A few days had passed after the aftermath of the invasion at Járnheimr.
After Akka performed seppuku on the day she was defeated by driving the traditional knife Dante had conjured using his Forgery Magic into her own abdomen, she accepted her fate without resistance. Her final request was fulfilled as Dante stepped forward and, with one swift motion, decapitated her head, granting her the honorable death she had sought.
The battlefield had long since fallen silent. Only the crackling flames and drifting ashes remained as witnesses to the end of one of Járnheimr's greatest warriors.
Dante carried out a proper burial according to her wishes. A towering burning pile was prepared, and both Akka's body and her decapitated head were placed upon it. The flames slowly consumed the remains, rising higher into the sky as sparks danced through the cold northern wind.
Dante stood before the blazing pyre with an unreadable expression. His crimson eyes reflected the inferno before him as he slowly raised one hand.
"Rise up...."
Darkness gathered beneath the burning pile.
The shadows twisted unnaturally as a powerful surge of black mana erupted from the flames. Slowly, a familiar silhouette emerged from within the darkness. The once-proud warrior was now reborn as nothing more than a Shadow Soldier. Clad in pitch-black armor with glowing crimson eyes, Akka knelt before Dante without hesitation, lowering her head in absolute submission.
"My liege."
"Your spirit may be off in either heaven or hell, but your soul is different," Dante said calmly, his voice carrying neither joy nor sorrow.
"..."
Akka remained completely silent, awaiting her master's command.
Dante narrowed his eyes slightly before speaking once more, his tone becoming colder.
"Do you deny servitude to me?"
"I do not, my liege," Akka answered without the slightest hesitation.
A faint nod escaped Dante.
"It's settled. As promised, if my journey ever reaches the Tianyu Dynasty, I will find your master's land and bury you beside her. Once that promise has been fulfilled, I will release you from your duty as my Shadow Soldier. Until then, you will serve as one of my generals, considering your ranking."
Akka lowered her head even further.
"As you command, my liege."
With a gentle wave of his hand, her body dissolved into countless wisps of darkness before disappearing into the Realm of Shadows.
Not long afterward, Dante stood alone amidst the remains of the battlefield. The countless corpses of demons scattered across the ruined land became fuel for his ever-growing army.
One after another...
"Arise."
The ground trembled.
Shadows stretched across the battlefield as dead demons slowly clawed their way back to their feet. Empty crimson eyes ignited across the wasteland as dozens... then hundreds... of undead demons answered his call. Their movements were stiff at first before becoming completely obedient.
In only a matter of moments, Dante's undead legion had multiplied to nearly twice its previous size.
The Kingdom of Járnheimr had survived.
Ashley Burnwill finally took matters into her own hands. After witnessing everything that had happened to her homeland, she could no longer continue living as a Searcher while ignoring the responsibility she had inherited.
She abandoned that life without regret.
As the rightful Queen of the Dwarven Kingdom, Járnheimr, Ashley resolved to remain with her people and rebuild the nation from its ashes.
A peaceful treaty was soon established between Ashley and Dante. With hostilities finally at an end, both sides began working together toward a single goal—the reconstruction of Járnheimr.
Thanks to Dante's knowledge from his previous life as Shan Abhay, he introduced countless ideas far beyond what the dwarves had imagined possible.
Using his understanding of engineering and craftsmanship, Dante successfully recreated sturdier and stronger materials such as cement, bricks, and steel. These new materials greatly accelerated the rebuilding efforts while making the kingdom's future defenses significantly more resilient than before.
To further hasten the reconstruction, Dante deployed his lower-ranked Shadow Soldiers as laborers. Tirelessly, they carried massive stone blocks, transported steel beams, cleared away rubble, and rebuilt damaged structures without ever requiring rest.
The dwarves watched in amazement as the undead worked day and night without complaint.
Inspired by the sight, many of the dwarves found the strength to stand once more. Despite the grief they still carried from the invasion, they returned to their workshops, picked up their hammers, and joined the effort alongside Dante's Shadow Soldiers.
Slowly but surely, the once-devastated kingdom began to rise from the ashes once again.
As Ashley was cleaning out her laboratory to convert it into extra space for whatever purpose she might need in the future, her attention was drawn to an old wooden box tucked away in a forgotten corner. Thick iron chains tightly wrapped around it, and the surface of the box was covered with years of dust, as though it had not been touched in decades.
