But Kayden had noticed something else. Some of the walls hadn't been broken by brute force. They had been carved. He lifted his gaze toward the ceiling and found bullet marks. Then he looked down. The floor was even worse.
Even the support pillar dividing the room had been shattered.
The living room was no longer fit for living.
Colton stood in the middle of the wreckage, studying it with the eye of an expert. "He needs more space."
Henry nodded slowly. "His combat style isn't suited for confined areas. Even so, he's exceptionally skilled at fighting within them."
Ayrton laughed softly. The kind of laugh born from childish curiosity rather than amusement. The chaos didn't seem to bother him.
If anything, it intrigued him. He headed toward Adam's bedroom and pulled out the keys again.
The twins followed like curious cats, silently observing whatever he intended to do.
Ayrton sat on the floor and reached beneath the bed.
His hand searched slowly through the darkness.
It didn't take long before he pulled out a small box.
His eyes gleamed as though he had finally discovered buried treasure.
But before he stood up, he felt something.
Something touched his fingertips in the darkness.
It wasn't sharp.
Its presence felt almost as though something had returned his touch with a cold smear of emptiness.
Ayrton froze. For a moment, he simply stared into the darkness beneath the bed.
Then he reached underneath again and carefully searched for whatever had brushed against him.
The space beneath the bed…Did not feel as empty as it appeared. Ayrton eventually pulled out a second box.
He placed it atop the worn blanket and opened it calmly, despite the tension flickering in his eyes.
He wasn't expecting much. Even so, he stopped when he saw what was inside.
Contrary to Adam's usual habits, he found a journal.
Silence settled over him.
The mere existence of those pages felt like an unintended betrayal.
He examined the cover briefly before closing it again without reading a single page.
He recognized both the journal and its owner.
The notebook was returned to the box. The lid shut firmly.
Then he spoke in a neutral tone.
"Twins. Gather anything in this room that can be carried or used."
Henry moved first and opened the wardrobe.
"There's nothing here… It's completely empty."
Ayrton stepped behind him and looked inside as well.
"Take anything useful. The owner of this house will probably return soon."
Kayden remained where he was, quietly studying the room.
There were no clothes. No personal belongings. But a pile of books occupied one corner.
He pointed toward Colton.
"Take every book. Organize them. Make sure none are missing."
Without comment, Colton began collecting the books with remarkable precision, as though handling surgical instruments rather than literature.
Kayden watched him briefly. 'He's actually useful…'
Then his attention returned to the box resting on the bed.
The one containing the journal.
After everything had been gathered, Kayden approached Ayrton. "I can keep all of this in one of our spare rooms. When Adam returns, we can send everything directly to him through the servants, whether he's staying at a new house or a hotel."
Ayrton rose to his feet. "Adam is unbelievably annoying. He always carries his weapons with him, as though he's expecting disaster before it happens. I wouldn't be surprised if he hid plenty of things. Clothes, books… even more important items. I've already noticed some books are missing."
Kayden nodded. "Do you want us to look for them?"
Ayrton immediately shook his head. "No. It would take too much time, and we don't have any to spare. We have more important matters to deal with. Compensation payments won't handle themselves."
The twins and Colton resumed gathering the remaining items.
Kayden, however, lingered for a moment.
Quietly, he made sure the box containing the journal was buried among the books, positioned where Ayrton was unlikely to notice it.
He wasn't entirely sure why. He simply felt those pages should not be read yet. After all, he wanted chaos.
He wanted problems. Just… later.
His gaze soon shifted toward Ayrton's hand.
Another box. A different one.
Ayrton held it with suspicious care. Kayden had the distinct feeling that the box contained something like a delayed bomb.
Something destined to explode eventually.ً Not with noise.
With consequences.
Even so, he asked no questions.
He did not interfere.
He remained silent, understanding that some things were better left unopened.
The twins returned home.
Throughout the journey, a mischievous smile lingered on Kayden's face.
Henry never asked about that particularly ugly grin.
He already knew.
He had noticed exactly what Kayden had done.
The moment the carriage stopped before the estate gates, Kayden jumped down and immediately issued orders.
"Put the boxes in the locked room. Don't touch them. Don't go near them."
Then he practically fled to his bedroom.
He opened his wardrobe in a hurry and shoved the box he had hidden from Ayrton deep into a corner.
The wardrobe doors closed firmly.
Only then did he head downstairs for dinner.
At the table, Isabelle noticed something she had not seen in quite some time.
The house felt alive again. It wasn't the lighting.
It was Kayden.
He looked like a child who had just discovered a brand-new toy.
Fortunately for everyone involved, Isabelle had no idea what was actually going through his head.
"When will my older brother George and Roger return?" Kayden asked while cutting into his food with suspicious enthusiasm.
Arthur tilted his head thoughtfully before answering.
"George is extremely busy, but he'll return with Roger. As for Roger… I suspect Matthew has him working absurdly long hours."
Kayden nodded. "And where's Adele?"
Since Adele hasn't returned home for a while even before Mafilda's death Isabel answered in Arthur's place, her soft voice tinged with worry "She'll be back soon."
After dinner, Mary brought some desserts and, as she had done since he was a child, made Kayden eat them. Strangely, Ren Yuan didn't refuse, even though he had never been fond of sweets. In fact, he found himself eating them without guilt… just like before. He even thought about taking some to his room, to eat when he returned to "his world."
After Mary collected the plates, Kayden followed her to the kitchen and asked her to prepare some juice, desserts, and nuts for him. When he went upstairs, Mary paused at the bottom of the stairs, looked up, then went back to the kitchen.
