Chapter 76: They are the heroes of this city.

Kei watched the crowd slowly gathering alongside the convoy of the Black Rose Guild. At first, only a few people stood by the roadside, but before long, the road in front of the city gates was packed with people.

Some carried bags of still-warm bread, some hugged baskets of fruits and vegetables, and others held only a neatly folded letter in their hands. These gifts were worth little money, but everyone cherished them as if they were the most precious things in the world.

"It’s the hunters of the Black Rose Guild!"

"Thank you, everyone! Thank you for protecting the city all these years!"

"You must return safely!"

The words rang out one after another, sometimes clear, sometimes interrupted by choked sobs.

The hunters of the Black Rose Guild had already prepared themselves to leave, but none of them expected so many people to come and see them off. A young hunter accepted a bag of bread from an elderly woman, his hands trembling so much that he nearly dropped the gift.

"Th- thank you, ma’am."

"No, it’s us who should thank you." The old woman grasped his hand, her eyes red. "These past few years, every time a Dungeon appeared, hearing that the Black Rose Guild was coming made us feel at ease. Now that you’re leaving, this place will surely feel very empty."

The young hunter gave an awkward laugh.

"Don’t worry, ma’am. The city will have other hunters to protect it."

"But they won’t be you anymore."

Those words made the smile on the hunter’s face freeze. He lowered his head deeply, trying to hide his eyes that had already turned red.

On the other side, a young girl ran over and hugged a hunter who was about to board the vehicle, refusing to let go.

"Brother, you have to call home often!"

"Yeah, I know."

The girl shook her head vigorously, speaking in a trembling voice with reddened eyes.

"Don’t just say ’I know’ like that! You always say that, and then you disappear for months!"

"This time, I’ll call you every day."

The hunter said with an embarrassed smile, but his younger sister didn’t believe him.

"Really?"

"Really."

"Promise me."

The hunter was silent for a moment, then extended his pinky and hooked it with hers.

"I promise, Jenna."

The girl immediately burst into tears. The hunter also turned his face away, quietly wiping his tears with his other hand in silence.

The Black Rose Guild had thrived in Dong-San City for nearly twenty years. It was itself a part of this city, awakened ones joined the Guild to make a living, and children who grew up here also chose the Black Rose Guild to build their careers as hunters.

Many families with loved ones working in the Black Rose Guild came to see them off. There were parents embracing their sons, couples holding hands for a long time, and children looking up bewildered, asking when their father or mother would return.

"How long will you be gone, Dad?" A child looked up and asked.

"Not long." The father squatted down, propping his sword beside the child, and smiled while patting his head. "I’ll be back before you grow as tall as this sword."

"But you said the same thing last time."

The father’s smile faltered briefly.

"This time, I’ll definitely be back on time. Trust me, okay?"

The child handed him a small wooden keychain.

"Take this with you. It’ll protect you."

The father accepted the gift, his lips pressed tightly together. He turned his face away for a long while before he could bend down and hug the child.

"Yeah. With this, I’ll definitely be safe."

Ular stood among the townspeople, continuously bowing his head in acknowledgment. Some called his name, others recalled the times the Black Rose Guild had saved them from Dungeons. Yudian could no longer maintain his usual composure either. He quietly accepted each letter, occasionally muttering a hoarse word of thanks.

"The Black Rose Guild will not forget this city." Yudian said loudly, his voice carrying through the crowd. "We will not forget the people who came to see us off today either."

"You all have to live well!"

"You must come back to this place!"

Responses rang out immediately.

Sora stood beside Kei, her hands clenched tightly in front of her chest. She tried to smile, but her eyes had already turned red without her realizing it.

"They... have really been together for a very long time."

Kim Sora had always been a very sensitive girl. Being infected by the emotions of the crowd, she could no longer hold back the surge of feelings and sadness within her heart.

Kei did not reply immediately. He looked at the people embracing each other, at the hands clinging on reluctantly, unwilling to let go, then let out a breath stifled in his chest.

He truly was not used to seeing scenes of parting like this.

"Kei."

"What is it?"

"What if someday we also have to leave this place?"

Kei turned to look at Sora. She was still gazing toward the convoy, with an expression of sadness rarely seen on her.

"We won’t leave."

"You say that with such certainty?"

"Yeah."

"Why?"

Kei fell silent for a few seconds.

"Because the store is still here."

Kei loved this place. This was the city where a woman had taken him in on that cold, rainy night, given him a home, and also brought him a warm, caring little sister after she had left this world.

Sora blinked, then burst into laughter even though the corners of her eyes were still moist.

"That’s just like you, Kei. You only ever think about the store."

"The store is very important."

Perhaps only Kim Sora, the girl to whom Kei had confided the whole story of his life, could truly understand just how much that little store meant to him.

To the current Kei, that little store was his only home.

"Yes, yes. I know."

Just then, a soft chuckle sounded in Kei’s ear.