The first thing that greeted me as I stepped out of the car was Team Leader Eric's beaming smile.
His massive frame was covered in blood and grime from the battle, yet his face shone with satisfaction. At that moment, I was reminded once again of just how much of a battle junkie Leader Eric truly was.
'Why is someone like him in the field division instead of security division?' I wondered, though I was sure there was a story behind that.
Looking around, I saw that the rest of the team had already gathered. Senior Oscar was also smeared with blood and dirt, though much less than Leader Eric.
Considering Oscar was a spellcaster while Eric was an enchanter, the outcome was expected.
Meanwhile, Senior Park looked relatively clean aside from the sweat still streaming down his face. This was in stark contrast to Senior Sofie, who looked as though she had just rolled around in the dirt.
Once everyone had assembled, Team Leader Eric immediately called for reports.
"We've swept the area within a hundred meters of the gate, sir! Fifty-four civilians have been rescued, and around forty hidden monsters have been eliminated," reported Senior Park.
"Are we certain no civilians are left behind?"
"No, sir! I scanned up to two hundred meters from the gate and found no trace of any civilians!"
"Good. Raphael! Has your report been sent?"
"Yes, sir. The data on battle impact has already been uploaded to the central division database."
"Alright then. We're heading back, now!"
And with that, Team 10's mission for the day came to an end.
******
After finishing the remaining paperwork, it was finally time to clock out. Letting out a weary sigh, I gazed at the scenery outside my desk window. The sky had already turned a shade of orange, a sign that the sun would soon set.
After tidying up my belongings and shutting down the holographic terminal on my desk, I bid farewell to my teammates and stepped out of the office.
Working in the field division made me feel old faster than I should. Even though I was only thirty-two, two years in this division had aged me what felt like ten years.
Compared to the administrative duties I used to handle, this job was a complete one-eighty. Yet, I didn't resent it.
In fact, there was a sense of fulfillment—like I was actually contributing, even if just a little, to making the world better.
While the heroes fight the monsters, someone like me has to make sure that those who lose their homes get the help they need, right?
With those thoughts in mind, I walked toward the hover train station.
'I wonder how Eva's first day went. I hope she made lots of friends.'
******
Dasha's POV
A few hours earlier.
On the way to Eva's school, I glanced to my right and found my little girl wearing a worried expression. Gently, I patted her head to ease her nerves, and after a while, her expression softened a little.
"What's wrong, Eva? Why do you look so worried? It's your first day of school today—you should be excited about meeting new friends!"
"But Mama… Eva is afraid they… they won't like her."
Seeing her sad little face, I couldn't help but smile. My daughter was simply too adorable. I stroked her hair again, even more gently this time.
"Didn't Papa say this morning that's not going to happen? Who could possibly dislike our sweet little Eva?" I said, giving her cheek a playful pinch.
"Mama thinks so too?"
"Of course, my love. And Mama's going with you today, remember? If anyone dares not to like you, Mama will teach them a lesson so they'll know who the sweetest child in the whole world is," I said, pretending to flex my arm muscles.
"Mama, promise me!" she said, holding out her pinky.
Hooking my little finger with hers, I replied with a smile, "Mama promises."
At last, we arrived at Eva's new school. After parking the hover car in the designated area, I held Eva's hand as we walked inside.
At the front stood the school gate, decorated with a bright sun and moon, bearing the name SunMoon Elementary School District F.
Stepping into the courtyard, we were met with the sight of many parents and children looking around excitedly.
I couldn't blame them—I too was impressed by how much elementary schools had changed since my own childhood.
'Look at those adorable little robots. I bet the kids will love playing with them.'
Glancing down at Eva, I noticed her eyes sparkling as she stared at the brightly colored mascot robots. My heart swelled with joy seeing her so delighted with her new school.
Following the directions of the staff guiding parents and children through the crowd, I eventually found Eva's classroom.
'Class 1-D… this must be it.'
Inside, a handful of children and their parents were already present. As we stepped in, a woman in her late twenties with gentle features and a bright smile walked toward us.
"Hello, I'm Tina Skylar, the homeroom teacher for Class 1-D. Are you here with your daughter?"
"Hello, Ms. Tina. I'm Dasha Rezzar, and this is my daughter, Evangeline. Come on, sweetheart, say hello to your teacher."
"H-Hello… I'm E-Eva," she stammered shyly. Seeing Eva's timidness, Ms. Tina crouched down to her eye level and gave her a warm smile.
"So this sweet little one is Eva. No need to be shy—Ms. Tina doesn't bite," she said kindly, extending her hand. Hesitantly, Eva placed her tiny hand in hers, and Ms. Tina guided her toward the classroom.
"Come on, Eva, let's meet your new friends. Oh, and Ms. Dasha, you can wait with the other parents. We'll be starting soon, just waiting for a few more students to arrive."
"Thank you very much, Ms. Tina. Eva, be brave, okay? Don't be scared—Mama's right here with you."
"Okay, Mama."
Eva was led to her seat by Ms. Tina while I waited with the other parents at the side of the room. After a few more pairs of children and parents arrived, class officially began.