After perhaps centuries—even a millennium—trapped in the void, the first sensation Caelus registered upon witnessing the world anew was a crushing, sudden shock that immediately overwhelmed him. Tears instantly welled in his eyes and streamed down, carving wet paths onto his cheeks. Yet, startlingly, his eyes remained hollow, utterly devoid of emotion or expression. It was a searing paradox: the body was weeping relief, but the soul was not yet capable of mustering that deliverance.
Kouga, who stood beside him, sensed the palpable wave of grief radiating from Caelus—or rather, his new partner—and clapped a firm, comforting hand onto his shoulder, pulling him into a brief embrace.
"Hahaha. None of that sadness, Caelus-dono! Thanks to Lucien-sama, you have a second chance to experience this world. From this moment on, we are comrades. So cheer up and let's get energized!"
Argenta, who also stood nearby, offered comfort, though it rang noticeably false.
"Hmph....Be grateful to the magnificent Lucien-sama. Though I am proud, I suppose I will acknowledge you slightly. And please, stay far away from this muscle-brain so you don't become an idiot like him."
Hearing Argenta's immediate barb, Kouga quickly rushed to defend himself.
"I am not an idiot, Argenta! If I were an idiot, I never would have been able to lead the Ogres in the past!"
"Hmm. To me, you're still just a muscle-brain."
Watching the two bicker, a strange sense of tranquility washed over Caelus.
"No, thank you, Kouga-dono and Argenta-dono. I was merely reminiscing about the past. And please accept my apologies for not having introduced myself properly yet."
"Very well. Even though you are aware of my name, I insist on giving a formal introduction. Hajimemashite (It is the first time we meet). I am Caelus, an Artificially Created Fiend. I ask for your cooperation going forward."
"I am Kouga, a War Oni. Nice to meet you!" With a broad grin, Kouga pulled Argenta into a tight hug.
"And this is my partner—" Before Kouga could finish his sentence, Argenta delivered a sharp punch to his gut.
Ugh
"B—be quiet, you fool!" Her face flushed with anger and embarrassment. "I can introduce myself!!"
Argenta let out a frustrated sigh. "What on earth did I ever see in this idiot?" she muttered softly to herself.
"My name is Argenta. Memorize this beautiful name well! It is the name bestowed upon me by the magnificent Lucien-sama. And yes, I ask for your cooperation going forward."
Lucien, who had been walking ahead of the three the entire time, offered a slight smile. This feeling isn't bad at all.
"Master, is that really you? Have you finally come back???" The voice sounded sorrowful, then burst with sudden realization. "Whoa! I knew it... my Master couldn't possibly die that easily!"
Suddenly, the childish, piping sound of a young voice echoed within his mind, causing Lucien to halt mid-stride.
"U-umbra? Is that truly you??"
Even though he knew Umbra was alive and well, the feeling that washed over Lucien was entirely different. Perhaps this was the first time Lucien had ever truly felt nostalgia for Home—the very word that had, until now, always remained a distant, meaningless concept to him.
Suddenly, a single drop of water traced a cold line down Lucien's cheek. "Eh, what is this? Am I crying?"
The sudden stop and the low, startled whisper from Lucien instantly silenced the ongoing chatter of the three. Caelus, the newest among them, felt his empty eyes focus on the droplet tracing its path down their leader's cheek. It was a sight as jarring as seeing the sky suddenly fall; an impossible crack in Lucien's otherwise flawless composure.
Kouga immediately stepped forward, his usual loud joviality completely extinguished. His mouth opened to speak, yet no sound came out. The powerful War Oni looked utterly bewildered, as if witnessing a miracle or a catastrophic breakdown.
Argenta, however, simply crossed her arms tighter, her beautiful face pinched with unreadable frustration. She didn't move, but the sheer force of her surprise held her utterly still. To see the magnificent, untouchable Lucien-sama break was not something she had ever considered possible. The world suddenly felt off-kilter.
