Finally, I can Retire, Or so I Thought

After passing through the main gates, Dion and Luna strolled across the open plain. Dion stripped off his assassin attire, shedding the dark armor and cloak until he wore only ordinary commoner clothes, a plain white tunic and black trousers. He glanced over at Luna walking beside him, her beautiful face glowing with carefree delight and a bright, uninhibited smile.

”Great... so it’s just gonna be the two of us living together in my territory,” Dion realized.

His mind began to paint a picture of their life together. He envisioned them co-managing the village, farming the fields, washing the cattle side by side, and sitting together on the back porch to soak in the tranquil evening view. Then came the village wedding with all the locals cheering them on. A faint smile crept onto Dion’s face.

”Not bad, honestly,” he thought.

But then his imagination pushed further, to having kids and something deep inside his mind suddenly snapped back to life.

***

Click.

A tired, worn-out office worker around forty-five years old unlocked the door to his tiny, minimalist apartment.

”I’m home... Haha... Of course no one’s gonna answer.”

He let out a long sigh, kicked his shoes off haphazardly, and tossed his keys onto the dining table. Slumping toward the couch, he dropped his briefcase and stretched his aching body. But before his hips could hit the cushions,

Ring!

He glanced at his phone screen. His jaw instantly clenched as his mood plummeted. His ex-wife’s name was flashing on the display. He picked up.

”Marcus, you haven’t sent this month’s child support,” his ex demanded without even a greeting.

”Good evening to you too,” Marcus muttered.

”Don’t ’good evening’ me,” she snapped back.

Marcus drew a deep breath and let it out slowly, looking around his empty apartment before giving her a straight answer.

”Yeah... My paycheck got held up because of an unfinished project. I’ll transfer it next week.”

A few seconds of silence hung over the line, filled only by the background noise of children playing. Then his ex sighed heavily.

”Fine... Just don’t be late. Your three kids need new clothes and school fees, and I can’t keep asking my current husband for help. Got it?”

Before Marcus could even reply, she hung up. He let out another tired sigh, his face suddenly aging five years. He turned back toward the cozy couch, but just as his rear hovered an inch above the cushion,

Ring!

The phone buzzed again. He glanced at the caller ID, and his throat tightened. It was his boss. Sighing, he stood back up and answered.

”Hello, Mr. Ronald.”

”Marcus, get back to the office right now. The server crashed again and the firewall is failing. We can’t rely on the interns or juniors for this. I expect you here in thirty minutes. Don’t be late, I promise I’ll approve your overtime pay on time. See you.”

The line went dead before Marcus could say a single word. He stared blankly at his phone, a storm of frustration brewing inside him. He looked over at his soft, inviting couch with heavy bags under his half-lidded eyes. The sofa seemed to be calling out to him, begging him to rest. But in the end, he turned away, walked back to the door, and grabbed his car keys off the table.

”How much longer do I have to live like this?” he thought.

As his fingers wrapped around the keys.

Thump-thump!

A sudden, sharp pain clutched at Marcus’s chest. His hands flew to his sternum, dropping the keys back onto the table with a metallic clatter. He stumbled, leaning heavily against the dining table to support himself, but then,

Thump... thump... thump...!

He collapsed to the floor, clutching his heart. His jaw locked up and his vision blurred into darkness. His head felt impossibly heavy, his senses fading fast. Yet, a faint smile formed on his lips as he slowly let his eyes close.

”Finally... I can rest... I just wanted a simple life on the outskirts of town... running a small farm... living alongside cows, pigs, and horses... no work... no responsibilities... no people... Guess I never got to see it happen... Haha... Goodbye, world,” Marcus reflected in his heart before everything faded into complete darkness.

***

Back in the present moment,

”Whoa!” Dion shrieked out loud, instantly snapping out of the memory.

Luna turned to him, her face filled with deep concern. She immediately stepped closer and reached out to touch his arm, but Dion recoiled violently, pulling away from her touch. This only made her worry more.

”Are you okay, Dion?” Luna asked anxiously.

Dion turned to look at her, his eyes wide. Across her lovely face, all he could visualize were giant floating words reading ”CHILD SUPPORT” and ”WORK... WORK... WORK...”

His face froze for two or three awkward seconds before he shook his head vigorously, trying his best to regain his composure.

”I... I’m fine. Sorry about that,” Dion stammered.

”What were you thinking about? It’s just me, Luna... your childhood friend and your partner forever,” she said gently, wrapping her arms around his elbow.

Hearing those words, Dion stared at her with a look of sheer dread. To him, her sweet reassurance felt like a terrifying threat. Carefully, he unclasped her hands from his arm and forced a strained, awkward smile.

”I’m totally fine... really,” Dion said with a awkward chuckle.

”Okay... if you say so,” Luna murmured softly.

She pulled back and looked down, her sweet smile dissolving into a disappointed pout. Seeing her instant shift in mood, Dion felt a wave of guilt. He rubbed the back of his neck and stepped closer to her again.

”Sorry... I just remembered a terrible nightmare... But hey, let me ask you, why did you come with me? Wasn’t your dream to become an S-rank adventurer?” Dion asked, quickly changing the subject.

”Hmph! What’s the point of being an S-rank adventurer if I’m not with you? Besides, becoming an S-rank adventurer was yours and Rene’s dream since we were kids, not mine,” Luna replied in a calm, matter-of-fact tone.

”Still... you hold the Holy Saint class, and Rene got Sword Saint... while mine is completely vague,” Dion said, casting his eyes downward.

Hearing this, Luna spun toward him so fast her hair whipped through the air. She reached up, cupped Dion’s cheeks with both hands, and smiled warmly.

”But you’re way stronger than Rene, aren’t you? Remember back when we returned to the monastery after receiving our blessings at the royal cathedral?” Luna asked with a knowing smile.

”Um... yeah, I remember,” Dion replied.

”I knew right then that you were the one who took down the Inferno Grizzly,” Luna declared.

Dion’s expression turned serious. He remembered that incident crystal clear, it was the exact moment his true power first awakened.

”Are you sure that was me? You know I lose every single sword duel I take,” Dion feigned ignorance.

”Yep! That’s only because you were holding back... I also know you’re the one who secretly slays all those S-rank monsters... especially the Earth Dragon, that quest Rene stupidly accepted without thinking,” Luna asserted confidently.

Dion went silent, thinking hard. It was true, he was the one who had slain the Earth Dragon and dragged its head back to camp. But he had only done it because he wanted to finish the quest quickly so he could go home and rest. He glanced at Luna, who looked thoroughly convinced of her choices and was back to her usual cheerful self.

”Sigh... She clearly doesn’t know the full story, but she’s totally convinced I’m some kind of legendary powerhouse... She’s partially right, but mostly wrong,” Dion mused in his head, rubbing his face as he reorganized his memories.

His mind drifted back ten years ago, to the time when he, Luna, and Rene received their divine blessings at the Kingdom of Thetor, right before he was sent to live in a specialized monastery alongside the other chosen children.