Lucan's gaze sharpened. "I understand. I'll make it count. For the village, for the empire… and for myself." His voice carried both determination and pride, but there was also a quiet acknowledgment of the danger that awaited him.

The room fell into a calm silence, punctuated only by the faint clinking of tea cups and the soft shuffle of feet. In that quiet, there was an unspoken respect—a shared understanding of power, responsibility, and the challenges yet to come. Each of them knew that battles loomed on the horizon, some visible, some hidden in shadows, and that the decisions made in these quiet moments could change everything.

Nolan finally broke the silence, his voice soft but resolute. "Once you leave for the Dwarf Kingdom, Lucan, be careful. The demons are restless. Not all of them show themselves openly. Some stay hidden, waiting for the right moment. And remember… the sword must be more than a weapon. It must become part of you."

Lucan's eyes met Nolan's, and for a moment, there was mutual understanding—two warriors aware of the stakes, bound by their duty to protect the world, even if paths diverged. "I'll keep that in mind, Nolan," he said. "And thank you… for everything."

Nolan nodded slightly, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "Just remember… strength isn't only measured by power. It's measured by what you protect, and by how you handle the responsibility that comes with it. Don't forget that."

Lucan lowered his gaze, letting the weight of Nolan's words sink in. "I won't. I promise."

The day stretched on quietly after that, but the undercurrent of anticipation remained. Outside, the sun dipped toward the horizon, casting long shadows across the village. Somewhere beyond the mountains, the Dwarf Kingdom waited—its gates, its forges, and the unknown challenges.

Are you sure you are willing to take this path? You are still a human. I think you should rest in Syndra too. You shouldn't just go to the Dwarf Kingdom. I know we left this conversation just now, but I just want to bring that up again. The Dwarf Kingdom is dangerous. There are even rumors going around saying the Dwarf King usually kills the dwarves. And there are also rumors saying it's no longer the dwarves inside the castle. It's a demon. A demon that no one has ever seen before. Because the dwarves are no longer allowed to enter the castle at all.

Lucan said all of this with a heavy expression. His brows were pulled together, his voice low, as if repeating those rumors made the room colder. He leaned forward a little, eyes narrowed, trying to read Nolan's reaction, because even Lucan—who was brave enough to stand against monsters—was unsettled by the stories.

Nolan looked back at him without flinching.

"Well, yeah, I know about that. I heard those rumors too," Nolan said calmly, almost casually, as if Lucan had just told him the weather would be cloudy tomorrow. "But that doesn't matter to me. If it takes me less than a day to reach there, no matter how far it is or what continent it is in, I will go there. And if I decide to kill every demon in that very place, I can."

Nolan's voice wasn't loud. It didn't need to be. It carried weight—so much weight that Lucan actually felt his heart skip. For a moment he forgot to blink. Because Nolan wasn't bragging. He wasn't exaggerating. He was stating a fact.

Lucan swallowed a little, then nodded slowly.

"Well… I know you're telling the truth," Lucan said. "Because I can actually tell—you're not bluffing one bit. Not even one. I don't know how strong you've become, I can't sense your mana at all, but… every instinct I have is telling me not to doubt you."

There was a brief silence between them. Celia stood at the side quietly, watching both men, her eyes moving from Nolan's calm posture to Lucan's serious expression. Even she could feel the tension in the room—not fear, but the kind of atmosphere created when two people speak about something much larger than themselves.

Lucan finally let out a breath.

"Well, you can do whatever you want to do. Just make sure you don't die," he said, trying to sound light-hearted at the end, but his voice still carried worry.

"I certainly will not die," Nolan said with confidence that didn't sound forced. It was simply true.

Lucan then placed the empty teacup on the table and pushed himself up from the chair.

"It looks like I'll be taking my leave," he said, adjusting the sword Nolan returned to him. He held the scabbard for a moment, admiring the way it looked almost untouched, then tightened his grip. "When you are back in sindra… after you go to the Dwarf Kingdom… please tell me. I want to hear everything."

Nolan didn't reply with words. He simply looked at him. A steady, calm stare. Lucan understood that meant yes, even though Nolan didn't speak.

Lucan nodded once, firmly. Then he turned. His boots made soft sounds against the floor as he walked toward the door. Celia quietly opened it for him, and Lucan stepped out into the fading light of the evening, the sword still in his hand, his mind filled with thoughts he wasn't sure he wanted to understand.

Nolan stood where he was, watching Lucan walk away until he disappeared completely.

Well, it's not actually wrong. It's not good to go there—you know that already. But still, this is what is going to have to be important. I can't tell them about what is going to come. I can't tell them about the things that are moving in the shadows or the things already preparing themselves. And what if different generals… demon generals… decided to fight me? Even if I have reached the point of a god, that would still be hard for me. It won't be impossible, but it would be a fight that demands everything. And I can't play around—because it's better to expect the unexpected.

Because that very demon—the one in the cult—it was weak compared to the ones I will eventually face. Weak… yet still strong enough to cause a catastrophe if no one stopped it. A demon general is far stronger than that. The demon lord's generals… they are a hundred times stronger than that demon. A hundred times more destructive. A hundred times more merciless. They can command armies just by breathing.

And four of them together… even for me… might give me a tough time. Not impossible. Just tough. Only if I decide not to use my true strength and kill them instantly. I could erase them in one second if I wanted to. But still… I wouldn't want to do that in a fight. Not with enemies like them. I'm going to want to enjoy that fight to the fullest. A fight like that is rare. A battle where I actually feel something. Where I actually have to move. Where I actually have something to test myself with.

I can't wait.

It looks like I'll be leaving tomorrow. My mind is already made up. Everything inside me is already prepared for that journey, for that kingdom, for whatever waits inside that castle. If it's a demon pretending to be a king… good. If it's something worse… even better.

"Master, take, I have something for you to eat," Linda said as Nolan came in.

He slowed his steps, looking at her, and a small smile tugged at the corner of his lips as he collected the food from her hands.

"Master, I thought you said you would eat tomorrow. I thought it was a day after tomorrow," Linda said softly, tilting her head in confusion.

"Well, I changed my mind just now," Nolan said, sitting down as he placed the food on the table. "I think we're going to have to go there sooner. We'll only be able to spend maybe two or three days in the Dwarf Continent, in the Dwarf Kingdom… but the only thing that can delay us is the time it's going to take to make the sword."

He leaned back slightly, thinking, eyes narrowing as his thoughts traveled far ahead.

"And I'm sure the dwarf is going to request for something powerful—something rare, something worthy—to use to forge the sword I want him to make. But that isn't a problem. Whatever it is… as long as it's something I can kill, it's fine. It might be a monster. It might be some ancient ore protected by a guardian. It might be a rock that has lived longer than kingdoms. Whatever it is, I'll get it."

He paused, tapping his finger lightly on the table.

"That's the only thing that can make us spend more time in the Dwarf Kingdom."

Linda looked at him, her brows pulling together. She stepped a little closer.

"Master… are you not going to rest a little bit?" she asked quietly. "You're just thinking about the future and thinking about battles and journeys… you haven't even relaxed since we came back. You've been lost in thought the whole time."

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