My eyes couldn't believe what they were seeing. Standing in front of the carriage was my mother. There was no doubt about it: it was her. However, her presence in this place left me completely perplexed. My mother was literally the younger sister, by a year, of the emperor of the empire. Therefore, it would not be surprising at all to say that the blood of the imperial family ran through my veins.

But seeing her here, in this context, was completely unexpected.

I watched as her gray eyes scanned Ema's family, pausing especially on her and Lysandra. Their gazes began to glow faintly, and I could feel the intensity of their focus on them. It was evident that something had piqued her interest, and I wondered what thoughts might be passing through her mind at that moment.

In the next moment, my mother's gaze turned in my direction, and before I could react, she was in front of me. Despite my considerable height, she still towered over me by a head, reminding me that she was a Max-Diamond rank existence. Like her family, she too was a seasoned swordsman, and her imposing presence was palpable.

Her eyes scrutinized every inch of my body, and feeling her intense gaze was somewhat uncomfortable. After a few seconds of silence, she broke the ice with a direct and serious question: "Why did you leave without warning?" Her voice was soft but laden with seriousness, and her eyes stared at me, waiting for my response.

I felt momentarily stunned by the question. The main reason for my departure had been, obviously, my desire to become stronger, but at that moment, I realized I didn't have a clear answer to give her. I knew I had made the decision to venture out in search of my own path, but explaining it in words at that moment was a difficult task.

"I was worried," my mother repeated as her eyes continued to scrutinize my figure. "You disappeared overnight, without telling anyone."

Confusion gripped me even more at that moment. In Anthony's memories, the presence of his mother was blurry, just like that of his father. The only thing he remembered clearly was his relationship with his sister. However, now that my mother was in front of me, expressing her concern, I felt bewildered and a little overwhelmed.

"I don't know how to answer that," I thought to myself. Despite feeling empathy for her concerns, I knew I was no longer the 17-year-old boy who had left. I was a 29-year-old man, and letting others' emotions influence me wasn't something that characterized me, well, there are always exceptions, I thought, glancing at Lysandra out of the corner of my eye.

However, a question lingered in my mind, one that had been present for a long time: "Where were you when I felt alone?" I asked, letting out the doubt that had silently tormented me for so long. In Anthony's memories, there were moments when he felt terribly alone.

I watched as my mother's gaze clouded with confusion, and she looked at me for a few more seconds before responding, "When have I left you alone?"

A wave of mixed emotions washed over me at her question. Before I could respond, I felt a small movement deep within me. I closed my eyes and delved into my soul, hoping to find answers. To my surprise, I found myself face to face with another guy who was identical to me. I looked around, but I didn't see the little fairy or the dragon anywhere.

Suddenly, a voice full of hatred snapped me out of my thoughts. "Impostor!" shouted the other Anthony, just like me. His gaze burned with intense murderous intent as he demanded, "Aren't you the real one? Give me back my body! Give it to me, I need to kill them all!"

I looked at him with indifference, surprised by his sudden appearance and violence. After a moment of reflection, I decided to approach the situation calmly. "Why?" I finally asked, wanting to understand what had led him to this state of fury and desperation. The truth was that I still didn't understand how he ended up drowning in his own glass of water to end up like this.

The other Anthony's gaze changed again, this time showing confusion and doubt. However, it soon transformed back into an expression of anger and desperation. "They, They, they..." he muttered, as he began to pull at his hair in despair.

My mind desperately searched for any clues in the novel that could shed light on what was happening, but everything seemed confusing and blurry. I couldn't understand what had happened to this other me.

Suddenly, the other Anthony began to speak frantically. "Give it to me, I need to kill them!" he shouted, as his eyes turned a dark red and his expression filled with rage. "She whispers, she wants it, she tells me I'm alone," he continued, becoming more and more frantic. "She says they abandoned me! She wants to kill them!"

The other Anthony's words echoed in the air, full of paranoia and delirium. I felt overwhelmed by the situation, not fully understanding what was happening. Who was this "she" he referred to? What had happened to lead him to this state of despair and violence?

Watching the scene with Anthony, I experienced a strange déjà vu. Everything seemed familiar, as if I had already witnessed this situation before. A shiver ran down my spine as my mind tried to unravel the enigma.

Suddenly, a memory surfaced in my mind: the day I found the little fairy in the shop. The girl! I realized there was a strange resemblance between the appearance of the girl and the dark figure looming behind Anthony at this moment.

Immediately after, I activated my mana eyes and, to my horror, I could see the truth behind the shadow. It was the girl, but she was distorted and corrupted by infinite madness. Her eyes reflected nothing but pure despair and darkness, and her orb was infected by corruption.