There was a small chair where Mafilda used to sit. Mary stared at it for a long time, and in a secretive manner, sank into thought again. She was afraid, but she hid her fear well. She was so lost in thought that she didn't notice Isabel watching her from a distance. "What are you thinking about, Mary?" Isabel asked.
Mary didn't answer quickly; it took her a moment to reply. "I think Kayden… is doing quite well."
Isabel shook her head with a smile. "He's my son."
Upstairs, Mary later went to Kayden's room, placed what he had asked for, and found Henry and Colton sitting there, while Kayden spoke loudly, unusually lively.
'He's mischievous… as always', Mary thought as she left.
Kayden said with great enthusiasm, "There's something amazing here… you have to thank me first!"
But Henry ignored him and said, "Do you know what happens to a thief?"
Kayden shrugged, then took out the box and placed it on the bed. He sat beside them and said with a smile, "His hand gets cut off, right?"
He opened the box, took out the diary, and began to examine it with obvious joy, as if he had found a priceless treasure.
Henry looked at the diary, raised his eyebrows, and sighed bitterly. "Adam can't even write properly… his handwriting gives me a headache."
Kayden nodded in agreement. "Visual pollution."
But Colton, who had been silently observing, suddenly spoke. "I can read it."
Kayden quickly turned to him, his eyes blazing with excitement. "Show me your skills."
This time, Kayden opened the notebook without fooling around. The three of them leaned over the open first page, their eyes moving cautiously across the lines as if inspecting a toxic substance.
Colton read: " September 11th, 660.
Today I saw a new future… I feel like I'm progressing smoothly.
I left the house after a long isolation and bought this notebook to write down my notes. The lady caught me today and said I'm training all the time. She said it's good… but I need to go out a little.
I felt very happy… She still remembers I exist."
The page ended… and a strange silence fell over the room.
Kayden stared at the notebook, as if he hadn't understood what he just read, then raised his eyes to Henry and Colton.
"This… is very strange, isn't it?" Kayden murmured, confusion covering his face.
Henry leaned in a little, tilted his head toward the page, and asked dryly, "The handwriting… can it be read? That's not Adam. And the date is way too far off."
"Whose diary is this?" Colton asked with genuine curiosity, looking at the cover as if expecting it to flip open and reveal its true owner.
But he received no answer. Kayden kept staring at the page, then muttered as if talking to himself in a low voice, "He… can read the future…"
Henry moved with sudden speed, rose from his spot, went to his desk in the corner, and brought a pen and paper. He sat down and began writing, with organized, swift movements.
Note: "I saw a new future."
Date: September 11, 660.
Then he began calculating, jotting down numbers, connecting dates, trying to understand the context… but Kayden suddenly interrupted him, lifting his eyes from the notebook. "One hundred and sixty years ago. We're now in the year 820."
"One hundred and sixty years have passed since these lines…"
Henry looked at him slowly and stopped writing. This wasn't what they had expected to read: no clear secrets, no symbols needing decoding, no bloody nightmares… just a simple diary of a man who seemed to be learning how to "exist."
Kayden slowly reached out and turned to the next page.
Kayden took a slow breath before turning to the next page.
" September 15th, 660
I believe I am growing stronger. I can feel power coursing through my veins… I can feel everything around me, and it makes me wonder is this truly a good thing?
I no longer wish to see the future again. I was wrong… I do not want to witness things that I was never meant to see.
When I completed the Reflection Stage, it felt as though life had returned to me. I had been like one of the dead… truly.
The Fusion Stage comes after Reflection.
In my humble opinion, it resembles dawn after a long night of darkness.
I am very happy today. I met Lady Enith again…
I wonder if she truly knows the meaning of her name.
"Purity."
"Chastity."
Kayden stopped reading. Slowly, he lifted his head, as though the words weighed more heavily on him than he had expected. A deep sigh escaped his lips.
"If these really aren't Adam's journals…" he said quietly, "then I don't feel comfortable reading them. It's one thing to make fun of Adam when he's standing right in front of us… but now it feels like we're invading someone's privacy."
Colton nodded. "So it's fun when it's Adam's private life, but not when it's a stranger's? Who exactly are you trying to fool?"
"You," Kayden replied, pointing directly at him.
Henry, meanwhile, spoke with practical honesty. "Adam is going to kill us."
Colton shook his head. "Impossible. He'll kill you two."
A faint laugh escaped Henry and Kayden.
It wasn't a happy laugh merely a brief release of tension, a shared acknowledgment of guilt.
"Keep reading," Colton urged.
Unable to resist his curiosity, Kayden reached for the journal once more and turned another page.
His eyes settled on the date.
Then he began reading.
" September 7th, 660
Today, someone unexpected came to visit me.
It was none other than Lord Ron Feng.
He didn't speak much, as usual… The day felt unsettlingly quiet.
He asked about my progress. After the Fusion Stage comes Perfection.
He offered to help me, but I refused.
I want to fight for myself. I do not want anyone else's assistance.
Lord Ron Feng understood my decision. Then he looked at me… and said that he missed his homeland.
I simply told him to return.
But he laughed.
He laughed loudly, almost madly, before leaving as quietly as he had arrived."
Kayden's voice faded with the final words, yet his eyes remained fixed on the page as though it had stolen something from him.
"Homeland…" he murmured.
Then he slowly swallowed. For a brief moment, the words struck him more deeply than they should have.
He missed his homeland too.
Despite everything that had happened.
Despite the work.
Despite the pressure.
Everything was piling up around him…
And he still couldn't go back.