CHAPTER 155: TIME OFF 2

Sophie sat in Aegis’s lap, one arm slung around her shoulders, completely ignoring the perfectly good empty seat across from them. Of course she claimed Aegis herself as the only seat she’d need on this journey.

The carriage rumbled down the dirt road, wheels crunching over gravel and dried mud.

Lune sat opposite them, sketchbook balanced on her knee, drawing the passing countryside with methodical precision.

"I still don’t understand why you insist on me being your chair," Aegis said, adjusting her grip on Sophie’s waist to keep her from sliding off during a particularly rough bump. "Can’t possibly be that comfortable."

"Because I missed you."

"I see you every day."

"The minutes felt like AGES." Sophie nuzzled into Aegis’s neck. "Besides, you’re comfy."

"I’m bony."

"You have big tits. That makes you comfy by default."

Lune didn’t look up from her sketchbook.

"Your logic is flawless."

Sophie stuck her tongue out at her.

Aegis sighed but didn’t push Sophie off. Honestly, after weeks of noble politics and manor management, having her chaotic made-up little sister draped over her was almost relaxing.

"How much longer?" Sophie asked.

"Another hour, maybe."

"Ughhh."

"You’re the one who wanted to come."

"I know, but I forgot how boring travel is."

Lune finally glanced up.

"You could sit in your own seat and read a book."

"Or I could stay right here and annoy Aegis."

"You’re certainly succeeding at that."

Sophie grinned and kissed Aegis’s cheek with a big "mwah".

The countryside rolled past—green fields, scattered farmhouses, the occasional herd of sheep. It was peaceful in a way Rosevale never was. No politics, no scheming nobles, no assassins hiding in crypts.

Just... quiet.

Aegis found herself relaxing despite Sophie’s weight on her lap.

[This might actually be nicer than I thought it would be.]

The carriage crested a hill, and suddenly Starcaller Farm came into view.

It was exactly as Aegis remembered from the backstory she’d written: a two-story farmhouse with faded blue shutters, surrounded by fields of wheat and a small vegetable garden. A barn sat off to one side, weathered but sturdy. Chickens wandered the yard, pecking at the ground.

It looked... real.

More real than Aegis had ever imagined when she’d typed out her character’s background in the game’s creation screen.

[I made this. And now I’m going to walk into it and pretend I’ve lived here my whole life.]

The absurdity wasn’t lost on her.

The carriage rolled to a stop near the front gate.

Sophie was off Aegis’s lap and out the door before the wheels fully stopped moving, sprinting toward the house.

"Mom! Dad! We’re home!"

Aegis climbed out more slowly, offering a hand to help Lune down.

Lune accepted it, stepping carefully onto the dirt path. She looked around with those analytical yellow eyes, taking in every detail.

"It’s... rustic."

"That’s one word for it."

The front door burst open.

A woman in her forties rushed out, flour dusting her apron, dark hair pulled back in a messy bun. She was already crying as she grabbed Sophie in a crushing hug.

"My baby! You’re home!"

"Can’t... breathe..."

"Oh hush, you’re fine."

A man followed—tall, broad-shouldered, with graying hair and callused hands. He spotted Aegis and his face lit up.

"Aegis!"

He strode over and pulled her into a hug that lifted her off her feet.

Aegis’s brain short-circuited for a second. It was basically the same as when they came to Rosevale.

She hugged back.

When he set her down, her mom was already in front of her, hands cupping Aegis’s face.

"Look at you! So grown up! So... fancy!" She plucked at Aegis’s expensive traveling clothes. "Are these silk?"

"Uh. Yeah. Kind of a long story—"

"And who’s this?" Her mom had already moved on to Lune, who stood frozen like a deer in torchlight.

"This is Lune. My roommate. Lune, these are my parents. Lisannia and Aaron."

Lune blinked. Then, with visible effort, she bowed stiffly.

"It’s... nice to meet you... again."

[Good try, roomie.]

Lisannia grabbed her in a hug before Lune could protest.

"Any friend of Aegis’s is family! Come in, come in! You must be starving from the trip!"

She herded them all toward the house, talking a mile a minute about the meal she’d been preparing and how the chickens had been laying extra eggs lately and did they want tea or cider?

Aegis caught Lune’s panicked expression as Lisannia dragged her inside.

[Yeah. Sorry. Should’ve warned you about mom.]

