Slowly but surely, the sun had started to desd the sky. The birds, big and small, flew freely in the air, perg on the branches as they watched the farmers till the dirt, only their chirps and chimes to be heard dang in the air.

  The birds flew once again and the excited voices of children running around repced their sweet melody. Ead every single one had smiles blooming on their faces as they flew their kites and kicked dust all over the pce.

  Three figures walked down the brown and dirty road, their voices ringing ever so calmly and freely. Though... Their facial expressions couldn't be any different from being calm. They were rather tired, if anything.

  "Big Sister Yuna, Big Brrey... I'm really sorry about what happened... I'm sure it must have been tiring..." ［Marika］

  "No, it's alright. How do I say this... We're kind of used to it...?" ［Grey］

  "Un... Though we 't say it's fortable at all..." ［Yuna］

  Of course, those three figures were her than Grey, Yuna, and Marika who just came from the warrior's training grounds. And needless to say, they had quite the tiring experiehere. Not physically, but mentally.

  Though the warriors were very respectful and polite, it was just too much, asking Grey and Yuna for every little thing and presenting them with ead every sihing they found. Especially the Great Chief, he was the worst o felt like they were some delicate and spoiled noble brats.

  Well, if there was anything which could be called a plus, it was that they mao get free lunch when the servants brought food for the warriors. They were just as tasty as they were yesterday.

  "Then, Big Brrey, Big Sister Yuna, where are you going now? Are you heading out to the forest again?" ［Marika］

  "Hmm... I don't know... We haven't really thought that far... What do you think, Marika? Any suggestions?" ［Grey］

  "Suggestions... Hmm..." ［Marika］

  To Grey's question, Marika ut deep in thought, cupping her chip with her hands, and as usual, not looking at where she was going. It was the very reason why she trips and falls time and time again. She was just too careless.

  "Ahh! Watch out!"

  And in a very ical fashion, as soon as she was deep in thought, a wooden stick came flying towards Marika's face. The moment she noticed it, it was already far too te. The stick was already right in front of her.

  Marika closed her eyes in reflec, but trary to her expectations, no pain came to her senses. She opened her eyes, greeted by the stick, frozen in mid airー or so it would seem. But actually, Grey was holding onto it, not budging an inch.

  "Phew. That was a close one." ［Grey］

  It was fortuhat Grey and Yuhere. Though it seemed very fast in the eyes of others, to them, it was slow as one be. A single wing of his arm and Grey was able to catch it without much effort.

  Seeing the stick almost hit someohe owner of the stick, the vilge children, came hurrying over to them with a hurried and guilty expression on their faces. It was obvious that it was an act, the children not wanting ao get hurt.

  "Kids! That was dangerous!" ［Yuna］

  "S-Sorry, Lady Yuna! We didn't mean it!"

  "That's right. We used too much strength and it just went flying. Sorry!"

  The children hurriedly bowed their heads and apologized to everyone as soon as they could. And in a very motherly fashion, Yuna scolded them with an authoritative voice. After all, if they weren't there, Marika could have been very hurt.

  Thankfully, the children were very good kids. Though they were being scolded, they simply listeo Yuna's sermon without uttering a single word of pint. They were like little puppies who were just scolded by their owners.

  "So, what are you going to say?" ［Yuna］

  """We were wrong... Sorry..."""

  "Haah... That's okay. As long as you uand... Right, Marika?" ［Yuna］

  "Yes. Don't worry, everyone, I'm not hurt at all!" ［Marika］

  The worries quickly turo relief as soon as Marika smiled and fave them. Especially wheted their heads, they were so happy, their ears perked up and tails started wagging before they k.

  "Now, now, before you start pying again, stretch out your arms and legs. Let's see if you have any wounds." ［Yuna］

  The only one who remained worried was Yuna, seeing the wounds in the children's hands, elbows, knees, and s from tripping over and splinters. Her mature and motherly side had surfaced once again as she looked after the children.

  She didn't waste anymore time. As soon as she saw the children's wounds, she quickly healed them with magic. With Grey's help, it didn't take too long before the children's pains were eased and their wounds were healed.

  "Waah～! It doesn't hurt anymore!"

  "Thank you very much Lady Yuna, Lrey!"

  "With this, y longer!"

  There were only happy faces to be seen as the children checked out their bodies, ily mystified as they tried to grasp how their wounds suddenly disappeared. Though they didn't find out the ahey were still happy heless.

