As the night deepened and the snowfall grew heavier, the quiet outside the camp remained undisturbed.
But nearly two kilometers away, something strange began to happen.
The space itself trembled for a brief moment, as if something was forcing its way through.
Then suddenly, a tear appeared in the air.
It was a dark hole, pitch black, swallowing even the faint light around it.
At first, it was small, unstable, flickering like it might close at any moment.
But then it began to stretch wider, slowly stabilizing as if something on the other side was pushing through.
The air around it felt heavy and distorted.
A leg stepped out first.
Then another.
And soon, a full-grown man walked out of the tear and into the open air.
It was Vivian.
He stepped forward calmly, but his body showed clear signs of exhaustion.
His breathing was slightly uneven, and his movements, though steady, carried a hidden weight.
For a moment, he simply stood there in the cold night, letting the wind brush past him.
His eyes moved slowly, scanning the surroundings.
The battlefield stretched far and wide beneath him.
Then his gaze shifted toward a distant glow of light.
A faint but steady brightness stood out in the darkness.
It was coming from Ravan's estate.
Vivian stared at it for a few seconds before letting out a quiet sigh.
"It seems they took over the whole north…" he muttered under his breath.
There was no surprise in his voice, only calm acceptance.
Without wasting more time, he moved forward and took to the air.
His figure shot through the sky, cutting across the cold wind as he flew toward the distant lights.
Below him, the battlefield came into view once more.
The ground had been cleared, but the signs of war had not completely faded.
Even from above, the faint smell of blood still lingered in the air.
Vivian glanced down for a moment, his expression unreadable.
Then he let out another soft breath.
"This is just the beginning…" he murmured quietly.
His thoughts drifted back to what had happened earlier.
The clown… and the strange request he had made before his end.
In the end, Vivian had killed him without hesitation.
But not completely.
He had turned it into a death knight.
The moment the clown died, the separate space he had created began to collapse.
The world around him shattered and dissolved, unable to hold itself together any longer.
And just like that, he was pushed back into reality.
He had not asked any questions.
And truthfully, he had no intention of asking them right now either.
"I'll deal with that later…" he thought calmly.
"I'll ask after I meet Charlotte."
The clown did not know everything, but he had reached certain conclusions.
Those conclusions were not something Vivian could ignore.
There were things he needed to confirm first, things that required careful thought.
And then… there was the system.
For a long time, it had been with him, guiding him, helping him grow stronger.
But now, even that felt… questionable.
A small suspicion had begun to form in his mind, one he could not simply dismiss.
Still, this was not the time to think deeply about it.
He pushed those thoughts aside and focused on the present.
The wind rushed past him as he continued flying forward without slowing down.
The distance between him and the estate closed quickly.
After a while, the large walls of the former Duke Tramplin's estate came into view.
Tall, strong, and now under new control.
The faint glow of torches and campfires lit up parts of the area.
Vivian slowed down as he approached.
Then, without making much noise, he landed lightly on top of the outer wall.
He stood there for a moment, looking down.
Below him, the army camp had been set up across the area.
Tents were arranged in rows, and the fires had dimmed compared to before.
Most of the lights were low now, flickering gently in the cold night.
The soldiers had finally settled down.
After all the fighting and celebration, exhaustion had taken over.
Many had already fallen asleep where they rested.
The noise from earlier was gone.
In its place, there was only silence.
Vivian watched the scene quietly from above, his expression calm but distant.
The war was over.
Victory had been claimed.
And yet…
Something about it did not feel like an end.
"Haa…"
Vivian let out another long breath as he stood on the wall, the cold wind brushing past him.
"I feel exhausted…" he muttered quietly, his shoulders relaxing for the first time in a while.
The tension from the battle still lingered in his body, making even standing feel heavier than usual.
He was just about to descend when…
"Vivian…"
The voice came from behind him.
The moment it reached his ears, Vivian turned without hesitation.
His eyes widened slightly as he recognized it instantly.
"Father?" he called out.
In the distance, Vined was already flying toward him.
His figure moved quickly through the cold air, closing the gap within seconds.
The moment he arrived, he slowed down and landed lightly in front of Vivian.
"I was just slightly away from you," Vined said with a small chuckle.
"I went out to search when I felt your presence clearly."
"But midway… I sensed you passing by, so I followed right after."
There was a hint of relief in his voice, even if he tried to keep it calm.
He looked at Vivian carefully.
"What happened?" he asked.
His tone was steady, but the pride in his eyes could not be hidden.
After all, this long war had finally come to an end.
Seven years of struggle…
And yet, Vivian had played a key role in finishing it in less than a month after arriving.
Anyone in Vined's place would feel proud.
And he did not even try to hide it.
Before Vivian could say anything, Vined stepped forward.
Without hesitation, he pulled him into a firm embrace.
"You did well, son…" he said softly.
"And… thank you for returning safely."
Vivian paused for a moment, slightly surprised.
Then a small smile appeared on his face.
He returned the embrace just as firmly.
"You too, Father," he replied.
For a few seconds, neither of them moved.
The cold wind continued to pass by, but that moment felt warm and still.
Then Vined slowly let go, stepping back slightly.
He did not ask about the clown.
He did not ask how the fight went or what had happened inside that space.
Right now, none of that mattered to him.
Instead, he looked at Vivian and asked,
"Did you eat?"
Vivian blinked once, clearly not expecting that question.
Then he scratched his head lightly.
"Well… no."
"Then come," Vined said immediately.
"I haven't eaten either."
He placed a hand on Vivian's back and gently guided him forward.
There was no urgency in his actions, only quiet care.
After everything that had happened, this simple moment felt more important than anything else.
Vivian did not resist.
He followed along without saying much, his mind still slightly tired.
He also did not ask about the situation here.
What happened to the Tramplin family…
What decisions were made…
None of it came out of his mouth.
The hatred he once felt toward them had changed.
It had not disappeared.
But now, it had narrowed down to one person.
Ravan.
And even then…
there was something else lingering in his thoughts.
Because one more name remained.
A name he had not forgotten.
'Kafrik Tramplin…'