Ashley slowly approached it before gently brushing away the dust with her hand.
"This... I remember this," she murmured softly. "This was Great-Grandfather's last forgery before he passed away. He entrusted it to me, saying that one day it would respond to its true wielder."
Curiosity slowly overcame her.
For years, she had faithfully honored her great-grandfather's final wish and never once attempted to look inside. But now, standing alone in the quiet laboratory, she found herself wondering what kind of masterpiece the legendary founder of Járnheimr had left behind.
Taking a deep breath, Ashley unlocked the heavy chains one by one. The metallic clanking echoed throughout the empty room before she carefully unlatched the wooden box.
The moment the lid opened even slightly...
A terrifying pressure burst from within.
Ashley felt as though an enormous mountain had suddenly been placed upon her shoulders. Her entire body froze as an overwhelming aura flooded the room, causing the very air around her to tremble.
"W-What...?!"
Without another thought, she immediately slammed the lid shut.
The pressure disappeared almost instantly.
Ashley stumbled backward before collapsing onto her knees, desperately gasping for air. Cold sweat streamed down her face as her heart pounded violently inside her chest.
She remained there for several long moments before finally letting out a relieved breath.
"Now I remember what was inside..."
Her trembling hands rested upon her lap as she stared silently at the sealed box.
"I was never worthy of touching such an artifact..."
Her eyes softened with both admiration and regret.
It was the final creation left behind by her deceased great-grandfather—the legendary founder of Járnheimr. Whatever rested inside that wooden box was clearly beyond the reach of ordinary people, perhaps even beyond herself.
Meanwhile, Dante personally inspected the wounded throughout the kingdom.
Rather than leaving everything to the healers, he visited each injured dwarf himself, examining their wounds one by one before performing first aid and routine checkups. He patiently reassured those who had survived the invasion while ensuring none of their injuries had been overlooked.
Although Dante possessed Healing Magic, he understood its limitations.
Not every wound could simply be erased with magic alone. Some injuries required proper medical treatment, careful procedures, and time to heal naturally.
Using the medical knowledge he had retained from his previous life as Shan Abhay, Dante performed several surgeries on those whose injuries were too severe for healing magic alone. Afterward, he carefully prescribed medicines and instructed the kingdom's physicians on how to continue their treatment.
Among the patients was Kaen.
Having lost her tail during the fierce battle, she had struggled to regain her balance despite surviving the invasion.
Dante personally performed a delicate operation on her.
Using titanium that he materialized through his Forgery Magic, he crafted a mechanical prosthetic tail complete with an integrated nerve system capable of connecting directly to her body. Every component was carefully assembled with remarkable precision before he successfully attached it to her.
Once the operation was complete, Kaen slowly stood up.
She cautiously moved her new tail from side to side.
To her surprise, it responded almost as naturally as the one she had lost.
Tears welled in her eyes as she turned toward Dante.
"Thank you... Master."
She lowered her head respectfully, her voice filled with sincere gratitude.
No words could fully express how thankful she was for giving her back something she believed she had lost forever.
Later that day, Dante and Ashley sat together inside her study.
Blueprints, maps, engineering sketches, and reports were spread across the large wooden table between them.
The two discussed the many uncertainties surrounding the restoration of Járnheimr, carefully planning the kingdom's reconstruction, its future defenses, and the path that would allow the dwarven nation to rise stronger than ever before.
The two became close and became from allies to best friends.
A year passed, and Járnheimr was rebuilt into a stronger, more modernized kingdom.
Dante was now seventeen years old, taller and significantly stronger than before. Under Kilamahi's relentless guidance, he had made remarkable progress in mastering his second form, Asura Wrath. Every day was filled with grueling training, pushing both his body and mind beyond their limits. The once-uncontrollable power had gradually become something he could wield with far greater precision.
His combat abilities had also improved tremendously thanks to sparring against his three Shadow Generals—Akka, Taouon, and Lustia. Each possessed vastly different fighting styles, forcing Dante to constantly adapt, refine his techniques, and eliminate unnecessary movements from his battles.
Their latest training session had left the surrounding field scarred with deep craters, shattered boulders, and countless slash marks.