"Yes, Master, it is Umbra. Hehe, did Master know? Umbra has been carrying out Master's orders all this time, hehe. But I'm sorry, Umbra is not strong enough yet to help Master fight. But... but Umbra has already made a cool, powerful monster to help—"
Before Umbra could continue, Lucien cut him off. He fought hard to hold back the growing flood of tears.
"That's enough, Umbra. You have worked so incredibly hard. You have done well."
The three remained utterly frozen, statues carved in disbelief. They desperately wanted to offer comfort to their Master, yet the sheer novelty of the moment rendered them utterly incapable of moving. In that profound silence, a single, potent realization dawned upon them all: their Master, a being of such terrifying power, was capable of the same human frailty and vulnerability they knew so well.
They exchanged swift, loaded glances—a silent agreement passing between them, confirmed by sharp nods.
Lucien, however, paid no attention to the three of them, completely engrossed in the overwhelming rush of his current emotions.
"Hehe, is that so? Thank goodness Master isn't blaming Umbra for not being able to help."
Umbra paused for a moment, and then his childlike voice suddenly broke into a desperate, high-pitched sob.
"I'm scared... I was so scared something might happen to Master... I'm scared of being left alone. I was afraid Master would leave Umbra forever."
Unbeknownst to Lucien, and operating through the soul corridor, Argus secretly began sharing the flood of emotions currently engulfing both Lucien and Umbra. Suddenly, the three companions were struck by a suffocating ache in their chests.
Argenta was the first to shed tears, the immediate, raw knowledge of her magnificent Master's true feelings utterly breaking her composure. The other two felt the identical, crushing pain, yet with iron resolve, they fought to maintain their outward calm despite the profound emotions of their Master now overwhelming their very hearts.
"Be quiet, Umbra! That's enough!" Lucien choked out, fighting hard against his tears. "That's enough! I'm sorry... I'm so sorry, Umbra, for leaving you all this time..."
Lucien paused, then covered his eyes with his right palm, desperate to stop the increasing flow of tears.
"Forgive me, Umbra. I promise I will never leave you again. I... I... I truly missed you, Umbra... I have always thought of you as my own family."
Caelus led the conversation, his voice ringing with a newfound, solemn sincerity.
"Lucien-sama... the three of us will always be here with you."
Kouga and Argenta immediately backed him up.
"Caelus is right, Lucien-sama," Kouga asserted. "We three will always be by your side. So, if there's anything you need to talk about or just need to get off your chest, you can talk to us."
Argenta interjected, her tone softening almost imperceptibly. "Perhaps I don't fully comprehend emotions, but I can certainly feel what Lucien-sama is going through right now. So please, speak with us."
Hearing the words of his three subordinates only served to send Lucien's thoughts into a greater turmoil, adding a sharp sting to the pain he was already feeling. It was akin to pouring salt into an open wound.
He took a ragged breath. "You three!... Thank you."
The remnants of a small, broken sob still audible, Umbra's voice echoed in Lucien's mind once more.
"Master, when will you come and see Umbra? Umbra wants to see you so badly."
Lucien paused at that, then snapped back with sudden, frustrated anger.
"I wish I could meet you right away too, but you're the one who's always so busy! Fine then, I'll just go to Caelus's place instead!!"
The abrupt shift in mood made Umbra giggle weakly.
"Hehehe, is that so? Please forgive Umbra, Master!! Umbra didn't notice Master had returned because I was having too much fun with Umbra's new research project."
What a brat, Lucien thought to himself, a warm, exasperated fondness replacing the raw emotion. He then spoke to his three subordinates.
"We're going home. Umbra is waiting."
"We understand, Lucien-sama," the three responded in unison, bowing in respect.
"Umbra, we are coming home."
"We? Does Master have new subordinates?" Umbra asked, sounding completely bewildered.
"You'll find out soon enough," Lucien replied simply.
Then, in the blink of an eye, the four of them vanished, teleporting away.
