It was already late. Only dim lights shone on the Delin estate, making it seem especially quiet.
Kafra escorted Viktor out of the estate.
The two walked silently through the stone-paved courtyard. Only the crisp sound of their footsteps echoed through the air.
When they reached the courtyard gate, Kafra stopped behind Viktor and finally couldn't help asking, "So, why did you bring Angus's armor out?"
This was the question that had been bothering her the whole time.
Even now, the Snow Mastiff Armor was still inside the Delin estate.
Viktor hadn't taken it away.
It was as if he had deliberately wanted that armor to see the light of day again and return to their home.
Hearing her question, Viktor continued walking ahead and calmly explained, "I wanted to ask him some questions."
"There are some things about Gwen that I'm curious about."
'Hm? What?'
Hearing this, Kafra stopped walking. Her eyes widened as she froze in place.
'Wait, isn't Angus already dead?'
Digging up his remains and asking him questions?
No matter how she thought about it, that wasn't normal.
But before Kafra could fully process it, Viktor dropped another shocking piece of news on her, "But when I opened Angus's grave, I found that his body wasn't inside."
Kafra, "?"
Hearing Viktor's words, Kafra was so shocked she couldn't speak.
Her mouth hung half open, and her mind went blank.
'Wait, what did Viktor just say!?'
'He even opened the coffin!?'
Standing there, Kafra shook her head violently like a rattling drum.
She was trying to clear her mind, but soon realized that wasn't the important part.
So she quickly continued questioning Viktor, "What do you mean?"
Viktor dug up her father's grave, and her father wasn't inside?
Viktor calmly replied, "The only thing in the grave was Angus's armor."
"So I brought the armor out."
Kafra fell silent. It felt as though something was stuck in her chest, impossible to say out loud.
If what Viktor said was true, then this was practically a supernatural event.
She had personally overseen the construction of that tomb.
She was certain nobody had tampered with it.
And Angus had clearly lost all signs of life. The possibility of a fake death could be completely ruled out.
So what exactly happened?
At that moment, she remembered Viktor's purpose.
He said he dug up Angus's grave to learn something about Gwen?
That sounded absurd.
Yet she still couldn't help asking, "Then... what did you want to ask about Gwen?"
Viktor had already left the estate and was standing outside the gate.
Hearing Kafra's voice, he turned around and met her gaze.
A high wall ran between them, as if completely separating the two.
On one side stood the brightly lit estate. On the other was the dark street.
The dim light blurred his shadow.
Within that blur, Viktor's obsidian-like eyes seemed to release two dark rays from the darkness itself.
"What exactly did Gwen go through when she was a child?"
———
The carriage wheels rolled across the winding blue-brick road. The carriage gently swayed as the crisp sound of wheels echoed through the quiet streets.
There were no horses pulling the carriage.
Blue magic flowed beneath the wheels on both sides, driving it forward.
Viktor sat inside the carriage, lifting the curtain and looking toward the Delin estate in the distance.
Warm yellow light shone from the windows of the massive white mansion. Against the bright moonlight, it looked especially gentle.
The Delin estate grew smaller and smaller in his view until thick leaves blocked it from sight.
Vega stood opposite Viktor, shaking his body.
With his single eye and raised brow, he looked at Viktor. Then, as if mocking him, he opened his beak and said, "So, are you satisfied now?"
Viktor turned his head and met Vega's lone deep eye.
"Maybe I won't be able to rest easy in the future, but for now, I'm satisfied."
Vega let out a chuckle. His drawn-out laughter echoed through the streets.
Viktor remained expressionless. He closed his eyes and leaned against the cushioned backrest in thought.
Actually, Viktor had lied to Kafra.
He had indeed visited Angus's grave and had not found Angus's body.
But there was one thing he didn't tell her.
Inside the tomb, Angus's armor had moved on its own.
Just like the armor called the Hellfire General in Tisnato's tomb before.
Angus's armor had also transformed into a level fifty Boss unit.
Its name was... Snow Mastiff Knight.
The same missing owner's body.
The same appearance of a living suit of armor inside the tomb.
Viktor couldn't help connecting the two and suspecting there was some special relationship between them.
Although in the end, he easily defeated the strangely moving armor and brought it out of the tomb, handing it over to Gwen.
Even though he could have simply taken it away himself and had no reason to give it to her.
But inside Angus's tomb, Viktor realized something.
"Having Kafra deliver that message was originally just a test for Gwen."
Viktor gave a simple explanation.
Simply put, he wanted to use some stimulating actions to awaken Gwen's buried emotions.
