"By the Lord above, it''s my dear Juliane home!" A figure rushed past him, pushing a grinning Mason aside, and wrapped Julian in a fierce embrace amid a flurry of green floral fabric.


    Julian gently patted his mother''s strong, sturdy back. "Yes, Mother, I''m back." He looked over at Mr. Kesma, who had quicklyposed himself, settling into a chair, taking a swig of water, and lighting his pipe. He gave Julian a sidelong nce.


    With Mrs. Kesma''s joyful exmations, the whole house seemed toe alive. Siblings, both older and younger, seemed to appear from hidden corners like summoned magicians, all at once rushing to Julian with a barrage of curious and exaggerated questions, to which he responded with little more than a smile.


    After time apart, their reunion was not only joyful but alsoced with a hint of unfamiliarity.


    His youngest sister, Lilith, stood shyly by the doorframe, not joining the others but instead watching from a distance, her timid gaze holding an inexplicable sense of detachment. Three months may have seemed brief to an adult, but to a child, it was long enough for familiar bonds to feel distant. Julian waved her over, and Lilith hesitated before slowly stepping forward.


    In the mind of this five—or was it four?—year-old, memories of Julian were already somewhat faded. She cast an asional look toward Mr. Kesma for courage as she cautiously approached Julian.


    Julian took a candy wrapped in brown paper from his pocket, and Lilith''s eyes lit up, the unfamiliarity vanishing as she threw herself into his arms.


    Though not an extravagant luxury, candy was also not cheap enough for everyone to enjoy regrly.


    "You look like you''ve been doing well in the city," Mr. Kesma remarked, eyeing Julian from head to toe with a nod of approval. He didn''t know the value of the suit Julian was wearing but assumed it must be decent. Unaware that Julian had driven back or of the scene he had caused in town, Mr. Kesma''s calm might have been shattered had he known.


    In his practical mind, this well-fitted suit might have been borrowed or rented, merely an attempt to save face. Mr. Kesma crossed his legs, feeling a mix of emotions. In just three months, Julian had gained a newfound maturity and now used subtle ways to mask his own hardship, perhaps to reassure his family.


    He let out a deep sigh, and the entire household fell silent, all eyes on him.


    "Julian, what are you doing now? Are you an apprentice? Or maybe you''ve found some work?" Mr. Kesma continued, "Take off that suit so your mother can put it away carefully. Don''t let it get dirty or damaged, so you don''t have trouble returning it."


    To Mr. Kesma, Julian''s return wasn''t just a visit home; he suspected it was a way to gauge his reception. After all, Julian had left with such resolve, and returning suddenly might be hard on his pride.


    Julian chuckled. Mr. Kesma hadn''t changed, still just as "dictatorial" as ever. He stepped over to him, took out a lighter, and lit his pipe. "Father, this time I''vee back hoping to bring some changes to the family." Julian nced over at Mason. "What I''m most curious about is how Mason became the sheriff."


    The sheriff held a position somewhat akin to that of a police officer, but with considerably more authority—far more than a regr policeman. Bing a sheriff wasn''t a matter of simple ambition; it requiredplicated certifications and procedures.


    In addition to policing, a sheriff held a "military" role in the town, with the power to mobilize a civilian guard and distribute weapons in times of external threat.


    This was something Julian only learned after his time in Ternell.


    His one thought now was whether he could bring Mason to Ternell and arrange a respectable position for him to help safeguard his ventures.


    His rtionship with Pronto was, in reality, quiteplicated. Outwardly, they got along well, but beneath the surface, things were less harmonious. The ten thousand Julian had paid Pronto wasn''t easy to swallow. Pronto understood that with smaller sums, he could maintain control, but withrger amounts, that leverage became less certain.


    In this situation, there was always the risk that Pronto might stab him in the back, so Julian hoped to ce someone loyal to him within the police force.


    Mason smile carried a hint of awkwardness. The primary reason he wanted to be a sheriff was directly rted to Julian. Julian had sessfully escaped Mr. Kesma''s control, gaining freedom to live the life he desired, and this had a profound impact on the older children in the family.


    As the eldest son, Mason felt that he, too, needed to do something, rather than simply watching Julian and whatever might happen to him.


    The "decaying rule" had already been torn open by Julian, and Mason needed to continue widening that tear, letting the sunlight in—most children tend to view their strict, stern, stubborn, and authoritarian parents as part of the "evil faction," which is understandable, as humans are inherently drawn to freedom.


    Thus, Mason courageously became the second family member to stand up against "tyranny," feeling it was his duty and mission as the eldest son, although he didn''t dare to voice it yet.


    He fabricated a somewhat eptable reason, exining his admiration for the sheriff''s badge, his longing for the uniform, and his dream of pursuing justice.


    Julian averted his gaze and looked at Mr. Kesma. In the past, Julian wouldn''t have dared to look directly at Mr. Kesma. In the family, Mr. Kesma undoubtedly upied the apex of the pyramid, ruling unchallenged.


    However, after some time navigating society, Julian suddenly realized that Mr. Kesma, aside from his barely maintained authority, was actually a rather approachable person—just someone who had expressed himself incorrectly.


    Mr. Kesma stubbornly believed that his life experiences and wisdom could be applied to everyone, ignoring the fact that some people are born to defy fate and are warriors who challenge the current mainstream.