"Whaaaat?! You are going to the human world?"
At my words, Ravel, who was sitting on the sofa, shouted in surprise.
"Yeah, I'm thinking of visiting my hometown."
Can I even call it a hometown?
It was just a place where I lived for a very short time, thousands of years ago by human standards.
Anyway, since it’s where my second life began, let’s just call it my hometown.
"Your hometown? What kind of place was it? Were there many strong people like you there, Master?"
Ravel asked with eyes full of curiosity.
"No, it was just a small village where ordinary humans lived. Everyone is dead now, and there's probably nothing left. During the Great War, they were massacred by other races before they even realized what was happening. Still, I should visit at least once."
At my indifferent answer, Ravel's face turned pale.
"Ah... I'm sorry. I asked something unnecessary..."
Ravel seemed to think she had made a slip of the tongue and suddenly bowed her head to apologize.
It wasn't something she needed to apologize for, just asking about my hometown.
"No, what... there's nothing to be sorry about. It’s all in the past. Anyway, want to come along?"
"Huh...? Really? This is the first time you've asked me to go somewhere with you, Master!"
Ravel said, her eyes sparkling.
"Is that so? Anyway, are you coming or not?"
"Yes! Of course I have to go! I definitely want to see your hometown too, Master!"
"Masteeeer! What about us?! Are you leaving us behind?!"
Sera, appearing behind my back before I knew it, spoke in a sulky voice.
"Do you guys want to go too? If you're coming, it's not a bad idea to go all together."
"Of course we're going! Wherever Master goes, we go!"
"Of course, Master. Knowing Master's past is also our duty."
"May I come along as well, Lord Eden? It's my first time in the human world..."
And so, a sudden group trip to the human world was decided.
The guardians, including Belbeth, will take care of the house, so it should be fine.
If there's anyone capable of breaking through them to invade, I'd actually like to see that.
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"My, the world has changed a lot."
As soon as we arrived in the human world through the magic circle, what greeted me was the very image of a modern city.
Towering skyscrapers, cars filling the roads, and countless people.
As a reincarnated individual, it was a familiar sight to me, but seeing the scenery with my own eyes after tens of thousands of years was quite welcoming.
"Ooh, so this is the human world...! There are so many fascinating things!"
"The sky is blue... it feels different from the Underworld. The air is refreshing, too."
Come to think of it, Sera and Hwaryeong have only ever been to the Dimensional Gap and the Underworld since they were born.
I should take them out more often.
"Excuse me, Master? Which way is your hometown?"
Hwaryeong asked, looking around.
"Hmm... Well... It's changed so much, I can't tell what's where... The place I lived was just a small village in the forest."
"Masteeeer! If we just keep going forward, won't it show up?!"
Sera shouted confidently.
"Lady Sera... I don't think that's how it works... We'll get lost."
Wendy said, looking troubled.
While I was thinking of a way to find my hometown, I felt a familiar energy.
"Huh?"
The energy of the Grail.
Faintly, I could feel the traces of where I had used the Grail in the past.
Surely not... It hasn't been tens of thousands of years like in the Dimensional Gap, but at least a few thousand years must have passed here. Yet, the traces I left behind still remain?
It was practically a miracle.
"This way. Follow me."
I began to move in the direction of the village, following the Grail's energy.
Leaving the city and traveling for quite a while, the familiar scent of the forest pricked my nose.
And finally, we arrived at the clearing where the village used to be.
"......"
There was nothing.
Not even ashes remained; it was just a clearing overgrown with grass.
The passage of thousands of years seemed to have erased even the traces of the tragedy.
Wordlessly, I walked into the center of the clearing.
And I closed my eyes.
Laughter, songs, and... screams.
The memories of that day when everything ended faintly resurfaced.
"...I'm sorry."
I muttered quietly.
"For only coming back now..."
It was then.
From behind me, I heard the surprised voices of the girls.
"Master! That is...!"
"M-Master! From the ground...!"
"Oh my..."
"Whoaaa..."
I slowly opened my eyes.
Around the ground where I stood, hundreds, thousands of white flowers were blooming.
It was the final greeting of the souls sleeping in this land, resonating with the power of the Grail that had activated without my conscious knowledge.
Among the scattering souls, I saw a few familiar faces.
But to think they were bound to this earth, unable to pass on even after so much time had passed.
Self-loathing welled up inside me.
What had I been doing while they were bound here?
Then, I heard whispering voices behind me.
'Welcome back, Eden!'
'Hoho... You've grown a lot, boy.'
'My goodness, making an old man wait this long!'
'We all waited for you, Eden.'
.
.
.
I see.
Even after such a long time, you were all waiting for me here.
You endured an eternity for my sake.
"May you all depart to a better place now..."
With my final words, the souls slowly scattered and eventually vanished completely.
All that remained was the field of white flowers they left behind.
"......"
"...Master, are you crying?"
"No. Let's go now."
"Uh... Ah! Okay!"
Even as we left, I looked back at the field of white flowers.
"......"
I stopped for a moment and cast a barrier over the flower field.
This way, no human footsteps will reach it.
There is no other reason.
I just want this place to remain for as long as possible.
I turned back and walked on.
I felt as though my heart had become a little lighter.
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