Year 420 of the Kakuryong calendar.
The death of his second son Rog Greyrat, the Demon Sword King, was unilaterally announced by his father, Paul Greyrat...
A few days later, in the suburbs of Millis, the capital of the Holy Kingdom of Milis.
Dewdrops clung to the leaves and tips of the grass in the early morning; a light drizzle had fallen the night before, and the air still carried a damp chill.
This is a cemetery.
Paul spent a considerable amount of his savings to personally select a fine burial plot for Luo Ge, situated on high ground with a view of the distant outline of the walls of Milcion.
There was no body in the tomb; Rudeus only brought back the broken sword, which, along with a few of Luo Ge's frequently worn clothes, was placed in the coffin.
The tombstone is made of fine white stone and is engraved with: Luo Ge Greyrat, giving it a very ceremonial feel.
The funeral was not attended by many people and was not a large event, but almost all of Luo Ge's close friends and family were there.
Paul, Lilia, Aisha, Norn, teacher Roxy, and their close friend Nanahoshi...
Most of them were the most important people in their lives.
However, among these important people, one person was missing: Rudeus.
He left more than a month ago, carrying with him a heavy heart, and departed without saying goodbye.
No one knows where he went, and no one knows when he will return.
And no one here cared about Rudeus's departure anymore.
They were all immersed in the grief of Luo Ge's passing, especially Paul, who looked incredibly haggard.
He changed into clean clothes today, shaved, and wore a black suit, as if he was putting on the last shred of dignity.
Although it wasn't raining, Lilia still held a black umbrella next to him, as if the umbrella could shield him from something.
Black suit, drizzle, funeral...
This scene does indeed have a quality reminiscent of movies from my past life.
"Sir, Young Master Luo Ge has passed away... Please take care of yourself and accept our deepest condolences..."
Although Lilia was also heartbroken, she still comforted Paul.
Her voice was very low, as if she were afraid of disturbing the people in the tomb.
Paul didn't speak, but gently stroked Luo Ge's name on the tombstone, his fingertips slowly tracing the engravings over and over again.
After a period of self-reflection and weeping, he slowly retreated into the crowd with Lilia's support, his face still filled with sorrow.
The second people to step forward were Norn and Aisha.
Norn held a bouquet of white flowers in both hands—white chrysanthemums—which she had prepared herself.
After placing the flowers, she didn't rush to leave... but instead clasped her hands together in prayer.
Although her funeral was not conducted according to the standards for Millis, she still offered her sincere prayers in her own way.
Finally, with tears in her eyes, she stepped forward, placed the flowers before the tombstone, her lips moved, and after a long pause, she managed to squeeze out, "Brother... thank you for taking care of us all this time."
After saying that, he stepped aside and lowered his head in the crowd.
However, Aisha, who came up with her, didn't react much.
She stood before the tombstone, her hands empty.
There were neither flowers nor tears.
He just looked up at the name on the monument, his expression as stubborn as a small stone.
"... Shouldn't Aisha say goodbye to Luo Ge properly?" Lilia reminded her from the side.
"No!"
Aisha shook her head violently, her voice shrill and bright, "I don't want to... Brother isn't dead, he's just missing... Someone like Brother wouldn't die so easily!"
Hearing Aisha's stubborn words, Lilia couldn't help but sigh and look at Aisha with great heartache.
Although the child appears this way, Lilia knows better than anyone that Aisha had secretly cried last night, covering her head with the blanket and wetting her pillow.
That's enough.
... Perhaps time will heal all wounds.
After Norn and Aisha finished, the person who came up was an unfamiliar face.
If you look closely, her appearance is somewhat similar to Zenith's, only younger and more youthful.
Her name is Therese Latorrea, she is a member of the Latorrea family, and she is Zenith's sister.
If Luo Ge were still alive, according to seniority... he'd probably have to call her aunt.
Although she had never met Luo Ge, as a member of Zenith's family, she represented the Latorrea family.
Silently presenting a bouquet of flowers, she withdrew, her face full of disdain as she passed Paul, seemingly harboring resentment... but she said nothing.
The fourth to step forward was Nanahoshi.
As one of Luo Ge's few close female friends, she was his business partner, and her feelings towards Luo Ge were the most complex among them.
Nanahoshi slowly stepped forward, holding a bouquet of flowers in her hands. Although she was trying her best to restrain herself, Nanahoshi still streamed down her face.
