2294 - An Unexpected Gift
"…." Richard frowned and began shaking his head when he heard those words.
Hadn't his father heard of introductions before?!
"One of my brothers died before your eyes?"
Sahir stopped making the fireplace and raised his eyebrows, "Who?!"
"Asr." Robin replied directly, with a face devoid of emotion, "He was killed while performing a heroic act in service of the universe. He was a good young man who died an honorable death, and it is solely for his sake that I have come today."
"Impossible!" Sahir waved his hand, "How could a Guardian die without triggering the Silent Farewell? No Silent Farewell has been recorded in the past years!!"
"He died only a few months ago, not years, and it happened beyond the End of the World Barrier, there where there are no laws. His death was not recognized, nor was the Silent Farewell triggered within the universe." Robin replied, still completely focused on Arkail.
"If you have any other questions, go ahead. Today, I will take whatever time is necessary to give Asr the respect he deserves."
As for Arkail, he looked directly into Robin's eyes for a few seconds before finally opening his mouth, "Who starts a conversation like this?"
The death of Asr stirred nothing in Arkail's chest.
He is one of his many sons, one who showed no special abilities in his early years and was therefore neglected.
It is true that he displayed strong determination and managed to become a Guardian and Vice President of a Star Academy, and that was the only thing that made Arkail hear his name. However, that was the extent of his relationship with him. After Asr refused to return to the galaxy,
he continued to be an outsider,
unrelated to Arkail and his sons except for bearing their name.
Asr's death? Certainly, the death of one of his sons is disturbing and anger-inducing,
for his reputation and the reputation of the Fundamental Law of Time are at stake... but as long as Lord Robin himself said he died with honor, then there is no problem.
In truth... the matter beyond the
Wall of the End of the World is more interesting.
"Forgive me for getting straight to the point." Robin replied calmly, "But this matter is the most important to me, and it will affect everything else that will be said today, so I had to begin with it."
Then he continued, "To summarize what happened, I unintentionally opened a gate to what lies beyond the Wall of the End of the World, and there we clashed with an entire Nest of Space Beasts. Blokan, Althera,
Morgana, and your son Asr were with me, along with a number of my army members. We engaged the Nest, but unfortunately, it turned out they had a Space Beasts Ancestor with them."
“….?”
Arkail opened his eyes wide and gripped the armrest of his throne, even Sahir took a step back.
Ancestor of Space Beasts… These three cursed words are a death sentence for anyone who understands their weight.
“No need to fear. I managed to drive the Ancestor away after a battle that lasted some time, but it was slightly annoyed by the loss, so it killed your son, who was facing several adult space beasts. He was a hero and did not abandon his post until the very last moment.”
Then Robin raised his hand to his forehead and pulled out a white sphere surrounded by a transparent shell. “Here you go.”
“This…?” Arkail focused on the sphere in astonishment.
“It is Asr’s complete spirit,” Robin announced. “I snatched it from Asr’s head before the Executioner took him and left, using the Eye of Truth at the Fifth Level, and stored it safely in my Spiritual Domain, where I prevented it from being transformed into a spirit creature.”
Then Robin slid it to the center of the table. “I could not save the entire Soul Domain, but the Primordial Spirit is perfectly preserved here, along with all the memories… This is Asr.”
He continued, “With some effort, he can be reborn. He will be born as a normal boy who will unlock his memories as he grows older.”
“….?”
Arkail opened his eyes again in surprise. “Is that even possible?”
When the body or the soul dies, it's over. If the Life Artery dries up, it's over. If the Soul Domain shatters, it's over.
Robin's talk of being *reborn* was something unheard of.
"Good things open their doors to the diligent." Robin smiled. "With a bit of effort, you'll be able to rebirth this boy."
Then he continued calmly, "At that moment, Althera and Blokan fled. I don't blame them; they were alert to what was happening between me and the Executioner. But your son didn't move—not because he was weak, but because his complete focus was on his own battle, and he paid no attention to what was happening with me."
Robin tilted his head slightly. "I don't know if I can call that an overdeveloped sense of duty, or if it was blind trust in me that was misplaced... In any case, he's a good kid, and I would have loved to have a son like him."
"..."
Arkail stared into Robin's eyes, trying to absorb all the information he had just heard, trying to understand the person before him.
Finally, he reached out his hand toward the soul sphere, then gently pushed it toward Robin. "Your chance has come."
"...?" Robin raised one eyebrow.
"My son, whom you've heard of before, is dead, and the matter is settled. I don't want to admit it, but I cannot give his body to you. Even if I did, I would not place him in as high a position as you do. He would be better off with you... I've heard you have adopted children, including the First Sword, Theo, and the young Marshal Caesar. Take Asr with them; he may be of use to you."
"..."
Robin stared into Arkail's eyes seriously for a few moments, then nodded. "I'll take care of him."
After that, he pulled the sphere back into his Soul Domain once more.
Then he looked into Arkail's eyes again. "What do you want in return? I won't let what you spent on him in his early years go to waste."