On the day of Evan D. Sherdenâs return, the city was filled with tremendous cheers.
âMaster Evan is back!â
âMaster Evan!â
âMaster Evan has come back, and heâs alive and well!â
âWait, heâs got more women now, hasnât he? As expected of Master Evan!â
He didnât mean to come back in a fuss, but because he made a ridiculous lie that he would leave on a special mission when he disappeared, he had to accept the welcoming ceremony to make up for it.
âMaster! Look this way, this way, please!â
âCongratulations on your return, Master Evan!â
âOh no, heâs gotten more handsome, hasnât he?â
In terms of the size, the welcoming crowd had completely surpassed the Roman triumph ceremony!
[Oh, more people know youâre a god than I thought.]
âNo, these people have nothing to do with that. Donât talk about me being a god.â
âAhhhhhhhhhhhh!â
Evan answered Faynaâs words coolly. This made Serena, who was smiling and waving her hands around, suddenly let out a cry of enlightenment.
âI thought Iâd seen her before! She was the person in the painting inside our palace!â
âWho?â
âThis woman!â
Serena pointed to Faynaâs face. Evan scolded Serena not to point fingers at people and asked Fayna.
âFayna, why is your face hanging on the Silk Line palace?â
[I donât knowâŚ? Iâve been with you ever since I came down to earth.]
âHmmmm, wait a minute.â
Serena agonized over her head to recall what she had heard when she was young. She succeeded in recalling what she had heard from the current king on the day she was caught and scolded by the knights.
âThey said she was the first queen of our country! Her!â
âHuh?â
The first queen? Fayna? It was a moment of enlightenment for Evan. Thatâs why the Great Church was able to establish itself as a Silk Line diplomatic religion.
[Not at all!]
Fayna freaked out and denied it.
[Well, I donât know any other man! Zero, no, Evan! Trust me!]
âBut sheâs the first queen.â
âYes, sheâs the first queen. They said if she shows up again, we should be polite to her.â
[Iâve never talked to another man! Itâs rude of you to make me the first queenâŚ!]
However, the eyes of the people around Fayna were all cold. It was like the war started from the moment they caught a new rival. But of all things, Serena had the greatest weapon to attack her! Evan, unaware of the intense timing game between women, tapped Fayna on the shoulder as if he understood her.
âIf you were a married woman, thatâs fine. Weâre colleagues whoâve been through a crisis together. You donât have to be so nervous because I wonât be looking at you with colored glasses.â
[No! I am telling you that Iâm innocent. Thereâs no reason to hold such a heart to anyone other than you in the first place!]
Determined to not hear Faynaâs grand self-destructing remarks, Evan looked back at Serena, grinning.
âSo Ray, is that true?â
âYeah! The palace will probably go crazy if she goes in.â
âThen letâs go together.â
ââŚNow?â
âI think it will be better to get it done earlier than later on.â
âI hate you, Oppa.â
Indeed, it was the day that Evan returned after a few months. The girls didnât want to leave Evanâs side, and it was natural for Serenaâs eyes to become red when Evan, who knew how she feels, said that.
âIâm sorry, please.â
âI canât help it if you ask me toâŚbut you have to be nice to me when I come back.â
âYes, not to burden my child.â
âUgh.â
Serena dodged Evanâs gaze by touching her big belly. He must have felt sorry.
âAnd this is a gift.â
âHuh?â
Evan offered Serena something that looks like a red jewelâŚbut they were eggs.
âA dragon egg again?â
âNo, worm eggs.â
âWorm!?â
Serena snuggled it into her arms. Countless stars seemed to twinkle brilliantly in her pink eyes.
âYouâre the best, Oppa!â
âYes, I thought youâd like it, but itâs a little surprising that you like it that much.â
âHehe, I thought I could tame a worm soon.â
âItâs a strong worm, so be careful when you handle it.â
âThereâs nothing wrong with any monster. Then Iâll be right back! Gnar!â
[Cuuuuuue!]
