After Liscia reclaimed the remaining paradoxes within The Woodlands, the facility was gradually dismantled.
The train station remained, of course.
As for the rest of the site, it was eventually repurposed into a shared research institute jointly managed by Kazar, Ishtar, and several other nations.
As for us...
"So, now that we're finished..." Liscia's gaze swept across the group.
Nearby, Rania and Roselia stood watching the split mountain range in the distance while I handed Rania her binoculars back.
"Thanks."
"You're welcome, Sir Kyle," she replied.
She didn't take her eyes off the mountains once.
"That mountain range is apparently rich in rare ores, according to Istaroth."
She glanced briefly toward Roselia.
"Resources we'll likely need in the future."
"I think it would be best if—"
"No."
Roselia cut her off immediately. Her gaze lowered thoughtfully while one finger rested against her chin.
"You'll start a territorial dispute if we claim parts of The Woodlands without discussing it with the rest of the Unified Nations Association first."
A sigh escaped her.
"The last thing we need is a world war between the Theocracy and the Empire against everyone else."
For once, Rania actually fell silent.
She stopped.
Then began seriously considering the point.
Meanwhile, my attention drifted elsewhere.
Istaroth still stood several hundred meters away from me for some reason. Far enough to be comfortable, apparently.
Nearby, Anathasia and Fran simply stood looking up at the sky.
"Fwahh~"
Anathasia stretched slightly.
"Finally. Less suffocating."
Fran tilted her head.
"It actually looks... nice now."
Then she glanced toward me and flashed a quick smile.
"I'm leaving."
A voice suddenly cut through the air.
I blinked.
When I looked toward where Liscia had been standing only moments ago.
She was already gone.
Not even a trace remained.
Meanwhile—
"I wonder if peanuts can grow here now..."
Grace was crouched beside the soil, letting dirt trickle between her fingers.
"You like peanuts, Miss Grace?"
Reina appeared beside her, watching curiously.
"We actually grow quite a lot back in my hometown. We could always visit and—"
"Count me in."
Grace stood up immediately.
Thumbs-up already raised. She didn't even let Reina finish her sentence.
I couldn't help laughing quietly at that.
As I wandered through the camp, the difference compared to a week ago was impossible to miss.
The place felt alive now.
Above us, the obsidian-black dragon Anathasia had created soared through the sky while the sun hung overhead unobstructed.
Nearby, Yukihime, still dressed in those ceremonial robes, was carrying three stacked crates while several nervous researchers followed behind her.
Ready to catch them if they somehow fell.
Not that they ever would.
The sight of the entities from a few days ago surfaced in my mind again.
The way they had desperately thrown themselves toward Liscia. The mouths that had formed across their formless bodies.
The silent screams.
Then nothing.
Just gone.
Reabsorbed.
My gaze drifted toward the train slowly approaching the turntable at the end of the tracks. Soldiers stood nearby directing it with hand signals while others watched from the platform.
Then—
A patch of white hair suddenly stepped directly into my line of sight.
"…Anathasia?"
"Hm?"
"I was watching that."
She paused.
Then casually stepped beside me instead. The two of us watched as the massive turntable slowly rotated the entire locomotive and its train cars.
"Damn..." Anathasia muttered.
A whistle escaped her lips.
"They already have machines this big right after inventing their first steam locomotive?"
She crossed her arms.
"That's fast."
Then she glanced sideways at me.
"Earth took, what?"
"Thirty-something years before they started using things like that?"
I nodded, watching the turntable slowly align with the neighboring rails.
"Kazar and Ishtar skipped straight to large-scale public rail systems."
"The moment they committed to commercial railways, they needed turntables much earlier."
I shrugged.
"Roselia's also around."
"I'm pretty sure she helped develop both the locomotives and the supporting infrastructure a few years ago."
The train slowly rolled off the turntable. Anathasia watched it for a moment before speaking again.
"So basically..."
She pointed toward the tracks.
"Aegea got insane starter boosts."
I laughed.
"Something like that."
Then I glanced at her.
"Though why are you suddenly explaining industrialization like it's a video game?"
"It's easier to understand."
Anathasia shrugged before leaning lightly against my side.
"And I don't feel like spending another fifteen seconds explaining how things work."
She gestured lazily toward the station.
"Why take the long route when there's an easier one?"
I stared at her for a moment.
"…Alright, fair."
