Jacob looked at Mr. V and then young Hope with disbelief before a frown appeared on his face because his memories about the Zodiac Plains were completely intact; in fact, he clearly remembered suddenly being hit by something ghastly that made his entire soul tremble before he fell into darkness.
Furthermore, it wasn't like he had experienced something like this before; it had happened previously. Still, it seemed too real to be just a lucid dream or illusion, yet at the same time, he felt that he didn't belong in this place anymore.
At this moment, Mr. V frowned with dissatisfaction as he replied, "You're calling me Mr. V again? I thought we were pass that long ago. Call me teacher or Viktoras unless you still consider me a stranger."
Jacob's mind reeled as he heard that familiar stern tone, containing a tingle of care for him: 'How long had it been since I heard Mr. V's voice? I almost forgot about how he sounds…' His eyes were filled with reminiscence and rare sadness.
"Hmph, you had punched me so hard. If it was me, I would've also not acknowledged you!" Hope was already snapped out of her daze at this moment as she playfully snickered and made her way towards Jacob.
Jacob trembled slightly as he heard her mischievous voice filled with concern, just as he remembered. When she got closer, he felt the same warm presence, which was like warm sunlight for someone who lived in eerie darkness.
Mr. V, or Viktoras, snorted at this daughter's jab, but he was still looking at Jacob with a faint frown, as he could feel Jacob was reacting differently than usual.
"Are you alright, JS?" Hope crouched down to Jacob as she moved her hand with a towel to clean Jacob's blood with a hint of anticipation in her eyes for some reason.
However, what happened next shocked both Viktoras and Hope again as her hand paused, because unlike usual, Jacob didn't shun away or take the towel from Hope's hand and let her touch him and clean his blood as he looked at her with tender eyes completely opposite to his impassive glare.
Jacob then suddenly moved his hand as he gently grabbed Hope's hand and began to get up from the ground. Hope followed suit while Jacob never broke his eye contact with those mesmerizing blue eyes, and the normally fierce and playful Hope suddenly blushed.
"Hope, I've never given you what you truly deserve. You were too good for someone like me. Your love and care were wasted on me, who always ran after his ambitions and dreams. Yet you still put up with everything, no matter the circumstances.
"W-what are you doing?" She asked, trying to calm her wildly beating heart as Jacob was still holding her hand.
Jacob suddenly broke into a rare smile as he gently said, "I don't know if it's real or not; I don't care because I know it's not. In fact, I should thank you for making me live at this moment again and giving me a chance to meet her again, even if it's not real.
"Hope, I've never given you what you truly deserve. You were too good for someone like me. Your love and care were wasted on me, who always ran after his ambitions and dreams. Yet you still put up with everything, no matter the circumstances.
"I guess even I refused to believe that life could give something so precious, yet I remained blind. Instead of living in the present, I blame the past and work for the future. "By the time I realized what I'd been given and had taken it for granted all my life, it was too late. How I had wished to trade everything for a little more time with you. Even at the end, I wasn't there with you. I was a fool who was searching for something that never existed while what I should've done to remain by your side.
"I even tried to live on and keep your memories alive in any way possible, even if it means living like a corpse just to make your wish to never be forgotten true. Yet, I failed again and lost to death…" Jacob's voice was filled with emotions as tears were flowing out of Hope's eyes. She didn't know why she was crying because of this nonsense, which wasn't making any sense.
Even the usually stern Viktoras was flabbergasted by Jacob's loony talk, yet for some reason, he felt sadness and heartache.
But Jacob wasn't done, as he let all those thoughts flow out deep within his heart, "But I was given another chance at life and even an opportunity to finally complete my promise to you. I made myself believe that I was doing it for myself, but in the end, it was always for you, and our promise gave me the strength to continue on.
"Although I don't know if I'll succeed in the end, as long as I have a chance, even if I end up becoming the Devil, I won't stop until I complete my promise to you. I'll live on for you and your memories, and you'll never be forgotten…"
An undying conviction shone in his eyes as he looked at the crying face of his lover, whom he had nothing but love and gratitude for. His thirst for living forever rekindled and burned more fiercely than ever.
"This is my promise to you and myself, I'll be an Immortal for both of us!" Jacob's words carried unshakable power and determination.
As his eyes suddenly started to change, a flicker of white golden flames suddenly appeared as if he had achieved something, and whatever was restating him started to lose its effect.
In Jacob's eyes, Hope's figure started to blur. Still, the smile never left his lips as he turned around and looked toward Viktoras, who was also blurry at this moment, and said, "I was too proud and maybe even shy to say this to you, and you were gone before I could muster up my courage to say this, let me say it this time. Thank you for everything you've done for me; without your support, there would be no Weapon Emperor, and I wouldn't have met with the hope of my life.
"You are and forever shall be my teacher, friend, and father-in-law. Nothing can change that, and I'll make sure of that…"
Just as his words left his mouth, the entire reality seemed to be shattered like glass, but it didn't seem over as Jacob found himself in another reality with a letter in his hand; he was old at this moment.
As he looked at the letter, he trembled as it was filled with lovely handwriting. This moment held a very special place in his heart, for this was the very moment his search for immortality started, the same moment when he decided to live on instead of accompanying his recently dead wife. This letter was her final words to him, filled with love, longing, and acceptance for her fate.
'It's the poem she wrote before her death while I was squandering my time searching for a non-existent cure…'
Jacob was full of lamentation and loneliness. As he read those words again, it was as if Hope was reading it to him…
"For JS, the love of life:
"As shadows creep and life begins to fade, My spirit wanes, a fragile masquerade.
"Yet, fear not, my love, for in your heart I'll stay, A flicker of hope, your guiding ray.
"I'll dwell in whispers of the wind's soft sigh, In sunlight dancing, a mote caught in the sky.
"Feel me in the warmth of a summer's kiss, And in the tranquility of winter's bliss.
"Though flesh may wither and my spirit flees, Love's ember burns eternally for thee.
"In your every heartbeat, a part of me resides, A silent echo of where passion abides.
"So grieve not dear, for I am not alone, My essence lingers, a whispered tone.
"Within your soul, our love will find its art, And thus, my love, we'll never be apart.
"Together, forever, our spirits entwined, In memories cherished, peace of mind.
"So live on bravely, with courage and with grace, And let my love fills your life's empty space.
"For in your heart, a part of me will be, Immortal love, just you and me.
"So be immortal for both of us, for wherever you are, there I shall be!
"…your Hope!"