Prologue

A flock of migrating dragons welcomed in the morning.

A pack of twenty, roaring and gliding in the early winds of the day flew high above us.

It was a sight I’d seen many times since coming to this world, but I still smiled at them nonetheless.

I hope that no matter how many years go by, I’ll never get tired of seeing them pass over the mountains, or of the crisp, refreshing air of the village, or the gentle, calming breeze that drifted down from the valleys surrounding us.

My name is Haruki Yamamoto, a former student from Japan turned retired hero and saviour of the world of Lys.

Five years have passed since I was first summoned here - I maxed out my level, got all of the skills I wanted and lived the life I’d always dreamed about while at school.

“Sweetie!”

I turned around and saw my beautiful wife behind me, a child clinging to her skirt and another resting in her arms asleep.

“Could you take care of the kids while I get dinner ready?”

I smiled, walked over and kissed her lips, before taking our son from her arms. “Of course. Sure you don’t need me to help?”

She shook her head. “I still remember the last time you ‘helped’, and I don’t want to experience that again.”

“Daddy, pick me up!” My cute daughter Yelena demanded while holding her arms up to me.

I happily scooped her up, carrying her brother, George, in one arm and her in the other. She wrapped her tiny little arms around my neck and pressed her cheek to mine.

My wife gave Yelena and George a quick peck on the cheek before returning to the kitchen.

Her name is Alexandria Whiteheart, the former crown princess and saint of the Holy Kingdom of Tythe.

Together, we were the two heroes who defeated the Demon Lord and saved the world.

However, this isn’t the story of our long, perilous journey.

This is the story about what came after - the longest, and most perilous, journey of them all: the story of the rest of our lives, retired, peaceful and far away from the troubles of the world.