to contain the panic, the Corporation—under Natsuki Minamiya’s direction—issued an official statement:

“The disturbance was caused by instability in the space-time continuum. The source of the instability has been eliminated. We apologize for the inconvenience to residents and visitors.”

A convenient excuse. And one with enough folklore attached to sound plausible. After all, old Celtic belief held that during early winter, the boundary between worlds thinned, allowing spirits and witches to cross over. Masks, bonfires—Halloween had grown out of those very fears.

On Itogami Island, a Demon District, such things weren’t entirely superstition. There had been past reports of visitors from divergent timelines or intruders from other realms. So the idea of “space-time instability” during the festival season wasn’t unbelievable.

The Corporation leaned on that narrative, shrinking the incident down to nothing more than a seasonal anomaly. And the public—already primed by the Horōin Festival’s myths—swallowed it. Even the Akatsuki siblings bought into it.

“So all that weird stuff was just the space-time continuum acting up?” Kojou Akatsuki muttered, looking like he’d finally solved a puzzle.

He had no idea what had actually gone down. After Yukina Himeragi brought him and Yuuma Tokoyogi to the Lion King Agency’s office, Yume Rengoku had personally erased parts of his memory. To him, last night was nothing more than a normal evening spent sleeping at home. He didn’t even remember Nagisa’s disappearance.

“Shame we missed it,” Nagisa said with a pout. “I heard the Keystone Gate was frozen into a giant iceberg, but the Corporation cleaned it up too fast.”

Her memories were the same—ending the night chatting with Yuuma before drifting off. She had no recollection of her battle with Kaiser, no awareness that she herself had frozen the Keystone Gate.

Kaiser had checked her over. She hadn’t lost her memories. They’d simply gone dormant when Avrora’s Freeze Mode disengaged. Everything she had done during that time—every moment as the Fourth Progenitor—had gone to sleep along with Avrora.

If Kaiser ever succeeded in giving Avrora her own body, separating her from Nagisa, then Nagisa would remember everything. Her battles. Her awakening as the Fourth Progenitor. Her clash against him. When that day came, it would mean salvation for both her and Avrora—an end to their dangerous coexistence.

Kaiser smirked to himself. Can’t wait to see her face when she remembers.

As for Yuuma, she hadn’t been thrown into a cell. Natsuki Minamiya had taken her aside instead, saying she had things to discuss with Aya Tokoyogi’s daughter. When Yuuma returned the following night, she was… different. Brighter. Like Natsuki had given her a path forward.

Kaiser sensed it. Yuuma wouldn’t try to use Nagisa to tear open the Prison Barrier anymore.

“Thanks for stopping me,” Yuuma whispered quietly when no one else was listening.

Kaiser knew what she meant. Not for blocking her attempt to save her mother. But for stopping her from hurting Nagisa.

Still, the rift between them remained. Yuuma avoided him afterward, spending her time with Kojou and Nagisa like an ordinary tourist. To him, she was practically invisible.

And Kaiser? He didn’t mind. He had bigger things to handle.

Giada Kukulcan and the other Progenitors kept their word. They immediately convened the Garden of Whispers, rallying the Three Great Night Empires and allied Sacred Treaty nations. Together, they pressured Japan’s prime minister to relinquish Itogami Island to Kaiser.

Deals were struck. Concessions made. And soon, the transfer was official. The island’s autonomy remained intact, but its sovereignty quietly shifted to Kaiser. He was now, in every sense, the Lord of Itogami Island.

Naturally, the Island Management Corporation bristled. Old bloodlines like the Yaze family protested furiously. But they were powerless. The island was only semi-autonomous—still, legally, part of Japan. And if Japan itself ceded it? Then it was done. Unless they wanted open rebellion.

But who in their right mind would rebel against the man who had defeated both the Third Progenitor and the Fourth Progenitor in open combat? They had seen the battle with their own eyes, through cameras, sensors, and spellwork.

