"Here are the keys, Mister Pascal." ［Grey］

"Yes. I've received it. You are now checked out." ［Pascal］

Yet another day has passed and yet another experience is bound to unfold. With the rising of the new sun, it was now time for Grey and Yuna to take their leave and head back home to Galderia, checking out of the inn first thing in the morning.

Of course, like any other time, it was quite hard and heavy to do so, saying al, the goodbyes and whatnots. It was especially difficult with the children who had grown quite attached to the two of them.

"Big Brother, Big Sister, are you really going away now?" ［Wena］

"Can't you stay for a little longer?" ［Chris］

The morning had just started and they were already moping around. It was good that they weren't crying, but seeing their faces, Grey and Yuna could only bear the quilt. They just couldn't get used to such a scene, painful every time.

Thankfully, the children were quite obedient. All Grey and Yuna had to do was crouch in front of them, looked them in the eyes, and patted their heads. They soon loosened up, and their expressions bloomed a little brighter.

Yuna soon flicked her hands and a few pouches appeared out of thin air. They were all filled with all sorts of sweets and treats, rustling and riffling every time Yuna shook them. It was subtle, but there was a sweet scent drifting in the air.

"This may be a bit cheaty, but I hope you two won't be too sad. If you accept this, Big Sister and Big Brother here will make sure to see you again sometime." ［Yuna］

"Really...? But I heard you live very far away..." ［Wena］

"Fufufu! There's always a way for everything. After all, we're very good at magic! might take us a while, we'll make sure to visit you every once in a while." ［Yuna］

Smiled the young lady, all the while reassuring the children. They didn't say anything in response but simply nodded their heads in silence, gracefully accepting the bags of treats and agreeing to Yuna's words with subtle smiles on their faces.

With how clingy and childish she always acts, Grey had almost forgotten how great Yuna is at handling children. She was very gentle with them, making sure they really understood her and that her words were clearly conveyed to their hearts.

"Then, I can take it that you believe Big Sister, right?" ［Yuna］

"Mmn... Heroes would never lie, after all!" ［Wena］

"Yeah! Heroes always keep their word!" ［Chris］

"Fufufu! So you already knew, huh. What silly kids." ［Yuna］

Though it was normally troublesome being called heroes and such, the two of them didn't really mind it that much. Rather, seeing such honest and earnest passion in the eyes of the kids was quite moving. They could only smile subtly.

The two of them patted the heads of the children once more and soon straightened their backs. They looked outside the windows and watched the scenery of the streets unfold. It has been a fun month, but it was finally time to say goodbye to Xeros.

"Then, before the children start moping around again, we'll be taking our leave now, everyone. Thanks for everything, and we wish you all the best." ［Grey］

"Un! Mister Pascal, Missus Linda, Wena, Chris! Thank you for everything! May we meet again next time～! Goodbye～!" ［Yuna］

"Fufufu! Thank you for everything as well, Shin, Elenaー Oops, silly me... it should be more appropriate to use 'Your Highnesses' now, shouldn't it?" ［Linda］

"Dear, don't start teasing them now." ［Pascal］

They waved their hands, they nodded their heads, and they bid their farewells. The bells rang once again as they opened the doors, soft chimes and the creaking of the wooden door resounded all over the place, a tinge of loneliness in the air.

The open streets are riddled with pedestrians and carriages, the stalls and shops by the street sides, the soldiers and knights making their rounds of patrol, the scent of herbs here and there. Such scenes greeted them both, busy as can be,

Well, it wasn't just the street and the scenery which greeted them. Before them were 3 familiar faces, one wearing earrings, one wearing eyeglasses, and the last one who had piercings in his ears. It was the trio of childhood friends, Alea, Kale, and Edin.

Of course, before they opened the doors, Grey and Yuna already knew that they were waiting for them outside. They didn't even have to use Grey's eyes, their ears sharp enough to pick up all sorts of noises, their familiar voices ringing in their ears.

"You arrived quite early together. I thought you'd still be sleeping." ［Grey］

"Hahaha. That's normally the case. It's already the school break, after all. But, you really didn't think we'd let you go without seeing you off, do you?" ［Kale］

"That's right. A genius such as myself couldn't possibly just forget about my friends. It would be quite shameful, no?" ［Edin］

"Shut up, Edin. You sound like a moron." ［Alea］

It hasn't even been a minute, and Alea and Edin were already arguing. They were still in the middle of the streets, yet their voices were already louder than the busy streets. It was a usual sight for everyone, Grey and Yuna chuckling at the sight.

