Though it had taken more than three months to get from Arldat to the Cristallo Sacro in Maynard, it only took us a month and a half to get back from there. At the end of the month of Fructidor, as the rays of the sun weakened as the year was ready to change, we finally returned to Arldat Castle, where our journey had begun.
The soldiers that had met us at the border had returned ahead of us to share the news of our arrival, and the plaza before the castle gate was packed with people. They all shouted praise for Miss Maria and Prince Edoardo. Of course, there were also voices cheering for Sir Celes.
“Amazing...” I gasped.
“You and me left from the northern gate, right?” Sir Gaius asked. “The south gate was just like this when the main party left. You didn’t go see the captain off?”
“I had laundry to do that day...”
“That’s just like you, huh...”
I’d switched to riding with Sir Gaius when we got closer to Arldat, so there wouldn’t be any chaos from me riding with someone as popular as Sir Celes. He’d pouted, but we compromised by switching near the capital rather than the border like I had originally suggested.
Though I would really have been happier to ride with Sir Celes, I still didn’t have the courage to publicly ride on the same horse as the famed Dragonslayer, so I asked Sir Gaius instead. Miss Maria insisted I ride with him anyway, since we’re engaged, but I couldn’t just suddenly get that brave...
“Thank you, thank you, Sacred Maiden!”
“Long live Prince Edoardo!”
“Ahhh, it’s Sir Celestino! Sir Celestino~~~!”
But I knew just how right I had been once we entered the capital. It really was too dangerous. We’d probably cause an outright riot if I was close to Sir Celes. Sir Gaius and I were already getting confused looks, since we hadn’t left with the party. Of course they would be confused. They had no idea we were with them!
But, in between those cheers...
“Lucia!”
“Welcome home, Lucia!”
“Lucia, we’ve been waiting for you!”
“Welcome home!”
I shot my head around, searching for the owners of the voices I recognized.
“Chicca! Jeanne, Joanne! Rossella!”
My heart warmed at the sight of them waving at me. I really felt like I was home. That’s right, I’m home. Our journey is over.
As I waved back at my friends, I ended up muttering my feelings. “It’s all over, huh...”
“That’s right. Good work, little lady. Thanks for everything.” Sir Gaius plopped his hard hand on the top of my head, messing up my hair. While part of me was embarrassed that he was doing it in front of so many people, the sincere warmness of it made me happy.
“Thank you, too, Sir Gaius. I’m glad you were with us.”
“Yeah, you couldn’t ride on your own, after all.”
“You’re right. I should have practiced more.”
While both Sir Celes and Sir Gaius had shown me how during breaks, I still couldn’t ride a horse as easily as they could. I guess it really came down to natural reflexes, or sense...
“Oh yeah, when’s the ceremony? You can always call me if you need any help getting things set up,” he said, beaming.
“W-We still haven’t decided anything, yet!
“Ah, you still don’t have a proper bracelet, after all.”
I look down at the wooden bracelet on my right arm. The precious bracelet that Sir Celes had made with his own hands. It was already enough for me, but...
“I still need to give him one back, so once Sir Celes gets through his backlog of work, we’re planning on going to buy them together.”
“The city is gonna be in chaos when the Dragonslayer shows up with a fiancée.”
“Don’t remind me...”
Since he was the captain of the Third Regiment, Sir Celes wouldn’t be getting any time off once he got back. Though his vice-captain had been taking care of things while he was away, I could remember him sighing, saying he’d probably have to stay stuck in the regiment office for a few days. I wasn’t in a rush, but Sir Celes felt bad that I only had a wooden bracelet, so he wanted to go pick a silver one out as soon as he had a chance.
“But will it really be okay for you to help with the housing thing?”
“Yep. Me and my wife’ll help you look until the Captain can go with you. They probably won’t kick you out of the dorm after you did so much for the country, but worst-case scenario, you can stay with us.”
“Make sure you talk to your wife and get proper permission first, okay? Don’t decide it all on your own. You don’t want to shock your wife. I’ll be fine by myself.”
“Nah, my wife loves takin’ care of people! Reynard doesn’t come over often anymore because she’s always doing something or other for him when he shows up.”
Though the Commander and everyone else insisted I wouldn’t be thrown out of the dorms for being unemployed, Sir Gaius volunteered to help me look for a house to live in with Sir Celes. But... I didn’t want to bother his wife, too. Since I was worried about relying on him too much, I just wanted him to talk to her first.
It felt weird, thinking about all the things I never even dreamed would happen when I left Arldat. I had no idea I’d end up engaged to Sir Celes, or become friends with the ‘Sacred Maiden.’ I didn’t expect to lose my Soap, either.
You really never know what life will throw at you.