Chapter 378: Goodbye, Luna

The faint signal disappeared from Athena’s instrument just as she adjusted its outer ring.

She frowned and tried again.

A thin line of light flickered across the display before settling into a weak pulse. It was nowhere near the strength of the corruption they had faced beneath the World Tree, but it was unusual enough that Professor Scolding had insisted they investigate before leaving.

Arthur leaned over her shoulder. "Anything dangerous?"

"I don’t know yet," Athena replied. "The signal is too weak to identify. It could be a remnant of the damaged network, or it could be a natural fluctuation."

"Could it lead to another hidden chamber?" Arthur asked.

Vedas slowly turned toward him. "That was not the question she answered."

"It was an important follow-up."

"It was your actual question."

Mithra covered a smile with her hand while Melo leaned closer to inspect the instrument.

"Arthur has already started packing," Melo said. "Perhaps he wants to discover something before he has to stop exploring."

"I can do both."

"You say that every time."

Professor Roland cleared his throat before Arthur could defend himself. "We will check the immediate area, record whatever we can confirm, and leave anything requiring a proper expedition for another day. We are not extending our stay over an uncertain reading."

Arthur opened his mouth.

"No," Professor Scolding said.

"I haven’t said anything!"

"You were preparing to."

Sun folded his arms. "A wise decision. After everything we have accomplished, the region deserves a peaceful departure."

Kong, sitting on Sun’s shoulder, pointed toward the village.

"Food first?"

"Of course that is what you heard," Athy remarked.

The limited investigation took less time than Arthur had hoped. Athena traced the weak pulse to an area where the roots passed beneath a ridge. The readings remained faint and stable, with no sign of renewed corruption. They recorded the location, compared it with their existing notes, and marked it for future study.

Arthur crouched beside one of the exposed roots. Its surface carried a gentle golden glow, and the energy moving beneath its bark was steady.

"So we know the network is still active," he said. "But we don’t know what caused that signal."

"Correct," Athena replied, writing down the final measurement. "We have enough information to investigate it later, not enough to draw a conclusion now."

Arthur looked at the ridge one last time. Leaving an unexplained discovery behind was not his favorite thing to do, but he knew the difference between curiosity and a good reason to delay their departure.

"Fine. We’ll come back to it."

Vedas gave him a suspicious look. "You said that far too easily."

"I’m learning restraint."

"No one believes you," Mithra said.

Even Professor Roland laughed at that.

By the time the group returned to the village, their research records were secured, their equipment packed, and their departure preparations nearly complete.

Athena checked the expedition documents one final time. The five Mirrors, the World Tree’s restoration, the artificial corruption connected to Ronin, and the discoveries beneath the southern hot springs had all been recorded. She added the location of the faint signal and made sure the new notes were stored with the rest.

"We have documented what we observed," she said. "The remaining questions will need further investigation."

"And the village’s records?" Arthur asked.

"Copies have been made with permission. The originals remain here."

Luna smiled faintly. "Grandfather would have complained if you had tried to take them."

"I would have complained if anyone had tried," her grandfather called from the nearby doorway.

He stood with one hand resting against the frame. His face still showed the effects of his long ordeal, but he was stronger than he had been when they first found him. He had already begun helping the villagers organize the recovery work, though Luna kept reminding him that he was supposed to rest.

Arthur pointed at him. "See? I respect local customs."

"You respect them when they agree with you," Vedas said.

"That is an unfair interpretation."

"It is an accurate one," Athy added.

Their laughter carried into the courtyard, where the signs of recovery were impossible to miss.

Several villagers were repairing a damaged roof. Others had gathered timber and stone for rebuilding the homes that could not be saved. Near the records hall, two residents carefully sorted surviving books and documents, separating those that could be restored from those that had been damaged beyond repair.

A young villager struggled to lift a wooden beam into place. Before Arthur could offer help, another resident hurried over, and together they raised it onto the supports.

The first villager stepped back, examined their work, and grinned.

"It holds!"

"Then stop admiring it and bring me the next beam," the older resident replied.

Arthur watched them return to work.

The village was still damaged. There were empty spaces where buildings had once stood, and some streets remained blocked by broken stone. The World Tree could begin restoring the land, but it could not rebuild every home or recover every lost possession for them.

The villagers would have to do that themselves.

And they had already started.

"They’re doing well," Arthur said quietly.

Luna stood beside him. "They still have a lot to do."

