Ataraxia Abyss
Chapter 38: Family

Regal was currently leaning on a rock with an immovable body. Adrian stood in front of him and said.

"Let's talk, son..."

———

The two of them looked at each other and Adrian finally started the conversation by asking. "What did Lilith tell you?" Regal looked at Adrian cynically and replied. "How can you not protect your subordinates..." Adrian chuckled and looked away from Regal for a while.

"My biggest regret was not that I went down to the underworld. But because I can't stop him from rebelling..." Regal was silent and tried to listen to Adrian.

"Your father... He is the best friend I have. When we the Gods always interfered in the affairs of the upper world, we were often involved in warfare. There were many powerful Gods from Celestia, but they appointed me as a warlord against the Devils at that time.

Until we finally won, but it took someone to rule the underworld. That's where I was appointed... They all thought that I was worthy, but I knew everyone's thoughts at the time.

They're all scared of me... I don't mind, because I'm also not forbidden to return to Celestia, but there is one angel who realizes that my placement is an insult. It was your father, he refused the orders of the Celestians and went berserk in the midst of Ether. No one is able to fight against him even when the Gods are fighting simultaneously.

But everything was different when Aria and I intervened. We both managed to defeat your father despite having to fight for 3 months up there. But Aria placed a curse, and the longer she lived the weaker she became, and in the end I went down to hell with your father, Gerald.

We both built a hierarchy in hell starting from zero. To do so we ended up making 6 Barbatos made from my magic, except for one Devil who is the only Barbatos made by Gerald."

Regal then pondered and replied. "Lilith?" Adrian smiled and sat down next to the young man as he continued his story.

"Well... Lilith was made from Gerald Mana, and for 3000 years we ruled hell together. Until it finally happened..." Adrian waved his hand and made an illusory picture, where he could see a woman who was Regal's mother, now picking flowers in the forest.

"Your mother, she was picking flowers while singing a very beautiful whistle at each step, it was so beautiful that it could be heard up to the Abyss.

Interested Gerald finally approached your young and innocent mother, and like you... Your father is a handsome Incubus with a charm that captivates women. Maybe for us immortal beings, the year passed almost like the turn of the day, but for Gerald whose life force almost reached the limit, time felt very beautiful...

They both ended up getting married, with you as the first child, Gerald left hell and decided to end the rest of his life as an ordinary father. But news of Letoch's weakening right hand is certainly not good news.

Demon King of Madness, he had many names but Gerald called him Godfrey. Those who are born of light but fall into darkness will become darkness that devours everything. That's why Gerald became so powerful, it's all because he's a fallen angel.

And you've seen Godfrey's origins in the book you picked up, haven't you?"

Regal nodded and replied. "Godfrey was not born, but was created by Celestia..." Adrian smiled and replied. "Truely, he was not born but created, and his mode of creation is the same as your father..."

And after fighting for 3000 years, your father always wins and wins. Until finally he was finished by Godfrey who realized that he had weakened because of his wounds and curses when fighting Celestia... I can't figure out everything up there, and your mother called me as soon as she was dying.

The best thing I could do at that time was to put them in Celestia. But now the best thing I can do is protect their two children, which is none other than you Regal..."

Hearing that Regal was clearly upset, after all this time, he continued to suffer thinking that he was abandoned by his family. In fact, it was his family that made him able to continue living until now.

"I can't keep protecting you up there, son, I can't make you stay in the Abyss either, but I can make you learn to protect yourself.

Now it's... Time's almost up, huh?" Suddenly Regal's body was fulfilled by the light, his body slowly flew upwards, Adrian looked at his clock and said to Regal who was currently flying in the air.

"The passive Skill of Gram has lit up. Those who have found regret and found their true selves will return from the deepest hells. That was why Ansgar brought the sword to his coffin...

Now that I know you're strong enough, son, from now on protect what's valuable to you like your father did, and don't make mistakes like I did..."

Regal slowly began to be consumed by the bright blue light and then disappeared from hell.

———

In the upper world, exactly where Regal committed suicide. Garm was lying next to Regal's corpse which did not rot at all, not even insects or maggots on the body. But Garm suddenly moved away when he felt the arrow from Regal's dead body.

Slowly burning his body by the blue flames, Garm growled like he was trying to control the fire in Regal's body using his magic. But Garm's magic doesn't work and he can't control the fire, so Regal's body burns to ashes without leaving a bone...

Garm looks sad and tries to get close to the ashes of his new employer. However, Garm retreated backwards when he saw someone waking up from the ashes of his master. The man crawled out from behind the ashes and tried to stand up with the help of the sword that had pierced Regal's corpse.

At first Garm looks alert, but suddenly he softens when he sees that the man who came out from behind the ashes is his own master Regal who is currently naked without using anything. Garm looks happy, but Regal does not seem to smile at all even after he escaped the torments of hell. He only looked at his hand, the hand he had been using to train all this time,he then looked towards Gram who had now changed shape with the sword blade that was originally black had now turned into silver.

He might still not be able to accept it all, but there was one thing that was certain, as to why he could get his second chance to live.

"Godfrey..."

...***...