Weapon Master of the Count’s Family

Chapter 90. The Past Is to Be Carried Forward

The distorted relationship with his daughter.

By restoring her soul to its original state, the issue between Ernst and Veroni was resolved.

But that wasn’t the end.

Now it was time to settle an old grudge.

The bad blood with his former friend, Gaiard Lecan.

“Your family drama is none of my concern.”

The onlookers watching their exchange whispered in hushed tones.

“That’s too harsh…”

“Really. What a heartless man.”

“He’s not human, is he?”

Each time, Gaiard shot them a sharp glare, a silent warning.

“The important thing is you betrayed me. For your precious daughter.”

“Gaiard…”

Ernst instinctively moved to shield his daughter.

Though he knew she was already dead and beyond Gaiard’s harm.

“I’m sorry. I have no excuses for you.”

His calm admission only fueled Gaiard’s rage.

He grabbed Ernst’s throat, lifting him.

“A light apology for sealing me for centuries. Is it sincere?”

“Yes, it’s sincere. If killing me eases your anger even slightly, I’m ready to die hundreds, thousands of times.”

His words weren’t a lie.

Ernst was genuinely prepared to give his life if given the chance.

Having restored his daughter, he had no lingering attachments.

“…”

Gaiard glared at him briefly, then muttered softly.

“If you want, I’ll kill you.”

He gathered sharp energy at his fingertips.

With one move, he was ready to pierce Ernst’s throat.

“…Damn it!”

His hand trembled.

At the final moment, he couldn’t cross that line, his hand stopping in empty air.

It wasn’t my order or Hel’s interference—his own will.

After a brief silence, Gaiard gritted his teeth and asked, “Why did you personally seal me? Was that the damned king’s order too?”

Ernst didn’t answer for a long time.

But finally, with a deep sigh, he spoke.

“Because I understood your anger. And since no other mage could handle it, I had to step in.”

It wasn’t a mere excuse.

His voice carried a strange loneliness

and resignation to an unchangeable past.

“If you awoke after my death, who could stop you? The Red Count, burning with rage? I thought of the kingdom’s people who’d suffer for my and the foolish king’s choices.”

It was better for one person to bear the blame.

Instead of blood and screams in the kingdom’s name, he wanted all hatred directed at him.

And if, by some chance, someone broke his seal, or if improbable odds aligned to free Gaiard, he believed there’d be at least one person in that time to oppose him.

And there was.

“There’s no room for excuses… I was the worst scum to my family and friends.”

A harsh self-assessment.

At his self-deprecation, Gaiard replied quietly but venomously, “Yes. You’re fit to be Sludge in this abyss. A coward who ignored the truth.”

Ernst’s expression subtly twisted.

“The truth?”

He looked puzzled.

“What truth?”

“You really don’t know? That the queen and I were in love, and the king, in jealousy and spite, tried to kill me?”

The revelation hit Ernst like a collapsing world.

“Is that true? That’s astonishing… The queen loved you?”

In that moment, it felt like all the pieces fell into place.

The glances he’d missed, the words he’d overlooked.

He could’ve known but chose not to.

Blinded and deafened by his focus on himself and his daughter.

“Such a thing…”

Ernst’s face filled with despair.

Regret shadowed him, and deep guilt tore at his insides.

He’d realized the truth too late.

“I was a pathetic fool. Trapped in a prison of my own making, knowing nothing. And to think I was called a Great Mage who mastered all.”

Ernst Romarn, the kingdom’s representative Great Mage.

Posterity remembered him as the greatest mage, but he saw himself as the worst mage and human.

“If I had the chance, I’d undo everything.”

At that, I, who had appeared unnoticed, spoke quietly.

“The past can’t be undone.”

Ernst gave a hollow smile and nodded.

“Of course. It’s impossible.”

“That’s why humans have regret. Only those who recognize their wrongs can move toward a better path.”

“Do I have a path forward?”

“That’s up to you to decide.”

Ernst had thought he stood at a cliff’s edge.

But it was a wall of his own making.

The path ahead was treacherous, and as a human, he’d been paralyzed by fear, seeking to avoid it.

My words weren’t mere comfort.

They were a quiet but clear message to walk the path of repentance and atonement.

“Your insight is profound for your age. Evan, was it? Who are you?”

“A lesser count of the Lafard Family.”

“Lafard Family… I vaguely recall. I heard they were highly respected by their people.”

