Chapter 437: Going back

The house needed a renovation. Or rather, almost everything needed to be installed before everyone could start living here the very next day.

He would have preferred to install his traps and security measures in the previous house, since he naturally wanted to ensure Gustav, Lex, and Dalia were protected as well. However, the place simply didn’t have enough room to accommodate everyone once Roxanne and Thea moved in.

He would either have to invite them to live here or offer them shelter whenever an emergency arose.

But those concerns could wait.

He was currently in the dining hall, purchasing a few more necessities. He added a fruit basket to the list, though he left it empty for now, along with some simple curtains that would be enough to block out the sunlight and a measuring tape.

The measuring tape was particularly important, as he intended to determine the length of the wooden log needed to barricade the door horizontally.

Inside the rooms, he had arranged mattresses, pillows, quilts, wardrobes, new clothes, food supplies, hearths, a water pitcher, hand fans, and several other items necessary for daily life.

Luke had tried to be thorough with his purchases, but he knew they wouldn’t be enough. He would need Ginna or Monica’s help to ensure nothing important was overlooked.

"But well, this is enough for now."

He exhaled a sigh as he stood in the main hall, surveying his surroundings. For the first time, the place was beginning to feel like a proper home.

[Host, you can now dive into the dungeon.]

Luke hummed, a faint smile curving his lips.

It was already afternoon, and all his mates were asleep. Rather than waste his time, he decided to put it to good use.

"Then let’s get going."

The moment he gave the command, his vision shifted. The familiar sensation of being pulled across a great distance washed over him, though it was far less uncomfortable than it had been the first time.

Once again, he found himself in the forest, surrounded by familiar greenery and the sounds of nature. However, one thing immediately caught his attention.

"No resting zone this time?"

Previously, the System had always provided him with a window to prepare for the dungeon while standing inside the protective barrier. This time, however, he had been deposited directly into the open forest.

[Host has cleared the floor. There is no current quest requiring the host’s attention. Furthermore, the host can now teleport to safety whenever desired.]

Luke hummed in understanding.

He was already familiar with the feature in theory, but he wanted to test it for himself.

"How do I use the teleportation?"

[The host merely needs to think of the desired destination and activate the skill.]

Luke had several places he wanted to visit, but there was one in particular that had prompted him to dive into the dungeon in the first place.

Before heading there, however, he decided to check another location.

"Let’s see..."

He closed his eyes, his lips stretching into a small smile. A moment later, his body shifted, and he experienced something similar to diving into the dungeon, albeit for a much shorter duration.

"Hmm?"

When he opened his eyes, he realized he had already reached his destination.

The entrance to the human tribe.

The last time he had visited, nobody had been guarding the entrance, though plenty of noise had come from within. Things were different now.

Two men stood at the entrance, weapons in hand, keeping a watchful eye on their surroundings.

Naturally, they noticed him as well.

One of them stepped forward, gripping his weapon more firmly.

"Who are you?"

Luke hummed casually.

"I came to meet Grella. I’m her... savior?"

The man narrowed his eyes suspiciously.

"You take me for a fool? Tell me, who..."

Luke rolled his eyes and teleported away.

"Whoa."

This time, he had kept his eyes open, so the sudden change in scenery caught him off guard.

He was now standing inside the very tent where Grella had brought him to share a meal during his previous visit.

The interior was dark, much as he remembered, but he could hear voices coming from the other side of the curtain.

He activated his Vanishing Cloak before approaching the curtain. Carefully peeking past it, he found Grella and several other women gathered around a cooking area, preparing food.

"Are you sure, Lady Chief?" one of the women asked.

"Yes. This will help," the curly-haired woman replied with a nod. "Just keep it steady."

She appeared to be instructing the woman on how to cook whatever was inside the pot.

Luke slowly approached her and gently rested a hand on her shoulder.

Grella froze. Before she could let out a shout, however, Luke leaned closer and whispered, "It’s me, Luke. Don’t shout. Come to the back of the hut."

With that, he released her shoulder and quietly backed away.

...

Grella remained rooted to the spot for several moments, glancing around as she tried to determine whether she had really heard that voice or if her mind was playing tricks on her.

None of the other women seemed to have noticed anything unusual. In fact, she hadn’t even seen Luke herself. Yet that voice...

There was no doubt about it. She had heard him.

"What happened, Lady Chief?" one of the women asked with concern, noticing her unusual silence.

Grella had no idea whether her mind was playing tricks on her, but surely she couldn’t have imagined something so vivid with her eyes wide open.

"Nothing. Continue your work. I’ll be back in a moment."

Without waiting for a response, she hurried away from the women and stepped outside the hut.

The familiar bustle of the tribe greeted her, but her eyes were searching for something else.

Someone else.

She made her way to the back of the hut, but her steps nearly faltered the moment she saw him.

Standing beneath the shed was the familiar man she had believed she would never see again.

Countless emotions surged through her mind, overwhelming her all at once. The tears she had held back for so long finally spilled from her eyes, tracing warm trails down her cheeks.

...

Luke sighed at the sight of her and stepped forward.

The moment he touched her, Grella nearly collapsed into his arms. She clutched his vest with her small fists, as though afraid he might disappear again if she let go.

"Why... why did you never come back?"

Luke offered her a faint smile and gently caressed her back.

"I thought the stories I left behind would be enough to reassure you."

Grella flinched and lifted her head to look at him.

"That beastman... the one who brought the message... s-so, it really was you after all?"

Luke shrugged casually.

"Do you know any other man crazy enough to climb that wall and fight a dragon?"

A chuckle escaped her through her tears. She shook her head, unable to argue with him.

"I knew it... My heart told me it was you. But I couldn’t say anything in front of the others. They wouldn’t have believed me."

Luke snickered.

"Who cares what they believe? I promised you I’d do whatever I could to help. And, well, everything turned out fine in the end."

Grella gazed at him with warmth in her eyes, her expression filled with gratitude that words could hardly convey.

"You... Just saying thank you wouldn’t be enough for everything you’ve done for us. We were on the brink of extinction, and you saved us."

Luke sighed inwardly.

Well, the System had practically forced his hand. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have dared risk so much in the first place. And without the System’s assistance, he wouldn’t have received nearly enough support to fight his way through those dangers.

Still, there was no point in explaining all that to her.

Instead, Luke slipped an arm around her slender waist and gently pulled her closer.

"Forget about thanking me. Just give me my reward."

Grella offered him a faint smile before leaning closer.

Their lips met naturally, as though two wandering souls had finally found their way back to each other. The kiss deepened, their tongues meeting in a tender dance that spoke of all the emotions they had struggled to put into words.

Luke’s hand soon began to wander, tracing her curves as he drew her closer. Grella let out a soft moan against his lips, rising onto her toes as she wrapped herself around him, reluctant to leave even the slightest distance between them.

All the pent-up emotions, the countless questions, and the lingering doubts that had plagued her for so long began to fade. Now that they had finally reunited, kissing him like this was all the reassurance she needed. He was here, he was real, and he was safe.

For a little while, nothing else mattered.

Their reunion was about to turn into something considerably more intimate when a sudden voice shattered the moment.

"Grella?!"

Both of them flinched at the voice.

When Grella turned, all the color from her face vanished.

It was her mate.