He takes a deep breath.
Then he smiles again, laughs. Something cracks in his composure, his eyes glowing white. He forces the expression back again, closing them briefly.
"Ruin, you put on a great show." Joseph says. "I was a spectator, just watching how everything unfolded. And to be honest—"
He opens his eyes and locks his gaze on hers.
"We're too weak. If even one entity attacks us, we're finished. I've seen that city… I've seen those powers. It's impossible for us to overcome them. The reason we killed them was fear— fear of our own weakness.
Or maybe… something else… I think the truth is, we told ourselves it was a reason, but it wasn't. We were born into this. We've been doing it because we never knew anything else. Revenge after revenge. Free thought isn't allowed. And because of that, we've only gotten weaker. I'm honestly surprised my little star saw that. We kill mages and brand them as lower demons. For what?"
"No— they are demons, Joseph!" Estelle snaps.
Joseph laughs. "Really? Then explain this— Mai and Lucil from the Red Dragons have more heart than most of our own. Their daughter has never killed one of our mages. And I realized later— Lucil only kills ours if they have the intent to kill him. In the last few years, the killings almost stopped completely. Why? Because he simply said: 'Don't attack me or my sister.' And I enforced it.
"Ironically enough, Ruin and Silver are strong enough to kill us all, Estelle. Even Lucil could annihilate us."
Estelle shudders. "So you're surrendering to them? Weak—"
Joseph steps toward her, eyes glowing brighter.
"I'm accepting my weakness, Estelle. I'm being realistic. But here's the truth— we're the strongest ones here. And our daughter tricked us into an illusion. She can kill us anytime she wants."
He laughs again and turns to Ruin.
"Father—" she begins.
"The truth is, I can't decide." Joseph says. "Stopping the war would mean talking to that lunatic who leads the Red Dragons. Changing his mind is impossible, and my honor has never allowed me to speak to Lucil. That's too deeply carved into our history. We can't stop this war. Even if I gave the order, it would mean nothing. Ending a conflict isn't that simple. But… maybe we can plant a seed."
A look of emptiness flickers across his face as he bites his lips.
"I can't fight you, Ruin. You're my daughter, my little star. But right now, your resolve… It's made my decision. Look at me, Ruin."
Joseph's gaze sharpens. "I'm not blind, Ruin. I've known more than I ever said. I've known the general truth of what's going on. And to be honest—" he chuckles without warmth, tinged with madness."— I wanted to watch. To see how things would play out."
"Joseph, that's not what you really think." Estelle snaps. "The Red Dragons killed—"
"You don't get it." Joseph cuts her off, his voice like steel. "The mage world used us. They played us to shut us down. Be reasonable— yes, I mean you too, Jessica. And you, Jonas. But ending your worldview? Nearly impossible."
"Father." Ruin says quietly, "How did you know it was an illusion? How strong you truly are…"
"Ruin, you never kill without a reason. Never just to prove something. And besides—" he smirks faintly "—it was way too dramatic. Like something out of a bad B-movie."
The joke earns him only a cold, disdainful look from Estelle and Jessica.
Ruin laughs. "I never expected this. Honestly, you're betraying your ideals… for my view?"
"I never had ideals." Joseph answers without hesitation. "I've just been watching, seeing how every piece moves. And I think Japan needs a change. So, Ruin—" his voice drops, heavy with intent "— I allow you to kill everyone here. I won't interfere. In fact… if you want, I'll help you."
Estelle stumbles towards him in a surge. "That's a lie, right? You're—"
"Sometimes." Joseph says, eyes glowing white, "I wish you'd just shut up. I know the gaslighting. Open your eyes. From the beginning, she's been ahead of us. She already won. If your ideal is to eliminate the Red Dragons… go ahead."
Estelle sinks to her knees, the sound of her composure breaking almost audible.
Jessica turns, shocked, moving toward Jonas and holding him to her arms. "Pathetic."
Gates of the White Dragons
Rei stands transformed— black sclera, red irises, sharpened teeth, upward curling horns. A purple-black aura ripples around her, warping the air.
A guard approaches, his voice firm but uncertain. "You're from the Red drag—"
He never finishes.
No sound. No motion. Just absence. His body vanishes without a trace— not even dust remains. Reality erases him in an instant.