Father and Sons Reunited.
"What about the other intruders?"
"They've been dealt with. That's why we were delayed a bit."
Seeing the thick blood staining Heinkel's sword, Ian nodded as well.
The knights had already headed outside the mansion to recover the bodies and deal with the aftermath.
The only ones remaining in the training grounds were me, Heinkel, and Ian.
Four, if Rudel the undead was included.
"Father... how are you..."
Unable to finish his sentence, Heinkel trailed off, so I added an explanation.
"His lingering regrets bound him to the mausoleum. If time had passed like that, he would have become a wraith."
"A wraith...?"
"Yes."
After answering Heinkel's question, I stepped forward.
"It's true that I dirtied the ancestors' graves with the feet of the dead. I'll accept whatever punishment you deem fit."
Given the nature of the matter, I made no calculations or predictions.
I simply stated the truth as it was and spoke my convictions.
This was courtesy toward the bereaved family of the soul entrusted to me, and courtesy toward the dead themselves.
"But as one who handles souls, I could not simply stand by and watch an ancestor's soul become a wraith."
Just as swordsmen possess honor, necromancers possess responsibility.
Hearing my words, Heinkel clenched his fist.
'He must be confused. The foundation of his beliefs is collapsing.'
The necromancy engraved into Heinkel's understanding and the necromancy I used followed entirely different principles.
Unlike Soul Reversal, which subjugated spirits into servants, the necromancy I mainly practiced was Soul Requiem.
The power of a shepherd who bears the regrets of souls, consoles them, and guides them onward.
"So it's not the necromancy the Empire researches, but the art once used by the forgotten ancient priests."
Ian slowly nodded after hearing my explanation.
At the mention of the ancient priests, I unconsciously inhaled sharply.
'He knows about that?'
Even the Empire, which researched necromancy on a national scale, possessed very little information regarding the ancient priests.
The fact that Ian knew such things meant his knowledge was extraordinarily broad.
'So while he was running from the Empire, he wasn't just wasting time after all.'
As I thought that inwardly, Heinkel sighed after hearing Ian's words.
"I understand why you committed such an act. But..."
"I know it's not something you can easily accept."
Seeing that Heinkel still seemed unable to sort through his thoughts, I continued.
"A necromancer who forms a contract with the dead must resolve the soul's resentment."
At my words, Rudel stepped forward.
Though he stood in the form of a Death Knight, I had not concealed his soul or mana signature.
A swordsman of Heinkel's caliber would naturally notice.
"And the wish of the dead man I contracted with... was to meet you."
At those words, Heinkel flinched and looked toward Rudel, now a Death Knight.
— No need to be so formal. I just wanted to see your faces again after all this time.
As Rudel shook his head and spoke casually, Heinkel's composure shattered in an instant.
The most brilliant sword.
The lightest sword, as his fellow knights used to call him.
Rudel's playful voice matched that title perfectly.
It was exactly the image of Rudel that existed in Heinkel's memories.
— There are mountains of things I want to say, yet the time given to us is so short.
Looking at his now middle-aged son, Rudel shrugged.
— Draw your sword, Heinkel.
"...!"
A shadow sword formed in his hand and pointed toward Heinkel.
"Let's see just how far Leinrant has come."
Kakakang—!
Their two different swords clashed five times in a single instant.
The creator of the Meteor Sword and the creator of the Phantom Sword.
Heinkel Leinrant, called the "Fastest Sword," and Rudel Leinrant, called the "Most Brilliant Sword."
A father wearing the face of his youth and his aged son exchanged blades.
"His mana capacity is only at the level of an ordinary knight, but that truly is Father's swordsmanship."
Watching the two fight as though trying to kill one another, Ian spoke.
Considering Rudel had manifested as a Death Knight, Heinkel too was limiting his own mana.
Even so, true to northern swordsmen specialized in drawn-out warfare, their duel showed no signs of ending.
