Simon, who had just woken up, was sitting with the sunlight pouring onto his retina.

With one knee raised, he looked down at her, reading a book with one hand, and greeted her with a smile.

“You finally woke up. I was about to put myself on and go to the Fairy Forest if you didn’t wake up after waiting one more day.”

he closed the book loudly and lifted Kalia’s hair to kiss her.

Kalia looked at Simon, who was smiling without reservation with eyes that still seemed to be dreaming.

Unlike when he was young, the sunlight sparkled brilliantly on his silver-like hair.

The symbol of the Archmage.

For that, Simon had to endure countless sorrows.

Her head felt dizzy.

It felt a little painful.

At that moment, something heavy crawled onto Kalia’s belly and pressed its forehead against her chin.

The sweet smell of a baby wafted up.

“Abuwoo.”

Sasha, pressing his forehead against Kalia’s chin, made a satisfied expression.

When Kalia looked at the baby, the baby hugged his mother’s neck tightly and showed a contented smile.

“Sasha kept throwing a tantrum, like saying he wouldn’t leave you. So he climbed onto your belly. Even rode on your hand, as long as I’m holding your hand. He’s jealous, this little one.”

Just like Simon spoke, his other hand was holding Kalia’s hand as he said.

Whether Sasha was leaning on it or not, there were traces of the baby’s drool on the back of her hand.

At that trace, Kalia burst into laughter for a moment.

The heavy emotions that had been stirring in her heart seemed to wash away.

Kalia slowly rose and embraced Sasha and Simon at the same time.

My family.

“…What’s wrong? Did you have a scary dream, Kalia?”

“No way. I had your dream. The dream we had when we were young.”

“Well, then it’s a very good dream, isn’t it?”

Without denying or affirming, Kalia held her child and her man tightly.

She would protect these two from any sadness.

With that thought, she held Simon tightly without leaving any gap, and he chuckled and added.

“Come to think of it, I was really surprised when you hugged me for the first time.”

“Do you remember that?”

“Of course. I haven’t forgotten a single memory of you. It was probably… the night of my father’s funeral, right? You have to came back to the Academy. And you even secretly found your way to my room.”

Kalia was secretly surprised.

Unlike her, who had completely forgotten until she had the dream, Simon remembered that day very well.

But thinking back, it seemed impossible to forget that day.

On the day of his father’s funeral, how many people could forget that day?

Seemingly reading her momentarily hesitating expression, Simon gently stroked Kalia’s cheek and said,

“It was the first time. The first time you came to me, and the first time you touched me.”

“You say ‘touched,’ it sounds a bit strange, Simon.”

“Well, then, it was the first time you hugged me, what about that?”

That was also a bit strange, but it seemed meaningless to correct it any further.

Yeah, do whatever you want.

With that in mind, Kalia relaxedly leaned against his embrace.

Sasha settled between the two of them, wiggling and taking a seat.

“What made you squeeze in between Mom and Dad?”

Kalia cradled Sasha with a look of wonder.

Usually, when Sasha was close to Kalia and Simon, he tended to become even more docile.Unless he was really hungry or had a full diaper, he would quietly stay still without fussing or whining.

It didn’t make sense to say that a baby was well-behaved, but Sasha was like that.

Now, Sasha firmly occupied the space between the two of them and lightly tapped their cheeks.

The lovely warmth of the baby embraced the two of them.

Kalia and Simon looked at each other simultaneously.

They were two people who had silently endured loneliness and emptiness even before they got together.

Different methods, different environments, but they had a common ground of deprivation.

And because of that deprivation, they became more desperate for each other.

Kalia wrapped her arms around Simon’s cheek and gently brushed her lips against his.

Simon, too, pulled her waist closer with strength.

The warm contact shared by the three of them held the same meaning.

The carriage carrying them arrived at Antik.

* * *

“It’s gloomy.”

The group parked the carriage in front of the same hotel as last time and sighed heavily as they looked around the deserted square.

It was as if the city itself had become a ghost.

Even the city cleaners seemed to have disappeared, as garbage overflowed throughout the city, emanating a stench.

Closed doors, flickering glances through windows.

Although a few shops with open doors could be seen, even they were operating cautiously with closed doors.

Kalia, who was slowly surveying the dark city, had her gaze fall upon a withered tree.

“…This is…”

As a sigh burst out, Simon’s gaze also turned toward the tree.

Naturally, his brows furrowed.

It was understandable that the tree branches were dry and withered.

But how could one explain the traces of scraped-off garbage and wooden pillars surrounding the base of the tree?

How could the scenery of the city, which had been beautiful and peaceful just a year ago, become so desolate?

