This year’s birthday was on a Friday.
Since the bakery only closed once a week, on Wednesdays, I had to work on Friday.
And the next week would be the last week of October. On my day off that week, I would go volunteer with my older sister.
Naturally, the day my coworkers and I would spend together fell on the Wednesday of my birthday week.
In truth, I was a little worried.
During my childhood, I didn’t wander around Seoul much. I couldn’t afford to go to theme parks or aquariums. My sister and I were usually satisfied with just strolling through famous streets.
However, speaking of my coworkers who had spent only a month here, I could confidently say that I was way more familiar with Seoul.
Putting aside Seoul, it felt like I was a foreigner who had just crossed over to this world. It made me wonder if it was wise to leave the choice of destination to those coworkers.
Of course, I only contemplated this, and it didn’t actually take away my chance to escape.
After all, they had chosen it after thorough consideration; and it was all for the sake of genuinely wanting to celebrate my birthday.
But if I just said, “I don’t think that’s a good idea,” then it would invalidate the reason they picked my birthday gift.
So, even if it turned out to be slightly odd or if the route got tangled, I planned to follow my coworkers quietly.
“Ah, as for the schedule, it’s already set.”
I wasn’t sure if they knew my thoughts, but Dana, who played the most crucial role in this plan, said that.
“I’ve chosen something that’ll definitely be fun, so you don’t have to worry!”
Hahaha! Seeing her add a confident laugh made me a bit more anxious.
*
And indeed, my worries were completely unnecessary.
“An amusement park?”
In the morning, when I asked where we were headed, the answer was a famous indoor amusement park within Seoul.
Moreover, it was so close to the house we were staying in that getting up early wasn’t a hassle at all.
Dana had already researched that if we arrived right at opening time, we would face a long wait due to the crowd.
Looking back, Dana was far more clever than I was.
She had already taken several bus and subway rides and seemed to have a rough idea of how long it took to move a single stop.
Well, they were the ones who had diligently explored various places in Seoul while I was out of the house.
One could argue they had been traveling in Seoul for the past month.
…And generally, tourists often know the geography of a place better than the locals. The scenery we hardly paid attention to during our daily commute could appear much more beautiful to someone visiting leisurely.
“Do you dislike the amusement park?”
Dana asked me as I stood there with my mouth agape.
Um, well… I probably liked it.
It wasn’t that I had never been to an amusement park in my life. One time, our school took a bus trip there together. Though, it wasn’t just once.
And I had fun every time. In fact, it wasn’t so much about the amusement park being enjoyable but rather the feeling of being out of the repetitive routine with friends that I loved.
As for rides… I wasn’t good at them. I found some rides a bit scary. When some of my friends went up for a ride, I would often just wait with the others below.
I wondered how it would be now?
“No, I like it.”
At my response, all four of them smiled.
While Pia was watching the conversation from the side, she suddenly grabbed my hand.
“Then, this way!”
The other three matched their pace with us.
…That scene felt a bit awkward.
For the past five years, I had been in battlefields where my life was constantly at risk.
“The harvest festival of the Duchy of Leushvia is magnificent. No matter how chaotic the war is, there would still be a small festival at this time. Even in the worst situation, we must preserve the precious cycle of life,” Kalia had said while gazing at the nighttime sky from the battlefield.
“I want to invite you over after we deal with the Demon King.”
She always seemed strong, but seeing the brightest and most beautiful moon made her reminiscent of home.
“During the New Year’s festival in the royal capital, everyone gathers in front of the church square. Everyone holds little shining blue mana stones in their hands. The sea of light was so beautiful… after the war ends, we must go see it together.”
“In the past, we would have created magnificent fireworks displays using the mana stones. Thanks to the war, most of the mana stones are only used as materials on the battlefield. After the war ends, I’ll show you magnificent fireworks made from mana stones. They will probably be as splendid as those you saw in your world.”
“The World Tree in the capital city of Sirlil bears small fruits with seeds from the World Tree inside. It’s quite rare, so not just anyone can taste it… but Hero, they would likely gladly offer it to you. It’s not only delicious but also very healthy.”
All of them were thinking of their hometowns throughout the war.
Once the war concludes, we shall be together.
That promise would probably be difficult to keep, even if I didn’t die.
After defeating the Demon King, I would likely wish to return to this world, and if so, I would have to part ways with my teammates.
…No, that might not be the case.
Perhaps, even after enjoying everything in that world, I could still return to this one. Just like how my teammates were by my side now.
When all of them made promises to me, I hadn’t actually promised anything back.
I thought I wouldn’t be able to show them the world I lived in.
“…Wow.”
The amusement park was more dazzling than I remembered.
Well, it’s only natural. It had been five years since I crossed over to the other side.
Not just the amusement park but indeed the world had changed in many ways.
“Truly splendid. Every time I go somewhere in this world, it’s like being amazed.”
Kalia expressed her honesty.
“Really? Do you think the kingdom could one day grow this much?”
“Someday, for sure. Once I finish my research, I’ll be able to deal with the Demon King quickly if he rises again.”
“…”
As each of us expressed our thoughts, only Arna remained silent.
“Arna?”
Pia asked, turning to the quiet Arna.
“Huh? Oh, I’m sorry,” came Arna’s voice, masked over her mouth and nose, which made it hard to read her expression. Still, I could tell from her eyes that she genuinely felt sorry.
“Apparently, I’ve realized once again that I prefer slightly quieter places over crowded ones.”
Well, I was glad she spoke so honestly.
“I wanted to see the elf capital at least once.”
When I said I regretted it, Arna’s eyes widened slightly, then she smiled gently.
“There’s no need to worry about that.”
Although her mouth was covered by the mask, I could definitely sense she was smiling.
“The elves will definitely welcome your presence. In fact, they might be eagerly waiting for your visit.”
“…Really?”
“Don’t worry about appearances.”
Arna stepped up and placed a hand on my shoulder.
“I’ll ensure that you get the gratitude you deserve, without fail.”
“Uh, ah, yeah…”
I felt a bit flustered as Arna suddenly said that seriously.
It was just casual banter.
Besides, I couldn’t know if I could ever go back to Irrelaysia. They had crossed over with the Goddess’s request, so they would find a way to return, but I couldn’t be sure how it would be for me, reborn in this world.
“Hey, why are we talking so seriously on a day like today?”
Pia chimed in, lightly tapping both our shoulders.
“…Right, today has been a good day. Sorry about that.”
As Arna lowered her hands from my shoulders, she said.
“Let’s set serious topics aside for today and just chase the joy in front of us!”
“That doesn’t sound like something a clergyman should say.”
But despite saying that, there was laughter woven in Arna’s voice.
Pia slipped between us and linked her arm through Arna’s.
“By the way, is it really okay for a clergyman to show that much skin? Those pants seem way too short compared to the church robe.”
Kalia pointed out while looking at Pia.
“…Are you just realizing this now?”
“No, but I think it looks cold.”
Dana, standing by, chimed in.
“To wear pretty clothes, one must endure a little pain.”
“…Who’d you hear that from?”
Dana asked, a bit flustered at Pia’s comment.
Well, whatever.
Pia must have been holding her own frustrations too.
As I was swept along by Pia’s whim, I couldn’t help but laugh.
Not just me, my teammates were all laughing too.
I was certain of it.
Today would truly be a day to remember.