"Is it really... really okay?" Anise stuttered while grasping Eugene’s hand.
She seemed to be nervous, which was rather uncharacteristic of her.
"You might be acting on a moment's impulse, driven solely by emotion. Hamel, if that's the case, please reconsider. You will surely regret it later,” she continued.
Anise took on a serious expression as she earnestly voiced her concerns. Sienna stood beside her, wondering what expression she should wear. Sienna thought there was reason in Anise's words. After all, Eugene had quite an extensive history of acting unbefitting with his identity.
She heard that Eugene even tried acting his age during childhood to avoid suspicion. Whether he had intentionally avoided mastering the toilet as an infant was uncertain, but it was clear that he lived like a child during his youth.
It wasn’t limited to his childhood either. Eugene had a few, no, quite many embarrassing moments, even when he was old enough not to behave childishly. As Anise said, acting impulsively would surely lead him to regret later.
Finally, Sienna chimed in with her opinion, "Hmm. Eugene made his own decision, right? It's not our place to intervene.”
The regret was something Eugene had to bear, right? It was solely his. Whether he might regret making a hasty decision or feel embarrassed enough to wish for death later — all of that was for Eugene to deal with.
Sienna had nothing to bear or lose in this decision. On the contrary, she stood to gain more.
"I'm acting on impulse, and it's a spur-of-the-moment decision," Eugene admitted with a frown, "Anise, like you said, I will definitely regret it. It won’t even take that long. I’ll probably start regretting it in just a few hours from now.”
"Then—" Anise started.
"Still, I won't change my mind," Eugene declared without letting her finish.
The Death Knight knew he was a fake and wasn't Hamel. It was highly probable that the Death Knight knew that Eugene was Hamel’s reincarnation. Otherwise, there would have been no reason for him to hide his face and cause a disturbance at Black Lion Castle.
If there had been many deaths, Eugene might have suspected Amelia Merwin was behind the attack. The Death Knight could have been forced to kill regardless of his own will if it had been a command from Amelia.
But there were no deaths. He hadn't killed anyone. It was unlikely Amelia Merwin would issue such an order.
"He provoked me but also showed consideration for me,” admitted Eugene.
And he found it absolutely infuriating.
"Ultimately, he came here and caused trouble because of me. It’s a very, very frustrating situation, isn’t it? The Patriarch, Lady Carmen, and the others, even Ivatar and his warriors, must feel unjustified and frustrated. That guy suddenly showed up, beat them up, and left. They don’t even know who he is,” continued Eugene.
"....." Anise and Sienna listened to Eugene’s explanation without a word.
"The Patriarch and Lady Carmen said it's not my fault, but that's because they don't know the whole story. Let’s be frank. How is it not my fault? He came here and caused a ruckus because of me. Luckily, no one died, but it doesn't lessen my responsibility."
As Eugene continued, Anise's expression changed.
She no longer tried to persuade Eugene. She realized there was no reason to. It was true that he was acting impulsively and emotionally. However, the emotions driving Eugene were anything but trivial.
"And that bastard was practically oozing the power of Destruction. Now I can't even make excuses about the Moonlight Sword," Eugene added.
Eugene had wielded the Moonlight Sword in the battle against the Demon King of Fury. Those who fought alongside him, including Carmen and the others, couldn't help but question the sword.
What was this sword that emitted an ominous light and even cut through the Demon King's dark power? Eugene had been left with no choice but to lie that it was an artifact he found during his travels.
Now, that excuse was no longer viable.
Besides, it seemed necessary for him to reveal the truth in consideration of the future. The idea of having to make up an excuse about the Moonlight Sword in every upcoming battle seemed utterly exhausting.
He had to talk about the unique nature of the blood of the Lionhearts and regarding Vermouth in the future as well.
That was why, right now, Eugene decided to reveal his biggest secret to the elders of the Lionheart family.
‘That I am Hamel's reincarnation,’ Eugene stated inwardly.