Dante rested Vermillion across his shoulder before letting out a satisfied smile.
"Great work, you three. We'll pick this up again tomorrow, and—?"
His eyes suddenly shifted toward Lustia.
A surge of denser shadow mana flowed from her body.
Dante raised an eyebrow before letting out a pleased chuckle.
"Ho ho... Have you ranked up? You're a Commander Class now? Nice. Keep it up, and you might become the first female to reach Marshal Class."
Lustia proudly placed a hand over her chest before giving a respectful bow.
"Thank you, my liege."
Dante then glanced toward Taouon with a teasing grin.
"And you, Taouon. Better keep up, or Akka might beat you to it."
Taouon's confident expression immediately twitched.
Before he could respond, Akka folded her arms and allowed herself a faint, smug smile.
"I suppose someone has become complacent."
"Hah? Says the woman who barely kept up with me during today's spar."
"You call that keeping up? I merely allowed you to preserve your dignity."
Lustia covered her mouth with a quiet giggle before joining in.
"I believe Lady Akka is correct."
"What?! Even you're taking her side?"
The two women exchanged amused glances before continuing to tease him, causing Taouon to argue back in exaggerated frustration.
Watching the childish exchange unfold, Dante simply shook his head with a helpless smile.
"You three never change."
With a casual wave of his hand, shadow mana surrounded each of the generals.
"Return."
Their bodies dissolved into wisps of darkness before disappearing one after another into the Shadow Realm, leaving Dante alone on the ruined training grounds.
As Dante was preparing to head back to his room after another exhausting day of training, a dwarven guard hurried toward him before stopping respectfully a few steps away. The soldier placed a fist against his chest and bowed.
"Sir Dante. Queen Burnwill wishes to see you on a personal matter."
Dante raised an eyebrow in confusion.
"Huh? Weird." He shrugged lightly before nodding. "Notify her I'm on my way."
"Yes, sir."
The dwarven soldier gave another respectful bow before quickly making his way back toward the castle to relay the message to Ashley Burnwill.
Watching the guard disappear into the distance, Dante let out a quiet sigh.
He raised one hand before snapping his fingers.
A gentle surge of mana flowed across his body, washing away the sweat, dirt, and dust from the day's intense training. His worn training attire shimmered before instantly transforming into a fresh set of clean clothes, neatly fitted to his body.
Dante looked down at himself before smiling with satisfaction.
"I'm getting better at this."
"Heh, all thanks to me, kid. You better believe it," Kilamahi proudly replied from within Dante's consciousness.
Dante simply chuckled.
"I'll give you credit where it's due."
Without wasting another moment, he made his way through the castle's wide stone hallways. The newly rebuilt corridors were brighter than before, decorated with polished pillars, intricate dwarven engravings, and modern lighting designed using many of Dante's own ideas from his previous life.
It was hard to believe this magnificent place had once been reduced to ruins.
Eventually, Dante arrived at the newly reconstructed throne room.
The massive doors slowly opened before him.
Ashley immediately noticed his arrival and gracefully rose from her throne with a warm smile.
"Dante, my friend."
"Ashley." Dante returned the smile with a nod. "You called for me rather urgently. What's the matter?"
Ashley nodded before glancing toward the knights, attendants, and servants standing around the throne room.
"If you'll excuse us, I'd prefer this to remain between the two of us, my friend."
At her command, everyone respectfully bowed before quietly leaving the throne room.
The enormous doors slowly closed behind them.
Once they were alone, Ashley snapped her fingers.
A mechanical robot entered the room carrying a heavy wooden box wrapped tightly in thick iron chains. Unlike its original design, the machine now moved with smooth and practical precision, having been extensively redesigned by Dante to make it far more logical and efficient.
The robot carefully placed the chained box onto a nearby table before silently stepping aside.
Dante's attention immediately shifted toward it.
"What's this, Ashley?" he asked curiously.
Ashley walked over to the table and gently rested her hand on the aged wooden box.
"It's my gift to you."
She looked at Dante with a gentle smile before continuing.
"This wooden box you see here, wrapped in chains, is no ordinary box, Dante. No... it's much more than that."
Her expression slowly became more serious.
"Inside lies an artifact forged by my great-grandfather—the founder of Járnheimr himself."
