Going home

That same evening, after the trial, we celebrated with a gala at the castle together with everyone who had been present in court. I dance close with Laila to the notes of ‘Romance for Piano and Violin, Op. 11’. Even now I’m amazed that she remembers these melodies after hearing them only once—and calling them boring at the time.

We look into each other’s eyes, deeply. She is beautiful. «Søren…» she sighs.

«Tell me…»

«When is Mommy going to get off your back?»

«Good question.» I reply, glancing behind me at her.

«Don’t mind me.» Mommy says, waving a hand nonchalantly.

We both sigh with a smile and return our gaze to one another. Slowly, our faces draw closer.

«Hurry! Come with us!» Lili suddenly bursts in, cutting us off. She and Nadia grab our hands and pull us down the castle’s corridors, until we reach the willow by the lakeshore. There, waiting for us, are all the others—even the drag queen.

«Unicorn!» Laila greets her. “What the hell kind of name is that?!”

«Uhuhuh, hello darling! I see you finally took my advice.»

«I did!» she beams, clutching my arm.

«Guys, what are you all doing here?» I ask.

«We came to say goodbye.» Vlahar answers.

«Goodbye? Why?»

«Now that we must tend to such a vast kingdom, we won’t have much free time like this anymore.» Thyra explains.

They all wear a shadow of sadness in their eyes. «I still don’t understand. What are you talking about?» I ask, confused.

Dakarai steps forward, puffing from his pipe. «We know you’re from another world… Lili told us.»

«We thank you for saving us, but in your world you had a life,» Akanke adds. «Surely there are people who miss you, who care about you. We can’t be so selfish as to keep you here.»

“Eh? What are they saying?”

«We’re happy we met you, and we’ll carry you in our hearts forever.» Hasami says, caressing her belly. «Not a night will pass that I don’t tell bedtime stories about your antics.»

“No, no, this has to be a joke!”

Lili clasps my hands, her eyes glistening. «Being with you was the most thrilling time of my life. Before, I was just a princess cast aside for being too eccentric. Thanks to you, I experienced first love—and friendship.»

«O-okay, but—»

«Søren!» Nadia throws herself into my arms, sobbing. «Please, don’t leave us!» Soon everyone is crying, even the edgy one. I clench my teeth into a strained smile, a vein throbbing at my temple.

Lili lays a hand on Nadia’s shoulder. «I know. None of us want them to leave. But we can’t force them to stay.» They all step back a little. Everyone waves at us with tearful smiles, saying, «Goodbye…»

«BASTARDS!» I roar. «What the hell’s gotten into you?! It’s like you’re celebrating my funeral!»

«Don’t be so harsh!» Vlahar protests. «Saying farewell is already hard enough.»

«After everything I did to save your asses, there’s no way in hell I’m saying goodbye!»

«But Søren-san—»

«The hell with that!» I cut off Hasami. «What a pain in the ass you all are…» I mutter. «Mommy, I want the arrow and the ring to be used as a way to communicate—any way possible.»

She takes the two objects in one hand, clasps them tight. A light bursts forth as she hands them back. «Wish granted.»

«What are you planning?» Akanke asks.

«Shut up! You seven don’t get a say!»

«How mean.» they all murmur.

«Laila, Mommy, I wish for you to be freed from your prisons.»

«Idiot, you think I haven’t tried that trick before? Don’t forget those prisons were forged from the three Ancient Concepts by those Dyovius bastards.» Laila snaps.

«What a pain…» I growl. I manifest the chains that bind them to those objects, seize them with hands and teeth, and start pulling with all my strength.

«Stop, please! You’ll hurt yourself!» Mommy pleads.

«Mind your own damn business!» I snarl. I strain harder, the chains glowing under my grip. Agony rips through my muscles, my teeth, my chest. The chains lash out with a violent power, a vortex surging, spikes bursting forth—but I refuse to let go.

Then—Nadia’s hand on my arm. I look—it’s her, healing me. «Get behind him before he hits you by mistake.» Lili tells her, helping her cling to my back. One by one, they all join in, anchoring themselves so they don’t get blown away. «Maximum effort!» I shout, shattering the chains.

The shackles binding Laila and Mommy vanish. I collapse, unable to move a muscle. «There. Now you’re free.» I pant. Both Laila and Mommy throw themselves onto me, hugging tight. «Ow! Careful!»

«Thank you…» they whisper, tears streaming as they bury their faces in my chest. “Heavy…”

«That was insane!» Vlahar cheers, fists raised to the sky.

«Why did you do it?» Akanke demands. «You could have died!»

«First of all, because it was the right thing to do. Second, now we can see each other whenever we want, without wasting wishes—as long as these two want to.»

«Søren!» Lili cries, throwing herself onto me.

«Everyone pile on Søren!» Vlahar shouts, hands cupped to his mouth.

«No! Stop!» I yell. But it’s too late—even Dakarai leaps onto me. “Ah… so this is how I die…” «OW!»

After a round of chaos, they finally climb off and help me to my feet. «Lili.»

«What is it?» I take her right hand and slip the ring gently onto her finger. «W-what are you doing?» she stammers, her cheeks burning.

«Even without the Haab-shu, if we want to talk, go out together, or if you need help, there won’t be any problem.» I turn to Mommy. «Would it be an issue for you to stay here with Lili in this world?»

«Not at all.» she replies with a tender smile.

I ruffle Nadia’s head vigorously. She grumbles at the annoyance. «And you thought you’d stay here after calling me dad?»

«Mh!» Slowly, she lifts her face to me. «S-so that means… I…»

«Yes. You’re coming to live with me. What kind of lousy father would I be if—» Before I can finish, she leaps into my arms, clinging to my neck. I wrap an arm around her to hold her up.

«What do you plan to do in your world?» Unicorn asks.

«I think I’ll enroll at university and study to become a teacher… I want to help kids in their times of need, to be the guide I never had, the one I longed for when I was lost.»

«A fine purpose, boy.» Thyra says, patting my head.

«Well then, I think it’s time. Laila, how about that vacation?» I ask, turning to her—only she’s no longer at my side.

«What are you waiting for? Move it! I want to taste kaisendon!» she shouts, half her body already inside a portal.

I head toward it, and just before stepping through, we turn back to the others, all waving. «See you soon!» I call.

«I’ll hold you to that!» Lili replies, her smile radiant. Without further delay, we pass through the portal.

We find ourselves once again seated in the little boat. «So, Søren, how do you plan to explain the child to your family?» Laila teases, smiling.

«I… don’t know.» I look at Nadia, perched happily across my lap, staring at me with joy. I smile back, slip a finger into her nose. She scrunches her face, pulls back, and sneezes. «We’ll find a way,» I say, turning to Laila and taking her hand. «Together.»

«Søren…» She gazes at me, eyes shining, cheeks flushed… «You wiped your finger on my hand, didn’t you?!»

«Yep!» I grin, tongue sticking out.

«Gross!» she squeals, tackling me.

«Stop! You’re rocking the boat! What are you doing with that spit-covered finger? No, NOOO!!!»