Episode 1147
Final Chapter: Pilgrimage and Return
September 9, 1806.
The first banquet hosted by Jin Runcandel, the 60th head of the Runcandel family, was held.
Even more people came to the Garden of Blades than at last year’s succession ceremony. Pillars of both the Runcandel and Bamel alliances welcomed challengers alike, and over the past year, old grudges and debts between them were finally settled.
“This really is a grand festival again this year.”
“Yeah, but it’s such a shame that Lord Jin isn’t here.”
It was Quikantel and Enya speaking. The core members of the Bamel alliance sat in the VIP section of the banquet hall, watching people enter the dueling arena.
“The Runcandel banquet, especially one celebrating the head of the family’s birthday, and yet the man himself is absent. It does feel strange.”
“If only Lord Jin and Valeria had shown their faces, even briefly, it would have been perfect.”
“They have their duties. I’m sure they want to see us just as much as we want to see them.”
“Should we try contacting them?”
“We just tried a moment ago. Seems like they’re not receiving.”
“Ugh, that’s disappointing… It’s heartbreaking to think how tough things must be for both of them if even communication is this unreliable.”
Jin and Valeria hadn’t just skipped the banquet.
Most of their comrades hadn’t seen their faces since a year ago, the day they enshrined Sir Siron’s armor—except for Barisada—in the Runcandel family mausoleum.
“Dante, you and Veradin haven’t heard anything from our head of family either?”
“Yes, Lady Mary.”
It was Dante and Mary.
Their comrades glanced at the matching rings on their ring fingers—engagement rings.
“It’s really something… When did you two get so close?”
Quikantel asked, and Dante cleared his throat, trying to dodge the question, but Mary grinned widely.
“They say love blooms even in the midst of war. Isn’t that just how it is? If it’s Dante, he could fight forever and still hold my sword steady. There’s no better husband than him.”
“That’s right, sister! But Dante, you should run away even now!”
“Yeah, run away now, Dante…!”
When the Tona brothers at the opposite table jumped into the conversation, Mary almost smacked their heads but held back, aware of the eyes around them. It wouldn’t do for a knight to be seen hitting other knights at a banquet. The Tona brothers just laughed and stuck out their tongues at Mary.
“Haha, you two lovebirds. See you later?”
“Ah, scary.”
“Scary, scary. But we’ve gotten pretty strong training with Father.”
“Now it’s probably tough even for you, sister, to take on both of us at once.”
Dante gave an awkward smile at the familiar banter. In truth, when drinking privately, the Tona brothers often showed their affection for Mary.
“Hmm, hmm… Lady Mary won’t have to face both of you alone.”
“Ha! Dante, you adorable fool! Saying such cheesy things. I like it. Say it again.”
“Lady Mary, repeating the same thing is a bit…”
“Oh, come on, say it again. Just once.”
“Um… Lady Mary won’t have to face both of you alone…”
Mary burst into a hearty laugh while Dante blushed, and their comrades shrugged with amusement.
“By the way, I wonder if the youngest and Valeria will even make it to your wedding.”
This time it was Runtia, who had just finished knocking out challengers and left the dueling arena.
“Huh? Sister, that’s ridiculous. There’s no way the youngest would skip my wedding.”
“Officially, today’s banquet is the bigger event.”
“Damn, that’s true. But that’s from our Runcandel perspective. From the Bamel alliance’s point of view, isn’t our wedding the bigger event?”
“That’s true too. I hope we get to see their faces at your wedding.”
“Dante, if the youngest doesn’t come, the wedding’s off. We’ll only have it on a day the youngest can attend.”
“Of course, that’s only right.”
“I’m joking. Whether they come or not, the stars of the day are you and me, so we’ll go ahead as planned.”
“I was serious.”
“R-Really? I’m the star, you say?”
“Actually, I was joking. Sorry. As an apology, I’ll sing that song I mentioned earlier when we’re alone later.”
“So cute!”
Their comrades chuckled as Dante and Mary headed off to dance.
“When Jin was briefly reachable by communication last time, he was surprised to hear the news late but quickly accepted it, saying he kind of expected it. Enya, you don’t think Jin and Valeria really won’t come to their wedding, do you?”
“They won’t, Yuria.”
“It’s a shame the power of foresight is gone at times like this.”
“Yuria, don’t joke about that.”
“Ah, yes, my lady. Sorry. I wasn’t saying it because I want to see them… I was just worried about Aunt Gilly.”
At the mention of Gilly’s name, the comrades’ expressions grew somber.
She had grown noticeably thin over the past year. Though she was treated as the highest guest at today’s banquet and received many praises, she spent more time alone in her old room than in the hall.
Right now, Gilly was probably staring blankly out the window at the sky.
“This won’t do. Finte, I’m going to check on Kou and Aunt Gilly.”
“Alright, go ahead. Gilly tends to smile more naturally when she’s with you.”