She didn't wipe away the tears, letting them slide down her cheeks and drip onto the bouquet's wrapping paper.
May you rest in peace in heaven... You promised to take me back, but you left me first, Luo Ge... I think I'll never forget you.
She paused, took a deep breath, and then spoke at length in a language that only Luo Ge could understand.
Her voice was soft, but her tone was unusually firm, as if she were making a vow that only she knew.
"Don't worry! After I Nanahoshi, I will definitely create a world where only you exist!"
After saying that.
She finally withdrew.
Roxy was the last to come up.
Even she looked rather haggard at this moment.
She stepped forward and gently stroked Luo Ge's tombstone, murmuring her disciple's name over and over again, her mind filled with memories of Luo Ge in the Buena Village.
I remembered the first time the two of them met, when that foolish apprentice was almost poisoned by pufferfish.
Roxy didn't know how to describe him, she just felt that he was very special, so special that she couldn't help but worry about him.
"I'm so sorry! As your teacher... I failed to protect you... It's all my fault..."
"If you want to blame someone, blame me! I'm sorry... it's the teacher's fault for not guiding you properly."
She muttered to herself for a long time, her voice growing softer and softer until finally Nanahoshi helped her back to the group.
I thought it would be a simple funeral, but more and more people kept coming.
Immediately after, the elves Elinalise and Talhand, who were the first to hear the news and rush over, also arrived.
Elinalise, unusually, didn't have a playful expression. She placed a bouquet of white flowers in front of the monument, stood for a while, and then sighed.
Talhand stood by with his arms crossed, sighing as well, though he mostly comforted Paul.
Finally, accompanied by a series of earth-shaking footsteps, a huge figure appeared outside the cemetery.
"It seems... I'm not too late."
The speaker was a demon king, a wise demon king.
The Demon King Badigadi traveled all the way from Ghost Island to this place, carrying a jar of fine wine.
Upon seeing that the newcomer was actually a demon king, everyone immediately became wary, and the atmosphere became tense.
It was quite unusual for Badigadi to refrain from his initial burst of laughter. He quickly waved his hands at the crowd and explained, "Don't worry... I meant no harm. I'm just here for the funeral."
Many people who didn't know Badigadi were also surprised that even the Demon King had been alerted to attend this funeral.
Badigadi stood before the tombstone, then placed a jar of wine on it. "This is the fine wine I prepared for your fiancée. Let's drink it together in the next life."
After saying that, he tilted his head back, took a swig from another jar he had brought, wiped his mouth, and retreated to the back.
Then, unexpectedly, a cook also arrived. This cook, who introduced himself as Randolph, also came here.
Aside from Nanahoshi, few people here recognized him. However, Randolph claimed to be Luo Ge's apprentice, presented a pot of dragon meat he had meticulously prepared, and asked everyone to critique his culinary skills.
One by one... more and more people are choosing to come here because of its reputation.
Before long, there were dozens of people gathered around the cemetery.
Paul, Lilia, Aisha, Norn, Therese, Nanahoshi, Roxy, Elinalise, Talhand, Badigadi, Randolph...
Some of them were members of Paul's search and rescue team.
Some of those present were Luo Ge's family members, while others had only met Luo Ge a few times and weren't particularly close to him, yet were deeply captivated by Luo Ge charm.
These people, from all corners of the country and of different races, regardless of their social status, have only one purpose in coming here.
Without exception.
They had all traveled from afar to Milcion to attend the funeral of the Demon Sword King... to send Demon Sword King off on his final journey.
Perhaps even Heaven felt the sorrow of the funeral; the grief had already flowed like a river.
Just then, a light drizzle began to fall from the sky.
Da da da da.
Someone has left.
Some people held up umbrellas and mourned in the rain.
Raindrops fell drop by drop onto the umbrella, onto the tombstone, onto the bunches of white chrysanthemums, washing the whole world into a gray haze.
Rumble!
Just as the rain was getting heavier...
Suddenly, a voice, like a thunderclap, exploded from the crowd.
"Hello?"
"What happened? I heard someone secretly spread rumors that I'm dead while I was away?"
The rain is still falling.
The rain was getting heavier and heavier... but everyone's expression froze, especially Paul, whose eyes widened in disbelief.
"Huh?"
"Son? You're not dead?!"