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Some people believe that living a long life is a blessing.

Of course, it depends on the person. In fact, most elves thought it was a blessing. Instead of living a short, chaotic life like humans, they preferred to leisurely experience a millennium, just like other elves.

If one lived among elves and cut off interest in other races, that might be the case. If one could spend time as leisurely as other elves, making friends over a long time, maybe Arna would have lived like that too, creating acquaintances and families.

Even if living like that isn’t bad. There’s a time for maturity among elves. While it might be far too late from a human perspective, every other elf learns, as they age, that merely existing doesn’t signify some sort of greatness.

The length of life doesn’t decide the greatness of existence, and they’d come to realize that a short life can also prove remarkable achievements.

Nature isn’t just something to be dominated, but all the creatures, insects, flowers, and unnamed grasses in the world are great beings. All species, whether they live long or late, prosper and decline, seeking the meaning of life and moving forward regardless of age.

After losing all her friends, Arna would sometimes mingle among humans.

Some were rude, some were suspicious, some were curious, and some were righteous and honest.

They were all different, but they all had one thing in common.

They all learned about life faster than Arna, learned how to leave quickly, and in the end, they all died. Before Arna could even grow old, they all had left.

As she went through all the people she had seen off, there were friends who naturally rose to the surface.

From that point on, no matter who Arna met, no matter what acquaintances she made, or in any country in any world, she couldn’t forget them.

A thousand years is longer than the countries built by humans. Over many generations, technology and magic advanced. If Dana’s magic were to be discussed now, it would be considered the most basic, and Kalia’s swordsmanship might be deemed useless fighting techniques. Pia’s philosophy might be viewed as overly simplistic.

Even tales of the feats of Hero Siyun no longer drew gratitude. The existence of the Demon King was practically something that could be suppressed perfectly now. Siyun’s story became just a decoration on a page of history, and while some might admire that achievement, there was no one who could truly empathize or feel heartfelt gratitude.

The ever-growing kingdom divided into several nations. The Elf woods were urbanized, leaving only the center. The World Tree remained a spiritual home, but it no longer held the significance of a holy site.

Over the course of a thousand years, the world changed profoundly.

Yet, Arna still remained in her aging body.

At first, there were those who saw the young Arna and treated her like a friend, but now no one viewed her as a friend. She had become a living legend, history, and a great sage.

Becoming a legend was much more inconvenient than one might think. Even when she wished for genuine conversation, people regarded Arna simply as someone to be respected. To them, Arna was no longer a person; she was something beyond that.

“Lady!”

Yet, even Arna had someone to converse with.

The one who called out to her was a girl. Even after hundreds of years, there remained traces of Arna’s closest friend in the girl’s face.

The black hair was the pride of her lineage.

The pointed ears indicated that one of the Hero’s descendants had married an elf.

All direct descendants of the Hero were Arna’s great-grandchildren. After losing all the friends she had first made, it was a tradition Arna desperately clung to, wanting to at least see traces of those friends.

The girl with black hair wore a light outfit. It looked like something from the Earth of that era and also resembled the light clothing that elves usually wore.

“You’ve come.”

“Yes, I heard you were unwell, Lady…”

The World Tree, perhaps.

She likely heard the whispers of the World Tree.

“I’m fine.”

“Your voice sounds very hoarse. Shall I fetch you a glass of water?”

“…Thank you.”

She might not live as long as other elves, but the girl with elven blood will probably live long as well. I wonder if she would remember me hundreds of years later, just as I remember those friends. Thinking that, Arna smiled softly.

“I’ve waited a long time.”

Watching the girl’s black hair ripple as she moved away from Arna, a realization dawned upon her; it seemed like it was time for her to go.

This lengthy millennium of her life was drawing to a close.

There had been more than a few times she wished to cut this life short. Being left alone while watching her aging friends felt unbearable to her.

Those guys, too.

And those guys as well.

They all slowly aged and died before Arna.

With a faint smile, as if she had realized something, only Arna remained.

But she never once gave up. It couldn’t be helped; her life was saved by Siyun sacrificing himself. Arna was the one who remained behind while he sacrificed himself in front of the Demon King.

So, she endured, still holding on.

“Finally, it seems like it’s my turn now.”

They say, at the end of a long time, it feels short like a candle extinguishing, yet to Arna, even now, this moment felt extremely lengthy.

If she closed her eyes, would she be able to meet her friends again?

