On his way back to the Clan, Jules walked through the town, feeling strangely off.
Jules definitely didn't expect his return to be celebrated or anything like that.
But as he walked between the members of the Leviathan Squad through the illuminated streets, he could sense their stares and hushed murmurs.
Aside from the whispers of the rumor, they spoke of something else. Something everyone, including Jules's guides, had sensed.
Jules had left as a boy clinging to survival; however, he returned as someone entirely different.
Someone that could be a double-edged blade.
Jules kept an emotionless expression as he walked.
Soon, he was led to the building where he stayed with his mother and sister.
Upon reaching his room, the seven members of the Leviathan Squad remained stationed around the building.
As Jules sat on his bed, his body still healing from a potion he'd been given, someone barged into the room.
A woman–looking younger than her age, with orange hair tied into a ponytail and bright golden eyes–ran to Jules, knelt, and hugged him.
This was Jules's mother, Calista.
"Dear?" she said, worried. The corner of her eyes had a dried trail of tears and her eyes were looking puffy.
Hugging Jules tightly, she began to speak through her tears: "Are you okay? Is there any problem?"
Jules, who had always struggled with mother-son relationships, was stunned.
His lips curled down as he brought his hands around Calista and hugged her back.
"I'm fine… Mother. Everything you gave me really helped."
Calista cried, the sound of her wails sounding throughout the room.
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry," She kept on saying. "If only I had been better."
Jules listened to her, emotions he wasn't familiar with raising within him.
No—he was.
Recalling the memory induced by the Heart, he remembered feeling similar.
The warrior had wanted to see his family in the last moments of his life.
Jules, when he began believing he might die, also desired to see this woman, the desire to finally have a mother seeping in.
Jules, or rather Dan–all his life–had wanted to be acknowledged like this.
Jules clenched his fists behind his mother as he thought of the wretches who suppressed this woman along with him.
Then, he relaxed and said to her, "It's alright, ma. I'm fine, I assure you."
His mother relaxed, releasing slightly and looked at him.
She saw the warm smile Jules wore—she also saw the loneliness that was concealed within.
She brought her hand to his face, and said, "Whatever happens, I'm–no, we are here for you."
Now free to look around, Jules saw a short girl at the door. A girl that looked like the child version of his mother.
She stood with indifference, but her hand clenching her clothes, her restless legs and the water at the corner of her eyes only strengthened Jules's perception of her.
This young fourteen-year-old was Jules's sister, Julie, who died trying to save Jules and her mother in the novel.
Jules flashed Julie a smile before looking at his mother.
"Thank you. Please, I have a request."
His mother raised her brows a bit as she asked, "What's it?"
"Can I have a moment with Captain Freya? Alone?"
Tilting her head a bit, she acquiesced. "Alright."
Hidden at the door, a sixteen-year-old girl with short blonde hair and blue eyes, came out.
"I-I will go call the captain." Jules's childhood friend said, staring at the floor after making subtle contact with Jules.
Julie added with her childish voice, "I'll follow."
As they left, Castila also stood up, cleaning her tears. "I should give you time to rest before you meet her."
Jules nodded with a smile.
Castiala lingered a bit before standing up to leave. She had thoughts as she left Jules's.
She couldn't help but wonder how much Jules faced for him to change like this…
Jules, who's acting as the original was now poor due to his strained mental health, sighed as he prepared to take a bath.
After changing into a shirt and free trousers, he heard a knock.
'Was she waiting for me to be done? That's actually creepy.'
"Come in."
Opening the door, a woman donning a shirt fitted at her waist and tight trousers walked in.
Like Jules's mother, she looked younger than her age, barely having any wrinkles. Her short white hair complemented her dark blue eyes beautifully.
'Captain Freya, the sister of Jules's father.
'This is the woman who kills Jules in the original novel after he ran insane. All I know about Jules–through the novel–was from her narrations. She was also Jules's master.'
Using a mask of indifference, he concealed his fear of this woman.
Jules brought one arm to his chest and bowed slightly, "Good evening."
With a scrutinizing gaze, she spoke with pressure, "I find you odd. You weren't this sharp a few minutes ago."
Jules smiled, letting resentment show. "I've come to realize that there are curious eyes everywhere in this Clan."
Freya's gaze lightened, prompting Jules to add, "And I've decided to give them what they want to see…for now of course."
"Tell me,"Freya said, leaning on a wall as she crossed her hands, "What exactly happened?"
Jules extended his hand towards his chair and sat, saying, "Please don't mind me, I'm very tired. I had a long day after all."
Jules recounted the whole situation–outside the artifacts–in detail to Freya, making her aura grow more pressuring as she put displeasure on her face.
Freya's grip on her arms tightened as Jules's finished, her bonded beast in the distance even reacting to its master's feelings.
Jules coughed with a tense look. "Captain, I fear you might crush me."
Freya closed her eyes and calmed herself, "My apologies."
'Damn, what kind of anger issue do you have?'
"Jules, what you say is true?"
"Oh, definitely. My armor alone can tell the tale."
"The battlefield tells a slightly different tale." Freya replied.
"I'm guessing the narrative has been twisted by those bast–em, by those survivors."
"Feel free around me. They deserve it after all." Freya said, "Along with those old farts too."
Jules found himself chuckling. "So you believe what I say?"
Freya held her words for a moment, before giving it out.
"I do. I expected something, but I didn't know things were this bad."
'Oh, after thinking more, I've come to realise that it's way worse than we think.' Jules added in his heart.
Jules requested for Freya to explain what the two survivors shared about the incident and she did.
After she finished, Jules couldn't help but laugh.
For as far as Jules can remember, this is the first time he was laughing in front of someone.
The fake narrative was annoying yet interesting to Jules.
Freya looked at Jules quietly. A madman was what she saw him now. Someone who had finally lost it.
'It feels good to know they weren't able to do much!' Jules thought.
"Pardon me, Captain." Jules stated, "Now to the main reason why I asked to talk to you. I have a plan to handle this."
"Plan? To handle what?" Freya blurted out.
Jules explained what he had crafted to go against the wretches after deciding to actually survive this clan.
Upon hearing it, Freya frowned more. "With what strength do you want to carry this out?"
Sitting on his chair, Jules replied, spreading his arms, "With this."
Multiple blue magic circles popped up in the room one by one, until they almost filled all corners.
Freya…felt pressured.