“Reminds me of when the chief was young. Kids always share some resemblance. I bet she also remembers Murakan playing with the children.”
Eltiot said as he watched the children running off, and the others nodded.
“It’s a cruel but unavoidable fate. I hope Gilly’s long trial ends soon. It’s already been two years since the world was restored. For immortal beings, that’s a short time, but for humans, it’s not. The more you long and wait, the harder it gets…”
Indeed, it had already been two years.
As peaceful days tend to do, time slipped by like children suddenly growing up.
May 22, 1807.
Dante and Mary’s wedding ceremony was first held privately in the Garden of Blades, then a public ceremony was planned in the Empire.
Naturally, only family retainers and members of the Bamel alliance attended the private ceremony.
“Dante.”
“Yes, my lady.”
“You must have had a date in mind for the wedding, but thank you for going along with my choice. We’ve lived together for over half a year now, but actually having a wedding feels strange. I miss Brother Dipus.”
May 22, four years ago, was the day Dipus passed away, taking with him a fragment of the power of the Evil God.
“I miss my grandfather too. May is a meaningful month for me as well. It was in May that I raised a glass with Jin before my grandfather became light.”
The light left by Ron Hairan no longer existed in the Blade Emperor’s land. When the world was restored, he realized his duty as guardian was over and chose to return to nature.
“Yeah, I thought of my father too. I’m sure our fathers and Sir Ron are watching over us somewhere. Brother Dipus must be in the middle of them. I wonder if he’s gotten used to our father’s gentler side.”
“Mary and her family adapted quickly, so probably. I’m more worried about our grandfather. I bet he still finds Sir Siron a bit unfamiliar.”
“Haha, that’s probably true. Well, time’s up. Let’s go get married.”
“Give me your hand. I want to hold it as we go.”
As the door opened, cheers erupted from their comrades and family knights. The two waved and searched for Jin’s face.
“There they are, Jin! Youngest! Valeria! It’s been a while! Of course, you have to come to our wedding.”
“You’ve come…!”
Jin and Valeria sat front and center, blessing the soon-to-be couple.
Unlike the others, they weren’t dressed up. Their light coats and robes bore the marks of a long journey. But what mattered was that they had come.
“Congratulations, Lady Mary. Congratulations, Dante.”
“You two look perfect together.”
Jin, as head of the family, gave a congratulatory speech from the stage, and Valeria sealed their vows with record magic.
“Sorry, I don’t think we can stay for the public ceremony.”
“What is there to apologize for? We should be the ones apologizing to you. Live happily with Mary and take care of those around you as much as you can. Don’t worry and go back.”
“Right, youngest. Yona is doing surprisingly well as acting head.”
“Hey, did you say my name? Yeah, I’m doing well as acting head. Because I have nothing to do…!”
“Yona, Jin said he missed you a lot, so see as much of him as you can. There’s a good chance you won’t see him for a while again.”
In fact, Yona had already seen Jin and Valeria five or six times.
The 60th acting head of Runcandel had plenty of time, and aside from Valeria, the record mage, Yona was the best at finding people in the world.
But Yona hadn’t told her brothers and comrades about Jin and Valeria’s situation. If they knew the two were going through days as hard as war, everyone would worry. In truth, Jin and Valeria were so exhausted they never noticed Yona watching over them before leaving.
“Heh, worrying about things that don’t need worrying isn’t good for any of us.”
“Hm?”
“Just something that popped into my head, Luna. I’m so happy to talk with the youngest again after so long.”
“Me too. You’re both eating well, right?”
“Of course we’re not skipping meals, Sister Luna.”
“Honestly, I never quite understood why everyone kept asking if I was eating well. But now I get it. No matter how strong you all are, you worry about the basics first.”
Still, his brothers and comrades didn’t hold onto Jin for long. After all, they knew he couldn’t stay for long, and they never forgot who needed him most at that moment.
“Gilly.”
“My lord.”
Jin met Gilly’s eyes and gave a bittersweet smile.
The reason Jin and Valeria couldn’t stay with their comrades even after the fighting was over was obvious: Murakan and Misha.
“Gilly… please wait just a little longer.”
“To be honest, it’s true that every day feels unbearably empty and lonely without Murakan and you, my lord. But I can wait as long as it takes.”
Gilly spoke calmly, then gently embraced Jin.
“So please, don’t live every day as if you’re being chased by something. It won’t be long before Murakan and Misha return. I’ll tend to my own life in the meantime. Seeing your face so drawn pains me deeply. If you ever feel overwhelmed, come home and rest.”
“Thanks, Gilly. I’ll come see you more often.”
“That’s not what I meant. I just want you and Valeria to take better care of yourselves.”
“I know. But I still want to say it.”
“I baked strawberry pie after a long time. I also made plenty of your favorite sandwiches, so don’t forget to take some when you leave.”
On September 9th, 1808, another banquet was held.
Once again, Jin and Valeria did not attend. However, since their wedding with Merry and Dante, they had been returning home every two months for a few hours before leaving again, so their comrades felt a little less empty than before.
