Chapter 965
Episode 238: Atonement and Letters (2)
I never imagined I’d receive a letter from Sir Siron.
“I heard that Sir Siron overcame the demonic corruption, but could it be that he’s congratulating you on ascending to Changseong!?”
“Wow, Siron congratulating you? I can’t quite picture that.”
Dante and Veradin chimed in.
“Probably not. He must have something else to say. Jett, prepare the Red Owl.”
“That was just taken by Miss Valeria and Miss Sandra. But Siris came by earlier to check some documents, so you can take Mote, Your Grace.”
Jin gathered the notes Veradin had given him.
“I’ll check the letter first, Veradin. Take care of yourself.”
“Got it. I’ll be hanging out with Dante tonight, so come by for a drink later.”
“Drink? You’re not even fully healed yet.”
“Sometimes a warm drink is just what the doctor ordered.”
Jin chuckled softly and went to find Siris, who had just left Kashimir’s office.
“Jin? I was just thinking of stopping by to see you.”
“I didn’t even know you were here. I’d have been disappointed if you left without saying hi.”
“Looks like you’re in a hurry. Where are you headed?”
“Yes, actually, I need to rush to the Sword Garden to pick up a letter from my father.”
“Oh, I was planning to stop by the Sword Garden to see the First Rank anyway. The training that started during the demon invasion is still ongoing. Let’s go.”
[Whoosh.]
As Jin climbed on, Mote opened a white dimensional gate. Riding behind Siris through the otherworldly snowfields had become as comfortable as a stroll.
“A letter, huh… Siron really has changed. Could he actually be congratulating you on your ascension?”
“Not likely.”
“Hmm, I hope there’s at least a line about Mother. You know, she’s sometimes a bit hurt by Siron. He and Lord Ron were the only ones she could call friends.”
“I know. I haven’t heard much, but Luna said Father often talked about Lord Talaris.”
“I heard the same from the First Rank. If Siron wrote anything about Mother, be sure to tell me.”
“Of course. By the way, I heard Lord Talaris is almost fully recovered now.”
“Yeah, he’s doing well. The wounds left by that Videluce or whatever weren’t fatal. I hear he’s already making new friends.”
“I heard that too when I communicated with Lord Talaris last time. He’s been meeting some interesting people lately.”
“Those interesting people are dragons. Young dragons, about a thousand years old.”
“Young dragons…?”
“It’s strange. Dragons without affiliations are rare.”
Siris’s words made sense. It was odd for dragons to be lurking near the Demon Palace.
Most dragons currently active were allied with Ziphl. Talaris mingling with others meant these dragons weren’t Ziphl’s, nor were they hostile to the Demon Palace.
“Mother said she wants to talk with you about this soon.”
“I understand. Hopefully, your meetings with the dragons go well.”
Mote arrived at the Sword Garden.
“The First Rank will need to see Siron’s letter too, so I’ll wait a bit longer. See you later, Jin.”
“Yes, Siris.”
Meanwhile, Sandra, who had insisted on coming to the Sword Garden to meet Jin by pestering Valeria, was already heading back to Tikan. So she couldn’t meet Jin there.
[Have you arrived, Lord Soga?]
In Luet’s office, the ranks and elders were waiting. They were all anticipating Jin’s arrival.
[Grandson, you’re here! I was worried sick. This friend here had quite a hard time bringing this.]
Balas patted a knight’s shoulder.
“Sir Kan…!?”
Kan, the guardian knight of Runkandel, had been delivering Kashimir’s letters across the Black Sea since before Jin’s stormy days and throughout his trainee years. Now, he knelt on one knee.
“Guardian Knight Kan of Runkandel, I greet you, Lord Soga. Please, call me simply Kan.”
Kan radiated a strength far beyond what Jin remembered. The countless trials during the Black Sea expedition had clearly forged him.
Though Kan was usually covered in the blood and guts of Black Sea monsters when delivering letters, this time his clothes were clean.
The mid-Black Sea monsters were no match for him now, and Siron’s blessings had opened the way for him.
“Seeing you grown like this stirs something in me.”
“You’ve worked hard, Sir Kan. You’ve grown strong… strong enough to wear that black helmet.”
Jin’s eyes fell on the black helmet Kan held. After Luna and the Black Knights returned to the Sword Garden, Siron had immediately appointed Kan as a Black Knight.
