Since the group had to return as soon as possible, they chose the shortest route. At first, they didn't find any problems, but then the speed of the group began to decrease on the third day since they couldn't stop to rest in enemy territory. Eventually, the pursuers caught with them and then sent messages to the towns and cities along the way to help. Things were just getting troublesome at such a bad timing...
"Well, I wanted to finish this without killing too many people, but I suppose it can't be helped…" Billy thought, and then he stepped up to stop the pursuers.
Billy could only be merciful until his allies weren't in danger. He couldn't put them in danger when he could deal with the enemies. In the end, a single lightning bolt did the job… It made him kill dozens of soldiers at the same time, and several others got wounded. The vast majority trembled in fear, wondering about the possibility of becoming the next target.
Despite that, the pursuers still chased the whole group. Still, they stopped on the fourth day because another army arrived on their territory, and it was being led by Felipe Silvi.
"It seems they came to help when they realized that the monsters had been dealt with…" Svan said. "I guess this war is finally over."
Billy sighed. It wasn't like he didn't gain anything in exchange, but he wished that those forced trips could only happen once every five years or something. He wanted to travel without worrying about enemies with his family, after all.
"It seems that you have won, well done," Felipe said. "Our state owes you all a debt that can't be paid completely."
Billy felt like sighing. He disliked that kind of atmosphere, but doing that would be disrespectful in front of Felipe's men. While he had some secrets, he could become a good ally, and Billy also wanted to make him pay that debt.
"Father, we should return as soon as possible and give everyone the rest that they deserve," Beatrice said. "The last few days have been pretty intense and tiresome."
"Certainly, Let's do that," Felipe said while looking at the enemies retreating. "We will talk with them eventually, but that can be done later."
From what Billy heard, their group lost around three hundred soldiers in that single hour while the enemy lost five times more. They really got the soldiers of the capital with their pants down… In any case, Billy's job was done, and he wanted to go home. However, the mission only truly ends when they are back in the temple city, and he will finish the mission properly.
In the end, the trip back lasted for four days, and even though some soldiers were exhausted and wounded, they had already started a party on the same night. The people of the temple city didn't like the noise a lot, so the barbarians and their usual way of partying were quite troublesome, but they joined them this time. As for Billy… He stayed, at least for the first night.
While some barbarians were dancing around a campfire with their elbows entranced, Billy was drinking his beer slowly and watching them. He was pretty sure there was a similar type of dance back on Earth… Or perhaps that was just something he saw in a movie, some elves dancing in a tavern.
"You are also the type who doesn't drink much?" Felipe suddenly approached and asked.
"... I feel like I will get wild if I drink too much, so I show some restraint," Billy replied. "Besides, watching people having fun like this isn't so bad."
Billy felt like he should never lower his guard, even at home, since he had things that he wanted to take with him to the grave. Recently, his wives had developed a habit of drinking a lot when they go to parties, and they regret it a little when they recall the things that they do after those. While Billy was fine with that, he was a bit harsher with himself. Besides, every night that he drinks too much, it will be a morning hangover that he will have to Skip training. Unless something really serious happens, he doesn't want to do that.
"I see… You are quite diligent for someone who achieved so much at such a young age," Felipe said.
"One shouldn't think too much about their past, their achievements and their failures… Shouldn't be ignored, but the present shouldn't revolve around that," Billy said.
"True enough… I suppose that is the thinking of someone who has young kids to raise," Felipe said and then took a sip of his own beer. "To raise children properly, one needs to show them the best every single day."
Billy wished that Felipe cut to the chase. He didn't want to talk about his personal life so far away from home, and even less so with someone he only sees now and then. Still, that made him wonder about Beatrice's mother. It probably wasn't a good idea to ask why he had never heard of her.
"A long time ago, a certain woman was born in this world, and she had the power to perform miracles," Felipe said. "She could make people recover their limbs, recover from mortal diseases and even nullify the deadliest of the poisons. However, that woman began to be hunted by people who had had the same power as her… Her name was Galatea, and she is my ancestor."
Billy wondered why Felipe decided to talk about that all of a sudden. He already knew most of that, so it was a bit late for that.
"Those people that hunted her waged war that destroyed many nations. Still, Galatea avoided war as much as possible," Felipe said. "Ultimately, she was cornered, and to protect her people, she transferred her powers to a relic that could protect this whole city if the necessity arises. After doing that, she disappeared."