Gnar, who had been inside her arms, howled loudly and became huge in the air. Serena grabbed Fayna, who was throwing a tantrum, and climbed together with them on Gnarâs back.
âThen Iâll be right back!â
âYes, and if anything happens to Fayna in the palace, you can tell them that sheâs under my protection now.â
âProtection?â
âYou can tell them that sheâs my wife.â
[Wife?]
Faynaâs drooping wings regained vitality and fluttered at the moment.
[Hmmm, I canât help it. Weâll be back!]
ââŚâ
[Letâs go, Dragon!]
[Cuuuuue!]
Gnar carried Serena and Fayna out to the Silk Line palace. The people of the city cheered the flying dragon, thinking it was part of the event.
âIâm glad everyone has simple thoughts.â
âThere are fewer things to enjoy these days. Everyone believes that now that masterâs back, theyâll be at peace.â
At Beloisâ words, Evan had nothing but a wry smile.
âPeace, thatâs an illusion.â
âWill it continue to be very difficult?â
âI suppose soâŚbut we can clean up the system so that people donât die meaninglessly.â
They soon arrived at the Sherden family home. At the entrance was the Marquis, his second wife Miriam, and Evanâs brother Eric.
âEvanâŚRedine!â
The Marquis ran right away to hold Redine in his arms. She also calmly entrusted herself to the Marquis without saying anything.
âI was surprised because you suddenly disappeared.â
âDid you find it? Iâm sorry, I had something to do with Evan.â
âItâs okay now that youâre fine. Thereâs nothing wrong.â
âThank youâŚletâs start making a third child.â
âHmm, if you wantâŚâ
âMother, father.â
Evan looked at the people with a serious face.
âPlease do that when you guys are alone.â
âEvan, Iâm so glad youâre back safe.â
âOf course, I believed in you from the beginning.â
The Marquis, who released Redine, hugged Evan tightly. After being released from his arms, it was Ericâs turn. This father-son relationship never changed over the years.
âIâd like to ask you where youâve been and what youâve been doing, but I wonât ask too many questions. You even brought Liz back safelyâŚâ
âIsnât she bigger than when she got out of the dungeon, Father?â
Evan looked back after the Marquis and Eric, and as soon as she found Elizabeth standing behind Evan, Miriam, who ran out, hugged her tightly and sobbed.
âWhat the hell did you feed Liz?â
âPart of the Devil and some dark magic.â
âWhat!?â
âJust kidding.â
Evan was so scared because it wasnât a joke.
âNow you wonât have to leave again, son.â
âYeah, maybe for the time being.â
âYouâre saying that again.â
âBut donât worry too much, brother. I wonât be away for so long.â
The curse of the world created by the Devil and the body of the Devil had completely disappeared. Now the world didnât reject Evan, so he could stay where he wanted.
âLiz, my beautiful daughter, are you hurt?â
âNope, Evan protected me!â
âYeah, Evanâs been protecting our daughter since she was born. Thatâs a relief, thatâs a relief.â
âHehe, so Iâll stay with him.â
âItâsâŚokay, Liz, do as you please.â
Liz managed to catch Miriamâs words in a distracting moment. On the surface, everyoneâs heart warmed at the sight of a mother and daughter hugging, who didnât seem to have a big age difference between them.
âThen take a rest. You must be tired of going all the way back.â
âOh, thatâsâŚactually, thereâs one more thing Iâd like to discuss right away.â
When Evan looked back, Arisha, who understood, arranged her hair once and approached gently to stand by Evanâs side.
âMe and Arishaâs wedding plan.â
âShouldnât you do it with the other kids?â
The Marquis asked a mischievous question. Evan nodded calmly.
âIâd like to do it every week. But first, itâs Arisha.â
ââŚMy second son always blows my mind.â
He didnât dare ask how many weddings he was going to have in the end. The Marquis prayed that there would be no more than two, and Arisha smiled as she added to Evanâs words.
âIâve called my home, so we can meet whenever we want and arrange the schedule, Father.â
âOh, I should talk to the Count right now.â
The Marquis hugged Redine in one arm and tried to hug Miriam in the other, and then he went inside first with a smile when he saw that she was still hugging her daughter. Evan turned to Eric, who was left alone.
