Chapter 397

Extra Chapter. Emptiness (2)

First, the party headed to Merdin. This was because the Junior Group was still stationed at Merdin.

If there were no changes, that would be the best, but that didn't happen because the Junior Group and the Beifeka Kingdom's army was camped near the lord's castle.

"I will say this again to the ruffians inspecting the land of the Beifeka Kingdom without permission! Get out of this country right now!"

"If you do it right now, I won't hold you responsible. However, if you don't within the next half-day, you will...huh!?"

The general of the army, who had been speaking using amplification magic, collapsed on the spot with fright as a huge, pink-scaled dragon suddenly appeared in the sky.

―Whooooooosshhh!

"Whoaaa!"

"R-run away!"

"This isn't right!"

"The oracle that the Demon King was resurrected must have come true!"

"T-then, do you mean that the Demon King was killed? Really?"

The kingdom's army scattered all over the place in an instant. When Gnar landed in the castle's courtyard, the Junior Group rushed to it right away.

"Captain!"

"Thank you for your hard work! You came later than expected..."

"Sigh, it seems that you're not hurt."

Despite being surrounded by tens of thousands of troops, the Junior Group's complexion was infinitely bright. They probably don't care about those small things. If Evan had ordered them to kill the soldiers, they might have killed them without hesitation, but that didn't happen, so they left them alone. Anyway, the number of monsters overflowing in the territory automatically attacked them, so their number was decreasing by itself.

"Thank you for protecting this place."

"Thanks."

"But, what about the Commander?"

The Junior Group's children, who were supposed to hurry to the Senior Group, hug them, boast of their merit, and chat vigorously, soon realized that the one who had to be there wasn't.

"Why didn't the Commander come with you?"

"Is he alone on a different mission? It's rare for him to move alone..."

"Oh, that..."

Shine exchanged glances with Arisha. She nodded and took a step forward.

"Right. The Demon King died after leaving behind some tricky things. Evan left alone to take care of it. I had something to tell you about it."

"Since I felt sorry for sending him alone, I decided to wait for him by choosing a turn."

"That would be great! I want to do it, too!"

"Me, too!"

Of course, all the children in the Junior Group raised their hands. In Ena's case, she looked very desperate. However, one of them, Jhin, narrowed his eyes and looked at Save. Save nodded and said he would explain later. A friendship was born between the two men.

"Good, he delivered the thing that had to be delivered..."

Arisha, amazed at the dragon's majesty, glared at the Beifeka Kingdom's army, who hadn't completely dismantled the siege, and spoke.

"It's time to do something with those guys. Then, when we completely clean the Merdin estate, all urgent things will be finished with it."

"Yes."

"The Demon King must have been killed, and the dungeon must have been cleared out to the end; it feels empty all of a sudden."

"If Master had been there, he would have suggested the next goal, so let's think of it as a break now."

Originally, the Senior Group had an important mission in addition to that. It was to combat the monsters that appear in the rift, and since Evan originally caused the rift, they wouldn't appear now when Evan was away from the world. Mirole, who said she would wait for Evan first, said so.

"Everyone."

However, when Arisha cleared her throat to send a warning message to the kingdom forces, Louise, who was staring somewhere, suddenly opened her mouth.

"I am grateful for your help so far, but I can't bother you with my work anymore. Everyone must be tired, so go back to Sherden and rest."

"What?"

Arish's eyes widened.

"There's no way we can. You are already a member of our Knights. If we leave you here alone and go back, Evan will scold us."

"Thank you. But..."

Even though Louise wasn't officially enlisted in the Astray Knights, Arisha naturally said that, and Louise's lips formed a faint smile.

"I want to do that. I want to carry out the mission given to me by Master only with my ability."

Nevertheless, she didn't break her own will.

"You..."

"You will allow me, right?"

"Ugh..."

Arisha again felt ominous watching her appearance, like on the Eternal Glacier. Still, she couldn't say anything with feelings alone, so she just faced her. Instead of her, Save, who was also a party member, stepped forward and asked her.

"Will it be okay, Louise?"

"Thank you for worrying, Save. But it's okay."

Louise smiled and reached out her hand to Save. Save tilted his head but reached out for her hand and shook it.

"Thank you for your hard work. Not only Save but everyone. Now...let's break up the party."

"Heeeeyy!"

Realizing that she was sincere, Renail looked like she wanted to cry and clung to Louise. Louise stroked her hair and gently removed her from her arms.

"Thank you for following me, Renail."

"Thanks to you, I've come this far!"

"If it's you, you will be able to do well in the future."

"Stay. I'll help beside you!"

"I'm sorry..."

Louise's bitter smile pushed Renail lightly. She realized that she truly wanted to remain alone, and she regretted it, but she gently stepped back.

"You still have to come for my wedding with Save!"

"Pffft!"

"Of course, I will."

Save started coughing, but the rest of the party was just nodding calmly, saying, "Oh, that's true." Louise smiled and took one step away from the party. She didn't say it, but it was enough movement to realize that she was rejecting them now.

"Yes, then...I can't help it."

Arisha gathered the group even though she was feeling sorry for the parting. Only those who belonged to Louise's party looked back at her several times to see if there were any regrets left, but in the end, they were forced to climb onto Gnar's back.

"Louise, you can't get hurt. Evan will definitely come back and will never forgive you once he knows you're harassing yourself."

