"Y-You... How could you..." Stark's eyes reddened as he held Maria, patting her back over and over. "Didn't you die in a car accident?"
Seeing Maria sob too hard to form a complete sentence, Howard stepped forward and explained, "Your doctor friend, Schiller, already explained everything to us. In short, your technology and energy development reached the point where you could make a deal with the Death Goddess. You paid some price and traded for our return."
At that, Howard frowned. "Tony, I don't want to bring up something so discouraging right after we've reunited, but I don't think it was worth it at all!"
"Everyone is born, grows old, gets sick, and dies. Spending such a huge price to bring us back would only affect your own life."
By then, Maria had finally calmed down. She slowly pushed Tony away and said, "Little Tony, it's already wonderful enough that Mommy got to see you again. On the way here, your father and I discussed it. We'll come see you once, then go back. You really didn't need to resurrect us..."
After saying that, she tenderly held Tony's face. "Snatching people back from the Death Goddess must have cost you dearly, right? You didn't have to do this for us. Your father and I already accomplished what we were meant to accomplish. The fact is, you've been doing well. We have no regrets..."
Howard stepped forward, speaking in that same unquestionable tone. "All right, all right, we've got nothing else to say. Hurry up and send us back. What if the Death Goddess charges by the hour? Wouldn't that be a huge loss?!"
Stark covered his forehead. Howard truly had not changed at all. If there was one greatest difference between him and Howard, it was that Howard was genuinely