"Well, we can't just be standing here. Let's head to the gates first." ［Yuna］

There was no time to waste. Whilst Edin and Alea were still arguing, Grey and Yuna led the two towards the gates, chatting ever so merrily and laughing quite cheerfully. Alea was especially loud, barking back at Kale and Edin from time to time.

Maybe it was because it's their last day together, but everyone walked slower than usual as if they were savoring the little time they had left. They all made sure to talk and laugh as much as they can, sending them off with cheers and positivity.

Of course, there were also a lot of silly topics abrew, Kale, Edin, and Alea talking about their cleaning up yesterday. It was a day full of difficulties and exhaustion. If it wasn't for their potions, their backs would have already given in.

"It must have been difficult..." ［Yuna］

"Very difficult! Especially the top parts! It was so hard to reach them!" ［Alea］

"That's because you're short. You couldn't even reach the top shelves properly. I told you to leave those places to us." ［Kale］

"I'm not short! I'm average height for girls! Look, Yuna and I are just about the same height, aren't we? You two are just uselessly tall!" ［Alea］

As usual, there were also a lot of quarrels with the three of them around. And now, both Kale and Edin are teasing Alea about her height, whilst the person herself was stomping her foot, showing her dissatisfaction in the most adorable manner.

The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

Though actually, Alea wasn't short at all. She was just average as she said, and so is Edin when it comes to a man's height. Kale was a couple centimeters taller than him, making him about the same height as Grey.

Still, even if that truth is already established, it doesn't remove the fact that Alea and Yuna were just at the height of their shoulders. They were quite slim and petite as well so it makes them look a lot smaller than they really are.

"It's okay, Alea! I know a Guildmaster much shorter than both of us! She's so small, we actually first thought she was a child at first!" ［Yuna］

"Eh?! Really?! I want to hear more about her!" ［Alea］

"Un! You see, in Galderia, she's the Guildmaster of our Enchanters' Guild Branch. We first met her a few months ago and when we first...." ［Yuna］

Now, one way or another, their topic had taken a very quick and sharp turn. Yuna is talking about Guildmaster Lydia of Galderia, the "Loli Enchanter" or as Grey would call her. The forever young lady of the Guild, unbalanced in many aspects.

From one silly topic to another, they hopped from all sorts of conversations. They drew closer and closer to the southern gates, a couple hands waving at everyone as they headed out. They were the many students of Darius Academy and the many herb vendors whom she's acquainted with.

RUSTLE RUSTLE RUSTLE

A few rustles and ruffles echoed in the air, Edin taking out a couple paper bags from his leather pocket. Edin shook the bags, and a couple more subtle rustles rang inside of it as if several beads were bouncing in all directions.

He soon opened it, and contained inside were small, black seeds, vertical stripes of dirty white streaking through them. They looked like giant sunflower seeds, only much smaller. He picked some and extended his hand out towards Grey and Yuna.

"Hm...? These are... The Seeds of Frostburn Calendula?!" ［Yuna］

"That's right! We got them as compensation from the Headmaster, and also so that we could continue our research whenever we want." ［Alea］

"Remember the new greenhouses the Academy provided us? One of them was actually for the sole purpose or researching Frostburn Calendulas. Quite nice, isn't it?" ［Kale］

"Ohh～! How generous of the Headmaster and the Academy!" ［Yuna］

Apparently, they were amongst the many seeds and seedlings the Academy and the Headmaster provided the three yesterday. They were all brand new and in tip-top condition, only waiting to be planted to sprout and blossom.

Moreover, the Headmaster also assigned some Academy staff members to take care of the greenhouse while they're gone. It was special treatment for them who suffered an unfair treatment, and got all their precious herbs uprooted and destroyed.

And while calling them Academy Staff Members may sound ordinary, in reality, they are actually experts in growing and taking care of the plants. Some help was even provided by the House of Caraquel as reparations for Jermel's wrongdoing.

"That sounds fantastic, but... Why are you giving these to us...?" ［Yuna］

"Umm... Well... This may sound silly, but we wished you could take them presents of some sorts. Like a token of our friendship. I suppose." ［Alea］

"How about you then? Wouldn't it be hard to conduct your research without these seeds? I figured they are quite hard to obtain." ［Grey］

"Fret not, Grey. The Headmaster actually gave us a lot of seeds. These are just a handful of what we have. This won't affect us at all! Genius, isn't it?" ［Edin］

"Right, and you two have already given the three of us so much. This is the least we could do. You'll allow us at least this much, right?" ［Kale］

The three smiled as they gave their piece one after another. As it turns out, though silly as it sounds, the seeds were actually their parting gift for Grey and Yuna before they depart back to Galderia and for who knows how long,

They usually do not agree with one another, but seeing them nod their heads along without any issues, it felt rather funny. Grey could only chuckle to himself whilst Yuna was still looking at the paper bag, frozen at the sight of the seeds inside.

