It was a new day in the bustling city of Aquanus, and Ivan, the overseer of the Dracule estate, was hard at work in his spacious office. Stacks of paperwork towered above his fine wooden desk, taking up most of the available space. Today was an especially busy day for Ivan. After the city council meeting, a tremendous amount of work had been thrown his way, and he had to ensure that everything was taken care of for the high humans who lived in his estate.

Ivan's responsibilities were now vast and varied. He had to govern the champion order and now also manage his estate's problems while also reviewing and approving paperwork for all the high human activities that would be allowed from today onwards. This included overseeing business, infrastructure, trading, goods management, and workforce management. Ivan had not slept for the past few days, and the workload was rapidly taking a toll on him.

As Ivan worked, his eyes grew tired, and small bags appeared beneath them. But he remained vigilant, pushing through the exhaustion with the resilience that high humans were known for. The endless paperwork and responsibilities were tiring him out, but he knew that he couldn't afford to let anything slip through the cracks. Just as he was about to take a break, his wife Ullie walked into his office with a cup of tea prepared for him. She smiled at him warmly and said,

"Dear, here. Drink this. You will feel better."

“Thank you,” Ivan said softly.

He said softly as he took the cup from Ullie's hands. He took a sip of the warm tea, and it immediately made him feel a little better. Ivan took a sip of his tea, his eyes still fixed on the towering stacks of paperwork on his desk. He hadn't left his seat all day, and Ullie was beginning to worry about him. After the council meeting, he has done nothing but work. Either on paperwork or personally gone to resolve issues physically etc. She sat on a small sofa seat, watching her husband with a concerned expression.

"Ivan, please rest a bit," she pleaded.

"You're overworking yourself too much. It's not good for your health."

Ivan sighed deeply, running a hand through his tousled hair.

"I know, Ullie, but there's just so much to do," he said wearily.

"As the general, I have a duty to protect the city and its people. And with the state affairs multiplying threefold, I can't afford to take a break right now."

Ullie's expression softened at the sight of her husband's exhaustion.

"I understand that, Ivan, but you have to take care of yourself too," she said gently.

"You can't keep going like this forever."

Ivan looked up at her, his eyes filled with a sense of helplessness.

"It's not just the workload, Ullie," he said, his voice laced with pessimism.

"All these decisions, all these choices weigh heavily on my conscience. I’m trying my best to appease both the city and our people. The hardest choices have fallen on my shoulders."

Ivan leaned back in his chair and gazed out the window near his desk. He observed Avan training in the barracks, and then turned his attention to Rayhein who was doing some training in a more secluded area of the estate. As he scanned the surroundings, Ivan noticed that many people were working diligently, and it brought him comfort to see their efforts.

“Dear, why don’t you ask Rayhein to help you a little? He is making progress in his studies, and he might be able to assist you,” Ullie said with a smile.

Ivan pondered the suggestion for a moment. "Hmm," he murmured, considering if it was necessary to involve Rayhein in his tasks.

As he contemplated the idea further, Ivan began to wonder if he should test Rayhein's abilities. He remembered how Rayhein had given up after failing the Rumira test for the second time, but he had since grown out of his shell in the past few months. He had even handled the summoner and sky festival incidents remarkably well.

"Maybe I have been too harsh on him," Ivan thought to himself. "How could I expect so much from him when he was born into unfortunate circumstances? Speaking of the damn summoner..." Ivan trailed off in his thoughts.

After giving it more thought, Ivan decided that it was best to increase security measures instead of involving Rayhein in his tasks. He realized that forcing his son to do something would be fruitless, but if Rayhein approached him himself, Ivan would certainly give him a chance.

As Ivan refocused on his work, he stumbled upon a business proposal from one of the high human families.

Thinking about Rayhein brought up memories of Ivan's deceased wife, Fiona. Although he had remarried Ullie, his heart was still scarred with the passing of his first wife. He glanced back out the window, taking in the view of the estate and the hardworking people that called it home. For a moment, Ivan felt at peace.

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Ray had been pondering over Orion’s proposal for a while. He had completely recovered from his injuries and was readjusting to his daily routine. His days now consisted of studying with instructors about management and practicing basic combat drills. Despite the rigorous training, he would be free by the afternoon. Life was not as chaotic as it was a month ago, and Ray had not spoken to Orion for a few days. He had placed Orion's proposal in the back of his mind, focusing instead on his training.

As he practiced in a secluded area near the training barracks, using weighted boulders and martial arts on a training dummy, Ray's thoughts turned inward. He was still filled with anger and confusion, and he knew that he was not ready to make a rational decision about Orion's proposal.

"I'm still far too angry to make a rational decision," he thought to himself, taking a breather and looking at his roughened hands. "My life has taken an unforeseen turn. I had a hunch there was more to this ordeal, but to this extent? Gods? Future? It's still baffling to me how twisted my fate has become. I made a resolve to follow through, but..."

Ray trailed off, taking a deep breath before resuming his punching and kicking.

"I only wanted to save this family for my personal reasons," he continued,

His swings were getting stronger with each passing moment.

"For a promise I made. For my own happiness. And now I'm expected to save the world or multiple realms? I'm not that kind of hero. Never will be. My humanity died in the hell hole of the soldier program. I don't have the sympathy to do all this shit. I was even willing to abandon my brother and Gill before if things did not go according to plan. I just want to save my family and live my life in peace. Is that too much to ask? I've been robbed of my life twice. Don't I deserve some happiness? What MORE DO YOU FUCKING WANT FROM ME?"

