Just as Nia proposed, we, after that time spent on the sea, after all these years, headed northward for the human continent.

In the span of a few weeks on Ezra’s back, we passed through every single place in the state I was going through.

First that place we found Nia and her father, then the place we stumbled upon the two apostles, Aurora and Kiady, then the place we stumbled upon their children's remant, then the place we fought the Chrackt Queen, then the place we stumbled upon the Giant Turtle, then the place.

Each of these places had changed dramatically over the years, but arriving there made me realize how much the "we" I was referring to was non-existent until I crossed paths with Heon.Looking back, half of this journey was nothing more or nothing less than awkwardly lonely.

Having reached the Ivohy, it didn’t take us long with the pace we were flying to reach the outskirts of where I believe I literally unleashed that attack that allowed me to slip through the fourteen. I used to play, toain myself with Aina.

From here, we were not so far away from the barrier. At least, that's what I thought.

From here onward, I descended from Ezra and made the rest of the journey on foot. While doing so, it didn’t take me long to notice how different that place was. This was just like the land that Nia replaced with an ocean, which was once destroyed by and replaced with time by new vegetation. The trees teeming the area were tall, but they were without a doubt younger than the ones littering this area, and I could tell from what we saw on the journey that what I did 8 years ago was not the only reason behind how different this place was.

"Is it here?" Nia asked.

I simply nodded.

Only a few hundred meters separated me from the barrier now. It should’ve been here that I first trained myself, 10 years ago. The tree I punched was no more. I knew it was here.

Having nothing else to see here, I declared, heading in the direction I usually took to go back home,

"The barrier should be near, let’s go."

Nodding, she followed me in the direction of the manor.

It didn’t take us long to reach the place where the barrier was located, or at least where it should’ve been, for it was no longer there.

While on the road, I was preparing myself to face off with resistance or something along the way at the border of the barrier, but there didn’t seem to be any signs of anything like that, but it wasn’t all.

Not only didn’t we stumble upon anyone, we also didn’t stumble upon the barrier I was looking for. It was simply not there.

Though its absence had taken me slightly aback, I simply didn’t dwell long on it.

A few minutes later, I finally arrived at the manor, or at least what was left of it.

"Is this...?"

"Yes, this is the Rosetta manor, the place where I was born."

The tall wall bordering it was no more.

The formerly well-maintained lawn around the manor was no more. Instead, it was replaced by wild grass and trees that slithered their way from the forest to here.

With the barrier not encompassing this place anymore, the manor was now part of the human continent.

Surprisingly, unlike what I had initially thought from what I was given to see along this journey, the manor main structure, unlike the forest tree and the fence, was still there.

The building was still standing despite having some of its pillars, and some areas of the roof seemed to have been crushed under its own weight.

Wild grass, moss, and cracks have invaded part of the wall, turning the whole thing partially green.

One of the most distinct particularities of this is beyond what I can possibly imagine.

Coming from the backyard, like I used to sneak back into the manor, with ease, I opened the kitchen room, which upon being opened, let out a loud creaking noise inside the house.

Despite having a shaft of light seeping through a hole in the wall, the entire room was completely dark. Nia, with the little dragon still on her shoulder, following me close behind, produced a bubble of light which she used as a lamp.

The inner state of the manor was, though less barren and chaotic, still in complete disarray. A plant had grown on the wall of what used to be a flawlessly clean and tidied kitchen.

I reached the dining room by following the path that led to the next room. The sight of the long table in the middle of the room brought back memories of me eating alone while Mathilda and Syrus watched from the corner of the room. Visiting the next room, I found myself in the entrance hall.

Climbing up the staircase, I soon reached the first floor. In one corner, I could see the hallway to the library and its door, but I headed for the second floor nonetheless.

Soon I reached the door leading to what was formerly my room. Upon opening it, noises made by mice and birds flying and running reverberated across the room.

I glanced up to the ceiling. I saw above me, I saw the same ceiling as that night.

This room was not only my room; it was also the same room from that night; the room that I was born in.

***

After having spent some time reminiscing about the past and visiting all the rooms on the upper floor, I finally decided to make my way to the library, only to realize that, unlike things from the other rooms, things were very different here.

As in my souvenir, the room lit up upon our entrance, but there was not a single trace of any book of any sort. The bookshelves and the room fourniture were still there, but everything else was gone, giving the impression that this room had never been a library in the first place.

From the state the manor was in, I could see that this edifice was spared entirely but not what was around from what I did 8 years ago. Those who were last here abandoned the place without taking anything from the furniture but only took the books which were inside this library. If I had to guess, the last one here was most likely noble. A glance at my pendant allowed me to guess who it could be.

While my eyes were still roaming across the room, they stumbled upon a backpack put on top of the long table in the middle of the room. Inspecting it, I realized that it was, indeed, my backpack from back then. Within it was the raggedy cloth I used in the woods.

Taking off the pendant, I headed toward the corner of the room where the hidden room should be.

Just like in my memories, the bookshelf turned on itself, revealing behind it an entirely separate room.

I remember how exciting it was for me to discover that place.