Perhaps even there, her friends might hurriedly leave. Who knows what happens after death, not even Arna who has lived for a millennium.

Then, when that time comes, she will run hard to catch up.

A faint smile painted itself on Arna’s face.

This time, she will absolutely not be left alone. She will chase after them with all her strength, no matter how long it takes or where it may lead. What kind of life awaits on the other side of life, she didn’t know.

At the end of her life, Arna’s heart ironically beat strong.

“Lady!”

From afar, footsteps could be heard.

“Lady!”

There were sounds of something dropping, breaking. The noise of liquid splashing on the ground.

But she couldn’t see anything.

I was certainly lying still, quietly, and yet did that child feel something?

Footsteps approached. It seemed someone knelt beside her.

A warmth sensed in her hand. Despite hardly seeing and her hearing darkening gradually, the warmth of that hand felt gentle.

She had held that small hand since the day that child was born.

The child before that. And the one before that.

“A-yeon.”

It was no coincidence that she shared that name. It was named after one of the Hero’s children.

“I think I must go now.”

“Ah… Lady.”

What a good child she was.

She liked to read, laughed well, and cried well.

Maybe she’s still crying now.

“Do not cry too much. Where there are meetings, there are farewells.”

“…”

She knew it was rude to hold on. Elves always understood that. Given their long lives, they knew well how rude it is to cling.

Yet, there was still some regret.

Regretful, but…

This child would probably see many people, remember many people, and live on.

And someday.

“One day, there will be a day when we can meet again.”

Yes, someday.

This child will surely have a day when they can meet again.

At the end of a long, long time.

And when they finally meet at that moment, it would probably feel like the long wait was just a fleeting moment.

*

What appeared before her eyes was a brilliant golden space she had seen long ago.

Should it be called a temple, or should it be called a palace?

Innumerable pillars packed with extremely detailed carvings and towering walls that seemed endless.

Arna stood right in the middle of it.

Slowly raising her hand, she revealed her palm. The wrinkles that had been slowly engraved over a millennium had vanished. Her arms, her legs, everything.

The outfit she wore was a green sleeveless shirt. A hood around her neck. Tight-fitting trousers on her legs.

It was the same outfit she had always worn during that brief adventure.

Her heart thumped hard. Much harder than just before she closed her eyes.

She touched her face. The skin was the youthful skin of her past.

She felt her hair. It wasn’t brittle.

“Ah…”

After hundreds of years, her chest began to fill with anticipation.

“Arna.”

A calling echoed.

It was a voice she had heard long before the age of the human-established countries, but even now, at this moment, the voice remained vividly in her memory.

Unable to say a word, she turned around.

What she saw was black hair.

Beside her stood a woman who was just the same.

“You’re late, unexpectedly.”

The woman teasingly spoke, wearing a robe fitting for a mage.

“Welcome. We were waiting for you.”

The woman with pink hair gently spoke.

“You’ve had it rough.”

The woman with fiery red hair smiled and spoke.

“…”

Arna tried to respond several times, but her voice wouldn’t come out.

The black-haired warrior stood at the forefront, taking a step forward and asking.

“Was the journey enjoyable?”

“…”

Arna stared at her for a while, then slowly nodded her head.

“…It was enjoyable.”

“I’m glad to hear that.”

With that reply, her vision blurred.

After a long, long time, she had finally met her comrades from those days, having lived out that life to the very end.

People she could never forget, whom she would never be able to forget.

“I feel like there will be many stories to share, shall we sit somewhere and talk leisurely?”

“…”

Unable to say a word, Arna nodded several times. She felt someone warmly patting her back.

Ah, really.

Even after living a thousand years, she still…

…

It’s okay now.

Everything was finally okay.

If her growth hadn’t yet ended, that was enough.

All she needed was to walk again with the friends she wanted to walk alongside.

And perhaps,

No matter how long it takes, no matter where they aimed,

If they were friends who had waited for her—

Loud laughter echoed. Voices teasing Arna, voices blaming those teasing voices could be heard. There were even voices of those who were waiting.

Strangely, all those voices conveying such cheerful content sounded as if they would burst into tears at any moment.

Let’s cry. Let’s let out all the cries we haven’t been able to cry for a thousand years, and just shed tears freely.

And then, after that,

I should laugh so hard until my stomach hurts again after such a long time.

At the end of a thousand years, Arna felt like she had become a young child again.