Within three years, Rosa Runcandel's time will come to an end.
It wasn't known whether it was death or becoming a monster like Smarion Proch, or something else.
The possibility was extremely slim, but if she could successfully overcome 'demonicization,' she might reach Genesis Knight like Ron did.
However, Jin decided to exclude the possibility of Rosa ascending to the Genesis knight.
Not just anyone, Rosa herself used the expression 'I will endure,' and according to Jin's thoughts, Rosa believed it was impossible to completely get rid of the demonicization with her own power.
Even Chiron, who has already reached Genesis knight, was aware that the time left for him was not that long. Rosa knew her condition better than anyone.
"Rather, what you should be concerned about is Zipfel's recovery, not me. Kelliark Zipfel can't even move at the moment...… but he'll probably regain his strength faster than me."
Rosa was not the only one in the clan who fell into demonicization.
The black knights and the elite knights who survived the war were also exposed to large and small chaos. The same goes for Zipfel.
"Whenever he regains his strength, he won't be able to move recklessly within the agreed period."
"I guess so. However, there's no way you won't be unaware that it doesn't mean anything. When the ceasefire is over, if they have overwhelming power over us. That day is the beginning of extinction."
The official ceasefire was for five years.
The public hoped the ceasefire would last forever, but both clans knew it was the final respite of the long thousand-year war, the calm before the storm.
After the ceasefire ends, the final winner and loser will definitely be decided.
"So, this is your last chance. Use every means possible to prove that you were right. If you succeed, you'll have everything the clan owns."
'If I give them the confidence to stop their demonicization, complete the machine and fleet, and lead the Thousand Year War to victory.'
Jin will be the patriarch. Rosa was talking about that.
Jin reached the final journey to ascend to the throne of Runcandel. However, one thing felt a little strange, but Jin did not believe Rosa's words straight away.
"The youngest."
"Yes, mother."
"The prophet has already said that you can immediately execute everything you intend to do. But the reason I'm giving you a chance is because Chiron believes in you...… and there is a part of you that has influenced me a little."
"I didn't think the day would come when I heard a joke from my mother. I don't know that you are weighing me and the Prophet."
Rosa smiled at Jin's lifeless voice.
"Hope that the scale tips in your direction."
"Mother, the Prophet. And former 2nd flagbearer Joshua Runcandel, who is imprisoned in a dungeon."
Jin turned around and stopped talking for a moment.
"I will definitely finish them with my own hands, so I hope you will be well until then."
"It was a bold statement that brought tears to my eyes. I think the conversation is over, so let's go out."
Jin naturally followed Rosa and left the office.
Suddenly, he realized that this was the first time he had walked through the Garden of Swords alongside Rosa.
Moreover, Rosa's steps were as cheerful as those of someone who had good news.
It was the first time Jin had seen Rosa like that.
"All members on standby in the house line up in the garden."
Rosa didn't call anyone separately, and she didn't even raise her voice. She simply uttered it into the air, but Rosa's command spread instantly.
Even though she wasn't in a normal state, her presence still exuded majesty.
It took less than three minutes for flagbearers, knights, elders, butlers, scribes, and servants to gather in the garden.
Rosa stopped walking, and Jin looked down at the clan members with her for a while.
"From today, the 12th flagbearer will begin closed-door training. I gathered you all to announce this, so wish him good luck."
The clan was in a precarious situation, and everyone was enduring restless days, yet closed-door training.
Most were shocked, but no one dared to express it.
It was because Rosa had acknowledged it.
"When 12th flagbearer returns, everyone here should show an improved appearance than now, as the 12th flagbearer has always done."
In fact, Rosa's actions now were nothing less than a proclamation that the current generation of flagbearers' war of hegemony was over.
She was saying that once the training was over, Jin would immediately become the patriarch.
All flagbearers except Luna, Luntia and Joshua were gathered.
'The youngest... becomes the patriarch?'
'After the closed-door training is over!?'
The Tona brothers barely concealed their bewildered feelings.
Ran and Vigo were startled for a moment, but immediately lowered their eyes. From the beginning, they had never actively participated in the competition for the patriarchy.
Myu and Anne showed no reaction. It was now a well-known fact that they had changed.
But Diphus and Mary were certain, just as Jin had said in the office, that this was not the end.
In particular, Diphus was recalling the conversation he had with Jin right after Joshua's fall.
-So what you're saying is, the mother is going to manipulate the Prophet and later put everything on her and reinstate Joshua, right?
-Not only that, but mother reestablished her authority by causing Joshua's fall. The stain from the exile incident will disappear after this incident. Because she showed a strong determination by directly suspending the second flagbearer that she supported so much. Regardless of the details, the clan members can only fear Mother more in the future.
-After raising her power to its limit, raise Joshua back to the ground and transfer all authority...… All sins and justifications are borne by the prophet.
'The battle of hegemony will not end until Mother, Joshua, and the Prophet die.'
Myu and Anne had some kind of relationship with the Prophet. They haven't found any confirmation yet, but that's what Diphus and Mary guessed.
Their job was to keep the Prophet in check until Jin returned.
