The next day, Duke Sant had recovered enough from his injuries to leave his bed and walk on his own.
His steps were still slow, but there was strength returning to his body.
After finishing their breakfast together, the three of them made their way toward the underground prison built along the inner wall of the estate.
The air grew colder as they walked down, and the stone path echoed softly under their steps.
"Grandpa, you finally reached the ascended stage?"
Vivian asked as they followed Vined, who was leading the way ahead.
His tone carried a bit of curiosity, but also a hint of pride.
Duke Sant let out a light chuckle. "Haha… well, it just happened," he said, gently stroking his chin as if it wasn't a big deal.
Then his eyes shifted toward Vivian.
"But what about you? You broke through early grandmaster and reached mid stage… not bad at all."
Vivian smiled faintly at the praise, but did not dwell on it.
He quickly changed the topic, his expression turning a bit more serious.
"So… did you think about what I said earlier?" he asked.
During breakfast, Vivian had suggested that his grandfather and grandmother should move in with them instead of staying in their old residence.
The idea had come out naturally, but he had meant every word of it.
"Now that you have decided to pass on the title, you should rest," Vivian continued calmly.
"Grandma too. And honestly… there is no better place than your daughter's home."
"Yeah," Vined added with a nod as he walked ahead.
"Vivian is right, Father. You should stay with us. You can still visit your home whenever you want."
"And now that Charlotte is also pregnant… it would be better if the family stayed together."
Duke Sant chuckled again, shaking his head slightly.
"You are both telling me to leave my own house now?" he said, though there was no real refusal in his voice.
Vivian stepped closer and lightly nudged his grandfather with his elbow.
"Don't you love your daughter the most?" he said with a small grin.
"And think about it… there are a lot of good things waiting for you there."
He began counting on his fingers as he spoke.
"Your daughter, your two grandsons, and two granddaughter-in-laws. And most importantly…"
He paused for a second, his grin widening, "your old friend is there too."
Duke Sant fell silent for a moment as he listened.
His steps slowed slightly as he thought about it. When he pictured Zenithara, it really did feel full of life.
His family was there, laughter was there… and the place did not feel empty like before.
Vivian leaned in a little and added one more thing with a soft laugh, "And don't forget… you are about to have a great-grandchild. Aren't you tempted?"
Duke Sant could not help but smile at that.
The thought alone was enough to shake his stubbornness just a little.
"Just think about it," Vivian said, his voice turning softer but more convincing as he walked beside him.
"You wake up in the morning, and grandma is right there beside you. No empty room, no silence."
"Then you freshen up and head to the garden… and everyone is already there, waiting for breakfast."
He smiled a little as he continued, his words slow and clear.
"Most days, even uncle comes to visit. Everyone is talking, laughing, drinking tea together. It's not quiet… it's full of life. And then…"
He paused for a moment, as if picturing it himself, "a small child runs up to you and climbs onto your shoulder, asking you to play with them."
Vivian let out a light chuckle. "Tell me honestly… how would that feel?"
He didn't wait for an answer and kept going, his tone warm.
"After breakfast, you spend your day playing with the children. No stress, no worries. Just laughter."
"And at night, you sit down with everyone, maybe play chess or some small games, talking and joking until the day ends."
"The days would pass so fast… you wouldn't even notice time moving."
Duke Sant's steps slowed, and he quietly swallowed.
The picture Vivian painted was simple, but it struck deep. After all, what does a man truly want in his old age?
To be with his family.
To watch them grow.
To hear their laughter and be part of it.
Almost every man wishes for such a life.
And this kind of happiness… it was real.
It was not something that could be bought with gold or power.
Some might say money can buy happiness, but that was never fully true.
Money could make life stable, yes… but too much of it, without warmth, could feel empty.
Material things fade quickly.
When something comes too easily, people often fail to see its true value.
Happiness was not about how much one had. It was about who stood beside you.
It was like love. When someone longs for another and waits, even the smallest hope can bring deep joy.
But if something is gained too easily, without that longing… it does not feel the same.
That was how life worked.
And yet, sometimes, a person does not need to chase anything more.
Sometimes… what they already have is enough.
Duke Sant looked ahead quietly, his expression softening.
Right now, he had a large, loving family.
A son, a daughter, grandchildren… and soon, even a great-grandchild.
For the first time in a long while, he felt something simple.
He felt content.
"Father…" Vined spoke, breaking Duke Sant's thoughts as they turned around a corner.
His voice was calm, but there was a clear hint of care in it.
"You really should move in with us. It would be good… for everyone."
He slowed his steps slightly so he could walk beside him instead of ahead.
"It's not just about rest," he added. "It's about being together."
"Yeah," Vivian quickly joined in, nodding.
"You should come. And if staying there all the time feels too much, then do this, stay six months with us and six months at the Sant estate. That way you don't have to leave anything behind."
He gave a small grin. "Sounds fair, right?"
Duke Sant went quiet for a moment as he walked.
His hand rose to his chin again as he thought it through carefully.
The idea no longer felt like giving something up… it felt like gaining something more.
"Hm… now that you put it like that," he said slowly, "I don't really see a reason to refuse."
There was a short pause before he let out a small breath and smiled. "Alright. I'll stay with you all."
His answer was simple, but the warmth behind it was clear.
It was not forced, and it was not reluctant. It was a choice he was ready to accept.
"Wise choice, old man," Vivian said with a proud grin, patting his grandfather on the back without holding back.
Duke Sant gave him a side glance, but instead of scolding him, he just chuckled.
Vined also let out a laugh, shaking his head slightly at the two of them.
For a brief moment, all three of them laughed together.
It was a rare kind of laughter. Not loud, not wild… but light and genuine.
The kind that came only when there was no pressure, no danger, and no burden weighing down on their shoulders.
The war was finally over.
And for the first time in a long while… they could breathe.
Moments like these were simple, but they were the ones people waited for the most.
After that, they continued walking, their pace steady as they talked about small things along the way.
The quiet corridor stretched ahead, lit by dim torches fixed along the stone walls.
Their voices echoed faintly, mixing with the soft sound of their footsteps.
But as they moved deeper underground, the air began to change.
The warmth from before slowly faded.
The silence grew heavier.
Even their conversation died down on its own.
After walking a little further, Vined finally came to a stop.
The two behind him slowed as well.
In front of them stood a prison cell.
Thick iron bars, cold and unmoving.
Shadows clung to the corners, and the faint light from the torch nearby barely reached inside.
Vined's expression turned serious as he looked ahead.
"We are here…" he said quietly.
And just like that, the calm from before disappeared completely.
