Principal Nezu was sensitive enough for the mother-son duo to mourn their longed-for reunion. Once they calmed down, he asked them to follow him to his office for a chat. Agreeing to the principal's request, before going to its office, Izuku took the opportunity to greet Aunt Mitsuki and thank her for being close to her mother throughout his time away, before she left to check on her son.

  The principal's office has grey-blue floors and walls, with a huge window on the back wall. The room contains a rge wooden desk, a swivel chair sized for Nezu's small stature, and several filing cabinets of varying sizes. In the centre are a pair of bck sofas and a small table.

  Although spacious, Izuku's size was evident, having already had difficulty getting in through the door. He would soon touch the ceiling with his head, and if he still wore the helmet, the plume would dig into the ceiling, as the Paragon Spear had already done. Even though he was invited to sit down, he preferred to stand, certain that his size would destroy the sofa.

  Besides him, his mother, who is practically glued to him, and Principal Nezu, there was also the detective Tsukauchi. All-Might also wanted to be there, but had to say goodbye due to a sudden request for intervention, saying he would send a representative, Toshinori Yagi, in his pce. But when Izuku saw this Yagi, he had suspicions. His inhuman mind immediately began to calcute and compare many elements between All-Might and Mr Yagi, while his sharp instinct, developed over centuries of devout vigil, to recognise every single change in every person, led him to the same conclusion that logic had.

  Looks like you have secrets too, Toshinori Yagi, aka All-Might.

  ?Now that we're in a quieter pce, Midoriya-san.?" the principal began, offering a cup of tea. ?I think it would be interesting to know what's happened to you over the st 10 years.?

  ?…...10 years??

  ?Yes.? the detective said, taking up the file. ?You were kidnapped and then disappeared ten years ago, when that incident occurred at the elementary school you attended.?

  The news took him sincerely off guard, but not by much. His suspicion is that the Emperor's universe may be more of a parallel universe than a possible future. It wouldn't be so strange for there to be such… extreme temporal, technological, and social divergence. However, the reason he doesn't rule out time travel is that the Imperial Pace archives neither present nor contain detailed elements prior to the Unification Wars; in fact, he has just discovered that there were three Ages prior to the Age of Imperium: the Age of Terra, the Dark Age of Technology, and the Age of Conflict. If it is a time jump, then he was born during the Age of Terra, but, since practically nothing is known, except fragments of dubious veracity, of the events that occurred in the three Ages preceding that of the Imperium… his specutions remain just that, specutions regarding the possibility of time travel or a parallel universe.

  The vial the Emperor gave him certainly helped him reach this specific date; was it also His intention to have him appear in that very pce? Or is it because of the pce where the old man Cawl used his device?

  There is no way this is a question of coordinates. He said he was thoughtful. The Imperial Pace stands on the ancient Himayan mountain range, about 5,400-5,500 km from Japan. Was it really random?

  He felt a slight heat in his chest and, soon after, began to giggle.

  I understand. My Lord's hand is in here, too.

  ?Did I say something funny?? asked the detective, looking at the others present, who simply shrugged, not having an answer to give him

  ?No, no.? Izuku said, shaking his head. ?I only chuckled because the time here is not the same as it is for me.?

  ?Uh, how much of a difference are we talking about?? asked Inko worriedly

  ?You won't believe it...? he ughed ?If I think I was only 6 when I disappeared, and today I look at the date... biologically I'm, um, 2548 years old.?

  ?...Eh? ...EEEEEEEEEEH?!!!?

  ?Oh my, this is really unexpected.? Nezu said, amusedly.

  Seeing the surprised expressions of those present, he felt like ughing again, but he didn't because his mother was close to fainting at the news.

  ?2548... 2548... 2548...? Inko repeated as if in a trance ?Wait. Now you have to tell me exactly everything that has happened in these two and a half millennia!? his mother excimed, recovering immediately

  ?We talk about 2,543 years of service to the Emperor of Humanity, Mom.? he said, taken by surprise ?It will take a long time, many things are not pleasant to hear, others are secret, and I cannot-?

  ?Izuku, please get down.? his mother interrupted him.

  Even though he couldn't understand the reason for the request, he ducked, leaning on one knee, but his mother didn't seem satisfied and motioned for him to duck further. When his face was within reach of his mother, she took him by the ear and began to pinch it.