"Well... For someone like you two, this must have looked silly, huh? Sorry about that. We just couldn't think of anything better than that." ［Kale］

"Haah... If only we had a little more time..." ［Edin］

"And whose fault do you think that is?! If only you weren't going around buying all sorts of things, we could have picked something much, much better!" ［Alea］

"Tsk. Tsk. Tsk. Being a normal person, you couldn't possibly have understood my actions, Alea. I'm a genius, after all." ［Edin］

Well, such peace didn't last long, an argument breaking out in the middle of the street as Edin and Alea fought once again, and by "fight", it was a one-sided beating where Alea shot strikes towards Edin time and time again.

Grey continued to keep chuckling to himself, and Yuna continued to admire the tiny yet mystical and beautiful seeds inside the bag. She poured them all back and tucked it cleanly and securely, a smile blooming on her lovely face.

"Thank you so much, Alea, Kale, Edin... It's very wonderful.... I love it!" ［Yuna］

All it took were a few words from the young lady and the fighting ceased to exist. The three of them looked one another in the eyes, relief flooding their hearts at the words of the young elf before them. They replied in kind with three bright smiles.

Though Yuna usually gets happy with such gifts, it was because they were herbs or magic plants she could use in alchemy. They are important ingredients which she might need any time, so she would accept it warmly.

However now, she was happy for a reason other than alchemy. She knew how much the three of them thought of her and how important the seeds were. It was one of the most wonderful presents she received from her friends.

『You're really happy, huh... Should I get you more seeds as well?』 ［Grey］

『Ehhh? No way, Grey, are you jealous?』 ［Yuna］

『Not a chance, you silly girl. I just figured we could decorate the garden and the Sanctuary with some new flowers. Don't you think that's nice?』 ［Grey］

『Magic plants aren't that common to be used for decoration, you know?』 ［Yuna］

『Says the girl who grew a field full of magic plants. Do you even know how much space you took in the Sanctuary? Your greenhouses are even larger than a village. You're the last person I wanted to hear that from.』 ［Grey］

As for Grey, there was no need to say more. Apart from the fact that he was grateful for the present they gave, he was also very happy to see his beloved fiancée act ever so cheerfully. He never gets tired of seeing her smile.

The walking and chatting continued, and before long, they finally reached the faraway Southern gates. It took them some time, and when they arrived, a long line of people greeted their eyes, all waiting for their identification to be processed.

Grey and Yuna looked towards the distance and scanned the expansive areas before them. It was still a massive sea of trees like when they entered before, trees, bushes, weeds, and even more trees filling their view. It was time for departure...

"Well… I guess this is where we part, huh?" ［Grey］

"Haah... I thought I'd be more emotional, but I guess this is it, huh... I'm really gonna miss the two of you, Grey, Yuna." ［Kale］

"That's correct. It was never boring with the two of you here. Though it's a shame, it seems like it will be hard to see more interesting things again..." ［Edin］

"Something interesting, huh... Hahaha. That's right. Why don't we spice up this departure a little bit. Let's make it a little more unforgettable, alright?" ［Grey］

Announced Grey all the while chuckling to himself, the others tilting their heads in confusion. They soon headed out of the gates and into the forest, their footsteps getting clearer and clearer as they steered away from the bustling highway.

They soon arrived at one of the forest clearings, only a couple weeds growing here and there. Grey and Yuna rarely show it to others, but figuring out many people had already seen them, it was not a big deal to show the three of them as well.

『Sirius, come out.』 ［Grey］

Grey flicked his fingers, and his shadow quaked. A small portion of it split off and the ground was devoured by darkness, ripples of black spreading out. The shadow soon shrank quickly, a little wolf pup emerging out of nowhere.

"Ohh～! Wasn't this one of your pets? So cute～!" ［Alea］

"So it was a familiar, huh... That really is interesting..." ［Edin］

"Actually... I was expecting something even more... This is... Erm..." ［Kale］

"Hahaha. In that case, just watch and behold," ［Grey］

Said the young man once again. a cheeky smile blooming on his face as he gave his command. He asked the others to take a couple steps back, the winds lashing out and a storm of mana swirling throughout the whole forest.