Only two people in the Lionheart family knew Eugene's secret: Genos Lionheart, the inheritor of Hamel-style, and Ciel Lionheart. No one else in the Lionheart family knew that Eugene was Hamel's reincarnation.
Today, a few more would find out the truth. He had no intention of revealing it to the entire family, just to the clan elder, Klein, as well as the other seniors of the family.
"...Hmm..." Sienna glanced at Eugene's face from the corner of her eye.
His serious expression and the weight of his words made Sienna feel a bit, just a bit, ashamed of herself.
Should she stop Eugene from revealing his secret? There was no reason to. As she thought earlier, there was nothing for Sienna to risk or lose in Eugene's decision to reveal his identity. In fact, she had much to gain.
She wouldn't have to consider the Lionheart family’s opinion anymore.
When Sienna had been in the Lionheart family mansion, she had always been wary of how she was perceived by the family members. She wasn’t sure if this was the case with other people as well, but she definitely worried about the family’s opinion of her.
A centuries-old wizard taking on a barely twenty-year-old, sprightly young man as her apprentice and then becoming romantically involved with him would definitely be seen as inappropriate.
She couldn’t help but be wary of her surroundings. To make matters worse, Eugene was the star of the Lionheart family, as well as the Hero. He drew the attention of everyone on the continent. In addition, the Lionheart family’s prestige was second to none.
She sought Ancilla’s cooperation regarding this issue at the cost of her dignity, but it did not resolve all the problems.
But what if Eugene revealed his true identity as Hamel’s reincarnation? For now, he seemed intent on revealing the truth to only a few key figures in the family, but that was enough to satisfy Sienna. Eventually, she could openly pursue a formal relationship and marriage with Eugene without worrying about the opinions of the Patriarch or his father.
‘...A formal relationship? Wait, aren't we already in one?’ A sudden question popped into her mind, leaving Sienna confused. But in Eugene's current state, she couldn't dare to ask.
“…..” Ciel had already been silent for a while. Her lips were tightly sealed but occasionally twitched at the corners. Like Sienna, she, too, found it difficult to intervene in the conversation.
‘If it becomes known that Eugene is Hamel's reincarnation….’ Ciel gulped nervously at this thought.
This revelation would significantly ease her efforts to convince her parents. Of course, even if Eugene didn't intend it that way, it was something to be tackled gradually after everything else was settled. Ciel wasn't in a hurry.
Opening the door, Eugene entered the room.
Waiting at the round table of the Black Lion Castle were eight people: Klein, Carmen, Gilead, Ancilla, Gion, Cyan, Gerhard, and Genos.
"What brings us here...?" Gilead asked.
He appeared perplexed but had a rough idea of why they were called. He, along with everyone else, assumed it was to discuss the assailant of the Black Lion Castle.
It was crucial for them to confirm the identity of the attacker. Hence, despite their busy schedules, everyone had promptly gathered at the round table following the summons.
‘Is there a reason for me to know as well…?’ Gerhard wondered why he was summoned.
He had answered the call with the soldiers of the family, but Gerhard wasn’t a warrior. Even if they had identified the assailant, there was absolutely no reason for Gerhard to don his armor and weapons.
Of course, that didn’t mean he was without any roles. Even until now, Gerhard had been helping Ancilla as she personally looked after the injured.
On the other hand, Ancilla felt a strong sense of responsibility as the mistress of the Lionheart family. ‘I must know,’ she thought as she stared at Eugene with a serious expression.
Although she doubted it would come to that, if need be, and if Eugene asked for it, she was ready to mobilize not just the imperial army under her own family, the Kaenis County’s control, but also all the connections of the imperial social circle she had formed until now.
"There's something important I need to tell you," Eugene began as Sienna, Ciel, and lastly, Kristina entered the room.
Though in a similar position to Anise, Kristina also held great anticipation for Eugene's confession. She stared intently with her hands clasped in front of her chest and eyes full of faith.
"Is this about the enemy?" Carmen mumbled.
She was still bandaged, even after the treatment. Eugene took a deep breath before speaking.
"I have a secret,” he declared.
