As the carriage rumbled away, the streets of the city slowly faded into the distance, the sounds of the busy thoroughfare becoming muffled behind him. Leonard—no, Jin—watched as the grandiose cityscape gave way to the familiar, albeit worn, sight of the family home. His heart gave an unsteady thud as they pulled up to the iron gate, the large, looming house silhouetted in the dim evening light.

It was nothing spectacular—no mansion, no lavish estate—but the five-bedroom house still had a sort of quiet grandeur about it, one that spoke of better days long gone. The walls were old, cracked in places, with chipped paint that needed fresh coats to breathe life back into them. The roof sagged slightly, and the windows—though large—had a murky, aged glass. Still, it was home. Or, at least, it had been for Leonard. Now, it was his responsibility, whether he was ready for it or not.

The carriage came to a stop in front of the large wooden door, and Jin stepped out, his mind swirling with the complexity of his situation. He had been released from the investigation—only for the moment—but a weight still pressed heavily on his chest. He could feel eyes on him. The Saints, the police, Rogan, Maria... all of them were watching him. But it was something else that unsettled him more than any suspicion: the creeping sense of dread. It wasn't just the events of the ritual, or the dark sigils. It was that Leonard's past life, with its betrayals and secrets, had now become his to navigate.

Jin barely had time to adjust to the feeling before the door to the house swung open with a creak. Maya, Leonard's sister, rushed out in a blur of motion. She was younger than him, but by the looks of her, she was already growing into the role of the ever-worried, protective sibling. Her eyes, wide with concern, met his.

"Leonard!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with a mix of relief and anxiety. Her steps quickened, and before he could react, she was already hugging him tightly, wrapping her arms around his waist in a protective embrace.

He stood still, frozen for a moment as her arms tightened around him. For a fleeting second, Jin wondered how it would feel to have a family again. To be someone loved, wanted. Leonard's life had been filled with pain and burdens, but Maya... she was a symbol of a life that could have been different. And now, this girl, whose brother had been twisted into something dark by the betrayal of his closest friend, was looking at him, trusting him.

His chest tightened, and the weight of that look almost crushed him. He had been entrusted with her safety, even if he hadn't asked for it. She was his anchor now, in this strange new world he was stuck in.

"Maya, I'm fine," he said softly, breaking the embrace and pulling back to look at her. He had to keep up the charade. He had to remain Leonard, for her sake. But inside, something stirred. This girl was Leonard's blood, and she didn't deserve to suffer the same fate. She didn't deserve the darkness that followed the name of Astraeus.

Her eyes searched his face as if trying to gauge his sincerity, as though she knew something was off but couldn't place it. She hadn't known her brother as he really was, not the one who had fallen victim to the cult. Maya only knew the kind, well-mannered sibling who always tried to protect her. Leonard's death had been a mystery to her, something hidden beneath layers of pain and secrecy.

"I heard about the police," Maya said, her voice trembling slightly. "I'm glad you're home. But... Leonard, you don't have to hide everything from me. I'm here for you. You're my brother, and I'll support you no matter what."

The sincerity in her voice made Jin pause. He could feel the weight of her words pressing against him, fighting against the guilt and betrayal that had started to fill his own chest. Was he truly doing the right thing? But even as the thought tried to settle, a deeper feeling emerged, one born from something darker—an overwhelming desire to protect her.

For the first time since his arrival in this world, Jin made a decision. He had lived through his own painful past, and now, Leonard's tangled future was his. He would protect Maya, not as some stranger who had slipped into Leonard's skin, but as someone who needed to make things right. The betrayal of Leonard's old friend, Ron, stung like a fresh wound. He could not undo it, but he could shield Maya from whatever darkness lay ahead.

"You're right," Jin said, his voice quieter now, resolve settling in. "I'm not going anywhere. I'll stay with you, Maya. I swear it. No one will hurt you, not while I'm here."

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Maya looked at him for a long moment, her expression softening. A sense of relief flickered in her eyes, though there was still a faint trace of worry. She hadn't fully processed what had happened, not really. But she would, in time. Jin could feel that heavy truth weighing down on her—and on him.

Together, they entered the house. It smelled of dust and the remnants of a life that no longer existed. It would need work, just like everything else in this life. The walls needed to be scrubbed clean, the house needed light, and above all, they both needed to find some semblance of peace.

