Bethel took a deep breath and turned to Alaric, his expression earnest and solemn. "Thank you, Lucifer."
"Why so formal all of a sudden?" Alaric glanced at him, mildly surprised, then grinned. "But I'll take that thank you. I earned it."
Bethel's expression remained serious. Speaking slowly but with deep sincerity, he continued, "Lucifer, as long as you don't destroy this world, I'll serve you for as long as you need."
"Hahahaha!" Alaric laughed, looking at Bethel. "Then get ready to work for me your whole life!"
"…My honor," Bethel replied with a smile, performing a bow... an ancient gesture from the Fourth Epoch, a ritual of an angel pledging loyalty to a deity.
Back when Mr. Door had offered this bow to Tudor, it was casual, with little reverence. But now, Bethel's movements were deliberate and heartfelt.
It wasn't because Alaric was more powerful than Tudor, but because Alaric had proven, through his actions since transmigrating, that he was far more worthy of loyalty.
…
Since Bethel was heading home, Amon and Antigonus had no role to play. Alaric sent them off to assist Sasrir with his work.
Alaric, however, chose to accompany Bethel. After all, the Abraham family was now his "garden" in his eyes, and he wanted to inspect the "fruits" to pick out the finest seedlings.
Of course, Alaric didn't deny he was also curious to see the commotion... how the Abrahams would react to their ancestor's sudden return.
As it turned out, while the younger "fruits"' reactions were unclear, the older ones nearly fainted.
"Calm down, deep breaths, that's it!" Alaric said, watching Dorian, who was so overwhelmed by his ancestor's appearance that he nearly lost control. Alaric shook his head, deftly using his abilities to forcibly stabilize Dorian's emotions, then glanced at the flustered Bethel. "Good thing I came along, or this could've gotten messy."
Bethel's expression was a mix of emotions, clearly unprepared for his descendant's reaction. His face practically screamed, "What in the world? I knew they'd be excited, but this excited?"
This stemmed from Bethel's limited understanding of the current era's Abrahams. Though he'd learned about the family's state through various channels since regaining clarity, he hadn't fully grasped what his return meant to the modern Abraham family members.
After all, back when he wasn't sealed, Abrahams meeting Mr. Door might get a bit excited, but it was always within normal bounds... not like this.
"Ancestor! Are you… Bethel, our ancestor?" Daphne said, her excitement forcibly subdued by Alaric's abilities. Though her face still showed disbelief, her tone was calm, creating an oddly humorous disconnect.
"I am Bethel Abraham. I've returned."
After hearing that, Daphne felt she should be crying. After years of decline, the Abraham family had finally welcomed their ancestor's return. But with her emotions suppressed, she couldn't shed a tear, only managing a flat, "You're finally back, dear ancestor."
"That's so awkward. It kills the mood!" Alaric couldn't help but comment.
His remark only made the atmosphere stranger.
Daphne now noticed the man who'd arrived with her ancestor. After a moment's thought, she said, "Uh, sir, I believe I can control my emotions now. Could you please release the Beyonder ability you've used on me?"
"You sure?" Alaric asked, smiling. "I might not be able to rein you in next time if you lose it again."
The consequence of losing control, of course, would be catastrophic.
"I'm sure. I'm prepared now," She replied with a nod. She'd been caught off guard by her ancestor's appearance, but with mental preparation, Daphne, though not high in sequence, was a seasoned adventurer confident in managing her emotions.
"Alright then," Alaric said with a shrug, lifting the control over her emotions. Then, with an odd look, he turned to Bethel. "Wait a minute. She didn't seem to have any inkling you'd return. Have you not contacted them at all this whole time?"
Bethel's expression grew awkward. She coughed lightly. "At first, I wasn't sure if I could truly return. I worried that if they knew I was out there, they might get reckless and invite disaster, so I didn't tell them. Later, I figured a day or two wouldn't matter, and I'd notify them once I was truly free."
Alaric raised an eyebrow, not particularly shocked.
Though much had happened recently, it had been less than a year since Mr. Door crossed paths with him. It was natural for Bethel to delay contacting the Abrahams. Honestly, given their situation, premature news of his return could've led to reckless actions.
Many Abrahams were dutiful, but some were restless, unwilling to accept their decline. Otherwise, in the original story, why would family members, even under the Fool's protection, insist on trying to release Mr. Door?
Daphne, listening in, didn't know the full context but gleaned from their conversation that Bethel had only recently returned and could've contacted them earlier but chose not to. Before that, he was likely sealed somewhere, with signs of release only emerging recently.
Daphne held no resentment, only wondering if the sudden end to the full moon whispers a few months ago was tied to this.
"What's your name?" Bethel asked, his gaze returning to Daphne, his tone gentle.
To older Abraham family members, this would've been shocking. Back then, Mr. Door was stern with the family, exuding the authority of a patriarch, rarely showing such warmth.
Time had truly changed many things... for both the Abrahams and Bethel himself.
***
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