The Great Wish - Epilogue — Another Future (END)

When Sienna regained consciousness, she found herself in an unfamiliar place. She looked around, surrounded by dense trees and thick undergrowth. She was sitting on a moss-covered forest floor.

‘A garden…?’

She shook her head. No matter how wild the imperial gardens might be, they weren’t this overgrown. This was a natural forest, untouched by human hands.

She had no idea how she had ended up in such a place. Her last memory was of lying in bed in her private chambers, preparing for sleep.

“Is anyone the—” Sienna began to call out, but stopped mid-sentence, startled by the sound of her own voice. It was unfamiliar, much lighter and clearer than usual.

Her eyes widened as she lifted her hands to examine them. Her hands were smooth and youthful, with no trace of age or wrinkles.

She ran her fingers over her face. Though she had no mirror to check, her skin felt firm and elastic, as though she had regained her youth.

It was strange, but somehow, this astonishing turn of events didn’t feel entirely unfamiliar. Slowly, Sienna rose to her feet.

Looking ahead, she noticed a faint path through the forest. Instinctively, she began to walk in that direction. She wasn’t sure why, but she had the distinct feeling that she needed to follow it.

After a short walk, she came upon a small, white tea table in the middle of the forest.

‘A tea table… in the forest?’

Sienna found herself faced with an otherworldly being cloaked in light, sitting across from her at a simple white tea table in the middle of a dense forest. The scene was so surreal, yet she inexplicably accepted it without question. Without hesitation, she approached the table and sat in the empty chair.

Someone was already seated opposite her, but due to the intense light they emitted, she couldn’t make out any distinct features. She could only discern that the figure resembled a person.

Despite the brightness, it wasn’t blinding. Sienna stared at the unknown figure, dazed, before finally asking, “Am I dead?”

The figure seemed to smile, though she couldn’t be sure.

“Not yet.”

The voice, neither male nor female, resonated around her, vibrating through the air and reverberating in her mind, as though it bypassed her ears and spoke directly to her consciousness.

Sienna sighed, realizing something. “Ah… the Call of the Gods.”

It was said that the emperors of the empire received a divine call before their death, but the nature of that call had never been clearly defined.

“Are you… Ar… the god we worship?”

“I am not the god you serve. I am both like you and unlike you. I am a messenger who conveys your voice to them.”

Sienna furrowed her brow, thinking deeply. “You must be the Sacred Tree, then.”

“That is what you call me.”

“Are you saying we’ve been calling you the Sacred Tree without truly knowing who or what you are?”

“Which came first—the existence or the name? I cannot say. If you call me the Sacred Tree, then that is what I am.”

“Then, are you here to deliver the god’s message to me? About my death?”

“From the moment you donned the crown, you were connected to me. I can sense your declining energy. I came to meet you before your life force fades completely.”

Sienna was taken aback. This was entirely different from what she had understood.

“I always thought the Call of the Gods was a divine decree.”

“Are you disappointed?”

“…I’m just curious. Why has this truth never been revealed?”

“This place is your subconscious world. I am merely a visitor. Once you awaken, you won’t remember our conversation.”

“If I won’t remember, shouldn’t I be unaware of the existence of the Call of the Gods altogether?”

“Does it matter?”

Sienna remained silent for a long moment, then shook her head. “No, I suppose it doesn’t.”

After all, she was going to die soon. What did any of this truly matter?

“Why do you come only just before death? Even if I won’t remember, couldn’t you come sooner if you can visit like this?”

“I am only a visitor. You are blessed by the gods, and your subconscious is strong.”

Sienna chuckled. “So you’ve only managed to slip in now, in the final moments when my defenses are weakened. A trespasser, then.”

“That is why I come bearing a gift, as an apology.”

It almost sounded like a joke. Sienna found herself smiling at the absurdity of it all.

“A gift?”

“I will grant you one last wish.”

Sienna’s eyes widened, and she leapt to her feet. “The Great Wish?! Was that also the power of the Sacred Tree?”

“I do not know what the Great Wish is.”

Her body relaxed, and she slumped back into her chair.

‘Of course… I’ve already achieved the Great Wish. The Sacred Tree bloomed for me.’

But now, she wondered if the Great Wish had been misunderstood, just as the Call of the Gods had been.

“When I wore the crown, the Sacred Tree bloomed.”

“It did.”

“So, my wish to see the tree bloom… did that reach the gods?”

“I do not know.”

“How can you be the Sacred Tree and not know why it bloomed?”

