Sitting in front of a tombstone, I can't help but feel empty as I stare at the name engraved on it.

[Grava Auro]

Fighting fragments of gods always results in sacrifices just to achieve a victory. But, the thought of seeing someone that I considered as a family made that pain unbearable. Pain that I thought I was so used to as I watched those that I was close with die from old age or on the battlefield.

Someone's footsteps rang behind me before stopping just behind me.

"… Grandpops…"

Hearing Hafran's voice made me flinch. Knowing how much he admires his father, I knew that he might have a grudge against me for failing to protect his father.

Standing up, I can't help but take a deep breath as I can't face Hafran.

"… Hafran… I'm… I'm sorry."

Bracing myself for whatever he was planning to say to me, I only noticed that he was beside me.

"Don't worry, Grandpops…"

"… I still fai-"

"You didn't fail, he just didn't want to see a little girl suffer… that's all… Grandfather told me everything."

Kneeling on one knee, he places down something that looks like a brooch. A brooch that I remember him always wearing because it was a gift from his wife.

"… Knowing father, he chose to risk his life to save a little girl… something that he won't hesitate to do because he wanted to be better than you…"

"What…?"

"Father once told me… that you regret that you failed to save a lot of people because you were burdened with something… so instead of using you as a model, he chose to become better than you… to save those that he was able to save even if it will cost him his life…"

Hearing what he said made me feel like my heart was being crushed by guilt. The things that I said to him as a kid, things that I regret not being able to do. He used those as a stepping stone to become someone better than me.

Just the thought that a kid that I was treating as someone that I had to protect chose to become better than me made me happy and sad. Happy that there was someone who chose to become better and avoid my regrets, and sad that he was someone that I treated as a family and died to follow what he vowed to do.

"… You were planning to kill those filth right, Great Grandfather?"

Hearing him call me differently made me look at him to see him crying as he looked at me seriously.

"… I am…"

"Then please kill them in the most painful way that you can, Great Grandfather. And, don't worry about this place, I'll become stronger and protect everyone here."

After declaring those words, he left the graveyard. Looking at his back as he walked away, I felt like I saw the back of Grava when he was young. A kid who wanted to become strong to protect those that he rules as well as become the pillar of the empire.

Opening my spatial storage in the air, I pull out a bottle of alcohol and pour it on Grava's gravestone.

"… Seems like being different to your father passed on to your son… I'll make sure those worms will follow you."

Leaving those words, I left the graveyard.

With the capital being leveled to ruins from the fight against Haranoa's clone, I spent a few more days in the Hub Town to comfort Karina and the others before having Shu'ath do a final check on my body.

Hugging Lottie as she cries, I look at everyone as they bid me farewell.

Seeing Shu'ath standing at the side, I can't help but slightly pity Lottie for catching her interest.

"Shu'ath, please go easy on little Lottie."

"Don't think too much. Seeing as she's still a child, I will have to adjust my lessons while basing them on her behavior.

"Just don't make her work too hard."

"I'll repeat myself, Resha. She's still a child so I will adjust my lesson to avoid harming her. Her eyes are too precious as they only manifested twice if you don't include the Authority of Protection."

Placing down Lottie on the ground, I can't help but nod helplessly while feeling slightly uneasy for Lottie.

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

"Take this."

Shu'ath suddenly gave me a black metal bracelet after I placed Lottie down. Feeling her aura inside it made me curious before putting it on.

"Use your mana to activate that when you have something that can help you and I'll turn it into something better so you can recover faster. Don't use it to bother me for something trivial."

Thanking her for the bracelet while having mixed feelings as what I experienced the last time she made something to help me recover resurfaced from my mind.

Saying my farewells to the others, I look at Hafran to see that his carefree demeanor cannot be seen anymore as it was replaced by a serious attitude.

Taking out a necklace from my spatial storage and threw it towards Hafran. Not expecting something to be thrown towards him, he fumbled trying to catch the necklace making his serious attitude disappear.

"This…"

"Take it. Seeing the way you're heading with your concept, I'm sure that thing will prove helpful."

"… Thank you, Great Grandfather."

Seeing that his serious attitude came back, I can't help but smile as he's finally taking steps to become what he declared in front of his father's grave.

