I had been laying down in my bedroom, sleeping.

Soft morning light entered the room. There was a gentle breeze, and there was no trace of the usual hustle and bustle the town had from the outside. I had only just woken up, but it was definitely a tranquil, beautiful day.

And still, I felt utterly annoyed.

"Nmhngh...Tommy...you idiot..."

A voice had roused me awake.

Now that I was conscious, I noticed the slight shift in weight across the bed bed. I groaned, turning my head to stare to the side. There she was - Aurum, sleeping peacefully. The peaceful expression on her face didn't change the fact that her side of the bed looked like a warzone. And it wasn't by coincidence, either.

She'd been tossing, turning, and muttering all through the night. I barely even managed to sleep! This had been going on for the past few days, and I was honestly tired of it.

Ever since the second invasion on the village, Aurum had started staying in my house. Not only that, she had just started sticking around with me more in general. Arianwen was completely fine with it - in fact, she seemed to welcome it. I was the only one who found it strange.

Aurum would never gave me an answer, so I asked Arianwen, who she spent some time with, what had happened.

'She had a fight with the second princess. You know...your friend, Pearl? It's not really important what happened. What is important is that she needs you - she needs us right now, Thomas. Bear with it.'

I was honestly surprised. I didn't expect Aurum and Pearl to ever seriously fight - I mean, I knew many things had happened while I was passed out in the forest, but it sounded less believable than the fact that monsters had suddenly attacked the village again. Those two were like sisters already.

So, I endured it. Ever since the incident, I couldn't get to Pearl, so it had just been me and Aurum for the past few days. Usually, I would've just let her sleep and sneak off to train. But today was a special day.

"Aurum."

 I tossed a fist to the side, bonking Aurum on her head. She muttered even more incoherent words, before slowly opening her eyes. They were glazed over, and I could tell that she was barely conscious - and definitely didn't want to wake up.

"Nhh...huh? Wha..." She yawned, not bothering to cover her mouth. "What is it, Tommy?"

"You know what it is, Aur. Today's a special day, and we can't afford to just miss it."

Aurum stared at me for a while, blinking twice. The sleepiness faded from her eyes, replaced by a grim realization.

"N-No."

She quickly shifted under the sheet, tearing it out of my hands. She curled up under the soft fabric, squinting her eyes shut. It made me jump, but all surprise was replaced by the image of Aurum, hiding in the thick layer of blankets.

"No...I'm gonna sleep even more. I'm gonna sleep the whole day! Forget whatever you're asking me to come out for!" She yelled indignantly. From her words, it was obvious that she was trying not to acknowledge it. Usually, I would've given in by now, but this wasn't something I could just laugh off.

"...It'll be your last chance to see her, you know. If you don't say anything now, even if things pass, your relationship will probably never be the same."

Aurum was silent. For a while, I waited to see if she'd get up, but after a few minutes, all she did was say two words to me, in a voice so low that it was below a whisper.

"...shut up."

I sighed, standing up and walking towards the door.

'If that's her choice, then it's her choice. Not to mention...I'm not exactly experienced with navigating friendship issues. I just hope this doesn't completely ruin things between the two of them forever.' 

I turned to look back at Aurum just one more time. She hadn't even moved, remaining balled up in her makeshift fortress. Not even her hair was visible anymore.

She wasn't just hiding away from me, but everything else.

I shook my head and stepped out of the room, gently closing the door behind me.

When I got outside, it was easy to tell that it was still early morning. I had become better at reading time without a watch or phone now that I was forced to do it all the time.

Looking around the streets of Aureal, things had, again, been amazingly repaired. The repairs weren't as thorough as the last time, considering that they were significantly rushed, but there was almost no trace of the horrific, large-scale monster attack that happened just two days ago.

To be honest, I didn't even know that Aureal had been attacked again until I woke up from being passed out. Although weirdly enough, I didn't feel starved or thirsty. I managed to make my way back to town, and of course, both Arianwen and Aurum weren't shy on chewing me out for my disappearance, then showering me in worry and care.

'They really are master and student...'

But I felt more shocked than them, considering the fact that I had been deep inside of the dungeon the whole time a sudden, huge invasion rocked the village of Aureal. I didn't really have any explanation for why that happened.

Considering the fact that Echidna was dead, I'd likely never know.

