The outskirts of the Kurogane estate were quiet when Arata Kurogane and Sirius Augustus Vos arrived before the main gate.
The estate occupied an enormous stretch of land, surrounded by towering walls and fortified structures. The Kurogane clan had stood among the most powerful families on Kael'Ar for generations, and its territory reflected that status. Even the entrance alone was enough to remind visitors that they were approaching a force that could not be casually provoked.
As Arata and Sirius approached, two guards stepped forward to block their path.
"Stop!"
The pair came to a halt. One of the guards examined Arata from head to toe before asking, "Who are you?"
Arata regarded him with mild amusement. "You don't even recognize me anymore? It's the best compliment I could ask for."
The guard frowned, unable to immediately understand what he meant.
"I am Arata Kurogane."
The instant those words left his mouth, the guard's eyes widened. Both guards straightened their backs and bowed respectfully.
"Welcome back, young master!"
The gates were pulled open, allowing the two visitors to enter.
Sirius covered her mouth with one hand, smiling as she glanced at Arata. "So you're like an outcast?"
"Yes," Arata replied without the slightest hesitation.
Sirius continued looking around the estate with evident interest as they proceeded toward the main hall.
The moment they entered the inner grounds, the atmosphere began to change.
Several guards were training in the courtyard. Their movements stopped almost simultaneously when they noticed the unfamiliar pair approaching. Recognition gradually spread among them, and the expressions on their faces varied considerably.
Some were shocked.
It had been two and a half years since Arata had left the family estate. During that time, his name had rarely appeared in discussions concerning the achievements of the Kurogane clan. His older siblings had established themselves through their strength, missions, and accomplishments, while the youngest had remained conspicuously absent.
Others, however, showed little reaction. They had never expected much from Arata in the first place. Among his siblings, he had fallen behind in the eyes of the clan, and his absence had done little to improve their opinion of him.
To them, his return was hardly worth discussing.
Only the instructor overseeing the guards continued to stare at Arata in silence for several seconds, seemingly examining something the others had overlooked.
Arata paid them no attention and continued toward the main hall.
Beside him, Sirius strolled through the estate, observing its architecture and the people moving about its grounds.
"Don't cause unnecessary trouble for me, Sirius."
Arata entered the main hall. As the doors opened, a guard announced his arrival. "The youngest has returned!"
At the top of the stairs sat Haruto Kurogane, the patriarch of the Kurogane clan. His posture was relaxed, and his expression remained composed as the people gathered inside turned toward the entrance.
Several familiar faces regarded Arata with varying degrees of interest.
His second-eldest brother, Shizuo Kurogane, had reached the ninth stage of circuit mastery. Beside him sat Reina Kurogane, his second-eldest sister, who had attained the eighth stage.
The two oldest siblings, whom Arata had rarely encountered because of their frequent missions, were also present.
Zakariah Kurogane, one of the candidates to succeed Haruto as patriarch, had reached the twelfth stage of circuit mastery. He commanded the Bloodhound Squad, a formidable force within the clan.
His eldest sister, Eliza Kurogane, had attained the same stage and led the Death Knights into battle.
As Arata entered, the siblings released their circuit energies, allowing their auras to spread throughout the hall.
Arata merely smiled.
Their pressure had no effect on him whatsoever. He bowed slightly toward the patriarch. "I have returned, Patriarch." Haruto opened one eye and regarded his youngest son.
"So the youngest has returned after two and a half years. Because of your absence, you didn't get a chance to meet your eldest brother and sister. For the time being, get to know them."
Zakariah turned toward Arata, his crimson eyes examining his younger brother. After a brief moment, he spoke.
"The youngest carries himself well."
He waved his hand.
A chair positioned at the end of the table shot toward Arata. Without changing his expression, Arata caught it and placed it beside the table before taking his seat.
"Thanks."
Zakariah studied his younger brother's black outfit and the scarf around his neck.
"You have a thing for fashion, younger brother?"
"Not really. You see, it's the first time in a while that I actually decided to change things, so it's only natural to try something new."
A maid approached the table and poured tea into their cups.
Zakariah smiled faintly. "I see."
Reina, who had been watching Arata with open disdain, finally spoke.
"So what are you doing here, youngest? It's not like you became useful, so you could've stayed where you crawled out of."
Arata laughed.
"Trust me, Reina, I would rather do just that. But this time, I got no choice. It's a decision I made."
Shizuo stared at him with undisguised disgust.
"You're still the same…"
"That's rude, Shizuo," Eliza interjected.
She turned toward her younger brother, her expression carrying a hint of disapproval before she looked at Arata.
"Why are you pressing the youngest? Besides… he's stronger than both of you."
Arata looked toward his eldest sister and smiled.
For the first time since entering the hall, his expression showed a trace of genuine appreciation.
The patriarch rose from his seat at the top of the stairs and descended toward the table. Once he reached it, he took his place at the head, assuming the position that commanded the attention of everyone present.
The room gradually fell silent.
Haruto looked at Arata for a moment before addressing the gathered family.
"As some of you know, humanity was in a state of deep sleep. We can't seem to find any leads as to what the cause was, but I can say we've been asleep for at least seven days."
Arata remained seated, his expression unchanged. "He can even estimate the time period…"
Haruto's gaze moved across the table before a faint smile appeared on his face. "But I have a way to find out what happened."