​"So that’s what happened... Sigh." Caroline rubbed her eyes exhaustedly. "I didn’t know the guards were becoming this reckless since his death. I have been neglecting them because I thought all was well and they didn’t need that much supervision... Sigh. I guess it really is my fault that a child died, huh?"

​Her voice dragged with immense fatigue, and she had heavy, dark bags under her eyes.

​There were only the two of them in the late Patriarch’s study—Ian and his mother, Caroline. Just after the bloody incident in the courtyard, Ian had come straight to his father’s office to inform her of what had happened. Hearing her blame herself, and seeing the massive piles of paperwork scattered across the tables, his heart ached. Watching her work nonstop was painful.

​"It’s not your fault, Mother. You have just been too busy to notice everything happening in the estate," Ian said gently.

​Taking a closer look at his surroundings, he started to realize just how messy the room actually was. Stacks of documents were strewn everywhere. His mother’s hair was completely disheveled, making it painfully clear she hadn’t been taking care of herself—which was incredibly rare, considering she was a Second-Stage Aura User and naturally had far more stamina than a normal person. Ian felt a deep pang of pity seeing the mountain of work crushing her.

​"No, it is my fault. I neglected my job," Caroline refused his comfort, shaking her head while furiously writing something down on a document.

​Ian stared at her for a moment before speaking up again. "By the way, where did all this work come from? And when did you last sleep? You really look terrible."

​Caroline stopped writing. Her pen hovered over the paper as she slowly looked up, staring at Ian in disbelief for a few seconds.

​"Are you just acting stupid, or what?" she asked, her voice cracking slightly. "These days, you have been acting really weird. Did you forget that although we are a noble family, we are still merchants at heart? We are the richest merchants in the kingdom, and we became rich because of the Merchant Union formed by your grandfather! Your father was the current chairman of that union. The Family Head couldn’t become the union leader because he had to deal with the fief’s problems. All this paperwork I am doing is the work your father was supposed to do. He had a massive backlog, and now that he is gone, the Family Head appointed me as the acting chairman until we find someone suitable."

​Caroline’s expression grew fiercely serious as she looked at her son.

​"I thought you were going to come back to your usual self," she continued, her voice trembling. "I thought you would get back to work, helping me manage the businesses and stores we own like you used to, so I could focus entirely on the Merchant Union. But no! You are just training these days. That was new to me, but I figured your father’s death got to you, so I let you be. But now you are standing here, asking me why I’m so tired and when I last slept? Sniff... It’s because my husband died! I am doing the work he used to do for the union, managing our family businesses, and trying to fix our household problems all at once!"

​Tears began to fall from her tired eyes, splashing onto the important paperwork below. As soon as she started talking about her husband and the crushing weight of her responsibilities, it became overwhelmingly clear that she couldn’t handle the pressure alone anymore.

​"Now look what you are making me do! I’m ruining the paperwork I was just writing; I have to redo this entire page," Caroline sniffled, hastily wiping the tears away from her cheeks. "I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be complaining to you about all this. You are still a kid, after all, even if you are seventeen."

​Ian stood there in stunned silence, completely heartbroken seeing his mother break down like that.

​’Shit... I totally forgot that the previous Ian could not gain any strength and was physically weak. Because of that, he used to solely focus on the business sector and paperwork! The moment I took over this body, I didn’t do a single thing to help her with the finances. I should fix that immediately.’

​Caroline took a deep breath, trying to compose herself. "But, you know... I have been happy these past few days. You are actually getting along with the girls. In the past, you were always so stiff and serious around them. And I don’t know how you are getting so strong, but you seem to have shared whatever technique you’re using with your sisters. I saw Emily training the other day, but when I asked her about it, she told me you strictly ordered her not to tell anyone. I was so surprised that my own daughter wouldn’t tell me anything—especially the loudmouth of the family!" Caroline let out a weak chuckle, a small, genuine smile breaking through her tears.

​"At first, I didn’t want to pry into your business," she added, leaning back in her chair. "But today, you beat a First-Stage Aura User. And you did it without even having aura yourself. That is incredibly surprising news, you know? Now, my curiosity is completely piqued." She stared at Ian, eagerly waiting for his response.

​Ian hesitated, figuring out exactly what to say.

​"If it is that big of a secret, you don’t have to tell me. I won’t force you," Caroline said softly, a hint of disappointment in her eyes.

​"No, I can tell you, Mother," Ian replied firmly. "I would have told you eventually anyway. There is no need to hide it from you. Wait here a minute, I will be right back."

​Ian stood up and bolted out of the study, running straight to his room. A few minutes later, he returned holding a freshly bound book containing the Adamantine Ox Hide Technique.

​He sat back down and started explaining everything from the beginning. He gave his mother the exact same cover story he had given his sisters, explaining the mechanics of the Adamantine Ox Hide Technique and handing her the copy. This specific copy was the one redone by Emma; the handwriting and anatomical drawings were flawless, as she drew far better than anyone else in the estate.

​Caroline carefully flipped through the incredibly detailed pages, her eyes widening with every turn. As a Second-Stage Aura User, she understood the flow of energy better than most. Her fingers traced the precise anatomical lines Emma had meticulously drawn, and suddenly, her breath hitched. She gasped, dropping the book slightly onto the desk before quickly catching it.

​"Ian..." Caroline looked up, her expression a mix of awe and sheer disbelief. "This... this completely bypasses the typical laws of magic and aura. There is no mention of gathering mana in a core, nor does it require open mana veins to circulate aura through the meridians. It relies purely on external physical refinement to force the body’s natural defense to harden."

​She stared at her son as if looking at a complete stranger. "Do you realize what this means? Anyone can learn this... even our family’s ’terminally weak’ bloodline. This completely shatters the baseline of how fighters are made in this world!"

​"Now I see the reason you didn’t want to do the paperwork anymore," Caroline murmured, a soft, proud smile finally replacing the exhaustion on her face. "Who wouldn’t want to get stronger in these hard times? Ian... this technique of yours might actually change the fate of our entire family."