Though the words were spoken with some tension, Baron Javeil nodded as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

“This is something that should be widely known throughout the Empire.”

“Yes. You must be acquainted with the other lords, right?”

“To some extent. Life gets difficult without goods coming in from the outside, so I’ve had to maintain good relations with the other territories.”

Sniff. That’s enough to bring tears to my eyes.

Anyway, I gathered my thoughts and spoke up.

“I’ll name a few places for you.”

I began listing the names of the territories I’d visited so far, starting with Drucker.

Speaking them out loud one by one brought back old memories and stirred something in me.

Baron Javeil wrote down each name carefully and thoroughly.

“These places?”

“They’re places where I helped out with a few… minor things. They should especially be familiar with my name.”

“……”

“Even if Kaeld is a fake, the achievements he’s credited with until now aren’t necessarily false. So…”

“You mean that if we announce he’s a fake, those territories won’t exactly respond favourably. I understand what you’re getting at.”

Perhaps it wasn’t a lie that he was a promising talent—he grasped my intention instantly.

“You’re suggesting we first communicate with the territories that are aligned with Sir Mide.”

“Yes. If we suddenly issue a statement using only the name of Hasphil Territory, it’ll just get ignored.”

“But if the territories you named support us…”

“It’ll carry much more weight.”

I searched my memory and added:

“Especially Lady Ariena of the Avis territory. Be sure to talk to her.”

She was the wisest and most thoughtful lord I had met thus far.

But unexpectedly, Baron Javeil burst into laughter.

“Haha. She’s not a ‘lady’ anymore. I think you’re mistaken.”

“…Pardon?”

“She drove her father out and inherited the house. Count Ariena is now the rightful lord of Avis.”

Oh ho.

A smile crept onto my lips.

Offense was grinning smugly behind me.

“Knew it. I totally called that.”

“Mr. Offense, you kidnapped Lady Ariena back then, remember?”

“Doesn’t ring a bell.”

“You’re shameless.”

Then Serein joined in, speaking to Xenia.

“Miss Xenia? Who are you talking to?”

Please, let me off the hook. I might cry.

We wrapped up the discussion and rose from our seats.

Just before leaving the room, I turned to Baron Javeil, pretending as if I’d just remembered something.

“I know this probably isn’t something you personally need to concern yourself with, but…”

“You mean the matter of your mother being imprisoned?”

I clicked my tongue at his perceptiveness.

Behind me, the rest of the party audibly gasped.

“Yes. How did you know?” ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡᴀɴᴛ ᴛᴏ ʀᴇᴀᴅ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs, ᴘʟᴇᴀsᴇ ᴠɪsɪᴛ novel-fire.net

“The moment I heard you were coming, I ordered an investigation. I figured it was something you’d want to check on.”

“Is she still alive?”

“Yes. Ahem… Though I can’t say we treated her particularly well.”

“No need to apologize. Just because she’s my mother doesn’t mean she should be treated any differently than other prisoners. I only ask to visit her once.”

“Of course.”

He gave orders to the guards to guide us to the underground prison.

As we followed, Neril cautiously asked,

“Can I ask what this is about?”

When I turned around, everyone was staring at me.

They were clearly curious, but unsure if it was appropriate to ask, considering my mother was a convict.

“It’s nothing major.”

I answered as lightly as I could.

I thought I’d said it gently enough, but everyone’s expressions darkened.

When I finished explaining, Adwin murmured,

“I had a feeling… You never talked much about your family.”

“It wasn’t a trauma I was hiding or anything. It just didn’t seem necessary for our journey.”

“Hyung…”

“Anyway, could you all wait outside while I visit her? There are things I need to say to her alone.”

Everyone nodded without hesitation.

Soon, we arrived at the prison.

I left the group and went down into the underground alone.

The guard stepped aside to give me privacy.

Once everyone had left, only the prisoner—my mother, Dianne Mohan—and I remained.

I opened my mouth.

“It’s been a while.”

She flinched.

Slowly, she raised her head.

The dull look in her eyes gradually lit up.

She jumped to her feet.

“M-Mide? Is that you, my son?”

She rushed toward me.

Clang.

But the chains fixed to the wall stopped her short.

Reaching out with desperation, she cried,

“It’s really you, isn’t it? Please, let me just hold your hand.”

