Confession

"Oh, my! What do we have here?"

A woman veiled in a white dress appeared through the prominent among the three white carriages carved with the Ariad Household crest; her long platinum hair cascaded in the presence of the morning winds, whilst her gleaming golden eyes fixated on the lines of individuals, catching the sight of an unexpected imposing one, with whom her angelic heart was tied with under the heaven's gaze.

The Matriarch of Ariad wasn't surprised, seeing her well-built, adequately tall husband in this lonely place far from the prying eyes of the nobility. For her, it would be more surprising if Aladan wasn't here. But arriving almost at the same time was similar to fate casting a die.

"Icaria... What are you doing here?" Aladan's brown eyes shifted, his gaze sharp.

"Huh? Don't I have the right to be here?" Icaria responded with a question that could be perceived as ambiguous.

"You do. But you see, it's quite unexpected to see my loving wife in this faraway abode. Is this the will of the Great Labyrinth for us to gather after a while?"

At first, Aladan's love for his first wife was not genuine as it was borne from political reasons. But through the passing of time, it gradually developed into sincerity. However, unlike the case of Icaria, Aladan's love for Elizabeth was something that naturally sprouted, disregarding the barrier of social hierarchy.

Everyone was silent. The penetrating warmth from the sunlight on the horizon appeared to be overshadowed by the chilling atmosphere. Elizabeth, unexpectedly seeing the woman whom she would rather die than get along with, was flooded with several thoughts, anger looming in her fragile yet maternal heart.

'T–this woman dares to show her face!'

Elizabeth was aware that Guardian Emric and Guardian Racan had acted on Icaria's order. After all, no one throughout the Mazendria Continent would want her to witness her heart crushed and soul shattered.

"Perhaps, my Aladan. How about we step inside for a feast? It's a family gathering, after all. But alas, I haven't been able to invite our five children since they are busy on their own." Icaria said amicably yet her tone contained a subtle tinge of pride at the mention of her children.

Her gaze shifted from one place to another, scanning everyone as she sauntered towards Aladan; she seemed to be looking for the young man who had just opened his eyes yesterday after a long period of time.

After two to three minutes since Icaria's arrival, and after a few exchanges filled with ambiguity between the Patriarch and Matriarch of the Ariad Household, several pronounced steps echoed.

The attention of Aladan, Icaria, Elizabeth, and every other were gathered in a single direction. On the refined wooden, intricate stairs several meters away from the brownish enormous door of the house, Zero Ariad descended with serene strides.

However, Zero Ariad's attire from yesterday didn't change. He still wore the somewhat loose white cloth and dim black pajamas, as though he wanted to remind his father of the 'Calling'. Through his insistence, Olivia and the other maids had no choice but to comply with his will of not wearing formal attire in facing the Patriarch of Ariad.

Witnessing this with his very eyes, Aladan, not as a Marquis of the Ariad Household but as a father of a child whom he thought wouldn't come back into this world, hastily approached his fifth beloved child.

Aladan didn't mind his son's attire, which practically neglected the noble tradition of receiving a noble guest. It could even be said that he didn't notice at all.

With incredulity painted in his countenance, and with his woeful heart trembling, Aladan appeared in front of him. Unlike Elizabeth's reaction, what he did was tap his son's shoulders with either hand before muttering in a tone of fulfilled longing:

"M–my son, I–I'm glad... I am just glad!"

He could not muster everything contained in his heart other than gratitude as he pressed his refined body against his son's, feeling the warmth between a father and a son that hadn't been shared and sensed for around ten years.

"I–I'm so glad! Z–zero, I have missed you, a–and I hope... that you forgive your coward father..."

For Aladan, Zero Ariad was someone ignorant of the world's changes over the last ten years, which included the former's declaration of the latter's death in front of the Great Emperor and many others.

Tears flowed down his dignified countenance, unbefitting of the noble demeanor that a Marquis should possess. But it was something that didn't matter. Something that shouldn't even matter!

After all, a person's blood was and would always be stronger than a person's status.

It agonized him, that he had to practically declare his son's death. But even then, it was the right course of objective action concerning the several repercussions that could befall his other children.

Aladan did not regret it; Zero Ariad was aware... and grateful for that, especially after learning in regards to his little sister's existence.

Grasping everything behind his father's emotion, Zero Ariad intermittently tapped his father's back. It was as though the latter was the one in need of comfort.

"I'm here, Father."

That was his first words addressing his father after around ten years. But it was more than enough for the restrained cold drops of tears to intensify, being overwhelmed by his son's somewhat confused yet indifferent voice that he missed and heard for the first time in a long time.

Seeing this spectacle of reunion, Icaria's fist discreetly clenched, whilst Elizabeth failed to contain her emotions as tears also escaped her amber eyes. Through all of this, the former was aware not to interrupt what was undesirable in front of her, letting everything unfold.

After all, there was this rule enforced by the Patriarch of Ariad mainly addressing his wives, that the visitor of the other's house would always be inferior to the master of the house. It wouldn't matter if Icaria was the Matriarch; if she's the guest of the Branch House, Elizabeth would have authority over her, provided such authority would not be abused in any form or way.

In addition, Icaria was not ignorant in regard to her husband's love for Zero Ariad. This fatherly love that Aladan had for his children was shared equally by every child, without a hint of discrimination but rather with the foundation built through understanding.

Several moments later, after everything seemed to settle down, Olivia's polite voice echoed as she and the other maids curtsied:

"Patriarch, we have prepared a feast for your visit. Please this way."