The word 'secret' elicited an immediate response from Genos. His eyes widened in shock at Eugene.
Could it be? Right now? Here?
Eugene nodded slightly, acknowledging his astonishment.
"I am…."
Suddenly, Eugene was struck with fear. Voicing this truth now meant… there was no going back to how things were. He feared losing the relationships he had as a son, foster child, and brother.
Even so, what had happened had happened. Moreover, similar incidents might take place in the future as well. They were becoming tangled in the problems he was causing, not as Eugene Lionheart but as the reincarnation of Hamel Dynas.
It was about family.
He wasn’t sure how everyone would react, but Eugene's resolve remained unchanged. Even if returning to the past was no longer possible, Eugene was the same in the past, now, and in the future.
Whether he was the reincarnation of the God of War, Agaroth, or Hamel, he was simply himself, in this moment, in this place.
The enemy was a Death Knight forged from his corpse. It was a consciousness crafted from his residual memories. There had been numerous opportunities for Eugene to slay it, and he had done so as well. In fact, he had thought it had been vanquished.
But he had failed to kill it. The Death Knight had survived, committed these atrocities, and then vanished. Its disappearance signified its survival.
It might appear once more to wreak further havoc. Eugene was uncertain of what it might do next, given its existence stemmed from him. This remained true, even though Eugene had not directly contributed to its birth.
‘Even so,’ Eugene thought, firming his resolve.
Eugene's eyes settled calmly, and the atmosphere surrounding him shifted. Everyone silently awaited Eugene's following words.
"I am the reincarnation of Hamel."
There was no immediate response.
But it wasn't that there was no reaction. Everyone's eyes went wide with shock as they gazed at Eugene.
Was it a joke or a prank? No one entertained such thoughts. Making such an absurd joke would be completely out of place. It was unthinkable.
"....." A heavy silence settled in the room.
Gerhard's mouth hung agape as he stared at Eugene.
'The reincarnation of Hamel.' Gerhard could immediately assume who Eugene was referring to. Hamel was the comrade of the Great Vermouth, the progenitor of the Lionheart family.
The Stupid Hamel.
"Ah…." Gerhard gasped as he could suddenly connect the dots after hearing his son’s sudden confession.
He remembered that Eugene’s cries were few ever since he was a baby. He cried occasionally, but even that seemed different from a normal infant's cries. At the time, it seemed almost as if… although unthinkable, that he was crying deliberately.
His development in speech and walking had been unbelievably swift. At the time, it seemed strange, but it was quickly accepted.
After all, it wasn't long after he started walking that he was seen wielding a small stick like a sword.
He was a prodigy.
That was what Gerhard had thought. This fact had been enough for Gerhard to make sense of most of the strange things about his young son.
Indeed, he turned out to be a prodigy. His son had been the only one from the collateral lines to win the Bloodline Continuation Ceremony. He had even become the adopted child of the main family.
He was permitted to inherit the White Flame Formula, and he continued to develop by learning magic and even proceeded to gain the recognition of the Holy Sword...
He had thought his son to be a genius.
However, he was now claiming himself to be the reincarnation of a hero from three hundred years ago. It was unbelievable, yet undeniably true. Gerhard finally managed to close his gaping mouth. He placed his hand over his fluttering heart while trying to steady his breath.
The shock and confusion were not Gerhard's alone. Everyone except Genos, felt both extreme astonishment and turmoil.
Yet, not a single soul posed another question to Eugene. No one scoffed at his seemingly nonsensical words.
Even a moment's contemplation was enough to accept the truth in Eugene's statement. Gilead, Ancilla, Gion, and Cyan — the members of the main family had observed Eugene since he was thirteen. In particular, Gion vividly remembered the moment Eugene first entered the Lionheart family’s Leyline. He had instantly felt and manipulated mana.
Such talent couldn't merely be chalked up to genius. Gion, too, had been lauded as a prodigy since his youth. But, to be honest, he had not wanted to think of Eugene's abilities as just mere genius.
