First Page – February 29th, Fourth Era of the Sun King and the Holy Moon Calendar
My name is Claus Bloodfall. I graduated from Greenyard University with degrees in archaeology and theology.
> March 3rd
I've always wondered why the history of our world feels so… incomprehensible.
Where did the Church really come from? Why did it commit genocide against a people history claims were far more powerful than us?
Professor Calvin and I began digging into a lead… What we found defies belief.
There has never been just one god.
Everything we were taught about them was a lie.
Claus read the words carefully, doubt gnawing at his sanity.
Was he losing his mind?
Suddenly, a vision struck him.
A book—ancient, fragile. Its pages seemed ready to crumble with a single breath. The leather-bound cover was etched with strange runes…
It wasn't just a memory. It was something raw, deep… foreign.
A powerful déjà vu from beyond this world.
And just like last time… his pupils split in two.
He shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts, and continued reading.
> March 6th
We found an ancient book. Neither I nor Professor Calvin could understand the language it was written in.
In the Empire, since the world's creation by the King and the Saint, only one language has ever existed: Scilite.
> March 17th
Our research led us to a group called the Guardians.
They told us the forgotten language was known as Runic.
According to them, it existed long before the creation of the world—long before even the mythical era.
They also spoke of something fascinating: The Awakening.
Claus paused.
"So… Claus had already heard of the Awakening—long before I ended up in his body," he thought.
> June 2nd
Since my Awakening, I've had no rest.
I tried to contact the Guardians again… but failed.
I barely sleep anymore.
I keep seeing a grown man who looks exactly like me, but living in a completely different world.
My senses are heightened. I hear thousands of voices…
I can't take it anymore.
And now… Professor Calvin has been found murdered in his home.
A chill ran down Claus's spine. He turned to the final page.
> I don't know what day it is. I barely know who I am anymore.
Mother, if you're reading this journal, know that your son is gone.
I dug into things that were never meant to be uncovered.
I can't even look at you anymore… because I've become unrecognizable.
Mother, I love you.
I should have been there for you more. That is my deepest regret.
But remember this: Beware the Blake family.
Never let them take possession of the Archangel Uceanos's Gate.
The following pages were blank.
All… except the last one.
On it, scribbled in black ink, was an address:
> 22nd Avenue, Bound Street – Apartment No. 16, Room 4.
Claus froze, reading the address again and again.
— Is that where Claus hid the book...?
---
Knock knock.
Lady Elizabeth stood at the office door, dressed in a black gown—elegant yet understated.
"May I come in, sir?" she asked, her voice laced with sarcasm.
"Nothing's stopping you…"
"I enjoy seeing you so focused. It makes you look more... masculine."
Claus watched her approach, as though she were walking down a runway.
"Won't you tell me something about yourself?" he asked.
"You already know everything worth knowing."
"I don't know what drives you. You seem to know me, yet I have no memory of you."
"To you, I'm a mystery. And like any noble, you're drawn to what you can't have. So you try to take it… by force."
"I'm not that kind of man, my lady. You can see that. And even if I was… I'm not anymore."
"I sincerely hope not…"
Elizabeth sat casually on the edge of the desk, her eyes locked with Claus's.
"I'm not interrupting anything, I hope?"
A soft voice came from the doorway.
It was Lady Iris, smiling with a hint of mischief.
"Claus, darling… I made something special for dinner. You and your lovely friend should come down."
"I'm coming, Mother."
---
The dining hall was filled with delicious aromas—roasted meats, delicate pastries, rich sauces… the scent alone stirred a sense of nostalgia.
"My child… you and your father always loved it when I cooked on Sundays."
"Thank you, Mother. You really made all this yourself?"
"I wanted to, but Gaël wouldn't let me near the kitchen alone."
(Gaël, the Black Rose Manor's head cook, was famously strict.)
Claus kept a composed demeanor.
The journal still weighed on his mind, but he refused to disturb his mother's joy.
Even if she felt unfamiliar to him… even if, deep down, he'd never truly known a mother's love.
"I'm glad to see you again, Miss Elizabeth.
I had asked Geoffrey to find a tutor for Claus… but I never imagined it would be little Eli herself."
"Thank you, Lady Iris. It's been a long time, but I'm truly happy to be here."
"Don't worry. I hope you and Claus become very good friends."
"We're trying our best."
The dinner continued in light spirits.
Lady Iris tossed in a few warm jokes.
A mother, happy to have her son back…
even if, deep down, that son wasn't quite the same anymore.