  "Right, kids, what were you pying?" ［Grey］

  "Ah! We were having mock battles, Lrey!"

  "Mock battles... I see..." ［Grey］

  Now, everything made sense. While they were healing, they found it strange why there were a lot of bruises on their bodies. And with a little bit of questioning, they learned more about them and things finally ected.

  It wasn't that they were trying to hurt each other. Being children as they are, they are uo trol their strengths and would end up hurting others uionally as they py, adding to the total number of injuries from falling down.

  Though it was good that they were having fun, it also makes one worry when they are hurt so much. Their parents have warhem time and time again, but as what one would expect from children, they still kept on pying. Fun is the most important thing for them, after all.

  "Hmm... Are you all pnning on being warriors?" ［Grey］

  "Warriors, like uncle?"

  "No... I want to bee a craftsman like my father."

  "For me, I just py it because it's fun!"

  What's more, they don't seem to aspire to bee warriors. They simply py from time to time, mimig the warriors wherain and even mock hunting as they chase around small creatures. It was just fun for them to mimic the adults.

  "What about tag, then?" ［Yuna］

  "But... We already had tag this m..."

  "Then flying kites?" ［Grey］

  "Ah! Me! I flew oerday!"

  It didn't take too long befrey and Yuna to find out what the problem was. There were just too few games to py in e Chiefdom, even in much lower variety pared to the mainnd. The games could only be ted with fingers.

  Though they have rubber, iron, straws, yarn, and a number of resources, they simply cked the teology and knowledge to make them into pyable games. Their focus was more into art, crafts, and livelihood rather thaertai.

  Well, it was not just Ti. Merusia in general is g in the ways of eai pared to Earth. And the people, having grown up in such circumstances, don't find it weird. Rather, they were satisfied, and so were the children.

  "Okay! It's decided the's py aname!" ［Yuna］

  There was not a single warning. Yun simply said as she cupped her closed fist with her other hand. After all, if there were no other ways of eai, then they'd simply have to introdue to the Chiefdom of Ti.

  The card and bames may need some time, but if it's just simple childhood games, she knows quite a lot from experiend the ones Grey taught her. Be it from the simple ways of tagging, to hopscotd dodgeball, and all the way ty games. It was easy-peasy!

  Everyone's attention was quickly drawn to Yuna as soon as she decred such a statement. Grey may not know what exactly she was thinking about, but seeing her eyes glimmer ever shtly, he already got a rough idea.

  "Then kids, would you like to py with me? I promise you it will be fun!" ［Yuna］

  "Pying with Lady Yuna...?"

  Yuna asked the children, but no answer came ringing to her ears. The children were fused, looking each other in the eyes and asking each other for firmation. Soon, everyone's answer resounded in the air.

  "Of course! I'll py!"

  "Me too! Me too! I want to py with Lady Yuna!"

  "t me in! I want to py as well!"

  "Fufufu! That's good to hear. But before we py, you should stop calling me 'Lady' and just call me 'Big Sis', okay～?" ［Yuna］

  """Okay～!!"""

  It was a loud, resounding yes. Everyone had the same answer as they beamed bright smiles towards her. It has only been a few minutes sihey met, but she already captured their hearts. She really was loved by kids.

  Everyone's eyes lit up with happiness aement as they thought and anticipated just what kind of game they would be pying with Yuna, uo stop the excited chatter as their tails wagged left like eic little puppies.

  "Marika, since we don't have any pns this afternoon, I'd love to py some games with the children. Do you want to join?" ［Yuna］

  "O-Of course! I'd be gd to!" ［Marika］

  With a quivitation from Yuna, Marika was on board as well. As frey, there was o ask him. With Yuna being the one spearheading the idea, it was obvious that he'll be joining as well.

  Without further ado, everyone quickly followed Yuna to a suitable pying ground. It was a fairly ft and dry space without many grasses growing and rock lying around. It was the perfect pce fame of hopscotch.

  "I'll be borrowing this stick for a little while." ［Yuna］

  With the perfect p front of her, Yuna didn't dilly-dally any longer and stuck the ti the ground, drawing the yout of the game as she walked around. Of course, as there were many of them, she made sure to make it a little bigger.

  And as Yuna was drawing the game's brey created the markers usih magic, making the shapes different from one another so that the children would reize which markers were theirs.

