[Leo's POV]
I looked at my reflection one last time in the mirror. For a brief moment, I just stared at the unfamiliar face. At the eyes that still didn't fully feel like mine.
"Get your shit together," my voice was low but steady. "You are now Leo von Celestial."
Then I turned away, opened the door, and stepped out into the hallway. As I stepped out, Lyra was already there, waiting. She greeted me with a bright, relieved smile that reached her emerald eyes.
"You are here, Young Master. Shall we go and meet the Duchess?"
I looked at her and returned a small smile of my own. My voice came out low, careful.
"Yes… but is the Duke not here?"
Lyra's smile faltered slightly. "No. The Duke had to attend an emergency meeting with the council. He is currently away from the estate."
I see. So the Duke wasn't here.
Part of me felt relieved I didn't have to face the "Final Boss" of the family just yet. For a moment, I just stayed silent. Maybe my face looked a bit too solemn, or she misunderstood it, because Lyra quickly spoke up.
"You don't have to worry, Young Master. He will be back soon."
"It's okay," I said, shaking my head to clear my thoughts. "Lead the way. We'll go meet my mother."
She bowed simply and began to walk, with me trailing a few paces behind her.
The mansion was silent, but it wasn't empty. Far from it. As we walked down the long corridors, I noticed it. No… I felt it.
The weight of dozens of eyes. Servants stood along the walls, heads lowered, backs straight. They didn't look up, but I could sense their tension. It pressed down on my shoulders like invisible hands.
As I passed a pair of younger maids, I saw their shoulders flinch. One of them gripped her duster so hard her knuckles turned white. They weren't bowing out of respect; they were bowing out of pure terror.
Damn it, Leo. You really were a piece of work, weren't you?
I didn't say a word. I didn't shout. I just kept walking, the rhythmic thud of my boots sounded heavy against the floorboards. The further I went, the heavier the air felt. This was the "Human Domain Failure" walking through his own home, and even the walls seemed to despise me.
I let out a slow sigh and continued following Lyra.
_
On the way, my thoughts drifted back to the Path Awakening. More specifically—how the hell I was supposed to convince the Duke and Duchess to let me enter the trial.
And if you're wondering why Path Awakening is such a big deal—no, it's not the same as an Origin Core. But it is just as important.
Path Awakening wasn't exactly rare… but it wasn't easy either.
After awakening their Origin Core at the age of ten—though some awakened later—people cultivated their cores, raised their ranks, and strengthened their foundations. Then, between the ages of sixteen and twenty-seven, they would receive a system notification. An invitation.
They could awaken their Path by entering a trial. The Path Awakening Trial.
A Path could be anything. Fire Sword. Wind Archer. Shadow Assassin. Even strange ones like Beast Dancer or Rune Alchemist. Paths had ranks too, from F to SSS ranks. Some awakened trash-tier Paths, while some awakened monsters.
However… sometimes, the world chooses special people and gives them a unique path.
The Origin Path.
It is so rare that we can count these people on our fingers. Even in the game, only a few people ever awakened an Origin Path. And yes — Arthur, the protagonist, awakened one.
A path can also evolve, but that's also a very rare case.
A Path amplified everything—your affinities, your growth, your future. It gave direction. A straight road instead of blind wandering. For those who aim to become high-rankers, having a Path wasn't optional. It was essential. They need a path to reach higher ranks.
If a path is so rare and important, then… why would I need permission? Because Path Awakening was optional.
You see, you could skip the Path Awakening. And many people did. Why, you ask? Because of fear.
The fear of death.
In the Path Awakening Trial, your soul entered the trial. The trial could be anything—combat, survival, puzzles, madness. Fight some random monsters or mobs. Endure pain. Even absurd things like dancing with creatures that could tear you apart.
And if by any chance your soul died in the trial—you died in the real world. No second chances.
That's why most people skipped it. Or at least delayed it for years, waiting until they felt "ready." Even though many trials were manageable, fear kept them away.
…And then there was me.
Someone who wasn't given a choice. If I didn't enter the trial before the time limit—I would die.
I clicked my tongue. Whoever was behind this whole suffering… Damn you. I hope you suffer more than I ever will.