The townspeople were already out and about in crowds, going about their daily lives. Though to simply say they were just 'going about their daily lives' was wrong. Most of them wore depressed expressions on their faces, their bodies moving with little to no energy. Some were openly sobbing in front of their homes and street corners, while others just stared blankly into the air.

There was an overbearing darkness that fell over everyone. Enough so that they didn't even bother sending me their usual disgusted glances or seething words. I may as well have been invisible to them. 

In a way, just like these villagers, my mind was occupied, as well. Especially when I considered everything that personally happened to me over the past two days.

'The fact that I'm even alive is a miracle.'

I had been awake for two days now, and the dungeon was gone. Still, I couldn't stop thinking about Echidna. The things she had said, the new [Interference] power she had forcibly awakened within me, and her death, which left so many questions open.

Echidna was a mere F-Ranked boss. Even if she was a named Demon, within the confines of the dungeon, she should have been weakened and limited. 

However, when I fought her, she had strength far exceeding that. It really fit the image not of a barbaric, mindless demon, but of a sealed and restricted goddess.

Honestly, she could have instantly killed me whenever she wanted. It was only under the guise of making me stronger that she held back. That ultimately resulted in me tapping into [Interference].

Still, she didn't just wish herself away, or stop the fight. She continued fighting me. Remembering her face, which seemed to hold so much care and happiness, I wondered if a person like that would ever be so truly bloodthirsty.

'Even then...'

At that last hit, at that last moment, she just...took the hit. She allowed me to kill her.

I still don't fully understand Echidna. I got that she had the ridiculous goal of fighting the Goddess of this world, but with the power she had, why not aim for breaking out of the dungeon, herself? Sacrifice her life for the sake of one human who might not even fulfill her wishes? 

That was absolutely insane. Yet, she still did it.

As a result of that insane decision, I was still alive. And finally, the almost endless tutorial quest had been completed. Of course, with it, I had finally gained it. 

A new system, designed entirely for me.

"Status."

With my words, the familiar screen appeared in front of my face, constantly floating just in front of my eyes.

That's right. My 'unique system' was quite literally just the default tutorial system. There were some cosmetic changes, such as the color of the status window, and the fact that the 'Title' field had disappeared. But other than that...? I earned pretty much nothing from this system change.

In that way, Echidna had given me more than the quest ever could have.

As for my stats, despite nearly dying, they hadn't gone up much. They increased by about 2-3 each. 

My proficiencies didn't raise at all. My stats rose a tiny amount, proportional to the difficulty I'd had, fighting for my life in that dungeon. 

There were some things I was uncertain of, like what having a 'Variable' stat value meant, or what the 'Anomaly' trait did, but those weren't really benefits, until I figure out what they do.

'Only by training with your treasures can you normally raise stats.'

That was true. However, it was also true that people had unique systems. Then, what was the purpose of a System in this world, if not to quickly level up your stats? The answer was that Treasures mattered here, too. Usually, the System you would receive would synchronize with your Treasure.

Also, just because you couldn't level up your stats, it did not mean that you also couldn't level up individual skills. Hard work and training weren't entirely meaningless things here, but they worked in a completely different way.

This was how most people grew stronger in this world. Completing quests and goals granted to them by their Systems to better control and empower their Treasure and skills. Stats were mostly neglected, because there were so many other things that made up for them.

In other words, nothing had really changed for me. I'd still have to do things the painstakingly old-fashioned way, training my ass off, and finding stronger and stronger enemies to fight. 

The only difference was, with [Interference], and perhaps with whatever the 'Anomaly' trait was, I'd hopefully have another card to play against the literal and metaphorical monsters that ran this world.

"Ah."

I finally reached my destination after a pretty long walk. On the edge of town, closest to the gate that led to the exit of the town, was a small wooden building. It was an inn, the only one in the entirety of the town. Not many travelers passed through, so it was usually empty - that emptiness served the Crown Princess and her group well.

For now, it was useless. But once demons started becoming more active in the future, it would become a hub of adventurers and mercenaries starting their journey.

Beside the Inn was a large, opulent-looking carriage. It was covered in expensive gems and jewels, and looked to have tinges of gold and diamond in its' coloration. The comparison between the old building next to it and the shining carriage was almost laughable.

