After changing into a simple outfit, at least by House standards, I left my cabin and headed towards the airship's dining room. The two House Sturm retainers escorted me there. I didn't know if they were supposed to guard me, or babysit me.

From what I gathered, my parents weren't happy with me at the moment. However, I wasn't entirely sure why. Maybe they felt that my actions had damaged the honor and prestige of House Sturm. I had been rather reckless, after all.

When we arrived, I found my parents waiting for me. The airship's dining room was a small and simple, but elegant, space. A rectangular table occupied the center of the room. Small glowstones embedded in the ceiling formed an intricate design. A massive window took up an entire wall, giving the dining room's occupants a great view of the landscape beyond the airship.

The House Sturm retainers remained outside, while I entered. Father and Mother sat at one end of the table, waiting for me. I joined them. The moment I sat down, servants entered the dining room. They brought out a small feast's worth of food and placed most of it in front of me.

At first I thought about protesting, but then I smelled the food and an intense bout of hunger hit me. I decided to keep any protests to myself. After the servants placed everything down, they exited the dining room, leaving me alone with my parents. Mother gestured to the small feast in front of me and said a single word in a stern voice.

"Eat."

After that, the three of us focused on our meal. Somehow, I maintained control of myself instead of scarfing everything down, like some sort of starving beast. The food tasted exquisite, which didn't help matters.

I managed to eat about half of the small feast, before I gave up. I leaned back in my seat and let out a sigh of satisfaction. I no longer felt hollow, though I still felt tired. My stomach formed a little bump, that was how much I ate. My parents, who finished eating a while ago, looked at me with odd expressions on their faces.

Afterwards, the servants returned to remove the remnants of our meal. When they left, the atmosphere in the dining room grew somber. Well, my parents grew somber. I remained leaning against my chair, enjoying my post-meal bliss.

"Gabriel," Father said, "We need to talk about your actions."

I gave him a lazy look.

"What about them?" I asked, lethargic.

"What were you thinking, Young Mman?" Mother demanded. "You almost got yourself killed!"

I frowned. That's what they wanted to talk about?

"Yes?" I said, uncertain. "There's always a risk of that when hunting monsters and fighting demons."

My parents gave me incredulous looks.

"That's it?" Mother asked. "That's all you have to say for yourself?"

My frown deepened.

"What else am I supposed to say?"

Mother slammed her fist on the table with enough force to crack it.

"Almost anything else!" She said. "Apologize. Promise that it will never happen again, or at least say that you'll be more careful."

I sat up straight.

"I didn't do anything that warrants an apology." I said. "Nor can I promise that it will never happen again." I paused. "As for being more careful… I was already as careful as I could be, given the situation."

Mother stood up, knocking her chair back. Her nostrils flared as she glared at me. Father placed a hand over hers.

"Claire." He said in a soothing tone. "Let me."

Mother continued to glare at me, before she nodded. Father turned to face me while Mother went to pick up her chair.

"Gabriel," Father said, giving me a stern look, "When we arrived and found you unconscious, we were besides ourselves with worry. We feared that…" He paused and took a breath. "… We feared that you might die. Your dismissive attitude towards your own safety is upsetting, to say the least."

I gave him a baffled look.

"I don't understand." I said. "What do you want from me? As I said earlier, I didn't do anything that warrants an apology. You make it sound like I was being a reckless fool who risked his life over something trivial. Yes, I almost died. However, I did so while defending Icefall City from a demon incursion. What was I supposed to do? Walk away?" I looked between my parents. "I am a Sturm. Hunting demons is what we do."

Mother covered her eyes with one hand.

"Gabriel," she said, her voice thick with emotion, "We almost lost you a few months ago. In fact, from what you told us, we did lose you. It is a miracle that you returned to us." She removed her hand and glared at me, tears in her eyes. "And now, we almost lost you again. How do you think that made us feel?"

I stared at her, stunned.

"Yes, we are Sturms." Father said. "Hunting demons is part of our legacy." He shook his head. "However, before I am a Sturm, I am your father. Your safety is more important to me than any legacy."

I looked away from them, ashamed of my words earlier.

"I apologize." I said. "I didn't take your feelings into account."

Mother sighed.

"No." She said. "It's our fault. You still doubt us, don't you?"

