CH. 552: A new start

Aria's heart raced as Asahi answered her questions, one by one. She could finally let go of the anxiety she had been carrying, knowing that Ais was safe. The feeling of relief was accompanied by a sense of pride, as she thought of all the ways Ais had grown in her absence. She hadn't been there to watch her daughter's progress, but she still felt proud that Ais had stood strong on her own two feet. No more having to rely on a hero to save the day.

Ais didn't grow up without love — the fact alone made her shed tears of joy.

Asahi held back from teasing Aria and kept a serious look. "Ais wouldn't have survived if any other goddess besides Loki discovered her. Everyone in Loki's Familia had some contribution in bringing Ais out of her shell."

"I troubled her a lot," Aria whispered. "I had hoped she would forget about me… or wouldn't come out of stasis before I am done here. I was wrong. So horribly wrong."

"Freezing Ais in time was an incredibly selfish move."

Asahi could imagine himself pulling off something similar, but Aria was the personification of kindness. Such an act didn't suit her at all.

At Asahi's question, Aria showed a look of guilt but stayed silent.

He continued, "Selfishness be damned. I'd have done the same in your shoes. No way in hell I'm taking my eyes off my daughter at that age."

Aria smiled through her tears, showing a grateful look. "You do understand my feelings…"

The possessive parents found a common ground.

He nodded. "Ais has friends who find her brave and cute. She has fans all over Orario, and she has a family. What does she lack in her life? What pushes her to unsheathe her sword and fight monsters?"

His sharp question brought another wave of silence. He waited while Aria gathered her thoughts. Instead of sitting around, he whipped out a table stacked with cups and a kettle. Aria's eyes brightened as soon as the scent of fresh tea drifted to her.

"Bringing things out of thin air. You're like a magician."

"Perks of hailing from another world. I can use my… divine powers without restrictions."

"Is that why the triplets invited you, and Fafnir is so scared of you?"

He nodded with a faint smile and passed a cup to her side. "I can't believe you maintained your beauty in this forest."

"Perks of being an immortal spirit of the wind. I had centuries to experiment with herbs, flowers, and fruits available to me."

He chuckled. "I am amazed Stheno didn't kill you."

"She has to break the barrier, then fight me and Fafnir if she wants to kill me. It's a waste of resources for Stheno." Aria took a sip of hot tea and released a content sigh. "Furthermore, I am protecting Tartarus's core by keeping Fafnir here. You can say we're both using each other."

If Aria was a goddess, Medusa would've used everything to kill her. Fortunately, she was just a spirit.

The two enjoyed the tea in silence, eating snacks that Aria never knew about. Afterward, Aria put down the teacup and smirked at him.

"I didn't want Ais to grow up without a parent, but she has a mother in an unmarried high elf princess, and a reliable older brother in you. She will be alright."

While she smirked on the surface, her glazed eyes told a different story. She certainly felt remorseful for not being there for Ais when she needed her the most. More than that, there was a fear of being replaced and forgotten.

Asahi knitted his brows. He couldn't say he wasn't expecting things to turn out this way. "Are you sure?"

Aria silently nodded and looked down. "The barrier will collapse without me. I can't let my feelings cause a calamity. Knowing my princess's safety is enough for me…"

"If I told you there is a way to keep up the barrier in your absence, will you go to Ais?"

The question left Aria wide-eyed. "It's not possible. I created the barrier with seventeen thousand intricate nodes; it only accepts energy from me."

"Woah. That sounds impressive. But."

A sharp snap of his fingers pierced the stillness of the room and the air seemed to vibrate with anticipation. Suddenly, a brilliant jade light emanated from Asahi's body, casting a ghostly glow upon the walls. The wind gathered around him, spinning in circles and lifting his hair like a playful breeze. He transformed into his Wind Elemental form.

Aria, the spirit of the wind, felt like she couldn't muster any wind.

Fafnir clawed out the window, taking a good chunk of wall with it. "Aria, the barrier is fading—Asahi, is that you? How did you become a spirit?"

"Asahi isn't a spirit," Aria corrected Fafnir. "He is a god of wind."

He reached out to the barrier and empowered it with his will. "Is that enough proof?"

He cut off her only excuse to escape a meeting with Ais.

"It'll take me a few weeks to reach the surface… I can't let you suffer so—"

He pressed a finger on her lips, silencing her from making more excuses. "You are not getting out of this. I'll get you to Ais."

He lifted her in a princess carry and warped to Ais's side.

Ais was dozing off on a chair before Riveria's bed, seemingly exhausted from looking after an unconscious Riveria. The high elf princess was still in her dreams after expending all of her magic power in her bout against Aimi.

Aria recognized Ais from just one glance, even though Ais had blossomed into a young princess. Asahi could feel Aria shivering in his arms. He put her down and pushed her back until she reached Ais. He patted her back and caressed Ais's face with the other.

"Ais, look who is here to visit you."

Ais opened her eyes innocently before she looked at Aria with a comically wide gaze. "Okaa-san…?"

She looked down at her own body. Every time she dreamt about Aria, she would be five years old sitting in Aria's lap while Aria read her the story from a book. That didn't happen this time, fueling her confusion.

Ais just stared at her mother, afraid of reaching out and finding this all a part of yet another dream.

Asahi hugged Aria's waist and placed his chin on her shoulder, his usual cheeky smile brightening his expression. "I picked up your mom in the dungeon. Help me verify if she is the real deal."

Aria rolled her eyes and pushed him back. Spreading her arms, she released a nervous chuckle. "My little princess."

It was enough for Ais to get up and throw herself in Aria's arms. Asahi stepped back and smiled at the mother and daughter lost in their own world.

'What a wholesome scene.'

(We should be proud.)

'I am.'

He gave them a long glance before he teleported back to the 199th floor, leaving Aria and Ais to relish their reunion.

"He is gone," Aria remarked as she felt his presence disappear. She took a seat on the creaky wooden chair and hugged Ais. "He just came out of nowhere, told me everything about you, and now I'm hugging you… it all feels surreal."

She was hesitant to meet Ais, but Asahi made everything effortless for her, even if it meant outright kidnapping her.

Ais inhaled deeply, a floral scent so familiar, yet so distant. Her mother's scent instantly brought back a flood of memories: running through the grass, laughter shared over her father's training, and the childish but charming fairy tales. Her chest tightened and she couldn't help but cry.

Aria patted her back and consoled Ais, the same way she did when Ais wailed on stormy nights.

***

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