“It seems you’re still quite shy.”

“Grandpa here pretends to be dignified, but his hand moves the fastest.”

“The one who should be the most embarrassed is the one who knows.”

Tevon and Enci, relatively younger ones, were having fun teasing the eldest.

“Since the house has just been built today, it’s an exception, but usually, when you want to spend the night with a husband, you can go to him.”

“Ah, so I can stay here alone when I want to be by myself?”

“No? Why would you say something so disappointing?”

Callan was startled.

“In here, you call when you want the company of more than two for the night.”

“…”

“Don’t worry. It’s incredibly spacious and sturdy. You could redo your first night without a hitch, you know?”

“Ummm.”

Jiwoo touched her forehead, pondering for a moment.

Until a year ago, living in the most renowned temple within the empire, Jiwoo’s worries were synonymous with pain and conflict.

Now, in some nameless forest far away, such worries could even be considered a happy worry?

“I was actually a bit worried. Even if I devote time to one person a day, it would take a month.”

“Ah, it wouldn’t take a month.”

“You can call two or three at a time.”

“Our Seo Jiwoo could even finish it in a day.”

Jiwoo laughed at the encouragement that wasn’t quite encouraging.

“Though you’ve been quite busy lately, please spend time with the others too. Everyone’s a bit worried.”

“Worried?”

“What if the jealousy grows too strong?”

“But you said you don’t get jealous?”

Enci retorted to that.

“I told you. We get jealous too.”

“But you said brothers don’t get jealous of each other?”

“We just don’t show it much.”

“Even if we fight, we’d discreetly do it. Why would we brazenly fight in front of you?”

Jiwoo’s fingers timidly pointed upwards.

“…Aren’t you already doing it?”

“Tevon!”

Tevon, who had been tugging on Helka’s ears, was startled and let go.

“Hmm. Tevon is still a bit young…”

“Pfft.”

Jiwoo got down from Helka’s lap and sat on the floor. Then she comfortably lay down.

The open ceiling. The clean blue sky shone with the moon and stars. A breeze seemed to blow somewhere, as the white shining leaves fluttered like shooting stars under the magical sky.

No matter how much she looked, it was beautiful, a sky she couldn’t see back in her world. The dull sky of her world seemed like a distant memory already.

It would be a lie to say she didn’t miss that sky.

But from now on, she would live here longer, make this place her home, and not even turn the old memories into distant reminiscences.

It’s okay to be a little awkward now.

As happy as she was now, the days that will come will also be filled with happiness.

“Tell me. How do we live together long and well?”

Seeing Jiwoo wanting to gaze at the sky in the spacious living room, they each found a spot on the floor, lying or sitting down. Jiwoo leaned on Lanceil’s thigh and pointed at the sky.

“Of course, you’ll get along well. I’ll help you so you can eat well and not be a picky eater.”

It wasn’t just about food. Callan truly intended to help Jiwoo manage her relationships with the men here.

“Um… And about what I said earlier, it was a joke. We really won’t fight each other. If anything, we’d worry.”

“What worries?”

“The worry that we might not be charming enough and you’d go somewhere else.”

But that shouldn’t happen.

While Jiwoo closed her eyes quietly, Lanceil stroked her forehead.

“So, all you need to do is accept our invitations. That’s all you should worry about.”

“What if I want to be the one inviting?”

“…That would be even better. Except for today, though.”

Tevon’s relaxed voice was heard nearby.

“Ah, you don’t have to stay here all the time. If you get bored of this place, just touring around El Ragneil can take you through the seasons.”

“I found it fun to go out for a while last time.”

“That’s barely anything.”

It hadn’t been long since Jiwoo arrived in El Ragneil, so perhaps a trip around the place would be good in the future.

And maybe.

“Could I visit Caranazion again?”

“If you wish, it’s not impossible.”

“…There’s nothing impossible. I used to be an alchemist there, after all.”

“However, we do get quite jealous, so how about in 100 years?”

As Jiwoo laughed, the new house was filled with the cheerful laughter of a family.

‘Family…’

It seemed enough time had passed for her to call them that. For them, it might be a brief moment, but for Jiwoo, it was a long and unforgettable time.

“I think even if I live forever, I won’t forget this year.”

“…I, too, will forever remember the moment I first met you in the forest of Caranazion.”

“If we went back to when we first met, I would still seduce you in some way.”

“It would have been nice if we had met a little earlier, but anyway, it’s like this now…”

“I don’t know complicated words. I’ll just keep liking you more in the future.”

Their words spread warmth into Jiwoo’s heart. She might not know all thirty of them yet, but that was okay. In less than a year, she had come to hold each of them in special regard.

In the long years to come with them, perhaps Jiwoo might even be able to distinguish all thirty by their footsteps alone.

“Will you spend tonight with us just like this?”

“Yes, I’d like that.”

As soon as she agreed, Tevon leaned in and kissed Jiwoo’s cheek.

“I’m not thinking about anything right now.”

“I know. But I still want to kiss you.”

“Ung…”

Feeling the soft touch on her lips, Jiwoo closed her eyes.

Spending the night together didn’t always mean physical.

They grew small raspberries on the spot for snacks and even brewed wine instantly. Sipping on sweet fruits and wine, they chatted and idled away with trivial talks.

After a few drinks, Enci’s face had already turned red when he suddenly said.

“Speaking of which, after this winter passes, a new ring will form.”

“A ring?”

“The tree rings of Elrandos. The growth had stopped due to the disease.”

“Ah, right.”

Even with transcendent powers, a tree is still a tree. Given the distinct seasons of El Ragneil, clear annual rings would form.

“In fact, we also count the years based on that… So, this ring was really… long.”

“This year felt incredibly long for me too.”

A year to remember had passed, both by human standards and by the standards of the children of Ellandos.

They also talked about other things like going hunting together someday, stories about animals they wanted to raise, plans for new buildings in the village, or stories about other groups waiting in the village for their Ellandos to be recovered.

However, no one talked about the bird still perched on Jiwoo’s shoulder.

Whether it was a deliberate avoidance of an uncomfortable topic, or to respect Jiwoo’s choice until the very end, was unclear.

Jiwoo felt like she was finally understanding what it meant every time they asked her to choose them. What it truly meant to choose them.

Thinking back, she had never weighed them against something of equal value.

Because she disliked the empire.

Because she disliked the temple.

Because she was fleeing from the Crown Prince.

Lost in thought for quite a while, Jiwoo asked something trivial when she realized the conversation had paused.

“But with the ceiling open like this, what happens when it rains?”

“Just let it rain and watch. It’ll be quite beautiful.”

“Ung…”

She remembered watching the pouring rain outside the window when she was young. Adults disliked it, but to her young heart, it was quite fascinating and enjoyable.

Probably because she had a safe home and a comfortable shelter.

So, Jiwoo felt that even if another storm were to hit this place, she could now step back and comfortably think about it.

Someone began to sing a gentle song with a soft voice.

Inhaling the scent of grass and flowers, and their warm body scent from her home, Jiwoo fell asleep.

__