The door to the room opened slowly—not from a rough shove, but as if someone had deliberately made way for them.
Two figures stepped inside, each carrying themselves in a very different manner.
Some of the servants in the room seemed to hold their breath.
The first was a young man who walked in with quiet elegance.
He looked to be in his early twenties. His build was slim rather than muscular, yet every step he took was steady—like someone long accustomed to walking through places unfriendly to ordinary people.
His black hair was slightly long, left to fall naturally without any excessive styling.
His dark brown eyes were calm and deep… and strangely, they felt as though they were observing anyone who dared to meet his gaze.
He wore semi-formal attire: a dark long-sleeved shirt, plain black trousers, and polished dress shoes.
This was Ramu—the eldest son of the Virellano family's trusted shaman.
That shaman had handled all superstitious and occult matters for the Virellano family for the past twenty years.
The second figure was a towering man with a massive, muscular frame.
His name was Dedy.
He was the Virellano family's personal bodyguard—rarely seen, yet his presence alone had become legend.
Standing over two meters tall, his bald head gleamed faintly beneath the chandelier.
His dark brown skin shone like forged steel, muscles swelling beneath the black uniform reserved exclusively for the Virellano family's elite guards.
His eyes—cold, gray—held not a single trace of warmth.
Dedy wasn't just a guard.
He was a former international bodybuilder and martial artist who had once fought in underground arenas across Malaya.
In one-on-one combat, very few opponents could last more than three minutes against him.
Each of his steps was slow—heavy, and deliberate.
David stared coldly at the two figures, yet a trace of tension still lingered in his eyes.
Aurielle and Sarah, despite knowing Dedy and Ramu well, felt a chilling pressure the moment the two entered.
Familiar or not, their presence was never something one could truly get used to.
They couldn't help but wonder—
Why were Dedy and Ramu here?
Ramu usually appeared only when there was a spiritual matter serious enough that it didn't need to reach their father.
As for Dedy, he was typically summoned only when there was real danger… or when outsiders needed to be disciplined for committing grave offenses.
Was all of this because of what happened to Al earlier?
But everything had already been settled. There shouldn't have been any reason for this.
Still, they could only stew in confusion.
Regardless, Sarah curved her lips into a faint smile, secretly pleased by their arrival—and quietly hoping this meant trouble for Al.
Al, still standing in the same spot, showed no sign of change.
His shoulders were relaxed. One hand brushed the cobwebs out of his hair, while the other covered his mouth as he stifled a yawn.
He also looked toward the two newcomers. His eyes held no tension—only sleepiness and mild confusion.
Hmm… they're decent. Who are they? he thought.
He then turned his gaze to Edward and Sandra, looking at them one after the other.
His eyes sharpened slightly as he scanned their faces, catching every subtle micro-expression.
"Father… Mother… if this doesn't involve me, may I be excused? I still need a bit more rest," Al said casually.
His words were enough to snap everyone out of the pressure brought by the two arrivals.
"Ah… wait a moment, Al. This actually… does have something to do with you," Sandra replied.
"Hm? With me?" Al asked, puzzled.
Edward nodded—and at that very moment, the two figures had already arrived in front of them.
"I greet you, Master, Madam," Dedy said, bowing deeply.
Ramu also bowed. His was slightly more casual, yet still polite and refined.
"My apologies for disturbing your time, Master Edward, Madam Sandra," he said.
He then glanced briefly in Al's direction, giving him a light nod in greeting, before extending the same courtesy to the other young masters and ladies.
His gaze lingered a little longer when it landed on David, accompanied by a faint smile.
David returned it with a flat expression and a small nod, but there was a clear chill in his eyes.
Ramu ignored that and turned back to face Edward.
Edward nodded, accepting their greetings. He studied Ramu for a moment before speaking.
"I suppose your father moves fast. It's not even dinnertime yet, and you're already here."
Ramu let out a light chuckle.
"I suppose so, Master. My father seemed a bit too enthusiastic and asked me to handle this right away."
"I see. Does it really have to be now?" Edward replied.
Ramu nodded.
"My father said… now is the most suitable time. The spiritual pathways are more open, and this child is already old enough to require stronger blessings."
Edward didn't fully understand the reasoning, but he nodded nonetheless.
"Very well, then. Whatever your father suggests is surely for the good of this family."
He then turned to Dedy.
"And you, Dedy… unfortunately, you're a bit late. What I intended to have you deal with has already been resolved. Still, since you're here, you can assist Ramu."
Dedy nodded without complaint. "Understood, Master," he replied obediently. "But if I may ask—how did it turn out?"
Edward fell silent for a moment, clearly unwilling to revisit something embarrassing, before answering,
"You don't need to concern yourself with it. The important thing is that he wasn't at fault. Save your strength."
Dedy nodded again and stepped back into the line of bodyguards, leaving Ramu free to proceed with whatever he intended to do.
Al watched the exchange and began to piece a few things together—or rather, make an educated guess.
That big guy named Dedy… he's some kind of enforcer. Looks like Father was planning to punish me earlier. Hmph… what a hassle, he thought.
His gaze shifted to Ramu.
And this guy—Ramu… a spiritualist?
Al's eyes shimmered faintly red as he looked deeper into Ramu, a small smile forming on his lips.
Ohoo… a dark magician. So he's a young shaman, huh. With a modern vibe.
He mentioned something about a blessing. What is he planning to do? Don't tell me he's here for me—just like Mother said?
The analysis continued as Al quietly observed the ongoing interaction between Ramu and Edward.
Before long, Edward and Ramu finished their light preliminary conversation and walked over toward Al.
Meanwhile, Sandra moved toward the back, stopping near David.
Most of the servants had already returned to their duties, leaving behind mainly the bodyguards—for whatever was about to take place.
"This is Al, my biological son—the one we finally found," Edward said to Ramu as the two of them stopped in front of Al.
He then turned to Al, gesturing toward Ramu as he introduced him.
"And Al, this is Ramu," he said.
"Technically, he's one of our family's shamans. But he and his family have been close to us for a long time—close enough to be considered family," he explained.
"You can just call him 'big brother' or something like that," he added casually.
Ramu nodded in response, while Al looked at him calmly.
"Ah… I thought this family was like most others—people who've already forgotten about magic and lean more toward science," Al replied.
"I didn't expect this family to still be this familiar with it… or even deeply involved in magical matters."
He then gave a small nod.
"But alright. Nice to meet you, Brother Ramu."
Edward didn't react much to Al's comment, taking his surprise as perfectly natural.
Ramu, meanwhile, simply nodded in response to Al's greeting.
Ramu stepped a little closer and extended his hand for a handshake.
"Nice to meet you too, Al," he said warmly.
Al paused for a moment, his gaze flicking to Ramu's palm, where he sensed a faint trace of energy.
Magical energy? What's this guy trying to do? he thought.
A slight smile curved his lips.
Let's see.
He reached out, and the two of them shook hands.