"Well, I don't really know brother…"
Hearing Tanya's words made both Leo and Jon wonder.
Tanya sensed their gazes and said, "I-It's not that I don't want to go to the capital… but m-my friends here…"
At this moment, Leo and Jin understood her.
She was but a child, of course she would be reluctant to leave her friends behind.
After a moment, Leo spoke with a mysterious voice, "I have something to tell both of you at home which might help the two of you decide."
The siblings were confused about their father's sudden change in mood.
Anyways, they finished eating and have gotten enough rest so they didn't waste any more time. Leo paid the bill and the family left.
* * *
"What do you think dad will show us?" Tanya whispered curiously to her brother.
Jin pondered for a moment before shaking his head, "I have no idea."
However, one thing was for sure. It was that whatever their father was going to tell them would be important.
After they arrived home, their father asked them to wait in the living room before he went alone in the prayer room.
They had been waiting for a few minutes already but their father still wasn't coming out.
A few more minutes later…
"Jin. Tanya." Leo walked out of the prayer room and called out to his children.
Then, he checked if the windows were locked before closing in the curtains, making sure that no one from the outside could see them.
His actions made the curiosity of the siblings increase.
After making sure that everything was alright, Leo said to his children, "Make sure that everything you'll see and hear will not be known by anyone, okay?"
Jin had a serious expression on his face while Tanya adorably tried to put on a serious expression as well.
"Come." Leo led his children to the prayer room after seeing their cute expressions.
The siblings followed behind their father like ducklings following behind their mother duck.
As the siblings entered the room, they still saw the familiar sculpture of the beautiful woman they knew as Solana and the urn of their mother beside it.
However, they could also see a very thick book at the altar.
Not knowing what to do, the siblings stared at their father silently.
Leo cleared his throat and said, "It was also after my Awakening Ceremony did my mother tell me about this. Now, I shall do the same to you."
"My mother didn't really explain much to me because she said that she also only knew bits and pieces about us."
"Us?" Jin tilted his head while Tanya followed suit.
Leo nodded and continued, "My mother said that we're the descendants of people who worshipped the Sun Goddess Solana. She also said that people like us must always stay hidden. As for why, I myself don't know."
Then, he stared at his children and said, "I'm about to tell you the surname of our family. Now I'm going to ask the two of you if you're willing to be bound by the strict rules of our family or not."
"What does that mean, dad?" Jin asked.
Leo shook his head and said, "I don't know the specifics. My mother only said that those who bear the name of our family should not go to the outside world and must remain hidden here, otherwise they would be in danger."
Jin proceeded to think about what their father told them.
He really didn't know what their father meant by what he was saying but he figured that he would discover something when he read the thick book at the altar.
'It's not like I have a bright future ahead of me…' Jin thought bitterly. He figured that it should be better if he were to continue their family's traditions.
After all, despite not having an energy core and energy circuits, he still had his immortality. Maybe he would be able to discover something in the long course of time.
Deciding on what he wanted to do, Jin spoke, "Dad, I think it would be better for me to inherit our family name and our traditions. After all, Tanya still has a bright future ahead of her…"
"Brother! What are you saying?!" Tanya, who always seemed playful and childish, shouted seriously at this moment. She couldn't seem to understand what her brother was saying.
"Tanya, don't shout at your bro–"
"It's fine, dad." Just as Leo was about to speak, Jin cut him off.
He glanced at his sister before saying, "Let's tell my sister."
"If that's what you want, son." Leo didn't meddle any longer.
"Huh? Tell me what?" Tanya, on the other hand, was confused at her brother and father's words.
Jin sighed and said, "I can't be with you forever, sister. I was born without an energy core and energy circuits, meaning that I'll only be an ordinary person while you'll become the strongest warrior of humanity."
"Huh?" Stupefied, Tanya couldn't believe what she was hearing. She thought back to all the times that they practiced and trained with their father.
When she was swinging her sword clumsily in order to attempt copying their father's sword moves, her brother had always watched from the sidelines.
She had always wondered why.
Now, she finally knows the reason.
She bit her lip and said with a stubborn expression, "Then I'd rather be here with you."
"But Tanya–"
"Arghh! I don't care, I don't care! I just wanna be with my brother and dad forever!" Tanya cut off her brother and father who tried to talk her out of it.
With a helpless expression, Jin and Leo stared at each other and chuckled. They could see their worry for Tanya in each other's eyes.
"Why are you laughing!?" Tanya pouted.
"Nothing, nothing~" Jin said before turning to look at her, saying, "Thank you, sister."
"Well, since it seems like both of you have decided, let us continue." Leo said as he smiled at his children.
"Our surname must never be spoken to the outside world. Always remember this, Jin and Tanya…"
"...Ravindra."
Fwoosh!
Just as Leo finished declaring their surname, golden flames shot out from the Sculpture of Solana to Tanya's forehead.
"Sister!" "Tanya!"
Both Jin and Leo cried out in alarm as they saw the golden flames become absorbed by Tanya's forehead.