— Incredible.
A brief lull formed as they shook off their blades.
Seeing Heinkel's growth, Rudel relaxed his expression in satisfaction.
— The child who used to whine because he couldn't split blue stone properly has become a swordsman capable of suppressing my sword.
"I've already lived longer than you ever did. If I couldn't achieve even this much, I should abandon the ducal seat."
After catching his breath briefly, Heinkel continued.
"Only now, at this age, have I finally managed to catch up to you."
At those words, Ian narrowed his eyes while watching the duel.
As though noticing my questioning gaze, he spoke.
"Too brilliant to be called mediocre, yet lacking just enough brilliance to be called a genius."
A brief sigh lingered on Ian's face as he said it.
"That was the evaluation given by the instructor who tested both me and him."
My talent was reproducing every technique I witnessed.
Delline's talent was his limitless mana and sturdy physique.
Compared to us, Heinkel possessed only one talent.
Effort.
"And yet that bastard defeated countless geniuses of his generation and became the Empire's strongest knight."
Kaaang—!
As Ian spoke, Rudel suddenly closed the distance in an instant and pressured Heinkel.
The pressure was on a completely different level, as though everything before had merely been warm-up.
— There's no way this is your full strength. Show me everything, Heinkel!
Rudel's Phantom Sword suppressed all four directions simultaneously.
Yet Heinkel's high-speed swordsmanship rapidly deflected the attacks and created new sword paths.
Kirik?!
With their blades locked and faces close together, Rudel spoke.
— The sword you've forged until now. Your life. Show me all of it!
"...!"
By now, Heinkel's face had become completely distorted.
The longer the duel continued, the more it felt as though the dam inside his heart was breaking apart and spilling everything hidden within.
"Kgh—!"
Clang! Kaaang—!
At first, Heinkel's sword had been restrained and passive.
But gradually, he began driving Rudel backward instead.
Beyond high speed—approaching light speed.
The Rudel who had dominated Heinkel earlier was now slowly being pushed back.
And when the duel finally neared its climax—
Shrrrk!
Charging straight ahead, Heinkel suddenly twisted his body and slipped behind Rudel.
— Hahaha!
A speed so fast that even my eyes could not follow it for an instant.
Only after Heinkel's figure appeared behind Rudel did the explosive shockwave fill the training grounds.
Kwooooom—!
Overwhelming propulsion concentrated into a single point, and the mana control necessary to command it.
Not the result of innate talent, but the product of effort refined through hundreds, thousands of repetitions.
"Haaaaap!"
Heinkel's sword came crashing down head-on.
The moment Rudel raised his blade to block it, something bizarre occurred.
"Look closely. If you want to use a feint, fool the eyes first."
The sword Heinkel had been aiming straight ahead until just moments ago suddenly whipped sideways toward Rudel.
Kaaang—!
Rudel blocked it in haste, but his defense came a beat too late.
The sword made of shadows flew into the air before embedding itself into the training ground and vanishing.
"You win."
The duel ended in Heinkel's victory.
The gray gemstone standing between mediocrity and genius had defeated the greatest genius of the era.
"This is my life. And this is my limit."
Yet the expression on his face was not that of a victor.
"I always wondered..."
As though the dam had finally burst, Heinkel's true feelings spilled out.
"If you saw me now, what would you think? This path I walk while carrying the family upon my shoulders... is it truly the right one?"
Regret. Remorse. Self-reproach. Resignation.
The emotions worn down by countless years flowed toward Rudel.
"I couldn't protect the family, nor my own blood, nor even the woman who loved me."
Heinkel lowered his gaze toward me.
The second young master—me—and my mother, Duchess Claire.
Our eyes met briefly, but Heinkel soon turned away and avoided my gaze.
"And even so... am I still worthy of carrying the name Leinrant?"
The doubt crushing his shoulders finally surfaced.
"Am I truly qualified to lead them, after spending my entire life repeating failure after failure?"
