Chapter 136: ¹³⁶Homecoming

?Creeeak...

?The side door connecting the kitchen to the main hall creaked softly open.

?Asrof stepped inside cautiously. The old man—still holding the broad-shouldered, rigid posture of his former military days—had only intended to check on the violent crash that had suddenly shaken the house to its foundation.

?However, the sight bathed beneath the dim glow of the oil lanterns brought his feet to a dead halt.

?The main hall of the Valen Manor had descended into utter chaos.

?Sprawled across the wooden floor, four unfamiliar women lay in pitiful condition.

?Kaelia von Ashford slumped forward, her ruby-red dress wrinkled and disheveled, her fiery red hair falling in a mess over her face. Valera Voss was down on one knee, her black leather armor creaking as her palm pressed against the floor, while the hilt of the Zweih?nder across her back vibrated to the rhythm of her ragged breaths.

?In another corner, Laras sat curled up, clutching her knees. Her frail frame beneath the cream cotton dress trembled uncontrollably, exposing purple bruises lining her neck.

?Only Isolde von Rosenberg managed to stand upright. Though her dark blue silk dress was caked in dust and her gold-rimmed glasses were missing, her icy-blue eyes flickered with restrained shock.

?Yet it was not these four women who sent a chill coursing through Asrof’s veins.

?Lying face-down in the center of them all was the body of his Master.

?The dark calf-length trench coat that was Ethan Valen’s signature was shredded to pieces, scorched and torn wide open across the back. His black tunic was soaked through with blood and cold sweat.

?But what made Asrof freeze entirely was what lay upon his master’s back.

?Resting there, limp and broken, was a massive pair of shattered wings. Pitch-black at the base like a starless night, their tips still held a faint, weakly throbbing crimson glow. Portions of the wings were severely torn, revealing dark tissue that seeped wisps of thin vapor.

?"Young... Master...?"

?Asrof stood frozen. His mind, honed by years on the battlefield, refused to process what his eyes were witnessing. His master possessed wings. Wings that undeniably did not belong to a human.

?Yet his military instincts kicked in faster than his disbelief.

?"Get the Young Master to his room! Right now!" Asrof commanded, his voice snapping back to authority despite the slight tremor in his hands.

?He knelt at Ethan’s side, ignoring the unfamiliar women. His gaze locked onto the severe, reddish burns forming an intricate, unnatural pattern across both of his master’s shoulder blades—right where the wings anchored to his flesh.

?Asrof’s veteran instincts immediately took complete control. He had no idea what had transpired, but he knew one thing with terrifying clarity: his master was clinging to life by a thread.

?Tap! Tap!

?Berta and Yuna rushed in from the kitchen doorway.

?"Oh dear God...!" Berta’s eyes widened, her hands flying to cover her mouth to suppress a panicked scream.

?Beside her, Yuna froze. The small, dark-brown-haired girl trembled as she stared at her master lying helpless on the floor, her swollen eyes welling up with tears instantly.

?Seeing the servants spiraling into panic, Isolde stepped forward to take control.

?"Lift him," Isolde commanded, her tone cold and measured. "Move him to his chamber. Immediately."

?Asrof gave a sharp nod. He slipped both arms under Ethan’s body, unbothered by the blood staining his servant uniform.

?As he lifted the young man, Asrof’s heart sank. Ethan’s body, which usually radiated an overwhelming aura of dominance, felt alarmingly light—like an empty shell—and his skin was as cold as ice.

?Inside his head, a single question pounded relentlessly, but he forced it down:

?What on earth happened to the Young Master...?

?Without wasting a single second, Asrof hurried down the dimly lit hallway toward the master bedroom.

?Behind him, Kaelia, Valera, Laras, and Isolde forced themselves up. They stumbled behind Asrof in a tense, silent procession.

?Click.

?As they moved along the hallway, a wooden door on the right swung open.

?Miya Evarett stepped out of Elara’s room. The petite Elf physician looked as though she had just woken up, her long blonde hair cascading messily past her waist.

?Her pointed ears twitched anxiously.

?Yet the moment Miya’s soft violet eyes caught sight of Ethan slumping limply in Asrof’s arms, every trace of sleepiness evaporated.

?"Lord Ethan...?"

?Miya darted forward. Gone was the timid girl who usually kept her head lowered. She reached for Ethan’s neck, pressing two fingers firmly against his carotid pulse.

?Thump... thump...

?The pulse was agonizingly weak and slow. His skin radiated a heavy, suffocating chill of impending death.

?"Get him into the main bedroom! Quickly!" Miya barked sharply.

?The absolute authority in the tiny Elf’s command compelled everyone to obey without hesitation.

?Asrof rushed inside, placing Ethan’s body onto the master bed with utmost care.

?Miya followed immediately, ignoring Kaelia and the others crowding at the doorway. She closed her eyes, letting her magical perception scan Ethan’s body.

?The finding was horrifying.