Royal knights surrounded the place, forming a near-impenetrable wall around the entrance. Their hulking forms and intricate armor struck an imposing figure. Meanwhile, men and women alike dressed in robes that had enchanted runes and other designs on them scurried about the carriage, clutching various talismans, staffs, totems, and other objects while reciting arcane words under their breath. These were the mages of the royal court, best suited to assisting repairs. At the very least, the mages who fell under the sway of the Crown Princess, Diamante Tesora.

To be honest, I didn't like these guys. Apparently, both the Knights and Mages, as striking as they looked, did not lift a finger to assist the citizens during the invasion of the monsters. This was a fact very few people knew, and it was kept under wraps on purpose. 

After all, would those citizens, some of which looked broken beyond repair after losing people they cared for, take the news of their princess ordering for them to be abandoned?

In the case of the mages, it was understandable. They were just sent here to keep the protective seals on the royal carriage fortified and intact, and to help with rebuilding. Many of them probably didn't even have combat capability. 

For the knights, I almost expected it. The Kingdom was not saintly - considering the fact that Aureal village was basically being treated as a living meatshield against monsters for the Kingdom. Royal Knights were not the knights of the people. They existed to guard the royal family - there was no other purpose to their service.

Even with my mother, Aurum, and apparently even Pearl's combined efforts, many, many people had died. Those lives could not be brought back through building repair or healing. Lives that could have been saved, if they were just ordered to assist in the fight.

It had to have been Diamante's order. She was a cruel, ruthless girl, who would make decisions unfathomable to regular people. These sorts of decisions were why she was known as the 'Blood Diamond', and even among the players who were more dedicated to the 'Dating Sim' aspect of the game, very few bothered trying to genuinely court her.

"Thomas!"

A light voice called for me, and a little figure squeezed through the guards, with a good amount of effort. I already knew her all-too-well by now, and her white cat ears, now fully healed, would've given her away, regardless.

"Hey, Pearl. How are you holding up?" I greeted lightly, raising a hand out of my pocket. I was casual about it, but it was the first time I had really spoken to her face-to-face since going into that dungeon.

She smiled brightly, though for a moment, she looked beside and behind me. There was a brief look of disappointment on her face, but she shook it off.

"To be honest, I've been feeling amazing these past two days. I mean - the mana exhaustion was quite...unpleasant. But, I've been researching in the meantime, and compiling my own thoughts and feelings on that new magic that I used! I'm still not sure of what I'll call it, but it has to be something special."

I was still feeling a bit somber, but her excitement was infectious. I couldn't help but crack a little bit of a smile, too.

I hadn't been there to see it, but Pearl had apparently awakened to a new kind of magic entirely. A magic even I hadn't heard of, as a person who obsessively learned every portion of the lore - and used it to save the town.

Rather than Diamante, the princess who helped to repair their homes yet disappeared at the first sign of trouble, the few people of Aureal who cared enough to praise their heroes, spoke praises of Pearl, who had risked herself both physically and magically just to save as many lives as possible. Many couldn't help but praise such a brave child.

That feeling was only furthered even more upon the sudden, unexplained announcement that she was a part of the Kingdom's royalty. Apparently the second Princess in line for the throne, her real name was Lulu Tesora.

I was shocked, though I did have many of the pieces put together already. Her sudden appearance alongside Diamante's, her boundless hidden talent, the fact that she had a Treasure at such a young age, and her weird insistence not to see her home.

None of that changed that she would always be Pearl to me. Still...a joke here and there was still okay, right?

"I'm sure it feels absolutely amazing to create a whole different type of magic, Princess."

Pearl immediately turned red, stammering at my words. "I-I-! Don't start calling me that out of nowhere! You can't believe how weird it is to hear everyone say that."

I snickered at her reaction. Even with her newfound confidence and passion, she was still way too easy and fun to tease. Maybe it was because of my interactions with Aurum, but I found myself enjoying teasing a little bit more.

"Why? You are a princess, aren't you? It's been officially revealed and everything. I bet the whole capital's going to know when you get back, so you better get used to it now."

"I-It's just weird, and...um...o-oooouh..." Steam was almost visibly rising from Pearl's head, her ears drooped low at the thought of the overwhelming reaction she'd have to face once she got home.

I was joking around about it, but rather than easier, things would likely just become tougher for her. She didn't have any of the backing that her sister did, and her connections were practically nonexistent. She still had a lot to learn about the outside world, too. 

"...you know it's going to get rough." 

