Chapter 55: Homecoming

A Flicker in the Mist

Viyi found some mushrooms in the gray mist, sharing them with Peach. She spent time kindling a small fire for warmth. The soil beneath was pitch-black, easily kicking up dust with each step. Her face and clothes were smudged. Like she’d been in a coal mine. She faintly heard her teacher calling, but looking around, she found nothing.

Visibility was too low—even knowing the direction, she was helpless. She’d rested earlier, using Church prayers to meet her water needs. Otherwise, she’d have died of thirst by now. Peach was wilted too. She felt filthy. If she could go back, she’d never have followed her teacher. She’d learned nothing, only suffered. Perhaps she’d never leave this place.

Viyi touched her grimy clothes, curling up like Peach. Suddenly, a light pierced the darkness, a gentle breeze halting beside her. Warm, strong arms pulled her into an embrace. The familiar scent made her nearly cry. “Teacher…” Wenger patted her shoulder, soothing softly. “Don’t be afraid, don’t be afraid. Teacher will take you home.”

She noticed Peach nearby and scooped it up too. Green specks bloomed into a fluorescent bouquet in the dark, comforting and restoring the two little ones. She’d left too hastily, without a proper plan. She shouldn’t have made that promise with Viyi, bringing the girl into such danger. Vick watched Wenger’s tenderness from the side. She always seemed to think of others first. She’d likely been busy with his mana sickness for days.

What could he offer her? A promise he might not keep, or meaningless wealth? After comforting the child, Wenger lifted the glowing artifact in midair. [Agamemnon’s Scale] The name had changed. She didn’t know the connection between “Arbiter” and Agamemnon. Sloppy as ever, forgetting important things despite remembering them. There was no chance to ask Aranold now.

It’d been an unknown time since leaving Maple Whisper Village. She hoped nothing major had changed in her absence. The scale’s lingering power easily swept away the deathly aura. Unhindered, Wenger summoned wind magic again, a roaring yet gentle gale lifting them upward.

Golden cornfields had been cut down in patches. The air was much colder than before, everyone bundled up. Rhine stood at the village’s edge, watching the sun sink between the mountains. The stalks’ shadows stretched long, trailing past his feet. A sweet, fresh scent lingered in the cold air. Teacher had been gone a long time, her student too. A month had passed.

It was normal—elders said she used to leave for periods. But those were oral tales. The time might be even longer ago. She went where she pleased, for however long, unbothered by others. Yet everyone believed she’d return, bringing protection to this place. After all, Wenger had lived here longer than any of them.

Rhine believed so too. He’d arranged everything so she wouldn’t worry upon returning. Even at his age, he feared disappointing her. Another bountiful harvest. Food was never lacking. The workshop ran smoothly, the school progressed orderly. Fine horses and trainers, new seeds from caravans… He noted everything Wenger would care about. …Unsure if he’d see her return.

A cold wind blew, flattening crops. Like the villagers he’d seen in his life, toppled by cold winds, unsure when he’d face winter’s bite.

Half a day later, they emerged from the depths. Wenger glanced at the silver sword on the altar, taking it without hesitation and storing it in her inventory. She hated powerlessness more than a curse. Having seen the might of legends, she refused to sit idly. The trip confirmed the magic-sealing forest posed no immediate risk, and Vick’s condition had eased somewhat.

At the right time, asking him to protect Maple Whisper Village shouldn’t be refused. Not that she thought Vick cold, but he had the right to stand by. Then there was Agamemnon’s Scale, but she couldn’t activate it outside the forest. Nor inside, for that matter. She stored it for now.

Viyi’s energy had recovered, but she was a mess, her mental state poor. In simple terms, her HP was normal after healing, but she was stacked with debuffs. Wenger carried her effortlessly, noticing how much thinner she’d become. Eating those things, how could she not? She only wanted to know how long Viyi had waited, and how much time had passed outside. How could she not ache for her student?

Viyi seemed to sense the comforting mana radiating from Wenger, hugging her tighter. Wenger stayed silent. The horses tied in the forest had long broken free. Her horse was smart enough to likely be fine, even here. Though all things had spirits, compared to people, it wasn’t a choice. She’d been anxious not seeing Viyi; now, her worry deepened.

They hurried along, the wind less gentle than before. The line between dusk and night fell across their faces, creeping upward. Cold air battered her mana barrier. The mountains loomed dark. The afterglow faded. Like the world’s end. They reached the final notes of the closing symphony.

Wenger’s heart pounded. She hadn’t ventured out in years, and her decision led to trouble. Bitterness spread, filling her chest. Hours later, the giant tree’s shadow covered them. Home, at last. Without inviting Vick in, she carried Viyi to the guest room, preparing a potion. After feeding it to her and checking her condition, she tucked her in.

On her way out, she grabbed Peach from Viyi’s satchel. Peach was in much better shape. Slimes, with their simple structure, recovered quickly. “Pop pop…” “You’re tired?” Wenger tried to understand—they’d been together long enough, but comprehension depended on their bond. “Want praise?” She wasn’t sure but knew Peach was happier now, like a survivor’s relief. “Go rest, you’re tired too.”

Settling Peach in its nest, Wenger wearily stepped to the platform’s edge. Vick stood below, gazing at the flowing stream. His sharp senses caught her looking, turning to meet her eyes. Their link let them sense slivers of each other’s emotions, even from afar.