Coming out of the sactuary, I was welcomed by Luke, who was waiting for me outside.

"You’re okay, I heard some sort of commotion earlier."

"It was nothing. I’m done with what I came here to do." Let’s get to the others. "

***

"First, I’d like to thank each one of you for being present here for this dinner, especially Nia for helping me in making this happen." I declared, raising my glass. No one answered my toast, except, of course, Nia herself.

Tonight, every member of the Aubrecht family, with the exception of Ramia, was gathered here, at the same table as I was for dinner.

This long table reminded me of the one there was in the dining room in Rosetta Manor, but unlike that table, I was at least sharing this one with people.

On the other side of the table, my grandparents were on my left; Luke, Renata, and Elliel were on my right. The entire Aubrecht were all present tonight.

So much time to wait to see this happen.

So much struggle, and finally here we are.

I wonder what the little child that I was would’ve thought of this scenery.

"This is an honor for me, really, to meet each one of you." I announced, looking at each one of them one by one.

Great-Grandfather

My grandparents, Aurelien and Emilien Aubrecht,

My Father, Luke Aubrecht

My stepmother, Renata Aubrecht,

My brother Elliel Aubrecht.

"You do not know how long I had waited to see this meeting happen."

"An, you promised you would explain everything upon reaching the castle, now please," Elliel said, with an expression I could hardly decipher.

Nodding, I said, I certainly did promise that. "But first, I suppose, I have to introduce myself properly. I apologize for having lied to you on our first meeting, but I had my own reason for doing so. My name is Ronandt. That was the name I was given at birth, but you may still call me Han. I am the son, born seventeen years ago, of Luke Aubrecht, your father and a commoner named Barbara. "

There didn’t seem to be much reaction to that "son of Luke" except for Elliel, who seemed to be the only one who among the family ignored my existence.

The others, unlike what I originally thought, seemed to know fully who I was, even Ei’s mother.

It seems that after my "death", my existence was revealed to every member of the family.

"In other words, I'm am your older half-brother."

"Commoner..."

"I will not elaborate on that part. I think it would be better if you inquire details of what came before my birth to your father."

Elliel first looked at his mother, who just nodded silently. Then the father-son duo exchanged gazes and I saw Luke averting his eyes in, what I believe was, shame.

"I lived my entire childhood raised by Mathilda, my Governess, and Syrus, my Butler, along with several other people, in a place named the Rosetta Manor that is now, after the event you people knows as the Night Ecarlate, beyond the barrier’s border."

The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

Since I had promised, I explained to him, but also for everyone sharing this table to hear, what was my life like in the Rosetta Manor and how it was when I moved to the Edouard.

"That night, I, with Grandfather, Mael, and Syrus, first put step inside this castle was the night that you and I, as you vaguely remember, met for the first time."

With that cleared, I also explained the rest of everything that happened that night, that I, unlike what was planned, could not meet my great-grandfather and instead was forced to retreat to Rosetta Manor.

I revealed what they did that night, and how I reacted to it.

I also revealed what I did in the forest in order to survive; I skipped the part where I became An and On for factual and reasonable reasons, but I revealed everything else, from me putting the siblings' remnant to everlasting sleep to the Primordial Dragon fight.

"All that to today, 7 years after, be back here in Beaufort to finish what I, back in the day, couldn’t finish." I said, throwing a glance at the man sitting across my table.

Everyone sitting at the table had their backs straightened more than they already were, yet none of them dared to comment, leaving me in complete silence as it already was during the entirety of my narration, which was very unexpected, for I was expecting some lively reaction.

I have to admit, this silence felt somewhat disappointing.

Were they afraid of me or did Nia and I went overboard with the threats?

"Don’t you have anything to say to your big brother, Elliel?" I asked. He looked at me in the eyes, then looked away,

"And you, Great Grandfather, what about, don’t you have anything to say? After all, this is our first time seeing each other without trying to kill each other, right? If you have anything to say, wouldn’t now be the perfect time to do so? "

The moment I mentioned Great-Grandfather, every face in the room tenseened.

It's easy to understand why.

"Come on, great-grandfather, say something."

"What do you want?" It was at that moment that I heard an indiscriminate, muffled noise from him.

"Come again."

He looked at me straight in the eyes and declared," I said..." What do you want? If it is me asking for forgiveness, you won’t see that happening. " He said, in a resolute tone.

"Grandfather!"

"Great-Grandfather!"

"Father!"

Each person at the table is called.

"Oh, is that so?"

I, as strange as it might sound, heaved a sigh of relief internally upon hearing these words from him.

Standing up from my seat, I slowly walked toward the place where he was seated.

As I passed by Luke and Elliel, they both attempted to stand up from their respective seats, but by reaching for their shoulders, I sat them back.

What I did, however, triggered even more reactions. The others, suddenly standing up from their seats, to only almost immediatetly, sat back down.

They sat back not by their will, but by Nia's will.

Letting go of both Elliel’s and Luke’s shoulders, I made my way to Great-Grandfather.

Upon reaching his side, I said, "So, Great Grandfather, you will not apologize?"

"Yes," So if there is something you want to do, with me, just do it. "

"Han, please. Don't. " Elliel asked, in an almost begging voice.

"You don't want to apologize," I said again, "This is fortunate because I never intended to ask you to do so." We’re well past that point, aren’t we? "

"Please remain seated. This is not a request." Nia threatened.

The sight of me reaching out for his shoulder provoked yet another lively reaction, yet this time something was different. Unlike earlier, fewer people reacted to what I did.

I looked at each of them.

I saw clearly the expression they were arboring on their faces while glaring at me.

With a smile, I leaned to murmur in Great-Grandfather's ears, "Can you smell it, see it, the smell of their fear, the conflicted glimmer in their eyes."

"They know I’m very well justified in what they think I want to subject you to, yet their love for you and the weight of the wrongs I admitted having committed prompted them to stand up for you against me. This is family for you, or maybe just common sense. "

"Requesting you to beg forgiveness at this point, with all that I have done, is plain hypocrisy on my part."

"You asked me earlier, Grandfather, what I wanted. It's simple. I wanted you to hear what I had to say. Understanding is completely optional. I wanted to see what would've happened that night if we had talked this out. Now I’ve seen it. "

"What done cannot be undone. I took this path that night by fleeing southward. I may have regrets concerning that path, yet I do not regret arriving where I am now. I am alive. I have survived."And that is what I will do with that which I have done wrong, shattered and squandered. I will survive through them. I will not forget them, but remember them, and eventually outlive them. "

"In short, Grandfather, there is no forgiveness for the likes of us, only judgement."

The next instant, I unleashed it onto Great-Grandfather.