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?"

words, Edward stood up as his

Did you just say that

her face, Natasha

"...Yes."

everything that had happened back in Issanor, Natasha's

"He's a good man."

what had happened in the past, and what Ren had done for him, he eventually closed his mouth and nodded his head

"...He is."

from her seat, Natasha checked

should be here anytime soon. How about

"Okay."

***

Knock— knock—

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

the door that I was greeted by a familiar face. A face that I had not seen for over the past half a year.

mind blanked out as my

"You…"

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

a little

have you looked

moment I said those words, Amanda snapped out of it and raised her head to look

specifically my hair

to your

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

'…It was you.'

through her rebellion

when they were in their teens? An early

Ugh.

I stared back at Amanda, I replied in the same way I had spoken to my

"It's kind of complicated."

Vaguely.

"Complicated?"

she eventually relented and her face softened up a

tell

body, prompting me to

"What are you doing?"

"…Your scars."

on my chest, Amanda's brows

A lot more than when I last saw

was trying to hide her emotions, I could tell

I smiled reassuringly.

them. I'll get them healed once I get myself a potion. They aren't even that bad, mostly from

fight against Lightning

That fight...

took everything I had

"I see…"

not being completely convinced by

But that didn't last long as a small hand reached out for her pants and tugged

It was Nola.

"Nola?"

her small hand, Nola

"Sister. Remember the promise!"

"Ah!"

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

it became

mouth, she icily

good that

"Hmph!"

was Nola's exaggerated snort

a split second, Amanda's lips trembled. This obviously didn't escape my sight as

pretend to be angry at me,

"Sister!"

gazed at Amanda,

crumbled as she quickly apologized

can't do it. Why don't you forgive

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

the same time, I did this, Amanda pointed in

Your brother is very

"…Cry?"

I secretly channeled some mana and pinched the side of my leg,

"Oh no."

Nola's face changed as

don't cry. Nola was

"...You're not?"

as I wiped

repeatedly shook

"No."