Dante silently listened without interrupting.
Ashley took a slow breath before continuing.
"Apparently, I found it again while cleaning my laboratory about a year ago. Since then, I've kept it safely inside my chambers."
She paused for a moment before looking directly into Dante's eyes.
"But ever since I brought it there... it somehow began responding to you."
Dante blinked.
"Me?"
"Yes."
Ashley couldn't help but laugh at the disbelief on his face.
"Yes, you, idiot." She chuckled before clearing her throat. "Anyway, back to the matter at hand."
She pointed toward the chained box.
"Whenever I saw you outside my window, even from a great distance, this box would react to your presence. I don't know how... and I don't know why."
She folded her arms thoughtfully.
"But I believe it's been waiting for its rightful wielder all this time."
Ashley smiled faintly as she recalled her great-grandfather's final words.
"My great-grandfather once told me that when the time finally came... the true wielder of his greatest masterpiece would appear."
She made small air quotes with her fingers.
"Or... something along those lines."
Dante remained silent, his crimson eyes fixed upon the mysterious wooden box.
Ashley stepped forward and placed both hands upon it with great care.
"So... what do you say?"
She looked at Dante with genuine gratitude shining in her eyes.
"This is my way of thanking you, Dante... my friend."
"You saved my life."
"You saved Járnheimr."
"You prevented the demons from ever discovering our hidden world."
Her smile softened.
"No amount of treasure could ever repay what you've done for us."
She gently pushed the chained box toward him.
"So... please."
"Accept my gift."
"My great-grandfather's most precious Forgery artifact rests inside this box."
Dante stepped forward and respectfully accepted the gift with both hands. His expression turned solemn as he gave Ashley a small nod.
"I shall indeed honor the Founder's artifact," Dante said sincerely.
The moment the wooden box came into his possession, it suddenly began to rattle violently. The iron chains clanged against its surface as though something inside was desperately trying to break free.
Ashley instinctively took a step back.
"You should really open it," she said nervously. "I still don't know what's inside. But... fair warning, the pressure it gives off is incredibly intense."
Dante slowly turned to look at her.
"You could've told me that first..."
Ashley awkwardly scratched the back of her head.
"I chose the second option."
Dante let out a helpless sigh before chuckling.
"Very funny, Ashley."
Without another word, Dante began removing the heavy chains one by one. Each iron link fell onto the table with a loud metallic clang until the box was finally free. He reached for the ancient lock and effortlessly unlocked it.
Click.
Almost immediately, the rattling stopped.
The room became eerily silent.
Dante carefully placed the wooden box onto the table before resting one hand on its lid.
Ashley unconsciously held her breath.
Dante slowly lifted the lid, fully expecting the same overwhelming pressure Ashley had described.
Ashley also braced herself.
The lid continued to rise...
Halfway.
Three-quarters.
Finally...
The box was completely open.
Nothing happened.
No terrifying pressure.
No overwhelming aura.
No explosion of mana.
Only silence.
Dante slowly blinked before looking toward Ashley.
"..., Ashley..."
She immediately raised both hands in surrender.
"..., Hey, don't look at me. This is a first for me too."
Dante sighed before turning his attention back toward the contents of the box.
"...Wait..."
His crimson eyes widened slightly.
"These are..."
He reached inside and carefully lifted the artifacts from within.
Ashley leaned forward curiously.
In Dante's hands rested a pair of exquisitely crafted semi-automatic pistols.
One possessed a pristine white finish accented with elegant silver engravings, while the other was forged in deep black steel decorated with intricate crimson patterns. Both were heavily customized with masterful craftsmanship unlike anything Dante had ever seen before.
He examined them closely before letting out an impressed whistle.
"Semi-automatic pistols? And heavily custom-made? Damn... your old man had style."
Ashley tilted her head in confusion.
"Huh? What's a gun?"
Dante continued inspecting the weapons, checking their balance, trigger weight, and slide mechanism with practiced movements.
"It's something your old man created that simply wasn't ready for this era."
He then noticed delicate engravings carved near each grip.
A grin slowly spread across his face.
"Ho ho... your old man had taste with the ladies too."
He raised one pistol before reading its engraved name aloud.
"Eve."
Then he lifted the second.
