My plans for a bath were thwarted once more. Just after entering the main residence, I ran into my mother, Lucia.
She came rushing toward me, her blonde hair flying behind her. "Luan...!"
"W-wait a minute, I'm filthy right now—"
Before I could finish, she pulled me into her arms. I noticed her pristine dress becoming smudged with the dirt and dust covering me.
"Mother," I said, my voice tinged with exasperation.
"I'm so glad you are safe," she said, her voice trembling.
Hearing the emotion in her tone, I held back the words I had intended to say.
Ah. My mother, my only family. Not a single night had passed without me longing to see her again. I had so much I wanted to tell her, yet now, the words wouldn't come. Instead, I gently patted her back and waited for her to calm down.
***
After reuniting with my mother and finally taking the bath I had longed for, I changed into the fresh clothes a servant had laid out for me.
Now, this is worth living for.
The clothes felt strangely comfortable, and I headed to my mother's room. Her quarters were secluded, and two familiar faces stood guard at the door—Kayan and Arjan.
They were chatting calmly, but their conversation halted as I approached.
"What were you talking about?" I asked.
"We were catching up and sharing information about recent events," Kayan replied.
I tilted my head. "Really? Did you two know each other before?"
"After Arjan came to the main house, I helped her with her training a few times," Kayan explained.
"Oh, I see." I gave a casual nod. "Then go ahead and catch up after so long. I will talk to my mother."
"Yes."
I had something to discuss with Kayan, but it could wait. Passing by the two, I entered the room.
The subtle smell of black tea filled the air, and I couldn't help but smile. It was the same as the scent I remembered.
"You're here. Come, sit," my mother said.
"Yes." I glanced around the shabby room and took a seat across from her.
"I only have black tea. Is that all right?" she asked.
"Of course."
Some teas paired well with snacks, while others didn't. My mother's tea belonged to the latter category. It had a wonderful aroma, a gentle warmth, and a rich flavor. One cup felt like a complete experience in itself.
I really have come back.
It was almost funny. Only after sipping the tea did I fully grasp that I had returned.
The realization felt absurd. Seeing Kayan and Arjan, witnessing the knights' true nature in the mountains, and even encountering the Jewel Beast still hadn't fully sunk in.
"Is everything okay?" my mother asked.
"What do you mean?" I replied.
"Sir Kayan told me about the general situation. The family head summoned you, and you had to go to the main house. On the way, you passed through the Jewel Mountains..."
Unexpectedly, my mother seemed to know exactly where I'd been.
Was it Kayan's excellent intelligence network at work? Or was my situation just that obvious? I wasn't sure, but it seemed my mother understood what kind of place the Jewel Mountains were. That must be why she was worried. I considered lying to ease her mind, but I chose honesty instead.
"It was a lot of work. Honestly, there were many dangerous moments."
I was truthful for two reasons: I didn't want to lie, and I believed she was strong enough to handle the truth.
My mother sipped her tea, showing no particular reaction. Then she spoke slowly. "I see. You have been through a lot."
"Yes."
"You seem much calmer than the last time I saw you," she said with a faint smile. "They say mental growth comes after facing a life-threatening crisis. Did you almost lose your life in the mountains?"
Her voice trembled slightly, but I answered casually, "It wasn't a small crisis."
"I see. Arjan must've had a hard time," she remarked.
I nodded. She wasn't wrong.
Lowering her voice, my mother asked, "Have you figured out anything about Arjan?"
"She isn't an ordinary butler. I don't know the details, but I've seen her using a special power several times," I answered.
"I see." My mother continued, "While you were washing up, I had a little chat with Arjan. She will be assisting you for now."
"How come?" I tilted my head, confused. "There is no need for that. Mother, did you force her to do it?"
"I did ask her but didn't force her to do it. In fact, I used to bring this up a lot at the main house, but she always refused stubbornly."
I was rendered speechless.
"She also mentioned that she owes you a life debt. She wants to serve you until she repays it," my mother explained.
Surprised, I muttered, "A life debt..."
"Is that wrong?"
"No, but it is the same for me. I would've died without Arjan. I guess you could say we saved each other," I mused aloud.
My mother looked at me, startled. I immediately regretted my words; they sounded too mature for someone my current age.
She stared at me in silence, her expression complex. I understood it was a necessary process. I couldn't hide the fact that I'd changed, especially from her.
I could make excuses to get through this moment, but what about later? I couldn't keep pretending to be the same foolish Luan forever.
Perhaps it was better to accept it as, "My son has changed a lot after surviving a life-threatening ordeal."
However, my mother was lost in thought for a while before saying something unexpected.
