Brimfield didn't celebrate right away.
There were no cheers when the last monster disappeared into the forest, no triumphant music swelling in the background like Akira half-expected—like it would have in the game. Instead, there was silence. Heavy, stunned silence. The kind that settled into your bones and reminded you how close everything had come to falling apart.
Smoke drifted lazily through the air. Broken cobblestones littered the streets. A few rooftops were scorched, walls cracked, fences shattered.
But the village still stood.
Akira sank down onto the edge of the fountain, her staff slipping from her fingers and clattering softly against the stone. Her arms trembled now that the magic had finally faded, exhaustion crashing over her all at once.
I really could've died, she thought distantly.
Footsteps approached.
"You're bleeding."
She looked up to find Daichi standing in front of her, his armor scratched and dusted with ash, but his expression sharp as ever. He crouched and gently tilted her chin.
"It's just a scratch," Akira said automatically.
"That's what everyone says right before collapsing."
She huffed weakly. "Noted."
He wrapped the wound quickly, efficient and calm. "You pushed yourself too far."
"I had to," she replied. "Morwenna wasn't playing anymore."
Daichi's jaw tightened. "Neither are we."
Nearby, villagers slowly emerged from hiding.
A woman clutched her child and stared at the heroes with wide, tear-filled eyes. An elderly man bowed deeply. Others followed—tentative at first, then more confident.
"You saved us," someone whispered.
Haru stood awkwardly as a group of villagers gathered around him, patting his arms and shoulders in gratitude. "Uh… just doing my job," he muttered, ears turning red.
Rina knelt beside a cracked section of ground, palms glowing softly as she soothed the earth back into place. "The land is wounded," she murmured, voice heavy. "But it will heal. We will help it heal."
Kaoru leaned against a wall, arms crossed, pretending not to notice the way several villagers watched him with newfound respect. "Tch. They finally see it," he muttered. "I am impressive."
Miyu hopped down from the rooftop, tails swishing. She scanned the crowd, then hurried over to Akira.
"You scared me," she said quietly.
Akira smiled tiredly. "Sorry."
Miyu frowned. "Don't do that thing where you apologize instead of resting."
"…I do that a lot, don't I?"
"Yes."
A sudden commotion near the gates drew everyone's attention.
Renji was standing there, sword sheathed now, blond hair damp with sweat, blue eyes dark with thought. A knight was speaking urgently to him, gesturing toward the forest.
Renji nodded once. "I'll handle it."
He turned—and froze when he spotted Akira trying to stand on unsteady legs.
"Oh no. Nope. Absolutely not."
He crossed the distance in long strides. "Sit."
"I am sitting," she protested.
"You were standing two seconds ago."
"That was a test stand."
He crouched in front of her, eye level. "Akira."
Something in his tone made her pause.
"You saved my life," he said quietly.
She blinked. "You saved mine first."
"That doesn't cancel it out."
For once, there was no joke in his voice. No smirk. Just sincerity—and something else she couldn't quite name.
"I didn't think," she admitted. "I just moved."
Renji exhaled slowly. "Then… thank you."
Her chest tightened.
"…You're welcome."
For a heartbeat, the world narrowed to just the two of them.
Then Kaoru cleared his throat loudly. "Wow. Is this the part where we all awkwardly pretend not to notice?"
Renji straightened instantly. "Absolutely not. Moving on."
Akira laughed despite herself.
That night, the heroes gathered in one of the castle's side halls. Torches burned low, casting warm light over tired faces and battered armor. Food was laid out—simple, hearty meals prepared by grateful villagers.
Akira sat between Rina and Miyu, picking at her food, thoughts racing.
"We won," Miyu said softly.
"For now," Rina replied.
Akira nodded. "Morwenna was watching. I could feel it. She wasn't trying to destroy us today."
Haru frowned. "Then what was she doing?"
"Measuring us," Akira said. "Learning how we move. How we care about each other."
Renji leaned back in his chair, arms crossed. "Fantastic. I hate being studied."
Kaoru smirked. "You'd fail the subtlety test anyway."
Renji pointed at him. "Rude. Accurate. But rude."
Daichi spoke up. "This confirms what we suspected. Princess Morwenna sees Akira as a variable—something that shouldn't exist."
Akira swallowed. "Because I don't belong in this world."
"No," Daichi corrected calmly. "Because you change it."
Silence fell.
Akira stared down at her hands. "I don't know how long I can keep this up. Every fight feels harder. More real."
Renji's chair scraped softly as he leaned forward. "Then we make sure you don't have to do it alone."
Haru nodded. "You won't."
Miyu smiled. "Ever."
Kaoru shrugged. "You're stuck with us."
Rina placed her hand over Akira's. "This world chose you for a reason."
Akira's throat tightened.
"…Okay," she whispered.
Far away, beyond the Darklands, a mirror shimmered into existence.
Princess Morwenna gazed into it, violet eyes glowing with amusement.
"So," she said softly, "you survived."
Her smile sharpened.
"Good."
She raised a finger, tracing Akira's reflection.
"Because next time… I won't be testing you."
The mirror darkened.
And somewhere deep within Luminara Castle, a single ancient bell rang—unbidden.
A warning.