Ray's swings became faster and more intense as he spoke, his emotions building with each passing moment. He felt like a pawn in a game he couldn't win, a victim of circumstances beyond his control.

"Thug, Thug, Thug"

In one of his attempts, he tore the training dummy apart, made of seriously sturdy material. Ray's rage continued to grow as he looked at how powerless he was to change his destiny. In this twisted fate, he felt like nothing more than a pawn. He was getting worked up too much looking at himself and his situation. Exhausted, Ray finally retired from training and went to have lunch.

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Ray sat near the window, with a book in his hand, but his eyes were distant and unfocused, lost in thought. The afternoon light cast a warm glow across the room, but it did little to alleviate the tension that seemed to radiate from him. His mind was a tumultuous sea, consumed with questions he could not answer.

Ullie entered the room, a tray in hand. She had taken over the task of serving Ray's meals from Hans the butler, as if to take on a more maternal role in his life. She had always felt a sense of regret that she had not been able to be a mother figure to both Ray and Fiona's other son avan.

As she knocked and entered the room, Ray looked up from his book, and she noticed that he seemed more tense than usual. She approached him and sat down beside him, her concern etched on her face.

"Is everything alright, Rayhein?" she asked, her voice was soft and gentle.

Ray turned to look at his mother, only just noticing her presence in the room. He was struggling to make a decision, and he needed her guidance.

"I'm just having trouble”, he said, his voice heavy with emotion.

“Mom. Can I ask you something?"

For the first time, Ullie heard the word "Mom" from Ray, and she was visibly shocked. Despite having married into the family and having Lilly, neither Ray nor his brother had ever addressed her as "mother."

Ray felt like he could not make a decision, and he couldn't ask outright, so he asked his question in a roundabout way. He was sick of thinking about what to do.

"I... I wanted to ask what you do when everything in your life has no meaning. Everything up to this point has been a result of some twisted fate. Do you accept the destiny that has destroyed your life and let it guide you, or do you not accept it?" he said, his voice broken.

Ray looked down, lost in his thoughts. "I don't know what to do. What can I do?"

Ullie listened attentively to Ray's emotional question, gently caressing his head in a gesture of comfort. She knew that Ray was struggling with his past and the weight of his experiences.

"Rayhein, dear," she said softly, hoping to offer him some solace.

Ray looked at her, his eyes filled with vulnerability, hoping that she could give him some answers.

"Well, you have a choice. You can either let this consume you, or you can use it to take control of your life. Fate may have brought you to this point, but you still have the power to shape your own destiny, Rayhein. Nobody can dictate that."

Ray was desperate for guidance, asking what would happen if he failed again.

"What if that leads to me just repeating the past? What then? I'm scared of failing again," he said, his voice trembling.

Ullie felt an overwhelming surge of emotion as Ray opened his heart to her. She comforted him by hugging him and caressing his head, letting him know that she was there for him.

"The past is like burning wood. It has been lived, and it's burned away, but it has left behind something valuable: the warmth and light it provided. Your past experiences may have been difficult, but they have also shaped you into the person you are today. You can experiment, take risks, and learn from your mistakes. The important thing is to keep moving forward, even when things get tough."

Ullie continued.

“It's important to remember that you have the power to make choices and take actions that can shape your future. While certain circumstances may be outside of your control, Ray you still have the ability to choose how you respond to them. You are what you choose to be Ray”

Ray listened and took all the advice to heart. He could not dwell in his past. Even Orion said that but hearing it from his mother made it feel comforting. He tried to break free from her grasp, but Ullie didn’t let go. As Ray sat there, wrapped in his mother's embrace, he felt a sense of relief wash over him. It was as if a heavy weight had been lifted from his shoulders

“Just stay put. Don’t act all strong. It’s fine to be weak sometimes with someone close to you. Never forget that I and everyone in this family loves you, Rayhein.”

Ray tried to say something, but he could not. He remained silent as his mother embraced him and patted him on his head. It was like she was protecting him from everything. He had never felt the warmth of his biological mother, but being in Ullie's embrace felt so cozy and comforting. Ray finally understood what he wanted to do.

[I now understand what I need to do. I want to save them. My precious family. I will figure out the rest later.]

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In a cave illuminated by the faint glow of scattered stones embedded in the cave structure, a dark figure stood ominously amidst the shadows. Its form was twisted and its bones and some flesh appeared pale and rotting. The figure bowed down, as if in the presence of a great being. Just a few meters away sat a throne, on which sat an ominous figure.

"Why have you returned?" the seated figure asked in a high-pitched, reverberating voice.

The cave had an oppressive atmosphere of death, with a heavy silence punctuated only by the words of the figures.

"A new candidate has appeared. The gods may have descended," the summoner replied.

"That is impossible. It is too soon for them to descend," the seated figure said, its hollow eyes emitting a strange hue questioning his reasoning.

"I only speak of what I have seen. Shinshira. I found it in the Kingdom of Difference (the Unix Kingdom)," the dark figure replied, bowing again.

The seated figure contemplated what had been conveyed, the silence in the cave growing thicker.

"Hmmmm," it finally said, and slowly the light in the cave began to brighten, revealing countless more dark right walker that had been hidden in the shadows.

[author] hiya guys. hope the series is not too slow-paced. Thanks for reading XD[/author]