Standing before Rudel, Heinkel no longer looked like the Duke of Leinrant.
He was merely an aging father, wounded and tormented.
— You've suffered many failures. And many wounds.
When Rudel answered him, Heinkel's expression twisted even further.
— But were failures truly all you experienced?
Yet at the next words, Heinkel slowly raised his head to look at Rudel.
— Look behind you, Heinkel.
The clear voice scolded the son who had now become middle-aged.
— The knights who follow you. The family you protected. The seeds you nurtured.
"...!"
— Are all those things failures as well? Are they your sins?
It did not take long for Heinkel to answer.
"No. They aren't."
— Exactly.
Rudel nodded after hearing his answer and continued.
— If you regret your failures so much that you ignore the successes hidden behind them, then that is true failure.
Saying that, Rudel lightly patted Heinkel on the shoulder.
— So as the former Duke of Leinrant, let me leave you with these words.
A smile spread across Rudel's face.
— You grew up well, Duke of Leinrant.
At those words, the tension weighing down Heinkel's shoulders finally eased.
A single sentence from the former Duke.
From his father, acknowledging him.
It was the greatest praise possible for a man consumed by doubt.
Srrrr...
As the sun hanging high in the sky tilted toward sunset, Rudel's body too gradually leaned and faded.
— It's time.
The regrets binding the dead had been resolved, and the spiritual body tethering him to this world was dispersing.
"Father...!"
Seeing Rudel beginning to disappear, Heinkel hurriedly called out to him.
— I spent all my time tending to the territory, so aside from Ian, I don't remember ever being much of a proper father.
Rudel smiled at Ian, who snorted and muttered, "You weren't much of one to me either," before continuing.
— Especially you, Heinkel. I was even worse to you, the youngest.
Rudel, still wearing the appearance of his youth, gently stroked the head of the now elderly Heinkel.
— I'm glad I was able to see you all before I left.
To parents, their children remain children no matter how old they become.
— Ian. Heinkel.
Smiling warmly as though comforting young sons, Rudel looked at Heinkel.
— You were always my pride and my joy.
At those words, Heinkel clenched his fist.
The Empire's strongest knight.
The Duke of Leinrant.
Standing before his father, all those titles lost their meaning.
The long years wrapped around him peeled away, revealing the pure-hearted child beneath.
— At least once... I wanted to tell you those words.
Hearing Rudel's confession, Heinkel closed his eyes.
"Ugh. That's unbearably cheesy."
Even Ian, speaking gruffly, had turned away so I couldn't see his face.
"Uncle."
When I quietly called out to him, Ian immediately answered.
"Shut up. Something just got in my eye."
'...You're blind, though.'
Keeping that final thought to myself, I stepped forward and formed a hand seal toward Rudel.
Fssshhh...!
The black armor wrapped around his soul began to fall away, and the dark energy forming the knight's body scattered apart.
[Contractor Klein Leinrant speaks to the deceased, Rudel Leinrant.]
Since Heinkel and Ian were present, I used an alias.
Rudel himself did not seem particularly concerned.
[As all terms of the contract have now been fulfilled, the contract is hereby terminated.]
— Deceased Rudel Leinrant. Thank you for your guidance.
The instant the dead man granted his approval, the rune of the contract engraved on the back of my hand disappeared.
With the shadows fully dispersed, Rudel's soul returned to its original form—a shining sphere of light.
Having regained his true appearance, it flickered as though satisfied.
[Now, as your guide, I return your soul to the cycle. May the deceased find rest and peace.]
Rudel's eyes, ears, and voice had all existed through me, the necromancer.
Now that our connection had been severed, he could no longer hear, see, or speak.
And yet, as though responding to my words, his soul emitted one final glow before vanishing according to the guidance of the contract seal.
A return witnessed by both of his sons.
Thus ended the death of Rudel Leinrant, the Sixth Duke of Leinrant.