Inside the newly built inn, Lux and Eiko were sleeping peacefully.
The baby Slime slept on top of Lux’s chest, as always, because Lux’s heartbeats were like a lullaby that made her feel safe and warm.
Only an hour was left until sunrise and both had gone to bed very late the night before, as they tried to finish the Orphanage within one day.
The work inside Leaf Village didn’t stop. Even though there were a lot of other people sleeping, there were still some who stayed awake, working on rebuilding their homes. Artifacts and spells that lit up the surroundings were very common in Elysium, so it was not a big deal to work late at night.
Lux’s and Eiko’s Named Creatures, Skeletons, Slimes, and Golems were still helping the villagers even as their Masters rested inside their comfortable room that was specially arranged for them by the Inn’s Owner.
—
Leaf Village Plaza…
“Well then, this turned out better than I thought,” Randolph said as he admired the work that the Elders of Leaf Village, as well as Lux’s Named Creatures, worked on in secret whenever the Half-Elf and his baby Slime were asleep.
“Indeed,” Grandma Annie commented with a satisfied nod. “This will be the symbol of our village for years to come, so it must have an impact.”
In order to maintain secrecy, the Elders of the village had erected four tall Earth Walls around their special project to prevent anyone from spying on their work.
“I’m sure that Lux will be surprised when he sees it.” Cedwyn chuckled as he imagined the Half-Elf’s reaction after seeing the surprise that they had made just for him. He turned to Diablo and asked, “What do you think, Diablo? Will your Master like it?”
Diablo nodded. “Yes.”
Right now, Diabo and Ishtar were able to communicate through speaking, despite the limited vocabulary, due to the increase in their ranks.
“Well then, we should wrap up,” one of the Elders commented as he stifled a yawn. “My old bones can’t handle works that require high precision on a regular basis. Perhaps, this will be the last masterpiece that I will work on in this lifetime.”
“Ah. Don’t be like that. You’re still young.”
“What definition of young are you talking about? I’m almost two-hundred and forty years old.”
The Elders laughed as they exchanged friendly banters. Half an hour later, all of them returned to their own homes to rest.
Only Lux’s Named Creatures remained, and they once again looked at the new symbol of Leaf Village with pride.
——
Five hour later…
The Half-Elf finally opened his eyes. He then lightly patted the baby slime on his chest to wake her up as well.
“….Pa?” Eiko asked sleepily before yawning.
“Good morning, Eiko,” Lux lifted the baby slime and gave her a kiss on the cheek. “It’s almost noon. Time to wake up.”
Eiko looked at her Papa for a few seconds before closing her eyes again to sleep. Lux chuckled and no longer insisted on waking the baby, who was still exhausted from working all through the night.
After placing Eiko back on the bed, he washed his face and changed his clothes. He then combed his hair before picking up the baby Slime from the bed to place her on his head.
For some reason, Eiko could stay on top of Lux’s head even if it was shaking badly. The Half-Elf still had no idea how she was able to do that, but he was thankful for having such ability.
When he went down the stairs to dine in the inn’s tavern, he was instantly able to smell the delicious food that was being prepared in the kitchen.
Eiko, who was still asleep, started sniffing. The baby Slime liked to eat Beast Cores, but she also liked eating home-made food. She was not picky, unlike children who hated vegetables, and ate anything that Lux liked to eat.
A few seconds later, the smell of the food won her over, and she finally opened her sleepy eyes, and greeted her Papa before yawning.
“Pa…”
“Mmm. We will be having breakfast soon.”
As soon as the innkeeper saw Lux, he immediately went to the kitchen and brought out a tray of hot food for him and the baby Slime, who had somehow become Leaf Village’s mascot.
“Lux, are you going to leave Leaf Village today?” the innkeeper asked. Although he didn’t try to show it, there was a faint trace of sadness in his voice.
Lux nodded. “The time has come. I wish I could stay longer and help finish the reconstruction of Leaf Village, but I just can’t fight the inevitable.”
Today was Lux’s tenth day after ascending to the Apostle Grade. Even if he wanted to stay, he would still be kicked out by the laws of Elysium, and teleported to a random place near an Intermediate Town upon midnight.
The innkeeper nodded an understanding before presenting a plaque to the Half-Elf who blinked his eyes in confusion.
“Please sign this,” the Innkeeper said. “I will hang it on the wall over there and keep it as a family heirloom.”
“E-Eh? You don’t have to do that,” Lux replied in embarrassment after hearing what the innkeeper had to say.
“Nonsense. I insist that you sign it whether you like it or not. I have to brag to my great grandchildren that the Hero of this village and I were best friends!”
“… Um.”
Lux wanted to ask the innkeeper the question “Since when did we become best friends?” but decided to just let it slide. Finally, he signed the plaque and handed it back to the smiling innkeeper, who felt like he was holding something worth over a million gold coins in his hands.
“Ah! Before I forget, the Village Head said that you should look for him before you leave,” the Innkeeper stated.
“Understood,” Lux replied.
The Innkeeper then left the Half-Elf and the Baby Slime alone.
Eiko had already started eating and was happily chewing on bacon strips that had become one of her favorite foods in Leaf Village.
Lux ate the roast beef sandwich that was the Inn’s specialty and savored its taste for the last time.
‘I’m finally leaving this place,’ Lux thought as his eyes wandered around the inn.
This was the inn where he had stayed on his first night in Leaf Village and it was also the last place he’d slept in before leaving it.
Half an hour later, Lux and Eiko finished their meal. The Half-Elf then left the inn and aimlessly strolled around town.
Lux was taking in the sights and sounds of Leaf Village before he left. All around him, houses that were under construction could be seen, and the newly built ones stood out from the rest. The several Dwarves who saw him greeted him with a smile, and he greeted them in return.
The red-headed teenager had become a celebrity in Leaf Village, and everyone inside it knew his name by heart. Even the Dwarf Solaians looked up him and even told him that they would catch up to him soon. ᴡ ᴏᴠʟ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛʀs ᴀʀ ᴘᴜʙʟsʜᴅ ᴏ NovlFire(.)nt
As Lux wandered around the village, he found himself standing in front of Grandma Annie’s Candy Store. The store was partially destroyed, but Grandma Annie said that she was not in a hurry to fix it, and insisted that the other houses should be constructed first.
“I’ll miss this place,” Lux muttered as he looked at the signage that said “Leaf Village’s Candy Shop”.
“Well, I will miss you too.”
A familiar voice spoke from inside the house. A few moments later, the door opened and Grandma Annie appeared, smiling at Lux who would be leaving soon.
“Have you had breakfast yet?” Grandma Annie inquired.
Lux nodded. “Yes, Grandma Annie.”
“Then, would you like to have some tea with me? Randolph is still probably asleep and will probably wake up in two or three hours from now. Cedwyn is the same. So why don’t you have a chat with me for a while before you look for those two old buffoons.”
“It will be my pleasure.”
“Pa!”
Lux accepted Grandma Annie’s invite because he could see the sadness in the old lady’s eyes despite her smiling face.
He had already decided to leave Leaf Village before sunset, so spending an hour with the old Dwarf who had helped him many times in the past was the least he could do to show how thankful he was for her help.