The dinner should have ended.
That was what Kel expected.
A pleasant family reunion.
Some conversations.
Questions about Frostbound.
Discussion regarding Aetherial Institute.
Then everyone would retire for the night.
Simple.
Reasonable.
Normal.
Unfortunately—
The moment the words "Divine Spoon Art" appeared, normality died.
Completely.
The Grand Dining Hall of House Rosenfeld had witnessed countless historical discussions.
Military campaigns.
Political alliances.
Succession disputes.
Territorial expansion.
Even wars.
Yet tonight...
One of the most powerful noble families in the North was discussing spoons.
Kel silently drank water.
The expression on his face remained calm.
Years of noble training prevented any visible reaction.
Inside his mind, however—
He regretted everything.
Across the table, Arthur practically bounced in his chair.
"Wait, wait, wait!"
His younger brother pointed dramatically toward one of their cousins.
"You were saying there are multiple versions of the story?"
"Of course there are!"
The cousin immediately replied.
"There are hundreds!"
"Thousands!"
Another cousin corrected.
Victor Rosenfeld slammed his palm against the table.
"Ha! Let me tell you the version I heard!"
The large man laughed loudly.
"The version from the western ports says Nameless stood upon the mast of a ship during a storm."
Kel already disliked where this was going.
Victor continued enthusiastically.
"There were seven sea serpents attacking the fleet."
"Seven?"
Leonard frowned.
"Only seven?"
Victor ignored him.
"Then Nameless calmly ate dinner while everyone panicked."
The entire family listened.
"He picked up a spoon."
Kel closed his eyes.
Victor pointed dramatically upward.
"And threw it."
"The spoon split into seven spoons."
"The seven spoons became seven comets."
"The seven comets killed seven sea serpents."
The room became silent.
Then Arthur gasped.
"THAT'S AMAZING!"
Kel opened his eyes.
"No."
Arthur looked confused.
"No?"
"No."
The younger boy frowned.
"But that's the story."
"It is also impossible."
Arthur looked unconvinced.
Victor laughed.
"See? Even Kel doesn't believe it."
Leonard sighed.
"You realize your story changes every year."
"It improves every year."
"That's not how history works."
"It is how legends work."
The room erupted into laughter.
Meanwhile—
Inside Kel's mind—
Seiren was already dying.
"Seven sea serpents."
"Seven comets."
"I like this version."
"It is nonsense."
"Everything about Nameless is nonsense."
She wasn't wrong.
The rumors surrounding Nameless had long escaped reality.
The truth had become irrelevant.
People preferred legends.
And legends rarely cared about facts.
Another cousin suddenly raised her hand.
"I know a different version!"
The room instantly focused on her.
She looked extremely excited.
"The merchants from the central provinces told me a different story."
Kel felt danger.
Again.
Apparently danger had become a recurring theme tonight.
The young woman continued.
"They say Nameless never actually uses spoons."
The room fell silent.
Arthur blinked.
"What?"
She nodded seriously.
"According to them, the spoon is symbolic."
Kel nearly choked.
"Symbolic?"
"Yes."
She lowered her voice mysteriously.
"They say the spoon represents destiny."
The room became silent.
Even Duke Aktaris slowly raised an eyebrow.
The cousin continued confidently.
"The spoon symbolizes fate."
"The throwing motion symbolizes rejecting destiny."
"The target symbolizes heaven."
"The impact symbolizes transcending mortality."
Silence.
Complete silence.
Kel stared at her.
She stared back.
Perfectly serious.
Finally—
Leonard spoke.
"...Where did you hear that?"
"A philosopher."
"Never listen to philosophers."
The entire table burst into laughter.
Even Helena covered her mouth.
Trying not to smile.
Arthur looked disappointed.
"I thought it sounded cool."
Leonard immediately pointed toward him.
"That's exactly how philosophers recruit followers."
Meanwhile—
Seiren was laughing so hard their telepathic connection trembled.
"The spoon symbolizes destiny."
"Kel."
"You accidentally founded a religion."
"I did not."
"Are you sure?"
"..."
Unfortunately.
Kel wasn't completely sure anymore.
The conversation continued.
And somehow—
The stories became worse.
Far worse.
One aunt elegantly sipped tea before contributing.
"The version circulating among noblewomen is different."
The room immediately became interested.
Even Helena looked curious.
"What version?"
The aunt smiled.
"They say Nameless is actually a tragic hero."
Kel suddenly felt an ominous feeling.
"How tragic?"
The aunt sighed dramatically.
"Apparently he lost his beloved."
Kel froze.
The room became silent.
Then Victor nearly spat out his drink.
"What?!"
She nodded.
"According to the rumors, his beloved was killed by sea monsters."