I didn't answer. I didn't have to. She was right. While I knew my parents loved me, a part of me still doubted them. While dying and transmigrating twice helped me understand them better, that didn't erase the things I went through.

"I know we weren't the best parents towards you." Father said. "In fact, it's fair to say that we were terrible. You endured a great deal of torment and we didn't notice, or pretended not to at least."

Mother let out a self-deprecating laugh.

"We already knew the solution to your troubles, so we thought it was fine." She said in a bitter tone. "There wasn't any urgency. We thought we had time. Besides, a little hardship is good for building character." She took a deep breath. "It wasn't until the Incident that we realized just how wrong we were."

"We failed you, Gabriel." Father said in a sincere tone. "But please believe us when we say that we love you, and we want nothing more than for you to live a long and happy life."

Tears pricked my eyes. I looked up and blinked to keep them from falling.

"I understand." I said in a quiet voice. "And I forgive you."

While a part of me wanted to lash out at them, I didn't see the point. My parents were reaching out to me, which was what I always wanted. That, and their approval. Yes, I could hold on to my anger and bitterness, but I would only hurt myself in the end.

"However," I said, looking back down at my parents, "I won't stop being an adventurer. I enjoy it and find it fulfilling. It's dangerous, I know, but that's not enough to deter me." I gave them a wry smile. "Just as you ask for my understanding, I ask for yours."

Mother looked away from me and bit her lip.

"Very well." Father said in a quiet voice. "Just promise us that you'll be more careful in the future."

I nodded.

"I promise." I said.

"And don't be afraid to ask us for help the next time you find yourself in a situation like this. I know we haven't proven ourselves to be the most reliable parents, but you don't have to do everything by yourself."

I frowned at him.

"What are you talking about?" I asked.

Father gestured to me.

"We know that you asked Grand Priest Darius for help in dealing with the demonic incursion," he said.

Oh! I understood what he meant now.

"Father," I said, "I didn't ask you for help with the demonic incursion because I thought you were unreliable. It's because I don't trust House Sturm's retainers and collateral families. They don't like me, and they certainly don't respect me. I don't want people like that watching my back in a life and death situation."

Father closed my eyes.

"Which is another failure on my part." He said. "If I had been a proper father to you, the situation wouldn't have devolved to this point." He opened his eyes. "However, there is still time to rectify the situation. While you can't be my heir, you are still my son and a member of the main family."

"No." Mother said, her voice as cold and hard as steel.

Father and I looked at her. She turned towards us with a harsh expression on her face.

"There's no point in trying to win over the retainers and collateral families." She said. "That would take too much effort for too little gain. Gabriel doesn't need people who need to be cajoled and threatened into listening to him. He needs his own people, those willing to follow and obey him."

Father nodded.

"So, that's the choice you've made." He said.

Mother nodded.

"Clan Leone and the Martial Arts Alliance won't like it."

Mother sneered.

"At this point, do you think I care about that? I kept my head down all these years, and looked at what happened. We almost lost our son twice. No more."

I looked between my parents.

"What are you two talking about?" I asked.

"I intend to found Clan Sturm." Mother said.

I blinked at her in surprise.

"We discussed the matter on the way here, though we didn't reach a conclusion." Father said. "House Sturm has little influence in Murim. We don't belong. However, if you're going to be a part of Murim, you need backing." He nodded at Mother. "Thus your mother intends to found Clan Sturm."

I took a moment before responding.

"Isn't that why you wanted me to marry Lady Annabelle Thorne?" I asked. "To gain Clan Thorne's backing?"

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

Mother nodded.

"Yes." She said. "To protect you from Clan Leone. However, after giving it some thought, I realized that isn't enough. Instead of relying on others' strength, we need to build up our own." She snorted. "This will anger Clan Leone and the Martial Arts Alliance, but I am beyond caring about them at this point."

Huh. Well, I wasn't going to complain. Being the young master of Clan Sturm would benefit me a lot in the future.

"Wait a minute." I said, frowning. "Does this mean you don't want me to marry Lady Annabelle now?"

"That depends on whether or not she's willing to marry into our family," Mother said. "If not, then that changes things." She shrugged. "Regardless, the final decision is yours. As I said before, I won't force you into a marriage you don't want." She paused. "However, you should still meet with her. We already made the appointment. If we cancel now, Clan Thorne might take it as an insult."