“Thank you. I want to stay by your side and support you, but once you read the letter, I must return to the Lord immediately.”
Kan handed Jin a neck pouch. Inside was a thick sealed letter.
Jin stared silently at the letter for a long moment, picturing Siron writing it on the most desolate land in the world.
“Understood.”
[If the Lord wishes, we will all step aside.]
“No, Steward. Let’s all read it together.”
Suppressing his trembling heart, Jin broke the seal.
To his surprise, the first lines were a congratulatory message he hadn’t dared to imagine.
(To my youngest son,
As I write this letter, I feel your energy finally reaching the heavens. Had I been at home, I would have held a second feast in your honor.
Congratulations.)
At that moment, Jin briefly regretted not sending everyone away. Tears threatened to fall, but he held them back. Still, his eyes grew moist.
“…I never thought I’d hear such praise from Father in my lifetime.”
The Tonah brothers instinctively pulled out handkerchiefs and gently wiped Jin’s eyes.
“It’s a bit stingy, isn’t it? Just a few lines for your ascension.”
“Right? Luna, he’s our grandson, but I bet you couldn’t draw a drop of blood from him even if you tried.”
(First, as your senior who has reached Changseong before you, I want to share some tips.
As you know, Changseong is a realm always vulnerable to demonic corruption. I too spent a long time sinking into it, losing my humanity… I’ll share ways to prevent that as much as possible.
First, don’t live like a beast.
To explain, use proper utensils when eating, wear glasses even if your eyesight is sharp when reading, and always dress appropriately for the occasion.)
Everyone’s eyes widened at the unexpected advice.
“Utensils? Glasses? Clothes? Kan, are you sure Father really wrote this?”
“Yes, First Rank.”
“Hmm, now that you mention it, Father did wear glasses mostly in his study. I never thought about it, but looking back, it’s strange, isn’t it? He could see thousands of steps away as if it were right in front of him, yet he wore glasses.”
(…It may seem odd, but these everyday acts preserve one’s humanity.
Reaching Changseong and the demigod realm means many things humans need become unnecessary.
You can eat without forks and knives, tearing food with your hands more easily (and even more comfortably). No matter how good the book, a parched soul won’t respond easily.
Even if you show up at a formal gathering dressed like a beggar, everyone will still revere you. You gradually forget the small things that make you human.
That’s the state I experienced at Changseong. A human who reaches this level naturally becomes a beast unless they consciously focus on these small acts.
So when eating, always try to savor your food carefully, and when reading, immerse yourself fully in the act.)
“Ah… so that’s why.”
[This is advice only someone who’s experienced demonic corruption can give, my grandson.]
Jin and his brothers recalled Siron’s time at the Sword Garden.
Looking back, Siron always insisted on Rosa’s cooking and spent an unusually long time eating.
He always wore glasses in his study, and whether in casual or formal wear, his clothes were never disheveled.
(There weren’t many moments I could do that.
As you know, I had a destiny from a young age, so I had to roam the Black Sea constantly.
Naturally, in the Black Sea, I couldn’t have proper meals, immerse myself in reading, or dress appropriately to meet people. The Black Sea held only monsters and remnants of witches.)
I’m sorry I couldn’t be a good father to you.
Those words weren’t written.
Yet the children didn’t feel shameless or resentful.
If anything, they felt pity. For the first time, the children of Runkandel felt compassion for their father.
It was a strange feeling. Objectively, Siron had been a terrible father—harsh and cold.
Yet the children’s compassion came from understanding the weight of his destiny. Each of them was overcoming their own fate. After all, Runkandel was far from an ordinary family.
(…The Black Sea expedition is proceeding smoothly.)
Now, only two pieces remain: Nirgand and Morganiel. Since the day before yesterday, I’ve been tracking Nirgand’s clones, so it looks like I’ll be able to eliminate him soon.
But there’s one new piece of information I uncovered while exploring the Black Sea recently.
It turns out that Barisada, the Gajoo’s sword, is the key to unlocking a hidden space beneath the Black Sea. And that space seems to be the work of Lokia Ganesto, one of the family’s legendary Ten Knights.
“A key…!?”
Jin couldn’t help but recall the conversation he had inside Keitam’s painting.