"That won't happen. I don't like getting hurt, either. How would I do that to myself?"

At Arisha's words, Louise covered her mouth and grinned as if she had heard a funny joke.

"It's just because it's easier and simpler to do it alone."

She gave a reply that sounded eerie, somehow.

"Then, see you all again later."

She said goodbye to the party with a sophisticated yet polite greeting that was truly worthy of a high-ranking noble and jumped lightly over the wall. As they watched Louise appear on the wall, the kingdom troops roared.

"Will they meekly step back?"

"Maybe Louise is hoping for them not to step back."

"Then, we must leave quickly. So that the people will attack her saying, 'Now's our chance!'"

Serena said, laughing like a spiteful villain. Arisha looked at her with criticizing eyes, but Serena just laughed.

"There are no people who have learned from Oppa. So, it's definitely okay."

"That's not what I'm worried about...enough. Let's go."

"Okay! Gnar, let's go back to Sherden!"

―Kyuuuuuuuuuuu!

The dragon flapped its huge wings and flew into the air again. The kingdom's army was confused again to see it, but they left without looking back.

* * *

After returning to Sherden, the group first unpacked their luggage at Astray headquarters. The bunny-girl maid Diona, who was waiting for them alone at the headquarters, welcomed them. Still, she quickly became pale when she realized that Evan wasn't among them.

"He went on a long-term mission alone? Then you should have sent me with him; I'm his exclusive maid!"

"Let's put aside that there was never a moment when Diona was the master's exclusive maidservant, and also, Maybell went with him."

"Uuugghhh! If it was enough for Maybell to go with him, I had a chance, too! Maybe there was a chance!"

Maybe she was fortunate that she didn't know what Maybell really was.

"Everyone. then...oh, Shine."

"Why do you do that, Miss Arisha?"

Arisha whispered to Shine about something that came to her mind, and he nodded and turned to Save and Renail, making a suggestion.

"Stay here until the Master comes back. If you want, I can take you as a temporary unit."

"No. Thank you very much, but we will find a place to live."

Officially, the moment they succeeded in killing the Demon King (although it was correct to say that the Demon King committed suicide), Save's party was no different from being disbanded. Enoch initially planned to stop being an explorer after earning enough money to build the temple as a reward for the mission, and Lin and Lan belonged to Astray from the start. Lucid was also assigned to Astray, and Louise remained alone in Merdin. In the end, only Save and Renail were left at the party...

"Since the party has also been disbanded, now we have to find a house."

"Kyah!"

At Save's words, Renail was embarrassed and hit him on the shoulder. 'Why do women express most of their feelings with violence?' Save thought and spoke calmly.

"I'm not saying we're leaving Sherden. Please call me anytime you need anything."

"Me too!"

"...Okay, then."

It was true that the link between the Save group and Astray, Louise, disappeared, and it turned awkward for them. The two bowed their heads politely to them and said goodbye to those who were party members. Lin and Lan were smiling, and Lucid bowed, saying that he owed them.

"Enoch, what are you going to do? Are you going to build a temple?"

"The person I served was right under my nose, so the temple can be kissed goodbye; I'll be a member here."

"Who said that we would take you?"

"What!?"

Enoch's complexion quickly turned pale after declaring to join Astray and being rejected by Shine. Shine shook his head.

"As for the enrollment issue, we should discuss it when the Master comes back and take your commission now. Even if a temple that enshrines him is built, it might be fun as it is."

"Yes. I want to take Evan on purpose and see him looking humiliated."

"You guys are really merciless."

Enoch eventually settled his hard work and left Astray headquarters. Save, and Renail stayed a little longer before leaving.

"Then I...should go to my mother."

"I'll go with you."

"Yes, me, too. The rest of the kids are resting!"

"I would like it."

Arisha, Belois, and Serena, only the three officially promised to marry Evan, visited the Marquis. The Marquis' family, who saw the dragon flying over Sherden, and thought that Evan would have returned, doubted that Evan had left for the mission with Maybell alone. Still, it was difficult to think that something would happen to him, so they finally were convinced. Also, they knew that if something broke out or happened and Evan tried to stop it, he could easily fix such an unfolding.

"Honey, I want to talk to these kids."

However, the first wife, Redine, wasn't easy. Arisha also thought from the start that she would be hard to convince.

"Redine...yes, okay. Guys, let's get up."

"I want to hear more about him!"

"Liz, this is an important conversation. You're good, right?"

"Evan Oppa is not here! I want to hear exactly what he did!"

After Elizabeth, who had a transcendent obsession with Evan, was expelled by Eric and Miriam's hands. Only four women were left in the room, which was a mess as if a typhoon struck.

"Now, then."

When Redine flicked her finger once, all of Elizabeth's mess was restored to its original state.

"Can someone tell me exactly where my son went?"

"Madam, Evan..."

"Please tell me exactly."

Redine emphasized. Her eyes, shining like emeralds, were staring at Arisha.

"Actually, I have some guesswork. From the past. I think maybe it's related to something I know."

"...Ugh."

Arisha looked back at Belois, crying. Belois sighed and nodded. On behalf of the two people with complicated feelings, Serena asked with a laugh.

"Madam, how old are you?"

"Hey, that's the question you shouldn't ask the most!"

"Your Majesty!"

Twenty minutes after that, something indescribable happened inside the room, but it was unknown to the world.