  "And... Done!" ［Yuna］

  It didn't take too long before Yuna fihe yout, a rge regle to be seen drawn on the ground. I were even more lio draw the borders between the squares, regles, and important lines.

  "Then, since you still don't know how to py it, me and Grey will demonstrate it to you. Pay attention, okay?" ［Yuna］

  """Okay～!"""

  The children were very responsive, answering ead every single one of Yuna's questions. Of course, Marika also answered as well, stig out like a sore thumb amongst the little children.

  "It's been a long time since I've pyed this... I wonder if I've gotten rusty." ［Grey］

  "Fufufu! You just admit it if you're scared, you know?" ［Yuna］

  "And who is exactly the scared one here?" ［Grey］

  "My～ I wonder～..." ［Yuna］

  Of course, what game would be plete without provoking the oppos. Before they threw their markers, Grey and Yuna took their sweet time to tease one another. Well, rather than teasing, it would be more accurate to say they were flirting. It's Grey and Yuna, after all.

  Soon enough, the game started, and Grey and Yuna both threw their markers without much effort. The one whided closest on the line was her than Yuna, and so she became the first pyer.

  Yuna didn't waste any time and demonstrated to the children how to py the game. Be it throwing the markers, skipping over the squares, returning, and pig up the marker back, she made sure to expin it as briefly as possible.

  After Yuna, it was soon Grey's turn, and he also started expining the capturing process of the game and what should be avoided. Soon, the game was over, and all the rules were expined very smoothly.

  "Then, does anyone have any questions?" ［Yuna］

  """None～!"""

  The Children were quick learners, and though some were still a little fused, it didn't really matter. After all, the children learn more as they py along. What mattered is that they captured the children's attention and they were excited.

  "Fufufu! Then enough talking, let's py the game!" ［Yuna］

  "Yaay!"  "I'm going to win!" "Nuh-uh! I'll be the winner!"  "Let's py! Let's py!"

  Excited cheers rang throughout the vast blue sky as everyone raised their hands and made their little decrations. Everyone was enthusiastid without further ado, the game has finally started.

  Like Grey and Yuna demonstrated, the game started with deg the turns by throwing the markers towards the line. A number of stones darted through the air, soon nding on the ground oer another.

  Surprisingly enough, the ever so clumsy Marika was the one who mao get the first turn, her marker nding directly on top of the line. Bit as one would expect from Marika, it hasn't even been a few minutes yet she already tripped on her own foot, losing band getting out of bounds. Fantastic as usual.

  The game tinued and the markers progressed from square to square as the kids hopped from square to square. Eve was their first time pying, they were surprisingly good. Well, all were good, except Marika that is.

  Of course, Grey and Yuna iionally lost to them. It wouldn't be any fun if they used their full power, after all. They could just finish everything in a siurn.

  "Yaay～! I won! I won!"

  "Ugh... I was so close too..."

  "Agh! I promise I'll wiime!"

  It didn't take too long before the game was decided, and the one as a little girl who was about Elnart's age, hoppiedly as she celebrated. If one could see the bright smile on her face, they would surely think she wotery.

  "Ugh... Am I no good, after all?" ［Marika］

  Of course, as one would expect, the one who was in st pce was the Marika, only reag until the 3rd square, a long shot from the other children. Not to mention that the children were about half her age.

  She may be skilled and knowledgeable about many things, but she sucks at games because of how clumsy she was. Now, she was croug on the ground, depressed as one be. It was an iing sight to see.

  "Now, now, don't be too depressed. Let's py aname, shall we?" ［Yuna］

  """Yaaay～!"""

  The fun tinued and winners were decided time and time again. It wasn't just hopscotch that they pyed, they also pyed dodgeball, slipper mannequin, sack race, telephone, simon says, and many more. It was a fun time.

  Eating childhood treats in the m, and now, pying childhood games iernoon. It was not something Grey p all, but he enjoyed heless. With it, he could relive the memories of the past with a smile on his face.

  The clouds drifted and the shadows moved. Soon, the sun finally set, dyeing the sky bck as the stars appeared oer another. Night had already fallen and so, it was finally time for the children to go home.

  "Goodbye, Big Bro, Big Sis! Let's py again!"

  "Me too! I also want to py ime!"

  "Fufufu! Sure, let's py again sometime." ［Yuna］

  The children had gone home and so did Marika. The noisy and lively atmosphere is now gone, and the only sounds which rang inside Grey and Yuna's ears were the solent howls of the nightly breeze, the beauty of the night grag their eyes.

