Several days had passed since the mysterious man entered the estate. During this time, I had heard footsteps approaching my room repeatedly. With each step, my heart beat louder, and my curiosity grew with every moment. I wondered who the visitor might be and what they wanted here.

Finally, the door in front of me opened, and my gaze fell upon a tall, impressive man with blond hair - my father. His presence surprised me as it was the first time he had visited me in my room. A wide grin adorned his face, and a feeling of excitement and nervousness washed over me. What did he have in mind?

Two servants stood behind him, ready to accompany us. My father stepped closer and lovingly placed his hand on my shoulder. "Hello, my son," he said with warmth in his voice. A cold shiver ran down my spine. It was unusual to feel his closeness. "It's time for you to become a part of the family," he added.

Together, we left the cramped confines of the basement and stepped into daylight. The sun momentarily blinded me, and I could hardly believe that after 16 long years, I was finally allowed to leave the gloomy cellar. Without my past memories and the support of the nature spirits, I would have likely lost my sanity long ago. But now, my father led me to a room that was at least ten times larger than my previous prison.

The room we entered exuded a certain elegance. A magnificent fireplace, a huge, soft bed, and a large wardrobe filled the space. "Prepare him," my father commanded sternly.

I was allowed to take a bath, and I insisted on washing myself alone. The servants nodded curtly and left the room to give me privacy. The warm water enveloped my body, and I could almost feel all the tension and years of isolation washing away. It felt incredibly good, and I couldn't remember the last time I had taken a bath. Even in my previous life, I had rarely had the opportunity to do so.

When I finished bathing, fresh clothes awaited me on the bed. I passed by a mirror and couldn't help but take a look at my reflection. I was speechless. It was the first time I truly saw myself. My appearance was almost surreal - like a porcelain doll. My eyes were large, round, and deep red, and my skin seemed flawless and radiant. It took a moment for me to process this sight before I proceeded to change my clothes. Putting on the splendid attire proved to be more complicated than I thought, but I did my best.

At that moment, there was a knock on the door, and before I could say anything, a butler entered the room. His gaze wandered over me as he spoke, "You are expected in the dining room, young sir." I nodded, gathered my courage, and followed the butler. We walked through the hallway and entered a magnificent room with a long, grand table. Above it hung a sparkling chandelier, bathing the room in warm light. Four people were already seated at this table - my family. A sense of excitement and uncertainty gripped me as my eyes fell upon the festively set dining table. My eyes could hardly tear themselves away from the delicious-looking dishes, and I felt my mouth watering. I swallowed heavily to prevent myself from drooling.

But before I could take my seat, my brother broke the silence. "What is this thing doing here?" he asked with disdain in his voice. My father responded monotonously, "From today onward, he is an official member of our family." Loud exclamations followed as the girl beside my stepmother voiced her discontent. "What?! But Father, what will the others think when they see him?" My stepmother reassuringly placed a hand on the girl's and said, "Don't worry about that. We have already taken care of everything."

At that moment, my father pointed to an empty seat beside him and simply said, "Sit." A feeling of uneasiness spread over me, but I obeyed and took my place. A maid brought me my food, and I could clearly sense that something was amiss. The food was poisoned. By now, I could detect the poison even without the assistance of the nature spirits. Nevertheless, I showed no signs of suspicion and ate as if nothing was out of the ordinary. The angry glares from my siblings pierced through me, but I tried to ignore them.

After the meal, I was finally escorted back to my room. I threw myself onto the bed and stared thoughtfully at the ceiling. "Should I run away?" I whispered to myself. "But where to?" Before I could ponder further on these thoughts, the door suddenly opened. My siblings entered the room and gathered around my bed.

"How repulsive you are," the girl sneered with a malicious laugh. "Do you really think you belong with us? You're nothing more than a pig being led to the slaughter." "Let's go. The sight of him disgusts me," said the boy with disgust in his voice. I collapsed back onto the bed, trying in vain to find sleep. Thoughts swirled in my mind, keeping me awake. Eventually, I couldn't bear it any longer and got up. Slowly, I approached the door, opened it slightly, and saw that there were no guards stationed outside my door. A hint of adventure filled me, and I decided to quietly explore.

I slipped out of the room and followed the distant light at the end of the corridor. Curiously, I peeked through a crack in the door and recognized my father and stepmother engaged in conversation with a knight. My curiosity grew as I heard my father giving instructions, "Make sure Duke Drakonov signs the document and then retrieve it." With those words, he handed the knight a scroll.

Suddenly, the knight approached me, and I quickly hid. Patiently, I waited until the knight was gone. Then I ventured out again. A wicked grin played on my father's lips as he raised his wine glass. "Soon, we will be rid of all our problems," he said with satisfaction. My stepmother added skeptically, "But what if those beasts demand their mana stones back?" My father laughed maliciously and replied, "They won't. Even if they want the stones back because I sent them my bastard, it will already be too late. By then, he should have signed the document and handed over the mana stones to us. Shortly after, the poison will also take effect. They won't take the risk of it becoming known that an Aurelius died under their care." They clinked their glasses together and let their evil plans resound in a cynical laugh.

Quietly, I returned to my room. A loud laughter escaped me. Finally, I had found a way to free myself from this accursed place once and for all.