Chapter 890 Hope for Restoration  

"EH!?" Runeas snapped her head back to Lilith and saw that nothing was different and thought that she was just imagining things, until Kisuke answered, "Your full cooperation. Without sugarcoating it, I'll technically be your new 'owner'."

[I'd like to negotiate.], Lilith replied back, making Runeas further speechless and confused.

"Please go ahead and tell me what you think. I'm willing to make a few concessions."

Runeas head finally caught up and jumped towards Kisuke while grabbing his collar, "Wait, wait! What do you mean you're the new owner!? What are you trying to do!?"

[Runeas...] Lilith called her name but she still didn't let go of Kisuke, "I won't allow it!"

Kisuke stared down at her and replied, "I'm not asking you."

Naturally, Runeas couldn't accept that kind of answer and raised her voice, "Even if you're not asking me, taking full control of her just because you can heal her is too much!"

"I'm not running a charity here.", Kisuke replied coldly, "Besides, you don't have the right to decide for her."

"I don't! But that doesn't mean we have to listen to you!" Runeas turned to Lilith and said, "Mother, we have a lot more options than what he's offering. Not to mention, there's no guarantee any of what he's saying is true!"

From this point on, Kisuke decided to stay quiet. If they want to, they can indeed seek help outside of their own. However, Kisuke also knew that Lilith was aware of her surroundings despite her current state.

[Aside from him, I don't know anyone that could help me or even want to reveal my current situation to.]

"What!?" Runeas let go of Kisuke, "How can you be so sure, Mother!"

[I'm not, but I'm sure that I know more than you.]

"W-" [Runeas.], Lilith didn't allow her to interrupt, [Looking at you right now, you probably put yourself into deep sleep after the Great War. You haven't changed much since then. I see that you're still that playful kid.]

Runeas became quiet as that's exactly what she did. To preserve her own mind and maturity, she slept for centuries, only waking up when there was something going on. It was unknown why she chose to do this, but this was the main reason why Kisuke was weirded out by her, 'No wonder...' Thought Kisuke while looking at Runeas and also figuring out how he could make use of this to his advantage.

[I don't remember how I ended up like this because it was only recently that I woke up to Rizevim holding on to me and Hades just now. Both of them tried to restore me to some degree because I'm more useful to them 'complete', but their researchers that came from various backgrounds failed to do anything. In which case, I doubt anyone else out there could properly help me.]

"B-but..."

[But while they weren't able to do anything, Hades has been very vocal about a certain individual that he wanted to take in from at some point.]

"I suppose that's me?"

[Dark green oriental clothing and striking green and white striped bucket hat covering his pale blonde hair. Hades would often mention a genius that could help him progress in a lot of things relating to the soul. But alas, the two of you are enemies due to a certain prophecy that a God beside him kept mentioning.]

'Hades thought of that? Looks like the documents I passed to both Azazel and Dylan were leaked to him.' Kisuke thought for a bit before replying with a chuckle, "I never expected him to think so highly of me."

[So please, let me ask this before we start our negotiation. Do you really have a way to restore me?]

"Hmmm... From the looks of it, you're currently in a Time seal which binds you to the very state you're currently in. Any attempt of healing or even killing you would be very hard as you would only revert back in time. Still, it allows you to retain your consciousness and sense of mind, so you're not entirely covered by this spell."

[That's also what Rizevim's men and Hades figured out, except for the latter since I never revealed that I'm conscious of what's happening around me.]

"With that in mind, the first thing I could think of is to take advantage of that hole and break the seal from there." added Kisuke. Nevertheless, he doubts something like that would work since the seal was sophisticated enough to leave her mind alone, so it probably had a failsafe around there, and probing that part may cause some accidents. Even then, Kisuke had to give her an answer that was concrete and believable to gain her trust, 'If that doesn't work, reversing causality should work, since it goes directly against the concept of time.'

"After that, the restoration itself can be started. It'll take many tests and experiments to achieve this but it shouldn't be impossible."

[Is that so... Then if you're successful in restoring me, I'll give my all to you and only you.]

"Mother..." Runeas muttered on the side while gritting her teeth. She never hated her immaturity until now.

[But in exchange... Please allow me to roam around on my own feet. I want to see and experience the world, even if it's just a small part of it.]

Kisuke could finally understand her desperation, 'So she just wanted a bit of freedom. Just how shitty was her life for her to request something so small in exchange for fully controlling her.'

Kisuke nodded, "How about we talk about this more once we are sure to succeed in your restoration."

"What!?" Runeas reacted strongly, "Mother was just asking something very trivial yet you want to delay this!?"

Kisuke's hand moved so fast and silently, without any hints of malicious threat, that Runeas failed to react when Kisuke flicked her forehead, sending her flying back, "OUCH!!!"

"Are you an idiot? I'm delaying it because she's asking for too little. While I'd take all the advantages that I can get, I'll never sell an overpriced 'product'. And besides, even though I want her to have a positive outlook on this, I also don't want her to have any false hope. I was able to give an answer, but that's just after my initial observations."

Runeas slowly stood up and pouted as she nursed the lump on her forehead, "...Can you really help mother?"

"It might prove difficult, but I can. At least from what I'm seeing now."

"...Who are you anyway? And why are you at the heart of my territory?"

"Kisuke Urahara. I can at least say that I'm on friendly enough terms with the Gremory Household to be invited over."