The Villainess is my fiance: But she is gentle towards me-Chapter 246 -: Soul sword.

The sky above the battlefield was still gray and heavy.

Snow drifted slowly through the cold wind. The ground was white and silent except for the distant sounds of battle echoing far away.

Duke Sant stood on the broken snow-covered earth.

His body was covered in blood.

His ribs were broken. His jaw was loose. Every breath felt like knives stabbing into his chest.

Yet he did not fall.

Slowly, Duke Sant raised his hand and grabbed the left side of his chest.

His fingers pressed tightly against his clothes as if he was trying to pull something out from inside his own body.

His breathing was rough.

"It has been a year..." he muttered quietly.

"...since I reached the peak stage of Grandmaster."

A small tired smile appeared on his face.

"I wonder if I can reach the Ascended stage now."

He slowly closed his eyes.

For a moment nothing happened.

Then—

The world changed.

The wind stopped.

The falling snow seemed to slow down.

The battlefield that had been full of noise suddenly felt quiet.

But in truth, time itself had not slowed.

Only Duke Sant’s mind had changed.

His thoughts began to move faster. Much faster than normal. Because of that, everything around him felt slow and distant.

It was a strange feeling.

A very strange feeling.

It was similar to the moment when a person faced death.

When someone saw danger coming but had no way to escape.

No way to stop it.

In that moment the mind sometimes drifted away.

Memories appeared one after another like pages of a book being flipped by the wind.

However this moment was not about death.

This moment was about something else.

It was about reaching enlightenment.

It was about stepping into the next stage of existence.

The Ascended Stage.

Before someone could reach that stage, they would experience something special.

Something that only happened once in their life.

A moment that could never be repeated again.

This moment was called—

Remembrance.

Duke Sant stood still on the battlefield.

His body did not move.

But inside his mind—

His entire life began to pass before his eyes. A warm memory appeared first.

A memory from long ago. A memory from when he was still a small child.

A tall man stood in front of him.

The man had a strong face and sharp eyes.

In his hand he held a sword.

The man slowly placed the sword into young Sant’s hands.

"Here is your sword, son."

"You will be the next patriarch of our family."

"So make sure you are worthy of that title."

The young boy looked at the sword with shining eyes. His small hands could barely hold the weapon properly.

But he was extremely happy.

That night he swung the sword again and again in the courtyard. He did not stop.

He kept swinging.

Again. And again. And again.

Until his arms became numb and his body collapsed from exhaustion.

The memory slowly faded.

Another memory appeared. This time he was older.

About fifteen or sixteen years old.

He was standing in the large courtyard of Akron Academy.

That was the place where the greatest talents of the empire gathered.

Duke Sant remembered the young faces around him. Some of them were his rivals.

Some of them later became his closest friends.

There was the young man who later became the Emperor.

There was the current dean of Akron Academy. There was also Vined’s father.

At that time they were all full of pride and fire.

Every day they fought. They competed in swordsmanship.

Magic.

Strength.

Speed.

None of them wanted to lose.

But strangely, those endless fights slowly turned their rivalry into friendship.

They laughed together. They drank together. They dreamed about the future together.

Another memory appeared.

One day during his final year at the academy, Duke Sant was returning home in a horse carriage.

The road was quiet. The horses were moving slowly.

Suddenly—

Bump!

The carriage shook slightly. The driver quickly pulled the reins.

Duke Sant stepped out of the carriage with a frown.

He expected to see someone injured.

But when he looked forward—

A young girl stood there.

She looked perfectly fine.

However the milk jars she was carrying had shattered on the ground.

White milk spread across the dirt road.

The girl looked at him with burning anger.

Without warning—

Smack!

Her hand hit his face.

"Can’t you see I was crossing the road?!" she shouted.

Young Sant stood there in shock.

His cheek hurt.

His mind was blank.

He blinked and muttered without thinking.

"But... lady... I was not even driving the carriage. Why did you hit me?"

The girl did not care. She continued to argue loudly.

Their first meeting ended like that. They separated in anger.

But fate had strange plans. Later they met again by coincidence.

This time the girl looked calmer and more mature. She apologized for her behavior that day.

After that they started talking. Then they met again.

And again. Little by little they became friends.

Then they became closer.

Even closer.

Eventually—

They fell in love.

Their marriage was not easy. Many people objected.

The girl was a commoner. But Duke Sant did not care.

He ignored all criticism and married her anyway.

The memory shifted again.

A few years later his wife became pregnant.

Then one day—

A baby girl was born.

Duke Sant still remembered holding that tiny child in his arms.

Her little fingers wrapped around his thumb.

He smiled softly in the memory.

"Elena..."

"Elena Sant."

That was the name he gave her. Elena grew up quickly.

She became more and more beautiful each year.

But what made Duke Sant proud was not her appearance.

It was her personality. Her kindness.

Her intelligence. Her talent.

She shined brighter than anyone else.

Duke Sant was extremely proud of her.

However the family retainers were not satisfied.

They constantly complained.

"My lord... one day Lady Elena will marry and leave the house."

"What will happen to the Sant family then?"

"You must think about an heir."

In the end—Duke Sant had a son.

He named him Veer Sant. The name meant bravery.

The two children grew up well.

Time passed peacefully.

Until one day Elena returned home from the academy.

She stood in front of him with a nervous face. Then she said something shocking.

She had fallen in love.

Duke Sant felt something strange in his chest at that moment.

Jealousy.

His sweet little princess loved another man.

He wanted to know who it was. When he heard the answer he froze.

It was Vined.

The son of his close friend.

Still—

A father could not give away his daughter so easily.

Duke Sant secretly arranged a test.

He created a situation where Elena was betrothed to the younger brother of Duke Ravan.

Vined had no choice. He had to fight for her.

The duel was fierce.

In the end—

Vined won.

He proved that he was worthy. Even though Duke Sant acted grumpy and stubborn...

He allowed the marriage.

Later that night—

He secretly cried. Because his daughter was leaving home.

The memories continued to flow. Years passed. His hair slowly turned gray.

Then one day he received news.

Elena had given birth to a son. His first grandson.

Later another grandson followed.

Vivian.

Edward.

Two boys full of life. The memories slowly faded.

Duke Sant blinked.

His eyes opened again. The battlefield returned.

Snow still fell from the sky.

Only a single moment had passed in the real world.

Across from him—

47 was slowly walking closer.

But Duke Sant now had a sharp grin on his face.

"So this is how Remembrance works..." he muttered softly.

His hand tightened against his chest.

Remembrance was not simply recalling memories.

It was about strengthening the soul.

Every memory.

Every emotion.

Every joy and regret.

They all gathered together and formed the core of the soul.

And the soul—

Was the key to reaching the Ascended stage.

Duke Sant looked at 47 calmly.

47 was approaching with the black scythe raised.

"What are you grabbing, you dying old—"

47 suddenly stopped.

A white light began shining from Duke Sant’s chest.

47 stared in confusion.

Duke Sant smiled.

"Nothing much."

"I think I am just tired."

He slowly pulled his hand outward.

"Let me finish this."

Something appeared in his hand.

A pure white hilt.

It looked like the handle of a sword made entirely from light.

47’s eyes widened slightly. Duke Sant slowly pulled harder.

The blade began to appear.

A shining white sword slowly emerged from his chest.

47 stood there in stunned silence. Duke Sant looked at him calmly.

"It is time to end this."

He pulled with all his strength.

The sword fully emerged.

The white blade shone brightly in the gray sky.

Duke Sant spoke softly.

"Soul Sword."