Sacerdos' Relived Ordeal

"As you command. I committed sins. I falsely claimed that various lineages were divided and exchanged this hearsay misinformation for payment..." Through the partition, the family head catches the journalist's evasive gaze as the penitent nervously awaits his response — a ritual of confession he had done countless times when his consolations ring out like bells to let the faithful repent for their sins. However, this time he subconsciously turns his head, trying to say something but stopping himself, letting his metal earrings emit a crisp noise next to his ears. "I'm fully aware that this claim is completely groundless. Thanks to the grace of the Great One, all Family members stand united as one. This is the collective desire of all lineage members, and their reason for devoutly embracing the Great One." The penitent confesses his sins, resolves to amend his mistakes, and seeks absolution from their evil via the harmonic tunes. The family head closes his eyes gently and utters the sacred benediction. "Very well. Show your sincerity to the other Family members and dispel those rumors. In this way, you shall be reinstated with harmony. Now, please leave in peace." What sin is there in speaking truth? His dictates are crystal clear but are burdened like a yoke. He sighs and shakes his head. "...Next, please step forward."

"These visitors claimed to have urgent matters to report, esteemed head, but some of their identities remain questionable, and they used shady means to enter the Dreamscape..." The uninvited guests trespassing the Dreamscape are lined up. If all goes according to plan, malefactors who inflicted harm will face banishment, and impostors with fraudulent identities will be apprehended. He says nothing, yet all arrangements have been made. The innocents witness his wrath, and expectations and uneasy spark in their eyes — Then, he smiles, extending his hand in an inviting gesture to the people remaining before him. It is a symbol of acknowledgment and a display of authority. "You are all esteemed guests of the Oak Family, and therefore you shall be welcomed with courtesy. Perhaps you wonder how you are judged fairly. Allow me to give a short explanation — It is because the 'road' you walk on has crossed with mine." The attendants, the artists, and the jobless ones dispelled their doubts as they recognized the truth behind his invitation. "Let transgressors face deserved punishment, and let guests receive deserved courtesy. Such should be the law of harmony." The family head's combined sternness and generosity are enough to earn him the trust of his guests. Surveying the assembly, he bows slowly... "Welcome to the Oak family."

"...Birds are born with no shackles, then what fetters my fate♬?" On rehearsal day, the young family head hides in a corner of the audience seats, refraining from distracting the singer on the stage and maintaining the right distance, just as he had wished. He sits upright in his ceremonial garb as the solitary listener for that moment. Amidst the familiar melodies, his thoughts drift back to his childhood, recalling occasions when she sang on stage, and he was her only audience — "It's been so long since you sang with joy... I've built a stage for you, though it's... a bit rudimentary." During the concert for the two of them, he vowed to fulfill her dream of gracing a grander, brighter stage someday. "Let my heart bravely spread the wings. Soaring past the night. To trace the bright moonlight...♬" He snaps out of his trance, then faces the root of his reluctance to draw nearer to the stage — His ceremonial garb is not just for enjoying the performance, but for the chance to withdraw at any moment he pleased. "Congratulations, sister. We have both achieved our aspirations," he softly utters.

"Go now. You are free — O chosen one, who dared to exceed his bounds. Sever your wings, descend to the mortal realm, and walk their lands. See what this world is truly like." Since then, the IPC executive's words often echo in his mind. He traverses bustling streets and quiet shores, always in motion yet rooted in place... He never doubts that he has the determination to remain unwavering or that he has the capacity to execute the plan with devotion, but before rising again, he intended to pause and savor the hard touch of ideals crashed to the ground... "The fragmented stones, steeped in beast blood and human sweat, forever cold, rough, and unyielding..." As the head of the Oak Family, he had shepherded numerous lost souls onto the right path. Yet, when it concerns himself, those gentle reassurances seem to lose their charm — He does not need rebuke, guidance, or sympathy. "Only from the mire arise those who trudge and toil. I shall press forward, learning more from my stumbles than my triumphs." Before truly embarking on his new journey, he has enough time to slow down, reflect and rearrange his thoughts, then continue to wander at the same spot. "Walking has no intricate philosophy. If one path proves impassable, simply veer onto another."