"And Lilith."
He chuckled.
"Not bad."
"Then what are you waiting for? Test them out. Let's see if you still know how to—!"
BANG!
The deafening gunshot echoed throughout the throne room.
Ashley jumped in fright, instinctively covering her ears as her heart nearly leaped out of her chest.
"W-What was that?!"
A thin trail of smoke slowly rose from the barrel of the black semi-automatic pistol in Dante's hand.
The loud sound had come from him...
And from the mysterious black-and-white pistols known as Eve and Lilith.
Dante stared at the pair of pistols resting comfortably in his hands. A nostalgic smile slowly spread across his face as his fingers instinctively found their proper grip.
"...It's been a long time."
Without another word, he casually spun both pistols around his index fingers with astonishing dexterity. The heavy firearms twirled effortlessly as though they weighed nothing, each rotation perfectly controlled before snapping back into his palms.
Ashley could only blink in surprise.
"H-How...?"
Dante answered only with a grin.
His body shifted into a relaxed stance.
BANG!
A muzzle flash erupted from Lilith.
The recoil barely moved his arm.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
He fired several more shots toward the far end of the throne room, each bullet striking the same tiny section of a reinforced practice target that had been placed against the wall. The precision was frightening.
"WOO!"
Dante let out an excited squeak, unable to hide his enthusiasm.
The old instincts from his previous life had returned as though he had never lost them.
He continued his freestyle performance.
The pistols spun across the backs of his hands before flipping into reverse grips. With a flick of his thumb, he released an empty magazine into the air.
Click.
Before it could even touch the floor, another magazine appeared in his opposite hand through his Forgery Magic.
Clack!
It slid perfectly into the pistol.
The slide snapped forward.
Another series of gunshots echoed throughout the throne room.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
The second pistol followed immediately after.
Spent shell casings danced through the air as both weapons barked in perfect rhythm. Dante alternated between one-handed shots, dual-wielding stances, and impossible-looking spins that flowed together like a choreographed performance rather than combat.
Ashley stood completely speechless.
Her eyes remained fixed on Dante.
She had never imagined anyone could wield her great-grandfather's creation with such confidence... such familiarity.
It was almost as though these weapons had been made specifically for him.
Finally, Dante ejected both magazines.
With another smooth motion, he caught them, reloaded the pistols in a single fluid sequence, and pulled both slides back simultaneously.
Click.
He crossed his arms.
BANG!
BANG!
The final two bullets shot across the room before colliding with one another at nearly the same instant, bursting apart into fragments upon impact.
Silence returned.
Thin trails of smoke slowly drifted from the muzzles of Eve and Lilith.
Ashley remained frozen in awe.
Dante slowly lowered both pistols before taking a deep breath.
He brought the still-smoking muzzles close to his face.
"Snifffff..."
He closed his eyes.
"Aahhhh..."
A satisfied sigh escaped his lips as he inhaled the lingering scent of burnt gunpowder. A faint stream of smoke drifted from his mouth as he slowly exhaled, a nostalgic smile lingering on his face.
He turned toward Ashley with a completely serious expression.
"Okay..."
He paused dramatically.
"I'm hard as fuck right now."
Ashley stared at him in complete silence, utterly speechless.
A few more weeks passed before Dante finally made up his mind.
It was time to leave.
Outside the massive gates of Járnheimr, beneath its towering modernized walls that now stood stronger than ever, Ashley personally walked Dante to the kingdom's entrance. The rebuilt fortress gleamed proudly under the sunlight, a symbol of the kingdom's rebirth after the devastating invasion.
A gentle breeze swept through the open fields beyond the gates.
Ashley folded her arms before glancing at Dante with a worried expression.
"You know... you could stay here. You've been here for almost a year now."
Dante smiled reassuringly.
"Hey, don't worry about me, Ashley. Besides, I've only got one year left to finish the Ruthwilfer Trial. Coming here... it was the best decision I've made."
Ashley smiled before reaching into the pocket of her coat.
"Right... and here."
She proudly held out a beautifully crafted insignia forged entirely from a rare dwarven alloy.
"A special insignia made by yours truly."
Her expression softened with pride as she placed it into Dante's hand.
"This is the highest rank within Járnheimr. Only you and I possess one."
