Cliffs near Hades's private estate, Lot City…

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The tearing angel hugged Alice and kissed her forehead . The resemblance could not be denied . Alice's mother was really one of them . Clyde shouldn't be surprised that angels existed in this world, but his eyes were wide . Until this moment, not a single holy-type being appeared, unless one could really count Selkie and Mortem . Clyde didn't . He wasn't sure what ent.i.ties were, but they were no angels . If he had to be honest, he didn't know much about angels either .

Hades, chained up, trembled . He looked as if he wanted to crawl away, maybe even die, but the succubae rooted him in place . Sucks to be you, Clyde thought .

The young man wanted to blend in with his friends, draw no attention to himself, but there was no way the angel missed his efforts . As if to confirm his thoughts, she looked right at him, smiling .

"So you're the one who stole my daughter's heart . "

All eyes turned to him, making it so much worse—not that Alice hid her affections . Everyone knew something . Still, Clyde said nothing at first, but he felt a little burn of embarra.s.sment . He decided introductions always made off for a decent start .

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"Mother, don't embarra.s.s me," Alice said, a little pouty, a little cute . She still didn't let go of the angel .

"I'm Clyde," the young man said . "I—"

"Oh, I know who you are," she said . "Your inner aura has enough holy in it to put some deities to shame . " The angel turned to Hades . "Before I take him away, let's talk about a wonderful thing called the truth . And hidden things, shall we? I would keep this conversation private, but the Hades family was ruined long before today . "

An intense white aura suddenly surged around the angel . Her voice, a song, carried with it hurt and honey, love and sadness . "One could say it all started when we met . An injured angel and a merciful young demon . Part of the blame will go to me . I should've known things would go south when Tomin told his family and friends that I was simply a demon that favored the light . A good demon . He even urged me to keep my true form hidden even from those closest to us . He was a wise man with a valid point . Besides, I was no stranger to how demons felt about holy beings in general .

"Yet, I couldn't help but be drawn to him—it was a thrill, being his wife among demons .

Most of them were friendly while others were all about seduction, money, and of course power . Tomin didn't care about any of that, which infuriated his family . Some of his family members began to resent me—after all, we were inseparable . Best friends and lovers . We chose the human way, marrying and while I personally don't have much of an opinion on the life mate multiple partners thing, I wanted him to myself . He wanted me to himself . We had Alice and my eternity was set . The handsome fun man of my dreams, a beautiful daughter with hopes of more children, and a nice palace in the human world . We even had friends that were human, some demon, some mixed .

"The problem occurred when Tomin's brute brother came along and started filling his head with terrible ideas and talk of glory . His brother was known for having a golden tongue . Like an idiot, my husband went from denying him, to listening . And soon, he started playing the game of houses . His brother even told him about a truly dangerous object, the Omen's sphere . There's a reason why they're named that way . " She gave Hades a dark glare .

"One day, Tomin found one and sacrificed nearly a fourth of his new guard to get it . To celebrate, he unveiled a new decree . He said he wiggled agents into the city leaders.h.i.+p and the government . His demons were now free to roam the city at night—find their own food . We got into an argument on the spot . That's when a few of his close guards stood in his defense, eager to go soul-hunting for innocent people . It became a beratement and I was tempted to smite them all, but I loved my husband . He didn't know of the dangers pertaining to the Omen's sphere and that only certain beings had permission to use it . Without knowing, at least I'd like to believe he didn't know, the thing activated in his hands . It beamed forbidden stands of magic in all directions . Since we were face to face, there was no way I could've avoided it . It was like death, sadness, ice, and a sword's edge all at once—powerful stuff . It undid my disguise, revealed to all of the guard my true form . h.e.l.l broke loose as half the guard tried to defend me, believing that it was the sphere's doing, that I was still me . The other half wanted blood . " The angel sighed .

"The injury from the sphere was just too great . With the last of my energy, I ascended, though it pained me to leave it all behind . Of course, I was in trouble when I arrived in Celestial . They sensed residue of the sphere on me . The magical injury took five months to heal, even with the best of our healers . Even after being able to move freely again without the pain, I lost my world-traveler's license for five years . I had to faithfully serve the region deity to regain it . Then join the Purifiers just to solidify my position and gain permission and trust to travel without eyes watching . So many years out of my daughter's life . The Rift G.o.d wouldn't let my letters go through . Had I not been very secretive about the existence of my family, they would've taken Alice, killed Tomin, maybe both . "

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She gave Hades a sad look . "And the first Satovian a.s.signment I receive is this . Arrest or purify, Tomin Hades—he's responsible for the loss of many souls—but what got their attention of course was the Omen's sphere giving out his location . Demons consume on a daily basis and the deity realms don't bother to organize to protect humans, thus numbers are pitiful . The archangels tacked on just one deed to give the Purifiers an excuse to go to Satovia regardless of whether the stone-viper games were going on or not . I suppose I shouldn't be surprised to return to a lech of a husband, chained down, and defeated . " The angel sighed . "There really isn't much else to say here except that I will be taking Hades under the authority of Celestial . I won't be going near the Omen's sphere—I'll tell them the Stone absorbed it . For some reason, they're fine with that . Just not with this man having it . " She glared volcanoes at Hades .

"Mom…are you really leaving again?" Alice said .

Tears dropped from the angel's eyes .

"In order to keep you from their gazes, my daughter, I must go back . I could take you with me…but I truly don't want to risk it . The deity that rules the region where I live is very strict . Don't look down . With my license, I can visit now . And in a year, I will be free of my contract and able to come back . If you can give me a year, my daughter, I will be back . " She smiled . "Besides, I'd like to have words with my future son-in-law . " She looked at Clyde . The young man flinched . "Suiting that my daughter ends up life mate with the great Stone of legend . And the only one born . "

"Born as the Stone?" Alice said .

"That's a story for another time . There are some here who knows it, but cannot tell . "

Everyone looked at Neko . Melody and Tear sneezed . Clyde gave them skeptical looks but let the matter drop . He already knew he was the Stone . Maybe being born as it was more metaphorical than literal .

"Don't do this," Hades said to the angel, voice barely above a whisper . "Alena…please . I…I didn't—"

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"Silence," Alena snapped . "Retain any shred of honor left to answer to your crimes . "

She hugged her daughter again . "You've grown, become more than just beautiful but with a mind absent of your father's taint . A woman . And with friends . " She gazed at Clyde and his party . "Thank you truly for taking care of my daughter . "

[Alena has given you the EXP and rewards as if you killed Hades . ]

Clyde minimized the prompts . Now wasn't the time .

The angel let go of the tearing Alice .

"You just got here," the half-demoness said . "Do you really have to leave now?"

"Hmm, good point," Alena said . "Take him to the futas and I'll pick him up in a few hours . "

Clyde's eyes widened—he antic.i.p.ated the cliché but it didn't happen .

"Alena no, I need to talk to you," Hades pleaded . "Just talk with me please . "

"Get him out of my sight," the angel said coldly, though Clyde noticed that she quickly wiped away more tears . The succubus agents rushed to obey .

"Now, take me to your living quarters…unless you live there," Alena said, pointing at the destroyed palace . "I should be able to reverse time for building itself, but can't help anyone who died in there . "

"I live with Cl…" Alice paused, but it was too late . Alena had her gaze fixed on her daughter .

"Let's go now," she said, a mischievous twinkle in her eyes .

Chika muttered something under her breath, something that sounded too close to jealousy .

"Let me Jump us," Tear said to Clyde . "You still need practice . "

Clyde knew the translation . Don't f.u.c.k it up or the angel might do things to us .

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