With a small sigh, I reached through the bars.

The hand I grasped after so long was far more bony and rough than I remembered.

“Ahh… My son. It’s really you.”

“Mother.”

“It’s been years, hasn’t it? You were just a child, and now look at you…”

“……”

“How have you been? Tell me everything.”

I was stunned.

Softly, I withdrew my hand and asked,

“Mother… you mean you didn’t know?”

“Know what?”

“That Uncle Ben might’ve reported you, but I was the one who told him about your ‘crime.’ I investigated everything myself. I followed both you and your lover. I’m the one who put you in this prison.”

“……”

“You’re here because of me.”

It took effort not to raise my voice.

But my mother simply gave a faint smile.

“Of course I knew all of that.”

“Then why? Why did you look so happy to see me?”

“I’m not here because of you. I committed a crime. I conspired to kill my husband—and I did.”

“……”

“That brought you immense pain and suffering. So how could I possibly blame you?”

I bit my lip.

“Why did you kill Father?”

“……”

“Was it because he abused you?”

My mother’s eyes widened in shock.

Her voice trembled as she asked,

“H-How did you…?”

“You both always acted like a perfect, loving couple in front of me. But once I went to bed, it was a different kind of hell.”

“You knew…?”

“Father was cruel. He made sure to hit you only where no one would see—where no neighbour or child would notice. Why didn’t you say anything?”

“Aaaah…”

She crumpled to the floor, face buried in her hands.

She sobbed so violently I worried her frail body might collapse.

After a long while, she finally spoke.

“You admired your father so much.”

“……”

“I was afraid of what would happen to you if you found out what kind of man he really was. You might’ve turned violent like him, or hated him so much that you’d become bitter and broken.”

“Mother…”

“And besides, I did have someone I could lean on. You’d be surprised how much a person can endure as long as there’s just one place to breathe.”

I thought I knew who that someone was.

“You mean Uncle Soyan.”

“Yes. He was your father’s old friend.”

“……”

“At first, I just wanted comfort. I felt like I’d go insane if I couldn’t tell someone. But before I knew it, I truly fell in love with him.”

“……”

“But even he died in this prison. I really have no excuse for any of it, not to you.”

I told myself the thing running down my cheek wasn’t a tear.

So I didn’t bother to wipe it.

I just spoke.

“Was not bringing up Father’s violence during the trial… also for my sake?”

“You might not believe it, but yes.”

“……”

“Let’s not talk about this anymore. I’m afraid it’ll hurt you more.”

Eventually, I wiped my face.

Then I turned on my heel and said,

“I’ll be going now.”

“My son! Wait—can’t we talk just a little longer?”

“It might be hard to believe, but I’m a Hero now.”

“A Hero?”

“I’ll slay the Demon King and come back. So until then… please stay well, Mother.”

Then, from behind the bars, I heard her begin to weep.

She sobbed for a long time before finally speaking again.

“I heard from the guards… that the Hero of this generation had come to our territory. So that was you.”

“I’m leaving.”

“…In that case, I suppose I must tell you.”

Her words, spoken with intent, made me stop in my tracks.

I turned and tilted my head, asking:

“Tell me? Tell me what?”

“…..It wouldn’t look good if the Hero’s mother turned out to be an infamous criminal who murdered her husband.”

“What are you talking about?”

“You see… you’re not the son I gave birth to.”

In that moment—

The world turned upside down.

A wave of nausea and dizziness hit me.

Thud.

I leaned against the wall and asked,

“What are you talking about all of a sudden?!”

“One day, Arald brought you home after finding you abandoned in the mountains. He said we should raise you as our own child.”

“You’re lying. Stop lying.”

“My son. I’m unable to conceive. I don’t know if it’s due to illness or because the gods above cursed me, but that’s the way I am. That was the root of your father’s violence.”

I could only stand there, dumbstruck.

My mother placed a hand on her stomach as she continued.

“At first, he said he’d love me in spite of it—that’s why we got married. But slowly, he grew resentful, and that resentment turned into violence.”

“Mother…”

“You’re not the son of a criminal. Neither I nor your father are your biological parents.”

“……”

“I don’t know all the details, but Heroes are supposed to walk a shining path, aren’t they? That’s how it’s always been. So don’t worry about anything.”

