Felix approached the trio sprawled on the ground.

  "I’m so tired," Niles groaned.

  Wolf and Elephant didn’t bother complaining. They just sat up without a word.

  The third Xandrian soldier, the only other one allowed inside the barrier, removed her open-faced helmet. Long pink hair spilled free, framing her pale skin. Two pearl earrings glinted in the light.

  Niles, too exhausted to check the guest protocol, simply asked, "What’s your name?"

  She sat up as well and gave a small nod. "Rose. Thank you for letting me inside the barrier."

  Niles sighed, then shot a glance at Felix. "Do the test on her."

  Felix stepped forward. Rose blinked, suddenly looking wary.

  "Don’t worry," Niles reassured.

  That only made her more tense.

  Felix, without missing a beat, echoed, "Don’t worry."

  Rose instantly relaxed.

  Niles squinted. "What’s with that reaction? Unfair!"

  Winston strolled over, calm. "Can you blame her?"

  Niles folded his arms, pretended to think deeply, then dropped them in defeat. "Well, I guess not!"

  Felix placed a hand on Rose’s shoulder, eyes flickering as he worked his skill. After a moment, he turned back to Niles.

  "She’s good."

  Niles exhaled in relief. "Thank the heavens. One wolf is enough."

  Wolf’s shoulders tensed. "What’s that supposed to mean?"

  Niles shrugged. "It means I don’t have the energy for more problems."

  They exchanged sharp glares.

  Rose raised a hand. "I know Felix from the academy. We were in different squads during training." She glanced at him—not with joy, but with something heavy. "This battle must’ve been hard on you."

  Felix gave a small nod but said nothing. Instead, he turned on his heel. "I’ll check on the others."

  Niles watched him go, thoughtful. This hadn’t just been a battle for survival. Felix had been forced to face his own former allies, people he had likely known for years. He made a mental note—he needed to talk to Felix about it. He just wasn’t sure how.

  Niles clapped his hands together, breaking the silence. "Just so you all know, there's a law in effect here—lethal violence is forbidden."

  Rose blinked. "And what happens if someone tries anyway?"

  Niles hesitated, his face thoughtful. "Code of Laws." He spoke.

  A translucent window popped up beside him. He scrolled through the text, scanning the first rule.

  "Aha!" He pointed at the screen. And then he added a consequence for challenging the law "Punishment for trying lethal violence: tossed out of the barrier." He paused, then added cheerfully another line into the rule "except for me, of course. I can do whatever I want."

  The system flashed green.

  [Law 1: Updated]

  Then, just as quickly, the notification vanished.

  Niles beamed at Rose. "Thank you! That could’ve ended badly!"

  Wolf groaned—maybe from frustration, maybe from a missed opportunity. Elephant responded with a firm smack to his shoulder.

  Niles pointed at Rose. "Do you want to stay here in Niceland and heal, or would you rather return home to Xandria?"

  Rose eyed him skeptically, as if it were some kind of trick question.

  Niles sighed. "It’s not a trick question."

  Still unconvinced, she turned to Elephant.

  He gave a small shrug. "You can trust this man... during peace."

  Rose considered for a moment, then nodded. "I wish to return home."

  Niles sighed again, though this time with exaggerated disappointment. "Of course you do." Then, after a beat, "What’s your skill?"

  Rose hesitated. She seemed unsure whether to answer, but Elephant spoke up again. "You may tell him."

  She let out a small breath. "I can balance objects on my fingertips."

  To demonstrate, she placed her helmet on the tip of her finger and waved her hand around. The helmet didn’t wobble—it remained perfectly balanced, as if locked in place.

  Niles squinted at it. "There’s got to be some cool field applications for that."

  Rose set the helmet down with a sigh. "Yeah. At parties."

  She pulled her legs up, resting her chin on her knees. Her voice softened. "I’m grateful, though. If I had a battle-suited skill, I would’ve been recruited into the Xargian Guard." Her gaze drifted into the distance. "And then I wouldn’t have grown up with my family. I wouldn’t have known what it feels like to be loved."

  Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

  She glanced at Elephant and Wolf as she said it—like they were outcasts.

  Neither of them met her eyes.

