Monk’s Isekai Journey

Kain looked up, his voice steady as he continued to express his remorse. "I'm sorry for everything, brother and sister. I know I have to apologize to my other siblings and… Mother," he said, his voice trembling slightly. "I'm so sorry for what I did to you, the one who gave birth to me. I'm really, truly sorry."

He kept his gaze steady, looking each of them in the eyes. The room fell silent, the weight of his words hanging heavily in the air. Everybody—from his family to the maids—was stunned, unsure of how to respond. Thoughts raced through their minds, and their opinions bubbled to the surface in whispers and stunned expressions.

Elise stood in the corner, her eyes wide with shock. "Master Kain…" she murmured to herself. Could this truly be the same man I've served all these years?

Aria, standing next to Kain, watched everything unfold with a serious expression. Her small hands clenched into fists as she turned to look at her family. He's telling the truth, she thought to herself. Taking a deep breath, she stepped forward.

"He's telling the truth, Father and Mother," she said firmly, her voice unwavering.

Everyone turned to look at her, their surprise evident. Kain blinked, startled. "Aria…" he said softly.

Darius, Kain's older brother, furrowed his brow. "Aria, why do you think Kain is telling the truth? He could be lying to you, manipulating you like he has so many others," he said, his tone sharp.

Aria glared at him. "Because I know. He's different now. I can feel it," she said, her voice filled with conviction.

Darius stood from his seat, his imposing figure casting a shadow over the room. He walked over to Kain, his steps deliberate. Stopping in front of his kneeling brother, Darius looked down at him, his expression unreadable.

"Get up, Kain," he said firmly.

Kain complied, rising to his feet. The moment he did, Darius's fist shot forward, striking Kain hard across the face.

"Darius!" Aria yelled, her voice filled with shock and anger. She ran to Kain's side, standing protectively in front of him. "Why did you do that? He's trying to apologize!"

The queen rose from her seat, her eyes narrowing. "Darius, enough!" she said sternly, her voice cutting through the tension. "This isn't how we handle things as a family."

Kain's older sister stepped forward, crossing her arms. "Darius, hitting him isn't going to solve anything. He's standing here apologizing, and you respond with violence?" she said, her tone sharp.

The king remained seated but let out a low sigh. "Darius, sit down," he commanded, his voice calm but firm. "We will hear him out. Whatever his intentions, he is here to speak to us."

Kain's head snapped to the side, blood dripping from the corner of his mouth, but he didn't move or retaliate. He stood there, still and calm.

Everyone gasped, their shock evident. Elise stepped forward instinctively. "Master Kain!" she exclaimed.

The maids whispered among themselves, their voices trembling. "Did you see that?" one said.

"He didn't even try to dodge," another added, her voice filled with disbelief.

Kain turned back to face Darius, a warm smile spreading across his face despite the blood dripping from his lip. "You can hit me all you want, brother. I deserve it," he said, his voice calm and steady. "When I was in that coma, something inside me changed. It gave me time to think, to reflect. That's why I'm here now—to say sorry. If you hate me, if you never want to speak to me again, that's fine. But I owe you this apology because you deserve it."

Kain's voice didn't waver as he continued. "I'm not asking for your forgiveness. I just want to take responsibility for the pain I've caused." He bowed deeply once more, his head nearly touching the ground.

The silence was deafening. Everyone in the room was frozen in place, their minds racing to process what they were witnessing. The maids murmured among themselves.

"This isn't the Kain we knew," one whispered.

"Is he… is he truly changing?" another asked, her voice filled with wonder.

Elise placed a hand over her mouth, tears forming in her eyes. "Master Kain…" she whispered, her voice trembling. He's truly serious about this.

Kain's family exchanged stunned looks. The queen placed a hand over her chest, her eyes glistening with emotion. The king's stern expression softened, a flicker of understanding crossing his face. Darius looked down at his brother, his fists clenched tightly, his own emotions swirling inside him.

Aria stepped forward again, placing a small hand on Kain's shoulder. "Big brother," she said softly, her voice filled with unwavering belief. "I believe you."

Her words broke the tension in the room, and Kain lifted his head slightly, his eyes meeting hers. "Thank you, Aria," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

The room remained still, but the atmosphere had shifted. This was the beginning of something new—a chance for Kain to mend the broken bonds of his family.

Kain looked up, his voice steady as he continued to express his remorse. "I'm sorry for everything, brother and sister. I know I have to apologize to my other siblings and… Mother," he said, his voice trembling slightly. "I'm so sorry for what I did to you, the one who gave birth to me. I'm really, truly sorry."

He kept his gaze steady, looking each of them in the eyes. The room fell silent, the weight of his words hanging heavily in the air. Everybody—from his family to the maids—was stunned, unsure of how to respond. Thoughts raced through their minds, and their opinions bubbled to the surface in whispers and stunned expressions.

Elise stood in the corner, her eyes wide with shock. "Master Kain…" she murmured to herself. Could this truly be the same man I've served all these years?

