Chapter 74: Go to Home

I quietly stroked Sua’s head.

For once, she wasn’t her usual energetic, confident self.

Instead, she clung to me, her face a mix of relief and lingering fear.

Like a lost child who had finally found their way home.

“…I’m so glad,” she murmured softly against my chest.

Her voice trembled.

I gently patted her back, moving slowly.

“It’s okay. I’m fine.”

“You’re not fine! You were unconscious for two whole days…!”

Sua lifted her head from my chest, her eyes red-rimmed as she glared at me.

Faced with her intense gaze, I could only offer a sheepish smile.

“Well… let’s just say I got some good rest.”

“Everyone was really worried about you!”

She suddenly grabbed both of my shoulders, squeezing so tightly that I flinched.

Her gaze wavered.

“All I could think about was… what if you never woke up?”

Her voice cracked slightly.

“We all saw what happened on the battlefield.

If it weren’t for you… we’d all be dead.

But then—you collapsed, and for two whole days, you wouldn’t wake up…”

Her voice trailed off.

Her hands trembled against my shoulders, and her eyes shimmered with unshed tears.

I watched her for a moment before reaching out and gently ruffling her hair.

“…I’m sorry for worrying you.”

“…Really? Do you really mean that?”

“Yes. I do.”

She stared into my eyes.

For a long moment, she hesitated.

Then, finally, she pulled away, wiping at her eyes before taking a deep breath.

“Just… never do that again.”

“I’ll try my best.”

I smiled lightly as I spoke.

But Sua only glared at me.

As if she was about to scold me again, saying, “Trying isn’t good enough!”

And then.

“…More importantly—”

I looked around.

Inside the tent were Sua, Liel, Harp, and Alex, who wore a worried expression.

“…What happened during those two days?”

Before answering, Sua let out a slow sigh.

“The Demon King… has vanished.”

I blinked.

Right.

I had definitely defeated the Demon King that day.

But everything after that was a blur.

“Vanished…?”

“Yes. The moment you struck her down, her body shattered—dispersing like light.”

“And then you collapsed right after.”

Harp added, still looking worried.

“With the Demon King gone, the demons at the northern front completely lost their will to fight.

They panicked and retreated.”

The Demon King was gone.

And with her disappearance.

The war had ended.

I raised a hand to my forehead.

My head was still spinning.

But one thing was certain.

I had reached the end.

The war was over.

“…So, it’s really over now.”

I murmured quietly.

Sua smiled softly and nodded.

“Yes. It’s over, Miss Eve.”

Hearing her say it out loud, I slowly turned my gaze toward the window.

Through the gap in the tent, warm sunlight streamed in.

The war was truly, finally over.

I closed my eyes.

At last.

I let out a deep breath of relief.

After the war ended, stability quickly returned to the northern front.

Efforts to rebuild the ruined villages and fortresses were already underway.

And yet.

“Miss Eve! Why are you still in bed?!”

“Ah… I just wanted to rest a little longer.”

Lying in bed, I lazily answered.

But Sua wasn’t having it.

“You already slept for two whole days! And now you want more?!”

“The war’s over… Can’t I just sleep a bit longer…?”

“No! You have to eat! Get up, now!”

Sua grabbed my arm and forcibly tried to pull me up.

I groaned but reluctantly sat up, grumbling.

“Alright, alright… I’m up.”

“…So, what are you going to do now?”

I blinked at her question.

“What do you mean?”

“The war’s over. The Demon King is gone.

Now, you’re completely free.”

I paused for a moment, lost in thought.

She was right.

The war had ended.

There were no more enemies threatening the orphanage.

So… what now?

I turned my gaze outside.

The northern front was growing more distant.

Beside me, Harp and Liel sat quietly.

Liel was reading a book, while Harp stared blankly out the window.

And across from me.

Sua was staring at me intensely.

…Why is she looking at me like that?

It’s kinda unsettling.

Ignoring her piercing gaze, I leaned back and looked out the window again.

The landscape had changed.

Though the ruins and broken fortresses still remained, rebuilding efforts were already in full swing.

Soldiers were packing up camp.

Carpenters and mages worked together to restore the buildings.

“…It’s peaceful.”

I muttered quietly.

The battlefield, once filled with wounded soldiers, was now nearly empty.

With the Demon King’s defeat, the remaining demons had lost their will to fight and retreated.

No more casualties.

No more evil demons.

All that remained was rebuilding and negotiations.

And that was a job for those staying behind.

Amel can handle that.

She had chosen to stay at the northern front until everything was settled.

Even after we left, she remained incredibly busy, managing recovery efforts, handling negotiations, and taking care of the remaining soldiers.

The carriage rocked gently as it continued forward.

The farther we traveled from the northern front, the more the scenery changed.

The bloodstained battlefield and crumbling walls faded from view.

And in their place.

A vast, green meadow stretched before us.

I quietly opened the carriage window and took a deep breath of the fresh air.

Unlike the harsh, biting winds of the battlefield, the air here was soft and clear.

In the distance, the faint sound of birds chirping reached my ears.

Even amidst the carriage’s gentle rocking, their melody spread peacefully through the air.

“…Whoa.”

Someone let out a small exclamation of awe.

I turned my head.

“It’s been a while since I’ve seen a view like this.”

Liel murmured as she gazed outside.

Her eyes shimmered.

She had always worn a tense expression on the battlefield,

But now, she seemed utterly lost in the peaceful scenery before her.

“…Yeah.”

This time, it was Harp who spoke.

She, too, was staring outside, completely mesmerized.

“To think this place was always this peaceful… It’s strange to realize it now.”

“…I feel the same.”

I admitted honestly.

I hadn’t been part of the war for long,

But the memories of those intense moments were burned deep into my mind.

And yet.

Watching this serene landscape now.

It all felt like nothing more than a distant dream.

“The sunlight… is warm.”

I muttered absentmindedly.

The golden rays streaming through the window gently wrapped around my hand.

Warm and comforting.

A world where there was no need to fight.

No need to run.

Only peace.

This is the kind of place we were meant to return to.

I murmured softly.

“…Yeah.”

Harp smiled faintly in agreement.

I turned back to the window.

A gentle breeze rolled across the fields.

Butterflies danced over the meadows.

Small villages dotted the fields, children running and laughing as they played.

Above the distant mountain range, soft white clouds drifted lazily across the sky.

A sight that could never be seen on the battlefield.

A world we had reclaimed.

I took a deep breath.

Fresh air filled my lungs.

A stark contrast to the stench of blood that had once surrounded me.

The air here smelled of nature, of life.

“…It’s nice.”

I said quietly.

“It really is.”

Liel nodded.

“…Yeah. It’s really nice.”

Harp sighed in admiration, smiling softly.

And then.

“…We’re going home now.”

Sua murmured.

She was still gazing out the window, her voice quiet but firm, filled with a resolute certainty.

I looked at her.

She didn’t turn to meet my gaze.

But her hands—resting on her lap—were clenched tightly.

I knew what she was thinking.

I understood.

“…Yeah.”

The war was over.

The Demon King, the invasion—none of it would ever return.

“…It’s time for us to live in peace, too.”

I whispered.

For a moment, Sua just stared at me.

Then.

She smiled.

“…Yeah.”

She nodded lightly.

The carriage rocked gently as it moved forward.

In the distance, the sound of children’s laughter echoed through the air.

Beneath the vast blue sky, a warm breeze carried across the land.

We were on our way home.