Rebellion was suicide.

Especially with the Progenitors themselves promising to back Kaiser with resources, manpower, even weapons. No one wanted to fight the entire Night Empire.

And so, overnight, Kaiser became ruler of the island.

He barely cared. To him, it was just compensation. A playground, a place to retreat to when he grew bored of other worlds.

So when Natsuki suggested he meet with the Corporation’s upper brass, he refused outright. Instead, after the festival, he slipped away to the Lion King Agency’s headquarters to meet the Three Saints.

“From this day forth, you are no longer ours to command.”

“You stand as an independent sovereign.”

“To us, you are no longer an agent—but a king.”

Their message was clear: Kaiser was no longer a subordinate. He was an equal, to be treated with reverence.

As long as Japan maintained friendly ties with Itogami, they hoped the Lion King Agency would be allowed to remain on the island.

Even the fate of the Fourth Progenitor had been sealed. International law now recognized her as Kaiser’s responsibility alone.

He accepted with a nod, nothing more, before returning to Itogami and handing Giada’s flash drive to Natsuki. “Research it. Build Avrora a new body.”

“You’re treating me like your subordinate?” Natsuki scowled.

“The island’s mine now. You’re its national attack mage. If you’re not my subordinate, whose are you?”

She gritted her teeth, but said nothing.

Creating Avrora’s new vessel would take time. Even with Giada’s research, it wasn’t a quick process. Kaiser wasn’t in a hurry. He tossed the island’s day-to-day affairs to whoever looked competent enough, washed his hands of management, and treated the whole thing like background noise.

Even the Fantasy Library could wait. Only after the Festival ended, after escorting the Aldegyr royal family home, did he finally prepare to depart.

Kanase Kanon chose to stay behind on the island, still living in his house. La Folia whispered that she’d return after settling her kingdom’s affairs. Her father Lucas exploded, challenged Kaiser again, and wound up frozen solid.

Polifonia, with a pointed smile, invited him to Aldegyr Kingdom. Kaiser had a sinking feeling that “visit” translated to “marry our princess and become a royal consort.”

“Aldegyr, huh? Yeah… hard pass.”

Decision made, Kaiser stepped out of that world and back into the Fantasy Library.

—

The moment he emerged from the blank tome, the Library stirred. But this time, it wasn’t here to pay him.

[Librarian has completed essential life experiences, fulfilling the conditions for Realization of the current Fantasy Worlds.]

[Initiating Realization…]

[Granting new permissions…]

Books lit up around him, glowing brilliantly as they flew into the air.

Kaiser’s eyes widened as he read the covers:

— The Asterisk War.

— High School DxD.

— Bleach.

— Campione!.

— Strike the Blood.

Every world he had lived through until now.

[Collected Fantasies become books. Fantasies become reality. Dimensions upon dimensions, infinite universes—that is the purpose of the Fantasy Library.]

[To make a Fantasy real, someone must truly live within it.]

[Fantasies without lived experience remain illusions forever.]

[But you, Librarian, by walking these lives, have made them real.]

From this day forward, those worlds were no longer illusions. They were real.

And the Library bestowed him new power:

[You may summon companions from these worlds as your comrades.]

[They may walk with you into new Fantasies—or walk their own paths, hastening Realization.]

[Picture them in your mind.]

Faces surfaced instantly in Kaiser’s thoughts. Allies from the Phoenix Festa. Companions who’d fought gods by his side. Classmates, officers, knights, priestesses, sworn followers. And… the girl who’d once been his target, his housemate.

Light burst in the Library, taking shape. One figure, then another, until he was surrounded.

Kaiser looked at them, warmth tugging at his lips. For the first time, his smile was unguarded.

“Welcome to the Fantasy Library, my partners.”

And at last, he wasn’t alone.

(End of Chapter)

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Nia's note: Sorry for the delay, and for the short chapter. This world is a little special, so please give me some time.