"Then let's go."
"Yeah."
Our voices had become solemn, almost reminiscent of the moment before our final battle with the Demon King Thanatos.
And coincidentally, the conversation we just had was exactly the same as back then.
Right before Lowell and I opened the last door at the top floor of the Demon King's castle, those were the very words we exchanged.
The only difference now was that, back then, the rest of our companions were with us—and the one waiting beyond the door wasn't a Demon King, but a former comrade-in-arms.
A few steps from my front door, we stood before another door—one practically attached to mine—and looked at each other.
This truly felt like that moment before we opened the final door.
Feeling nostalgic, I made a subtle hand gesture.
'You charge in, I'll cover you.'
Lowell responded with a signal of his own.
'May the gods bless us all.'
Perfectly reenacting the moment from that day, we couldn't help but burst into laughter at the same time.
"…Pfft!"
"Bwahaha!"
We opened the door together and stepped inside.
"Oh my, what's so funny that you're both laughing like that?"
Greeting us with a smile was a beautiful woman who looked like she'd stepped out of a painting.
With her long golden hair flowing down to her waist, pale white skin, and a playful glint in her eyes, she was none other than Princess Aegina of the Ayman Kingdom—also known as the Golden Flash, the one who broke Thanatos's right horn with her bare hands.
Of course, now she was Lowell's wife.
"Ah, just… suddenly remembered something from the past."
I quickly took a seat, trying my best not to look at the food laid out on the table.
"A memory? When from?"
"Well…"
I realized my mistake and quickly tried to signal Lowell.
But—
"Right before we opened the door to the Demon King's chamber."
I instantly wanted to smack myself.
Why hadn't I warned him beforehand?
But regret was useless now.
Aegina already wore her signature gentle smile.
"Oh? And why, exactly, did that particular memory come to mind right before opening a door?"
"Ah, no, it's just…"
That smile was already there.
"Oh? But why did that memory pop up just before opening the door?"
"Ah, no, I mean…"
Lowell, too, seemed to realize his mistake and tried to choose his words carefully—but it was pointless.
"Well? Why did that memory suddenly come back at that moment?"
Despite her soft tone and warm smile, Aegina's presence now filled the entire room.
"R-really, it's not like there was any special meaning behind it…"
Lowell quickly turned to me for help—but luckily, I managed to avert my eyes.
I'd rather fight the Demon King again than deal with Aegina in moments like this.
"…Alright. Let's talk more after dinner. Also, Anak."
"Y-yeah?"
I instinctively straightened my back when she called my name.
"…That goes for you too."
"…Right."
Lowell and I could only exchange sheepish smiles.
"Now then, enjoy. I really gave it my all today."
"Y-yeah. Looks great."
"O-oh, it's been a while, huh."
To be fair, Aegina wasn't bad at cooking.
Actually, if we're being honest, she was pretty good.
The problem was the ingredients.
"Tada!"
Aegina proudly removed the cloth covering the table.
What was revealed underneath… were things I never wanted to see again.
"Honeybee larvae stew, basilisk tail stir-fry, cockatrice steam roast! What do you think? Don't they look delicious?"
When did she even gather these ingredients?
"Tada!"
Aegina proudly removed the cloth covering the table.
What was revealed underneath… were things I never wanted to see again.
"Honeybee larvae stew, basilisk tail stir-fry, cockatrice steam roast! What do you think? Don't they look delicious?"
When did she even gather these ingredients?
Dishes made from ultra-rare monsters you'd never see elsewhere now covered the table.
And judging by their names and appearance, none of them stirred even a hint of appetite.
Lowell and I looked at each other and once again, all we could do was laugh.
Back during our adventuring days, her cooking had been normal.
She made genuinely tasty meals with normal ingredients.
…But everything changed after we got lost in the Forest of Evil.
Trapped in the forest and running out of food, we had to fight not just monsters, but starvation.
It was an infamous place, and despite all efforts, we couldn't find anything edible.
When we were all at our limits, we finally gave in… and turned to the monsters that surrounded us.
That was the beginning of this tragedy.
Back then, Aegina had tasted the thrill of using bizarre ingredients—and the satisfaction of making them edible.
Since then, most of her dishes had become like this.
Lowell, steeling himself, picked up a honeybee larva glazed in sauce and brought it to his mouth.
He knew I couldn't handle larvae and was taking one for the team.
We didn't know what kind of wrath might rain down on us if any dish was left untouched.
'Thank you.'
I sent a heartfelt look of gratitude to Lowell, then reached for what seemed the most tolerable dish—basilisk tail.
Basilisk tail was the least awful of her usual lineup.
Not that I liked it—just that I could bear it.
Once sliced, it didn't even look like anything in particular.
And since it had to be grilled to near-charcoal to neutralize the poison, it didn't have a strong taste or smell.
With enough sauce, even I could manage to eat it.