Dante examined the insignia for a brief moment before smiling.
"Then I won't say no."
Ashley crossed her arms with satisfaction.
"Good."
She extended her hand.
"Stay safe, my friend."
Dante firmly shook it.
"You too, Ashley."
He smirked.
"And next time... try not to create another Orochi Robot."
Ashley immediately rolled her eyes.
"I beg to differ, asshole."
"Hahaha..."
"Hahaha..."
Their laughter echoed across the open plains before slowly fading into silence.
The cheerful mood lingered for a few more moments before Dante finally turned around.
Without looking back, he began walking away from Járnheimr.
"See you again... if fate allows us, Ashley."
Ashley watched his departing figure with a gentle smile.
"You too, Dante."
She then waved toward the catgirl walking beside him.
"And you as well, Kaen."
"Nyaa! See you, Ms. Burnwill!"
With one final wave, Dante and Kaen departed from Járnheimr.
They disappeared back into the dense forest surrounding the hidden dwarven kingdom. After walking for some time, the thick woods gradually gave way to open grasslands stretching toward the distant horizon.
Kaen stretched both arms into the air before taking a deep breath.
"Nyaa... Finally! The open breeze and the open fields!"
Dante chuckled.
"You look energetic, Kaen."
"Of course, Master!" Kaen beamed excitedly. "It's been a whole year! Finally, we're back in the free world."
She skipped ahead before turning around with sparkling eyes.
"So where are we going now, Master?"
Dante simply shrugged.
"For now... we'll go wherever our footsteps take us."
He took a single step forward.
Then suddenly stopped.
His smile slowly widened.
He closed his eyes and quietly let out an amused chuckle.
"I know you five are there."
He slowly opened his crimson eyes.
"Come out."
The surrounding shadows rippled.
Five figures clad entirely in crimson appeared from seemingly nowhere, silently surrounding Dante and Kaen from every direction.
Their presence was almost impossible to detect.
"Hiss...!!!"
Kaen immediately lowered herself into a battle stance, her tail standing on end as her claws extended, ready to attack at a moment's notice.
Dante casually raised one hand.
"Easy, Kaen."
She looked toward him in confusion.
"They're Royal Hound members of the Ruthwilfer Family."
"Their only mission is to secretly observe each Ruthwilfer participating in the trial."
Kaen slowly relaxed, though she remained alert.
One of the masked members stepped forward.
"Dante Ruthwilfer."
"Our reports indicate your presence disappeared without warning nearly a year ago."
"We were unable to trace either your location... or your magical signature."
Dante simply shrugged.
"Figures."
He folded his arms.
"And...? I'm alive, aren't I?"
The Royal Hound gave a slight nod.
"Apparently, Evan Ruthwilfer officially declared you deceased."
Dante's smile slowly vanished.
"A funeral is currently being held at the Ruthwilfer Family's main resting grounds."
For a brief moment...
Silence.
Then Dante suddenly let out a quiet laugh.
"Ho ho..."
"So without even confirming my body... that uncle of mine already filed my death notice?"
His smile gradually turned cold.
"Interesting."
He looked toward the Royal Hound.
"Where is the current location from here?"
The Royal Hound raised an eyebrow before silently pointing toward the distant horizon.
Dante followed the direction with his eyes.
"...I see."
He calmly removed the sling bag from his shoulder before taking off his crimson coat and handing both to Kaen.
"Master?"
Dante raised one hand.
Dark crimson mana gathered around his palm.
Using his Conjuring Forgery Magic, a simple spear slowly materialized into existence.
He firmly gripped it.
"Let's send those assholes a message."
His mana surged into the spear as countless magical formulas rapidly reinforced every inch of its structure.
He calculated the distance...
The wind...
The angle...
The trajectory...
Everything was perfected within seconds.
Taking a deep breath, Dante planted one foot firmly into the ground before drawing his arm back.
Then—
He launched the spear high into the sky with all his strength.
Meanwhile, back at the Ruthwilfer Castle Estate, the Holy Grounds where the dead were laid to rest had become crowded with members of the Ruthwilfer Family. Elders, nobles, knights, and servants had all gathered to bid farewell to the one they believed was the late Dante Ruthwilfer.
A solemn silence filled the air as the funeral ceremony continued.
"Lady Diana..."