âIâm sorry, brother. Iâm getting married first.â
âNo, Iâm rather glad. Even if I donât succeed, I can leave it up to you.â
ââŚReally?â
âHaha, Iâm just kidding. Since youâre back, thereâll be some room in Sherden, so Iâll start looking for a wife.â
âThatâs what Iâve been waiting for.â
The brothers hugged hard once again. As Eric went inside, Evan led the party and changed the direction of the procession. The destination was, of courseâŚ
âLetâs go to Astray headquarters!â
âWow!â
âTell the owner to come, itâs a party today!â
âItâs a party!â
There were cheers, bouquets, and blessings on every path the procession took. Evan was a more profound influence on people than he thought. The return of the Master of Sherden was news enough to bring not only ordinary citizens living in Sherden but also explorers trapped in dungeons to the grounds.
âMaster Evan!â
âPlease take me with you!â
âThe leader of Astray has returned from his mission!â
Arriving at Astrayâs headquarters in a terrible mess, there was already the owner of the Brotherhood Skewers as well as Horta and Ella waiting for them.
âWhat the hell were you doing? You donât have to say anything, just get the fish out.â
âAs expected, I like the way the owner acts.â
âHow many times do I have to say that Iâm Bane.â
The owner didnât even seem to worry about Evan from the start, although his eyes grew a little surprised when meat endlessly popped out of Evanâs inventory, including the dragon meat he had cooked once before.
âWell, if youâve been away for so long, you should bring this much! Youâd better be ready for your tummy to explode tonight.â
He carried them all into the kitchen with a truly credible declaration. Meanwhile, when Horta saw Evan, he sniffed, looking away as if there was something that made him cry.
âIâve been worried that I canât run away because Iâve signed an exclusive contract, Master.â
âIâm sorry, Horta. I brought my trusted colleagues with me, so take it easy.â
âColleagues?â
âWooooooow! What, what, a dwarf? Where did you get this many land fairies?â
Ellaâs eyes glistened as the dwarves appeared among Evanâs followers. Horta, who belatedly noticed the advent of the dwarves, was a little nervous, but Ella came running and grabbed his thigh to pull at him.
âHortaâŚtheyâre my forefathers! Our Dwarf forefathers! There will be so much to learn!â
âGood to hear that Iâm a forefather.â
âOf course! They were alive and breathing in ancient times.â
Evan grinned as he looked at Hortaâs back, who had quickly begun to mingle with the pack of dwarves. Then someone approached him carefully. It proved to be Enoch.
âGod.â
âYou donât have to call me that.â
âThen, Evan. I think itâs time to build a temple.â
ââŚMy temple?â
âLetâs build a Big temple where all those followers can stay. Iâm sure it will be worth seeing.â
Evan was moved by Enoch, who looked at himself with confidence. Their relationship began with Enochâs promise to build a temple for the unamed god, but no one would have expected it to be his temple.
âA promise is a promise.â
âI thought youâd say that.â
Enoch smiled, and all the followers who came from ancient times, led by Save, shouted vigorously.
âOh, theyâre scary.â
âHaaaaaaaaaa, Masteeeeeeeeeeer.â
And there was another one, running out of Astray headquarters. It was Diona, the former blackjack dealer with two rabbit ears overhead, who was currently dressed in a modest maidâs uniform.
âMasteeeeeeeeeer, huhu, I, huhuhu, missed, huhuhuhu.â
âDiona?â
âBut I missed youuuuuu.â
He didnât know what she was talking about, but he could see that she was welcoming him. But as he tried to placate her in moderation, he noticed someone had appeared since.
ââŚ!â
âIâve been waiting for you, Master.â
A middle-aged knight with no outstanding characteristics. Evan exclaimed, looking at the man with a faint impression that he would fly away in the wind.
ââŚDain!â
âMaster Evan!â
He could never forget that name, even if he died and came back to life.