One of the reasons Jin was able to leave like this was his trust in them and Luntia.
Unlike the two, Luntia didn't have an overtly friendly relationship with him. Still, her pure fighting spirit was never easily tainted by the Prophet's schemes.
"Go."
As Rosa said, the knights split into two sides and formed a path leading outside the Garden of Swords.
The first Laprarosa journey during the reserve flagbearer days in 1796 was a choice to avoid Zipfel and Kinzelo from getting a compass.
The second trip to Laprarosa in 1798 was to hide from the wanted orders of Runcandel and Zipfel.
And now, the third Laprarosa trip.
For the first time, it was not a fugitive, but a confident departure for full achievement. That too, while receiving departure from all the members of the clan.
As Jin walked slowly, knights raised their swords in salute as he passed.
Rosa watched the back of her youngest son, gradually moving clan, thinking about the name 'Ganesto,' the fate of the family, and Chiron.
* * *
Shortly after the end of the Sword Emperor Castle war, Chiron's expedition team also concluded the fight with Kial.
The battle ended in victory for the expedition team, and no one died.
It is true that the strength of the expedition team was transcendent, but originally Chiron had expected to lose a few knights.
As the battle reached its climax, Glyek's death affected Kial as well.
As soon as he recognized the disappearance of Glyek, Kial became frenzied, losing his sanity.
Of course, there were no casualties, and the damage the expedition team received was by no means small.
It's already been a month since the battle, but the expedition team couldn't move forward, and they were taking care of themselves.
It was because they were all exposed to chaos.
[Ha ha ha. Old man! Your meal is ready...… If everyone takes a seat, I, Ozdock, will bring it to you!]
Ozdock said as he put the dish made from the remnants of chaos into a bowl.
Even Ozdock, who had passed out after being bounced all the way to the far side of the battlefield, had a trace of chaos clinging to him. However, it was still at a level where it couldn't affect his sanity.
In other words, he was the only one in the expedition team in a relatively unscathed condition.
And the knights found an unexpected side to him. When the battle was over and the knights were on the verge of death, Ozdock could have easily fled.
Ozdock, however, chose to stay and assist in the recovery of the knights.
It wasn't because he feared facing a gruesome death at the hands of Chiron upon returning from the expedition.
It was a decision made only because he felt a sense of loyalty as a member of the expedition team, and also because he deemed it the right thing to do. The knights were well aware of this fact.
"Thank you... Ozdock."
"Thank you."
Ozdock felt his chest swell with emotion at Luna and the knights' voices. On the other hand, it also hurts. While they were not dead, most of the knights were already engulfed in chaos to an irreversible extent.
The only future given to them was either turning into monsters during the expedition or meeting their demise.
As the power of the story weakened, Ozdock also regained some of his old memories. According to faintly emerging memories, the only one who had the power to eliminate chaos was the witch Helluram.
'A thousand years ago, I heard that Helluram disappeared somewhere in the Black Sea. Ugh, my memories are slowly coming back, but it's still vague. The condition of the old man is like that, so he can't ask if I know anything related to it...….'
Naturally, Chiron was the one who had suffered the most from chaos. Since the end of the battle, he had remained silent, sitting in an upright position without uttering a single word.
"Ozdock."
[Ehh, eugh, old man!]
Ozdock lifted his head while clutching his sore buttocks. Chiron had called him suddenly after being like a statue for a month, and it felt like his liver was falling.
[Oh, Old man! Are you all right! You're awake!]
"Patriarch!"
Ozdock quickly got up, while Luna and the knights almost crawled towards Chiron.
Chiron slowly rose and spread his energy towards them.
It was a mixture of the aura of Genesis knight and mana. His energy seemed to shake off the chaos clinging to the bodies of his daughter and knights in an instant.
The encroachment has not been resolved. However, the expedition team was able to raise their bodies as if they were going to live with that alone.
"Are you bound to be so surprised every time?"
[I will be careful not to show a disgraceful appearance! I'm just so touched and overwhelmed that you have finally gotten up...]
Chiron gave a faint smile at those words.
Ozdock, as well as the knights, couldn't help but be shocked by the appearance.
Interestingly, Chiron's condition seemed even better than before being engulfed by Kial's chaos. Everyone felt that his energy had become cleaner.
"Starting today, bring me the provisions made from the remnants of chaos. I will purify it with my energy and distribute it again."
[Yes! I will do that, old man!]
While Ozdock energetically retrieved the knights' food, Chiron looked back at the human world and raised Barisada.
It was to pay respects to Ron, who had stopped Gleyk in the end and sacrificed himself in battle.
And suddenly, a curiosity and trust towards his youngest son arose within him.
'Seeing that I can feel the shadow force from Ron's faint remaining energy even now... The youngest must have played a role in his final enlightenment. In the end, restoring the clan to its proper place is undoubtedly his responsibility.'
Luna, who gained her energy, also raised her mana naturally contributing to Chiron's energy. Like Chiron, she was harboring the same thoughts.
[T/L: Read 50 ahead chapters on my buymeacoffee page: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/punisher87 ]