CHAPTER 368: THE END OF THE FIRST TRIAL

The final week passed in the blink of an eye. Strangely, or maybe not, nothing noteworthy happened. The peaceful days felt almost unnatural, leaving me a little confused. Weren’t major events like this supposed to be a magnet for trouble? The main characters were here, after all. Not one, not two, but three!

Then it hit me. Maybe the incident had already happened. The bandit hideout... I’d taken care of that potential disaster before it could ever reach the town. I’d literally cleared the dungeon before the main questline even triggered.

’...Yeah. That’s probably the case.’

Well, even if something else had popped up, I was sure that mysterious Tier 7 presence would have handled it quietly. For all I knew, a small beast horde had tried to attack and was wiped out without any of us ever hearing a whisper. That was a comforting, if slightly terrifying, thought.

But whatever the case, today, it was all over.

The Princess and Vance had officially finished their trial. By any measure, they’d passed with flying colors. They’d helped rebuild the town’s defenses from the ground up, secured a stable future with the new trade business, and saved countless lives in the process. Although I had a feeling the royal evaluators might mark them down a bit since they’d had so much outside help — from me, Cassandra, and Elria. It was politics after all.

"What are you thinking about?"

A voice interrupted my thoughts. I turned to my right to see Cassandra, her gaze also on the bustling, restored town below.

"Nothing," I said, shaking my head slightly. "Just relieved we’re finished here."

"Mmm," she nodded, a quiet understanding passing between us as we both stared at the town we were about to leave behind.

"You’re leaving today, too, right?" I asked to continue the conversation. Who knows when I would see her again? That’s why I had to use every minute to its fullest.

"Yes," she confirmed, her eyes still on the horizon. "The carriage must be ready at Derier City by now."

"That’s good," I said, and meant it. "And... thank you. For everything."

She finally turned to face me fully, a soft chuckle escaping her lips. "How many times are you going to thank me?"

I smiled sheepishly. "Well, should I say... as many times as you deserve?"

"Hmph. Smoothtalker," she clicked her tongue, but the slight upward curve of her lips made it obvious she was satisfied with the answer.

I couldn’t help but smile in satisfaction as well. It was true; our relationship had improved a lot over these past three weeks, evolving from close allies to genuine partners. Though there were still some walls between us...

"Did you have fun?" I steered the conversation. "Or any real difficulties during your time here?"

She nodded thoughtfully. "This place is really cold," she started, a hint of a shiver in her voice. "But thanks to the clothes the Madam gifted me, I was alright." A more genuine smile touched her lips as she continued. "And I had a lot of fun. From day one — where you defended me from those guard-thugs, introduced me to that tribe, meeting the Baroness and Baron, and so on..." She paused, her gaze softening as it met mine. "But the most enjoyable times were with you. So, thank you for giving me these memories..."

I felt a warmth spread in my chest that had nothing to do with the weak sun.

"Likewise," I said, my voice sincere. The word carried the weight of all the shared schemes and stories, the quiet understandings, and the unexpected but welcome camaraderie.

A comfortable silence settled between us for a moment before she broke it, her gaze still fixed on the distant landscape.

"Can’t you really return to the empire with me?" she asked, her tone light but with a genuine thread of hope woven through it.

I looked at her profile, knowing she was avoiding my eyes to make this easier.

"Yeah," I said softly. "You know it well. I still have to continue my traveling." I paused, then added to match my backstory, "But I should finish touring this kingdom soon, probably by summer."

She hummed in acknowledgment. "Then don’t forget to tell me where your next destination is," she said, her voice taking on a slightly chiding, affectionate tone. "And make sure you eat properly on the road. A man traveling alone tends to forget these things. Don’t make me worry from afar."

I couldn’t help but smile at her nagging, which sounded exactly like that of a caring wife. "Of course, my lady," I replied, playing along and pretending to be an obedient husband.

"That’s good," she said, nodding to herself in clear satisfaction.

Just then, we noticed four figures approaching us — Vice Captain Elria, Vance, Princess Aurelia, and the Town Elder.

"You’re here," I said as they came to a stop before us.

Vice Captain Elria gave a crisp nod. "Yes, Sir Lumin. We are ready to go."

I exchanged a glance with Vance and the Princess, a silent acknowledgment of all we had been through together passing between us in that look. Finally, I turned to the Town Elder.

"Elder, I wish you and Oakhaven continued safety and prosperity," I said, offering a respectful nod. "Farewell."

The elder’s eyes were glistening with emotion as he bowed his head deeply. "Thank you," he said, his voice thick with gratitude. "Thank you, and all of you, once again, for all the help you have shown us. You gave this old town its future back. We will never forget it."

With that final farewell, we mounted the carriage. Vance and I took the reins at the front, while the ladies settled inside. With a soft command, the horses started forward, and the wheels began to turn, carrying us away from Oakhaven.

Our first stop was the Eclipse Keep, where we would have lunch and tie up knots before the final leg of the journey to Derier City for Cassandra and the protagonist duo.

As we passed through the town’s main gate and onto the open road, I glanced to my side and noticed Vance looking back over his shoulder at the shrinking silhouette of the town walls. There was a rare, contemplative softness in his gaze. He was probably experiencing the bittersweet feeling of leaving a place he’d fought for and helped save for the first time.

Then, a faint smirk etched across my face.

’That guy stayed a tsundere till the end, huh...’

Of course, I was talking about old man Heron. I had already found him even before we left. He was there, hidden from view atop the wall, watching our departure. He hadn’t come to say goodbye openly, but he’d come to see us off nonetheless.

’Well, let’s see what decision he’ll make next...’ I thought, wondering if our paths would cross again.

"Chuu!" I clicked to the horses, flicking the reins lightly. The carriage picked up speed, and we continued our ride, leaving the restored town and its hidden guardian behind.