Stepping into it, I discovered that just like the other part of the library, this one was emptied of all of its books. My eyes stumbled upon the closed drawer, and upon opening it, I realized that, unlike the book, some weapons were also missing from it. Thinking of one in particular, I went to where I had last placed it before heading to Beaufort, and yes, upon opening the drawer, still scabbarded within its sheath and laying at its place was the church's blade "Anaka" and "Faty," the same kind of weapon the cleargy from that night barred at us when we

I used to call these blades Olga and Martha, but now all I see is a symbol of what I want to be dead.

Putting her hand on my shoulder "You’re okay?" Nia asked.

Yeah, I’m okay. I think I’ve seen enough. The barrier should be near. I think, let’s move on. "

She nodded in silence and followed me as I was heading for the library exit.

***

Once again, several dozens of kilometers away from the manor, the manor was finally within sight, but not only sight but smell as well.

Only a few meters separated us and the famous church’s barrier, and looking at it now, I finally realized how much this thing was attempting to look like Solomon’s and Nia’s barriers. Visually, it was a success, but this smell, this aura was just...

Looking at me, Nia asked, "Do you feel it too?"

"After all those years, I think I finally do."

Younger I never noticed it, but now I feel it to the bone.

When I first read it, I was simply spooked by it and moved on, but now I realize how disturbing this barrier is. If I were to describe what I’m feeling, it would be having an urge to destroy this thing.

That’s how unsettling it is.

I'm not sure why it wasn't even though I knew how it worked. Maybe it's because as a child you're more likely to accept the environment you were born into as the norm, which is why everyone noble is so conditionned to accept this barrier.

The secret of the barrier-no is this even a secret at this point? Let’s just say that this is a truth that is to be revealed to a noble upon reaching ten.

The truth behind the church's barrier is inextricably linked to the function of noble society, and one could even argue that it is the foundation upon which the concept of noble family and noble house is founded.

If I were to ask, what exactly is a family?

A commoner would most likely respond to someone with whom they share a filial link. That is what I believe they would be most likely to answer. Of course, it can also possibly be more abstract than that.

A noble, on the other hand, has, since it is taught from an early age, a set definition of what a "family"

For a noble, a family is defined as the people who, when alive, share the same roof and, upon death, also share the same roof (sanctuary).

To make it clearer, a noble family is linked to both those of renown who are alive and those who were once alive. It is not just money or fame but the ancestry they possess.

The Nobles who went to eternal sleep continue to produce mana indefinitely, mana that is obviously not wasted but is instead used by the church to aliment the barrier.

In the church’s eyes, in the nobility's eyes, one's family importance is literally linked to its mana contribution to the barrier that serves to protect the human race.

It is clear, now that I know about Solomon and his barrier, that it was the only thing that humans could think of to replace Solomon's protection from monsters.

So, in other words, this barrier right here is manifested through the church’s magic using the joint mana of the remnant of all the nobles that went to eternal sleep that ever lived across the continent for thousands of years. That is their last duty as nobles.

It is for that same very reason that crusades are something that happens only every hundred years. It is in order to have enough noble remnants to support a barrier expansion.

It sounds very messed up, but in a sense, I get to felicitate the one who came up with that idea. It clearly shows how desperate they were to survive.

I turned to face Nia and announced, "Nia, we’ve reached the barrier. I think you should..."

"I know," she replied, turning back to face Ezra. on its side.

She approached the enourmous dragon, Ezra, who, upon noticing her approaching, kneeled her head to Nia’s level.

"We’ve reached the border of the human continent. I think you’re smart enough to know what it means."

The dragon, with a growl, nodded, before throwing me and the barrier a quick glance.

Grabbing the small dragon on her shoulder and handling it onto her, Ezra accepted it by opening her mouth wide, to allow the little one to crawl in, which it did, though slightly hesitantly.

"Listen, you two. It was a fun ride. It’s here that our paths diverge. Take care of each other. " She patted both of them before saying, "I will miss you too." She said with a smile, but I wasn’t obnoxious enough to know that she was on the verge of crying.

She turned her back and walked past me, refusing to face them.

In my turn, I approached the dragon and apologized, saying, "I'm sorry for this, especially for you little one, but no excuse would excuse what has been done, so the best I can do is thank you for being by her side in my absence."Reaching onto the dragon, I announced once again, "I know what it is to be left alone in these woods, so really... thank you two for taking care of her."

Ezra starred at me for a moment, letting out a growl, before closing her jaw with the little dragon within, and spreading her wings to ultimately take off for the sky.

I remained there until their shadows dissappeared toward the southern sky of this world.

"Are they gone?" Nia asked after refusing to face their departure.

"Yes." This time it was clear from her voice that she had wept, so I immediately felt the need to speak up, "Nia, for this I’m-" only to be interupted by her.

Facing me, with eyes still red from tears, he said, "It’s nothing. This has been decided 2 years ago.

There is no one to blame for this." Besides, the forest is the place where they truly belong. I can’t cage them with me like a bird in a cage. After all, dragons are splendid when they are allowed to fly and roam free. Don’t you think? "

"I guess you’re right." Not knowing what else to say, I said to her, "Let’s go." I announced, reaching for her hand.

which she accepted, prompting me to head toward the barrier and pass through it along with her.

After 8 years, I was finally back on the human continent.