End of the Farnodt Invasion

The battle in Marina has finally come to an end. Only about thirteen thousand citizens of the Kingdom of Farnodt remain.

Out of millions, only a few thousand are left. This is a devastating blow to the human race.

However, the Abyss cannot be considered winners of the war either. Just like Farnodt, they too lost General Azazel and millions of their troops.

In summary, there are two parties that have gained the most from this war: Huntara and Westya.

Both kingdoms now occupy the northern and southern regions of Farnodt. Their territories are separated by a large crater in the center of Farnodt, the remnants of the city of Lumiere.

When the military forces of Blackwinter and Ethyria arrived in Lumiere, they were shocked to see the aftermath of the battle there.

No one knew what kind of battle had taken place there, except for Signa, who had gathered some information while in Marina.

He knew that the combatants in Lumiere were the Incarnations of the Demon God and Cien Millard.

Similar to what had happened in Marina, where their battle resulted in the formation of a lake, the situation here was even worse. The large crater was perhaps three or four times larger than the Marina lake.

Signa couldn't fathom what had actually occurred, and he was reluctant to reveal the two key figures responsible for the crater.

Sharing information about these two individuals would only cause unnecessary panic, making the Demon God and Cien appear as terrifying specters.

In the midst of the current chaos, Signa didn't want to further escalate the situation.

On the other hand, Cien, who had just finished his battle with the Demon God, finally reunited with his beloved wife.

Cien, exhausted and lying on the back of a water bird, found Ethel waiting for him in the refuge, which was about ten kilometers from the gates of Marina.

They had moved five kilometers away from their original location due to the devastating impact of the water meteor.

The reunion of Cien and Ethel was incredibly moving, as both of them shed tears of happiness.

Ethel couldn't believe that her husband was truly alive. For ten long years, she had strengthened herself after Cien's presumed death, all for the sake of raising Kirana.

She had built an image of herself as a strong and wise woman to avoid being underestimated by others. However, now, that carefully crafted image crumbled in an instant.

Seeing Cien, Ethel couldn't contain her emotions. She became a child who never wanted to let go of the person she cherished the most.

Those who witnessed the reunion between the husband and wife felt warmth in their hearts and chose not to disturb their moment. Kirana, too, could only watch her parents in awe.

However, amid Cien's happiness, there was also sorrow.

Niles, the elderly merchant from Ashur, had passed away, leaving his daughter-in-law and grandson under Cien's care.

Niles had fought to survive all the time in Marina, hoping to be there for the ones he cared about, his daughter-in-law and grandson, who were trapped in the midst of the battlefield.

But when they were finally rescued and arrived at a safe refuge, Niles bid them farewell and departed from this world.

For the old man, his greatest regret in the end was not being able to meet Cien and see the village his friend had built in Death Valley.

Cien, upon his arrival and after sharing a moment of longing with Ethel, couldn't hold back tears of sorrow when he saw Niles' lifeless body, wearing a peaceful smile.

He regretted arriving too late to save his friend. He had a phone that could keep him informed about the conditions of his friends, but sadly, just knowing wasn't enough.

If he didn't act in time, the lives of those he cared about could be lost.

Afterward, Cien decided to return to Death Valley. He intended to bury his friend's body in the village's territory.

Besides, he was injured, and he wasn't alone. Several members of his Moon Squad from the village were also wounded. It was better for them to return home and tend to their injuries.

Legia and Lilinette, in particular, were severely injured. Apart from these two women, there were four others who were seriously wounded, all of them belonging to Mia's knights.

One squad member had lost his life in the battle, while the others, including Kirana, Brook, Reiss, and Terrion, had suffered only minor injuries.

Cien wasn't sure whether to feel relieved or not, as only one person from their village had perished.

But even one death was deeply painful to him because that person had been his friend for the past few months.

For the citizens of Farnodt themselves, according to the original plan, all the residents were supposed to be taken to Death Valley by Cien, as Huntara refused to accommodate them.

However, the invasion by Westya had caused Huntara to take control of the Marina region and four other towns in the north of Farnodt. They needed the residents to help build a new city.

The new city's location would be Marina, as it was close to Blackwinter. Additionally, Marina now had a large lake that was very beneficial. So, Cien and Sravati's original plan had to be adjusted accordingly.

This time, whether it was Cien or Sravati, they would allow the residents to choose where they wanted to go.