I gave her a confused look, before I remembered that she didn't know about Anna. For a moment, I considered telling her. However, I decided against it for now. I wanted to talk with Anna and get her opinion first. Besides, there wasn't any rush.

Instead, I decided to ask why my parents were up here in the Icefall region. It was something that had been on my mind for a while now. However, when I opened my mouth, I let out a huge yawn.

Ah, I see. Now that I had some food in me, my body decided that it was time to go back to sleep.

"You should get some more rest." Father said. "We can continue this discussion later."

I wanted to protest, saying that I had already slept enough, but then I let out another yawn.

"In that case, I shall take my leave." I said, standing up.

My parents stood up as well. I gave each of them a hug, before I left the dining room and the two House Sturm retainers escorted me back to my cabin. When I arrived, I didn't bother changing clothes. I collapsed onto the bed.

As I started to fall asleep, I realized that I never brought up the traitors within House Sturm. There were the ones who led to our House's downfall, and the ones who conspired to kill me.

After a while, I decided to hold off on that for now. I wanted to see Kaylee first. If she was a regressor like Anna and Cally, then we could discuss the matter together. If not, then I would figure things out on my own.

With that, my consciousness faded away and I fell into a deep sleep.

I woke up the next day, feeling far more refreshed. After getting ready, I joined my parents for breakfast. As we ate and talked, I learned that my parents came to the Icefall region for two reasons.

The first was Lorelei Frostheart. After receiving my last letter, where I asked Mother to take Lorelei as a student, Mother decided to come up here to see her for herself. She wanted to test Lorelei and see if she would make for a worthy student.

The second reason was Kaylee. The current semester at the Solarian Imperial Academy was almost over, so it was time for us to visit my younger sister and pick her up. Father figured that rather than wait for me to return to Sturm Manor, my parents could fly up to the Icefall region and pick me up, before flying down to the Solarian Imperial Academy.

They wanted to surprise me, which was why they hadn't responded to the last letter I sent them. Of course, when they arrived, they hadn't expected me to remain unconscious for a week, which put us behind schedule. In order to reach the Solarian Imperial Academy in time, we needed to leave within the next few days. Even then, we'd be cutting it close. Still, we had some time.

There was also the meeting with Lady Annabelle Thorne that my mother set up. It was scheduled to take place in Sunheart, the capital of the Solarian Empire. No House ruled the city. Rather, it was the personal domain of the Sun Emperor, the immortal ruler of the Solarian Empire. No one dared make any trouble there. This made it neutral ground, a safe place to meet with scions from other Houses.

Sunheart wasn't far from the Solarian Imperial Academy, at least by airship, so the plan was to pick up Kaylee and then head towards the meeting. That said, the meeting wasn't really necessary since I already met Anna, or Lady Annabelle rather.

However, Anna and I hadn't met in an official capacity, so the meeting still served a purpose. This would also give our families a chance to meet and interact with one another. I had to admit, a part of me felt nervous about meeting my potential in-laws.

After breakfast, my parents and I headed over to Icefall City. When they first arrived, they landed the airship atop a large hill about a half mile away. Close enough so we could visit the city with ease, but far enough away that the local powers wouldn't feel nervous about our presence. The Icefall region was a small pond, and we were pretty big fish.

We didn't bother with carriages or any other vehicles. As a Fifth Circle wizard with an affinity for Air, among other elements, Father was more than powerful enough to fly us to Icefall City. We traveled in a group that included Trent Jeffers and a small contingent of House Sturm retainers. However, when it was time for us to leave, I noticed that we were missing someone.

"Where's Caitlyn?" I asked.

Caitlyn was my mother's personal bodyguard, as well as Leroy and Richard's mother. Despite this, I hadn't seen her once since I woke up.

"She's already in Icefall City guarding Joanna." Mother said. "After healing you, Joanna decided to help with the wounded. Leroy decided to stay with his mother, which is why he wasn't here."

I nodded in understanding. That explained a few things.

Afterwards, Father lifted our group with his magic and flew us over to Icefall City. I sighed, feeling envious. At the higher levels, both martial artists and wizards with an affinity for Air could fly. However, wizards could fly sooner. Not only that, but they could also help other people fly as well.

