Claude chose not to linger in Haven for too long—he knew the Saint and his followers were already here.
Without delay, they resumed their journey, this time on horseback.
The ones they had before had struggled with the harsh terrain and bitter cold of Malgrave Mountain, so they purchased new steeds bred for this climate.
Cortinvar horses were different. Towering at 220 cm (22 hands tall or 7'2") and weighing over a ton, their powerful muscles and thick fur made them resilient to the elements.
But they were far from gentle. Known as Mammoth Horses, they were notoriously difficult to tame.
So when Claude managed to break his in just a few hours, the seller had been both stunned and impressed.
He named his pristine white stallion "Snow."
Even Shawn, who was skilled with animals, had needed half a day, and even now, his brown mare, Thalia, was still stubborn and unpredictable.
Dalia, on the other hand, was absolutely terrified. The sheer size of the beasts made her uneasy, so she chose to ride with Claude instead.
With their supplies packed onto a spare horse, the three of them set off toward Malgrave Mountain.
As they passed through Haven's gates, several knights watched them with strange expressions.
It was clear what they were thinking—no one comes back from Malgrave.
But Claude didn't care. He had no intention of turning back.
The further they rode into the snow-covered wilderness, the tighter Dalia clung to Claude's robe, her grip like a lifeline.
She wasn't used to riding horses—let alone one this enormous.
Claude chuckled. "It's fine, Mother. Snow is a good and obedient boy."
Snow huffed proudly, as if acknowledging the compliment.
Shawn, struggling to keep control of Thalia, laughed awkwardly. "Yeah, not like mine."
His mare kept shifting sideways, nearly throwing him off more than once.
Behind them, their supply horse trudged along, carrying only half of what they originally packed—a necessary sacrifice for speed.
Dalia, still uneasy, muttered, "This is too high and uncomfortable."
Claude smiled. "Open your eyes, Mother. The eternal snow is beautiful."
She hesitated before slowly opening them. The world before her was pristine white, an endless stretch of snow-covered trees and hills.
Beautiful—yet eerily silent.
Her expression softened. "Yes… you're right." A genuine smile crossed her lips.
Seeing her happy, Claude felt his own smile grow. There was no one in this world he loved more than Dalia.
But the warmth in his chest quickly turned to ice as his thoughts drifted back to Aether.
The Saint who had killed his father.
'I can't let him keep chasing me.' His hands clenched the reins, the leather creaking under his grip.
'He's forced me to leave town in a hurry more times than I can count. It's only a matter of time before he catches up again.'
A flicker of suspicion crept into his mind.
'How the hell does he always know my route?'
As night fell, the group decided to rest—but not in the open. Setting up camp was too dangerous.
Claude had no choice but to rely on Sun's domain for shelter.
It was the safest option since his domain was larger and more stable than the others, but he rarely used it. There was a reason for that.
Sun's Domain had a history of unpredictable anomalies.
Occasionally, bizarre things would happen—a sudden hole opening in the ground, an unexpected earthquake, or shifts in space that defied logic.
That instability had always made Claude hesitant.
But Sun had been reassuring him. "It's stable now."
So for tonight, they took the risk.
Inside the domain, the three of them sat at the dining table, their dinner eerily reminiscent of Claude's childhood.
The warm, familiar surroundings brought a nostalgic smile to Dalia's face.
"Wow, this house… it's exactly like our old home," Dalia murmured, running her fingers over the table's polished surface.
Claude smiled. "Right? And it's warm and comfortable here. You'll be able to rest properly, Mother."
Shawn leaned back, sighing in contentment. "Ahh~ If only we could stay in this domain forever. It's safe here."
But safety was an illusion. Malgrave Mountain was still ahead of them.
"How dangerous is Malgrave exactly?" Claude asked, cutting into his steak.
Shawn hummed, thinking. "There are a lot of rumors, but the most famous ones are about the Poisonous Chasm and the legendary cacodemon."
Claude raised an eyebrow. "Poisonous Chasm?"
"Yeah. Anything—man or beast—that gets within 100 meters of it dies instantly."
Claude frowned. "And the cacodemon?"
Shawn's voice dropped slightly, as if recalling old legends. "It's said to be massive, with a reptilian body covered in impenetrable scales."
