A few more hours passed, and Vined remained outside the tent without moving much from his place.
The cold slowly grew sharper as light snow began to fall from the dark sky, settling over the ground in a thin white layer.
The air felt heavy and still, yet the distant noise of celebration never truly faded.
Even as time went on, he stayed there, as if leaving now would only make his thoughts worse.
The soldiers showed no signs of stopping their celebration.
They brought barrel after barrel, laughing loudly as they drank without care for anything else.
Some shouted stories of the war, while others sang songs that echoed through the camp.
To them, this was a night of victory, something they would remember with pride for the rest of their lives.
Vined, however, could not share in that joy at all.
He kept looking up at the sky, his breath turning into mist in the cold air as he let out quiet sighs again and again.
"I hope he is okay…" he muttered under his breath, his fingers moving absentmindedly as he scratched at his nails.
No matter how much time passed, his thoughts refused to settle even for a moment.
It was not easy for him to stay calm.
Vivian was out there, somewhere far beyond his reach, fighting in a place he could not even see.
He could not step in to help, nor could he confirm what was truly happening.
That helpless feeling pressed heavily against his chest, making every passing moment feel longer than the last.
After all, Vivian was trapped in a separate space.
No matter what Vined did, there was no way for him to interfere or even get close.
He could only stand here, waiting, hoping that things would turn out well in the end.
It was a situation that tested his patience more than any battlefield ever had.
Still, there was one thing that kept him from losing control completely.
He could sense his mana.
Vivian was still alive, and more importantly, he was not in immediate danger.
That small reassurance became the only thing holding his thoughts together.
Each time worry rose too high, he held onto that feeling and forced himself to calm down.
Even the presence of the clown, which he could faintly sense, seemed to be weakening over time.
That alone gave him just enough strength to keep waiting without breaking down.
Time continued to pass, though it was hard to tell how much.
The sky grew darker, and the snowfall became a little heavier, covering the camp in silence.
The soldiers' laughter and shouts still echoed in the distance, mixing strangely with the calm of the night.
But Vined remained where he was, sitting outside the tent, unmoving and lost in thought.
Then suddenly—
"Vined…"
The voice came from inside the tent, low but clear enough to reach him.
The moment it echoed, Vined froze for a split second before quickly getting to his feet.
Without wasting even a breath, he rushed forward and pushed the tent cover aside.
"Father…"
The word left his lips as he stepped inside.
His eyes immediately searched the room and found Duke Sant sitting on the bed.
He was leaning against the back, his posture weak but stable, his breathing steady.
Though he still looked pale and injured, he was awake, and that alone was enough.
The moment Vined saw him like that, a deep breath escaped his chest.
All the tension he had been holding onto seemed to vanish in an instant.
The weight on his shoulders lifted, and even the exhaustion in his body felt lighter.
For the first time in hours, his mind felt at ease.
A small, genuine smile formed on his face.
He walked forward slowly, each step calm and steady now.
Stopping in front of the bed, he lowered his head in respect without hesitation.
"Congratulations, Father… on reaching the Ascended Stage."
His voice was soft but clear, carrying both respect and relief.
"Come, sit," Duke Sant said softly, raising a hand and gesturing toward the bed beside him.
His voice was calm, though it still carried a hint of weakness from his injuries.
Even so, there was a quiet strength in his tone that had not faded.
It was the voice of someone who had endured and survived.
Vined gave a small nod and stepped closer without hesitation.
He carefully sat near the edge of the bed, closer to the legs, making sure to keep a respectful distance.
Even in private, he never forgot the line between them.
That habit had been built over many years and was not something he would easily change.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
The silence in the tent felt different from before, calmer and more settled.
Then Duke Sant turned his gaze slightly toward Vined.
"Has Vivian returned?" he asked.
His voice was steady, without any visible worry on his face.
To an outsider, it might have seemed like a simple question.
But in truth, he already had an idea of the answer.
Now that he had reached the Ascended Stage, his senses had become far sharper than before.
"No…" Vined shook his head slowly.
"He hasn't returned yet."
He paused briefly before continuing.
