I.. Am God?

When the entity realized what Princess Raya was doing, it wanted to smash everything when Matthias joined in by placing his palm on its head. With the Spiritual God authority in his hands, it forcibly suppressed and helped the princess with what she wanted to do.

"Zzraaagghh!!" The entity snarled, wanting to resist but it was for naught. Later, only Guin's body laid flat on the ground. The general and the others rushed towards them.

They hadn't even realized that the Princess stood up until they saw what she did. They were baffled and were quickly frightened of what might happen with her because of her actions.

When they saw Guin, Lauerio rushed forward and unsheathed the sword in Lanros' waist. "I'll kill her myself!"

"No!" Princess Raya suddenly yelled.

"What? Do you want this bitch to live?!" Lauerio exclaimed.

"I'll handle her. You all do not need to worry about her." She resolutely replied. Princess Raya disappeared from her position together with Guin's body.

"This.." General Tarsus and the others were baffled by their Princess' actions. Meanwhile, Princess Yuna and her men were angered, "General, find the Spirit Princess and that scheming woman and bring them back– no, kill the woman immediately as soon as you see her!" She ordered.

"Yes, Princess." General Lauerio nodded affirmatively.

With Matthias, as soon as the entity was suppressed, all of his godcraft and authority's seal came undone, shocking him.

"Old Man?" He exclaimed inside his mind.

"You have freed the realm from the enemy. Your test is done as soon as you complete this last task." Old Man Sanyi talked from his thoughts.

"What is it?" He asked.

"The Triant King Verdana once mentioned the position of the Realm Emperor, as what he called it." Old Man Sanyi said.

"What about it?" Matthias inquired.

"The Realm Emperor, or a Spiritual Realmic Deity as we call it, rules over the Spiritual Realm. The rulers of the dominions inside were called princes and princesses because they have no enough authority to become a King or Queen of the realm because being one guarantees the monarch a godly position over all of the inhabitants of the realm."

"One can only ascend to that position if they are supported by the masses or they are elevated by a god itself. With that, you are playing the role of a coroner." Old Man Sanyi explained.

Matthias was shocked. Picking a ruler that will have that much authority is a big responsibility for him. Anyone he chooses could influence the development of the whole realm.

"It is what it is." Matthias sighed, "It is of great responsibility to become a powerful figure who could even influence the fate of the masses." He said.

"Hah! Don't kid yourself." Suddenly, Old Man Sanyi sneered. "What?" Matthias asked irritatedly. He was having his moment.

"Influencing the fate of the masses. Pfft!" Old Man Sanyi laughed at him mockingly, "Although you did decide their ruler, their fates are still sealed as to what they're going to experience. Even if you are a god, you're still far from influencing fate." He berated him.

"You couldn't even see the Heavenly Strings and you call yourself someone who could influence fate?" He added with a sneer.

"Can't you just let me feel the moment even if it's not true?" Matthias asked begrudgingly.

"No, I can't." Old Man Sanyi's voice turned serious, "Sooner or later, you would govern countless creations. I'm being harsh to you because you need it to mature." He lectured.

"As of what you are now, you are far from that, so I'm not going to elaborate on the matter. For now, choose who you want to become Aqiartha's Spiritual Realmic Deity."

Matthias sighed and returned to his reality. The others were still bewildered and angry at what Princess Raya did. Suddenly, Matthias came over to them and spoke with a serious tone, "Princess Yuna, I think you are the one appropriate for the position."

"What do you mean?" Princess Yuna looked at him with confusion.

"Gather everyone here, quick." Matthias ordered them.

Although they were still confused, they nodded and went to the direction where the soldiers retreated. After a while, the people arrived and rejoiced when they discovered that they won.

They were then silenced by Matthias. "I call upon all of you to ask for your approval."

"What is it, Mister Matthias?" Princess Sally inquired.

"The position of the Realm Emperor." Matthias said. When they heard it, most of them were confused, except for Princess Yuna, as her eyes widened.

"How did you know of that position? You aren't an inhabitant of this realm." She asked warily.

