Chief: Will the young master return without losses, or is it impossible for the Ice Lord to do anything bad to Volak?
And if he does—
Before the chief could finish his words, one of the servants rushed into the room.
Servant: "Commander! The young master has returned!"
Chief: "Did you say he returned? Is he alright?"
Servant: "Yes, he managed to take the necklace. I believe you should speak to him, sir."
Chief: "Where is he now?"
Servant: "In his cabin. He came back but didn't speak to anyone."
Chief: "If he couldn't take it, that would be fine… but since he did, I'll go see him myself."
Volak was sitting in front of the fireplace, lost in thought, his mind drifting.
When his father tried to enter, Volak shouted:
"I'm not in a good mood, and unless you want your head cut off, don't come in!"
His father opened the door anyway.
"Are you trying to kill your own father, you ungrateful brat? I'm the one who raised you, fed you, and taught you how to be a man. Is this how you repay me?"
"I'm sorry, Father. I'm just… angry right now."
"It's fine, I understand. You lost to him even in your first encounter. Do you remember me now? Trying to lower your own morale even more?"
"Heh, maybe it's already low enough."
"Staring at the fire, huh? It won't give you any answers."
The father grabbed the fire tongs, took a small burning log, and aimed it toward Volak.
"It either warms you…" He said, then threw it toward him. It hit Volak.
"Ouch! That burns!"
"Just be patient. Everything will happen in its time."
"How? It's already been two years since her passing. I miss her, Father… I can't believe I actually miss that troublemaker."
"Yes, I miss her too. Listen, son… I know the Ice Lord still holds something that belongs to us, but perhaps we should try to reach an understanding. He always had his reasons, and we've learned to accept that. This time, I'll try to find a way to reason with him. Do you agree?"
"Do as you wish, Father. But I haven't forgotten that necklace, and I will reclaim it one day."
"Then, until that day comes, let your old man handle this, understood?"
"I'll wait for your failure then!"
"Your father's voice still carries, you fool! I'm a wise man!"
"You're still delusional."
"Are you mocking me? Come here!"
"Ouch! Father, my hair!"
"You? You have no hair!"
"I know! You're just not as handsome as your son!"
"Hah! You're right about that, haha!"
"I'll go get some rest… or maybe try to get this old brain working."
"At least it still works, walnut-head!"
"Yeah, it just needs a bit of electricity!"
"Silence, I'm leaving now, haha."
"My father never changes…"
After his father left, Volak took out the bottle and remembered his conversation with Louis.
"If you want the power to defeat the Ice Lord, drink this."
"What is this strange blood? It smells cursed!"
"That's because it's demon blood."
"What?! And you expect me to drink it?!"
"Yes."
"Are you insane?!"
"Listen, spearman—this is your chance. Either drink it and gain the strength to fulfill your dreams, or admit defeat and accept that you'll never claim that necklace. I'll leave it here. The choice is yours. Choose wisely."
Then, returning to the present, Volak whispered,
"I've made my choice. I'll wait and see what comes of it, Father… and then the next decision will be mine."
---
Kaito sat in his room, staring at his sword.
"Because of you, I nearly died. I don't want to do anything that might hurt or kill anyone. Do you understand?"
The sword began to glow, and a shadow appeared on the wall.
"You coward. You wish to be a hero without harming anyone? How?"
"I don't want to be a hero. I just want to live a peaceful life."
"You're afraid of that fire, aren't you?"
"How do you know?"
"Humans, no matter how brave they act, always have something they fear. I've seen all your memories… even before you were reborn into this body, Olaf."
André froze in shock.
"How much do you know about me?"
"Heh, I don't know… Should I start with your pain? Your life? Or your intentions? It doesn't matter. Your life before reincarnation—and after—is worthless. Trash.
As for the original owner of this body, he has no power, no ability, nothing. Yet his life still counts as one. The one I'm talking to now? A nobody. A worthless coward."
"Stop!"
"What's wrong? Does the truth hurt that much? I told you to stop!"
"You were rejected by your original world, and by this one as well. Rejected by both your parents. Do you remember them?"
"I said stop!"
André covered his ears, holding his head, almost crying.
"Even I, a demon, pity you, poor child. I'll leave you… In that pitiful form of yours, crybaby. Hahaha."
---
Meanwhile, Julian was standing, staring at the sky.
Then he noticed the Ice Lord standing beside him.
Julian flinched.
"Lord of Ice! I'm sorry—I didn't sense you."
"Your burden is so heavy you've lost awareness of everything around you."
"You could say that."
"What troubles you? Speak."
"My lord, how did it feel to fight Volak?"
"You ask that because when you went there, it wasn't to save André, was it? You sensed the demonic power, didn't you?"
"So you felt it too?"
"Yes. When I arrived, André and Volak were facing each other. But André's eyes… they were those of a beast about to devour its prey. All he had to do was strike once.
And when he thought I was defending him and pointing my sword at Volak—my blade was actually aimed at him."
"Julian, when you made that choice, did you rely on your instinct or your reasoning?"
"Is there a difference?"
"Of course. The mind analyzes the situation and decides—right or wrong, it doesn't matter. It acts on what seems best.
But instinct—it's the primal urge that moves you to do what feels right, without thinking. So, which did you trust?"
"I trusted my instinct, my lord."
"Then never regret it. Regret breeds hesitation, and hesitation never brings good. Do you understand?"
"Yes, my lord."
"Now that you've found your answer, let me ask—do you have something else troubling you?"
"Yes, the leader of the Wind Tribe offered me a solution regarding the necklace… but it won't be easy for me."
"My lord, you told me once to trust my instincts."
"That's my question, Julian. When neither instinct nor reason works… what then?"
"Then I die, and it's over."
"Freeze, then. The ice will cover you until morning, until it melts. See you tomorrow."