​"Yeah, I figured as much," Ian said, nodding slowly to his mother. "That’s exactly why I wanted to test what this technique could really do first. When I realized it could drastically elevate the strength of people who can’t even perceive mana, I knew what kind of storm it would cause across the continent if word got out. Our family would be in immense danger. That’s why I tried to keep it low-key at first, only showing it to those closest to me, like Emma and Emily and of courseI wanted to tell you sooner, but I honestly didn’t know if the technique would even work for an active Aura User like yourself."

​"Oh, you don’t have to justify yourself for keeping your own mother completely in the dark and only trusting your sisters," Caroline said. She pouted, faking an expression of deep, wounded sadness while barely hiding the playful smirk tugging at her lips. "It is perfectly clear to me now that my own children don’t trust me anymore. I suppose I have to beg for information these days, from my own kids no less. When you were little, you used to run straight to mommy to tell me everything. But nowadays? I barely see you, and you’re keeping massive secrets from me. Do you not love your mother anymore?" 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

​Caroline wiped an imaginary tear from her eye, entirely covered by her hand.

​’I have seen this exact type of behavior before,’ Ian thought, an immediate sense of deja vu washing over him. In his mind’s eye, an image of Emily throwing a dramatic tantrum instantly appeared. ’Of course. It all makes sense now. Emily’s dramatic streaks had to come from somewhere. Based on my experience with Emily in this house, I need to apologize right now before things escalate into a full-blown lecture.’

​"Mother, I am truly sorry for not sharing this with you sooner," Ian said quickly. He stood up straight from his chair and bowed deeply to her. "Please forgive me."

​"Tsk. You are absolutely no fun these days. Sit back down," Caroline grumbled, instantly dropping the dramatic act and crossing her arms with a slight huff. "You are acting far more mature than you used to."

​Her eyes then drifted back down to the handwritten cultivation manual resting on the desk. She ran a finger over the smooth cover. "I will study your little book a bit and see if I can try cultivating it during my free time... if I even manage to find any, by some miracle," Caroline added, shooting Ian a pair of classic, pathetic puppy-dog eyes.

​"Sigh... Mom, you don’t have to guilt-trip me," Ian said with a heavy sigh, deeply amused by how childish his mother could be despite her status. "I already planned to start helping you tomorrow. I will take over the work around the estate and help manage the family businesses too."

​"HUH! Why tomorrow?" Caroline sat up straight, looking at Ian in utter confusion. "You could easily start doing it right now! If we double team it, we could probably clear this entire mountain of documents by next week and actually get some rest."

​"I already promised the kids that I would see them again today," Ian explained, his expression softening into one of genuine guilt as he looked down at the floor. "And... I want to help them a bit at least. At the end of the day, it was our family’s fault that the boy died."

​"Oh." Caroline’s frantic energy vanished, replaced by a quiet solemnity. She looked back down at her papers and picked up her pen, eager to escape the uncomfortable, heavy atmosphere. "If it’s for that... I suppose you can start tomorrow."

​"Then I should get going, Mother," Ian said, turning toward the door. Just before stepping out, he paused and looked back over his shoulder. "And seriously, Mother—you should rest for the remainder of the day. We will tackle the paperwork together tomorrow."

​The heavy wooden door clicked shut, leaving Caroline alone in the quiet, messy study. She stared at the spot where her son had just been standing, her pen completely still.

​’I don’t know what it is, but he feels entirely different somehow,’ Caroline thought, leaning back in her chair as she let her mind wander. ’He cares so much about everything now. In the past, he was always so painfully serious, locking himself away with his books. He even dropped out of the academy because the other noble children treated him like trash and bullied him for his weak body. He used to just study alone in his room, only coming out to help his father manage the ledgers. But now? He talks seamlessly, he takes charge, and he is even going out of his way to connect with those orphan kids Aron brought home.’ A soft, genuine smile spread across her face. ’Whatever changed him... I’m just glad my boy is finally stepping out of the shadows.’