The result was that around three thousand residents would follow Cien to Death Valley, while ten thousand would stay in the ruins of Marina and build a new city under the supervision of Princess Sravati.

The remaining three thousand or so people wished to go to other kingdoms or small villages around Huntara.

Those who wanted to migrate to other kingdoms requested permission from the Huntara government to pass through their kingdom and head to the eastern kingdom of Kastia.

Most likely, they desired to go to Divinia the Holy Kingdom or Xipil the Fire Kingdom.

With that, the Invasion of Farnodt came to a close with the following conclusions: one kingdom had fallen, the Incarnation of the Demon God had descended, the existence of the Demon King was confirmed, the territories of two kingdoms, Westya and Huntara, had expanded, and a new power, Death Valley, had emerged.

News of these historic events would spread throughout Kastia and shake its inhabitants for some time to come.

***

Several days had passed since the end of the Invasion of Farnodt.

As usual, the early morning light seeped through the cracks in the window, gently illuminating the face of a middle-aged man who was peacefully asleep. It warmed his face.

Faint sounds of morning activities from the villagers accompanied by the songs of insects and birds filled the air, making the morning feel peaceful, far from the chaos outside those cursed lands.

Cien felt his eyes starting to dazzle, and he opened them. Looking to the side, he saw a woman soundly asleep.

For the past few days, the face of his beloved woman had been the one to greet him every morning, warming the start of his day and painting a smile on his face.

Cien gently stroked the hair of the woman who was his wife. He was truly grateful to be reunited after ten years of separation.

"Cien?"

Ethel murmured, opening her eyes slightly after feeling the gentle touch on her head. She reached for her husband's hand on her head and looked at Cien with a warm smile.

"Sorry, did I wake you?" Cien asked, unintentionally waking his wife.

Ethel shook her head. "No. I'm just happy to see your face in the morning. I hope this isn't a dream."

"...it's not a dream," Cien assured her.

Ethel nodded, saying, "Hm, I know."

They shared a kiss, briefly letting their love flow before Ethel finally got out of bed. She tidied her clothes and hair before heading out.

Ethel went to the bathroom to wash her face and then proceeded to the kitchen to prepare breakfast.

It had been a while since Ethel had last cooked, perhaps when Kirana was about to enter the Military Academy.

After that, she had been living alone most of the time, eating alone at the dining table. It had made her stop cooking, relying on a maid to take care of her nutritional needs.

But now, she was back with Cien and Kirana in one simple home.

Even though they had Sella, the girl couldn't be considered a housekeeper. She was a store employee.

The same went for Cherry and Casey, both of whom Ethel had given time off to enjoy the atmosphere of Death Valley.

So, at this moment, Ethel felt the joy of cooking for her family again—for her husband and daughter.

They would eat together at the dining table, talking about their individual stories and enjoying each other's company.

The warmth that had only existed in her memories returned, bringing a sense of peace to Ethel. She hoped these beautiful days wouldn't come to an end.

Cien, yawning widely, left his room and sat at the dining table.

On the table, there was already a cup of warm tea brewed by his wife. Sipping it, he felt the warmth flow into his body, gradually waking him up.

"Darling, please call Kiran and Lily for breakfast," Ethel instructed as she started placing various dishes into bowls and plates.

"Alright."

Cien made his way downstairs and opened the back door, where he found his daughter in the midst of her morning training.

"Yawn~ Kiran~ call Lily for breakfast. Your mother is waiting."

"Oh, Father! Good morning!"

After that, Cien checked on his Moon Rabbit pets and fed them wild vegetables from Death Valley for their morning meal.

They would be given monster meat during the day and night to enhance their strength.

Once he was done feeding his pets, Cien headed to the bathroom to freshen up.

He didn't just wash his face; he took a full shower. After breakfast, he knew there would be plenty of work waiting for him.

Not only did he have his main job as a shop owner and craftsman, but he also had to oversee the development of the village, which was now inhabited by more than three thousand people.

There were many tasks to be done to make this place comfortable and thriving.

After his shower, Cien returned to the upper floor, where his family had gathered. Ethel, Kirana, and Lilinette were already there. With them, the dining table with four chairs was now fully occupied.

A smile graced Cien's face.

His ten-year struggle to survive had not been in vain. Now, all he had in his heart was how to ensure that these days when the dining table was filled with his family would not disappear.

He was determined to protect his loved ones in these chaotic times.

Cien took a seat next to Ethel and looked at his daughter and niece, who seemed eager to start their meal.

"Let's eat."