Baston and Luine were injured. The former’s limbs did not fix themselves to full form no matter how hard we tried to heal it, and Luine’s whole missing arm certainly did not regrow either.

“Forget it,” Baston said. “Stop wasting mana.”

“I’m sorry. I’m the one who brought you here…” I bit my lip, nearly drawing blood out of sheer frustration. I already knew that they would deny any guilt on my part, and I understood that it wasn’t my fault… but even if they explained it to me, I still couldn’t understand why they ever agreed to come here with me. Maybe if I just wasn’t so stubborn and adamant about keeping our stupid secret base, staying there for as long as I could…

“None of that now,” he cut me off. “We went here with you of our own accord, we stayed in the secret base until the last hour because we too wanted to give it a proper send-off, and events like this are just part of the adventurer life. You don’t know when a super powerful monster will just suddenly appear and decide you are prey. Maybe something worse would’ve found us if we left sooner. So just consider this an occupational hazard. It’s the life you want to live.”

“Your father Rallem also had an entire hand hacked off at some point,” Luine helpfully added. “I’ve had a leg irreparably broken before like Baston’s. We have all nearly died so many times. This is not new for us at all.”

“I get that. I really do…” I trailed off. I knew they were right, but I still felt like shit about it.

“Besides,” Luine added. “You’re not the one who fucked up most today.”

“Huh? What do you mean? We all did our best and fought our hardest…”

“And that’s the mistake. I choked. I just acted on instinct, but I absolutely should not have tried to take its wing like that. I was thinking of how best to kill the beast, instead of how we could all survive and live. Driving it away would’ve been far easier. It wanted to run away by the end, but we wouldn’t let it.”

“Oh…” I stared at the ground, mulling over that thought. I too went for the kill automatically, other solutions be damned. “The damage was already done at that point. It’s good that we got our revenge.”

Luine chuckled. “I expect nothing less from you. However, we don’t really know that the damage has been done. I lost my arm trying to take that overstuffed bird’s wings off. If I aimed differently, it might not have gotten me like that. Maybe I’d still have my arm…” her expression soured at that. Baston still had a chance, but the amount of life mana that would be necessary to fully reconstruct an entire hand... “Anyway! That’s why you shouldn’t shoulder all the blame. We’re the grown-ass adults here that came with you on this wild and fun plan! So let’s hold our heads high til the end, instead of fucking drowning in regret, yeah!?”

I looked at her. I thought about it for a few minutes, until I finally nodded. First slowly, hesitantly, but it quickly built up in speed and power. “Okay, yeah. You’re right. You’re right!” I slapped both my cheeks, and the ring of metal on metal resounded. “If anyone’s at fault, then it’s that skyvern. But that animal too is only a part of nature. For existing in the wilderness, such risks are natural, and I’m sure you understand that far better than I do. HOWEVER!” I looked them both in the eye. “I still want to help!”

In response, they both patted my head with their good hands. I was taller than both of them at this point, and I was still wearing a helmet, but I didn’t stop them. It was nice.

“I’ll certainly accept the help,” Luine said. “Two hands are better at killing imperials than one.”

“I think I’ve decided to just stay home and garden regardless of what happens actually,” Baston chimed in. “I effectively own the damn place, there’s no one that could axe me because of my injury. This was scary and it’d only happen again if I continued adventuring. But I wouldn’t say no to getting my left side back.”

~~~

The rest of the trip to the town of Adora was uneventful. Our combat potential had taken quite a hit, but Luine and Baston still had powerful senses that remained untouched. We managed to evade most of the monsters on the way.

We arrived at the gates, with Baston supported by me on his left side. My mom and dad were already waiting for us, and they suddenly rushed over at the sight of their friends.

“Baston, Luine, what happened!?” Mom asked.

“Haell, Moonwash, are you alright!?” Dad looked at us, turning us around as if there would be a sudden pulsating wound just out of sight.

“I’m fine, I’m fine, Dad.” I gestured towards where Mom was subjecting Luine and Baston to the same treatment. She stared daggers into their injuries, as if her gaze alone could mend bone and regrow entire limbs. “They’re the ones who got really banged up…”

Dad gave me one last look, before rushing to the side of his party members. Both my parents redirected their fussing towards the two of them, instead of me.

Hehe. Mission Accomplished.

