Stasis

"Did he say anything more?" Adam asked. If that old man skipped that part then he'd have to fill her in, which in a way made him uncomfortable.

Overall, Gabriel had this aura of innocence that seemed to overwhelm her charm as a woman. If possible Adam didn't want to discuss the contract with her. It would be like robbing the innocence of a child by showing them how kids are actually made. His worries were unfounded though.

"Y-Yes… he did tell me about the C-Contract." The shade of red took over Gabriel's face. It seemed like the old man didn't leave any stone unturned.

"So, what do you think? If you don't want to make the contract just say it and I'll handle the rest." Adam said.

Even if Gabriel wanted to meet her Father/Creator, it wasn't possible in the true sense. The current Old man was a new being that melded with the personality and the memories contained in the soul of the dead God. His intervention in this also seemed much deeper. That is why even if this did profit him, Adam wouldn't go through with this if she showed doubt.

'For me, granting these wishes takes precedence over whatever plot others are cooking. That is the only way to correctly use the Wish Shop.' Adam had thought over this in the time he had, the reason he got the wish shop.

"Yes. Even if he isn't the same Father I know… I want to meet him!" Gabriel's earnest eyes said it all.

"Alright then, I'll make sure that your wish is granted." The contract floated towards Gabriel.

Her eyes glanced down the words with a tint of red, but she signed the contract and kept glancing at Adam the entire time. He checked everything with the contract as it broke and entered their bodies. With that, the contract came into order.

With a deep breath, Adam focused his energy on a single point. A drop of translucent gold formed, that's what it looked like when in reality it was condensed divinity of the profession Chronomancer. Years of research and studies all condensed in a single spell powered by the God of Time himself.

"Stasis." The spell brought into existence by a man who had too much to achieve within his limited life.

Stasis, a state where one is stuck in place, neither moving forward nor backward. A spell made to stop his aging body from deteriorating before he achieved his first title. But, by casting it on his body he stopped his path to growth too. So, he remodeled the spell to allow growth while it stopped his age.

And like any other spell, this one evolved too. From his own body to others, from there to the surroundings, then to the planets, the solar systems, galaxies, and lastly the spell could now affect an entire universe and everything within it.

"Impressive, to think you would be capable enough to freeze thousands of timelines at once. Not even I can do that you know?" The old man appeared in front of him with glee on his face.

"If you hadn't turned the defense system off, this wouldn't be that easy. Also, the people here are far too weak to resist it after all." Adam's tone turned flat as his eyes glowed.

"Come on young man, you're selling yourself way too cheap." The old man shook his head.

"It is always better to be underestimated. Leaving that aside, your daughter is here." Adam pointed to his right, standing in the Admin space Gabriel came out of her frozen state.

"F-Father!" With a cute cry, she jumped into the Old man's embrace. He patted her back with a smile, even though he wasn't her real father. She was like a daughter to him, or the God at least.

"Hopefully you understand what you're getting yourself into." Adam said, and the old man nodded. He was abusing his powers as the Administrator. It wouldn't be far-fetched for him to face some discipline.

"But, I think that this is worth it." Adam chuckled and turned to look at the ecstatic Gabriel. 

He walked closer and handed her a golden necklace, it had a simple design, but the air around it gave it a regal feeling.

"F-For me…" Her face turned red when he nodded. However, it wasn't what she had thought it to be.

"With this, you can activate Stasis even without me, the spell will last for three hours and it will take a week for it to recharge the energy to cast it again." Her face lit up in amazement, she didn't know what spell Adam used.

But she understood how amazing it was from the feel of it. The air around her contained traces of Adam's unique Mana. A spell that dealt with time. Now, she could cast this spell herself? Even if it was through the device, how could it not be amazing?

'With this, I can meet Father anytime!' A week wasn't a long time from her point of view. What seemed like a one-time meeting had turned into a weekly event now. If other seraphs knew about it they'd go crazy over this.

Many angels wanted to meet their creator. Most of them didn't even know that he had passed away. However, he only granted her wish.

"I'll take my leave then." Adam placed his hand on Grayfia's shoulder and vanished with her in the ripples of space.

"That young man is always in such a hurry… Well, I already took care of that girl's departure so no harm done." The old man chuckled before turning to his daughter.

"Sorry, to keep you waiting for so long little one." He patted her head. For her, only a few centuries had passed, but it has been millenniums for him since he saw her face to face.

"It is fine father, I am already happy that I got a chance to meet you. And now I can meet you more often!" Her cheerfulness was contagious like always. However, he had an important question that he refrained from asking till now.

But, now that Adam left he could ask it without worries. Because even if he could do it with ease, Adam wasn't into peeking for some reason.

"Since you made the contract, I take it you agreed?" Gabriel nodded her head with a blush, watching that he smiled, "Ho? Seems like he charmed you already."

"W-Well…" The red deepened as she poked her fingers together in embarrassment, she hadn't felt such a way for anyone before. And she had only met him once, but somehow Gabriel didn't mind agreeing.

"He is very kind, and a gentleman… W-When he entered my room, he closed his eyes and even asked me before arriving. Also… he is very caring. And…" The old man grinned watching Gabriel speak like a maiden in love.

Although this was the daughter he always wanted to protect, he didn't mind this as the person in question was Adam. He had seen how that guy operated, and that allowed him plenty of insights.

"Also father, Mr. Adam gives off a weird energy for someone with his power. It is almost like he is…" Gabriel hesitated a little because she didn't know if this was a good or a bad thing.

"Yeah, that guy has a human heart still. If you ask me that is one of his biggest shortcomings." The old man sighed, as beings that have broken free from the river of time, having a human heart was a cruel punishment. 

Every species had clear limits. A human can never become a god without being reborn into one by shedding its human skin. A god cannot attain a higher realm of being without letting go of everything that defines it. However, even at his current power, Adam had never let go of his human heart. Like this universe now, his heart had been in stasis since he first cast that spell.

'But that was in the past, right now he is showing signs of progress.' The old man smiled, since the first time he appeared in this world to now, the difference was huge.

It meant that things were going well for him. The wish that trapped him in the past, was being realized in the present.

He turned to his daughter, if she could help Adam take one step further toward his liberation. That would be beneficial, not just to Adam or herself alone. But, to this world too.

'It is nice that he had a likable personality that caught her eyes.' The old man smiled as Gabriel told him what happened below since he passed.

Even though he knew it all, the old man listened with all his attention laughing along the way.

***

See you next week.