"You need not concern yourself with any of that." Matthias replied, "What you need to know is I will choose who will ascend to that position."

"How can you do so?" Princess Yuna asked with narrowed eyes.

"Because I can do so." Matthias answered. "Enough of this. I now require everyone's thoughts about this matter. Do you approve of Princess Yuna ascending the throne as the Realm Emperor? Or do you have anyone else in mind?" He asked.

After he asked this, the people discussed with their own races and groups.

A while later, the beastmen, led by Warlord Deruma, expressed their decision, "We support Princess Yuna's ascension." Warlord Deruma declared.

After them, the humans, led by Princess Sally, seconded, "We agree with the Princess' ascension. She has already done a lot for the realm, and she has proven herself as a good leader."

The elves, naturally, expressed their allegiance to their Princess, "We would follow the princess!" They shouted.

Princess Yuna, as the focus of the discussion, was overwhelmed by their decisions. Such great responsibility placed on her suddenly weighed down on her back.

"Am I capable enough?" Princess Yuna asked with uncertainty.

"You are capable enough." Matthias smiled and nodded. With his affirmation, Princess Yuna breathed in deeply and displayed the eyes of determination.

"I accept the trust that has been bestowed upon me." She said with resolution.

Matthias slightly nodded and raised his hand, following what Old Man Sanyi was currently teaching him.

"Feel the power and laws of the Spiritual Realm and harness it. Become its will and mind." Old Man Sanyi instructed.

Matthias closed his eyes. In the middle of his forehead, a golden vertical eye opened. It gazed at everyone with indifference.

When everyone saw the eye and felt its scrutiny, they felt a cold buzz on their backs and a feeling of sheer inferiority, the feeling of being naked in front of an ultimate being washed upon them.

"That!" Horrified, Princess Yuna gasped. "Apogean Eye?!"

The eye's pupil roamed around. With its every move, ancient words unknown to them were inscribed on the air. Quintessential strands of laws materialized and merged with the ancient scripture that was inscribed.

Matthias then waved his hands, beckoning the inscriptions to merge with him. The inscriptions, following his will, glided down and entered his forehead.

When all of the symbols entered his head, he abruptly opened his eyes that were now glistening with golden light. His whole person transformed into that of a real image of god; a silver crown of nine stars, a golden robe of purity, golden mists covering his lower being, and countless enigmatic images surrounding his very being.

An intangible yet powerful aura oozed from his existence that made everyone, willing or unwilling, to prostrate before him.

"God..!" Princess Yuna uttered with shock.

Isabelle, seeing his figure, suddenly remembered an image that was tossed at the back of her head a little more than a decade ago outside Aqiartha. The image of a mighty ruler looking at those below him with majesty and benevolence. "Are you really that person?" She muttered to herself.

When the Dwarven Lord Guqnir saw his godly form, he remembered another thing that the Mountain Deity told him. "March to battle. Even if you cannot get his favor because of your decision of not going to war, you could still avoid fully offending him."

"Him?" Guqnir asked confusedly. "You will know once you go. I don't want my kin to die out just because of offending someone they cannot afford to do so." The man said mysteriously.

Before, Guqnir was confused about what the Mountain Deity said, but now, he knows who he was referring to.

The image of Matthias extended his arms forward. Then, a golden crown manifested itself on his palms. He held the crown as it shone bright light on the elven princess.

"Yuna, Royal Princess of the Aqiarthan Elves, come." An unexplainably mysterious voice sounded from him.

Not being able to control herself, Princess Yuna's prostrating body stood up with his command. Her body suddenly floated and ascended towards Matthias.

Being in close proximity with a god, Princess Yuna almost couldn't breathe air because of the suppression from his aura.

Matthias placed the crown atop of the Princess' head and proclaimed with a deep and authoritative voice, "From now on, as everyone witness here in the center of the realm, Yuna the Elven Princess ascends to the Throne as the new Realm Emperor– or Empress– of the Realm of Aqiartha! Welcome your new Monarch!"