After returning to the capital, Rosha had been very ill for a while.

At times, her fever would soar, her forehead burning hot, and at other times, her body would tremble as if she had gone out in winter wearing only her nightgown.

Her bodily sensations would alternate between extreme numbness and hypersensitivity.

The former was tolerable, but the latter was quite uncomfortable. The bed should have felt soft, but her back felt like it was being grated. Her arms, legs, no, her entire body felt pierced.

Perhaps this was what it felt like to have discomfort raised to the maximum.

As Rosha battled with her weakened body, those associated with her would occasionally visit.

“I hope you quickly recover and rise from your bed, Lady Roshanak.”

“I wish you a full recovery.”

Lysithea and Joel seemed to feel guilty for not participating in the last trial, visiting the most frequently.

“Aing, how can you just lie here like this? I have a mountain of things to tell you. You need to get up so I can restore order in the council.”

Although too busy to visit often, Duke Feriel’s heart was similar.

Due to the doctor’s advice to rest, visits were only allowed in the afternoons. However, sometimes she could sense someone’s presence late at night.

“…”

Of course, since they didn’t speak, she couldn’t tell who it was. Perhaps her family or Berri checking on her daily condition?

“…When will you wake up?”

Often, when she regained consciousness from her slumber, Cedric would be holding her hand.

She wanted to respond to his weary, low voice, but the words only swirled in her throat.

‘I’ll get up soon. I’m sorry.’

Feeling her fingers weakly wrap around his hand, he suddenly raised his head.

“Rosha?”

But she couldn’t answer Cedric’s call, as a deep slumber seized her immediately after, rendering her unable to move.

She slept like someone who had never slept in their life, to the point of even worrying herself with how much she slept.

Was it a sign her body was recovering? She didn’t know.

And sometimes she would dream, mostly about the previous world.

Just like now.

“What are you thinking about?”

“Nothing, really.”

Answering softly, she glanced up at the sky.

The winter-stricken ruins of a city.

The night sky of Seoul, where stars were rarely visible.

Below were the ever-amazing modern structures of glass, steel, and concrete, densely packed. A forest of buildings that had once housed over ten million people.

‘When the first trial struck, due to the initial mishandling, half of it has become a habitat for demons.’

Indeed, demonic beasts howls could often be heard when passing through the outskirts of Seoul.

But on the rooftop of one of the city’s buildings, people gathered around a campfire without reservation.

A white-haired man fidgeting with a cigarette. A timid high school boy hugging a sword. A chilly-looking woman in a hoodie. A former bodyguard with a chiseled, muscular jawline.

Her former teammates.

‘It’s been a while, everyone.’

She thought she should wake up from this dream soon, but on the other hand, she was glad to see them. So despite knowing she should wake up, she would casually converse with them instead.

Because once she woke up, she might never see them again.

It was then that the man, seemingly struggling with quitting smoking as he kept fidgeting with his cigarette, turned to the high school student next to him and asked:

“What are you going to do after clearing all these trials?”

“Can we even clear them?”

“Hey, of course we can. Don’t be such a downer and just answer.”

Hearing him, the woman, who had been fiddling with her phone, abruptly spoke up:

“I’m going to graduate school.”

“Wow, you’ve finally lost it.”

“Why? I’m going to get a doctorate. I’ve already decided on my thesis topic. The problem is our research lab was destroyed.”

The former bodyguard also chimed into their conversation:

“I’ll be a gym manager. Somewhere with good sunlight, not underground. Did I tell you the original gym I went to saved my life?”

“I think you’ve mentioned it about 50 times.”

“Did I? Haha, anyway, once the trials are over, I’ll have nothing to do, so I might as well open one as a way to repay the favor. If I open a gym, you should come too, kid. I’ll register you for free.”

The high school student, who had received the fitness fanatic’s full attention for having a suitable physique, shrugged and replied:

“We’ll see.”

“What do you mean, ‘we’ll see’? Just start tomorrow. I’ll give you free one-on-one physical training, won’t I, bro?”

“Yeah, that’s right.”

At the two men’s half-joking, half-serious suggestion that they could roughly set up the gym equipment, the student looked at Rosha pleadingly with a Puss in Boots’s eyes. But Rosha only smiled without readily offering her help.

This was because the one whose aspiration was to become a gym manager was fated to lose his life in the latter trials.

‘Just seeing them alive like this… is nice.’

The world he had risked his life to protect had eventually endured and overcome all the trials.

While she herself had returned to her original world right after the final trial and didn’t know for sure, perhaps it was gradually regaining peace.

She hoped that was the case.

It was then that the white-haired man, after thoroughly tormenting the young student, suddenly asked her:

“Rosha, what about you?”

“Hmm?”

“What are you going to do after clearing all the trials?”

One by one, everyone present turned their gazes towards her. Meeting their eyes slowly, Rosha answered softly:

“What else, I have to go back.”

She had to go back, for the sake of her waiting family.

Even now, having returned home, that wish remained unchanged.

Her teammates didn’t try to dissuade her either, as they all understood that sentiment deeply, having experienced the loss of loved ones.

“…I guess that’s for the best. Your family is still alive there, right?”

“It’s not as ruined a world as this one. Alright, then.”

“But don’t forget about us when you go back?”

Yes, I won’t forget. I probably could never forget, no matter what.

‘So is that why I sometimes have dreams like this, even after returning to my original world?’

Just in time, her consciousness seemed to rise. Despite being at the same level as her teammates, her soul felt like it was slowly ascending.

Sensing she was about to wake up from the dream, Rosha took in each of their faces one last time.

Then she slowly opened her eyelids.

“…”

It was pitch black night.

Even after blinking several times, the surroundings remained dark. Unable to see anything, she felt slightly flustered.

‘First, I need to turn on the lights.’

Having lain still for so long, her body didn’t move as she wished, but with effort, she could still manage some movement.

Fumbling her way out of bed, she took a tentative step forward. Feeling unsteady like a newborn learning to walk, she suddenly felt uneasy when-

“…Ah!”

She stumbled over the edge of a side table, crashing down onto the floor.

‘Ugh, my legs momentarily lost strength.’

Fortunately, the carpet where she fell was soft. As she sat on the floor, clutching her knees, she heard someone running down the hallway.

Then the door burst open.

“Miss!”

It was Berri’s voice.

Seeing Rosha beneath the bed, Berri hurried over with a surprised and relieved expression.

“Heavens, when did you wake up? Ah, I should have been by your side!”

“Hey, can you help me up? I can’t get my strength back.”

“Oh, let me get a hold of myself. Shall I help you to the sofa over there?”

After her initial flustered reaction, Berri carefully supported Rosha and safely seated her on the sofa.

Having lain still for so long, even that small movement left her slightly breathless.

‘My stamina has become utter trash.’

Just how long had she been bedridden? Rosha was about to ask when she suddenly realized the room was still dark.

Although she had a strange feeling, she spoke up first.

“Berri, could you turn on the lights? I can’t see anything.”

Hearing Rosha’s hoarse voice, Berri, who had been fussing to bring water, froze. She then repeatedly confirmed what Rosha had said.

‘Umm…’

By this point, Rosha had a vague idea of the reason, but she couldn’t stop Berri from gasping.

“Miss…”

Berri brought a cup of water and tearfully placed it in Rosha’s hands, saying,

“It’s daytime right now…”