​Ian walked briskly through the estate corridors until he reached the private, secluded training room—the exact same hidden space he had used to jumpstart Emma and Emily’s cultivation. This was the location he had coordinated with David and the others before sending them off.

​The moment he pushed the heavy doors open, he was surprised to see Emily already inside. She was standing off to the side, completely separated from the boys, quietly talking to Dion.

​Before anyone could even greet him, Ian marched straight into the center of the room. Without saying a word, he planted his feet and bent his upper body forward into a rigid, ninety-degree bow.

​"I am terribly sorry," Ian’s voice echoed powerfully through the stone room. "It was entirely our fault that your friend was killed today."

​The atmosphere in the room instantly froze. David, Ivory, and Dennis stared at him with wide, completely paralyzed eyes. Even Dion stopped talking mid-sentence, her mouth hanging open.

​"It was our family’s duty to protect everyone under this roof," Ian continued firmly, remaining frozen in his deep bow. "No it was not our fault... because it was my late father’s responsibility, that duty now falls squarely on my shoulders. I should have checked on the conduct of the courtyard guards weeks ago. I should have noticed that there was no Household Head Guard supervising them. I neglected my duties as the successor of this house, and because of my ignorance, a child lost his life. For that, I can only hope you find it in your hearts to forgive me."

​The four orphans stood in absolute, stunned silence. They genuinely had no idea how to react. In this world, commoners, orphans, and former slaves were treated like expendable property. For a member of a noble family to lower his head, bend his waist, and openly beg commoners for forgiveness was completely unprecedented. It completely shattered everything they knew about the nobility. Deep down, a profound wave of emotional warmth and shock touched their hearts.

​"Young Master, please, there is absolutely no need for that!" David stammered, frantically waving his hands as he stepped forward, terrified to see a noble bowing to him.

​"He is right, Young Master! It wasn’t your fault at all," Dion chimed in worriedly, her eyes pooling with fresh tears. "We all understand that you have been deeply grieving the passing of the late Lord. You couldn’t have known!"

​"Young Master, please lift your head," Ivory said, stepping closer to Ian, his voice still thick from his earlier crying session. "It was not your fault. It was our choice to stand our ground and fight them in the first place. If we truly wanted to, we could have just run away from the training grounds."

​"NO!" Ian said stubbornly, refusing to break his bow. "It was my fault, and I will not excuse it."

​David looked at Dennis and Ivory, seeing the unyielding, stubborn pride radiating off Ian’s bent back. Realizing the young lord wouldn’t budge until they relented, David let out a helpless sigh. "Fine, Young Master. We forgive you. Now, please, lift your head up."

​"Really?" Ian asked, his voice muffled against the floor.

​"Yes!" they all answered in unison.

​Standing near the wall, Emily watched the entire dramatic back-and-forth in complete silence. She narrowed her eyes, staring at her brother with a deeply suspicious glare. ’What on earth is this guy up to now? It is completely unusual to see him acting this incredibly humble and dramatic. I bet anything he is up to something.’

​Ian finally straightened his spine, a bright, satisfied smile instantly replacing the heavy guilt on his face.

​’They are completely wrapped around my finger now,’ Ian thought, suppressing a dark chuckle. ’While I truly did want to apologize for the oversight, I needed to dial up the drama to the absolute maximum. I’m about to teach these guys my cultivation techniques, and since they are technically outsiders, I can’t risk a single drop of betrayal. Since this trashy system of mine doesn’t provide a direct loyalty stat counter, I just have to rely on my top-notch, modern acting skills to secure their absolute sympathy an of course loyalty but that can be earnedkn due time. And looking at their faces... it worked flawlessly.’

​Ian cleared his throat, his demeanor shifting in a fraction of a second from a grieving, remorseful noble to a sharp, authoritative aura.

​"Now that we’ve put that matter behind us, let’s get down to real business," Ian said, his eyes flashing with excitement. "I brought you all here because I am going to teach you a technique of mine."

​David, Ivory, Dennis, and Dion all blinked blankly at him, completely thrown off.

​’That was a ridiculously fast change of attitude,’ they collectively thought, a cold sweat breaking out on the back of their necks.