It was the time for a formal gathering at the same table, where uncertain futures would be decided.

***

"My son, can you tell me what happened? What did you see? What did you experience?" Aladan queried as he sat at the end of the long mottled table, his right hand with a fork piercing a steak procured from a Sun Cattle, the natural inhabitants of the scorching Linan Desert.

Unlike the light breakfast that Zero Ariad, along with his mother and little sister had yesterday, the delicacies arranged on the table at this moment were lavishly luxurious and truly delectable to be savored through one's pair of eyes alone.

Icaria, sitting across from her rival seated beside Zero and Masha, waited for the young man's answer. She was reminded of the deaths of her Guardians, which was shrouded in mystery.

"I'm sorry, Father. I don't know. All I could remember was being trapped in an endless darkness, aimlessly wandering alone. Aside from that, I have no memory of everything that had transpired. Everything... everything's hazy in my mind." Zero Ariad responded, giving the similar scenario he had told his mother of.

Listening to his son attentively, Aladan said in a serene voice, "I see. If that's the case then do not force yourself to remember everything. All that matters is that you're awake now, alright? After all, your case was unprecedented that no scholars I had secretly consulted with had any idea of what you went through.

"On a different note, since you're now an Explorer, receiving the Blessing of the Labyrinths, how are you feeling?"

Zero Ariad reached for a glass of lukewarm water. Taking a sip before putting the glass down, he replied, "Father, you could say that I'm better than I was."

"Hoh? What's with that confident tone, son? Well, even if your frail body has been stagnant for ten years, what matters most is the transformation of the soul. It's what being shaped by the power of labyrinths, and the gradual changes of the body are just its aftereffects."

The reason Zero Ariad could move well with his frail body upon waking up, enabling him to eliminate the two treacherous Guardians, was due to his soul being refined to its limit, aside from lingering Mana everywhere.

"Yes, Father. By the way, I have received the Class Specialization, Summoner."

"What?" A bewilderment in Aladan's voice at the sudden revelation.

Icaria shared the sentiment that her confused husband had. Being a Summoner, although was not considered rare, was an average class among all classes. But the concern lay in a different matter, within the scope of Sovereignty.

Processing what she had just heard, Icaria couldn't help but interject before Aladan could do so, "You! Are you going to continue bringing disgrace to the family!?"

The Ariad Household was known to possess one prominent class: Guardian — not revolving around the basic, initial class but among its tree of evolution. Even in the lineages of nobility within the Endaira Empire, no family was prominent for being a bunch of Summoners.

Even Elizabeth understood Icaria's strong reaction since the latter was the daughter of one of the Angelican Families in the Dominion of Dea, where the race Angel-borne resides.

With this in mind, the Class Specialization, Summoner was prominent in the Royal Bloodline of White Eclipse, Lunaria Queendom, where the counterrace of the Angel-borne resides — Vampire.

Even so, Elizabeth could not just tolerate Icaria's hostility aimed at her son; the former stood from her seat before saying to the latter's face, "Why does that matter?! You know in the eyes of the world, my son doesn't exist! What more do you want?! Just leave us alone, will you!? Stop acting like a fallen one!"

Hearing the word, "fallen" — those who were banished or banned from entering the Dominion of Dea — Icaria's anger soared. She vanished from her seat in almost an instant and arrived behind Elizabeth.

"This wretched concubine!" Screaming, Icaria grabbed the concubine's obsidian hair.

Or at least she attempted to when an authoritative voice had frozen everyone in place.

"STOP!"

At the same time, the cry of a little child echoed, unable to handle the pressuring atmosphere that this mess was exuding.

"Wah–"

Zero Ariad reached for her little sister's head, pressing it in his chest as he gently rubbed her back. Witnessing this, knowing he had made the mistake of showing an undesirable side as a father to his little daughter, Aladan calmed his voice as he instructed his two wives to take their seats.

Elizabeth comforted Masha, as the former also realized her mistake for disregarding the latter's presence for a moment. Two seconds later, a cold yet calm voice addressed the women of authority:

"Icaria, Elizabeth. Do not do anything stupid in front of my son and daughter."

It was the voice of the Marquis, a General appointed by the Great Emperor, not of a husband and father. Such a tone sent shivers down the two wives' spine, prompting them to lower their heads.

"Wilhelm."

Elizabeth's butler, Wilhelm Od Akad, appeared from behind the Patriarch of Ariad.

"Bring my daughter to Olivia. Let her take care of Masha."

After a moment or two, Masha was brought outside the dining hall. Scanning everyone that remained in this place, Aladan focused his gaze on his son as a thought struck him:

'It seems Elizabeth has already informed him of several situations, especially about his fake death...'

Letting out an expressive sigh, recalling what Zero had just revealed earlier, Aladan spoke, "Zero, I don't know what actions to take yet based on your abrupt revelation. Maybe Emric and Racan will have an idea. Where–?"

Aladan paused, not sensing the two presence of the Guardians within the confines of the villa. He hadn't noticed earlier because he was too focused on the news of his son's awakening, his son himself, and his son's surrounding circumstances; it also didn't allow Aladan to pick up the rumors surrounding the death of two Guardians who fought several mercenaries.

Looking at his father's puzzled face, Zero Ariad interjected, "Father, I have a suggestion on what actions we should be taking from this moment onwards..."

Before Aladan could ask for the whereabouts of Emric and Racan, Zero Ariad garnered his attention.

"After all, I have killed the two Guardians you are looking for."