"It flies higher than any bird, and wherever it goes, plague follows. Its bat-like wings scatter illness and misfortune. It's one of the first cacodemons to ever terrorize the world."
Claude listened carefully, chewing his bread.
'Wait… doesn't that sound like a dragon?'
The thought sent a thrill through him. 'If I reach Elysium, I could become strong enough to contract that monster.'
Dinner ended, and Claude moved to the fireplace in the living room, lost in thought.
Aether.
His mind kept circling back to that damn Saint.
'I need a plan to get rid of him.'
Leaving Aether alive was too dangerous.
Claude had already learned from past mistakes—he should've killed his father when he had the chance.
Sparing enemies only led to more trouble in the future.
This time, he wouldn't hesitate. If someone stood against him, they would die.
He lifted his hand, watching the faint traces of dark energy ripple through his fingers. But it wasn't enough.
'I still can't defeat him like this.'
Aether had killed Theo easily. Even with all the magic, swordsmanship, and archery Claude had been practicing, he was still at a disadvantage.
His thoughts drifted back to the Poisonous Chasm.
A slow smirk spread across his lips.
"Sun. Moon. Star."
The three cacodemons were patrolling Malgrave, but Claude's voice rang through the domain, summoning them.
He had a plan.
The trio of Chaos Hounds materialized before him, their dark forms bowing in unison.
"My Lord, what do you need?" Sun asked, his piercing eyes gleaming in the dim firelight.
Claude leaned back, fingers drumming against his arm. "How is the patrol?"
"We encountered cacodemons, beasts, and daimon in the area," Sun reported smoothly. "As per your orders, we devoured some of them."
Claude smirked. "Good. Keep eating. The stronger you become, the better."
His tone then turned sharper. "What about the Saint and his followers? Any sign of them?"
This time, Moon—the weakest of the three in terms of dark mana—nodded.
"They're to the east, about ten kilometers away. Even from this distance, I can feel their light energy."
Claude exhaled slowly, digesting the information. "Good. Keep patrolling and ensure our path tomorrow is free of monsters."
"One more thing. Search for the Poisonous Chasm inside the mountain. I need to know exactly where it is."
The three cacodemons exchanged glances before nodding in unison. Then, like shadows dispersing into the night, they vanished.
Claude remained seated, his mind drifting back to Theo's words.
"Holy people are weak to poison created by darkness. That's why they hunt down Daemon and cacodemons capable of producing it."
If the legendary cacodemon truly existed, then the Poisonous Chasm might be its doing—either to conceal itself or to keep humans away.
'But why?'
If it was powerful enough to spread plague and terrorize the world, why bother hiding?
He needed more information. 'Shawn might know.'
Claude stood up, heading toward the stable where Shawn was tending to the horses. But just as he reached the doorway, he halted.
A small figure peeked inside, black ears twitching, a fluffy tail swaying from side to side.
Claude immediately recognized him. He was Onyx, Sun's son.
Claude had given him the name simply because he had a habit of naming things after objects.
Before he could speak, he heard a sharp gasp.
Dalia stood beside the small chaos hound, her eyes sparkling as if she had just found the cutest thing in the world.
"Oh my, you're adorable! Whose child are you?" she cooed, kneeling in front of him.
Onyx merely tilted his head, clearly not understanding the question.
But Dalia didn't care. In a heartbeat, she scooped him up, hugging him tightly and showering him with kisses.
Claude's eye twitched.
For some reason, that sight pissed him off.
He got up, walked over, and pressed his palm against Onyx's face, blocking Dalia's kisses.
Dalia blinked in surprise before bursting into laughter. "Oh? Are you jealous?" she teased.
Claude's cheeks turned red. "I… I'm not. Just stop it."
His mother chuckled, clearly entertained by his honesty. Instead of arguing, she set Onyx down and leaned in—pressing a kiss against
Claude's cheek instead and showering him with more kisses.
His whole body stiffened. "Mother! I'm not a child anymore!"
But despite his protest, he let her do as she pleased.
Dalia laughed even harder, ruffling his hair playfully. "Then stop getting jealous over a child."
Claude could only sigh, thoroughly defeated once again.