"Here you go."
As I picked up a piece of basilisk tail, Aegina slid the sauce bowl toward me.
Sometimes, I couldn't help but wonder if this princess actually hated us.
Of course, that couldn't possibly be true… right?
"…Thanks."
I dipped it heavily in sauce and put it in my mouth.
All I could taste was the sauce and the dry texture.
Honestly, that was better.
The more flavor something had, the more vividly I imagined the source.
After chewing and swallowing, I looked at Lowell.
He'd managed to down one larva, but now just stared back at me without reaching for more.
We couldn't let this silence drag on.
If it did, Aegina would undoubtedly start piling our plates for us.
"So, Lowell. How are your parents doing?"
"Ah, right. Father and Mother are both quite busy."
After Lowell became the Hero who saved the world, Lord Revlant had his title restored and began working alongside the King of Ayman in Lowell's place.
While Lord Revalnt's swordsmanship and abilities were excellent, the Kingdom of Ayman needed someone to fill the gap left by the Hero.
It was essential to show neighboring countries that the Hero was on their side—both to prevent unnecessary conflict and gain an edge diplomatically.
…But seriously. Are you two really okay with all this?"
The somber feeling that passed through me made the question slip out before I could stop myself.
Though, to be fair, the question itself wasn't anything new.
Even before they saved the world, they'd already made up their minds.
I'd asked this same question several times before.
And yet…
The problem was my voice.
Some emotion deep in my chest had seeped into my voice more than I intended.
"Of course."
"Anak, seriously. How long are you going to keep asking things like that?"
Thankfully, they brushed it off.
Or perhaps… they just pretended not to notice.
Either way, I forced a smile and picked up another piece of basilisk tail.
"Yeah… of course."
But the emotions swirling inside me didn't disappear—
not even as I forced those dreadful foods into my mouth,
not even when the meal finally came to an end.
After dinner, I returned to my house.
Normally, given what had happened before the meal, I should've stayed a bit longer.
But Aegina seemed pleased by how much I ate today, far more than usual, and gave me a sort of "pardon."
Thanks to that, Lowell would be left to endure the slightly awkward situation alone, but in the end, they'd surely wind up in a romantic mood.
Backing out now was best—for them, and for me.
Though, admittedly, it was a bit more "best" for me.
Anyway, once I got home, I sat down on the edge of my bed.
Spending time with Lowell is always a joy.
Like I said—he's like the sun.
Just by existing, he brightens everything around him and guides others in the right direction.
On a larger scale, the fact that the world avoided destruction and continues to exist— and on a smaller scale, the fact that I am still alive—
All of it, undeniably, is thanks to Lowell.
But at the same time, that brilliant light of his hurts my eyes.
I know I'll never be able to reach where he stands…
Yet that light shines so close to me.
He smiles at me.
Helps me.
Believes in me.
Above all, he treats me as an equal.
I'm grateful.
No—honored by it.
Someone like him should be far above the clouds—
someone someone like me could never even approach.
But he lives next door.
We've spent years together.
And to him, that's just normal.
Because of that, very occasionally… I start to believe the same.
I start to think maybe I am his equal.
But when that fleeting illusion shatters—not even ten seconds later—the loss, the pain, and the despair that follow…
…they gnaw away at my soul.
It's not something petty like jealousy or envy.
His light brightens everything around him… but at the same time, it exposes my limits, my ugliness, my darkness.
And it tells me— that no matter what, that darkness will never disappear.
"Of course, if that were the only thing…"
My voice was even heavier than before.
So heavy and dark it didn't even feel like my own anymore.
I stood up and walked to the corner of the room.
Behind the bookshelf, I removed the second wooden panel.
A small gap appeared—barely enough for an arm to fit through.
This was the only secret in the house known only to me and my deceased parents.
Even Lowell didn't know.
Originally, it was used to hide a few silver coins at most.
But now, it served a different purpose.
I reached into the narrow gap.
My fingers brushed a few coins— but that wasn't what I was looking for.
I reached deeper—deep enough that it hurt—and finally, my fingers touched what I sought.
What I pulled out was a violet crystal.
About the size of a finger, its rough and clumsy form—likely due to poor craftsmanship—would fetch a low price even if sold at a jewelry shop.
But that was exactly the point.
I wanted it to look worthless.
In truth, this crystal was more valuable than anything else in this house.
More than the weapons or items Lowell and I used in the last war.
More than my parents' belongings.
I tucked the crystal deep into my clothes and replaced the wooden panel.
Then, I quietly slipped out the back door and headed toward the forest.
The woods behind my house were basically my backyard, but I tread carefully.
Because what's familiar to me… is familiar to Lowell too.
I tried my best to leave no trace.
Lowell isn't especially skilled at tracking or reconnaissance compared to his other abilities—and it's not like he'd actually try to track me down, but there's no harm in being cautious.