Three days later, near evening at the town entrance gate, Sarah spoke softly to Ela, "Are you sure you're not coming with us, Ela? Alicia and the other children would be thrilled to have you visit."

"I'd love to, but I must return to my forest village. With the war, much of our village is in ruins, and I need to help rebuild," Ela replied with a hint of sadness.

"I understand. Whenever you have time, you're always welcome to visit. We'll be waiting for you," Sarah said warmly to her friend.

"Of course," Ela replied, then turned to Shirou, who stood beside Sarah, gazing towards the village. She gently placed her hand on Shirou's head and started patting it.

Shirou glanced at Ela and brushed her hand away, saying, "Hey! I never gave you permission to touch me, you old hag elf!"

"What... what did you say, you... " They began bickering as Sarah watched, smiling to herself.

"What..." Ela and Shirou asked simultaneously, noticing Sarah's amusement.

"Nothing," Sarah chuckled. "But it seems you two get along well."

"It's not like that!" they both protested at once.

Sarah smiled and looked towards the entrance gate with a familiar expression.

"Ah... I must leave too. If I linger, it'll be dark soon, and it's dangerous to travel through the forest at night," Ela said.

"I think you're right. Goodbye, Ela. Take care, and please convey my gratitude to the village elder for their support," Sarah said, hugging Ela before turning towards Shirou with a warm look.

"What...?" Shirou asked, clearly confused.

"Don't you have something to say to her?" Sarah asked, smiling.

"I... I don't have anything... well, thank you for earlier, for stopping me," Shirou said softly, avoiding eye contact.

"Ohhh... Are you blushing? You need to be honest," Ela teased, giggling.

"Don't laugh, and don't die. I'll be the one who kills you," Shirou retorted.

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"Okay, okay. Bye-bye," Ela said, waving as she departed.

"So, let's go," Sarah said to Shirou.

Shirou nodded, and they entered the village through the gate. The atmosphere shifted dramatically from the camp they had been staying in to the bustling, lively town. As they passed through the market, everyone greeted Sarah with smiles, thanking her as the hero of the war who had saved them and congratulating her on their victory. Sarah was cherished by everyone in the town.

While walking, Sarah noticed Shirou occasionally glancing at her.

"Is something wrong? Do you need something, or is there something you want to say?" Sarah asked.

"You sure are famous, aren't you? I mean, everyone here adores you and loves you. It must feel wonderful to be loved like that because you're a hero. I envy that," Shirou said with a hint of sadness in his eyes.

Sarah looked at Shirou thoughtfully. "I don't think being a hero or a soldier in war brings any real advantages. Achieving something and gaining fame—it all seems meaningless compared to the sacrifices you make: leaving behind everyone and everything you love, losing family... losing those who are precious to you," she trailed off, changing the subject. "It wasn't always like this. I used to be just a wandering soldier, struggling to survive day by day. But then I met someone who changed everything. Someone who gave me dreams I never had before."

"Who was that person? You've never mentioned them before. And where are they now?" Shirou asked, curious.

"Unfortunately, he died in the war. Unlike me, he wasn't a soldier or an adventurer. He was a simple blacksmith—a blacksmith who could talk to his tools. He promised that after the war, we would marry. But I suppose that promise will never be fulfilled now," Sarah said with a smile tinged with melancholy. Shirou sensed it wasn't the right time to ask further, understanding the pain of losing someone dear.

After that, the rest of the journey was quiet until they reached a somewhat old-looking house that resembled an inn.

"Is this your house?" Shirou asked.

"It's not exactly my house, but it's an orphanage left behind by him—by Max. He loved children, so he opened this place to care for every child who lost their parents in the war," Sarah explained.

Sarah knocked on the door, and a young girl with long orange hair and green eyes, around Shirou's age, opened it. She gasped in surprise when she saw Sarah.

"Mom, you're back! I've been waiting for you!" the girl exclaimed, rushing into Sarah's arms for a tight hug.

"Are you okay, Alicia? You didn't cause any trouble while I was gone, did you?" Sarah asked gently.

"I didn't! I promised I'd be good and wait for you, but you never came back. I asked Big Sis Cherry and Chris, but they said you were out saving the world. And I... I..." Alicia's tears flowed as she sobbed.

"Alicia... I'm sorry. From now on, I'll never leave your side again. Please stop crying. You're a brave girl, aren't you?" Sarah reassured her.

Two more children, a boy around 14 to 16 with brown hair and eyes, and a girl about 12 with black hair, appeared after hearing the commotion.

"Miss Sarah, you're back! Welcome home! We prepared everything because we heard you were coming back today. We missed you," the girl said.

"Welcome back," the boy added.

"Chris, Cherry, thank you for taking care of everything while I was away. You've both helped me so much," Sarah said, patting their heads with a smile.

Sarah turned to the children and said, "I've brought someone new with me today. From now on, he's part of our family here. I hope you'll all take care of him."