Finally, I can Retire, Or so I Thought

After hauling out and stashing away Sheila’s tent, Dion took a look around his surroundings. He was genuinely impressed, Sheila hadn’t just been squatting in his house; aside from the eyesore of a tent, the interior was remarkably neat and clean. Moving from the grand lobby into the main living room, he found all the furniture still intact, pristine, and dust-free. Heading into the dining hall, he discovered the exact same thing.

He then toured the rest of the estate: the kitchen, his father’s study, and his parents’ old master bedroom, which remained completely untouched. Finally, he stepped into his own spacious bedroom, complete with his original bed and furnishings. However, inspecting the mattress closely, he spotted a few stray strands of crimson hair resting on the sheets and the spot still felt faintly warm.

It was painfully obvious that Sheila had been sleeping in his bed despite setting up a tent downstairs. Dion turned around to look at Sheila behind him, who was blatantly pretending to admire the scenery with both hands tucked behind her head.

Luna and Mei merely giggled at the expression on Dion’s face. Luna casually set Gina, who was fast asleep, down on Dion’s mattress, while Mei sat beside the little dragon, gently stroking her belly.

Sigh... Dion let out a long breath. Seeing his room back in top shape, he scratched the back of his head and threw Sheila one more look.

”Thanks, Sheila. For looking after my place,” Dion said.

”It wasn’t just me. The villagers helped me clean up too, I couldn’t have managed a massive mansion like this all by myself,” Sheila replied frankly.

”I get it. Well then... since there are plenty of guest rooms here, go ahead and pick whichever ones you want. Just stay out of my parents’ room at the end of the hall,” Dion instructed.

”Awesome! Thanks, Dion!” Luna yelled, tackling Dion onto the bed so hard that both of them tumbled onto the mattress.

”Thank you, Dion,” Mei added, still sitting beside the sleeping Gina.

”Um... can’t I just keep using the tent?” Sheila asked.

”No! Absolutely not! Show a little civilization, will you?” Dion shot back, currently being pinned down by Luna on the mattress.

”Hey! I am civilized! Don’t talk about me like I’m some wild savage who doesn’t know rules and manners!” Sheila shouted in protest.

”Hey... Luna... get off,” Dion grunted, trying to wriggle out from under her.

”Hold on... this bed is so soft, I’m sleepy,” Luna murmured casually.

”Fine, go to sleep! Just don’t do it on top of me!” Dion snapped back, trying to shove her off, though he couldn’t budge her.

Sheila and Mei burst out laughing at the two of them. Once the chaos settled down, Dion gathered the three girls in the living room for a serious talk, leaving Gina to rest in his bedroom.

Once everyone settled into their seats,

”So, why did you flee your kingdom, Sheila?” Dion asked.

Luna and Mei turned their attention to Sheila, clearly eager to know why she had run away from her homeland. Sheila lowered her gaze, her expression suddenly turning grim.

”My father, King Bord Stormwolf, passed away... and I was framed for his murder a year and a half ago,” Sheila answered.

A suffocating silence immediately fell over the room. Dion looked instantly remorseful for asking, while Luna and Mei stared at Sheila in total shock. Sheila then looked up at Dion.

”You remember what happened at the academy right before we graduated, Dion?” Sheila asked.

Dion paused to think. He remembered that incident at the academy vividly. Leaning forward with his hands clasped in front of him, he looked at Sheila.

”You mean... that issue with your adoptive younger brother again?” Dion asked.

”Adoptive younger brother?” Luna asked, confused.

”My father married a woman who already had a son back then. His name is Gred, my adoptive brother, even though he’s the exact same age as us,” Sheila explained to Luna.

”Right... I remember now. Back at the academy, he was constantly pressing you about who would inherit the throne, wasn’t he?” Mei recalled.

”Exactly. Back then, he went as far as framing me for poisoning my father, even though my dad was genuinely sick at the time. Luckily, Dion managed to prove my innocence,” Sheila replied.

”Yeah... you came with me, Rene, and one of our underclassmen to Minatheras back then because we were trying to help his parents, who were falsely accused of running an illegal slave trade,” Dion added.

”Oh, right! I remember that incident! I didn’t come along because I had to visit the cathedral in the capital before graduation,” Luna said, piecing it together.