Inside, the house smelled like fresh bread and herbs. The furniture was simple but well-maintained—a wooden table in the center of the main room, chairs with embroidered cushions, a stone fireplace with a pot bubbling over the flames.

It was cozy.

Homey.

Aegis felt something twist in her chest.

[Man, oh man. It feels weird. Good, but weird.]

Aaron pulled out chairs for everyone while Lisannia bustled around serving stew and bread.

Once they were all seated, Sophie immediately launched into a rambling explanation of everything that had happened—the academy, the Winter Trials, Aegis’s noble title.

Lisannia’s eyes went wide.

"Wait, wait. Sophie mentioned something in her letters, but I thought she was exaggerating. You’re really a noble now?"

Aegis swallowed her bite of stew.

"Yeah. Lady Starcaller. It’s official."

Aaron set down his spoon.

"How in the world—?"

"I won the Winter Trials tournament. First place gets a title."

"You won?" Lisannia pressed a hand to her chest. "Against all those nobles?"

"Against everyone."

Sophie grinned.

"She beat Princess Talia in the semifinals. It was incredible."

"You fought a princess?!" Lisannia looked like she might faint.

"In a sanctioned tournament. With rules. It’s fine."

Aaron laughed, shaking his head.

"Our daughter, a noble. Never thought I’d see the day."

"House Starcaller," Lisannia said slowly, testing the words. "That’s us now, isn’t it?"

"Yeah. Technically, you’re both minor nobility too."

Lisannia burst into tears.

Aaron patted her shoulder.

"Happy tears, love. Happy tears."

"I know! I just—I’m so proud!" She grabbed a cloth and dabbed at her eyes. "My little girl, a Lady!"

Aegis felt her face heat up.

"Ah, come on. It’s not that big a deal—"

"Not a big deal?! Do you know how hard your father and I worked just to scrape together money for your entrance exam? And now you’re—you’re—" She dissolved into more tears.

Sophie reached over and squeezed Aegis’s hand under the table.

They ate and talked, the conversation flowing easily. Lisannia wanted to know everything about the academy. Aaron asked about combat training. Lune mostly stayed quiet, but Aegis noticed her observing everything with that intense focus she always had.

After dinner, Lisannia showed them to their rooms.

Lune got the guest room—small but clean, with a window overlooking the fields.

"I hope it’s comfortable enough," Lisannia said. "We don’t get many visitors."

"It’s perfect," Lune said. "Thank you."

Aegis and Sophie got their childhood bedroom.

It was exactly as Aegis had imagined it when creating her backstory: two narrow beds, a shared dresser, faded curtains, a few books on a shelf. Personal but lived-in.

Sophie immediately flopped onto her bed.

"I missed this place."

Aegis sat on her own bed, testing the mattress. It was softer than her academy bed.

[I have memories of this room that aren’t mine. Memories I wrote but never experienced.]

It was trippy as hell.

Sophie rolled over to look at her.

"You okay?"

"Yeah. Just... processing."

"Processing what?"

"Being home."

Sophie smiled.

"It’s nice, right?"

"Yeah. It is."

Aegis lay back, staring at the ceiling. There were water stains in the corner she’d never mentioned in her backstory, but they fit somehow. Though, they did remind her of the many, many water stains on the ceiling at the hospital. That was a far less enjoyable reminder.

[Okay. I’m here. I’m at the farm. Now what?]

She pulled out her mental checklist of nearby locations and items.

There was a forest about an hour’s walk south—home to some mid-tier monsters with valuable drops.

An old shrine to the north that should have a hidden cache of rare herbs.

And if she remembered correctly, there was a merchant caravan that passed through the nearby village once a week. They sometimes carried items that wouldn’t show up in Rosevale’s markets for months.

[This trip doesn’t have to be purely sentimental. I can make it productive too.]

Sophie’s voice pulled her from her thoughts.

"What are you scheming?"

"Nothing."

"Liar. You’ve got that face."

"What face?"

"Your ’I’m scheming’ face."

Aegis snorted.

"I don’t have a face like that."

"You absolutely do."

Aegis threw a pillow at her.

Sophie caught it, laughing, and threw it back.

They settled into comfortable silence.

Outside, the sun was setting, painting the fields gold. Aegis could hear her parents talking downstairs, the sound of dishes being washed, the distant crow of a rooster.

It was peaceful.

For the first time in months, Aegis let herself just... exist.

No schemes. No politics. No life-or-death situations.

Just her, her family, and the farm.

[Yeah. This was a good idea.]