My smile dropped for a second, easing into a more neutral expression. Those words weren't a question, but a statement. Pearl's embarassment faded, giving way to an expression I hadn't seen from her yet - a determined smile.

"It doesn't matter. If I'm going to surpass my sister, I have to be capable of doing at least this much, right?"

I chuckled, shaking my head at the ridiculousness of her words. "So even you can say things like that now, huh?"

It wasn't wrong to call her goal nearly impossible. Diamante was the "crown princess". Mostly everyone considered her a lock-in to become the Queen. Even the king, who was the kind of guy that would want to die on his throne, knew she was likely going to succeed him. 

Life in the Tesoran royal palace was cutthroat - as expected from the Kingdom that was essentially the center of the continent. Assassinations, political ploys, manipulation, blackmail, extortion and intimidation - now that she was an official part of the royal family, Pearl would begin facing all of this.

Even then, I wanted to believe in her potential. Pearl was supposed to have died weeks ago. Just by being alive, she had already defied the fate the story set out for her character. She had already created the world's first Unique Magic. Her potential was boundless.

"I believe in you." I placed a hand on her shoulder, looking deeply into her eyes. I knew what I was about to say was corny, but I couldn't let her go without saying my piece. "The road's is going be hard, way harder than anything we faced together. But if nobody else is in your corner, I am. And hey...you won't be the only one struggling!"

Pearl's cheeks burned red once more, her eyes trailing to my hand, before she looked back into my eyes, and slowly nodded.

"I...I'll be waiting for you to come, you know? To...to the Academy."

"Well," I brought my hand back to my side, stuffing it into a pocket. "We'll just have to see about that. The chances of a commoner getting there are slim, but who knows? Crazier things have happened recently. Still, even if that doesn't happen, I promise that I'll definitely see you again."

Her blush intensified, to the point that her pale skin was near-visibly turning red. I couldn't understand why these words made her so flustered, but I wasn't tactless enough to ask. Instead we just silently stood there for a while, and Pearl began fiddling with her hands. She opened her mouth to speak, but the moment she did, the guards parted way, startling her.

Through the crowd of guards walked a short girl with long white hair. She had an ethereal aura about her, like time itself had halted in her vicinity. The air around her seemed to sparkle and glow with mysterious light. 

Her eyes turned to look briefly at us - first to me, whom her gaze lingered on for an uncomfortable amount of time - and then to Pearl, who she now officially had to recognize as her-

"Sister," She began, the mere word making Pearl's eyes widen once more. "It's time to depart. Your things are already packed. Do not keep me waiting, for your own benefit." A nasty smirk made its' way to her face. "I'm sure you'll have much to do, once we return."

With those curt words, she turned around to walk towards the carriage, easily climbing into the passenger compartment. Each and every one of the mages had already dispersed to their own transportation, and the few knights who would be guarding the carriage mounted on their armoured horses, taking position behind the carriage. 

It really was a grand, royal procession. A display of power from a family that had no need to hide or move in secret.

I hadn't seen her in person before, but it was obvious who she was, just like it had been with Aurum. Diamante Tesora. Even as a child, she had an aura that made it obvious she was not to be taken lightly.

Pearl turned to look at me apprehensively. The worry in her eyes was obvious. Even with her newfound resolve, her sister's words, and her desire to stay, both drove a wedge into her heart.

I took in a deep breath, preparing to offer her some more encouraging words, but was interrupted by the feeling of something softly impacting against me. I looked down to see...Pearl, her head buried in my chest. Her whole body shook, and I could hear her soft sobs, as she wrapped her arms tightly around my chest.

Before I could even say anything, she just dove right in to hug me. Even for someone like me, it was a little emotional. I usually didn't like this sort of thing, but...how could I not hug her back?

"Even...even if I finally got stronger, I don't wanna go. I...I wanna spend so much more time with you, Thomas! I-In this village, even if it's just fighting monsters forever! I...I even want to talk to Aurum again...It's going to be so hard...and so scary, going back home like this..."

I gently pat her on the head, listening to her pour out her concerns alongside her tears. No matter how strong she was, no matter how much growth she had gone through, no matter how much her resolve had been settled, she was still just a little girl, being separated from the first friends she had ever made.

Even if I didn't cry with her, her tears shook something within me. In a way, after what I had gone through in my last life, I understood her well. No, maybe I empathized directly with her. It might have been the first time I really empathized with someone like this, at all.