I sighed and kept walking. This wasn't going to be easy. Especially when I was their only son and heir—okay, maybe not heir, but still their son. Even if Leo had been a scumbag. Even if he had disappointed them again and again.
His parents—especially his mother, Isabella—loved him. And just yesterday—because of a certain someone—their precious son had blacked out for an entire day.
I could hear the system snickering in my head, but I chose to ignore him and focus on my thoughts.
I sighed. I can't even blame them.
For them to worry about their son's safety is valid. Especially when the original Leo hadn't learned anything.
He never used any mana technique or any weapon technique. He did know some simple tricks, but that was before when he awakened a B-rank core. After that, he never learned anything. That also explains why this body is such trash.
Yeah. This was going to hurt.
_
"Young Master? We've reached the Duchess's room."
Lyra's voice snapped me back to reality. I nodded and looked at the massive doors of dark ironwood. In my memories, I had walked through these doors a thousand times to demand money or throw a fit. However, today, the door felt taller and more imposing.
I pushed my thoughts aside, reached for the handle, and opened the door. And the moment I opened the door—
I didn't even get a second to breathe. Something crashed into me—a whirlwind of silk and the scent of lilies. I was pulled into a hug so tight I nearly lost my balance. A familiar voice cracked against my ear.
"Leo! Are you alright? Oh, my poor boy..."
I froze. My hands hovered awkwardly in the air. I tried to pull back slightly, shocked by the sudden physical contact. Then I heard her voice properly. It was trembling.
"Why… why are you like this?" she whispered, her words breaking apart. "Why do you always do things that hurt us?"
Her grip tightened. "Do you know how worried I was when they said your soul was damaged…?"
She pulled back just enough to look at me. "They said you... you might die," she whispered.
I looked at her, and my heart skipped a beat.
"…?!"
She was crying. Tears streamed down her cheeks. Her emerald eyes were red and flooded with tears.
My stomach dropped. Something inside me twisted violently. I didn't know what I was feeling. Was it because of Leo's memories? Or was it my own emotions finally catching up? I don't know and I didn't care. All I knew was that—I didn't want to see this woman cry.
Not my mother. Especially not because of me.
I bit the inside of my cheek, forcing my emotions back so I could speak. Slowly, I crouched down to meet her eyes. My hand moved instinctively toward her cheek. I wiped away a stray tear with my thumb.
"…I'm sorry," I said quietly. The words felt small. Inadequate.
I looked away for a second, drawing a slow, shaky breath before meeting her eyes again. "I know an apology can't fill the hole I left… or erase the pain I caused," I continued, my voice low and serious. "But I'll show it with my actions. I'll change."
I gripped her hands softly and looked her straight in the eyes. "So please... give me one last chance to redeem myself."
"... Mom."
The word felt strange on my tongue, but as soon as I said it, she let out a broken wail and pulled me back into a hug. This time, I didn't resist. I wrapped my arms around her, holding her as she sobbed into my shoulder.
Time passed. Minutes…. maybe longer.
We stayed like that for what felt like half an hour. Eventually, the weight in my arms grew heavy. Her sobbing slowed into steady, quiet breathing. She had cried herself to sleep.
I looked at her peaceful face. She hadn't eaten or slept since I passed out. I clenched my teeth so hard my jaw ached. This was going to be difficult. I didn't want to hurt her again, but I knew the Path I had to walk would put my life in danger constantly.
I'll just have to make sure I don't die, I promised myself.
I looked toward Lyra, who was standing by the door with a stunned expression. "Hey, Lyra. Help me get my mom into her bed."
"Ahh... yes! Yes, Master."
Together, we gently tucked Mom into her bed. But I didn't leave her side. I pulled a chair over and sat beside her, lost in my own thoughts as the mana-lights dimmed.
I don't know how long I sat there in the silence. I was so deep in thought that I didn't notice the air in the room grow cold. A presence appeared behind me, heavy and suffocating. A hand dropped onto my shoulder, its grip like iron.
"You little shit," a deep, rumbling voice whispered. "Do you have any idea how much you worried your mother?"
I didn't need to turn around to know who it was. The Duke had returned.