The Gwen of the past spent her childhood in a heavy and serious environment, with no elder willing to tolerate or accept her.
Even her father couldn't be bothered to properly look at her.
The only relative who was close to her was Kafra.
That was why, after Kafra died in the game, Gwen completely cut away all human emotions.
At first glance, Kafra seemed to be the key to Gwen's heart.
As long as that key remained in the world, Gwen could unlock the indifference inside herself.
Likewise, once even Kafra died, Gwen would become an emotionless machine of justice, carrying out absolute fairness and justice.
However, once Viktor became part of Gwen's emotional world, her previously stable state started becoming unstable.
And Gwen's decision to cover for Viktor's lie directly caused her to lose her Heart of Justice.
Simply put, Viktor's test was very straightforward.
"Whether she values me or not is very important."
Just as Gwen valued Kafra, even if Kafra only returned to visit her once in a long while, Gwen would remain in a good state.
Because at that time, Gwen still had someone she cared about.
That person was Kafra.
Likewise, if Gwen cared about Viktor, then Viktor's actions would definitely create unnecessary emotional fluctuations.
Simply put, Gwen panicked.
When Gwen realized Viktor might really do something that would betray her, her emotions fluctuated intensely.
It even led her to directly ask Viktor, 'Have you done anything else that would betray me?'
But...
"I can feel that Gwen's Heart of Justice has recovered a little."
Viktor looked at the passing shadows of treetops outside and took a deep breath.
This was the first time Gwen had shown other emotions since entering that state.
The funny thing was that the Heart of Justice he had constantly worried about and guarded against had returned in such a dramatic way.
Viktor recalled everything. Looking at the moon breaking through the clouds, he sighed.
Standing across from him, Vega laughed teasingly.
"Isn't that a good thing, Viktor?"
"You always want everything to be perfect, but reality never works the way people want."
"No one can guarantee perfection in everything."
It raised its head proudly. One wing stood upright while the other spread outward as he said, "Life is full of choices."
"If you want Gwen to recover, then her Heart of Justice will definitely return."
"If you want Gwen to lose her Heart of Justice, then she will definitely remain as she is now."
As Vega spoke, it raised one wing to cover its beak, leaving only that deep single eye visible.
In the darkness, a chaotic aura seemed to churn endlessly within it.
Its voice became somewhat strange, as though many voices from all directions were mixing together and echoing through the carriage.
"So, choose."
"Will you choose to fulfill yourself and maintain the status quo?"
"Or choose Gwen and let all your efforts go to waste?"
Vega's words carried a hint of temptation, as if teasing the desires hidden deep within Viktor.
Viktor closed its eyes and slowly recalled the past while sitting on the sofa.
———
"Professor, wake up."
Just as the seductive influence began to occupy his mind, a clear voice sounded beside Viktor's ear.
His drifting thoughts returned to him.
Feeling warmth in his arms, Viktor slowly opened his eyes.
The moment he fully regained consciousness, he saw Henny leaning against him.
Her arms wrapped around him tightly.
Although her eyes were dreamy and unfocused, Viktor could tell she was completely clear-headed and rational.
Those enchanting pink-tinted eyes looked affectionate, yet Henny's gaze was serious and sincere.
This bold little teaching assistant, intoxicated yet clear-minded, was doing everything she could to draw him toward her.
"At some point, I started liking you."
"More than I can describe."
Her words were filled with affection and passion.
But unexpectedly, in the next moment, Henny voluntarily stepped back two paces and left Viktor's warm embrace.
She could have used that almost magical charm to pull Viktor even deeper.
But at the very last critical moment, Henny gave up.
She stepped back, like an elegant white deer standing at the edge of a cliff.
Her long hair fluttered gently in the evening breeze, carrying the unique liveliness of a young girl.
She lightly smoothed her hair and tucked it behind her ear.
"But I also know that something is wrong with me."
"I'm starting to lose control of myself."
Those glowing golden eyes overflowed with tenderness. They were affectionate and moving, to the point that even the spring breeze seemed unable to compare.
The so-called gentle paradise of the world?
Her gaze was probably its perfect embodiment.
"But I've always remembered."
She spoke softly, her voice trembling slightly beneath the moonlight.
"You are the person I respect most."
The corners of Henny's eyes curved as she looked at Viktor beneath the moonlight.
"My teacher once taught me that life is full of choices."
"But if there truly were a choice that could make the person I love fall in love with me too..."
Through the moonlight, Viktor seemed to see a faint glimmer at the corner of Henny's eye.
"Then..."
Carried away by the gentle night breeze, her words drifted softly through the air.
"I would never force you to love me."