Chapter 1487: The Answer
That evening, Erend sat together with his mother and Arty at the dinner table. The atmosphere had been peaceful, filled with the comforting familiarity of home.
The aroma of freshly cooked food filled the room while the three of them exchanged light conversation at the start, enjoying a rare moment together after Erend’s return.
Unfortunately, Erend knew he could not delay the inevitable any longer.
"I have to leave again," he finally said.
The words immediately silenced the room.
The warm atmosphere that had filled the dinner table only moments ago disappeared almost instantly. Neither his mother nor Arty spoke. They simply looked at him, and although neither of them voiced any objections, their disappointment was painfully obvious.
Neither of them liked hearing those words.
But what could they possibly do? The responsibilities resting on Erend’s shoulders had long since grown beyond the concerns of a single family or even a single world.
Arty quietly scooped another spoonful of food into her mouth before speaking in a deliberately indifferent tone. "Well... what else can we do?" she muttered. "It’s not like I can ask you to stop, right?"
She kept eating with a lazy expression as though the matter did not bother her.
Erend looked at her helplessly. "Arty..."
"No. It’s fine," she interrupted before he could continue.
This time, she looked at him with a smile. It was a smile, but only barely. It was the kind of smile someone forced onto their face after already accepting an answer they never wanted.
"I understand," she said quietly. "I really do."
Erend remained silent as he looked at her for several long moments. A heavy feeling settled inside his chest. He truly wondered what his repeated departures looked like from Arty’s perspective.
Perhaps she felt as though he kept choosing everyone else over his own family.
Perhaps every goodbye reminded her that her older brother belonged to the world far more than he belonged at home.
The thought hurt more than he wanted to admit.
But what choice did he have? This had become his life.
He possessed the power of the Dragonborn and the System. He had witnessed countless worlds beyond Earth and enemies capable of destroying entire civilizations.
Knowing all of that... How could he simply stay home?
"Erend." His mother’s gentle voice pulled him from his thoughts.
He turned toward her.
She smiled at him. It was the same warm smile she always seemed to wear regardless of the situation.
Sometimes Erend genuinely wondered how she managed it.
No matter how difficult life became, she always smiled with such quiet kindness, as though carrying the weight of the world had never crossed her mind.
He wished he could be like her.
He wished he could smile without constantly thinking about the next battle, the next enemy, or the next world waiting to be saved.
But he couldn’t.
Perhaps that kind of strength belonged only to his mother.
"You’re carrying something much bigger than any of us, son," she said softly. "And we understand that."
Her words were gentle. There was no accusation or disappointment, only understanding.
But somehow, that understanding hurt Erend even more.
His emotions, which he had been suppressing ever since returning to this world, suddenly caught up with him.
He slowly leaned back in his chair before staring blankly at the ceiling.
"I suddenly don’t want to go." The confession escaped his lips almost unconsciously. For a moment, he allowed himself to admit what he truly felt.
Why couldn’t he simply stay here? Why did he have to keep leaving the people he loved behind? Why did he have to continue chasing problems that were never originally his own problem?
Why did the responsibility of protecting countless worlds have to become his burden?
Silence filled the room again.
Arty lowered her head slightly. She bit her lower lip, feeling guilty for what she had said earlier.
His mother quietly watched him before speaking once more.
"I think you have to go, Erend. I know this is difficult, and I can’t make that decision for you. But let me ask you something." She looked directly into his eyes. "If you choose not to go... will you truly be okay with that?"
Erend froze. The question echoed inside his mind. Would I?
He lowered his gaze.
If he stayed... The Dragonborn legacies would remain undiscovered. The secrets behind the Black Rage might never be uncovered.
If another cosmic battle came before he learned how to control that power...
He remembered the overwhelming fury consuming his mind. The uncontrollable destruction. The fear of losing himself completely.
No. He already knew the answer.
After several long seconds, Erend finally shook his head. "No. I guess I wouldn’t."
He looked back at both his mother and Arty before offering an apologetic smile. "I’m sorry. I promise I’ll find time to stay with you both longer. Or during my journey... I’ll come home more often whenever I can."
For a brief moment, neither of them spoke.
Then Arty suddenly smiled brightly again. "Then that’s enough!"
The cheerful expression that had disappeared earlier finally returned to her face.
"Just don’t disappear for weeks without visiting again. And I guess that is okay."
Erend laughed softly. "I’ll do my best."
The conversation gradually shifted toward lighter topics after that.
Although none of them truly liked the reality they had accepted, they had found the closure they needed.
By the time dinner ended, the atmosphere had become warm once more.
Later that night, Erend returned to his room.
He stood quietly in the darkness for several moments before extending one hand.
Space distorted before him.
A familiar portal slowly opened, revealing another world beyond its shimmering surface.
Without hesitation, Erend stepped through.
The scenery changed instantly.
Instead of his bedroom, he found himself standing within the beautiful gardens of the Elven Palace. Moonlight illuminated the elegant trees and colorful flowers while gentle Magic energy drifted through the cool night air.
Waiting for him beside the stone pathway was a familiar figure.
Aurdis had already arrived.
—