~~~

“Oh baby it’s not your fault!”

“That’s right. We know the risks. They know the risks. It was admirable already that you stayed and helped, even if you really should have run.”

I pouted as Mom and Dad kept on rubbing my head. We were currently at an inn, having a damn good meal. Except I couldn’t even aim for my mouth with all the shaking!

I even had my helmet on, just with the front mask pulled down, because I still had to hide the fact that I was a demon. So why did they keep on patting me when all they could touch was metal!

“Mooom! Daaad! I get it okay! I was just having a moment is all!” I glared at Baston and Luine, who just had to spill that I was feeling guilty about the whole event, when I specifically took it back. Ugh. “Hey! Don’t laugh! This is your fault!!”

They did not heed my warning.

This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

~~~

The tree wall. The town of Latarus. The ramps leading up to the gates.

After over a month of travel, I finally made it back home. It was different from when I last saw it. The tree wall itself was a lot more packed with people, the merchants and peddlers traveling through the gates were many, and we had to stand on the side to not disturb the line that had formed. But it was still still the home I grew up in, the one where I spent my childhood in this world.

Moonwash was only staring at it blankly, but I knew that she must be feeling something too. Our friends were there, and everyone else. The Harvesters may finally unite! And perhaps this time, we could finally be full-fledged adventurers. No matter what the guild may be now, it still retained at least some of its glory… and it was a good place to take requests and make money for monster killings.

We went back to the wagon, then patiently waited in line as the guards seemed more strict. There were apparently instances of spies from New Grandera or whatever, not that I cared or knew anything about that at all. I intended to stay away from war for the time being. It was too chaotic, and I was sure it’d be much different to even that time I helped kill some adventurers.

After a decently long wait, we finally made it to the front of the queue. Mom and Dad flashed their badges, and the guards immediately stiffened at the sight of nobility. We were waved through and our wagon made it slowly through the ramp that rode towards the other side. We were nestled in between the packed trees, and then boxed in by even more people that wanted entry. The noise only got progressively worse as we marched ever onwards.

Despite all that, I found myself past the ramp and through the other side way sooner than I had expected.

The moment we entered the so-called town proper, I finally saw the source of all the noise I was hearing. People were carrying planks, nailing down boards, and even using earth magic to build structures. There was even a proper wall finally being put up after the now vastly diminished tree wall.

I was in the middle of a massive construction site.

“We’re here!” Mom announced once we went down the ramp and into the town proper. “Latarus City!”

I raised a quizzical brow. “City?”

“Oh yes. It’s only come through recently, but the former town of Latarus has now officially been classified as a city! Hooray.”

“Angels actually came here,” Dad added, looking up and trying his best to ignore the construction that was going on. “It was, well, not that rare because Adamo and Evie are always fighting along the shores these days. But it’s certainly not common this far inland.”

“Neat.” I shrugged. “What’s being a city do? I can see that the tree wall has expanded a fair bit.”

“It’s mostly symbolic,” Baston was the one to answer. “At least, on paper. But you definitely receive more support once it happens. Military, economic, spiritual, etcetera. Hence the rapid expansion.”

“Huh. Interesting,” I said. “Well, anyway! Let’s hurry up! I wanna meet Granuel and the rest again!”

The centaur woman pulling our wagon along looked back at us questioningly.

“Ah, no no.” I waved her down. “I meant that metaphorically.”

“You want me to move faster… metaphorically?”

“Yes,” I said with a completely straight face.

“Well… okay? You’re the boss.”

