"Aren't you two becoming a little mischievous…?"
Lilia stood with her hands on her hips, looking down at the two boys in front of her. Aric and Tristan stood shoulder to shoulder, heads lowered, grumbling under their breath
A chuckle escaped from behind as everyone turned to Elvis.
"My, my…" he looked at Elian, "You certainly seized your opportunity, didn't you?"
Elian let out a tired sigh, rubbing the back of his neck. "Grandpa… please. You've been saying the same thing since yesterday."
Elvis only laughed, clearly enjoying himself, before shifting his gaze to Aric.
"Well then," he said with a grin, "it seems we may become family soon, boy."
Aric smirked, playing along as he glanced at Elian. "Indeed…"
Then—
A sudden chill ran down his spine. He gulped, slowly turning back.
Elara wrapped both him and Tristan into a crushing embrace, her arms locking around them as her face lit up warmly.
"Then that makes me your big sister now!"
Tristan looked like he was seconds away from throwing up. Aric's breathing grew uneven as the pressure on his ribs increased dangerously.
The monster squeezed tighter.
"Gosh! All of you—enough!" Lara finally snapped, cutting through the chaos. "We don't have time for this nonsense!"
Elara let go with a dramatic sigh, releasing the two boys, both falling to the ground as they heaved heavy breaths, clutching their chests.
Before anyone could recover, the crowd surged forward, surrounding the Maiws in a flood of voices and farewells.
"Well… there they go," Aric muttered.
Nessa walked over to them, but before she could settle in, she suddenly shivered.
"You seem to have been enjoying yourself quite a lot lately, Nessa."
Her head snapped back stiffly.
"A-Ah… Mom…"
Lilia smiled a bit too much as she spoke, "Do I seem like a pushover to you now?"
Well… Nessa tried to make an excuse. Key word being tried.
Aric and Tristan both shuddered in sync.
"Like they say," Tristan muttered under his breath, "the scariest thing in the world is always your mother…"
Aric nodded in complete agreement.
Time passed, and eventually, the crowd began to thin. One by one, the villagers stepped away, leaving the Maiws to finally prepare for departure.
"Holy shit…" Elara muttered, taking deep breaths as she hurried toward the carriage, clearly drained from the social onslaught.
Everyone climbed in one after another.
Before stepping inside, Elvis turned back one last time, his gaze settling on Lilia and the three siblings.
"I do hope you'll visit Crescentis one day," he said warmly. "I would quite enjoy a proper conversation over tea."
Lilia smiled and nodded. "Perhaps one day, Sir Maiw. I'm sure the children would like that as well."
Aric had a solemn expression. Nothing more could be said. Everything he wanted to say, he already did. So did they. Inside the carriage, Elian leaned slightly toward the window, his eyes finding Nessa immediately.
He smiled.
Slowly, deliberately, he mouthed the words:
"I love you."
Nessa's face flushed, but her lips curved into a bright grin. She mouthed back without hesitation:
"Love you too."
They both chuckled softly.
Then Nessa raised her hand, her expression softening as she began to wave.
"Bye."
For a moment, Elian's face went blank.
Then a quiet, bittersweet smile replaced it.
"Byeb—"
"Nessa!!"
Elara suddenly shoved her head out in front of him, completely hijacking the moment.
"I'LL MISS YOU!" She had tears in her eyes while Nessa's face turned to a heavy frown. "And boys!" Elara continued, turning toward Aric and Tristan.
Both of them straightened instinctively.
"Don't miss me too much, okay? I'll love you all!"
The brothers' expressions twitched.
Their breathing became noticeably heavier.
The carriage lurched forward.
Aric raised his hand, a bit stiffly, waving as it began to move. Tristan followed a second later.
"Goodbye."
"Bye…"
The carriage rolled farther and farther away.
For a moment, no one said anything as the crowd dissolved. Soon, however, both boys slowly turned to Nessa.
Nessa looked back at them.
A grin spread across all three of their faces at the same time.
They shouted in perfect unison. "The devil's gone!"
***
The walk back home was silent.
Lilia noticed it.
The way the children's gazes drifted, again and again, toward the outer walls of the thorp. The way their steps slowed whenever the path curved in that direction, as if their bodies wanted to go further—even if their feet didn't.
She caught Aric's eyes for a brief moment.
"Do you want to go out?" she asked gently.
Aric hesitated.
His lips pressed into a thin line as he looked away, gaze falling to the ground. For a moment, it seemed like he might deny it.
Then, slowly, he nodded.
Lilia didn't need to ask the others.
When she turned, Tristan and Nessa were already looking at her with the same longing expression.
It was clear to her what they all wanted.
To leave Durvarn. For good.
Lilia's fingers curled slightly at her sides as she turned her head, glancing back at the thorp behind them.
The familiar path.
The familiar market.
The familiar life she had clung to for so long.
Her teeth sank lightly into her lower lip.
Would the Goddess Regia be disappointed if she left?
No… it wasn't quite right. Lilia lifted her gaze to the sky, her expression tightening.
'Would I be able to leave… without making things right?'
Without facing him.
Without hearing his voice… just once more.
She knew it was selfish.
To hold her children here, bound to a place they clearly wanted to escape… all for the sake of something so small, so personal.
Her eyes slowly closed, a blurry figure in front of her, and when he spoke, his voice carried the same warmth she had chased for years.
"Lilia."
Her chest tightened.
That was all she wanted—nothing more, nothing less. Not forgiveness. Not acknowledgment. Just that voice, calling her name the way it used to, before everything fell apart.
From the man who had cast her aside without a second thought… who had turned his back on her and, in doing so, condemned her to a life she never chose.
From her father.