Left alone, the Ancient Sun God and Amon didn't immediately dive into reminiscing. The father and son, reunited across a temporal divide, fell into a silence heavy with awkwardness and complexity. Neither spoke.
After several seconds, The Ancient Sun God sighed and broke the quiet. "Mind taking a walk with me, Amon?"
Amon adjusted his monocle, nodded, and said, "Alright."
They strolled through the ruins not far from City of Silver. After a while, The Ancient Sun God spoke again. "In my time, I brought you here not long ago. I don't know if you remember."
Amon's steps faltered. His gaze swept over the crumbling structures, and a long-sealed memory cracked open. He realized he had been here, ages ago.
It was a sunny afternoon. As a young fledgling, he rarely saw his elusive father. Ignoring Medici's warnings, Amon had clung to The Ancient Sun God's leg. He vaguely recalled saying something... "Daddy, don't go?"... though the words were fuzzy. He was so small then. Yet he clearly remembered The Ancient Sun God's reaction.
Unaccustomed to parenting, always leaving Amon to Medici or Sasrir, The Ancient Sun God froze under the "ambush." After a few seconds, he regained control, bent down, and gently peeled Amon off his leg. "Amon, Father has things to do…"
"Wah... "
It was embarrassing to admit, but young Amon had burst into tears. The memory blurred after that. He recalled The Ancient Sun God soothing him for a long time, with Medici's annoying voice chiming in. Eventually, The Ancient Sun God promised him something. When Amon came to, his father had brought him here, on some important errand, with Amon trailing like a tiny shadow, holding his hand.
Looking at the ruins now, Amon said, "I remember this was a garden. After you finished your work, you sat with me on a stone bench in the center and wove a flower crown for me…"
"You still remember…" The Ancient Sun God gazed in the same direction, his eyes soft yet tinged with sorrow. "For you, that was ages ago. For me, it was recent."
He turned to Amon. "Amon, I'm not the father you know. I haven't lived through your future with you. I don't know what we shared in the times before my fall, or what happened to you after. To me, you were a waist-high little troublemaker yesterday... mischievous but lovable. Yet in a blink, you've grown into someone I don't recognize."
The Ancient Sun God lowered his eyes, a hint of loss in his voice. "Fate played a cruel joke, showing me a harsh future. It pained me, but I'm also grateful…"
He looked at Amon earnestly. "Grateful that when I opened my eyes to the future, I learned of my own death. Grateful that the first person I saw was you, grown up. Grateful that my child survived to adulthood."
Amon froze under his father's sincere gaze, managing a faint smirk after a long pause. "That doesn't sound like you. I thought you'd be disappointed in me…"
"I am disappointed, but I'm also grateful you're alive." The Ancient Sun God said, not denying it. He smiled faintly. "I'm not a great savior or father. I'm neither fair enough nor selfish enough for you. That must be disappointing, right?"
"…No!" Amon said suddenly, breaking his silence.
He looked up, meeting his father's golden eyes.
"I've never been disappointed in you, Father."
"Every family has its struggles. Parent-child bonds are some of the toughest puzzles out there. Good thing I've got no parents... born an orphan." Alaric mused to himself, chuckling at his own dark humor.
Shaking his head, he looked toward City of Silver and noticed a training squad spotting him. Some approached, while others ran off, likely to alert the higher-ups.
Soon, City of Silver's Chief, Colin Iliad, hurried over and bowed. "Good day, Your Highness Lucifer!"
Colin was clearly rushed, relief evident in his expression.
Alaric understood why. He'd told Colin he'd be back soon, but got caught up in the thrill of thrashing Amon, then forgot about City of Silver entirely, too drained by low spirituality to return. From Colin's perspective, an angel had promised a quick return, only to vanish for days without a word. Given City of Silver's history of being "abandoned" by their Lord, it was no wonder they felt uneasy.
"Had to handle something. Sorry for the wait." Alaric said with a smile, then added calmly, "I'll be taking people out of the Forsaken Land of the Gods today. I hope you're ready."
"Everyone on the list to leave with Your Highness is prepared." Colin replied, bowing respectfully. His voice was mostly steady, but a trace of excitement crept through.
City of Silver had waited too long for this. Though only a few were leaving, it was a monumental step toward escaping their plight and reaching the outside world.
***
Hi everyone, I hope you're all doing well and staying healthy. I want to let you know that right now I'm working on one of the best fanfics you might ever read.
If you're curious about this fanfic, don't hesitate to check it out.
[Mangaka? Nah, I'm Voice Actor!]
Synopsis:
I was a corporate slave with a normal outlook on life, values, and romance.
My worldview shattered after I get isekai'd, and through a twist of fate, I went with the flow, unexpectedly accepting my new reality in the role closest to the anime world... that's right, I became a voice actor.
---
Yes, just as you read, it's true that this fanfic will tell the story of a main character who enters the world of voice acting in Japan. This fanfic will portray the life of voice actors behind the Japanese anime and games you've been listening to all this time, spiced up with a bit of romance for those of you who enjoy it.
So if you're curious, don't hesitate to read it and show your support.