In the end, I covered my mouth and wept quietly.

Then, turning away, I forced the words out:

“I’ll come again.”

“Yes. I’ll be waiting.”

Staggering.

Not even when I faced Kaeld, not even before my regression when I stood against the Demon King—none of it had shaken me this badly.

I called out to Trail.

‘Use the Eye of Omniscience.’

[…Whose secret do you want to see?]

‘Mine. The secret between me, Mide Mohan and my father, Arald Mohan. I need to know if what she said is true.’

[…Alright. One moment.]

Ping.

A screen appeared.

And the moment I saw what was written on it, I couldn’t help but laugh.

<Error. The secret between “Mide Mohan and Arald Mohan” is classified S-rank.>

<Requires Eye of Omniscience Level 5 to access.>

S-Rank.

My origin is considered S-Rank.

I wiped my face and calmed myself.

Then, trying to sound casual, I muttered,

‘Wasn’t A-Rank the highest?’

[Did I ever say that?]

‘Hah. Well, I guess a Hero’s secret birth would be S-Rank material.’

[Are you okay? You look really pale.]

‘The others would freak out if they saw me like this. I’ll just pull myself together for a few minutes before heading out.’

I leaned against the staircase wall.

But Trail spoke sharply.

[Just go.]

‘What?’

[Go back out there. Go face your friends with that miserable face.]

‘What are you talking about? I’m their leader. I can’t let them see me like this.’

[Just do what I say. You have the kind of companions I could never have. Why are you refusing to lean on them? What a waste.]

‘……’

[Just try it. You’ll feel better, I promise.]

I hesitated for a moment, then decided to follow Trail’s advice.

Clack.

I pushed the door open. Light poured in.

The sunlight made it hard to see my party members’ faces clearly.

But I could hear their voices perfectly.

“Mide!”

“Mide, what’s wrong? Did something happen?”

“Bro, your face…”

“Can’t believe you are making that kind of face.”

“Wait, were you crying? Should I summon a water spirit to wash your face?”

“Seriously. You’re always smiling like a clown—what the hell happened?”

Their voices were filled with worry and confusion.

I felt something tighten in my chest as I spoke.

“Serein. Xenia.”

“Yes!”

“Yep.”

“I’m sorry, but could you look after my mother for a bit? She’s really frail from being locked up for so long.”

They both nodded immediately.

“Of course!”

“I know I told the lord not to give her any special treatment, and now I’m saying this—sorry for contradicting myself.”

“No, it’s okay. Honestly, this side of you feels more human. We’ll be back soon! Let’s go, Serein.”

“Don’t yank me, I said I’m coming. You’ll make me fall.”

As the two went downstairs, Adwin hurried to approach me.

Tap.

But Offense and Lisel grabbed his shoulders from either side.

They looked at each other.

“Hm? You too?”

“Offense, really?”

“How’d you know?”

“I just wondered what I would’ve done if Grade ever had a face like that. But you—didn’t think you had that kind of empathy.”

“Lately, everyone’s getting bolder with their insults.”

Adwin turned his head from side to side, confused.

“What are you two talking about? We need to go comfort him!”

“Someone else will do it.”

“What?”

“Come on. Let’s head down.”

They each hooked an arm around Adwin’s and lifted him.

Like they were carrying a crate.

“Wha—aaaargh!”

Adwin let out something like a dying scream as he was carried off.

Soon, everyone had gone down, and only Neril remained.

She looked closely at my face and said:

“Want to cry more?”

“I didn’t say I was crying.”

“With those red eyes? Not very convincing. Honestly, I thought something was off with you since this morning.”

“……”

“Come here, Mide.”

Whoosh.

It was practically a surprise attack.

Neril pulled me into a hug.

Despite being a mage and usually moving slowly, I couldn’t react at all.

“N-Neril?”

“Shh. Just stay still. I’m embarrassed enough as it is.”

“……”

“I just… felt like I had to do this. Don’t ask why.”

“……”

“You can cry now.”

So—did I cry, or didn’t I?

I don’t know.

I’ve already erased it from my memory.

All I remember is how warm Neril’s embrace was.

‘Still, hugging someone like that out of nowhere…’

She really is the Saint of Compulsion.

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