Maya led the way inside, and Jin followed. He glanced at the old family portraits on the walls, the faces of long-gone ancestors whose expectations hung like shadows over this place. But it wasn't the past he had to concern himself with now. It was the future. His future—and Maya's.

He took a deep breath, his hand resting on the doorframe.

He was Leonard, now. Leonard Astraeus. But he would forge a new path for himself in this world, with the weight of his actions always pressing at his back. The family he had to protect. The secrets he had to keep hidden.

And the path to his own redemption.

Maya led the way inside, and Jin followed. He glanced at the old family portraits on the walls, the faces of long-gone ancestors whose expectations hung like shadows over this place. But it wasn't the past he had to concern himself with now. It was the future. His future—and Maya's.

He took a deep breath, his hand resting on the doorframe.

He was Leonard now. Leonard Astraeus. But he would forge a new path for himself in this world, with the weight of his actions always pressing at his back. The family he had to protect. The secrets he had to keep hidden.

And the path to his own redemption.

A sudden ringing filled his ears.

Not from the house, but from deep within his mind—an echo of something ancient. The trial. Those golden words that had burned themselves into his soul.

"Abyss Walker Unlocked. Shadow Emperor Path Unlocked. Absolute Order Obtained."

For just a moment, he saw them again, floating before him in the dim candlelight. The same golden, star-like script, shimmering like a celestial decree. The weight of the words pressed down on him, their meaning just out of reach, as if something greater was watching—waiting.

A loud church bell rang from somewhere outside, its deep, metallic toll rattling his senses. The illusion shattered.

He inhaled sharply, blinking as the warm glow of the dining room replaced the dark haze of his memories. Maya, who had just lit another oil lamp, turned to him with a frown.

"Leonard?" she asked, tilting her head. "You okay?"

Jin exhaled, forcing a smile. "Yeah. Just... tired."

Maya didn't press further. Instead, she waved him toward the modest dining table, where two steaming bowls of stew sat waiting. The house wasn't grand anymore, but it was still large—far too large for just the two of them. The flickering light cast soft shadows over the cracked wooden floor, the worn chairs, the peeling wallpaper that hinted at better days.

Outside, faint police whistles echoed through the streets, distant but ever-present, a quiet reminder that the city had not forgotten the horrors of the night before. The Empire was on high alert.

"Well, come on," Maya huffed, sitting down and grabbing her spoon. "Eat before it gets cold."

Jin sat, eyeing the meal. A simple stew—thick broth with boiled potatoes, carrots, and bits of salted meat. Plain, filling, nothing extravagant. It reminded him of the cheapest convenience store meals he used to eat back in Seoul.

Maya took a bite and gave him a knowing look. "What, too good for my cooking?"

Jin chuckled and shook his head. "No, just... taking it in."

Maya scoffed. "Yeah, well, take it in faster. You scared me, you know. When the police came asking about you, I thought you got arrested or something!"

Jin chewed slowly, choosing his words carefully. "I got caught up in something… bad. Wrong place, wrong time."

Maya rolled her eyes. "You always get caught up in things. That's why you should've gone into Engineering instead of that writing nonsense. If you had, maybe you'd have a real future."

Jin smirked. "You sound just like a certain someone I knew back home."

Maya raised an eyebrow. "Yeah? And what happened to them?"

Jin swallowed. They died.

He set his spoon down, staring into the broth. Ron had said something similar, once. Before betraying Leonard to the cult. Before his body was torn apart by whatever forces had consumed him in that cave.

He shook the thought away, picking up his spoon again. Maya didn't seem to notice his brief silence.

"Anyway," she continued, taking another bite, "the city's been tense all day. The police and the Holy Order are swarming the streets, asking questions about what happened last night. The Empire's knights are even getting involved."

Jin stiffened slightly. "The Holy Order?"

"Yeah. You know, the knights who follow the Sun Goddess or whatever," she said, waving her spoon. "Word is, they think the city's cursed or something. Some of the girls at school were freaking out over a prophecy they heard."

Jin's grip on his spoon tightened. "What prophecy?"

Maya shrugged. "Something about the end of times, the fall of the Empire, and flames consuming the world. Real dramatic stuff."

His chest felt heavy. Flames consuming the world? He had read something similar in the Trial.

Maya rolled her eyes. "Honestly, people are so gullible. I mean, prophecies? Come on. They just want an excuse to gossip."

Jin forced a chuckle, but his thoughts were elsewhere.

That prophecy… It wasn't just gossip. It was real. He had seen it written in gold.

And somehow, he was tied to it.