Maki and Chiharu were taken to a proper guest room, not to the room they had been locked in .

There, they had been put into comfortable clothes and were now sleeping peacefully . Thankfully, they did not seem to be in any pain . Aeris sat by them and did nothing else .

“Aeris . You’ve been here all of this time?”

“Yes . I keep thinking they will disappear if I let them out of my sight . ”

“But you said it yourself . No Saintess has ever returned . ”

“Still, I am worried . ”

Aeris softly touched Chiharu’s hair . Kaider sat near him and watched over Maki .

“They faced those monsters with such thin frames . It looked like they were saying something…”

“‘See you again . ’ I think . ”

“Hmm?”

“They were saying goodbye . ”

“What?”

Just then, Edwy and Nyran entered .

“You must be very tired . ”

“How are Maki and Chiharu?!”

“They’re resting . ”

They sighed in relief .

“I explained things to the Adventurers and soldiers . Grudo . Surely you know what had happened . You were close to them . ”

“Yes . I’m not sure where I should start…”

Grudo put a hand to his chin and thought .

“It seemed like Maki and Chiharu understood what the monsters were saying . ”

“Do monsters even have hearts?”

Kaider said darkly .

“Adventurers often die . Monsters attack them and suck the life out of their bodies . How can you do that and have a heart?”

“Well, perhaps they are like babies . ”

“Babies?”

“Their lives are like a circle . They were able to see the outside world, and so they wanted nothing else . And so they allowed the gentle hands of Maki and Chiharu to turn them into magic stones . That’s what it looked like to me . ”

“I can’t believe that . Monsters are resources left by G.o.d . But it is hard to gather them . That’s why there are Adventurers . I can’t suddenly see them as babies . ”

“We can just do things as we always have . ”

Grudo looked gently at Maki and Chiharu .

“I just think these two are exceptions . ”

Edwy muttered,

“The Adventurers asked me this . If they could erase monsters, why not do it in the beginning?”

“What! What a thing to use the Saintesses for!”

“I think they were only asking because it would come up later . However, if this is the cost of them facing the monsters, I don’t want them near a dungeon anymore . ”

“That is good . Perhaps the monsters were happy to see them . But it seemed very painful for Maki and Chiharu . ”

Even after their faces had been wiped, you could tell the two had been crying .

“Later, I will send men into the dungeons to search the place . It will take 4 to 5 days . Unless Maki and Chiharu wake up before then . ”

“I will stay . ”

“Aeris . ”

“At least, Edwy, Kaider, and Nyran have to make reports and send the soldiers back . We’ll be going to the elf lands next, and that will be in the south . In other words, Nyran must contact them in advance . ”

Nyran nodded .

“It will be faster by boat then to go through Midland . After making a report at the dwarf castle and Midland, you will have to go back to the south and then to the elf lands . You will be very busy, Nyran . ”

“You’re talking as if you are not going to come too, Grudo . ”

“Why do I have to go? I only came to help smooth things out in the dwarf lands . Also to find Maki and Chiharu . The young people should go to the elf territories . ”

Grudo said with a snort . The three young ones glared at him . But Grudo ignored them .

“Hey, Aeris . Let’s stop by at Corail on the way back . ”

“A good idea . Hotsprings . I can help take care of Maki and Chiharu’s glimmering hair . ”

“And we can drink every night like back at the health resort . ”

“Yes . With our adorable Saintesses . ”

“Th-that’s not fair, you two!”

“Aren’t you a little too old to be giving in to such vices?”

Edwy and Kaider were very angry now .

“It’s because we are old, that we can indulge . ”

“At least, we will not be spying on them as they bathe . ”

“Th-that wasn’t…!”

Just then, Chiharu began to move .

“She’s saying something . ”

“Hm?”

Aeris put his ear closer .

“…‘You’re the worst . ’ She said . ”

Kaider became quiet . It wasn’t clear if she had really said that .

The two of them slept for the entire day and woke up at night the following day .

“An unfamiliar ceiling . ”

“Maki…”

“But…”

“I wanted to say that first . ”

They rolled on their beds and laughed .

“Huh? There’s something heavy here . ”

A head with white hair was lying on Chiharu’s blanket and breathing gently . It was Aeris . He must have been watching over them all of this time . Chiharu reached out and touched his head .

“Mmm…”

“Aeris . ”

He suddenly got up . Chiharu’s hand fell .

“Chiharu! Maki!”

“Yeah . ”

He picked up Chiharu’s hand and pressed it to his forehead .

“I’m so glad… I was afraid you would never wake up . ”

“We’re fine . If anything, I feel really good . Right, Maki?”

“Uh, yeah . ”

And with that, Maki sat up and stretched her arms .

“Maki . You shouldn’t move so suddenly . You’ve slept for an entire day . Please, please be careful . ”

“Uh, yeah . But I really do feel good . Chiharu?”

Chiharu also got up . Aeris supported her as she rotated her arms .

“Huh? My shoulders aren’t sore anymore! They were so sore ever since we came here!”

Just then, the door opened .

“Maki! Chiharu!”

“Edwy . ”

Edwy rushed inside .

“Thank G.o.d . How do you feel? Yes, you look much better now . ”

And then he tore away Aeris, who was still holding Chiharu’s hand .

“I don’t care how old you are . ”

“Oh, sorry . ”

Then Grudo, Kaider, and Nyran entered and celebrated with them .

Grumble .

“Ah . ”

“Oh . ”

Chiharu and Maki held their stomachs .

“Your stomach is more honest than you are . ”

Said Kaider .

“It would have been polite for you to ignore it . ”

Maki retorted .

“Haha . I see you really are back to your old self . ”

“Yes, I am . But thanks for worrying about us . ”

“Uh, of course . ”

Kaider and Maki looked away awkwardly . Chiharu watched them with a chuckle .

“Now, let’s go eat . For Maki’s sake . ”

Edwy said .

“No, wait . Chiharu’s stomach was grumbling too . Why does it look like I’m the hungry one? That’s not right, is it?”

“Can you walk? Maybe I’ll carry you . ”

“I would prefer to eat here . ”

Chiharu said with a blush .

“Huh? Chiharu? Why are you pretending to be ill? This is ridiculous . ”

“Well, you said it yourself, Maki . Romance only comes to those who can appreciate a romantic setting . And I happen to find this romantic . ”

“I suppose… Tsk . To think you would win like this…”

Maki said as her shoulders drooped .

“What are you two talking about…?”

“Ehehe . ”

“Ehehe . ”

“Now, I’ll have the food brought to you . ”

“Thank you . ”

“Thank you . ”

And with that, the darkness was lifted and the mayor’s mansion became a cheerful place .