  After a brief silence, Wolf suddenly raised his hand like a student in class. "May I also leave and go home?"

  Niles turned to him, scandalized. "No! You stay here and be a good son to Vulcan."

  Wolf threw up his hands. "I DON’T EVEN KNOW HIM!"

  "THAT’S WHY YOU’LL STAY HERE!" Niles shot back. He rubbed his temples, muttering, "You’re as stubborn as he is."

  Niles stood up and dusted himself off. "All right, surrender your weapons and follow me." He glanced over his shoulder. "And leave your helmets. Especially you, Wolf."

  The Xargian Guard scowled. "I REFUSE!"

  Elephant wasted no time locking him in a headlock. "Brother Wolf, let’s be good guests!" With expert precision, he yanked the helmet off.

  Wolf huffed. "I’ll just put it back on later!"

  Niles snatched it from Elephant’s grasp and tossed it just outside the barrier. He smirked. "Good luck with that."

  Wolf lunged after it—only to smack into the invisible force of the barrier.

  "CURSES!" he roared.

  Elephant chuckled and clapped him on the shoulder. "There, there."

  Niles waved a hand through the air. “We’ll meet up with the others.” Then, without waiting, he strode toward the fortress.

  Elephant followed, carrying a loudly protesting Wolf over his shoulder like a sack of violent cattle. Rose walked beside Winston, silent.

  When they reached the open gates, Niles stopped and gave a flourishing bow. “Welcome to our fortress—the finest in all of Niceland!”

  Wolf, still slung over Elephant’s shoulder, kicked his legs. “It’s the ONLY one here!”

  Niles remained unbothered. “Which makes it the best.”

  Wolf groaned. “AND WE BUILT IT! YOU JUST STOLE IT WITH YOUR BARRIER!”

  Niles grinned. “Finders keepers, losers weepers.”

  With that, they stepped inside.

  The fortress was simple but sturdy—wooden palisades rose high, with a single watchtower keeping vigil. The open courtyard held several tents, but one structure stood out: a large command tent, significantly bigger than the others. When counting, it seemed there were enough tents to house every Xargian Guard, each with a bed inside.

  Standing outside the command tent was Goblin, Tesla’s summoned being.

  Wolf gasped. “A GOBLIN? I NEED MY WEAPON!”

  Niles waved him off. “Relax. Goblin the goblin is on our side.”

  Wolf, Rose, and Elephant stared at him, their confusion nearly tangible.

  Rose turned to Winston. “What is this place?”

  Winston sighed. “Apparently… Niceland.” His tone made it clear he was still not on board with the name.

  Niles pulled open the tent’s entrance and motioned for them to enter.

  Inside, Finn, Lina, Vulcan, Tesla, and Felix was together. They all turned as Niles walked in.

  “Hello, everyone!” Niles greeted cheerfully.

  The group responded with a mix of nods and tired smiles.

  “We won!” he announced, then quickly added, “Without a scratch, too!”

  The others gave him deadpan stares.

  Niles coughed. “Okay, fine, having an impenetrable barrier did help.”

  Shaking it off, he turned to Vulcan. “You get first pick on where you want to stay.”

  Vulcan lay stretched out on a bed, barely bothering to lift his head. “Doesn’t matter.” He paused, then sighed. “But… I’d like Lina and Finn to have this tent.”

  No one questioned it. An extra bed had already been placed inside.

  Niles nodded. “Done.” Then he turned to Lina and Finn. “Thank you for having us.”

  With that settled, he gestured to the newcomers. “Go ahead and introduce yourselves.”

  Elephant stepped forward first, giving a polite bow. “I’m Elephant, Xargian Guard from Xandria. Pleased to meet you all.”

  Rose followed. “I’m Rose. Thank you for opening the barrier for me. Without it, I wouldn’t be here.”

  Wolf snorted. He jabbed a thumb at himself. “Wolf.”

  Elephant sighed.

  Vulcan, however, chuckled.

  Then, one by one, the rest introduced themselves—Vulcan, Finn, Winston, Felix, and Lina.

  When it was Tesla’s turn, he straightened his back and, with an air of importance, declared, “I am Tesla, a prisoner captured by Niles.”

  Niles immediately burst into laughter—loud, uncontrollable, knee-slapping laughter.

