Morning arrived.
The mark hadn't disappeared.
Instead…
It had grown darker.
Jovian wrapped a bandage around his hand.
No one spoke about it.
They all knew it meant something.
None of them knew what.
Later that afternoon…
An envelope arrived.
No stamp.
No address.
Just Jovian's name.
Inside…
There was a single sheet of paper.
Three words.
"Come find me."
Below them…
The same crown symbol.
Lucien looked confused.
"No location?"
Jovian turned the paper over.
Blank.
Then…
Vital Mirage suddenly touched the page.
Black ink slowly appeared by itself.
An address.
Not in Ravenna.
Not even nearby.
It pointed toward an abandoned royal estate outside the city.
Alaric's expression changed immediately.
"…That place was abandoned decades ago."
Iggy whimpered.
Lucien looked at Jovian.
"This feels like a trap."
Jovian folded the letter.
"It is."
"…We're going anyway."
As the sun began to set…
The four friends stood outside the estate gates.
Iron fences stretched endlessly.
Statues lined the path.
Most had been broken.
Others looked strangely untouched.
The mansion itself stood at the top of the hill.
Silent.
Watching.
Waiting.
A sudden gust of wind pushed the gates open by themselves.
Creeeak…
None of them moved.
Until…
A voice echoed through the grounds.
Calm.
Deep.
Confident.
"I've been waiting…"
"…Jovian Joestar."
Vital Mirage appeared instantly.
Midnight Sontana followed.
Golden Cavalier drew its sword.
Even Iggy lowered himself into a defensive stance.
Jovian slowly looked toward the mansion.
For the first time…
Someone had spoken his full name.
And somehow…
It sounded less like a greeting.
And more like a prophecy.