While I loved martial arts, I also acknowledged that magic had the advantage in certain areas. Of course, enchanted items mitigated this advantage somewhat.

It was a rather gloomy and overcast day when we arrived at Icefall City. A layer of gray clouds blanketed the sky. From above, I saw that the land around the city remained ravaged from all the traps we built to defend it. Closer to the walls, I saw the corpses of thousands of demons and fiends. Some choked the moat, while others were piled against the walls themselves.

They hadn't been cleared away, even though a week had passed since the battle. House Icefall, the Icefall Adventurers Guild, and the local Church of the Sun must be stretched thin dealing with the aftermath.

I studied the bodies from the air. From what I could tell, most of them died to a single powerful attack. Had the red-haired man killed them? I assumed so.

Father landed our group near the south gate, which remained intact, so we could enter Icefall City on foot. While we could've flown over the walls, that would've been rude.

Even before we neared the ground, I almost choked at the stench of rotting demons and fiends. It was beyond nauseating. I resisted the urge to vomit. Some of the House Sturm retainers retched.

"Bryce." Mother said, her nose wrinkled.

Father snapped his fingers and the stench disappeared. One of the benefits of Air magic.

As we approached the south gate, the guards protecting it grew nervous when they realized who we were. They offered to find a carriage for us, which Father accepted. While I was used to walking around everywhere, things were different now. I wasn't just an adventurer anymore. I was a scion of House Sturm, and I needed to act the part.

When the carriage arrived, my parents and I boarded it. It was rather crude and simple, unbefitting of our status, but we weren't in a position to be picky. We headed towards the center of Icefall City while Trent Jeffers and the other House Sturm retainers escorted us.

Along the way, I looked out the window. While Icefall City suffered some damage from the battle, it was in much better shape than I expected. As far as I knew, only the flying demons and fiends had made it past the walls. The rest died before they had a chance, thanks to the red-haired man.

I felt conflicted about him. On the one hand, I wanted to grow powerful enough to defeat him. I viewed him as a wall to overcome, a stepping stone to propel me to greater heights. On the other hand, I felt grateful towards him. He kept his word and ensured Icefall City's survival. Without his intervention, the city would've died. Many of my friends would've died with it.

Of course, if the red-haired man hadn't destroyed the north gate, things wouldn't have become so dire in the first place.

When we arrived at the center of Icefall City, our group split up. Mother headed towards the Icefall Adventurers Guild. She wanted to meet with Lorelei and see if she was a suitable student. Meanwhile, Father wanted to meet with Lord Icefall and discuss some matters.

Both asked if I wanted to join them. However, I declined. Instead I headed towards the local Church of the Sun. According to my parents, the local church had been turned into a makeshift hospital. Since I wanted to find the people I had fought beside and see how they were doing, I decided to go there.

When I arrived, with two House Sturm retainers in tow, I realized that my parents had understated the matter. There were so many wounded that they couldn't all fit inside the local Church of the Sun. So, the priests and priestesses set up tents to accommodate the spillover.

The smell of medicine and blood filled the air as I approached. It mingled with the sound of the injured and dying. My heart clenched. There were so many of them, even a week later. Healers, both the Holy magic and the Water magic variety, worked hard to save them. However, even though they worked literal miracles, there was a limit to what they could do.

As I searched around, I saw a familiar figure through one of the tent flaps: Joanna. She tended to a tent filled with injured people. Caitlyn stood beside her, keeping watch. However, I didn't see Leroy.

I thought about calling out to Joanna, but decided against it. She looked busy enough without me interrupting her. So, I turned my attention to Caitlyn. When I entered the tent, she looked in my direction and gave me a slight bow. I nodded in return.

"Lord Gabriel," she said, "It's good to see you awake."

"Thank you." I said, glancing around. "Where's Leroy? I thought he was with you."

Caitlyn nodded towards the church.

"Inside." She said. "With…" She paused with a conflicted expression on her face. "… Richard and Lord Andre."

Ah, right. Leroy's family situation was complicated. When my mother left Clan Leone, Caitlyn followed her and brought Leroy along. Meanwhile, Leroy's father stayed behind with Richard.

"Do you want to go see them?" I asked, gesturing to my escorts. "I can have someone else keep a watch over Joanna for you."