  The reaction was so over-the-top that everyone assumed Tesla was joking. No matter how much he tried to convince them otherwise, not a single soul believed him.

  Rose, meanwhile, had her attention on Lina. She squinted. “Wait… aren’t you the apple girl?”

  Felix helped Lina sit up slightly so she could get a better look at Rose. Despite the effort, she still winced from her injuries. But she smiled. “Yes, that’s me!”

  Before the conversation could continue, Vulcan cut in. “She’s not an apple girl. She’s a girl who sells apples. You are—”

  Finn sighed loudly, already knowing where this was going. “Yes, yes. ‘You are not your work; you are yourself first.’ We know. You say this all the time.”

  The atmosphere in the room lightened. Vulcan grinned. “Aha! I finally managed to teach you something boy!”

  Rose stepped closer to Lina, her expression turning serious. “Let me see your wounds.”

  After a quick inspection, she reached into her pouch and pulled out a small vial filled with crimson liquid. “This is a health potion. The effects aren’t strong, but I’m giving it to you.”

  Lina’s smile softened. “Thank you.”

  The rest of the group, however, looked uneasy.

  “Wait!” Felix spoke up.

  Niles nodded quickly. “Remember Doctor Palmer? He used poison.”

  Elephant stepped in. “That vial is genuine. All soldiers carry one.”

  A tense silence filled the room.

  To prove his point, Elephant took the vial, tipped it back, and drank a small sip. Then, without hesitation, he handed it back to Lina. “Wait a little if you want. You can see for yourself that nothing happens to me first.”

  But Lina simply shook her head. “Thank you, Sir Elephant, but I trust Rose. She’s always been a kind customer to me.”

  With that, she drank the potion.

  Everyone held their breath.

  A moment passed. Then another.

  Lina exhaled slowly, her breathing growing steadier. Some of the tension in her muscles eased. “That helped… Thank you.”

  Rose smiled. “You’re welcome.”

  Watching the exchange, something clicked in Niles’s mind. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small pouch—the one he had received from the system when he leveled up.

  “By the way, Lina, here.” He handed the pouch to her.

  Lina took it and peeked inside. “Apple seeds?”

  Niles nodded. “Apparently, they’re supposed to grow really tasty apples.”

  Lina’s eyes lit up with excitement. “Thank you! I’ll find somewhere nice to plant them!”

  Niles stood up and stretched. “All right, there are enough tents for all of us. Let’s call it a night.” He sighed, then added, “But before that, I need—” he pointed, “Elephant, Felix, Wolf, and Winston. Come with me.”

  The four exchanged glances before following him out of the tent.

  Before leaving, Niles turned to Finn. “How are you holding up?” His voice was softer now, his gaze filled with concern. The sounds of battle—screams, steel clashing, chaos—had surely reached them. Sounds that could haunt a person for years. Sounds no child should have to fall asleep to.

  Finn’s lips trembled. He hesitated, then finally admitted, “I’m scared.” His small frame shook. “I’m scared the barrier will break.” His voice wavered as tears welled in his eyes. “I’m scared that you, Felix, and Winston wouldn’t come back.”

  Niles crouched slightly, lowering himself to Finn’s eye level. “You’re brave.” His words were steady, unwavering. “That’s a skill too. And like any skill, you should be proud of it—and keep nurturing it.”

  Finn wiped his eyes and nodded, his determination growing. “It also helped that Vulcan kept us occupied during the—” He stopped abruptly, as if realizing what he was about to say.

  But Niles understood. He smiled. “He’s a good person too.”

  Straightening up, Niles glanced at the others in the tent. “I’ll be off. See you all tomorrow.”

  Outside, Elephant, Wolf, Felix, and Winston stood waiting.

  Wolf folded his arms, already annoyed. “Now what?”

  Niles walked past them, his tone light but his words foreboding. “Now, we embark on the most dangerous mission yet.”

  The group collectively tensed. More dangerous than what they had just survived? Now? When they were battered, exhausted, and barely standing?

  Winston swallowed, his voice unsteady. “And… and what exactly is that?”

  Niles turned, his expression grave.

  “Now,” he declared, “we find somewhere to sit down… and talk about our feelings.”