Journey Home

The past three days had flown by.

Together with Mia, we had visited her friends, visited her grandmother's grave, and inspected our former house.

Now it was inhabited by a new family, and despite the numerous memories it held for us, we were glad that the new residents liked it just as much. Unfortunately, the view from the garden was blocked by a wall.

We invited some of Mia's friends to accompany us, but many had settled in Bergwacht. Almost all of them already had a partner or their own home. Only Mia's best friend, Emma, wanted to join us.

Despite my mixed feelings - she tended to meddle in our relationship - I shrugged. I would address it if it went too far.

We also met Ben, Lise, and Bernd again to say goodbye. They thanked us warmly and wanted to give us money we declined of course. But the conversation was somewhat awkward, as there was a certain distance felt.

After all preparations were made, we stood with our luggage at the gate. Elias and Sylvia had said goodbye to everyone and now came trudging through the gate with one of my backpacks.

"Have you said goodbye to everyone?" I asked Mia. "We probably won't be coming back for some time."

Mia nodded slowly and greeted her parents and Emma. Over the past few days, we had visited all the important places, which now left us with a nostalgic and melancholic feeling of farewell.

Elias came to me, and we greeted each other with a handshake.

*Pop* it went.

Cool!

"And what's the plan?" he asked.

I scratched my head, "Originally, I thought you'd carry your wife and I'd carry mine. But I can also carry everyone somehow; it would even be faster."

"Haha!" he laughed deeply and slapped me on the shoulder. "I'm not that old, you brat! I'm only 38! So let's stick to Plan A!"

I nodded and greeted my mother-in-law and Emma. I insisted on taking Elias' backpack sich I stuffed in mine, and then we were ready to go.

Some acquaintances came to bid us farewell.

The women in the arms, Emma on my shoulder.

We were ready.

"BYE, YOU TROLL ASSES!" Elias shouted loudly and started running. He earned a scolding from Sylvia, which he simply laughed off.

I also chuckled quietly and looked down at Mia, "Don't you want to say 'bye' too?"

Mia nodded, waved, and called out to her other friends, "Bye! See you later!"

Emma did the same, her voice a bit shaky, as she had a fear of heights and maybe of the live changing decision too.

Then we started walking.

Without any difficulties, I caught up with Elias, and so we ran through the mountains at an increased speed. Elias couldn't jump from one mountain to the next, so we ran through each valley.

…

Two weeks later, we reached the midpoint of the journey. Elias looked exhausted at the mountain stretching infinitely before us.

"I don't think I can make it up," he said. "Looks like we'll have to cuddle!"

He jumped onto my shoulders with Sylvia in his arms.

"Can you hold on yourself?" I asked him, as I was already carrying the other duo, who giggled and chatted the whole time.

At first, all I heard were Emma's screams of fear and Mia's shouts of joy, which were occasionally more pleasant than the hour long chatters and laughing.

Sometimes I even have to plug my ears somehow, because of some „woman talk".

"Of course! What do you take me for? A goblin?" Elias replied.

I laughed , "Then get ready!"

I felt pressure around my neck and asked, "Ready?"

"Ready!"

Then I took off.

"Ahhhhhh!" I heard Sylvia's scream of fear.

"Yipiiiiii!" I heard the joyful squeals of the girls.

…

"Not far now, and we should reach the wall!" Mia announced excitedly, unable to stay still as always.

Sylvia was just lighting a fire and started cooking, Elias and I were setting up the tents, and Mia and Emma were about to wash up.

I had to admit, I was a little jealous, as I hadn't 'seen' Mia for a long time, as Emma slept together with us in our tent.

I only saw her through the mana scanner, in the moon lit pond, I used to ensure safety. But it wasn't the same!

In the past few days, we had accomplished a lot, which had earned Mia two levels and Emma had almost developed her system. It was only missing one level.

I had no idea about Sylvia and Elias too, I even see him rarely fight it's just like he is… unwilling? I think.

With bowls of soup, we sat around the campfire.

"Dad? Can you continue the story?" Mia asked with an interested look, the fire gleaming in her eyes.

"Of course!" he said with a full mouth, swallowed, and continued his story of how he came to the Village of Death.

In summary, it turned out that what was stated on his status was true.

He was the first prince of Valorium, the firstborn. However, it was clear early on that he would never be king, as he had the [Farmer System].

He wasn't thrown away, but he was very neglected because strength is everything in Valorium.

Out of frustration and anger at his system, he nevertheless wanted to do the Hero test, so he had to start fight monsters for a year.

He had a lot of fun doing it and learned more about the world he said, he didn't say what he meant, but it made him do the decision to be an adventurer and turn the back to the false royalty.

So he said, but no more comment.

He became an adventurer instead of a farmer.

He grew stronger and stronger, his system adapted, he searched for ever greater challenges with his three friends and party members.

He even traveled as a true celebrated hero to almost all kingdoms! He told of exciting and dramatic battles in the Holy Spirit Kingdom, some heated encounters in the Fire Kingdom. He even fought with many others against a kraken in Atlantis.

He traveled the world, grew stronger, and it was said that he could reach the SS rank again. A long time nobody succeeded but everyone had hope for him, until he came to the Village of Death in the Sun Kingdom.

There a strong monster had been sighted, and out of fear, his party, "The Farmers," was hired.

There he fought against a behemoth that came over the mountains for inexplicable reasons.

His three comrades died, and he was seriously injured.

Sylvia lived in the village and helped him recover.

He played dead and became guild master.

He gave up his royal house name completely now. He dived under.

"And when I got Mia, I was the happiest person in the world," he concluded, "oh, and yes, I learned that the system can't predict the future! Because it depends on you and not you on it!"

I shook my head laughing.

"I wouldn't have guessed that you had such a life."

Emma and Mia nodded excitedly.

"Didn't Valorium want you back?" Emma asked wide-eyed.

"Of course!" he exclaimed angrily, stood up and clenched his fist, "those freaks! They even threatened me! If they had crossed my path once, then...! Then I would have beaten them at their own game! Just because they're, damn it, a failed experiment, they don't have the right to torment others like that!"

He worked himself into a rage, making one afraid to inquire further.

"These freaks!" he finished and sat back down, angry.

Emma apologized for the question.

"Oh, you don't have to apologize for that, it's not your fault, but these crippled trolls with black hair!"

I eyed Elias and saw that Mia was doing the same, and if I have a feeling about another person, Mia has had it for a long time.

And I had the feeling there was more to Elias' words than he let on.

But it also looked like Elias didn't want to talk more about it.