I glanced at Joanna. She was so focused on her work that she hadn't noticed my presence.

"I appreciate the offer, but no." Caitlyn said, shaking her head. "I don't have the courage to face Richard. Not now." She gave me a strained smile. "Maybe later."

I thought about insisting, but decided against it. It wasn't my place.

"Very well." I said. "In that case, I shall take my leave."

Caitlyn nodded, before I turned to leave. However, I paused before I exited the tent.

"I may be speaking out of turn," I said, looking back at Caitlyn, "however, don't wait too long. Otherwise, you might lose your chance."

Caitlyn clenched her jaw and nodded. With that, I left the tent and headed inside the church. It was crowded inside, with hundreds of wounded people occupying the worship room. They lay atop makeshift cots. The smell of medicine and blood was even stronger in here.

I asked a harried-looking priest about Lord Andre. He gave me directions to one of the private rooms in the back of the church. I thanked the priest and made my way back there.

Following the priest's directions, I made my way to Andre's room. Before I entered, I turned towards the two House Sturm retainers following me.

"Stay out here." I commanded them.

They started to argue with me, but I silenced them with a look. After a moment they nodded, though they wore aggrieved expressions on their faces. Huh. I hadn't expected them to give up so easily. Eh, it didn't matter.

I entered the room and closed the door behind me, cutting off the outside world. Inside, I found Leroy, Richard, and Andre. They occupied a small room made of stone, with little in the way of furniture. The air felt cool. Narrow windows let in thin streams of sunlight. The smell of medicine lingered in the air. Andre and Richard occupied a pair of beds that sat on opposite ends of the room, while Leroy sat on a stool next to Richard's bed.

When I saw them, I sighed with relief. They were alive and… Well, they were alive. That's what mattered most. However, when I saw what condition they were all in, my heart sank. Leroy had one of his arms in a cast, while Richard was covered in bandages. Meanwhile, both of Andre's legs were in casts.

Leroy and Andre's faces lit up when they saw me, while Richard appeared indifferent.

"Lord Gabriel!"

"Cousin!"

Leroy rushed over and started checking me over.

"Thank goodness you're awake, Lord Gabriel." He said. "When you wouldn't wake up, I grew more worried with each passing day."

I snorted.

"Worry about yourself." I said. "I'm fine. In fact, I'm doing a lot better than you three." I looked at them. "Why are you still injured? Didn't the healers tend to you?"

Andre made a dismissive gesture.

"My injuries are hardly life-threatening." He said. "The healers were better off focusing on those who needed their services."

"I couldn't let a healer tend to my wounds while my lord remained injured." Richard said.

I nodded. Made sense.

"What about you?" I asked Leroy.

Leroy grimaced.

"This is my penance." He said. "For failing to protect you."

My jaw dropped.

"I was there when Joanna healed you." Leroy continued. "She said that you had pushed yourself to the limit. Again." He shook his head. "If I had been stronger, someone you could lean on, then things wouldn't have come to that."

I put my hand on his shoulder.

"Leroy," I said, "it's not your fault. We were faced with a terrible situation."

He looked unconvinced. Well then.

"If you're going to be like that," I said, "then so am I. For example, if I had been stronger, then the north gate wouldn't have fallen."

"But Lord Gabriel!" Leroy protested. "That's not your-"

He caught himself before he finished his sentence.

"See what I mean?" I asked.

Leroy paused, before nodding.

"Do you know what happened after the north gate fell, Cousin?" Andre asked, a serious expression on his face.

I looked over at him.

"You don't know?"

The three of them shook their heads.

"I remember a flash of red light." Andre said. "After that… Nothing."

"It's the same with me and Richard." Leroy said.

Richard nodded in affirmation.

"The others couldn't tell us anything either." Andre said. "From what I heard, some time after the north gate fell, a flash of red light killed all the demons and fiends attacking Icefall City." He snapped his fingers. "The battle ended, just like that. However, it took a while before everyone accepted it."

So that's what happened. I suspected as much, when I saw the corpses outside the city walls.

"In that case, let me tell you what happened." I said.

I took Leroy's stool, placed it in the center of the room, and sat down. Afterwards, I began telling them about my encounter with the red-haired man.

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