For the both of us, both living variables outside the story, and outside of regular life...the both of us, who had finally found our footing...was anything guaranteed? The story had no incentives waiting for us, and there were no promises of anything. 

To be honest, there was a part of me that didn't want Pearl to leave. I wanted to keep living these idyllic village days, with the occasional crisis here and there. I knew that we'd only get stronger together, and maybe one day, we could all leave on a journey together, like some sort of fairytale story.

But this wasn't a game anymore, and Pearl was not some unit I controlled. Despite what she was saying, I knew well that, deep down, she wanted to continue improving upon herself, becoming stronger. Her real wish was just to help people with her strength. These tearful words were her selfish, immediate desires bubbling to the surface.

And I had to sooot them down.

She wouldn't be able to fulfill her goals here, with us. She wouldn't be able to do that with me, who just wanted to live a life doing whatever I wanted. Not with Aurum, who cared only about a very select number of people. Not in this small village, full of small minds and limited lives.

"I know, Pearl. I know it's rough. I know you and Aurum actually wanna make up after whatever stupid fight you had, and you don't actually want to leave...but you have to."

"B-But!"

"Listen. Didn't you say that you wanted to keep becoming stronger?" I interrupted her, gently pushing her away to look into her tear-filled eyes. "You want to help as many people as you can with that strength. You want to become so strong, that you won't have to rely on anyone else ever again. Not me, not Aurum, not your sister...then you already know it, right? The path you have to walk isn't here with us."

I took a step away from her, creating a small bit of distance between us. She took a step forward towards me, but then paused. Then, she took a deep breath, and turned around. Her body shuddered for a second, and she let out a large exhale, quickly wiping her arm across her face.

"...thank you, Thomas. ...Really, thank you...thank you so much, for everything." She murmured, in a voice lower than a whisper, and then she began to walk towards the carriage that would take her to the capital - away from us until the Academy arc of the game's story began. 

It'd be a good six years before we'd even have a chance of seeing each other again. Who knows what'd happen by then? For all we knew, this could be goodbye for a lifetime.

But I never liked making things all complicated.

"No problem, Pearl." 

I watched her go silently, until she eventually disappeared into the carriage. The horses began to move, and the carriage moved off into the distance. 

Then...I saw one of the windows slide open, and Pearl's face came out, tears dropping down her face like a waterfall, but a beaming smile on her face. She waved her hands, yelling out,

"B-BYE...BYE, THOMAS! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR EVERYTHING!"

I couldn't help but chuckle, suddenly feeling a bit bashful. 

"...you said that already, you idiot." I muttered, trying my best to ignore the feelings welling up in my chest. This was my first time saying goodbye to a friend like that, and, well...being so genuinely thanked.

I began to walk away from the inn, stopping at the alleyway on my right. There was a golden shimmer that quickly disappeared, but I had noticed it.

"You sure you didn't want to come out? It's not too late, you know. I doubt that the guards would stop you of all people, if you approached the carriage. Pearl was even looking around for you when I saw her off." 

There was silence...and after a few seconds, Aurum emerged, a scowl on her face. "S-Shut it! How the hell did you even know I was there?"

I shook my head, rolling my eyes at her clearly embarrassed words. As a dragon, it was both one of her greatest strengths, and largest weaknesses - her own pride. "I just knew that there was no way you'd actually let Pearl leave without at least watching her go." 

Aurum turned away from me immediately. I couldn't see her face, but I could imagine what sort of expression she was making. Then out of nowhere, she turned around and nearly roundhouse-kicked the back of my knees, causing me to shout out.

"Ouch! Hey, you-! Damn it..." 

While I was still in pain, she ran off, making me sigh and follow after her. She was running away, but I knew she wasn't actually mad. It was a little sad that these two wouldn't have a happy send-off, but that was just the way things worked out.

Walking behind Aurum, I couldn't help but let my mind wander a bit.

It would be a while before anything important story-wise came up...and I wasn't even sure whether or not I'd even end up a part of the academy, so thinking about the story didn't even make much sense. 

'It's not like an invitation is going to materialize out of thin air.'

Regardless, I wouldn't stop working hard. Without expanding into the wider world of Treasure Quest, I wasn't sure how much results I would actually get from all of that effort, but resting on my laurels would only end horribly for me. All of those ridiculously powerful demonic monsters were just Tutorial-level beasts. I only won against Echidna because she let me.

