The following morning began quite peacefully.
When I went downstairs for breakfast, I found almost everyone already gathered in the dining room. The only new presence was Liriel's assistant, seated among the girls. Even though she had arrived only the day before, she already seemed to be adapting quickly to the atmosphere of the mansion.
It was curious to watch.
For a long time, I had grown used to seeing her involved in divine affairs, always occupied with important responsibilities. Now she was simply sitting at the table having breakfast like anyone else.
"Good morning."
As soon as I spoke, several pairs of eyes turned toward me.
"Good morning."
The replies came almost simultaneously.
I sat down in my chair and began eating while observing the activity around me.
The assistant seemed genuinely interested in everything.
She asked questions about the mansion.
She asked about Vailor.
She asked about the city's residents.
She even asked about the staff who worked there.
At one point, she looked at me.
"You know, it's strange."
"What is?"
"Seeing you living like this."
I raised an eyebrow.
"Like this?"
"Yes."
She rested her face on one hand.
"When we first met, you barely had enough money to pay for a few meals."
Scarlett immediately started laughing.
"That's true."
"Hey."
"You looked like a lost adventurer."
"I was lost."
That answer drew laughter from everyone at the table.
Even I had to admit she wasn't wrong.
During my first days in that world, I truly had no idea what I was doing.
The assistant continued smiling.
"Now you have a huge mansion, lands, political influence, and practically half the continent knows your name."
When she put it that way, everything sounded much more absurd.
Because looking back, it really was.
The difference between the Takumi of several months ago and the current one was enormous.
After we finished breakfast, I decided to show her the rest of the mansion more thoroughly.
Although she had already seen some areas the previous day, there were still many places she had not explored.
We started with the main hallways.
As we walked, she observed every detail of the building.
The paintings.
The furniture.
The windows.
The inner gardens.
Everything seemed to spark her curiosity.
"You've truly built an impressive life."
"It wasn't just my accomplishment."
"I know."
Her gaze swept across the hallway.
"But you were the one who started it all."
I continued walking without replying immediately.
I've never been very fond of receiving excessive praise.
Especially because I knew I would never have made it this far alone.
Without the girls, I probably would have died a long time ago.
Without my allies, the war would have been impossible to win.
Without the help of countless people throughout the journey, I never would have reached this position.
When we reached the training grounds, she observed the area for a few moments.
"So this is where you train."
"Most of the time."
She walked toward one of the sparring areas.
"I imagine this place gets a lot of use."
"More than I'd like."
The assistant smiled.
"You don't seem like someone who enjoys fighting."
"Because I don't."
She looked straight at me.
"You defeated demon generals."
"That doesn't mean I enjoy it."
She seemed to reflect on that.
Then she nodded in agreement.
"That makes sense."
We continued our tour around the estate.
Time passed quickly.
Eventually, we reached one of the mansion's upper balconies.
From there, it was possible to see a large portion of Vailor.
The city was bustling.
Merchants moved through the streets.
Carriages entered and exited through the gates.
People went about their daily routines.
The assistant observed everything in silence.
After a few moments, she spoke.
"This place has changed a lot."
"You've seen Vailor before."
"Yes."
She rested her arms on the balcony railing.
"But the city feels different now."
I looked out over the same view.
Perhaps she was right.
The economic growth of the past few months was obvious.
Trade was more active.
The streets seemed busier.
There was a sense of prosperity that hadn't existed before.
"After Vaelthor's defeat, many things improved."
She nodded.
"The fear has diminished."
That was true.
For the first time in a long while, people were finally able to breathe a little easier.
The Demon King was still a threat.
But the victory over the First General had restored hope to the continent.
Throughout the rest of the morning, we continued talking about many different subjects.
She shared some interesting stories about events she had witnessed while carrying out her duties.
Some were amusing.
Others were surprising.
She also spoke about how she had followed our journey from afar.
According to her, there were moments when she almost lost her patience watching some of the decisions I made.
"So you were judging me."
"Constantly."
"How cruel."
"I prefer to call it professional observation."
I couldn't help laughing.
Near lunchtime, we returned to the main hall.
The girls were gathered there as well.
The atmosphere became quite lively.
It was interesting to see how naturally the assistant talked with all of them.
Even after being away for so long, it felt as though she had never truly left.
During the meal, she said something that caught my attention.
"You've all changed a lot."
I looked at her.
"In what way?"
"All of you."
Her gaze swept across the table.
"Before, I saw a group trying to survive."
She discreetly pointed at each of us.
"Now I see confident people."
No one replied immediately.
Perhaps because we all knew it was true.
We were no longer the same adventurers we had been at the beginning.
Our experiences had transformed us.
The battles.
The losses.
The victories.
Everything had contributed to that.
After lunch, the group decided to spend part of the afternoon in the gardens.
The weather was pleasant.
The sky remained clear.
A gentle breeze occasionally drifted by.
We sat near a wooded area and began chatting.
This time, the conversation naturally turned toward the past.
Old stories began to surface.
Failed missions.
Embarrassing situations.
Funny moments.
Even a few adventures I would rather forget ended up being mentioned.
Unfortunately, Scarlett seemed to remember every single one of them.
"I still remember that time you fell into the lake."
"We don't need to talk about that."
"It was funny."
"For you."
"For everyone."
Laughter broke out once again.
I spent a good part of the afternoon being the target of embarrassing stories.
But surprisingly, I didn't mind very much.
Moments like those were rare.
And perhaps that was exactly why they were so valuable.
As the sun slowly approached the horizon, the gardens became quieter.
Some of the girls returned inside the mansion.
Others continued enjoying the late afternoon.
I remained seated, watching the sky slowly change colors.
That was when the assistant approached.
She sat down beside me.
For a few moments, neither of us spoke.
We simply admired the scenery.
"You seem different."
I looked at her.
"You already said that yesterday."
"I'm talking about something else."
I waited for her to continue.
"You're calmer."
I reflected for a few moments.
Perhaps she was right.
Months ago, I had lived in a constant state of alert.
Always waiting for the next crisis.
The next battle.
The next problem.
Now things were different.
At least for the time being.
"Maybe I'm learning how to appreciate moments of peace."
She smiled.
"That's good."
We turned our attention back to the horizon.
The silence that followed wasn't uncomfortable.
On the contrary.
It was pleasant.
When night finally arrived, we returned inside the mansion.
Dinner passed peacefully.
Lighthearted conversations filled the room.
Nothing urgent.
Nothing dangerous.
Nothing related to the war.
Just people enjoying one another's company.
When the meal ended, some headed to their rooms.
Others stayed behind to keep talking.
I remained in the living room a little longer.
The assistant did as well.
At one point, she looked around at everyone.
Then she quietly said,
"Now I understand."
"What?"
"Why you fight so hard to protect all of this."
I followed her gaze.
The girls.
The mansion.
The peace of that moment.
The people who mattered to me.
I immediately understood what she meant.
I smiled faintly.
"Yes."
I didn't need to say anything else.
Because that was exactly the answer.
Shortly afterward, everyone began heading off to rest.
The day had been simple.
No battles.
No threats.
No urgent worries.
Just an ordinary day.
And at that moment, that seemed more valuable than any victory on a battlefield.
As I walked down the hallway toward my room, I heard the assistant wishing everyone good night.
For the first time since her arrival, she seemed completely relaxed.
Like someone who had finally set her responsibilities aside for a while.
And seeing that, I had the feeling that these days of rest would do good not only for us.
But for her as well.