"But it seems like he has the upper hand."
Duke Sant listened without interrupting.
"The clown's presence is getting weaker," Vined added.
"With each passing moment, it fades more and more."
"That is the only reason I am still calm."
A faint hum escaped Duke Sant's lips.
"Hmm…"
He leaned back slightly, letting those words settle in his mind.
"That is good," he said after a moment.
"At least we know the situation is not against him."
His gaze shifted again, this time becoming a little sharper.
"Did you inform the empire?" he asked.
"Yes," Vined replied without delay.
"I have already sent out messengers."
"It will take around fifteen days for the news to reach them."
"And another fifteen days for their response or arrival."
Duke Sant gave a small nod.
That timeline was expected given the distance and conditions
"What about Ravan?" he asked next.
"Is he neutralized?"
"Yes," Vined answered, his voice turning colder for a moment.
"I locked him inside the prison attached to the outer wall."
"I shattered his bones and destroyed his mana core."
"He is nothing more than a body waiting for death now."
Duke Sant remained silent for a few seconds after hearing that.
Then he gave a short nod, accepting the outcome without further comment.
His gaze slowly drifted away, settling on the empty space ahead of him.
For a while, he said nothing at all.
Many thoughts seemed to pass through his mind in that silence.
Memories, perhaps, or reflections on everything that had happened.
His eyes held a distant look, as if he was seeing something far beyond the tent.
The quiet stretched, heavy but not uncomfortable.
After a while, he let out a slow breath.
Then he turned his gaze back toward Vined.
"As I was fighting that strange creature…" he began in a calm, warm tone.
"I came close to death many times."
Vined listened without speaking.
"At that time, strangely enough, I felt… satisfied," Duke Sant continued.
"I had lived my life as I wanted, fulfilled my duties, and protected what I could."
"But even in that moment… there was one regret."
Vined leaned forward slightly.
"What regret, Father?" he asked quietly.
Duke Sant gave a faint smile.
"In my life as a father, I gave all my love to my daughter," he said.
"I cared for her deeply and was content with her happiness."
"But because of the family, I also had a son."
His voice remained calm, but there was a hint of reflection in it.
"Yet… all my warmth went to her," he admitted.
"So I chose to be strict with my son."
"I believed that was the right way to raise him."
Vined stayed silent, listening carefully.
He did not interrupt, nor did he look away.
This was not something Duke Sant said lightly.
"And when my daughter married you…" Duke Sant continued, turning his eyes fully toward Vined now,
"I treated you the same way."
"I kept my distance, spoke harshly, and never showed you the warmth you deserved."
"Even though… both you and my son deserved more than that."
Vined's eyes wavered slightly at those words.
"Father…" he began, shaking his head.
"I don't know what Veer thinks…"
"But for me, you were never wrong."
Duke Sant remained silent as Vined spoke.
"Because of you, I pushed myself to become better," Vined continued.
"I worked harder so that I could stand beside Elena with pride."
"In a way, where I am today… you played a big part in it."
He lowered his head respectfully.
"So there is no need to—"
"No," Duke Sant interrupted him gently.
His voice was not harsh, but firm enough to stop him.
"You are more than enough to deserve my daughter."
There was no hesitation in his tone.
"From today onwards," he continued,
"I will not treat you coldly or say that you are not good enough."
"I admit it clearly… there is no man more worthy than you to stand beside her."
His eyes held a rare sincerity, something Vined had never seen so openly before.
"Thank you," Duke Sant said quietly,
"For choosing my daughter as your life partner."
Vined's expression turned complicated as he looked at him.
For a moment, he did not know what to say.
This side of Duke Sant was unfamiliar, almost unreal.
Yet at the same time, it felt genuine.
Without hesitation, Vined stood up.
He stepped back slightly and bowed deeply.
"Thank you…" he said.
"If it weren't for Elena, my life would not be as it is now."
"So… thank you for allowing me to be with her."
His voice was steady, filled with honest gratitude.
He did not fully understand why this moment was happening now.
After so many years, after so much distance, things had suddenly changed.
But one thing was clear in his heart.
He felt grateful.
