Finally Home [part 1]

**The Long Return**

The tension in the room gradually dissipated, like an overly taut rope that finally snaps.

The muted sound of conversations resumed, but the air was still charged with a silent reverence.

No one dared to look at me directly, and even those who had whispered and judged earlier now limited themselves to exchanging furtive glances.

I finished breakfast in silence, my movements calculated and measured.

The governess beside me merely sipped her tea, observing the surroundings with her usual icy calm.

There was no need for words; what had happened was already understood by everyone. Gairo to Modafia still lay unconscious on the floor, a living lesson for anyone who had harbored doubts about my abilities.

When the governess stood up, I followed without hesitation.

We left the dining hall with the same silence with which we had entered, our footsteps echoing in the empty corridors as the morning light filtered through the windows, illuminating the shadows that still seemed to linger on the stone walls.

**The Journey Back**

The gray sky above us was a harbinger of imminent rain, but it didn't stop us.

After breakfast, we resumed our journey home.

The governess had planned everything with precision, as always, and our path through the forest, though longer, was the least risky.

As we ventured deeper into the forest, the sound of our footsteps on the damp earth mingled with the song of birds hidden among the leaves.

The governess moved with the grace of a feline, each step light but determined. I followed her, keeping pace, feeling the weight of the morning melt away in the coolness of nature.

We didn't speak, but the silence between us was full of understanding.

After the prison complex, the violence of the Colosseum, and the brawl in the dining hall, returning to the tranquility of the forest was a balm for my senses.

Every breath I took was filled with the scent of earth and wood, a sharp contrast to the smell of blood and dust I had left behind.

**The Intensity of the Run**

At one point, the governess stopped and turned to meet my gaze.

In her eyes, there was a light I hadn't seen before, a spark of challenge.

Without saying a word, she began to run. The message was clear, and I didn't hesitate to follow her.

The run through the forest was a test of endurance and agility.

The trees sped by on either side of us, with exposed roots and low branches as obstacles we had to overcome with quick reflexes and precise movements.

The governess ran with the speed of a predator, each step seeming to merge with the ground as if she were part of the forest itself.

I felt alive, every muscle in my body responding to the challenge with renewed energy.

The run wasn't just a physical exercise, it was a ritual, a way to reconnect with my strength, to assert the control I had over it.

As we ran, I felt the cold wind against my face, the sensation of blood flowing swiftly through my veins, and the steady beat of my heart, a rhythm that matched that of the earth beneath my feet.

The forest gradually opened up, revealing a beaten path that signaled our approach to our destination.

The house was close, a safe haven after days spent in battle and tension.

But despite the familiarity of the place, I knew that nothing would be the same.

The run had dissolved the last traces of fatigue, leaving me with a mental clarity I rarely experienced.

**The Return Home**

Finally, we arrived at the house.

The governess stopped abruptly, showing no sign of breathlessness, and turned toward me.

The spark in her eyes was still there, but now there was also a silent satisfaction.

We had passed another test, not just physically, but mentally.

I had returned, stronger and more aware of the power I held and with a somewhat different personality.

As we crossed the threshold of the house, the familiarity of the surroundings greeted us with reassuring warmth.

**The Dark Stillness of Home**

The house welcomed us with a silence that seemed almost unreal, as if the very walls were holding their breath, awaiting our return.

The morning shadows stretched across the wooden floors, creating intricate patterns that danced with the faint light filtering through the windows.

Everything was exactly as we had left it, but I sensed a subtle difference in the air, an imperceptible change that only someone who had lived through what we had could detect.

The governess watched me in silence, her expression unreadable.

In her eyes, there was a depth that went beyond simple satisfaction at our return.

It was as if she saw beyond my surface, recognizing the change that had crept into me during those days of violence and struggle.

I was aware that my evolution had not escaped her keen gaze.

I was no longer the same; something within me had awakened, a force that would no longer be imprisoned.

**The Call of Darkness**

As I looked around the house, a strange feeling of familiarity and detachment washed over me.

The walls, which once represented a safe haven, now seemed like just another place from which to set out for new challenges.

I felt that every step taken in those corridors, every breath drawn in those rooms, was pushing me toward a new level of awareness and power.

I approached the desk where I had left my schedule.

The words engraved on the paper were cold, but full of expectation.

Among those lines was written what awaited me for the rest of the day.

"Continue the construction" was one of the scheduled tasks.

It was a physical and mental job, another test to refine my endurance and determination.

I turned to the governess, who was watching me with her usual impenetrable calm.

"It's time to continue the construction," I said, my voice calm but determined.

The governess nodded slightly, her gaze showing no surprise.

It was as if she had already anticipated my every move, every decision.

There was no need for more words.

**The Meeting with Kim Sung**

I left the house with a confident step, heading toward where I knew I would find Kim Sung.

The cold morning wind brushed my face, but the sensation was anything but unpleasant.

Every breath I took seemed to strengthen my sense of purpose, a sense that only intensified with each step I took toward my destination.

Kim Sung was a man of few words, but with an experience reflected in his precise movements and quick decisions.

I found him exactly where I expected, overseeing the work.

His robust figure stood out against the surroundings, his piercing eyes scrutinizing every detail with meticulous attention.

When he saw me approaching, Kim Sung stopped and looked at me with an expression that reflected both respect and curiosity.

He knew well what I had faced in the previous days, and he knew that I was not the same man he had last seen.

"Schadet," he said respectfully. "Are you ready to continue?"

I nodded, without needing further explanation.

It was time to test not only my physical strength but also my will.

I was aware that every stone laid, every effort made, was not just to build something material, but also to forge my new identity.