Ebony nodded, its potential truly frightening. It all depended on what it consumed. When first hatched, Erwin had fed it magical beast blood, limiting its combat potential to that of a typical beast. Later, Erwin fed it divine power, granting it the strength to rival gods.
Now, feeding it his own enhanced magical energy meant Ebony's potential had soared even higher. The serpent had mastered Erwin's abilities—a trait so remarkable that Erwin himself barely understood it. Given enough high-quality sustenance, Ebony could stand shoulder-to-shoulder with celestial entities. It was an outrageous concept.
Erwin fed the serpent a drop of his blood. Ebony swallowed it, its eyelids drooping, and soon fell into a deep sleep. Erwin glanced at the soundly slumbering serpent. Was it a case of overindulgence, causing indigestion? He placed a hand on Ebony to sense its condition. Finding it safe, he set the creature aside, too disinclined to deal with it further.
He gently waved his hand, and a dark figure shrouded in black mist appeared. As the mist dissipated, the figure's face was revealed. It was Ron.
Ron looked bewildered. Seeing Erwin, he gasped, "It's you! What happened to me?" He stared at his ethereal hands and body.
"You're deceased," Erwin said flatly. "Before you died, I forcibly preserved a fragment of your soul. But it will soon dissipate—this is the limit of what I could accomplish. Your soul and body were too assimilated; I couldn't separate them completely."
Ron was stunned. Memories gradually clarified in his mind. "Am I dead? What was that shadowy entity?"
Ron was calmer than Erwin had anticipated. Normally, one might expect shouting and screaming, but Ron was eerily composed. He looked at Erwin. "What? Surprised by my calmness? I suppose, in your eyes, I really have no redeeming qualities."
"In fact, you don't," Erwin admitted. "But this time, you've genuinely surprised me. Your time is running out. Preserving this wisp of your soul is like performing an act of charity. I plan to take you to your own memorial service, so you can see your parents one last time."
Ron's eyes lit up. "Thank you."
"There are still a few hours before the service," Erwin said. "If you have any questions, I'll make an exception and answer them. A favor, after all."
Ron didn't flinch at the word 'favor.' In death, he seemed to have gained clarity. "What was that dark entity? I asked about it earlier."
Erwin paused, organizing his thoughts. "You could call him a god—but one without true authority. He possesses the rank and status of a deity, but not the power. When you were possessed, you should have glimpsed some of his memories. Given your strength, you wouldn't understand much, but the basics should be clear."
Ron nodded.
"Death," Erwin continued, "was born as a companion entity. When Death's authority was bestowed upon him, this being, due to his innate ability to possess, stole some of that divine power. He couldn't take the authority itself, so you can think of him as Death's subordinate. Over time, he rebelled. He craved authority, wanted to become a true god. He attacked Death, but without authority, he was no match. Death couldn't eliminate him, only banish him. Later, your resentment and hatred attracted him back."
Ron frowned. "Resentment? Hatred? If that were all, he should have returned long ago. Why me?"
Erwin shrugged. "Because you were the weakest. Being so weak, with such deep resentment—it's a rare combination." He was genuinely surprised Ron had managed to summon that entity. How much must that child have hated me? Erwin thought. Even he felt he'd been harsh.
Ron had another question. Erwin tapped a nearby table, and a cup of black tea appeared. Even on holiday, the Hogwarts house-elves were always on standby. Erwin picked up the cup. "You want to ask why I treated you like that?"
Ron nodded. "Yes. I've thought about it many times. I don't understand. Did I really deserve it? I admit I misspoke, but was it truly unforgivable? Someone of your level shouldn't hold a grudge against me like this. I still don't understand."
Erwin took a sip of tea. "You're correct; it wasn't that severe. Maybe it's because I never liked you in the first place. Besides, at that time, your situation was more aligned with my interests."
Ron fell silent. "Just because of that?"
Erwin nodded. "Yeah, essentially. It's mainly because you were unfortunate, which suited my interests. The rest is nothing special."
Ron looked at Erwin, a bitter smile playing on his lips. "So, that's how it is."
"Alright, you know what you need to know," Erwin said. "I'll take you to the memorial service later. Unfortunately, your soul fragment is too weak to speak to your parents. But seeing them one last time, while lucid, should be sufficient."
Ron nodded. "Yes, it's sufficient. While I was possessed, I was conscious but couldn't control myself. Now, seeing them clearly—it's enough."
Erwin asked, "Is there anything I should convey to them?"
Ron shook his head. "No. My actions have probably already brought shame to the family. They'll likely be better off without me. Why add to their troubles?"
Erwin looked at Ron but said nothing more.