~~~

We disembarked in front of my house. It was no secret base, but I still welcomed the sight of my first home. I immediately ran forward and barrelled through the gigantic door, waiting for no one. I dashed across the blissfully quiet and way too wide hallways, then past the living room and into the dining hall where I found two people having either a late breakfast or an early lunch. Had they finally invented brunch?

“Grandpa! Salaire!” I pushed a little bit of menace mana into my legs and sped up. I jumped on top of a chair, and then jumped again, breaking the piece of furniture in my wake. I didn’t care right now as I crashed against Grandpa’s chest like a homing missile.

“Oof!” He coughed out a heavy gout of air. “You’ve gotten stronger! Well done, Haell!”

“Hehehe,” I grinned broadly. “That’s right! I’ll leave your prime in the dust soon enough!”

He smiled warmly, giving my head an affectionate pat. “I am confident that you will.”

“Haell…! You’re back!” Salaire joined in at this moment, her voice dragging a bit too long as always. I had at least met her a few times over the years whenever she visited our secret base, but it was always nice to see her regardless.

“Nuh-uh I’m not. This all an illusssssiiioooonnnn~~~!”

“Gah! I have been bamboozled!” A bit of her food spilt over her mouth as she talked.

“That you have! Also, chew first!”

“Okay Mooom!”

“Crap. Have I become a mom now? Forget everything I said, and spit everything out as you scream!”

Salaire studiously chewed her food with the utmost care and etiquette.

Eventually, our fun little greetings ended, and I took a seat at the smaller table for normal-sized people. My Grandpa still got his own accommodations, for while he looked… more worn out than before, he hadn’t gotten any smaller.

Salaire was just fetching some food for me when everyone else finally arrived.

“Oh Moonwash, welcome back!” She said while snacking on the steak that was supposed to be mine.

“It’s been a long time kid!” Grandpa added his own greetings. “Still working hard?”

“Yes. But not right now,” my friend answered in the midst of hugging Salaire tightly. Salaire was clearly putting too much force into it, but Moonwash didn’t complain. She only tried to match her energy.

The rest of our group then entered the dining room.

“Oh, Luine! What happened to you!” The belfegor woman hurriedly rushed to her wife's side. Specifically, the side missing an arm.

I winced.

“Oh I’m fine,” Luine claimed. Her eyes met mine, her senses sharp in both the physical and metaphorical way. My friend leaned over to her pink-skinned wife and whispered into her equally bright pink ears.

“Oh I see,” Salaire spoke. “It’s unfortunate what happened. But no one is really at fault for it and no one should blame themselves for your injury. You knew the risks going in.”

I sighed, chuckling in exasperation. I appreciated the concern, but I would have also appreciated some subtlety.

We had a nice meal together after that. I took off my armor, wiped off my makeup, and let loose the demon. Literally. I went to the kitchen at some point, where I helped with preparing more food. Salaire had only made enough for her and Grandpa before. That was something they did whenever my parents were gone, one of the Piss Hunters would always come by to check on my grandfather. The man himself vehemently refused the necessity of it all, but I completely disagreed.

“Grandpa. We’re worried. Can you eat on your own? Can you chew it? Maybe we should limit you to only liquids. I also had some great experiences with diapers back when I was a baby. 5 stars.”

My parents and everyone else started to nod at my words.

“Do not you dare!” He shouted. The voice boomed like a horn coming from someone as large as him. “Haell you whelp. I’m level fucking 80! You can fuss over me once you’ve surpassed that!”

“Maybe I will!” I huffed. “Just you wait! So don’t die on me just yet!”

There was a small beat of silence. I spoke without thinking, but my words definitely made things awkward…

“Alright!” Thankfully, Grandpa used his booming voice to shatter the tension into pieces upon pieces like it was never there. “I’ll see this Demon Lord you want to become with my own eyes!”

“Haell Yeah!”