"They do. But they aren’t waiting for someone else to do it for them."

Her grandfather approached them, leaning on his walking stick. "Your friend understands something important."

Arthur raised an eyebrow. "Only something?"

"Do not become greedy with praise, young man."

Melo laughed, while Sun looked personally offended that Arthur had received even that much.

Luna’s grandfather turned toward her. "They have helped us greatly. But this village belongs to its people. We will rebuild it, preserve our history, and decide what comes next."

Luna looked at the villagers again. For so long, she had feared that returning home would mean discovering that everything she remembered had vanished. The place had changed, and some losses could not be undone. Yet people were speaking, working, arguing, and making plans for tomorrow.

It was not the home she had left.

It was still her home.

"Thank you," her grandfather told Arthur. "You could have treated this place as another point on an expedition map. Instead, you helped Luna come back and gave us the chance to decide our own future."

Arthur scratched his cheek, suddenly less comfortable than he had been while arguing with the professors.

"We were never going to leave her to face this alone."

Luna’s grandfather nodded. "That is why I am grateful."

Vedas stood a short distance away, listening without interrupting. When the old man turned to thank him as well, Vedas straightened.

"I did what was necessary."

"And protected us when the situation became dangerous," Luna’s grandfather replied.

"That was necessary too."

Melo walked over and patted Vedas on the shoulder. "You know, for someone who has become a king, you are remarkably bad at accepting compliments."

Vedas looked at her. "Would you prefer that I give a speech?"

"Please don’t," Arthur said immediately.

"I was not planning to."

"Good. We have a departure to make."

Luna laughed, and the sound made her grandfather smile.

Soon, the group gathered near the path leading away from the village. Their supplies had been checked, the research records secured, and the professors had confirmed that the Everglades was stable enough for them to leave. The World Tree was recovering, though the region would need time before its damaged connections and surrounding land fully healed.

They could not remain indefinitely to supervise every repair. The professors and local residents had a plan for the work ahead, and the expedition had recorded the information needed for future investigations.

It was time to go.

Kong had apparently reached a different conclusion.

He sat on a packed bag with his arms folded, staring mournfully at the village kitchen.

"Are you sure we have to leave today?"

"Yes," Athy answered.

"But they said they might make more food."

"That is not a reason to extend an expedition."

Kong looked toward Sun for support.

Sun placed a hand over his chest. "I understand your sorrow, little warrior. The villagers have shown proper appreciation for our contributions. I, too, shall miss their admiration."

Mithra tilted her head. "You mean the villagers who laughed when you tried to carry three cooking pots at once?"

"They were laughing because they were impressed."

"They were laughing because you dropped one."

"It was a tactical sacrifice!"

Melo bent forward, laughing. Even Luna’s grandfather shook his head with amusement.

Athy glanced at her notes. "For the record, neither of you contributed anything to the expedition report about cooking pots."

Kong stared at her in betrayal.

"Not even the good soup?"

"No."

"Cruel."

Arthur crouched and offered him a hand. "Come on. There will be other kitchens."

Kong considered this carefully before climbing onto Arthur’s shoulder. "You promise?"

"I promise there will be food."

"Good. I will remember that."

"You remember everything involving food," Vedas observed.

"Because food is important."

"On that point, he is correct," Sun declared.

"Do not encourage him," Mithra said.

The jokes eased the tension, but as the group began moving, Luna’s expression grew quieter. She walked beside Arthur for a while, looking back toward the village every few steps.

Eventually, her grandfather stopped near the path and called her over.

Luna turned to him. "Grandfather?"

He reached into his coat and brought out a small cloth-wrapped bundle. Inside was a simple wooden token, worn smooth at the edges. It was not valuable, and it carried no mysterious power. It was a keepsake from her childhood, one of the few things he had managed to preserve.

"I thought you might want this," he said.

Luna held it carefully. Her fingers traced the familiar marks in the wood.

"You kept it?"

"Of course. You were very upset when you thought you had lost it."

"I was little."

"You were stubborn."

Arthur glanced at Vedas. "Some things never change."

"Are you trying to start something?" Luna asked, narrowing her eyes.

"Not at all."

Her grandfather smiled at their exchange. "Take it with you. You have more places to see, and I want you to have something that reminds you where you began."

Luna closed her hand around the token. "I’ll come back."

"I know."

"And I’ll tell you everything about the Academy. The people I meet, the places we explore, and all the things Arthur inevitably gets us involved in."

