All through his journey back, Neron had multiple thoughts in his head.
He thought of the expression his father would have when he saw him in the house rather than the Academy. He knew there would probably be some letter sent to his dorm for him, but he wanted to hear his congratulations from his old man—face to face.
He also wanted to rub it all in.
'The exams were so easy! I can't wait till I tell him all about it!'
All of this anticipation and buildup—the culmination of emotions that kept climbing over the course of days—dissipated the moment he got to the front gate.
As he approached the familiar wrought iron gates, Neron's heart clenched with a mixture of relief, but suddenly began to feel dread. He had longed to return home, but now, as he stood before the imposing facade of the manor, he couldn't shake the feeling of unease that gnawed at him from within.
It almost felt… horrible.