I didn't have a level, but this was essentially just the game's level 1-5 area. If I wanted to get strong enough to make a difference, I'd need to leave this village. It wouldn't be now, but once I had trained every bit I could, and squeezed every drop out of this village's training potential, then I'd go.

6 years. I'd turn 17 after then, and the Academy Entrance Exam would begin. I'd have my answer at that time.

Until that time, I needed to learn more, and train even more than I learned. Stats and Proficiencies may be weak alone, but I hadn't come nearly close to discovering their full potential. How well I could keep up with the main story would depend on how much I put in.

10...20times...even 100 times more effort. I wouldn't stop until I was satisfied.

Not just to proudly stand alongside my friends, but to continue carving out a place for myself in a story that had no space for me. I didn't know what the future had in store, but I didn't plan on finding that out by going on autopilot. I planned to make that interesting, fun future for myself. I'd continue along, charting a path full of everything I wanted to do.

I'd continue to become stronger, as a uniquely purposeless existence.

I'd continue on my path to becoming the world's one and only Ultimate Extra.

"Hurry up, Tommy! I wanna go to the mountain and train all these stupid feelings outta me!" Aurum's voice called out from far ahead of me. I sighed, quickening my pace. I was sure she had only gotten even stronger from her last battle, and I'd get a thorough beating from that frustration building up in her.

I still had a long ways to go, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't looking forward to the destination.

[3rd Person POV - ???]

"Then..."

Within a concealed room, deep within the halls of the esteemed Tesoran Royal Academy, sat a few figures around a long table, covered in papers. The room, barely devoid of light, did not allow anything but the barest silhouettes to be seen.

"We are all in agreement on these selections? These are all the...regular invitations to be sent out?"

The person at the head of the table spoke, in a serious tone. Every person at the table nodded, agreeing in a silent unison. Every person at this large table was an important member of faculty related to the Academy. And currently, they were going through the most important yearly process - deciding on which nobles would be invited to the Academy.

All noble families, no matter the status, or level of ability, were considered. Furthermore, from those families, the best choices were made, through the painstakingly long voting process meant that it took quite a long time to conclude.

Now, after another contentious yearly voting period, they had finally reached the end. These invites, always prepared and sent out ahead of time, would invite prospective students to the Academy, giving them a long period of time to train themselves in preparation for their eventual enrollment.

"Then, the last items on our list are this year's 'exceptions'. It has been quite some time since we received any."

The Tesoran Royal Academy did not simply consider nobles alone. Every few years, there would be "exceptions". 

This year, however, three such exceptions had landed on their desks.

Aurum, the Quarter-Dragonling with a connection to her ancestor so potent, that she had directly received both a Treasure and System related to inheriting and incarnating the ancient Golden Dragon, Aurelian.

The Hero, who had been revealed to the Church through a recent divine message from the Goddess, Tenebi, herself.

And lastly...

Thomas.

The head of the table looked down at one of the many papers scattered across the surface of the desk. He was a boy whose skills, talent, and System were unknown. He was also a commoner, and the only connection he had to excellency was his lineage to the once great knight, Arianwen. Yet, his name still appeared on this desk.

The oddest thing was that there came no reasoning or additional information with his file. Only the headmistress herself had the information on why he was even being considered as a prospective student.

...A headmistress that never attended these sorts of meetings.

"Ha..." 

The one at the head of the table couldn't help but sigh. Despite leading the proceedings, they were not the headmistress. That meant that everybody in this room held a similar sense of confusion to them, alongside many other swirling emotions.

Were they really considering adding a random commoner, with no achievements to his name? Or was this some other ploy? Was he a spy, or some sort of plant by the headmistress herself?

Regardless of the truth of the matter, this table was not the place for discussion. There was only room and time for voting.

"Then...let us decide on how we shall treat this year's exceptions."

overclockedw

So sorry for the huge pause, guys. It's just been unbelievably busy for me these past few days. I had a mid-term exam at my university today, and I'm prepping for my driving test only three days from now. Work's been crazy. But anyway, we've reached it - the ending of our first arc! There'll be a small interlude/side story between the beginning of the next arc and this epilogue, maybe two, but I'll see how it goes. Hope you look forward to it, and I'll see you guys in the next chapter. Thank you for always reading, and if you like the story, don't forget to heart and comment!