The Author's POV

"As expected, those bastards took advantage of my absence to lay their hands on my guild."

Several files and papers were projected on the holographic projection in front of Edward, whose deep voice echoed throughout the apartment.

The more he stared at them, the greater the frown on his face became.

"You don't have to worry too much."

Standing by his side, Natasha comforted him.

"Your daughter is a lot more capable than you think. She may not have handled everything perfectly, but she was still able to deal quite a severe blow to all of the guilds that tried to lay their hands on the Demon Hunter guild."

"I would say that she had done a fantastic job."

"...She really did."

The news of his daughter's accomplishments made Edward's face soften a bit.

As he gazed at all the things she had accomplished during her career, he felt great pride fill him.

Despite being just twenty years old, she was able to manage the guild without her father's support and prevent it from being devoured by other guilds.

His pride grew for every minute that passed.

'You truly have grown up so well...'

"Edward."

Jolting him out of his thoughts, Edward suddenly heard his wife's voice. Turning his head, he softly asked.

"...Yes?"

With an uncertain look on her face, Natasha thought for a moment before asking.

"You can choose not to answer this, but..."

"Weren't you supposed to be in the demon world? From what I've heard, you fell into some sort of scheme, and the dungeon you were in desync. How is it possible for you to have come back?"

Edward's face turned serious when he heard her words.

Pondering for a bit, he eventually nodded his head.

"There is no need to hide anything from you. Yes, I was indeed in the demon world."

"So it's true..."

Natasha's face was filled with worry as she looked at Edward.

"...But how were you able to escape? I heard that it's almost impossible for someone to come back to earth once they enter the demon world."

"About that."

After briefly covering his hand with his mouth, Edward looked at Natasha for a moment before finally telling her everything.

From how he had spent several years trying to find a way out, to one day finding himself inside the arena after getting injured in a big fight, and everything else that happened after.

The expression on Natasha's face changed when she heard Edward tell about his time with the demons. It became increasingly concerned.

"...Who would've thought that the fights were rigged. Had it not been for Ren who—"

"Wait, did you just say Ren?"

Cutting Edward off, Natasha's eyes opened up a little bit.

"Yes? You heard correctly."

Tilting his head, Edward looked at Natasha.

"Is there something wrong with him? Had it not been for Ren I would've never been able to escape the place."

After his confirmation, Natasha sat down on a couch with a deep and contemplative look on her face.

Finding her reaction strange, Edward sat next to her.

"What's wrong? Did something happen with Ren?"

"Yes..."

Natasha nodded her head.

Lifting her head up to stare at Edward, she softly mumbled.

"It was also because of him that I was able to get rid of the Mind breaker curse..."

"What?"

Edward stood

that Ren was

a complicated look on her face, Natasha nodded her

"...Yes."

that had happened back in Issanor, Natasha's face

"He's a good man."

as he thought about what had happened in the past, and what Ren had done for him, he eventually closed his mouth

"...He is."

up from her seat, Natasha checked

here anytime soon. How about we go

"Okay."

***

Knock— knock—

taken a shower, I opened my room door without too much thought after hearing someone knock. After all, I could only think of my mother knocking on my room

familiar face. A face that I had not seen

that moment that my mind blanked

"You…"

took Amanda's careful gaze to snap me out of it. With no trace of shyness,

a little

you

of it and raised

specifically my hair as

happened to

I glanced at Nola who had her head turned away from me. It was from that moment that everything started to click for me as

'…It was you.'

through her rebellion

that supposed to happen when they were in their teens?

Ugh.

I stared back at Amanda, I replied in the same way I

"It's kind of complicated."

Vaguely.

"Complicated?"

relented and

don't tell me.

paused on my body, prompting me to reflexively cover it. Staring at her, I

"What are you doing?"

"…Your scars."

on my chest, Amanda's brows

a lot. A lot more than when I last saw

her emotions, I could tell

I smiled reassuringly.

I get myself a potion. They aren't even that bad, mostly

my fight against Lightning

That fight...

really took everything I had to

"I see…"

completely convinced by what I said, Amanda

her eyes, there was a trace of relief. But that didn't last long as a small hand reached out for her

It was Nola.

"Nola?"

small hand, Nola pointed in

"Sister. Remember the promise!"

"Ah!"

glanced in my direction. Following this, her face quickly became

rather, it became quite

her mouth, she

that you're

"Hmph!"

was Nola's exaggerated snort as

didn't escape my sight as I

to pretend to be angry at me, at

"Sister!"

she gazed at Amanda, Nola raised her

face quickly crumbled as she quickly apologized

do it. Why don't you forgive your brother

me a signal with her eyes. With one glance, I understood what she meant and pretended

did this, Amanda

a very good game. Your brother is very sad that you aren't talking to him anymore.

"…Cry?"

I secretly channeled some mana and pinched the

"Oh no."

face changed as she rushed to

don't cry. Nola was only

"...You're not?"

asked as I wiped

shook her

"No."