The maids exchanged glances, whispering to each other.

"Is he really apologizing?" one asked, her voice filled with disbelief.

"I don't know what's happening, but this doesn't feel like an act," another replied.

"Do you think the prince is… changing?" a third added, her tone hesitant.

Aria, standing next to Kain, watched everything unfold with a serious expression. Her small hands clenched into fists as she turned to look at her family. He's telling the truth, she thought to herself. Taking a deep breath, she stepped forward.

"He's telling the truth, Father and Mother," she said firmly, her voice unwavering.

Everyone turned to look at her, their surprise evident. Kain blinked, startled. "Aria…" he said softly.

Darius, Kain's older brother, furrowed his brow. "Aria, why do you think Kain is telling the truth? He could be lying to you, manipulating you like he has so many others," he said, his tone sharp.

Aria glared at him. "Because I know. He's different now. I can feel it," she said, her voice filled with conviction.

Darius stood from his seat, his imposing figure casting a shadow over the room. He walked over to Kain, his steps deliberate. Stopping in front of his kneeling brother, Darius looked down at him, his expression unreadable.

"Get up, Kain," he said firmly.

Kain complied, rising to his feet. The moment he did, Darius's fist shot forward, striking Kain hard across the face.

"Darius!" Aria yelled, her voice filled with shock and anger. She ran to Kain's side, standing protectively in front of him. "Why did you do that? He's trying to apologize!"

The queen rose from her seat, her eyes narrowing. "Darius, enough!" she said sternly, her voice cutting through the tension. "This isn't how we handle things as a family."

Kain's older sister stepped forward, crossing her arms. "Darius, hitting him isn't going to solve anything. He's standing here apologizing, and you respond with violence?" she said, her tone sharp.

The king remained seated but let out a low sigh. "Darius, sit down," he commanded, his voice calm but firm. "We will hear him out. Whatever his intentions, he is here to speak to us."

Kain's head snapped to the side, blood dripping from the corner of his mouth, but he didn't move or retaliate. He stood there, still and calm.

Everyone gasped, their shock evident. Elise stepped forward instinctively. "Master Kain!" she exclaimed.

The maids whispered among themselves, their voices trembling.

"Did you see that?" one said.

"He didn't even try to dodge," another added, her voice filled with disbelief.

"And he's… smiling?" the first maid asked, her eyes wide.

Kain turned back to face Darius, a warm smile spreading across his face despite the blood dripping from his lip. "You can hit me all you want, brother. I deserve it," he said, his voice calm and steady. "When I was in that coma, something inside me changed. It gave me time to think, to reflect. That's why I'm here now—to say sorry. If you hate me, if you never want to speak to me again, that's fine. But I owe you this apology because you deserve it."

Kain's voice didn't waver as he continued. "I'm not asking for your forgiveness. I just want to take responsibility for the pain I've caused." He bowed deeply once more, his head nearly touching the ground.

The silence was deafening. Everyone in the room was frozen in place, their minds racing to process what they were witnessing. The maids murmured among themselves.

"This isn't the Kain we knew," one whispered.

"Is he… is he truly changing?" another asked, her voice filled with wonder.

Elise placed a hand over her mouth, tears forming in her eyes. "Master Kain…" she whispered, her voice trembling. He's truly serious about this.

Kain's family exchanged stunned looks. The queen placed a hand over her chest, her eyes misting. The king's stern expression softened, a flicker of understanding crossing his face. Darius looked down at his brother, his fists clenched tightly, his own emotions swirling inside him.

Aria stepped forward again, placing a small hand on Kain's shoulder. "Big brother," she said softly, her voice filled with unwavering belief. "I believe you."

Her words broke the tension in the room, and Kain lifted his head slightly, his eyes meeting hers. "Thank you, Aria," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

Finally, Kain turned to his father, his voice resolute. "What do you want me to do, Father?" he asked.

The king leaned back in his chair, his expression contemplative. He stroked his beard thoughtfully before speaking. "If you are truly serious about this change, Kain, you will prove it through your actions. Words alone are not enough."

The room erupted into a flurry of voices. Darius scoffed. "And how do we know he won't revert back to his old self?" he asked, his tone sharp.

The queen raised her hand. "Enough, Darius. Let us hear him out," she said firmly.

Kain's sister interjected, her tone cautious but curious. "Father, what actions do you propose? How does he prove himself?"

The king's gaze fell back on Kain. "You will start by showing respect to your siblings, your mother, and me. Beyond that, you will contribute to the family and the kingdom. There is much work to be done, and you will play your part."

Kain nodded, his expression determined. "I will do whatever it takes," he said.

The family continued debating, their voices rising and falling as they discussed Kain's future. Aria stood by her brother's side, her belief in him unwavering, while the maids whispered about the prince's transformation. The atmosphere remained tense, but for the first time, there was a glimmer of hope that things could change.