"All for you, Mother," Zaun replied instantly, his voice unwavering as he kept his head low. "All for your greatness. You never have to apologize to a dead one. I am not truly Zaun—I am your child. The name and identity you bestowed upon me is far greater than that of the original rat."

Hearing his absolute devotion, Maddy couldn’t help but smile, a wave of quiet pride washing over her. Looking at the five of them gathered at her feet, her gaze shifted.

Through her unique perception, she could see right through the physical illusion. The base forms of these S-rank adventurers were clearly visible to her now. The human features they displayed to the world were nothing more than a clever camouflage. They were literally wearing this human skin over their true, monstrous forms—and those forms belonged completely to her. They were undeniably, entirely her children.

"We only wear this skin to support you, Mother," Erwin said, speaking for the group as the others nodded in unified agreement. "We walk among them, playing their parts and bearing their titles, all to ensure your path remains clear and your awakening stays hidden from the world."

As the captain finished, the rest of the party eagerly voiced their own absolute loyalty, each voice overlapping in a chorus of profound devotion.

"Every breath I draw in this frail, human vessel is a calculated lie for your sake," Gela murmured, her eyes shining with absolute reverence as she clasped her hands together. "We wear these disguises so we can manipulate their institutions from within, keeping their eyes far away from you. My magic, my position, my very life—it is all for your greatness, Mother."

Lita nodded fiercely beside her, her knuckles white against the cobblestones. "Let the humans call us heroes. Their titles mean nothing to us. The only hierarchy that matters is the blood that connects us to you. I will tear down any church, any kingdom, or any foolish adventurer that dares to cross your path. We protect our siblings, we pave the way for your ascent, and we guard our bloodline with our lives."

"The marksman they think they know is just a hollow shell," Ed added, his voice trembling no longer with fear, but with an intense, burning pride. "Every bullet I fire is meant to secure our family’s safety. We are five bodies, but we share one pulse, one loyalty, and one purpose. No one harms our family. No one touches our Mother."

Zaun’s shadow seemed to ripple against the wall as he spoke his final vow. "We are the blades in the dark that ensure our siblings can walk safely in the light. For the family, no sacrifice is too great. We will bleed this world dry before we allow a single threat to reach you."

Maddy looked at the five of them, her heart swelling with an immense, unyielding pride. The formal unease she had felt earlier completely vanished, replaced by the profound weight of her true identity. She held her greatsword at her side, her violet eyes gleaming with a warm, yet terrifyingly powerful light as she looked down at her nest of apex predators.

She raised her left hand, gesturing for them to join her, and together, their voices united in a chilling, beautiful harmony that echoed through the damp alleyway:

"All for the family."

The words lingered in the cool night air, sealing the bond between them.

Now that the dust of their brutal combat trial had finally settled, Maddy looked down at the five S rank adventurers with undisguised curiosity. She rested her chin against the hilt of her greatsword, violet eyes glimmering with something softer than battle-lust. Homesickness.

"So..." she began awkwardly, suddenly nervous in a way none of them had seen before. "What news from our family?"

Her voice faltered with barely contained anticipation.

"Is... is my boy Sephiran behaving himself? And Arach—he’s doing his best as temporary head of the family, right? Even though Frovian’s obviously still there... he’s always had the sharper tongue when it comes to scolding everyone, but..."

She rubbed the back of her neck, her words spilling out faster and faster.

"I just hope he and Dyralfa are getting along and doing their best for the family... I’ve been having nightmares that the whole place has fallen into absolute chaos without me there to keep them in line. Are they eating well? Are they staying safe?"

She bit her lip, her hands tightening slightly on the hilt of her sword, her expression a fragile mix of fierce protectiveness and deep, aching homesickness.

"Argh, just—please, tell me everything! I’ve been waiting for this for so long!"

The five of them shared a quick, knowing glimpse. The tense, rigid posture of the elite S rank party completely melted away, replaced by genuine, warm smiles. They looked at each other like siblings sharing a long awaited reunion, glad to finally speak without their masks.

Erwin took a deep breath, his chest heaving as he stabilized his posture. He remained on his knees out of sheer respect, but he opened his mouth to explain the past, laying bare the history of their creation and the purpose behind their current mission.

"Oh, right, Mother—we’ve been dying to tell you all of this. I actually have..."

Erwin reached into his vest and pulled out a tightly rolled piece of paper. It looked less like a proper document and more like a makeshift scroll. He quickly licked his fingertip to loosen the stuck edge before carefully unrolling it.

And unrolling it.

...and unrolling it.

The parchment kept spilling downward until it stretched ridiculously far across the ground.

The sight alone made the surrounding siblings lean in with immediate excitement, practically vibrating with anticipation. Even Maddy’s eyes lit up, glowing with eager warmth as she stared at the absurdly long list of updates about her children.

Erwin cleared his throat dramatically, glancing down at the sprawling script before beginning to read aloud.

"From Sephiran: Mother left us with an important role... that even though she is far away from us, we can still feed her..."