Lucas thought back to everything that had happened to him while staring at the twin moons above. The sight was beautiful—unlike anything he had ever seen back on Earth.
So much had changed since then, since the moment he first arrived in this strange world and saw the endless mountains, trees, and forests stretching out as far as the eye could see. Back then, he doubted he would survive even a single day. He remembered his first trek through the jungle, desperately searching for a village where he could find shelter, only to be chased by goblins.
That was the scariest moment of his life.
He ran as fast as he could, his legs burning with pain. He ignored the exhaustion that weighed on him after walking for hours. Somehow, against all odds, he managed to escape the vast jungle. Eldric—a stranger at the time—happened to be passing by and saved him.
Lucas couldn't imagine what would have happened if Eldric hadn't shown up. Maybe he would still be wandering aimlessly. Especially since he had no idea where the Land of Blossoming Flowers was. Worse, he might have accidentally strayed too close to the forest barrier—a fate he didn't even want to think about.
So much had happened since then. It felt almost like a dream. There were times when Lucas hoped he would wake up from this dream, or rather nightmare and return home.
He paused and gazed at the night sky again. The twin moons shone brilliantly, surrounded by thousands of sparkling stars.
"Mom, Dad," he whispered. "I'm sorry for leaving like that. I don't know if I'll ever make it back to Earth, but no matter what, I'll do everything I can."
His eyes fell to the ground.
"Brother, I'm sorry too," he murmured. "Sorry for being such a failure. I'm not like you. I'm not strong or brave. I'm just... scared. Scared that I won't survive in this world. Scared that I might really die."
Lucas's voice faltered, and he looked back up at the stars, his chest tightening with emotion.
"But brother... aren't you sorry too? Sorry for leaving us?"
"If only..." he hesitated. "If only that hadn't happened. If only you hadn't tried to be a hero."
He waited, as if the sky itself might respond to his thoughts. But the silence of the night offered no answers.
Lucas took a deep breath and clenched his fists. "Don't worry, brother. I'll keep moving forward. No matter how hard things are right now, I'll keep going. I'll train hard—in magic, swordsmanship, everything! Anything that will help me grow stronger and help me return home. I'll find the truth. I'll uncover the answers to everything that's happened."
His lips curved into a faint smile. "So... don't worry about me."
For a moment, Lucas stood there in silence, letting the cool night breeze brush against his skin. Then, with a soft sigh, he turned and began walking back.
"I guess I'll sleep now," he muttered to himself. "There's a lot to do tomorrow, after all."
[Volume 1: The Land of Elves] Completed.