The four of them arrived instantly in the throne room. Lucien proceeded to his throne and settled down, waiting calmly for Umbra's arrival. His three subordinates stood respectfully to the side, positioned along the edge of the plush carpet that led to the dais.
A few minutes later, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed, seeming to run toward the throne room. The sudden noise immediately broke the quiet atmosphere.
The doors suddenly burst open from the outside. A small boy, looking no older than eight, appeared, dressed in a researcher's coat that was clearly several sizes too large for his tiny frame. He had short, black-purple curly hair and bright orange eyes, and a wide, happy grin stretched across his young face.
Despite how different Umbra's current form was from the last time Lucien remembered him, the bond he felt didn't lie.
But aren't you too messy? Were you just playing in the mud? Lucien complained. And what the hell is that outfit? I don't mind the lab coat, but what's with the patched-up shirt? Shouldn't fixing that be a trivial matter? Lucien sighed.
Umbra frantically scanned the room, unable to locate the figure etched into his memory. His gaze finally settled on one spot.
The throne, a seat he had kept empty solely for his Master all this time, was now occupied by an unfamiliar man. The man offered him a casual smile and spoke.
"Yo, kid. It's been a while, hasn't it?"
A sudden, overwhelming surge washed over Umbra. The crushing weight that had pressed down on his heart and mind—the constant worry for his Master—was instantly lifted.
Ignoring the stares of everyone else in the room, Umbra sprinted toward the man he instantly suspected was the Master he had longed for. With every step closer, the surge of emotion grew deeper and more profound, dissolving all doubt. His certainty absolute, a broken sob erupted from his childlike voice.
Umbra didn't stop until he reached the dais, crashing into Lucien with a fierce hug. His sobs now uncontrolled, he buried his face in Lucien's chest, clinging to his returned Master as if terrified he might vanish again.
Lucien, who hadn't felt genuine physical contact in ages, gently hugged Umbra's small head with his left hand. He closed his eyes, savoring the long-lost warmth and familiarity.
"I'm home, Umbra," he whispered, his voice now calm yet profoundly deep with emotion.
Meanwhile, Caelus, Kouga, and Argenta stood watching from below the throne. They needed no command; they simply knew the moment belonged entirely to Lucien-sama.
Looking down at Umbra hugging him, Lucien sighed, a feeling washing over him: Just like my little sibling in my previous life.
Umbra finally released his tight grip on Lucien. Looking back at Umbra, Lucien's composure immediately gave way to annoyance.
"Why are you so filthy, Umbra! And what the hell is that shirt?! Can't you even take care of yourself?"
"Hehehe, I was just too busy with my research, so I never looked at myself. It's not important, Master," Umbra replied, giggling and scratching his head with an utterly innocent smile.
"At least take care of yourself, for heaven's sake." Waving his hand dismissively in the air, Lucien used his magic to instantly change Umbra's clothes into a small aristocrat's attire.
"Whoa, that's amazing! What kind of magic is this? It's the first time I've ever seen it!" Umbra exclaimed in wonder, as if he had just discovered a fascinating new subject for research.
Lucien merely shrugged.
"That's just a basic trick, kid. Now, don't waste your time on trivialities. Tell me, what in the world is that body? I can feel it's an artificial construct, yet it seems completely fused with your very soul. Did it evolve as a Harvest Festival gift?"
"From now on, don't call me 'Master.' My name is Lucien. Especially for you, you must call me Lucien-niisan. Understand?"
Umbra tilted his head, processing the strange new instruction.
"Lucien-niisan?" he repeated, trying out the name. A wide, delighted grin spread across his face. "Hehe, Umbra understands! Lucien-niisan!"
Lucien offered a slight smile and gently ruffled Umbra's hair.
The three subordinates watched the intimate exchange from their silent posts by the carpet. For Caelus, Kouga, and Argenta, the raw sorrow of their Master still resonated deep within their chests. Witnessing the magnificent Lucien—now gently fussing over a stained shirt and complicated magic, only to be affectionately dismissed by the boy's scientific zeal—confirmed every realization they had shared.