”And I had returned to my kingdom for my Shadow Hand induction, but I heard the story from Sheila later,” Mei chipped in.

”That’s how it went down. A year ago, my dad passed away before I could return home. A month later, when I finally made it back, Gred was already sitting on the throne, and my life turned into a living hell. To keep me from causing trouble, my stepmother took it upon herself to arrange a forced marriage for me. That’s why I ran. On my way out, I happened to wipe out an illegal slave trading ring in the kingdom and brought all the freed slaves here,” Sheila explained.

”I see...” Dion muttered softly.

”Don’t worry, I have no intention of trying to reclaim the throne,” Sheila added.

Mei stared at her friend with a furrowed brow, but opted to keep her thoughts to herself, simply crossing her arms over her chest. Luna glanced over at Dion beside her.

”What do you think, Dion?” Luna asked.

Dion went quiet. He felt like anything he said wouldn’t change the reality that Sheila had already been living here for a year, and he certainly wasn’t going to drag freed slaves back into bondage. He turned to Sheila.

”Well... as long as your kingdom doesn’t bother us or come hunting for you, I don’t mind you staying here. Honestly, I’m just glad my domain won’t be a ghost town anymore,” Dion said casually.

”Yeah... thanks, Dion,” Sheila replied with a soft smile.

”Just... please, no more setting up camp in the mansion lobby,” Dion added.

”Hahaha! Fine, fine! I’ll stick to a bedroom,” Sheila laughed. Her face then turned serious again as she turned the question back on them. ”But what about you guys? Weren’t you, Luna, and Rene supposed to be working as a party? And why is Mei—an agent of Eredor’s Shadow Hand, tagging along?”

This time, Dion, Luna, and Mei took turns filling Sheila in on everything that had transpired. Sheila listened intently with her arms crossed, her calm expression gradually darkening into a scowl.

”So Rene actually had the nerve to kick you out of the party, Dion?” Sheila asked, her voice tight with anger.

”Pretty much, haha,” Dion replied casually.

”Just because he’s a Sword Saint?! What an idiot! He could never even beat me in a duel, annoying prick,” Sheila grumbled, thoroughly irritated.

”Forget it... it’s in the past,” Dion said easily.

”Right! Besides, he’s all on his own in Minatheras now anyway. Serves him right,” Luna added, still holding a grudge.

”And you killed Prince Yugo, so now you’re a wanted fugitive?” Sheila asked Mei.

”Hmm... more or less,” Mei answered deadpan.

”Man, a lot of crazy stuff happened after we graduated,” Sheila muttered.

”If I remember correctly, your class is Lord Berserker, right Sheila? SS-rank too?” Luna asked.

”Yep! Wow, you finally remembered!” Sheila replied.

”Yeah... I remember now! Sorry for forgetting earlier, like I said, there are tons of barbarians in Minatheras, and you guys all look pretty similar,” Luna explained again with a grin.

”Oh please! If you forgot, just admit it instead of making up excuses!” Sheila replied with an annoyed smirk.

”Hehe... my bad,” Luna teased back.

”Alright, that’s enough... Sheila, welcome to my domain. Even if I’m a year late saying it,” Dion said, extending his hand.

”Thanks, Dion. I’ll work hard to help build our domain up,” Sheila said, giving his hand a firm shake.

”There she goes with ’our domain’ again...” Dion thought to himself with a chuckle.

***

Later that night, following a grand feast of roasted tusk boar meat and ale shared with the new villagers, Dion lay flat on his back in his bedroom. His eyes were wide open, staring up at the ceiling.

Snore... snore...

Soft snoring echoed right beside him from all sides.

”I could’ve sworn I told all of them to pick their own rooms this afternoon... why on earth are they all sleeping in here?!” Dion thought to himself, completely unable to move a muscle.

As it turned out, Mei was sleeping soundly, hugging his left arm under the pretext of ”I belong to you,” Sheila was fast asleep hugging his right arm out of gratitude, and Luna was sleeping flat on top of his torso under the excuse of ”you just got fired, so I’m going to keep you company.”

Every single one of them was completely wasted from all the partying. Meanwhile, Gina was sleeping like a log on the pillow right above Dion’s head.