The night grew deeper as the horse-drawn carriage carrying them came to a halt before the iron gates of the Larvin family's main mansion. The building stood haughtily, towering with grand Gothic architecture. However, to Calian, every corner of its spires felt like a thorn pricking his eyes.
Wolvin, who had spent his life moving from one forest to another to survive, was transfixed at the carriage window. His beautiful golden eyes widened, reflecting the glow of crystal lamps shimmering from the mansion's windows.
"Calian... this place is enormous. Did you really grow up here?" Wolvin whispered, awestruck yet feeling like an outsider.
Calian only offered a thin smile, one that did not reach his eyes. "Only for a short while, Wolvin. And even then, they aren't fond memories."
The carriage came to a perfect stop. Elara shifted her gaze from the window toward her son. "Calian, do you still have belongings inside that you wish to take?" Elara asked, breaking the stifling silence.
"I only want to take a few clothes, Mother." Calian answered briefly. He paused for a moment, glancing toward the main building. "But, can we really take money from inside, like Father said?"
Elara brushed Calian's hand, offering comfort. "As for the money, let me handle that. I know where Maxwell keeps the emergency funds and the jewelry that is my personal right. You just take what you want from your room!"
Calian nodded in understanding. They stepped down from the carriage. With a steady yet wary gait, Calian walked into the mansion, followed by Wolvin, who held his hand tightly. Elara walked behind them, radiating the aura of a Duchess who was still in power, even though mentally she had let everything go.
Their footsteps echoed on the cold marble floor. A silent place, as usual, Calian thought to himself. He glanced at the rows of ancestral portraits that seemed to watch him with cynicism. Nothing has changed after more than four years since I left this place. Still cold and soulless.
"Calian, I will accompany you and Wolvin to your room." Elara said.
Upon arriving at Calian's old room, a chamber located at the end of a hallway, far more luxurious than the West Pavilion, Calian and Wolvin moved quickly. There wasn't much of value there, except for some clothes made of fine fabric and small gifts given by his mother in the past that he had managed to keep.
"Put everything into the inventory, Wolvin." Calian commanded softly.
Wolvin touched the necklace around his neck, and one by one, the items Calian wanted to bring vanished into the storage dimension.
Meanwhile, Elara returned to her own room. She did not take many clothes; instead, she focused on a secret jewelry box and several pouches filled with pure gold coins she had collected over the years in preparation for a day like this.
Fortunately, the mansion was very quiet. Alaric, Baren, and Clara, Calian's older siblings, were not in the mansion. As Maxwell's prized 'high-achievers', they were attending the debut of a high-ranking noble's child to expand the Larvin family's influence.
A few moments later, Elara returned to Calian's room. She looked lighter, as if a heavy burden had just been lifted from her shoulders. "How is it? Have you packed everything you want to bring?"
Calian nodded firmly. "Yes, Mother!"
"Good!" Elara stared out the window, into the darkness of the night. "Let us leave this mansion and exit this empire immediately!"
Calian and Wolvin were stunned. They had thought they would stay overnight or at least wait until dawn.
"In the middle of the night like this? Isn't it too dangerous, Mother?" Calian asked in shock.
Elara did not answer with words. Instead, she closed the bedroom door, then approached Calian and Wolvin, her face looking very serious yet filled with an extraordinary flash of energy.
"Close your eyes, both of you!" she commanded curtly.
Though confused, Calian and Wolvin obeyed. They closed their eyes tight. A momentary silence enveloped the room before Elara finally whispered an ancient incantation Calian had never heard before.
"Iauna Teleport!" Elara murmured.
Instantly, a golden-yellow magic circle appeared beneath their feet. Unique ancient scripts spun rapidly, emitting a light so bright it pierced through their closed eyelids.
Zap!
In the blink of an eye, the air pressure changed. The sound of crickets and the rustle of the wind replaced the stiff silence of the mansion room.
"We are already on the path leading to the border city." Elara said with a tone of relief. "Open your eyes."
Calian and Wolvin opened their eyes. They were flabbergasted. They were now standing in the middle of a dirt road surrounded by lush trees. In the distance, small lights from a small town guarding the exit of the Yornvast Empire could be seen.
"M-Mother, did you use teleportation magic?" Calian asked, his voice still trembling from the shock.
Teleportation was a high-level magic that was extremely rare and required an extraordinary mana core to use.
Elara smiled triumphantly. "Correct! Your father doesn't even know that I have mastered teleportation magic like this. If he knew, he would surely turn me into an even more terrifying tool of war."
Calian looked at his mother with a new perspective. He realized how great his mother's sacrifice had been all this time, hiding a massive power just so she wouldn't be exploited by his father, who was thirsty for strength and power.
"Come, Calian..." Elara said suddenly, holding her son's shoulder. "Make me young again!"
Calian hesitated slightly. "Mother, are you sure? If you return to being young, people might recognize you again."
"Of course I am sure!" Elara answered without the slightest doubt. Her eyes sparkled with excitement. "Maxwell has divorced me. I am free now! Adventuring with my son seems far more fun than being a Duchess who is always putting on an act until I'm stressed. I want to start a new life as myself, together with my son and also my son-in-law."
Calian went quiet for a moment. "Then... what about Alaric, Baren, and Clara?" Calian asked, seeking certainty on whether his mother had truly let go of his siblings.
Elara's face dimmed slightly, but her voice remained firm. "It is up to them what they want to become. Your siblings are no longer human, Calian. They are weapons that no longer have feelings, exactly as Maxwell wanted. I have tried, but they chose that path."
Calian took a long breath. He understood. Now, his focus was on the future of the three of them.
"Alright, I will do it!" Calian answered. "Please close your eyes, Mother."
Elara closed her eyes calmly. Calian raised his hand, concentrating all his blessing energy into his fingertips.
"Age Reversion!"