"That... statement...." Gilead stuttered out his words.
It was unbelievable yet undeniable. Gilead tried to calm his jumbled thoughts and emotions as he attempted to pose a question.
But Gerhard abruptly raised his hand and interrupted Gilead's words, "Family head. Let me speak first."
Gerhard's voice was uncharacteristically firm. Gilead flinched and stepped back.
"Very well,” he answered.
It was only right that Gerhard Lionheart should be the first to converse with Eugene. He deserved that right more than anyone else in the world.
Gerhard took several deep breaths and looked straight at Eugene.
"...Why are you revealing this secret now?" Gerhard asked. His voice was filled with an inevitable tremor. Even his manner of speaking had changed. "Surely you didn't just remember this truth. You aren’t suggesting that, are you?"
"Until now, I saw no need to speak of it," Eugene replied with a bitter smile as he gazed back at Gerhard.
"Why did you think there was no need to speak of it?" inquired Gerhard.
"Because whether I am the reincarnation of someone or not, you are still my father,” replied Eugene.
Gerhard's eyes quivered.
"To be honest, it was hard to see you as my father when I was young. Back then, it hadn’t been long since I reincarnated. But no matter what I thought, you were always my father, and you treated me as your son,” confessed Eugene.
"....." Gerhard listened quietly as his chest filled with emotion.
"Until now, and in the future, too. Even if you can no longer consider me your son, I will still think of you as my father,” said Eugene.
Gerhard's eyes welled up as he struggled to hold back the tears. He staggered forward and opened his arms wide. He embraced Eugene.
"I am... I am the father of a hero," Gerhard said, stifling a sob.
After patting his back a few times, Gerhard released his son. He staggered back. His legs gave way, and he collapsed into a chair.
"It's the same for Patriarch, Lady Ancilla, and Sir Gion,” said Eugene, looking at the trio.
"...Why would we think any differently?"
It was a hard truth. Hamel. The Stupid Hamel. The comrade of the progenitor, the Great Vermouth. The friend of the Brave Molon, the founding king of Ruhr….
Thinking back to the Knight March, Molon himself must have known the truth.
"My goodness..." Ancilla uttered as she covered her mouth with her hands. She alternated her gaze between Sienna and Eugene, and at one point, she met Sienna’s gaze.
Ancilla couldn't understand why Sienna was winking at her vigorously.
"Me... what about me?" Cyan stammered. "If Sir Gerhard is your father, and the Patriarch and Lady Ancilla are the same…. Then… then what about me? I mean, am I... still part of this?"
Cyan felt a sense of unease growing within him as he looked at Eugene.
Was he now to be told he wasn't a brother after all? He noticed Ciel's expression in the background.
Had she already known? Her lack of surprise suggested so.
'Why was Ciel told before me?' Cyan felt a pang of jealousy that his twin had known before him.
"You're the same too,” said Eugene.
"Ugh…." Cyan clutched his chest while gasping for breath. "The same…. What do you mean?" he questioned.
"My brother,” answered Eugene simply.
"Good heavens…." Cyan plopped down into a chair while breathing heavily.
"....." Another short bout of silence followed this conversation.
Klein had little to do with Eugene, but he had been included in the conversation. He cleared his throat, "Ahem... I will keep this from the other elders."
It must have been to save his face as the chief elder.
Klein stroked his beard while glancing at Genos before saying, "Genos. You must also—"
"I have known for several years,” confessed Genos, interrupting Klein.
Klein’s eyes widened at the response.
Just then, Carmen spoke up for the first time, "Reincarnation…."
The moment she raised her voice, all eyes turned to her. She was known as the most eccentric in the Lionheart family, yet clear about the distinction between public and private matters. If Carmen declared she couldn't treat Eugene the same as before, the mood would become awkward.
"The reincarnation of Hamel..." she muttered.
"Yes. I had no intention of deceiving you, Lady Carmen..." Eugene responded.
"The Stupid Black Lion..." Carmen muttered as if she hadn’t heard him.
Eugene's expression contorted.