CHAPTER 241: HOMECOMING

With that, she stood upright, her posture confident and decisive.

"Things are going to get busy! We must start selecting people immediately! Will three cooks be enough? If they’re going to live together, preparations must be made! The ceremony, the arrangements, everything! There’s no time to waste standing around here. Honestly, why did I even come? Such a waste of time! And tonight, Louis may come again. We must make sure plenty of food is ready for him. Well then, brother, farewell!"

She spoke rapidly and without pause and then she strode out with her attendants, her footsteps bold and resolute.

It felt like a storm had passed. Quintus sagged back, exhausted from the whirlwind. Just then, the butler who had seen Henrietta off appeared while carrying a glass filled with strong liquor.

"It’s seems the young lady still lively as ever," the butler remarked. "I am glad to see her in such high spirits."

"Yes, indeed," Quintus replied.

He sipped the rich liquor, feeling the warmth travel slowly down his throat and into his stomach, bringing a rare moment of comfort. Despite a twinge of guilt, he raised his glass for the red-haired good-hearted man silently toasting to Louis’s future happiness.

...

The wedding of Captain Louis Lady Camilla was set for tomorrow. Surely, tonight Lord Dominic and Lord Shiao Yi would return home.

To make sure everything was ready for their arrival, Lambard had been working since the afternoon in the stables located in the courtyard. He prepared feed and fresh vegetables for Marengo, filled the water bucket with clean water and spread a thick layer of dry straw over the bedding.

When that was done, he scrubbed the bathtub once more and filled it with fresh water.

Nowadays, thanks to the new water pipes connected to the well, the water could flow directly from the faucet into the bath.

The system was powered by a magic stone engine, an invention that spared him the heavy labor of carrying water buckets from the well.

The two housewives who shared the courtyard were quite pleased with this improvement too.

Inside the house, Eline had polished every corner until it shone and now she was busy in the kitchen preparing a grand meal.

The butler, Jude, had gathered documents that required Lord Dominic’s review, while also struggling to turn away the many visitors who keeps came hoping to meet the returning men.

It had been nearly two years since Lord Dominic and Lord Shiao Yi had set out on their journey to find and destroy the openings that might lead to the demon realm a d searching for traces and remnants of those portals along the way.

During their absence, the kingdom had gone through changes so great they could almost be called an industrial revolution.

The capital had transformed, it’s growing more modern and convenient with each passing season.

The water and sewage systems had been completed, freeing people from worrying about their daily water supply. Hygiene had improved and the city had become noticeably cleaner.

The magic stone factories continued to operate smoothly, providing steady employment and supporting new industries.

The streetlights now lined the roads, schools had been established and the faces of the people were brighter and more alive than ever before.

The children without families were taken in by orphanages and those who were sick or disabled were cared for by public institutions.

Of course, not everything was perfect and there were still many challenges ahead, but the future looked promising.

The disappearance of the threat of war with neighboring countries had also been a great relief.

The relations with Dalmasca were strong and peaceful and political stability had brought comfort and safety to the citizens of the kingdom.

The number of base points Lord Dominic had been establishing was steadily increasing.

In order to build those bases, the large supply divisions were dispatched to various regions, carrying construction materials, equipment, engineers, and magicians.

Naturally, this expansion brought about political dealings and diplomatic negotiations with the nations hosting those bases.

Yet, by helping those nations recognize the global threat posed by the Aeon and showing that the purpose was not military conquest but cooperation like sharing industrial knowledge and magical technology, the kingdom had succeeded in forming friendships with countries that had once been entirely isolated.

For their nation, these growing connections were undeniably beneficial.

Lord Dominic and Lord Shiao Yi were now traveling through lands so distant that they did not even appear on any of their current maps.

Occasionally, they returned and sharing stories of astonishing landscapes and the curious customs of the people who lived in those faraway regions.

Lambard often thought that Lord Dominic should publish a travel journal, but he knew his lord too well, he disliked troublesome things and would never write one himself.

Instead, it seemed that Jude had been quietly recording their stories whenever he listened to them speak.

Because those lands were too remote and permanent bases could not be built there, but they continued to install teleportation circles, magical communication tower, and related equipment.

These devices were said to be housed within stone boxes about two meters tall, wide, and deep, embedded into leveled ground.

Perhaps, one day, such installations would allow people to travel freely across great distances.

Then, within the circular teleportation mark drawn in the courtyard, an area where no object or person was ever allowed to stand, a faint sound rippled through the air, like something parting softly.

A black horse appeared while carrying two riders.

Lord Dominic leapt down first. He wore only a thin shirt beneath his coat, showing that he had been traveling through very hot regions.

As he stretched out his arms toward the saddle, Shiao Yi immediately threw himself into his embrace.

The scene was touching. It’s clearly, their bond had deepened even more during their long journey.

The matching ear cuffs they wore shimmered together under the orange glow of the setting sun.

"We’re back. Is everything all right?" Lord Dominic asked whilestill holding Shiao Yi in his arms.