"You've returned to your childhood."
"What?" I didn't understand, so I asked, "When I was young?"
"Yes. It's the image of my favorite son—confident and brave," she explained.
I fell silent.
"You were always like this before the blessing ceremony. Don't you remember?" she pressed.
Her words left me slightly embarrassed. I had believed my time on Spirit Mountain had changed or matured me. Instead, my mother saw it as a return to my original self.
"That—" I nearly denied it reflexively but stopped myself. I knew how hard it was to see oneself objectively, especially when the observation came from my mother, who had watched me grow up. Even if her perspective was slightly idealized, there was truth in her words.
My mother held my hand. "Luan."
"Yes."
"Blessings aren't everything."
She had often said this before my regression, but the Luan Badniker of that time hadn't listened then. Now, I understood.
"I know," I replied.
Her words rang true. I could become stronger than anyone in the world, even without blessings. The gods' favor wasn't necessary to reach the top.
"Really, it's true," she insisted. "You have no reason to give up on life because of this."
But it seemed my mother's purpose wasn't just to repeat the truth I hadn't accepted in the past. I quickly realized her concern. She was worried about the second blessing ceremony.
What if I didn't receive a blessing again? She feared the despair I would face.
"Don't worry. I won't give up," I reassured her. "I will become stronger than any of my siblings, even without the blessings."
" Haha . I hope so."
Of course, my ultimate goal was to surpass my father, the Iron-Blooded Lord, but saying that would even make my mother treat me like a madman.
As I smiled and lifted my teacup, a knock sounded at the door.
"Come in."
At my mother's permission, the door opened, revealing Kayan's face. His expression carried an unusual sense of urgency.
"I'm sorry to interrupt, Young Master Luan. I think you need to go quickly," he urged.
"Me? What's going on?" I asked, perplexed.
Kayan's face was unusually stiff as he replied, "The elders have summoned you, Young Master Luan."
***
The Badniker family's main house had five floors. The first and second were open to guests and always crowded, but from the third floor onward, outsiders were strictly prohibited.
Even so, the third floor wasn't unfamiliar. It had rooms, classrooms, and a library reserved for the main family. I had visited a few times before they deemed me useless.
But my destination lay even higher—the fourth floor.
Only Kayan's and my footsteps echoed there. Few people ever appeared on the third floor, but the fourth was another level of isolation. Not a single soul stirred—no sign of life, not even a rat. Perhaps the walls were soundproofed, but the silence was suffocating. Walking through it felt like stepping into another world.
After following Kayan in silence for what felt like an eternity, he stopped abruptly and said, "This is the place."
I stared at the massive door before me, large enough to be mistaken for a ballroom entrance. The room beyond was likely just as spacious.
I hardly saw any other doors on the way here. The area occupied by one room is simply vast , I marveled.
Suppressing my wandering thoughts, I pushed the door open. Despite its size, it opened easily, though the air grew heavy as I stepped inside.
It is dark.
The room was shrouded in darkness, with no visible windows or light sources. After taking seven or eight steps, I stopped, surrounded by high walls. Seated atop them were shadowy figures whose voices suddenly echoed, "You came, Luan Badniker."
The notorious Council of Elders of the Badniker family sat like judges in the gloom. Their figures were barely discernible, let alone their faces. Though the council reportedly had eleven members, not all seemed present.
"Why did you summon me here?" I asked, feigning ignorance. It was unlikely, but perhaps they summoned me over my recent dispute with Hector.
"We have a few questions for you," one voice began.
"What happened in the Jewel Mountains?" another continued.
So it wasn't about that, I thought.
"We sent five members of the Fang Knights to escort you," one of them pointed out.
"Where are they?" another pressed.
"Why are you the only one who returned?" a different voice asked.
"Tell us everything."
"What happened in the mountains? All of it."
The Council of Elders had a habit of speaking in fragments, their voices layering over one another, as if unwilling to let a single person say too much at once.
I recalled that there was no grand reason for this. Most likely, it was simply a tactic to conceal their identities. After all, these insidious men prized secrecy above all else. Either way, listening to them was exhausting.
The barely visible figures continued in their vague, layered voices.
"Luan Badniker," one of them called.
"Why aren't you answering?" another pressed impatiently.
In this seemingly dire situation, I licked my lips once.
The fourth-floor chamber was called the Trial Room, and I knew its secret. It was designed to separate truth from lies. In other words, my words could be verified.
Knowing this, I chose them carefully.
"All the members of the Fang Knights are dead," I said plainly.
Before the Council of Elders could react, I added, "I killed a few of them myself."
This situation had become an opportunity.