Divine Emperor of Death

"Well, kind of."

Davis answered the dark-green-robed figure in front of him, "The main reason I came here is to fulfill the words I gave to you, Ivy."

Ivy Aries's sapphire eyes lit up, "You're finally up for it?"

However, she couldn't help but slightly notice Davis's aura hidden, her expression becoming confused, but she didn't ponder too much on it, thinking that no one would dare to impersonate him in the Grand Alstreim City.

"Then I'll rely on you, Davis."

She slightly giggled, looking elated to see him take action in four months instead of the year she thought she had to wait. Besides, his face was also handsome to look at, causing her to be in a good mood after some months of seclusion.

"Let's go."

Davis nodded and took her to Hadian and Mulia's mansion. There, they found the baby they were looking for, Rias. She was ancestor Aries's reincarnation, or so they concluded after realizing that the Viridian Afterlife Path Tree's Branch pointed at her.

She was only four months old, but Davis seemed like he had waited enough. As for Ivy Aries, she was more than happy to do this action sooner. For one, she couldn't wait nine years and decided to do this in a year. The other reason was that accidents could happen, and she couldn't afford to lose her ancestor she adored and respected, especially in this era of the Calamity Light.

However, they didn't enter the mansion but kidnapped Rias as they put Hadian, Mulia, and Klessa in an illusion without them even coming to realize it.

"I apologize, you two..."

Davis sadly uttered but his eyes were determined, "I promise that I won't hurt her."

His Illusion Laws were still at Elementary Intent. However, with the prowess of his soul force, it was unlikely that they could break out of the illusion by themselves.

As for why he didn't speak with them, no parent would accept that their child was a vessel to an incarnation. They would have to go through agony and arrive at helplessness in order to accept such a conclusion, and Davis had seen it first hand when he witnessed Claire and Logan accept him after mulling on it with all their heart.

Ivy Aries watched Davis kidnap Rias from her crib with a complex expression on her face, berating herself for not having the courage to do such an immoral thing. She silently followed Davis, trailing behind him with unjustifiable guilt in her heart because she had never done a single bad thing in her life, and yet, the first thing she was doing to revive her ancestor was to kidnap a baby.

Soon, they arrived back at her mansion. However, Davis simply gave the baby to her, causing her to become stiff as a stone as she held Rias in her arms before she saw him open his mouth.

"Don't bring out the branch, at least, not yet."

Ivy Aries pursed her lips before she lightly nodded her head, "Mhm..."

Davis nodded before turning around and leaving, causing Ivy Aries to blink, wondering where he went. She didn't want to do this alone, becoming worried, but the moment she saw the baby in her arms reach out for her face as though wanting to be embraced by her, her eyes couldn't help but tear up.

'What… what am I doing…?'

Immense guilt flooded her heart as she gazed at the innocent little Rias cling onto her, whimpering adorable noises. At this moment, she even had the thought of abandoning her plan to revive ancestor Aries, but it was a mere ripple in her determination, causing her to forcefully smile as she caressed Rias's cheeks.

"You are ancestor Aries, and ancestor Aries is you. You're only regaining the memories of your previous life, okay?"

Two drops of tears fell from her eyes before she devoured them, sucked into her pores before being refined. She played with the baby for some time before Davis finally arrived before her. However, grabbing his hand was a little boy with an absent-minded expression on his face, seemingly caught in an illusion.

"This is…?"

Ivy Aries couldn't help but ask. However, Davis didn't say anything and took the baby from her embrace. Ivy Aries hesitated, but in the end, she obediently handed Rias over to Davis, allowing him to cradle her before he placed the baby in the little boy's arms.

Rias innocently roamed her tiny hands over the little boy's face, but he seemed to be oblivious, staring at the empty space with an absent-minded expression on his face.

At this moment, Davis activated Fallen Heaven's karmic prowess again, but he was still unable to see a thread connecting them. However, he didn't lose heart, taking a deep breath before he turned to look at Ivy Aries.

"Ivy, hand them the branch and hide."

"Huh?"

Ivy Aries released a sound of bewilderment, and when she wanted to clarify, Davis had already disappeared from her gaze, causing her to tremble as her gaze roamed between the little boy and the baby.

'At least explain...'

She inwardly sighed before taking out the branch that glowed in a soft viridian light, staring at it for a few seconds before she gave it to Rias, who was reaching out for the shiny object as though it attracted her deeply as she smiled ever so lightly.

The moment the viridian branch made contact with Rias, the heaven and earth energy reverberated.

Looking at this phenomenon, Ivy Aries became worried but quickly fled, as Davis said, not wanting to ruin the process. At the same time, Davis released the little boy from the illusion he was trapped in. The two children abruptly became illuminated by that viridian light as it twisted and churned between them, encasing them in its transient aura.

Davis and Ivy Aries watched this scene with wide eyes, their figures trembling for their own reasons.

Amidst the viridian glow of the branch that encased the two children, the little boy turned to look at the baby, his eyes becoming filled with tears as his lips quivered.

"A-Aries…"

"…!"

Ivy Aries was shocked to see the little boy call out her ancestor's name, but the next moment, she became convinced that he was probably Garvin Woller's reincarnation. Otherwise, she couldn't make sense of this situation unless Davis controlled that little boy.

However, Davis wasn't controlling anyone. He looked at the two children with utter concentration, trying to comprehend the essence of this phenomenon. He noticed Rellow Alstreim recognize ancestor Aries even in the form of another incarnation while possessing little semblance as a baby. He saw Rias recognize Rellow Alstreim as Garvin Woller despite Rias not saying anything, only having her mouth agape as tears silently fell from her eyes.

Obviously, their memories had returned, and he was sure that they were connected by fate as a red thread appeared between them. However, once the viridian light faded, Rellow Alstreim began to wobble on the ground before he stood straight, casting a look at Rias with narrowed eyes.

"Aries…? I called her Aries…? Why is that? I don't even know her..."

"Mother... why am I even holding a baby? Where am I…?"

Rellow Alstreim couldn't help but tremble, turning around to see where he was in fright. However, his footing was misplaced, and he fell with the baby but halfway before he could reach the ground, the slim arm of Ivy Aries caught them.

"Big… sister… who are yo-?"

Before Rellow Alstreim could even finish the sentence, he seemingly lost consciousness.

Ivy Aries laid them down on a sofa before she looked at Rias glare at her.

"Little Ivy… it's you..."

The baby voice of Rias resounded adorably, causing Ivy Aries's expression to blossom into a wide smile as her facial muscles trembled.

"Ancestor… you're back. Thank the heavens~"

Two tears overflowed from Ivy Aries's eyes. She looked away, wanting to thank Davis, but she couldn't find him, making her think that he was still hidden for some reason she couldn't understand. However, she was too excited to think about it, returning her gaze to ancestor Aries as she asked.

"Ancestor, do you still remember everything?"

"I… do…"

Rias cutely answered, causing Ivy Aries to almost hop in joy before she pointed at the little boy.

"Ancestor, I think that's ancestor Garvin."

"Mhm… I think so too… Our souls… resonated at that moment… causing him to… remember me… but… he quickly forgot me..."

Rias's adorable voice became tinged with sorrow, not knowing how to feel about this matter as she had just reunited with Garvin Woller miraculously, and yet, he seemingly forgot her as though it was just a temporary phenomenon.

*Bzzzz~*

At this moment, they could feel the heaven and earth energy reverberate slightly as it did before, causing the both of them to look at an empty space where the silhouette of a purple-robed man became visible.