By the fourth day, Ethan had read them all.
He sat on the cold stone floor of the watchtower, surrounded by leather-bound books, and stared at the wall.
Silas was not a villain.
He was a victim.
The demons had manipulated him, threatened him, used his love for his sister against him. And when he realized the truth—that the demons had lied, that Eleanor was already dead. It was too late.
The gates were open.
The army was inside.
And Silas had no choice but to watch as his family was slaughtered.
『 The truth is not always what we remember. 』
Ethan looked up.
"What happened to him? After the battle?"
『 He fled. The demons had no more use for him. He wandered the mountain for days, searching for survivors. But there were none. 』
『 He wrote his journals. He left them here, in this tower. And then... 』
"And then?"
『 He went to Arthur. 』
Ethan’s blood ran cold.
"He went to face his brother."
『 Yes. He knew what awaited him. He knew Arthur would kill him. But he went anyway. 』
『 Because he wanted to explain. He wanted Arthur to understand. 』
Ethan closed his eyes.
"Did Arthur listen?"
『 No. 』
『 Arthur killed him the moment he saw him. 』
Ethan sat in silence for a long moment.
Then he asked, "Where is Silas now?"
『 His body was destroyed. His soul should have been erased. But his hatred was too strong. His regret too deep. 』
『 He became a shadow. A memory. A wound that would never heal. 』
Ethan picked up the final journal—the last thing Silas had written before he died.
"I know Arthur will not forgive me. I know he will not understand. But I need him to know the truth."
"I did not betray our family because I hated them. I betrayed them because I loved them. Because I was weak. Because I was afraid."
"If there is any justice in this world, let me face him one last time. Let me tell him I am sorry. Let him know that I never meant for any of this to happen."
"And if he kills me... let it be quick."
Ethan lowered the journal.
"He never got to explain."
『 No. But you can. 』
Ethan frowned.
"What do you mean?"
『 You can tell his story. You can make the family understand. You can bring him back. 』
"Bring him back? He’s the enemy."
『 He was the enemy. But enemies can become allies. And allies can become family. 』
Ethan was silent.
『 The choice is yours, Host. But remember—every story has two sides. And the truth is often more complicated than we want to believe. 』
Ethan returned to the estate that evening.
The family was gathered in the main hall for dinner—the same thin porridge, the same tired faces. But something was different.
The air felt warmer.
The shadows felt lighter.
And in the corner of the hall, Arthur’s sword was glowing.
Not brightly. Just a faint shimmer, barely visible. But it was there.
『 The relic is responding to the family’s belief. 』
Ethan approached the sword. The moment his fingers touched the hilt, he felt it. A presence. A warmth. A voice.
"You found the truth."
Ethan froze.
"Arthur?"
"My brother was not the villain I believed him to be. He was weak. He was foolish. But he was not evil."
The voice faded.
Ethan stood there, his heart pounding.
『 Ancestor’s Memories unlocked. 』
『 You can now hear Arthur Blackwood’s voice when you touch his relics. 』
『 Additionally, you can access fragments of his memories. These will help you understand the past and prepare for the future. 』
Ethan closed his eyes.
"Show me."
The memory hit him like a wave.
He was standing at the gates of the Blackwood Mountain. The sky was dark, lit only by the light of a thousand torches. Below him, an army of demons stretched toward the horizon.
And beside him stood Silas.
"I’m sorry," Silas whispered. "I didn’t know. I didn’t understand."
"Neither did I," Arthur replied. "But we don’t have time for apologies. We have time for battle."
He drew his sword.
"Stand with me, brother."
Silas hesitated.
Then he drew his own blade.
"Always."
The memory faded.
Ethan opened his eyes.
He was back in the main hall. The family was watching him, their faces filled with confusion and curiosity.
Eleanor stepped forward.
"What happened? You were standing there for almost an hour."
Ethan looked at the sword in his hand.
"I saw him. Arthur. He was here. He was real."
The family murmured among themselves.
Then, one by one, they approached the sword. They reached out and touched the blade. And one by one, their faces changed.
"He was real."
"I can feel him."
"The Iron Ghost..."
『 Family Faith: 40 』
『 Story Credibility: 35% 』
『 Arthur Blackwood’s manifestation progress: 25% 』
That night, Ethan gathered the ancestors in the hidden chamber.
Not the physical ancestors—the ones he had created. But their memories. Their voices. Their presence.
Arthur spoke first.
"The family is beginning to believe. But it is not enough. Silas is growing stronger. The World Rebuttal is accelerating. And the Ashford Family will not wait forever."
Eleanor’s voice followed.
"We need more time. More belief. More power."
Marcus’s voice echoed.
"And more gold. The mercenaries are ready. But they require payment."
Vivienne’s voice was last.
"And more secrets. The Ashford Family has its own darkness. We need to use it against them."
Ethan listened.
Then he spoke.
"We need to bring back Silas."
Silence.
"You’re mad," Arthur said.
"Perhaps. But he was your brother. He was betrayed by the demons. He was used. And he deserves a chance to make things right."
"He killed our family."
"He opened the gates. The demons did the killing."
Arthur was silent.
Ethan continued.
"If we can bring him back, if we can make him an ally, we will have two of the greatest warriors the Blackwood Family ever produced. Two Iron Ghosts. Two legends."
He paused.
"Together, we can destroy the Ashford Family. Together, we can break the contract. Together, we can save our family."
Arthur was silent for a long moment.
Then he spoke.
"How?"
Ethan smiled.
"We tell his story. The real story. And we make them believe."
『 Story Credibility: 35% 』
『 Family Faith: 40 』
『 World Rebuttal: 10% 』
『 Ancestral Debt: None active 』
『 New Mechanic Unlocked: Ancestor’s Memories 』
『 Arthur Blackwood’s manifestation progress: 25% 』
『 New Quest Unlocked: The Betrayer’s Redemption 』