  ??!! Ouch ouch ouch. Mom?!!?

  ?You will now tell us everything. And by everything I mean everything!!!?

  ?I-I get it. Ouch! But some things I absolutely can't- ouchouchouch!?

  ?Start from the beginning!!!?

  In that room, those present and Izuku realised that angering a mother worried about her child is the st thing to do.

  *****

  Even though his mother asked him to tell everything, 2,543 years of service is literally an eternity for a mortal man, so he decided to simplify the story as much as possible, so as to please his mother and prevent the spread of secrets that could compromise the security of the Imperial Pace. Whether a dimensional or temporal wall separates them, he remains a Guardian of the Golden Throne and, even under torture, he will not reveal its secrets.

  The fact is that his story was not rosy; it was as dark as it was violent and necessary, the result of a choice offered to him. The patrolling of the Imperial Pace, the 97-year vigil in the Sanctum Imperialis, the execution of the Blood Games and the numerous Talon Sorties in which he participated.

  He expined the Imperium as it was, how the Emperor viewed it, how Horus' rebellion destroyed it, and how the humans’ thirst for power turned the Emperor's dream into a nightmare.

  He recounted how he was hailed as a hero and, at the same time, revered as a deity by the common people, although he expressed sincere revulsion at the idea of being "divine".

  He described the many worlds he saved or saw burning in the fires of the Exterminatus, which he himself more than once ordered to be carried out, condemning billions of lives to oblivion.

  He narrated his st journey, the fall of Cadia and the return of Roboute Guilliman, his Lord's Avenging Son.

  His mother continued to show different emotions such as anger, relief, pride, horror, confusion and more. The same was true for the detective Tsukauchi and Yagi, though respect and deep reflection predominated in their eyes beyond horror, likely wondering and, at the same time, understanding why his actions within the USJ were so… effective. But, unlike Yagi, Tsukauchi did not seem to doubt the veracity of the story. The theory is that the detective possesses some quirk of mind-reading or lie recognition. Nezu, on the other hand, listened fascinated and amused while sipping tea. Izuku thinks that if someone had offered him popcorn, he probably would have devoured it. At the same time, he noticed that the principal's intelligent eyes were calcuting as well.

  To tell everything he could in a simple and summary way, it took four to six hours at most. Outside, night had fallen, and Izuku prepared for the real battle that would determine his immediate future.

  ?What can I say…? began the detective, unsure how to approach the subject now that the story was over. ?A life, to say the least, intense.?

  ?Intense?? Izuku ughed. ?That's not exactly the word I'd use, but let's just say it's the most harmless one you can choose.?

  ?Izuku, there's nothing to ugh about!? Inko's voice trembled with anger and worry, as tears streamed down her face. ?They took away your youth, they made you suffer inhuman things, they forced you to fight and kill… and you ugh?!?

  ?When you live making choices out of necessity, certain things come naturally to you to ignore, Mom.? Izuku sighed, ?And besides, it wasn't all that terrible. Ultimately, in the worst-case scenario, I could have died after a few months if I hadn't taken that path.?

  ?Izu-?

  ?Mom.? he interrupted ?You should know that in the 41st millennium, technology, however advanced, is stagnant, decadent, and based on mysticism. I can consider myself lucky that the Archmagos Bellissarius Cawl managed, somehow, to get me home. I'm not saying I'm proud or happy with all the choices I've made in the Emperor's service, but if I were to go back to when I was 6, I certainly wouldn't hesitate a second time to repeat the ascension process, if that meant going home.?

  At that, his mother fell silent, knowing her son was right, even if she was reluctant. In that dark millennium, a 6-year-old child would not st long, and those who did come of age were usually children from decent families, which is more unique than rare, or who had taken both pragmatic and illegal approaches to survival, subsequently making them ideal candidates for the Astra Militarum. But if, after being conscripted into the Astra Militarum, they survive the deployments to the various Crusades or War Zones, that is another story.

  The point is, if he hadn't become a Custodian, he would surely have died in that bleak, dark universe.

  ?Hohoho. Truly commendable, Midoriya-san? Nezu said pyfully.

  ?Maybe? he sighed. ?But I think it's time to get to the real point of this little “invitation” in your office, Principal Nezu.?

  ?Which is?? Nezu asked, intrigued.

  ?How do you pn to keep me close to you, now that you’ve found an interesting new “human”.?