"That's why we all came to see you. We thought that maybe seeing you in person would stop these dreams," his father said with a heavy sigh, the strain on his face clear.

Vivian stayed silent, lost in thought.

'Could it be because of the regression? Or something else? No,' he quickly pushed the thought away.

Maybe it was just a déjà vu kind of thing, since they had already lived through this time once before.

Still, he couldn't find a clear answer, and his thoughts slowly drifted apart.

His mother hesitated before speaking, her voice soft but worried.

"Son… did something happen? Why do you feel so different? Your body's change is one thing, but it's your presence… it feels strange, unfamiliar."

Vivian gave a bitter smile as he looked at her.

He couldn't bring himself to say anything.

It wasn't that it would ruin his plans or cause some big problem, no, it was something else.

He simply couldn't tell them, especially not his mother.

Who knew what she might do if she found out what he had really gone through?

Just the thought of it made his chest tighten.

He didn't have the courage to speak, so he forced his bitter smile to fade into a calm one instead.

"Don't worry, Mom," he said softly, his voice steady but distant. "It's nothing serious."

But his mother didn't seem convinced.

She leaned forward slightly, her tone firm yet filled with worry.

"No, I know you better than anyone. How can I not see that something has happened to you? You've changed, not just a little, but completely. Your whole way of speaking, the way you look at things… don't think your mother is blind to it."

Her eyes held a sharp glint as she spoke, refusing to let it go.

Even his father looked curious now, studying Vivian closely.

Edward, on the other hand, seemed lost, his gaze shifting between his mother, father, and brother, unable to make sense of what was happening.

Vivian sighed softly.

'Convincing them will be harder than I thought,' he mused, his mind growing heavy.

After a brief silence, he finally said, "Mom, I can't tell you what happened right now. But when the time comes, I promise I will."

"Why?" his mother asked, her voice trembling with desperation.

"You can tell me anything, Vivian. Whatever it is, I can accept it."

His father placed a hand on her shoulder, letting out a quiet sigh.

"Honey, let him be," he said gently.

"If he says he can't tell us now, then we should give him time. He'll speak when he's ready."

"No," his mother said firmly, refusing to let it go.

Her voice trembled, but her eyes stayed fixed on him. She was truly anxious.

If it were any other time, she might have been able to hold herself back, but after those strange dreams, it was impossible.

"Why can't you tell us right now, Vivian? What are you hiding?"

Vivian sighed quietly.

She wouldn't be convinced no matter what he said.

Drawing in a sharp breath, he decided to end it there.

"My illness… it's cured," he said simply.

'This answer would be enough for now,' or so he hoped.

The room fell silent.

His words hung in the air like a stone dropped into still water.

His father, mother, and grandfather all froze, their eyes widening in shock.

None of them spoke; they just stared at him, struggling to process what they had heard.

Edward, meanwhile, looked completely lost.

The meaning behind their reactions flew right over his head, and his eyes darted between them, full of confusion.

His father and grandfather were the most shocked.

For nearly a decade, they had searched endlessly for a cure, spending unimaginable amounts of time, wealth, and effort, all in vain.

His grandfather had even traveled across the entire continent, meeting countless healers, scholars, and alchemists.

Six long years of searching, yet not a single clue or remedy had been found.

And now, hearing Vivian calmly say that his illness was cured, it felt unreal, like a dream he didn't dare to believe.

His grandfather's hands trembled slightly as he spoke, his voice weak but filled with hope.

"H-how… did you cure it?" he asked, the emotion clear in his tone.

Vivian's gaze shifted toward Charlotte.

She remained quiet, her face calm and unreadable.

Seeing that she wouldn't help, he took a deep breath.

Lying wouldn't help; it would only raise more doubts.

So, he decided, this time, he would tell them the truth.

He told them how he had learned about the monster Vehemoth and its heart from the academy's library, and how he had gone to hunt it down.

He explained everything in detail, how he found it, what he learned, and how its heart became the key to his recovery.

But he carefully left out the parts where his life had been in danger.

As his family listened, their eyes widened in shock and growing relief.

The tension that had hung over their lives for years slowly began to fade.

That cursed illness which had haunted them for so long was finally gone.

Maybe now, life could return to normal.

His mother was the first to speak, disbelief still coloring her voice. "How could we not know about this Vehemoth? Something so important…"

His father let out a shaky laugh, the kind that came after years of silent pain.

"I don't know," he said, chuckling again as his body slumped into the chair.

The sound of his laughter mixed with quiet sobs as tears streamed down his face.

It had been hardest on him, years of searching, countless hopes raised and broken, sleepless nights spent trying to find a cure for his son.

Now, hearing that it was truly over, it felt as if a heavy stone had finally been lifted from his heart.

His grandfather reached out and gently patted his father's back.

He, too, looked like he was on the verge of tears, but he forced himself to stay calm.

With his son and daughter-in-law both breaking down, he had to be the one to hold them together.

"It's alright now," he said softly, trying to reassure them, though his own voice wavered.

Charlotte moved closer to Vivian's mother, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder, whispering quiet words to calm her down.

But if anyone in the room looked completely lost, it was Edward.

He didn't understand what this "curse" or "illness" was, and all the talk about monsters and cures went straight over his head.

Yet, seeing his mother cry broke something inside him, and soon enough, his own tears began to fall.

Vivian watched his little brother cry and gave a faint, bitter smile.

Edward had never been told about his illness, so it was natural for him to be confused.

Still, watching his mother and brother both crying, he felt a strange warmth in his chest, a mix of guilt, relief, and something tender he couldn't quite name.

After they finally stopped crying, a sense of calm filled the room.

Everyone looked lighter, as if years of worry had just melted away.

His mother no longer brought up the matter of his strange change in personality, which was a relief for Vivian.

His father straightened up, his voice steady again as he turned to the old man.

"Father, what do you say? Should we arrange a celebration and announce this news?"

His grandfather stroked his beard, a thoughtful look on his face before nodding.

"Yes… that's a good idea. This is something worth celebrating."

His mother quickly joined in, her tone brighter than it had been in years.

"We should tell everyone! Let's hold a grand festival at the estate, it's been so long since there's been a reason to smile."

But before they could get carried away, Vivian shook his head firmly.

Their cheerful faces turned to him in surprise.

"No," he said, his tone calm but sharp. "We can't do that."

They looked at him, confused, and he continued, "You might not know this… but my illness wasn't natural. It was artificial, someone put it on me."

"Ah…" the three of them exclaimed almost in unison, their expressions changing instantly.

The light in their eyes sharpened, the earlier joy replaced by cold realization.

They knew. Deep down, they had always known who was behind it, but in the relief of the moment, that truth had slipped their minds.

Now that Vivian had reminded them, the air in the room grew heavy again.

"I'm sorry, son," his father said quietly, guilt flickering in his eyes. "I forgot… about that."

His mother's face darkened as she pieced things together.

She had always believed it was a curse, something done deliberately, but no one had ever told her who was responsible.

Her voice was low but laced with fury. "Do you know who did this?"

A chilling pressure filled the room.

If she were to learn right now that Duke Tramplin was behind it, she wouldn't hesitate.

She would push her husband and her father, Duke Sant, into open war without a second thought.

That was precisely why they had kept the truth from her all this time.

His grandfather sensed the rising danger and quickly stepped in, his tone calm but firm. "Vivian, do you know who it was?"

Vivian met his gaze, then shook his head slowly.

He did know, but without proof, saying it now would only cause chaos. "I don't know yet," he said quietly. "But I will… soon."

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