It felt as if a demon had passed through.

“Miss Kalia.”

Just then, Allen and Derek, who had gone to check the rooms, returned.

Both of their expressions were grim.

“The hotel is temporarily closed now. We found out that other places are the same. Shall we contact the lord’s castle or another nearby magical branch?”

Since they had come to the place where the Fairy Tree was, they had planned to stay at the Antik for a day.

So, if it wasn’t near the tree, it was actually meaningless.

And now, they only had one more day left to travel.

To be precise, it wouldn’t even take a day.

Since Simon’s teleportation magic had a range that could get them to the royal palace right away if they wanted.

Even if they traveled by carriage, it would take only two days.

“So, shall we move today? We’ll contact the palace while taking a brief rest in the next city, and we should arrive at the palace by tomorrow.”

“Understood. Shall we move right now?”

“No. Just a moment.”

Saying so, Kalia gestured for Simon to follow her with a nod of her head.

Then, she summoned Gaia from her bracelet.

“Kalia! Are you okay?”

Gaia, who had come out, quickly assessed her condition.

While Kalia was standing perfectly fine, Gaia spun around as if startled, reminded of a startled squirrel.

Both Simon and Gaia were shocked when Kalia fainted right in front of them.

It was only after Gaia belatedly concluded that it might be because Kalia had used the power of her soul for the first time and received the shock of its strength that they were finally able to calm down.

But even that wasn’t really a firm conviction.No one in Gaia’s family had ever fainted from a shock of power.

So, Gaia, who had been constantly worrying in the spirit realm without realizing it, could only examine Kalia’s condition as soon as she appeared.

Kalia lightly smiled and grabbed her.

“I’m fine. I’m completely fine.”

“Really? Then move your arms! Your legs! Even your toes! Clap your hands!”

Kalia clapped her hands cheerfully and calmed Gaia down.

Finally, Gaia’s excited face visibly relaxed.

“Phew, I’m really relieved. Do you know how shocked I was when you fainted right in front of me?”

“I’m truly fine. More importantly… Can we try it again, like we did back then?”

At her words, Gaia widened her eyes and shook her head vigorously.

“What? No! What if you faint again? What will we do then?”

“Fainting is not a big deal… But I don’t think I’ll faint this time.”

“How can you be so sure?”

In response to Gaia’s question, Kalia briefly glanced at Simon.

In fact, as soon as she woke up, Simon presented a hypothesis to Kalia.

After exerting such power and fainting, during the two days she was plunged into sleep, all Simon could do was think.

Could it be that she has put too much stress on her body?

Could it be guaranteed that the soul shock wouldn’t be a big problem for Kalia?

Or if there were other issues?

While contemplating this, he happened to notice the two babies playing on the bed right next to him.

Sasha and Drea.

Sasha, who was born between him, a quarter-elf, and Kalia, a half-fairy, and the young dragon, the highest-ranking species of monsters. Then, a thought occurred to him.

It was mentioned that when Gaia was pregnant with Kalia, she underwent chimera experiments and had her heart, containing a fairy stone, removed and replaced with the heart of some kind of demon.

Apart from that, there may be other foreign species’ bodies transplanted or infused into her body.

Or maybe blood…

If the blood of other species has influenced Kalia in Gaia’s womb…?

And if it’s the blood of demons or powerful creatures, like dragons, for example…

If this assumption is correct, Kalia might have been the first to be purified by the power of purification without even knowing it.

As the thought expanded, Simon felt his mind clearing up.

To put it boldly, he even had thoughts that almost made this assumption certain.

Simon deeply infused his magic into Kalia’s sleeping body.

After meticulously tracing the flow of power within her body, he could be more certain.

There were only blood flowing vigorously and arteries pulsating with vitality.

“Hmm… So, you’re saying that the shock at that time was the impact that occurred as Kalia’s body was purified?”

He nodded to Gaia who had a puzzled expression upon hearing the story.

He couldn’t fully explain everything to Gaia, who carried Kalia without remembering what had happened to her.

But Gaia’s face showed that she roughly understood what was being said.

“Well, that’s an assumption, but I can’t be sure.”

Although he said that, Simon had a fairly confident expression on his face.

“Well… alright then. That aside. So, you want to try using your power again?”

Kalia nodded her head.

“If I have been purified, wouldn’t I be able to wield even greater power than before?”

“Greater power?”

Gaia asked, as if questioning the meaning behind it.

“Yes, greater power. And if possible…”

Kalia murmured while looking at the trees and the square beyond the trees.

“A power strong enough to purify this entire city.”