An Ordinary Yet Happy Life

The world is sinking.

The dead are rising.

Monsters run rampant.

In such a world, how can an ordinary person survive?

Even if one does live, would it be considered happiness or misfortune?

Watching the retreating figures of the two elderly,

Seeing their arms supporting each other,

Xu Xi thought that for Hansen and his wife, it must be happiness.

In this cold, despairing world, the two had lived in fear for years—from their youth to their old age.

At the end of their lives,

They could finally cast aside that fear.

In their final, precious moments, they faced the world with calm acceptance, living as they always had, waiting for the inevitable end.

"Great Sorcerer, if this isn’t enough, we’ll bring more next time."

Ahead of him,

The silver-haired couple suddenly stopped and turned to speak to Xu Xi.

"Alright, thank you,"

Xu Xi smiled.

Kindness met with kindness.

"......" The phrase "life and death intertwined" triggered on its own, shifting Xu Xi’s vision. He saw two souls, faint yet glowing with light, smiling in contentment.

[During your stay atop the mountain, you formed a bond with the elderly couple]

[They were born ordinary]

[And will return to the ordinary]

[You sensed the frailty buried deep within their souls—perhaps before long, Hansen and his wife would pass peacefully from old age]

[If you wished, you had many means to extend their mortal lives]

[But the couple refused]

[After exchanging uneasy glances, they made their long-decided choice, saying they only wished to spend their remaining days in peace]

[Under the sunlight, the farmer and his wife walked hand in hand, their shadows stretching long behind them]

[They walked a path bathed in light]

[Ordinary, yet happy]

[At your feet lay the vegetables they had brought, also tinted gold by the sun, lying silently in the scorching light]

......

[In the fourth month of your stay atop the mountain]

[After long observation, you finally noticed the changes in the world]

[The sun’s brightness had dimmed compared to before, and the number of slimes spawning on the mountain had dwindled]

[The wind howled like a ghost’s wail]

[The raging storm carried the scent of nature from afar—and within it, you caught the familiar stench of death]

"It’s finally coming, isn’t it?"

On the third floor of the temporary workshop,

Xu Xi gazed down at the land below.

The vast earth, once teeming with life, was now withering—flowers fading, plants drooping.

Some of it was due to the arrival of autumn.

But more than that, it was the deathly aura creeping back into the air.

Xu Xi reached out, his soul energy coalescing into an invisible hand, plucking threads of death from the sky and gathering them in his palm.

"The rate it’s increasing..."

"It seems we only have a few months of peace left."

He lifted his head slightly,

His eyes fixed on the still-crimson sun.

That blazing heat, that radiance—

Might soon turn cold and black once more.

"I need to speed up the modifications to the Nether Raven—either evolve it into a Netherfire Raven or shift it toward the Bone Dragon lineage."

"Though I can fly on my own, I can’t multitask. Having a mount would be more convenient."

His murmured words echoed through the workshop’s third floor,

Softly foretelling the silence of the future.

......

[You’ve noticed the world’s transformation—a sign of life receding back into death]

[After rough calculations, you predict that by winter, the world will revert to its former lifeless state, drawing closer to the Netherworld]

[The time to leave the mountain has arrived]

[To prepare for that moment, you devote more time to perfecting the Nether Raven’s evolution and refining your own spells]

[During your seclusion]

[Servia took full charge of the workshop’s operations]

[Including interactions with Hansen and Mina, which she handled]

[Born into nobility and raised managing affairs, Servia kept everything in perfect order, without a single misstep]

"Grandpa Hansen."

"Grandma Mina."

"Let me help you."

The autumn world had turned into a warm palette of oranges and yellows.

Fallen leaves blanketed the path, hiding the small stones beneath, silent and deep.

Only when the wind blew fiercely

Would the leaves scatter, revealing the true path beneath.

Today, the elderly couple had brought another generous offering of vegetables—

So much that one might wonder if they’d emptied their entire pantry.

After politely thanking them and accepting the gifts,

Servia worried about the couple stumbling on their way home.

So, beneath the gentle golden sunlight, the Heroine Servia offered to escort them back to their nearby village.

"Oh, no, we couldn’t possibly..."

"Lady Servia..."

Flustered by her kindness, the farmer and his wife waved their hands in refusal.

But Servia reassured them softly,

Until at last, they agreed to let her accompany them.

"Lady Servia, you’re truly kind."

"You’re the best of people—may the gods protect you."

Hansen and Mina were simple folk. Their lives had been spent tilling the land, untrained in flattery or reading expressions.

They could only offer clumsy words of gratitude to the kind-hearted girl.

To them, the unseen gods

Were their most steadfast faith.

They prayed for the Heroine’s blessings—

And even extended their prayers to Xu Xi, wishing the kind Sorcerer a long, untroubled life.

Crunch—

Crunch—

Each step on the path crushed dried leaves beneath their feet.

Amid the crisp sounds, Servia guided the elderly couple,

Drawing closer to their home in the village—

One of the few houses left standing amidst the ruins.

Soon, they arrived. Servia gently released their arms.

"Grandpa Hansen, Grandma Mina, we’re here."

"Thank you, Lady Servia," the couple said gratefully,

Their faces alight with joy.

To them, being escorted by Servia

Was an honor beyond measure.

Seeing their expressions, Servia felt a pang of nostalgia—

A thousand years ago, in the Clawphire Territory, people had called her "Lady Servia" in just the same way.

Whoosh—

Whoosh—

The wind howled violently, billowing their clothes.

Instinctively, Servia tightened her cloak, keeping it from being swept away.

The gale roared so fiercely it seemed ready to lift them off the ground.

Moments later,

The wind subsided.

Servia loosened her grip, her face—wrapped in bandages, with only one eye visible—turning to bid the couple farewell.

"Then, I’ll take my leave now, Grandpa Hansen, Grandma Mina."

The autumn day was bleak and silent.

Her face, though fragmented, held a gentle warmth in her gaze—

Leaving the elderly couple momentarily stunned.