"Oh, and how do you want to correct that mistake?" The old man asked, slightly surprised.
"If you're right, and subconsciously I do not want to lose them, then the longer they stay with me and help me, the stronger that subconscious feeling will become, which I don't want. So I have to let them go..."
"You're a neutral observer. You are also someone who is capable enough. I want you to take my Familiars. Take them and keep them with you until this war is over!" Azekiel declared, surprising even the old man.
"You're also the one who can help them regain their bodies faster than me. Just take them and help them get stronger..." Even though it wasn't an easy decision, Azekiel still had to take it.
If Raphael and Lia stayed with him, he could get weaker with time, in fear of the loss that he could suffer. He didn't want that, even if it meant having to separate from them.
They were still going to be his Familiars, but he wanted the old man to take care of them until he was finished. Not only did he want the old man to take care of them, but he also wanted the old man to help his Familiars get their bodies back and possibly train them.
Azekiel knew that it was a long process, but that was the best part about it. It was going to keep Raphael and Lia busy. Moreover, it was also going to give him an excuse to give them. He could just say that he wanted the old man to help them regain their body, which wasn't a lie.
Moreover, there was also another advantage. It wasn't just going to keep Raphael and Lia busy, but it was also going to keep the old man busy to some extent, which could stop him from pulling more tricks like that.
All Azekiel needed to regain his old self was to be alone for some time. And without Raphael and Lia, he could easily achieve that.
"Are you sure you want me to do it? I must say, I honestly didn't expect that you'd decide on this. I thought you'll embrace your fears and worries and leave this tower. However, you are deciding to leave them and embrace your bloodlust and anger?"
The old man could feel that things weren't going as he had planned. However, he also couldn't say no to Azekiel over such a request. In any case, he wasn't involved in the war that was yet to come, so he did have a lot of time. It wasn't hard for him to take Lia and Raphael with him.
"I told you... I can forget my present and my future, but I can never forget my past... even for myself..." Azekiel clenched his fist, speaking with determination-filled eyes.
"Sigh."
The old man let out a sigh. Even if his plan backfired, he agreed to it.
"Fine. I will listen to your request. I'll take them with me."
"Perfect."
Azekiel canceled the Barrier before turning to Raphael and Lia. "Alright. I have something to tell you two."
"I've been thinking about this for a long time, but I understand that it's important. I have managed to convince the old man to take you with him."
"Take us with him? Why?" Raphael asked, not understanding why they would need to go with anyone else. Did something happen?
"Don't you want your bodies back?" Azekiel smiled in response. "I've managed to convince the old man to help you get your bodies back. It's much faster with his help than it would normally be. That's why you will need to go with him."
"Our bodies..." Lia muttered. She really wanted to regain her body as she hated being unable to touch things. But still, this came so sudden. For a moment, she even felt as if Azekiel was trying to get rid of them.
"What about you? What about the floors ahead? Won't you be alone if we leave?"
Raphael questioned about something else entirely. He knew that Azekiel could've taken this decision after thinking thoroughly. That's what he was thinking about so hard before, he thought. However, that didn't change the fact that if they left, Azekiel was going to be all alone.
"Don't worry about me. I am strong enough to protect myself. Focus more on getting your bodies and getting stronger thanks to the old man's help. You have no idea how lucky you two are. There are many who pray for a teacher like him... With him, you'll get to learn a lot. And who knows, you might return in time for my final battle."
Even though Azekiel said that they might return before his final battle, he was convinced that they wouldn't since he had already told the old man to keep them away from him until everything was done. That was the time he needed to cleanse his head from all this nonsense. As long as the old man didn't pull another trick, he wasn't going to see them again.
Raphael asked a few more questions, still somewhat hesitant even though he wanted his body back, but Azekiel answered all the questions. For some, he told the truth. However, for most of the questions, he had to make up more lies.
In the end, he managed to convince Raphael and Lia to go with the old man. The convincing did take over an hour though.
While Azekiel was being delayed on the eleventh Floor, Zheng was waiting for him on the twelfth floor, getting tired of the wait. There was still no sign of Azekiel even now.
After he finished convincing and made Raphael and Lia agree, Azekiel stepped back.
The old man stepped closer to his two familiars, placing his hand on their shoulders.
"Think again. Do you really want this?" The old man asked Azekiel.
Azekiel shook his head in response before answering, "It's not what I want... It's what I need…."