After a brief talk, he turned his gaze to Gaiard.

His eyes held no excuses or evasion, only the calm resolve of one facing the truth.

“Gaiard, I’ll face my punishment. And I won’t avoid it. I shouldn’t.”

“…”

“I know my punishment won’t ease your heart. Even so… I want to say this.”

His voice was steady, but heavy with sincerity.

“The friend who killed you is an unforgivable sinner, but… you were the most precious friend in my life. I’ll never forget that.”

Ernst didn’t seek forgiveness.

He simply acknowledged the truth to conclude.

That was his most honest repentance.

And Gaiard… didn’t grant that forgiveness.

“…Face your punishment. If we meet again someday, I might feel differently.”

At least not now.

“I’m done.”

Without looking back, Gaiard spoke curtly to me, waiting my turn.

“Didn’t you have something to say to this damned fool?”

“Hm… You’re really done?”

“Yeah.”

“Good. Hope there’s no lingering resentment.”

Gaiard didn’t reply, disappearing indifferently into the cabin.

I glanced at his retreating figure briefly, then turned and approached Ernst.

“Ernst Romarn. Words can’t describe how much trouble you’ve caused me.”

The journey that began at Hell Island.

It was as grueling as the trials of my past life.

“Sorry.”

“Yes, keep being sorry. It wasn’t all bad, though. Not exactly thanks to you, but I got a fine sword, overcame trauma, and grew stronger.”

Hearing this, Ernst’s gaze fell on the sword in my hand.

Venus exuded a heavy presence, stirring old memories.

“I see… So you’re the one who freed Gaiard. That sword tells me so.”

“Not exactly because of me.”

In truth, it was because of me.

My actions led the Viper gang to Hell Island, and their corpses fell into the pit where Gaiard was sealed.

“Really? Then it’s truly a coincidence upon coincidence.”

His voice carried a strange resonance, as if recalling distant memories.

“That sword was given to the greatest of the Executors. It’s fortunate it found a new master.”

Ernst recalled its previous owner, Aster Vaberin.

A warrior who fell gloriously against Gaiard.

Her aura doesn’t match hers, but there’s an unfathomable depth.

He saw the latent potential in me.

“You were impressive when I first saw you, but now I’m even more certain. You have greater talent than anyone I saw in my time.”

Though brief, my actions caught even Ernst’s eye.

Without divine intervention, he thought I might’ve defeated him.

“I’m curious what business someone like you has with me. What do you want to say? I’ll answer everything I know.”

To the kingdom’s Great Mage, I posed my question.

“Does immortal magic exist? I’m asking because of a soul that should’ve died but hasn’t come here.”

Having lived here for centuries, Ernst might hold the answer.

But his response was cold and firm, contrary to my hopes.

“Impossible.”

He answered without hesitation.

“I’m only alive here because of this place’s laws. Not because of magic. Immortality doesn’t exist. At least not that I know.”

Ernst’s long life wasn’t due to powerful magic.

It was solely because he defied this world’s laws.

“If I returned to the original world, the backlash would rot me instantly, leaving no corpse. The deferred time would catch up.”

At his calm explanation, I tilted my head.

“But I grew up. I got taller and aged.”

“I don’t know why that is.”

Hel interjected.

“It’s different. You were in Ragnad’s world. It’s unlike here. My authority over eternal order doesn’t reach there.”

A world where one neither ages nor dies.

At least in Hel’s domain.

“But Ragnad is the God of Apocalypse. His power focuses on destruction, so ‘eternity’ doesn’t suit him. Strictly speaking, the flow of time is a form of destruction.”

That’s why I, who briefly stepped into that world, grew, and felt the passage of time physically.

“I see…”

I bowed my head, unable to hide my disappointment.

I’d hoped Ernst had answers, but only vague truths returned.

Then what’s that phenomenon…

As my worries showed, Ernst, sensing my thoughts, spoke quietly.

“I don’t know your story, but I know something about phenomena resembling immortality.”

“What’s that?”

“Preserving the body forever is impossible, but transferring a soul to a new body is said to be possible.”

“Meaning?”

Ernst cautiously offered another possibility.

“Have you heard of Soul Transference?”

Lilith, listening, grimaced sharply.

“Wow, there are really people researching that? Damned fools.”

Their reactions gave me an ominous feeling.

The person in question was exactly the type to do such a thing.

“Can you explain it in detail?”