A little over three months later, the day finally came for Arthur to leave.
The sky was painted in a soft golden hue, as if the sun itself mourned his departure. A gentle breeze stirred the trees, making the leaves dance around the group gathered in the Yggdmillennia mansion courtyard. Each of them wore a different expression — some sad, others resigned, and a few trying to mask the pain with a forced smile.
"Can't I really go with you?"
Jeanne's voice trembled, her eyes glistening and her heart on the verge of breaking. Arthur, with that same calm smile she adored, slowly approached her.
He raised his hand, caressing her cheek tenderly, as if trying to memorize every detail. "Not yet," he replied softly, almost in a whisper. "But be sure — it won't be long before I come back for you."
She opened her mouth to respond, but before a single word could escape, he leaned in and kissed her — a short, sweet kiss that said more than words ever could. When they parted, Jeanne rested her forehead against his chest, sobbing quietly.
Arthur chuckled lightly, running his fingers through her golden hair.
She gave him a playful shove, her cheeks flushed red, and he smiled before turning toward the next person.
Atalanta stood with her arms crossed, trying to look composed, but the faint blush on her cheeks betrayed her completely.
"Take care of them, alright? Mordred isn't exactly the most reliable person for that kind of thing," Arthur said with a teasing tone, though his eyes carried genuine trust.
Atalanta scoffed and looked away. "Don't worry. Leave them to me. Even that idiot."
"Idiot!?" a furious voice shouted from behind her — obviously Mordred.
Arthur sighed, but his smile didn't fade. He turned toward the red-armored knight, who tried to act nonchalant but whose eyes revealed a storm of emotions.
"So… this is it, huh?" Mordred muttered, kicking the ground. "You're leaving and dumping all this on me."
"Someone's got to stay behind to cause trouble in my place," he teased.
"Ha! Don't worry, I'll handle that perfectly." She grinned, though her eyes wavered. "You were a good Master, you know? And… maybe even a decent idiot, too."
Arthur laughed. "Coming from you, that's practically a compliment."
She stared at him for a moment, hesitated, then took a step forward and lightly pressed a finger to his chest — a brief, almost shy gesture. "Don't take too long, got it? I still want a proper rematch, and you've got a promise to keep."
"I know," he replied, winking. "I'll be back before you know it."
Then came Fiore, who had stayed a little apart until then, quietly observing. She took a deep breath, trying to look calm, but her trembling hands betrayed her.
"So… you're really leaving?"
"Yes," Arthur said gently. "It's time."
Fiore let out a small, forced laugh. "I should say goodbye with a smile… but I can't."
Arthur reached out and placed his hand over hers. "You've always been stronger than you think, Fiore. Stay that way. The world needs people like you."
She bit her lip as tears finally broke free. "And I need you."
Arthur hesitated for a moment, then pulled her into a hug. Fiore clung to him as if time could stop right there. "I'll come back," he whispered in her ear. "Even if it's just to see you smile again."
He then lifted her chin and kissed her gently on the lips.
When they parted, Fiore nodded, her eyes shining with tears and hope.
Frankenstein approached in silence, her heavy steps contrasting with the delicate atmosphere. Beside her was Caules — both watched Arthur without saying a word.
Arthur smiled. "You were an incredible companion. I'll never forget how much you trusted me," he said as he extended his hand to Caules.
Caules grinned and shook it firmly. "The honor was all mine."
Then, a mischievous giggle echoed among the group.
"You're really leaving, Mommy?"
Jack appeared out of nowhere, as she always did, her innocent smile hiding a dark aura. She held the ends of her dress, looking up at Arthur with big, adorable eyes.
Arthur sighed, half-exasperated, half-amused. "Jack… I told you not to call me that."
"But you summoned me! That makes you my Mommy," she said, crossing her arms as if it were obvious.
The entire group burst into laughter. Even Mordred had to turn away to hide her smile.
Arthur knelt down to meet Jack's eyes and ruffled her silver hair. "Alright then, little one — if I'm your 'Mommy,' I want you to promise you'll behave, okay? No killing, no scaring people, and definitely no annoying Atalanta."
Jack pouted. "Fine… mostly."
"That's the best I can hope for," he said with a laugh, flicking her forehead lightly.
A calm silence fell over the courtyard. The golden glow of sunset wrapped around Arthur, and little by little, shimmering lights began to appear around his body.
Jeanne took a step forward, but he raised his hand to stop her.
"It's been an honor to fight beside you," he said, his voice steady.
"And a joy… to live with you."
The light particles grew brighter, swirling upward around him like golden spirals.
Jeanne covered her face, crying uncontrollably. Fiore bit her lip, holding back her sobs. Mordred turned away, muttering a faint "idiot." And Jack, smiling softly, waved her hand.
"See you soon, Mommy."
Arthur looked at all of them one last time, his smile unwavering.
"See you soon… I'll be back as fast as I can," he said.
"Gaia, Alaya… take me home," he whispered.
A golden vortex opened beneath him, pulling him in — taking him back to his world.
(The End)
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A/N:
After a true whirlwind of chaos, setbacks, and — honestly — a ton of crap happening all at once, I finally reached the inevitable conclusion: this will be the definitive end of MLS.
It wasn't an easy decision. Far from it — I spent hours thinking, rewriting, deleting, trying to find a way to continue. But sometimes, no matter how much we love a story, there comes a time when we have to let it rest. And as painful as it is to admit, that time has come.
As for the reasons? There are many — some personal, others creative, and a few simply indescribable. I won't go into detail here; I don't want this to sound like a rant.
But before anyone panics — don't worry. I still plan to keep exploring this story in different ways.
This isn't a goodbye — it's just the end of a chapter.
There will still be extra episodes, lighter and more comedic moments, packed with humor, absurd interactions, and, of course, some good old-fashioned fights — after all, none of us can live without a bit of action, right?
These chapters will be more relaxed, like little side adventures — something to laugh about, unwind, and revisit the characters who, let's be honest, have become a part of us.
I also want to take this moment to say thank you. Truly.
To everyone who followed this journey, who commented, and — most of all — who believed in me and these characters. You were the strength that kept MLS alive for so long.
Maybe this world will rest for a while, but this isn't the end. It's simply a new beginning — a pause before the next laugh, the next battle, the next reunion.
So don't worry…
Arthur and his girls still have plenty of chaos left to cause. And so do I.
See you all in the extra chapters, my dear readers.
The next one, probably coming out on Friday, will be the long-promised lemon between Arthur and Jeanne.
And thank you — from the bottom of my heart — for everything. ❤
See you later, guys