Leo let out a brief sigh, then turned to Lili and Balzock.
"Come with me."
Lili blinked. "What now?"
"Just come," he said quietly.
The two exchanged a glance, then nodded and followed him out of the main hall.
Once outside, Leo rose into the air, slowly lifting himself with magic until he hovered high above the village.
Balzock looked up, frowning. "What are you planning, boy?"
Leo's voice echoed across the clearing. "Before we get dragged into another conflict… I need to finish this place. I need to build this village. Right here. Right now. If I don't, it'll only bring trouble later."
His voice was firm—resolute.
People began to gather. Goblins looked up from their campfires. Adventurers stepped out of their tents. Children paused mid-play. Even Lia, breathless, came running.
She called out, "Big brother, you don't have to do this today! Please!"
Others began pleading too. But Leo didn't turn around. He just stood, floating in the air—his back to them all.
No one could see his eyes.
Eyes full of ambition. And pride.
In a quiet whisper only he could hear, Leo thought:
"Tch… I'm weak? Then I'll just become stronger."
Suddenly, magic surged.
Logs flew into the sky. Boulders lifted off the ground. Trees split cleanly into pieces—some halved, others carved perfectly into lumber. Leaves danced like green fireflies around him.
The sky burned orange, the sun setting behind the mountains.
Time passed.
Later, Leo sat on a floating log, sweating, chest rising and falling. Lili leaned against it too, her face flushed with exhaustion.
"You didn't have to help," Leo said, glancing at her. "I could've done it alone."
"You could've," Lili said, wiping sweat from her brow. "But you'd have finished by midnight. Maybe."
A small smirk tugged at Leo's lips.
His mind drifted to earlier.
He'd floated tree after tree, cutting, assembling, reinforcing—alone. Until Lili appeared beside him, using her own magic to lift and guide materials. She didn't say a word—just followed his lead. And together, things became faster… easier.
Back in the present, Leo nudged her with his elbow. "Is that all the aura you've got? You're over a thousand years old, and that's your output?"
Lili growled. "Shut up. I haven't used that much in the last three or four centuries."
Leo laughed. "Ah… that makes sense then."
Suddenly, Lia appeared with a bright smile. "The bath is ready! Who's going first?"
Lili stood and stretched. "I'll go."
As she walked past Leo, she teased, "Hey… no peeking, alright?"
Leo scoffed. "Yeah, no one cares. I won't."
Lili raised an eyebrow, her smirk returning. "Hmm? Then why not just come in with me?"
Leo's cheeks turned crimson. "H-Hey! Shut up and go already!"
Lili laughed, waving as she disappeared inside. "Okay, okay, I'm going."
Leo scratched his head, groaning. "Ah… finally, I can rest."
Lia smiled and tugged at his sleeve. "When you finish your bath, come to the house where Big Sister Lyra, Sara and Aunt Niya are. We're making food together! Uncle Zack and helped too! And… and I learned some recipes from Lyra. I made something for you… it's dessert."
Leo smiled and gently patted her head. "That's great. I'll come."
Lia beamed and ran off down the path.
Leo turned his gaze back to the village behind him.
The main hall stood tall and strong. The other houses were complete—sturdy, warm, safe.
He exhaled softly.
"Finally... my—no…
our home is ready."*
Then Few mintues later
Steam drifted gently from the surface of the large outdoor bath, surrounded by freshly built stone and wooden walls. Evening light filtered through, casting a golden glow across the water.
Leo stepped toward the bath, his mind reflecting on the past few days.
"Building this place… was tough."
A short flashback played in his thoughts. Trees falling, stones being cut, mud splattering across his arms. Gruk and the other goblins carrying logs, Sara tying beams together, Zack lifting walls with strength alone.
"But with everyone's help—Gruk, the goblins, Zack, Sara, Lili… we made it. We actually built a home."
Back in the present, he glanced at the now serene bathwater.
He sighed. "Looks like Lili's already gone… well, good. Peace and quiet."
But then his eyes froze.
She was still there.
Lili sat at the far end of the bath, steam rising gently around her bare shoulders, her silver hair damp and sticking to her skin.
Leo's face darkened with panic. "Ah… my bad! I-I thought it was empty! I won't come in—promise!"
Lili turned slightly, smirking. "Hey now, why not just come in?"
Her teasing tone made Leo's ears burn. "N-No thanks! I'll wait!"
She leaned a little toward him, eyes gleaming with mischief. "Come on, I'll just wash your back. No one wants to miss that kind of service, right?"
Leo turned completely red. His hands waved in panic. "Y-You're insane! That's… that's not fair!"
But Lili tilted her head, amused. "So… coming in or not?"
Leo groaned, covering his eyes with one hand. "If you're really insisting this much, then fine…"
He stepped slowly into the warm water, trying not to slip as his heart pounded. Behind him, Lili's smirk dropped.
"W-Wait, what?! He's really coming in?! I… I was just joking! I thought he'd panic and run away!!"
Her cheeks turned bright pink, and she quickly looked away.
Leo sat down near the edge of the bath, very still, very tense.
Lili cleared her throat. "Just… don't turn around, okay?"
Leo nodded fast, eyes fixed forward. "I won't. I swear."
They both sat in awkward silence, steam swirling around them.
The once calm bath had turned into a battlefield of embarrassment.