Around us, soldiers, Transcendents, and researchers moved back and forth across the platform. Some were loading equipment into the train. Others were unloading fresh supplies that had just arrived.
"Mom. Dad."
Fran's voice came from behind us.
Both of us turned.
"Hm?"
"Should we go home?"
Anathasia and I exchanged a brief glance before looking back at Fran.
Then we both nodded.
Fran's gaze shifted toward Grace.
The three of us waved goodbye.
Not far away, Grace was still standing beside Reina and Lucian, casually eating peanuts while Lucian stared at the distant mountains.
Grace immediately raised a thumbs-up.
"Take care, Mom. Dad."
She swallowed before waving enthusiastically toward Fran.
"And big sis too!"
A small smile appeared on Anathasia's face.
Then our forms gradually faded and disappeared.
When I opened my eyes again, the first thing I saw was a familiar living room.
Four women were already seated around the coffee table.
Three of them had white hair.
The fourth had black hair much like my own. The three sitting with their backs toward us were easy enough to identify.
Liscia.
Egrathiel.
Lena.
My attention shifted to the woman sitting across from them.
Blue eyes immediately met mine.
Arianne.
"Ah."
Anathasia spoke first.
"What's the occasion? Everyone's here."
Lena, Liscia, and Egrathiel turned around.
"Welcome home, Mom. Dad. And little Fran."
Then Liscia pointed directly at Anathasia.
"Anathasia, you owe me a hundred pesos for my ice cream."
"..."
Of course that was the first thing she said.
"We're home~"
Anathasia cheerfully ignored her and immediately wrapped her arms around Lena instead.
Meanwhile, Fran casually walked over to the opposite couch and sat beside Arianne. The two exchanged a small nod.
Then Anathasia finally glanced toward Liscia, her expression flattening.
"A hundred?"
She scoffed.
"Don't make me laugh, Liscia."
A finger jabbed toward her.
"That was your fault from the beginning."
Liscia visibly recoiled.
I simply shook my head.
For some reason, the two of them immediately started arguing.
Again.
While they bickered, Lena and Egrathiel quietly slipped away from the blast zone. A few moments later, they returned carrying three chairs from the corner. One was handed to me.
"Thanks."
Lena nodded.
The three of us sat down while the argument behind us continued escalating into increasingly nonsensical territory. My attention drifted toward the other couch. Arianne was sitting beside Fran, braiding her hair for some reason.
Though compared to a year ago, she looked noticeably healthier.
Brighter.
More relaxed.
"You look better these days."
I leaned back slightly.
"Did something good happen?"
Arianne laughed softly while continuing to braid Fran's hair.
Behind us, Anathasia and Liscia had somehow progressed from arguing to playing rock-paper-scissors. I wasn't even going to ask.
"You still remember that ten-grand boy from three years ago?"
She glanced up briefly.
"The one who asked me to pay for his friend."
Recognition slowly surfaced.
"The one you paid off with Anathasia's spare change."
I blinked, then raised an eyebrow.
"What happened?"
"What did he say?"
Arianne's gaze briefly shifted toward Anathasia and Liscia. The two were now accusing each other of cheating in rock-paper-scissors.
A small laugh escaped her.
"Is that Anathasia's sister?"
I followed her gaze.
"That?"
I paused.
"That's... another version of her, I guess."
Then I shook my head.
"No, wait."
I pointed toward her.
"What were you saying about that kid from three years ago?"
"Hm?"
Arianne glanced at me before casually continuing to braid Fran's hair.
"Ah, right. That Disvinadiya boy, remember?"
"The student council president from Mariabelle. My niece's high school."
I tapped my cheek thoughtfully.
Across the room, Anathasia and Liscia abruptly stopped whatever argument they were having and turned toward Arianne at the exact same time.
Tilting their heads in perfect synchronization.
"Boy…"
Liscia blinked.
"Oh. I think I came across that kid while I was exploring this planet."
She snapped her fingers casually. Anathasia immediately gave her a flat look.
"…You really do just teleport everywhere, don't you?"
"None of your business."
Liscia shot back without missing a beat. Then she looked toward Arianne again.
"If I remember correctly, that boy somehow became a girl."
The room fell quiet as Liscia tapped her chin.
"With silver hair too."
A brief pause.
"Almost like Reality itself decided to play a prank on him."
Anathasia and I both turned toward her.
"Wait, what?"