Kel slowly placed down his fork.
The aunt continued.
"Since then, every spoon he throws carries his sorrow."
The room exploded.
Victor laughed so hard he nearly fell from his chair.
Arthur looked horrified.
Elise looked heartbroken.
Helena actually looked sympathetic.
Kel questioned reality.
Meanwhile—
Seiren had completely stopped speaking.
Not because she calmed down.
Because she physically couldn't stop laughing.
Her laughter echoed endlessly through the telepathic connection.
Finally—
She managed to speak.
"Should I tell Lyra?"
"No."
"Why?"
"Because she'll kill whoever started that rumor."
"Fair point."
The conversation continued.
And continued.
And somehow became even more ridiculous.
One cousin leaned forward.
"Forget the spoon."
"The real question is whether Nameless is actually human."
The room immediately quieted.
Several people nodded.
Even some older family members seemed interested.
Arthur blinked.
"What do you mean?"
The cousin lowered his voice.
"I heard rumors."
"What rumors?"
"The southern kingdoms believe Nameless is secretly an ancient being."
Kel looked toward the ceiling.
Perhaps the gods would save him.
They did not.
The cousin continued.
"One version claims he's a dragon."
Another cousin interrupted.
"No, no."
"I heard he's an immortal."
A third immediately objected.
"Wrong."
"He's a hidden prince."
The fourth joined.
"Wrong."
"He's actually an ancient spirit."
The fifth raised her hand.
"I heard he's three people pretending to be one person."
The room descended into complete chaos.
Everyone began speaking simultaneously.
Arguments erupted everywhere.
"No, he's definitely a dragon."
"That's impossible."
"What if he's a dragon pretending to be human?"
"What if he's a human pretending to be a dragon pretending to be human?"
"How would that even work?"
"I don't know!"
Kel massaged his forehead.
A headache was forming.
Meanwhile—
At the head of the table—
Duke Aktaris silently observed everything.
His expression remained calm.
Yet his eyes contained amusement.
Finally.
The Duke spoke.
The entire room immediately became silent.
"What interests me."
His deep voice echoed across the chamber.
"Is not the spoon."
Everyone listened.
Nor the rumors.
Instead—
The Duke looked toward Kel.
"Did you ever meet this Nameless personally?"
The room froze.
Every gaze landed on Kel.
The source of the information.
The only person present who supposedly worked under Nameless.
Kel remained calm.
Perfectly calm.
Years of political negotiations had prepared him for situations like this.
"Yes."
The room leaned forward.
Arthur practically vibrated with excitement.
"What was he like?!"
Kel thought carefully.
Then answered.
"Normal."
The room stared.
"Normal?"
Kel nodded.
"Very normal."
Silence.
Arthur looked betrayed.
"There's no way."
"There is."
"But he's NAMeless."
"Yes."
"The legendary explorer."
"Correct."
"The island conqueror."
"Yes."
"The spoon master."
Kel visibly paused.
Then answered.
"...Unfortunately."
The room erupted into laughter again.
Even Duke Aktaris smiled.
Only slightly.
But enough.
Meanwhile—
Seiren immediately attacked.
"Unfortunately?"
"That's your official statement?"
"Yes."
"The creator of the technique doesn't even like the technique."
"I never created a technique."
"The entire Empire disagrees."
Kel ignored her.
Outside the massive windows, snow continued falling.
The mountain fortress stood beneath moonlight.
Ancient.
Silent.
Majestic.
Within the dining hall, however—
Chaos reigned supreme.
Rumors.
Stories.
Legends.
Theories.
Wild speculation.
Every family member contributed something.
And with every passing minute, Nameless became increasingly less human.
By the end of the discussion—
According to various sources—
Nameless was simultaneously:
An immortal.
A dragon.
A hidden prince.
A sea god.
A wandering saint.
A philosopher.
A tragic hero.
A secret emperor.
A reincarnated ancient king.
And the creator of seventeen different spoon-based martial arts.
Kel listened quietly.
Occasionally drinking water.
Occasionally questioning reality.
Eventually—
Even he had to admit something.
Perhaps the real Nameless no longer existed.
The person had become a legend.
And legends belonged to the people.
Not their creators.
Far away within Scarder Lake—
Seiren's final thought echoed through their connection.
Warm.
Amused.
Merciless.
"Congratulations, Kel."
"You've become the Empire's most dangerous spoon user."
Kel stared at his glass.
Then silently decided.
No matter what happened.
No matter what disasters awaited him at Aetherial Institute.
No matter what ancient secrets emerged in the future.
He would never—
Ever—
Tell anyone he was Nameless.
Because clearly.
The truth would only make everything worse.