Chapter 577

Chapter 577

C577

He probably cried for an hour.

In his heart, Dante wanted to cry until the end of his life in this place.

He wished to disappear into the gentle light, like the smile his grandfather used to show, like his embrace.

If there was nothing left for him.

The clan, the people who fought for him, the friends who came running after leaving everything behind, his people, the land he had to protect, and himself.

If all of that had truly disappeared, Dante probably wouldn't have gotten back up.

But all of that remained.

And what remained was because his grandfather gave his life in exchange.

He truly gave his everything...

"Although I would like to sit down, I couldn't."

Dante wiped away his tears and looked back at Jin.

"I've kept you waiting for too long, I'm sorry."

It had been a month since they reunited.

Dante needed time, and Jin had been unconscious for over two weeks receiving intensive healing.

Thanks to Ron's protection during the escape, there were no additional injuries, but the accumulated shock was too much.

Today, Dante had finally made up his mind.

He wouldn't bury himself in his pain anymore.

That's why he came here.

To bid farewell to his grandfather with Jin.

As Ron said, not a farewell forever, but a farewell to move forward.

Now, Dante had to inherit the duty of protection that Ron had taken on.

However, Jin, in reality, couldn't take a step forward like Dante.

The guilt still weighed on Jin's chest like a piece of rusted iron.

"I know what you're thinking."

When Jin was about to speak, Dante spoke first.

During the war, in the last moment when Ron sent them both out of the path of light, Dante was able to receive Ron's will, which Jin didn't recognize.

"You haven't done anything wrong, he said. This is what he told both you and me."

Not only Jin suffered from guilt.

Dante also struggled to overcome the idea that he had lost his grandfather because he himself hadn't saved anything.

How many people had died for him to stay alive, and how much had been destroyed?

"You've done quite well. Maybe it was beyond what I could have done."

Like leaves catching fire, Jin's eyes welled up.

This time, Dante turned his head not to see Jin's tearful face.

"There's only inevitable sadness. So, it's better to forget everything that didn't happen."

Dante spoke as if he knew Jin's regression.

It was because Ron acknowledged that fact just before becoming the light.

Dante had vaguely glimpsed the secret that Jin kept from Ron's will.

He didn't know it clearly, but he was aware that his friend's guilt was somehow related to that secret.

And Ron knew everything at the moment of death and said it.

His grandson or Jin did nothing wrong.

Because they really didn't.

"The secret you keep, tell it when the time comes. Like Beradin did."

Another friend who isn't here.

Jin and Dante were grateful to him.

Now they knew that Beradin had sacrificed himself for his friends.

It was thanks to the secretly sent letters by Sandra.

When the complete story of the incident was revealed, public sentiment literally plummeted, Zipple did not receive what was promised, and Runcandel and the Hidden Palace were also severely affected by the Emperor's and Zipple's decision.

That's why the main factions did not covet the empire, which turned communist, even though talented people became precious.

The strongest sword of the empire was killed as soon as it reached the Genesis Knight Realm, and most of the top figures of the Empire, including the second sword of the empire Jonsina Ferrell, died in this war.

Furthermore, occupying the empire now only added more problems.

Which lands had Chaos contaminated the most?

Whoever swallowed the empire had to deal with and purify the contaminated area intact.

"The Emperor cannot be forgiven. Apart from personal grudges and revenge, he has done irreparable damage to the Empire. And the throne will be mine for the time being. In the form of putting up a scarecrow and acting as regent."

"Don't you just consider ascending to the throne? If legitimacy is an issue..."

"Since the birth of the empire, the imperial family has never been more loved than Hairan by the people. Legitimacy and justification are not the problem."

"Then why?"

Then Dante slowly drew Rashid.

"This sword is not for ruling. Rashid was forged to protect this land. I won't forget my duty, as my grandfather and ancestors didn't. Instead..."

Dante turned his head to Jin.

"When the empire returns to its course, do me a favor. The Vamel Alliance is Kashimir-nim, the King of the Free City Tikan. Let him ascend to the throne. At that time, I will resign as regent and return to being the lord of the Sword Emperor Castle. This is my conclusion."

"The fact that Kashmir-nim takes over the empire you restored means that the empire will soon become my land, Dante."

"All the people of the Empire know that you fought for us until the end. And, you don't know very well, but the Empire will need your strength in the future anyway."

Dante was sincere.

He thought he wouldn't be able to continue defending the empire with his own strength.

"Amir Vermont is already a dead man, but there will still be other cards in the imperial family. I may negotiate again with Zipple, maybe even with Kinzelo or Runcandel. Even if not that, after the restoration of the contaminated area, the giant forces will aim again at the Empire. In such a situation, in whom should I trust?"

Although it was emotionally uncomfortable for Jin to take what Dante would build, Jin had nothing to refute.

"You are the only one. There's also Beradin, but he's always exposed to threats. So don't be afraid, but take good care of me in the future."

Jin grabbed Dante's outstretched hand.

Dante took a bottle of wine from his chest and three cups.

The bottles were intact, but the glasses were all broken or cracked.

The glasses were Ron's favorite ceramics.

From the broken cabin across the plains of the Sword Emperor Castle, Dante had come for a visit.

"Miraculously, there is still some ceramics in the ruins of the cabin where my grandfather used to play with me when I was a child. I picked the most intact ones, glued them together, and brought them. With the wine my grandfather liked to drink."

Tang...

Dante uncorked the bottle and looked at the ground.

The black soil they were sitting on was gradually regaining its original color.

Ron's light was purifying the contaminated territory of the Sword Emperor Castle.

Very slowly, and lazily, but...

Like taking steps, it would surely be completely purified someday.

One in front of Ron's light, another in front of his own, and another in front of Jin's.

Dante and Jin raised their glasses toward Ron's light.

Jin was remembering what Ron had told him: "After the battle, let's have a drink with my dear grandson."

After slowly emptying their cups, the two stood up.

Before leaving, each drew their swords and engraved these words under Ron's light.

Emperor Sword, Ron Hairan.

Here, it became the light of Hairan, or the light of the world.

'Goodbye, Grandfather.'

Dante, as he left the place, smiled with a faint glow like light.

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