“Like your life and death, it is not my will.”

Sienna let out a long sigh, grumbling, “You haven’t given me a single clear answer.”

There was a pause before she suddenly burst into laughter.

“Honestly, all of this is just ridiculous. I’m not even sure if you’re truly the Sacred Tree or if I’m just seeing one last illusion before I die.”

“Your belief is beyond my influence.”

“Did you make this same offer to the previous emperors? Offering to grant them a wish?”

“I did.”

Sienna nodded, thinking. So, this wasn’t something unique to her; it was something offered to every emperor before their passing. Yet none of them had spoken about it or passed down knowledge of it.

“Did they make a wish?”

“Did any of the previous emperors ever doubt you?” Sienna asked, her voice soft but filled with curiosity. “And what did they wish for?”

The glowing figure remained still, but its response resonated in her mind.

“Is that your wish?”

Sienna flinched, then let out a tired laugh. Whether this being was truly the Sacred Tree or simply a hallucination, it didn’t matter anymore. She was too exhausted to debate. She had spent her life on a battlefield—though not always one of blood and swords.

Her entire life had been a series of endless battles. Battles for power, survival, and trust. In the end, she had grown tired of it all. Even here, in this strange dream or vision, she didn’t want to argue anymore.

“Will you grant any wish?” she asked quietly.

“I am not omnipotent. I cannot stop your death or alter the fates of others. But if the wish is truly for you alone, I will grant it.”

Sienna mulled over the idea of making a wish solely for herself. Had she ever done anything purely for her own sake? Her life, when she looked back, had been one of hardship. There were many nights spent alone in her dark chamber, silently crying, yet she had never allowed herself to fall apart.

It had taken years, but she had managed to rid the empire of many of its corrupting elements. In the process, she had lost much—family, friends, and her own mother. Even her uncle had been cut off, and she had earned the reputation of being the “Blood Empress.” Despite all the bloodshed, she had no regrets.

But there was still one thing that weighed heavily on her heart.

‘Eckart…’

She had missed most of her only son’s childhood. She had ignored him for too long, and she had never once told him that she loved him.

And then, there was someone else.

‘Kuhn…’

Sienna closed her eyes, remembering his final words, which had haunted her ever since.

“If only our beginning had been different…”

Would things have been different if they hadn’t started the way they had? Would their lives have turned out better?

Kuhn had left the empire when Eckart turned twenty-three, passing on the crown before departing. Rumors said he had wandered the world beyond the empire, and she had often prayed he would find happiness with someone else. But deep down, she wasn’t sure if that was what she had truly wanted.

“You know,” Sienna began softly, “those of us who protect the Sacred Tree do not dream.”

“Because you are blessed by the gods. Your subconscious is shielded from corruption.”

“I’ve always been curious about ordinary dreams… envious, even. Even if it’s not real, I’ve longed to see the people I miss, even if only in a dream.”

Sienna’s voice wavered with emotion. There were people she longed to see again—her son, whom she felt guilty about, and Kuhn, for whom she harbored lingering regret. She had always wondered what it would be like to dream of them, to see their faces again, even just once.

“My last wish,” she said finally, “is to dream. There’s a dream I want to have.”

“Your wish will be granted. It begins with my will, but its conclusion will be touched by the gods.”

Sienna opened her eyes to the familiar ceiling of her chambers. Tears welled up in her eyes as she stared upward, lifting her hand into the air. It was wrinkled and aged, her skin weathered by time.

The memories of what had just happened were hazy. She couldn’t remember clearly whether she had met a god, a messenger, or something else. But in that world, she had been young, and her heart had felt at peace.

“The Call of the Gods…” she whispered.

Closing her eyes, tears rolled down her cheeks, and a soft, contented smile formed on her lips.

Sitting up, Sienna called for her chief attendant.

“Your Majesty, do you require something?” he asked, quickly entering her chambers.

“Summon all the vassals,” she ordered.

“Vassals, Your Majesty? Do you mean the dukes?” he asked, taken aback.

“All of the dukes,” Sienna confirmed. “And summon the Sky King as well.”

“As you command, Your Majesty,” he said, bowing before leaving the room.

Once alone, Sienna clenched her fists, her expression filled with determination.

‘Finally,’ she thought.

This was the day she had been waiting for—the day she would pass on the crown of the Sacred Tree to her son, Eckart.

She couldn’t remember the last time she had felt truly happy, but today, she knew she would be able to smile with all her heart.

END OF MAIN STORY