Fina, Diana Ruthwilfer's loyal guard, stepped closer and spoke softly.
Diana's gaze remained fixed on the newly erected tombstone.
"I know."
Her expression remained calm.
"This is Evan's doing."
She folded her arms.
"Because if Dante dies... then Will Ruthwilfer dies."
Her eyes narrowed.
"And if Will is alive..."
A faint smile slowly appeared across her face.
"...then my boy is alive."
Not far away, Evan Ruthwilfer and Avabel stood quietly among the crowd, watching as the priest continued reciting prayers before the false grave.
Avabel glanced sideways at her younger brother before letting out an amused chuckle.
"You really are something."
She smirked.
"Faking a funeral for that wedlock child."
Evan remained completely unfazed.
"Heh..."
"Let's keep things this way."
His eyes briefly shifted toward the crowd.
"The one who'll succeed my brother Will..."
A malicious smile slowly crept across his face.
"...is my son, Taka."
Avabel simply laughed.
"How's your wife?"
The question caused Evan's expression to soften.
He slowly lowered his head.
"For now... she's stable."
His voice carried visible exhaustion.
"But..."
"She keeps forgetting this and that."
"I've brought healers from throughout the Valekoris Kingdom... even specialists from outside the kingdom."
He clenched his fists.
"But none of them succeeded."
"They all claim it's some kind of rare illness."
Avabel rolled her eyes before nudging him with her elbow.
"You love her that much?"
"Childish."
Evan gave a tired smile.
"Avabel... please."
"She's my everything."
Before Avabel could tease him any further, the priest raised both hands to begin the ceremony's final prayer.
At that exact moment—
"Hey!"
One of the Ruthwilfer members suddenly pointed toward the sky.
"What's that coming toward us?!"
Everyone instinctively looked upward.
Something was descending at incredible speed.
Its sharp whistle echoed through the air.
Avabel's eyes widened.
"Take cover!!!"
BOOOOMMMM!!!
The impact shook the Holy Grounds.
Dust, shattered stone, and debris exploded into the air, forcing everyone nearby to shield themselves.
Several seconds later...
The dust slowly settled.
Everyone cautiously looked toward the center of the explosion.
Silence filled the area.
Embedded deep within the ground was a simple spear.
The fake tombstone bearing Dante Ruthwilfer's name had been completely destroyed.
"...A spear?"
Will Ruthwilfer muttered in confusion.
Attached just beneath the spearhead was a folded note.
One of the Royal Hounds carefully retrieved it before handing it over.
Will unfolded the paper.
His eyes scanned the short message.
Then...
He couldn't help but blink.
Written in large, confident letters were the words—
«"Miss me, bitches?"
— Dante Ruthwilfer»
For a brief moment...
Nobody spoke.
Then Diana burst into loud laughter.
"Hahaha!"
She wiped away a tear from the corner of her eye.
"Who else but Dante himself?"
She turned toward Evan with an amused grin.
"So, Evan..."
She crossed her arms.
"Care to explain this?"
Evan immediately froze.
"Umm..."
"I..."
Before he could finish—
"You absolute asshole!!"
The furious roar echoed throughout the Holy Grounds.
Evan slowly turned around.
Standing before him was his elder brother, Will Ruthwilfer, whose face had turned red with rage.
"Faking someone's death?!"
Will pointed furiously toward the shattered grave.
"That's a serious offense even during the Ruthwilfer Trials!"
His voice thundered across the cemetery.
"You'd better have one hell of a good reason for this, brother!!!"
Meanwhile...
Far away from the Ruthwilfer Estate...
Dante casually dusted off both of his hands before taking back his sling bag from Kaen.
He slipped it over his shoulder before putting on his crimson coat once again.
The five Royal Hounds silently stood before him.
Dante glanced toward them with a confident grin.
"Notify the Patriarch..."
His crimson eyes gleamed.
"...that Dante Ruthwilfer isn't dead."
He adjusted the collar of his coat.
"But is back..."
A smug smile slowly spread across his face.
"...better and more arrogant than ever."
He looked directly at the five Royal Hounds.
"And please..."
"It's not a request."
A brief silence followed.
Dante's grin widened.
"It's a fucking statement."
---
Chapter 60 — End of Volume 2.