?The mana circuits inside Ethan’s body weren’t merely depleted—they were nearly destroyed beyond repair. And across his shoulder blades, those strange burn marks were still exuding faint wisps of steam.

?Miya drew a deep breath.

?"All of you... step outside," Miya said without turning around. "I need absolute focus."

?The four women at the doorway hesitated for a moment, but they realized they would only be in the way. Kaelia stepped back first, followed by Valera and Laras.

?Isolde was the last to move. She lingered, gazing at Ethan for a brief second before pulling the door handle and shutting it tight.

?Click.

?The moment the door closed, Miya extended both hands over Ethan’s chest.

?Crimson Radiance...

?A pale red glow erupted from her palms, bathing the dark chamber in a warm hue.

?FLASH!

?Yet right as the healing spell began mending Ethan’s severed mana circuits, a sudden magic resonance flared violently against Miya’s left thigh.

?The crimson rose tattoo of her Lust Brand throbbed with a searing sting! It felt like white-hot iron pressed directly against her skin—a side effect of their absolute soul contract reacting to Ethan’s critical state.

?"Ngh...!" Miya gritted her teeth tightly, holding back a scream so her spell wouldn’t unravel.

?The resonance surged powerfully beyond the bedroom walls!

?"Agh!" Kaelia suddenly clutched her lower abdomen, collapsing to her knees under the scorching heat of the black-flame rose burning against her skin.

?"Tch!" Valera hissed, turning her face away as she rubbed the spiral rose mark on her left neck, which felt as if it were being pricked by a thousand needles.

?In the corner of the hallway, Laras shivered violently as the rose on her back pulsed wildly. Meanwhile, Isolde froze in place, catching her breath as the roots of the black rose on her back flared with burning heat.

?Inside the bedroom, the pale red light emanating from Miya’s hands gradually dimmed.

?Hah... hah...

?Miya panted heavily. She had squeezed out every last drop of her mana to stabilize Ethan’s burns and wrecked circuits.

?Yet the young man showed no signs of waking. Ethan’s eyelids remained firmly shut.

?Miya lowered her trembling hands. She bowed her head deeply, consumed by a sharp surge of frustration and helplessness.

?Meanwhile, the main hall had transformed into a waiting room thick with suffocating tension.

?Kaelia sat dazed on an old wooden chair. Her golden-yellow eyes stared blankly at the floor. Her mind replayed the terrifying moment when the Lust Brand had forcibly dragged her through the ruptured dimension.

?Inside her heart, anxiety tangled with anger. ’Why does he always... always keep everything to himself?’

?Near the window, Valera stood like a statue. Her left hand never left the hilt of her Zweih?nder, while her amber eyes swept the darkness outside. Yet beneath her combat-ready posture, her jaw remained tightly clenched, masking something she refused to admit: panic.

?In the darkest corner, Laras curled up, hugging her knees. She understood nothing about spatial magic or factional warfare. The young girl was simply terrified.

?Meanwhile, Isolde sat upright on the sofa. Her mind replayed the horrific sights before they were summoned away: the torn skies of Astrea, the vortex of blood, and the slaughter in the streets. She kept all of it buried tightly behind her icy composure.

?Asrof stood at the threshold of the hallway, his hands trembling slightly. Questions swirled relentlessly in his mind, but he forced them back. Questions about those wings. About who his master truly was. But he knew this was not the time.

?From the kitchen, suppressed sobs echoed softly. Berta wiped her tears with her apron, while Yuna stood frozen, gazing down the hallway toward Ethan’s room with swollen eyes. The young maid kept her head lowered, choking back the sobs clawing at her throat.

?In another room, Elara Valen lay in a fitful sleep.

?Cold sweat beaded across her forehead. Her blind eyes darted restlessly beneath her closed eyelids.

?In her world of silence, Elara felt a terrifying anomaly. An abyss of sudden emptiness opened up in her chest—a suffocating sense of loss.

?"Brother... Ethan...?" she whispered hoarsely in her sleep.

?She fought to break through to consciousness, but her fragile body refused to move. The physical strain dragged her back under, sinking her back into the dark depths of slumber.

?Time crawled agonizingly slow until dawn finally broke.

?Pale sunlight filtered through the window slits, illuminating fine specks of dust dancing in the air.

?Inside the master bedroom, Ethan remained lying stiffly, his breathing slow and shallow. Beside the bed, Miya had collapsed into sleep from exhaustion, a medical notebook resting limp on her lap.

?Outside the door, Kaelia sat on the wooden floor, her back pressed directly against the door of Ethan’s room. Her eyes were bloodshot and ringed with dark circles—she hadn’t closed her eyes all night.

?Valera remained standing vigil at her post. Laras had fallen asleep in the corner, wrapped in a thick wool coat. And Isolde stood unmoving before the main window of the hall.

?Isolde stared straight toward the eastern sky.

?Far in the distance, beyond the mountain ranges and vast forests, the sky above the Astrean Capital refused to return to normal. The gruesome blood-red scar remained etched across the heavens...

?A grim omen that this calamity had only just begun.