What was once a small little puppy was now enveloped in light, its body slowly getting bigger and bigger as time passed. A massive, whipping tail emerged, two pairs of majestic wings unfolded, thousands of platinum scales gleamed, and eyes cold as silver glimmered in the forest. A dragon has descended.

The trio have already heard of Grey and Yuna's familiars in their stories and rumors, but they never thought seeing Sirius up close would be so humbling. It was a beast even more beautiful than the brightest of jewels. A true goddess.

"How about now, Kale? Pretty interesting, isn't it?" ［Grey］

"Y-Yeah... I couldn't agree more..." ［Kale］

All Kale could do was nod and smile wryly, his heart beating out of his chest and his body trembling ever so slightly. Alea and Edin were also the same, the three of them frozen in awe at the grand and unbelievable sight before them.

There was no need to stall for time any longer. With his promise now fulfilled, Grey and Yuna soon hopped on Sirius' back. They were still near the walls so there was no need for worry, not a single thing able to bring the trio harm.

"Then, until next time, everyone!" ［Grey］

"Goodbye, everyone～! Take care of yourselves, okay?" ［Yuna］

Sirius flapped her wings and the winds howled every time, the trees swaying at the beat of her wings. In just a single moment, she already soared towards the sky and pierced through the clouds, a platinum figure streaking ever so clearly.

Kale, Alea, and Edin watched the scene unfold, waving their hands goodbye until there was not a single thing in sight. There was a bright but teary smile blooming on the young lady's face, clenching her hands as she watched the clouds part.

"Then, shall we head back to the Academy? We still have a lot to clean." ［Kale］

"Uuu... Right... There's still that, huh..." ［Alea］

"I totally forgot... This is going to be a long week, huh..." ［Edin］

Grey and Yuna streaked across the sky, and a gate was soon opened. Rather than heading straight to Galderia, they first dropped by Alconia to fulfill Grey's promise with Darwin, to create an array in his academy's stadium.

Thankfully, it was much smaller than Darius' so it didn't take as much time to install the array. They only had to stay in Alconia for a couple days, then continuing their way back as soon as they received the promised rewards.

Of course, there was no need to waste more time than they already did. Grey simply opened yet another gate and connected their destination towards their house, a very familiar scenery greeting them as soon as they returned.

"Haah... I missed this place... Nothing really beats home, huh..." ［Grey］

But what was not familiar were Yuna's actions. Unlike the usual where she plunges herself towards the couch or the bed as soon as they arrive, the young lady looked rather fidgety, her eyes swimming around as she searched the house for something.

As soon as she found it, a bright and blinding smile quickly bloomed on her beautiful face. It was one of the clay pots she bought from time to time, and with it came along a small trowel. She was rather excited about gardening.

The young lady didn't say anything and simply headed towards the garden, squatting on the ground, then scooping out some humus from the garden beds and filling the whole pot full. She was happily humming to herself whilst Grey observed her.

"Are you planting the seeds already?" ［Grey］

"Un! I just figured the sooner, the better!" ［Yuna］

As for the reason why she was so excited, it was because she was planning to plant the Frostburn Calendula seeds she got from the trio as soon as she got home, then opening the paper bag and planting the seeds soon after. Grey also helped her.

A couple minutes later, after they were done planting all the seeds, they then water them all and sprinkled a bit of ice and fire attribute mana into the soil. It was a magic plant, after all. It wouldn't grow like any other normal plant.

"That should be it, right?" ［Grey］

"Un! All that's left to do is wー" ［Yuna］

GRRUUMMMBBBBLLLLLEEEEEEEEE

"Wait"... Is what she wanted to say, but before she could even finish her words, she was rudely interrupted by her own stomach. She was so excited about planting the seeds, she totally forgot they hadn't had lunch yet.

The young lady was now red and flustered, face clearly embarrassed. It wasn't the first time it had happened, but she was still shy and meek all the same.

As for Grey, he just couldn't help but chuckle to himself, wondering how lucky he was to get such a lovely and adorable girl as his fiancée. He wanted to poke fun at her, but lunch came first. She doesn't want her to go hungry, after all.

"Then, shall we have lunch first, Milady?" ［Grey］

"Uuu... So embarrassing..." ［Yuna］

"Hahaha. Don't worry. My Yuna is still the cutest even if you're hungry." ［Grey］

"Mou... Grey, you meanie..." ［Yuna］

CHAPTER 393 END