Zephyr's father sighed as he looked down at Shouta after he finished talking, he seemed to be contemplating his thoughts and what he had wanted before.
Maybe he began to regret wanting to strangle the kid.
"I apologize for attempting to kill you, child. I was on a fit of rage, and it was justified that I was, but… if you truly said the truth, then it was also justified that you tried to defend yourself… If my son is really brought back to life… I will make sure to teach him once more… A better way to do things… His death had also brought me the realization of my own mistakes. Perhaps the absence of his mother had ended making my own emotions broken to the point I thought that raising him this way was the correct way…" sighed Zetice, that was his name.
"Apology accepted, but don't dare touch my child again." Said Kokoro, Shouta's mother.
"I-Indeed, I am very sorry…" sighed Zetice. He suddenly realized how pretty Shouta's mother was now that his rage and insanity had dissipated, it seems, because he blushed a bit after seeing Kokoro."Heh, I suppose things resolved themselves quite well, this is such a relief." Sighed Mikohime.
"Now, let's adress a variety of things before bringing Zephyr back. You see, the boy's soul was traumatized by his sudden death to the point he became insane, he was haunting Shouta and giving him nightmares to the point he grew suicidal, attempting to kill himself several times... I've grabbed Zephyr's soul and sealed him into this sphere, he is slowly being healed back to sanity, so it might take some time for his revival if you want the boy to act like he used to be instead than as an insane zombie." I said.
"S-So that's how it happened… Zephyr kept being here because he haunted the kid?!" asked Zetice in surprise.
"A relentless brat even after death. I suppose I have to admit you made him as stubborn as they come, and that stubbornness has actually given him the chance to stay in here without being sent to the afterlife…" laughed Thaletus.
"I guess…" sighed Zetice, he didn't found it funny.
After that I decided to adress things such as the alliance, also, I had decided to offer food upfront and my repair services.
"F-Food so soon? Without any pay whatsoever?" asked Thaletus."Of course there's a pay, your loyalty." I said.
"I see…" said Thaletus.
"Aside from that, you plan to rebuild our Sect? and repair the palace and the walls too?!" asked Zetice.
"Yes, without a problem." I said.
"Drake's people did a wonderful job at repairing our own sect. It still in progress, but it is going very smoothly." Said Mikohime.
Everyone seemed surprised over my offer, I offered everything they needed to the point they found my offer something they couldn't possibly miss! If they missed it, they would simply call themselves idiots every day and night.
"Sign this contract, and it shall be done, other conditions might be added in the future." I said.
"Hmmm… I guess there's no other way. Another Dark Shadow Sect attack and we are as good as dead… We might as well bet it all on you." Sighed Thaletus.
The sect master signed the document very quickly. In the document there was also a peace treaty with the Winter Lotus Sect, and also a forge of alliance. This was why Mikohime also signed it.
The contract was done, and everything was ready.
"Very well, you two better not fight ever again, or you'll suffer the consequences of the contract." I said.
"I guess… this is official now, the eternal rivalry and hate between each sect is finally over." Said Thaletus.
"It was quite anti-climactic, but… we must survive. So lets survive together." Said Mikohime.
"Hmph, I have to agree to that." Said Thaletus.
Thaletus and Mikohime shook hands and nodded. They disliked each other still, but at the very least they were now in better terms with one another.
"Good… Now that we are done with this… I guess you can bring me to Zephyr's body." I said.
"Oooh! Sure thing!" said Zetice.
"Here." Said Thaletus.
I was guided by the two old men into a secret room in the palace's underground, which was as chilly as a refrigerator.
In there, I saw the body of a young kid whose chest was pierced by an icicle, his expression seemed pained and moribund. He was perfectly frozen in a cube of ice.
"I see, excellent, this is more than I thought… I will bring it with me then." I said.
I quickly stored the entire corpse inside my inventory.
The two old men panicked a bit.
"W-What did you do?!" they asked.
"Huh? I just stored him inside of a special item. Don't worry, he's fine. I told you this will take its time, right? It cannot be done instantly; it is a meticulous process." I said.
"We understand…" said Thaletus.
"Do you need any help in anything?" asked Zetice.
"Bring me as many Life Attribute Mages as you have." I said.
"We only got a few… but they are at around Rank 2… Is it okay?" asked Thaletus.
"You're telling me you've not invested in life attribute mages?" I sighed.
"Well… resources are limited." Said Zetice.
"Fine, bring them other, better than nothing." I sighed
I also brought my own Life Mages and selected a special room, an empty one.
In there I waited for the corpse to unfreeze itself, as all the ice was drained into water and then taken out, I looked into the pale corpse of the boy.
I could insert the soul now and make him into a zombie, but that won't do. I am going to do an even more advanced method than that, something similar to Benladann's parents.
Certainly, he won't be brought back to life completely, but he'll become something closer to death than anything, nonetheless, it should allow him to grow and develop anyways, it is something special, between life and death…
