Snow drifted quietly through the skies above the Rosenfeld Main Estate.
Cold northern winds moved between towering dragon-carved pillars while silver-white banners fluttered across the enormous fortress-like mansion beneath pale winter sunlight. The entire estate radiated ancient authority.
Power built across centuries.
Not elegance.
Dominance.
And now—
For the first time in two years—
Its lost firstborn had returned.
Silence still lingered heavily across the main courtyard after Duke Aktaris spoke those simple words.
"…Welcome home, Kel."
The black-haired young man stood motionlessly beneath the falling snow afterward while countless eyes observed him carefully from every direction.
Household knights.
Servants.
Retainers.
Family members.
Everyone stared.
Because honestly—
No one expected this.
The cursed heir they remembered had always looked fragile enough to collapse from cold winds alone.
Yet the young man standing beneath the dragon banners now—
Radiated terrifying vitality naturally.
Even his posture felt different.
Steady.
Calm.
Like someone who had already walked through storms far beyond ordinary understanding.
Meanwhile—
Kel quietly looked upward toward his father.
Duke Aktaris von Rosenfeld.
The ruler of the North remained standing atop the balcony beneath drifting snow while his crimson eyes calmly observed his eldest son.
No emotions visible.
As always.
Yet somehow—
The atmosphere surrounding the duke subtly softened.
Inside his mind—
Sairen quietly muttered:
"Your father hides emotions worse than you."
Kel ignored the comment internally.
Meanwhile—
Movement suddenly broke the silence.
A woman descended the main staircase quickly.
No—
Almost hurriedly.
Helena von Rosenfeld.
Kel's mother.
The silver-haired duchess moved faster than noble etiquette normally allowed while her long winter dress flowed behind her beneath the cold winds.
Her silver eyes trembled slightly.
And the moment she finally stopped before Kel—
She simply stared at him silently.
The distance between them felt strangely fragile now.
Because she remembered too clearly.
The endless coughing blood.
The pale skin.
The freezing hands she once held helplessly.
Yet now—
Her son looked alive.
Truly alive.
Slowly—
Helena raised trembling fingers toward Kel's face.
Almost carefully.
As though afraid he might disappear.
Then softly—
She touched his cheek.
Warm.
Healthy.
Real.
And at that exact moment—
The duchess nearly broke emotionally.
"…You really came back…"
Her voice trembled faintly afterward.
Kel quietly looked at her.
And for once—
The Dragon Emperor himself suddenly felt awkward.
Because he didn't know how to respond properly.
Meanwhile—
Helena's silver eyes gradually moistened.
Not loudly.
Not dramatically.
Just quietly.
The kind of tears someone held back for far too long.
Inside his mind—
Sairen softly whispered:
"She was terrified you wouldn't survive."
Kel remained silent.
Meanwhile—
Several footsteps approached afterward.
Two large men descended from the upper platforms beside the duke.
Kel immediately recognized them.
His uncles.
Duke Aktaris' elder brothers.
The Rosenfeld brothers looked extremely similar despite age differences.
Tall.
Broad-shouldered.
Sharp-eyed.
Like warriors carved from the North itself.
The eldest uncle wore heavy black military clothing lined with silver dragon embroidery while scars covered portions of his neck visibly beneath the collar.
Meanwhile the second uncle appeared calmer yet more calculating, dressed beneath dark noble robes reinforced subtly with combat armor beneath the fabric.
Both men stopped nearby afterward.
And both stared directly at Kel.
The eldest uncle crossed his arms first.
"…So the dying brat survived after all."
His rough voice echoed through the courtyard.
Yet strangely—
It didn't sound mocking.
More impressed.
Meanwhile the second uncle adjusted his gloves calmly.
"You changed."
Kel quietly looked toward them.
"Yes."
The answer remained simple.
Because honestly—
There was no point explaining further.
How exactly could he explain becoming Dragon Emperor?
Meanwhile—
Behind the uncles—
More figures gradually approached.
Their wives.
And the cousins.
The extended bloodline of House Rosenfeld.
Kel quietly observed them one after another.
His eldest cousin.
Age twenty-three.
Tall and heavily built like a northern knight commander already prepared for warfare.
Sharp crimson eyes quietly examined Kel now beneath restrained caution.
The second cousin—
A woman around twenty.
Silver-haired like Helena.
Elegant.
Calm.
Yet observant.
The third cousin—
Sixteen years old.
Closer to Kel's age.
His expression openly carried curiosity now.
Meanwhile the youngest cousin—
A fourteen-year-old girl—
Simply stared wide-eyed at Kel almost shamelessly.
Because honestly—
The rumors and reality felt completely different.
Meanwhile—
Near the back—
Two smaller figures suddenly rushed forward.
"Brother!"
Kel blinked once.
A black-haired boy stopped directly before him afterward.
Age thirteen.
Sharp crimson eyes nearly identical to Duke Aktaris.
Kel's younger brother.
Meanwhile—
Behind him—
A small silver-haired girl peeked nervously from behind the boy's shoulder.
Large silver eyes.
Soft winter cloak.
Tiny hands gripping fabric tightly.
Kel's younger sister.
Only ten years old.
The little girl quietly stared upward at him afterward.
Almost cautiously.
Because honestly—
She barely remembered him clearly anymore.
Kel left before she fully understood much about the world.
Meanwhile—
His younger brother suddenly punched Kel lightly against the arm.
"…You took forever."
Kel stared at him briefly.
Then unexpectedly—
A faint smile appeared.
"You grew."
The younger boy immediately looked proud afterward.
"I train every day now."
Another pause.
"And Father says I'll join border patrols soon."
Inside his mind—
Sairen softly laughed.
"He already worships your father."
Kel silently agreed.
Meanwhile—
The little silver-haired girl slowly stepped closer afterward.
Very slowly.
Then quietly—
"…Big brother?"
Kel lowered his gaze toward her.
The small girl hesitated briefly before carefully grabbing the edge of his sleeve.
"…You're not sick anymore?"
The entire courtyard became strangely quiet afterward.
Because the innocent question struck deeper than expected.
Kel quietly looked at her small trembling hands.
Then slowly—
He answered.
"No."
The little girl's eyes brightened immediately afterward.
Then unexpectedly—
She hugged him tightly.
Small.
Soft.
Careful.
As though still afraid he might break apart.
Meanwhile—
Helena quietly covered her mouth afterward.
The duchess nearly cried again seeing the scene.
Even Duke Aktaris silently looked away briefly.
Inside his mind—
Sairen softly whispered:
"…This family really loved you more than you realized."
Kel remained silent.
Because honestly—
He didn't know what to think anymore.
For years—
The cursed heir believed himself isolated.
Abandoned quietly beneath inevitable death.
Yet now—
Standing here again—
Something felt different.
No—
Perhaps it had always been different.
And only now did he finally notice.
Meanwhile—
The eldest uncle suddenly laughed loudly afterward.
"Enough standing in snow."
He turned toward the mansion entrance.
"The heir finally returned."
Another grin appeared.
"Bring wine tonight."
Several knights immediately moved afterward.
The atmosphere gradually relaxed slightly.
Meanwhile—
Kel quietly lifted his eyes once more toward the enormous estate itself.
The ancient dragon banners fluttered above endlessly.
House Rosenfeld.
His home.
And strangely—
For the first time in years—
It no longer felt distant