We picked Edith from her tent and made our way back home. For some reason Azrael's face was swollen pretty bad. Poor guy, he really got beaten by Tride so much.
"Azrael, how did you get hit? This much."
"Girly, your brave uncle got mauled by a big brown giant prick."
I could feel the daggers he was stabbing me from his eyes, this feels good.
"Uncle, can you please not bully Azrael."
"My dear niece, I didn't bully him. It was that accursed creature, it was his own fault that he went to fight something stronger than him."
"Azrael, if you don't be cautious from next time. I will start calling you uncle too."
Azrael's eyes bulged, he immediately held her hands.
"Don't blackmail me like that girly, I will be cautious. And what are you teaching our sweet niece?"
"I didn't teach her anything. But I'm happy with the results she got."
We bickered all the way until we arrived home, Azrael got out of the car. He was staring at the manor with a smirk on his face.
"Aren't you a rich guy?"
"Sure I am, Mom and Dad should be home. Go and surprise them."
He smiled faintly, took a deep breath.
"Let's do this."
We all went in, Both Mom and Dad were chatting on the couch and they didn't notice our arrival.
Azrael tiptoed behind them and hugged both of them from behind. They placed their hands on his cheek almost on instinct.
"Look who's back!!"
Simultaneously they looked back, Azrael's happy face greeted them. This time he hugged them more intensely.
They were stunned, didn't move for quite a while.
"What's with this reaction? I thought you guys would be more reactive, I'm sad now."
Both of them let out an involuntary chuckle.
""He has not changed.""
Azrael laughed out loud. "Of course, my majestic self won't change that easily."
Mom stretched his ears, crying as she said, "Took you long enough to come back."
Azrael hugged her and replied, "I'm sorry….just think of it as my education time outside the country."
Dad also patted his back, "Now that's a good excuse. But now you should look for a job then it will be valid."
"Hehe..I have a job."
Mom and Dad shared a look, intrigued they asked, "What kind of job? Arc, is he telling the truth."
"Yeah he is unfortunately. He is going to work with me as an Astra."
Mom, clearly concerned, inquired in a slightly trembling voice, "Will he be fine? Is he strong enough to fight?"
For some reason Edith thought it was her time to shine.
"Grandma, Azrael is actually really strong. Today he fought with a turtle-like creature who was 200 m big. That turtle even created a separate dimension and trapped him, he still came out alive albeit slightly battered. I also believed Azrael would come out and that's why I didn't stop him either."
Ahh the look of despair on Azrael's face and Edith's praise me look was extremely precious. She dug his grave. That's my sweet niece. Nice job!
Then Mom counseled him for an hour straight while all of us stood at one place, nodding when the time came. Edith was also not spared, she was also scolded like 'why didn't you stop him?', 'he listens to you, stop encouraging his misfits' or for Azrael 'You would be grounded if you do this again', 'Arc will stop you from training if you do this again'.
"Today is the best day."
Of course, I was also not spared but the fact I saved his life was my life line.
After the whole counseling ended. I shared with them the details of his arrival and about what happened.
"Then this way you could rescue other people too."
"Yes Dad, that's what Junia is trying to do. The experiment is still being made. It was because of my constant bickering that Junia started it faster than intended"
Azrael, who was on Mom's lap, got up and asked in a strange way.
"Why were you in a hurry though? Any special reason."
I sighed, "It was because you."
"What!!!!"
"Yeah, don't be that surprised. I have always thought that I could have saved you if I was brave enough. Edith was also severely affected because of your disappearance, sis also stopped contacting us. Everyone basically got separated, there was a faint imaginary line created between all of us. That was why when I saw a way to rescue you. I took it and I don't regret my choice."
Nobody spoke a word after that, For quite a while everyone stayed put.
Finally the silence was broken by Azrael, "Show me my room brother, I'm going to sleep."
"Yeah, follow me. Your room is beside Edith up the stairs."
"Kk, Edith, show me the room. You should also sleep. It's late now. "
Edith was dwindling on her phone, hearing his call. She stopped and followed him upstairs.
After both of them went upstairs, Mom said in a trembling voice. "Arc, take care of him."
"I will Mom..I will."
We talked for a while then went to sleep after 2 am or so.