"Why am I part of this?" Arthur asked.

"Because you are usually the reason we end up somewhere unexpected."

"That is not always true."

Mithra walked past him. "It is often true."

Arthur looked to Vedas for support.

Vedas offered none.

Luna’s grandfather chuckled, then placed a hand on her shoulder. "Do not feel that you must choose between protecting this home and exploring the world. You can do both. You can return when you wish, and you can carry your home with you while you are away."

Luna’s eyes softened. She had spent so long thinking of home as something she had lost that she had forgotten it could also be something she continued to build.

"I understand," she whispered.

She hugged him carefully, mindful of his recovery. He returned the embrace, holding her for a moment longer before letting her go.

Then Luna turned toward Arthur and the others.

"Thank you," she said. "For helping me come here. For staying when things became difficult. And for giving me the chance to see everyone again."

Eden stepped forward first. She looked tired but smiled warmly, keeping her movements gentle after the strain of using Future Manifestation.

"I’m glad we could help," she said. "But you have to promise to take care of yourself too. You cannot spend all your time looking after everyone else."

Luna laughed softly. "I could say the same to you."

Eden paused, then glanced toward Arthur.

Arthur immediately raised both hands. "Do not look at me. I have been encouraging rest."

"You have been encouraging rest while asking when we can investigate the next mystery," Vedas said.

"That is a separate matter."

Athena approached Luna next. "I will keep comparing the village records with the markings we found beneath the hot springs. If we discover a connection worth pursuing, I will make sure you receive a copy."

"Thank you. I want to understand more about what my grandfather found."

"And you should," Athena replied. "Your memories helped us recognize details that our instruments could not explain."

Luna turned to Vedas. "You protected us more times than I can count. I know you don’t like hearing it, but I’m grateful."

Vedas shifted his weight. "You were part of the group. Protecting you was no different from protecting anyone else."

"That still means something," Luna said.

For once, Vedas did not immediately answer.

Melo leaned toward him. "Careful. If you keep accepting compliments like that, people might start thinking you have feelings."

"I will make sure to correct that misunderstanding."

"Too late," Sun announced. "I have witnessed the entire exchange."

Mithra rolled her eyes. "Can we leave before Sun begins recording a heroic account of himself?"

"I would never exaggerate my accomplishments."

Kong looked up at him.

Sun cleared his throat. "Not deliberately."

Their laughter followed them down the path.

At the edge of the departure route, Luna walked with Arthur for a few final steps. The others had moved ahead, giving them a little space without making an obvious show of it.

"Arthur," she said, "will you visit again?"

He looked back toward the village. Smoke rose from a cooking fire, and the sound of hammers carried through the trees. It was a small sight, but it felt more hopeful than any grand promise.

"We will," he answered. "I can’t tell you exactly when. We have the Academy, our training, and whatever expedition comes next. But when we have the chance, we’ll return."

Luna smiled. "Then I’ll make sure there’s something worth showing you when you come back."

"You don’t need to build something impressive just for us. We’ll come back to see how you’re doing."

"I know." She tucked the wooden token safely away. "But I still want to show you what we’ve accomplished."

"Then I look forward to seeing it."

She stepped back, and for a moment neither of them seemed to know what else to say. Then Luna raised her hand.

"Take care of yourself, Arthur."

"You too, Luna."

He rejoined the others, and the group continued toward their departure point.

Luna remained beside her grandfather, waving as they moved farther away. Her smile trembled once, but she did not chase after them or look as though she were losing her home again. Her grandfather stood beside her, and behind them the village continued its work.

Arthur turned for one last look and raised his hand in return.

Then the path curved, and the village disappeared behind the trees.

For a little while, nobody spoke.

Kong broke the silence first. "Do you think the Academy has good food?"

Arthur grinned. "Now that is an important question."

Vedas sighed. "We have barely left, and you are already thinking about the next thing."

"Of course. We have reports to submit, discoveries to organize, training to resume, and a whole Academy waiting for us."

"Exactly," Vedas said. "Which is why I am concerned."

Arthur looked at him innocently. "Why?"

"Because whenever you say you are looking forward to returning somewhere, trouble usually follows."

Arthur laughed and faced the road ahead.

"Then we’d better get back before it has time to prepare."

Vedas stared at him for a moment, then followed with the weary expression of someone who already regretted the journey home.

Behind them, the Everglades continued to heal.

Ahead waited the Academy—and, judging by Vedas’s expression, another headache.