  "The children sure were eic, weren't they? I hought I'd get to move my body around so much today." ［Grey］

  "Fufufu! You say that again! It was quite a day, I'd say!" ［Yuna］

  "Well, you were also quite something." ［Grey］

  "Hehehe!" ［Yuna］

  Two figures turned around and soon, footsteps echoed in the air. With the children now ba their homes, there is nothing much else frey and Yuna to do. It was also time for them to head home aire for the day.

  It was a silent night, only a quiet melody to be heard. The owls hooted, the crickets chirped, and the fmes iorches crackled. In such quietness, a random thought appeared inside Grey's mind as he reted their days together.

  "e to think of it... It's been more than a year since we left the forest, hasn't it? To think so much time has passed already..." ［Grey］

  "Hm? Why all of the sudden?" ［Yuna］

  "Nothing much, really... I just thought we've been through quite a lot this past year, haven't we? It seems so absurd now that I look back at it." ［Grey］

  "Hahaha. That's true..." ［Yuna］

  Destroying a rge-scale criminal anization, raiding byrinths, being heroes, stopping floods, aing royalties. No matter where one looked at it, it was in no way a normal flow of events. It was baffling to think about it.

  "But... It's not like there have always been bad things. After all... It's because of those things that we got our feelings across each other." ［Yuna］

  "Well, I suppose that's right... Though, I didn't think you'd bee this spoiled after we started dating. You've really ged a lot. I wonder where the shy and reserved Yuna had goo." ［Grey］

  "Uuu... That's... That's, you know... Umm..." ［Yuna］

  To Grey's words, Yuna could only blush furiously. After all, it wasn't only Grey who thought of such. Yuna also thinks that she has ged quite a lot, getting more embarrassed as she thinks of how different she was from before.

  "It's your fault, you know? It's because you're always spoilihat I became like this... Do you prefer the old Yuna, after all?" ［Yuna］

  "Hahaha. What's with that silly questio the old Yuna, or the current Yuna, you will always be yourself and I'll love you no matter what. You're the only one I love and will always be. That's a promise." ［Grey］

  She was the one who asked the question, but hearing the answer, she only became more flustered, her face turning redder by the moment as her heart raced harder and harder. It was yet another critical hit.

  "Uuu... Grey has also ged a lot..." ［Yuna］

  "Hm? I did?" ［Grey］

  "Of course! For example, you've bee a lot meaner since we started dating! You always tease me whenever you get the ce to! It's so frustrating that I'm always the one blushing!" ［Yuna］

  "Hahaha. That's because your reas are so cute! Even now, seeing you blush like this, I just want to tease you more." ［Grey］

  "Uuu... Grey, you meanie..." ［Yuna］

  Yuna tried to fight back, but Grey always had something to say. She kept blushing and blushing, whilst Grey kept chug to himself. Little did she know, Grey's heart was rag as well, a smile f on his face as he watched her vent

  Thinking back at it now, she has always been by his side for almost four year already. It was only then that he realized how lucky he has been, uo imagine how life would be without him by his side. He simply couldn't.

  Be it the past, the present, or the future, he wao hold her close and dear. He may be deh her feelings at first, but now that they kheir feelings for each other, he didn't want to let her go anymore. He simply wants to be by her side until the end of time, forever and ever.

  'I see... Forever, huh...' ［Grey］

  The cold winds blew and the leaves rustled. It was the same sky, the same stars, and the same moon. Uhe light of a billion stars, like a lightning bolt streaming from the heavens above, Grey's heart raced madly once again, sending thunders all over his body as he ched his chest.

  It was fortuhat it was nighttime, else, Yuna would have seen how beet red his face is. He just loves her too much, that he doesn't care anymore. He loves her and that's all that mattered. It felt like he was going crazy.

  "Grey, is something wrong?" ［Yuna］

  "No, nothing at all... It's just... The moon really is beautiful, isn't it?" ［Grey］

  "Fufufu! What do you mean? It's always beeiful, silly." ［Yuna］

  "Hahaha. That's right, isn't it?" ［Grey］

  "Fufufu!" ［Yuna］

  The night was cold and silent, yet Grey couldn't feel any warmer. His heart tio burn, pounding as loudly as it could. He has fallen far too deep. All he could see was the young dy before her. The night was still long.

  CHAPTER 234 END