The same was true on September 9th in 1809 and 1810. Yet every year, the comrades held the banquet without Jin and Valeria, trying not to get used to their absence. They wanted to stay ready for the day they returned.
In 1811, King Eltiot of Cheongpung passed away. His time had come. Jin and Valeria attended the funeral and saw him off alongside their comrades.
“What once happens can never be undone. Moments and memories are like winds that blow forever.”
“Eventually, we all scatter as fragments of the world, but in a corner of eternity, our memories are always engraved. I love you, my disciples, and my friends. Now, I go to meet the brothers I carry in my heart.”
Ban and Luna recited Eltiot’s final words as his heirs and disciples. On their way back, Jin and Valeria recalled those words again and again: in a corner of eternity, our memories are always engraved.
Seven years, eight years, nine years passed since the world was restored.
Then ten years went by, and it was 1814.
On September 9th, the day of the annual banquet in Runcandel, the stars of Runcandel and the Bamel alliance gathered once more in the Garden of Swords.
They accepted challenges from warriors, shared stories, and still tried not to get used to the absence of Jin and Valeria, waiting for their return.
Except for one person.
Unlike last year, Gilly was not seated in the VIP section of the Garden of Swords. She wasn’t alone in the room she shared with Jin and Murakan, staring out the window.
Instead, she was heading toward an old inn in the Kingdom of Mittel, carrying a basket in one hand.
The inn wasn’t open for business that day. But when Gilly knocked, Jin and Valeria opened the door.
“You’re here, Gilly.”
Gilly stepped inside and looked around the inn.
“My lord, this place…”
Her voice caught in her throat. She was recalling a day 24 years ago, in 1790. Even ten or a hundred years from now, she would never forget that day—it was as vivid as if it had happened yesterday.
“Yes, this is the inn. You remember, right? Let’s go up to the third floor.”
Gilly’s shoulders trembled with each step up the stairs. She could feel Jin and Valeria’s backs trembling as well.
The sunlit room on the third floor awaited them, astonishingly unchanged from that day.
The only difference was that Jin and Valeria had placed a small orb of light floating in the center of the room.
“Sorry I’m late, Gilly. I’m only now able to say I’m sorry.”
“Please don’t say that, my lord. Don’t apologize…”
Gilly set down the basket and covered her mouth with both hands. Her eyes glistened with tears. What if this was a dream? What if this moment was just another dream? Those thoughts streamed down her cheeks.
“This isn’t a dream, is it?”
“No. I wanted to show you this moment.”
The orb shimmered innocently.
For the past ten years, Jin and Valeria had been away from their loved ones, gathering this light. They searched for, held onto, and embraced the records of Murakan and Misha flowing within it.
Finally, the place with the most vivid record of Murakan was this very inn.
The inn where, 24 years ago, as they left Storm Castle, Murakan almost became a cat because of Jin’s prank; where Gilly first met Murakan; where Jin, Valeria, and Murakan unofficially formed the Runcandel trio.
Jin raised a spirit energy in his palm, exactly the same size as the light before them.
It was the last remaining spirit energy in the world.
“When we send this into the light, our guardian dragons will return. Now… let’s begin.”
The spirit energy in Jin’s hand slowly dispersed, breaking apart and merging into the light.
The light bubbled softly for a moment, then split in two, forming two black cats.
“Meow? Meow?”
“Hiss! Hiss!”
What was that?
You idiot, they’re back!
The siblings, newly formed, exchanged their first words. Murakan was jolted awake by a gentle nudge from Misha’s paw.
Then he transformed into his human form and embraced everyone he saw.
Misha, however, deliberately stayed in her cat form a moment longer, climbing onto the desk to watch the group hugging.
Of course, she wanted to hug Jin, Valeria, and the strawberry pie too, but she couldn’t bear the touch of Murakan’s skin just yet. There would be plenty of time to hold each other from now on.
“Strawberry pie! Little one… historian!”
“Murakan! Murakan, you rascal. Is it really you? It is, right?”
“Yes, it’s me! And you’re you, little one!”
“You’ve been through so much… fighting, coming back. Thank you, Murakan. It took me ten years to say this.”
“Strawberry pie, I will never leave you again. I won’t go anywhere without you. I’ll always be by your side, always!”
After a long embrace, they all stood up.
Jin and Murakan looked at each other and smiled broadly, as if on cue, and spoke together.
“I am Murakan, the proxy of Solderet, his close friend, and the last descendant of the first being forged from shadows. By the thousand-year promise, from today onward, I will be with you. Tell me your name.”
The serious voice was nothing like the child who had just been crying. Jin barely suppressed the trembling in his chest, just like the day he first met Murakan at seven years old, and answered.
“I am Jin Runcandel. The thirteenth and youngest child of Runcandel.”
The pilgrimage was over, and the cycle had ended. It was time to return home.
Time to live life together.