Turning my gaze somewhere else, I look at Alfa beside Karina before looking down to see him missing his right arm. Seeing that he still didn't have a healer to regrow another arm meant that the energy of Haranoa was still lingering in his wounds.

"Don't worry about my arm, Great Grandfather. Elder Shu'ath told me that I just need to get stronger to purge the energy out of my body before I can regrow it with the healer's help."

"… You refused her to give you an arm?"

"… Yes. If I accepted it, I won't be able to regrow my original arm because my soul will register it as my new arm."

"I see… then I'll expect you to be stronger the next time I visit."

"I'll make sure I reach your expectation, Great Grandfather."

Patting his arm, I look at Karina as she cradles little Sieg while her husband stands behind her trying to avoid my eyes.

"Karina… make sure to take care of yourself… as for you Brandon."

Flinching from getting his name called out, he stares at me before looking down because of my glare.

"Make sure to protect Karina and your family."

"Ye-ye- GUAK-!"

Taking out an armor from my spatial storage, I threw it toward him before he could finish.

Turning my gaze to Grava, words that I wanted to say disappeared as he looked at me smiling with eyes saying that he would take care of everything.

Seeing that made me chuckle as I nodded towards him instead of talking. Finishing my talks with the others, I waved them goodbye before entering the teleportation room.

Closing my eyes as the teleportation circle lights up, memories of the time when I was staying on this planet passed through my mind. The planet that I started calling home after everything in my life disappeared from a war that started because of some ambitious beings. A war that almost took the reason why I continued living.

Finally leaving it after two thousand years made me feel unwilling as the peaceful life from before was something that I wanted.

'However, that life was missing something. And this time, I'm going to make sure nothing will interfere with that life after I take what's missing to complete it.'

Taking that vow, I opened my eyes to see that I finally arrived at the space station.

Walking out of the teleportation zone, I look around the space station feeling surprised to see new races walking around. A sign that the progress of exploring the universe is a big success.

"Are you Mr. Resha?"

Hearing a female voice calling out for me made me turn around to see an animal ear in front of me. Lowering my gaze, a girl with demon wings and a tail staring at me with a gentle smile.

'A half breed… an employee of Riflaro's company.'

"Yes, that's me."

The girl's heterochromatic eyes brightened for a bit as her tail started swaying.

"I welcome Mr. Resha to the Flaro Space Station Proto planet's branch. I'm Miria Flin, a staff member of this branch, President Riflaro notified us that you will be coming out of the planet this year and told us to invite you to meet him in his office. And please don't worry about your companion, we already notified them that you will get delayed and gave them proper accommodations while they wait."

Hearing her talk rapidly made me realize that she was nervous making me smile wryly.

"Is he free right now?"

"He was already notified when you were transferring and told us to invite you right away as soon as you come out of the teleportation zone."

"Then please lead the way."

"Yes!"

Seeing how she immediately breaks out of her formal way of speaking made me chuckle as she started walking ahead while her tail swung excitedly.

Following her towards the private section of the space station, I can't help but admire Riflaro's extravagant taste as he uses plants that are considered pretty rare as a decorative plant in a branch.

Watching other staff having the common trait of being a humanoid hybrid demon made me realize that his taste was still the same.

"Is there any interesting news floating around?"

Throwing out a question to the girl out of nowhere, her ears suddenly perked up. Looking around as we walk, she slows down to match my pace and lowers her voice.

"Uhh… I don't know if this is interesting for you Mr. Resha. But, there's been talks about the Randa Pantheon's Princess of Illusion proposing to the young head of the Burner Clan."

"Hoh, that's a surprise."

"Hmm? Why is it a surprise, Mr. Resha?"

Seeing her ears twitch from confusion, I can't help but see why Riflaro likes these kinds of races.

"The Princess of Illusion is famous for her distaste for males that's why she always hides her real figure using her illusion. Though the reason for it is because she's too beautiful."

"So that's why… wait… how did you know she was beautiful?"

"Well… she showed it once before?"

Arriving at an elevator, Miria stopped asking questions as she bid me farewell before sending the elevator toward the floor where Riflaro was.