Max was lying on a large bed in the castle infirmary.

Moonlight was carefully inspecting every bandage wrapped around his arms and shoulders.

Max smiled.

"What are you doing?"

Moon looked up.

"Checking."

"Checking what?"

"Making sure Daddy is still in one piece."

Max laughed.

"I think I’m still in one piece."

"’I think’ isn’t enough."

The little dragoness crossed her arms.

"We have to be sure."

Max shook his head.

"You’re starting to sound way too much like Seraphine."

Moon looked proud.

"Thank you."

The two of them ended up laughing.

Then Max remembered something.

"Moon."

"Yeah?"

"Could you see if Dorian knows anything about the drow yet?"

The little girl tilted her head.

"Miss Thara’s sister?"

"Yeah."

"Okay."

Moon climbed down from her chair.

But just as she was about to leave the room, the door opened.

And Don walked in.

The faun adjusted his suit as he entered.

"I was actually coming with news."

Moon sat back down.

"Good news?"

Don nodded.

"It seems Dorian managed to stabilize Miss Vesper."

Max let out a sigh of relief.

"Thank goodness."

"However..."

The faun paused briefly.

"It doesn’t look like she’ll wake up anytime soon."

The smile on Max’s face faded slightly.

"I see."

"But she’s alive."

"That’s already a lot."

Don nodded.

"That’s exactly what Mister Dorian said."

Max tried to sit up.

He placed both hands on the mattress.

The moment he started rising, pain shot through his entire body.

"Ah."

Moon gently pushed him back down.

"No!"

Max fell back onto the pillow.

"Moon..."

"No."

"Moon..."

"Dorian said you need to rest."

"But I just wanted to sit up."

"No."

Max looked at the little dragoness.

Then at Don.

Don raised both hands.

"I’m not arguing with her."

Max sighed.

"Traitors."

Moon smiled proudly.

"Much better."

Don cleared his throat.

"By the way."

"Yeah?"

"There’s someone who wants to see you."

Max raised an eyebrow.

"Who?"

The answer arrived on its own.

Because a familiar figure appeared behind the faun.

Elanor.

The princess was wearing one of her more comfortable white dresses.

Far less formal than the ones she usually wore.

Her hair fell over her shoulders.

And the moment she saw Max—

She ran straight toward him.

"Max!"

Before he could react, she was already hugging him.

Max smiled.

"Hi."

"Hi?"

Elanor lifted her head.

Her eyes looked slightly watery.

"That’s all you have to say?"

"Well..."

Max scratched his cheek.

"I could also say that I’m happy to see you."

The princess hugged him again.

"Why do you keep putting yourself in danger?"

Max stayed silent for a few seconds.

"Because someone had to do it."

"That doesn’t answer my question."

Moon pointed at Max.

"Daddy dummy."

Don nodded.

"Very dummy Daddy."

Max looked at them.

"Did everyone coordinate this?"

"Yes."

The three answered simultaneously.

The room burst into laughter.

Even Elanor ended up laughing.

Though she still looked worried.

"I understand why you didn’t tell me anything."

she finally said.

"You probably didn’t want me to worry."

Max nodded.

"You were busy with all the wedding preparations."

"That doesn’t matter."

"Of course it matters."

Elanor opened her mouth to protest.

But Max continued.

"I saw how happy you were organizing everything. I didn’t want to ruin that."

The princess lowered her gaze and smiled softly.

"Idiot."

Moon pointed at him again.

"Daddy dummy."

"I got it already."

Everyone laughed again.

But little by little, Max’s smile faded.

There was something important they needed to discuss.

Something he couldn’t keep postponing.

He took a deep breath.

"There’s something else."

Elanor looked at him.

"What is it?"

Max glanced at Moon.

Then at Don.

Finally, he looked back at the princess.

"We’re not done with the summoning problem yet."

Elanor frowned.

"What do you mean?"

Max sighed.

"I have bad news."

The room fell silent.

"Now that we know how the seal works..."

he continued.

"I have to return the summons to their original worlds."

No one answered immediately.

Until another voice came from the doorway.

"Including me?"

Everyone turned and saw Chloe leaning against the doorframe.

The human woman wore a faint smile.

Though her eyes looked much more serious than usual.

Max smiled.

"If you understood what I just said, it means you’ve been practicing the language."

Chloe rolled her eyes.

"Don’t change the subject."

Max chuckled.

Then finally answered.

"Including you."

The room fell silent again.

Elanor’s eyes widened.

"Wait."

She looked at Chloe.

Then at Max.

"And you?"

Max hesitated.

It was a difficult question.

One he still didn’t have an answer to.

"I don’t know."

he admitted.

"What do you mean you don’t know?"

"I’m not sure."

Max looked down at his hands.

Moon immediately moved closer.

And hugged him.

"I don’t want you to leave."

Max felt a knot form in his chest.

He gently stroked her head.

"I know."

The little dragoness held on tighter.

"Don’t go."

Elanor lowered her gaze as well.

Tears began gathering in her eyes.

She wasn’t sobbing.

She wasn’t making a scene.

But it was obvious she was afraid.

Max looked at her.

Then extended his free arm.

The princess stepped closer.

And ended up hugging him too.

Max found himself trapped between the two of them.

And smiled.

"No offense to Chloe."

The king’s pet raised an eyebrow.

"Here we go."

"But there’s a chance I can stay."

Elanor immediately looked up.

"Really?"

"Yes."

"It’s not certain."

"But it’s possible."

The princess immediately clung to that hope.

Meanwhile...

Chloe shrugged.

"Don’t worry about me."

Everyone looked at her.

The woman smiled.

"As beautiful as this world is..."

She glanced out the window.

"...I miss my old routine."

Max blinked.

"Seriously?"

"Yep."

"Even after everything you’ve experienced here?"

Chloe nodded.

"I miss simple things. My house. My job. My music. My schedule."

Max laughed softly.

"When you put it that way, it sounds incredibly boring."

"Because it was."

she replied.

"But it was my boredom."

That made everyone smile.

Max nodded slowly.

"I’m glad you’re not taking it badly."

"Relax."

said Chloe.

"I already survived a crazy cult trafficking strange creatures. I think I can survive going home."

Don raised a hand.

"I would never survive either of those things."

"Nobody asked you."

Chloe replied.

The faun looked offended.

Then Chloe added:

"But you survived pretty well."

Don immediately smiled.

"Thank you."

Max shook his head.

Then Chloe became serious again.

"Although..."

"What?"

"The king probably isn’t going to be very happy about all of this."

Max grimaced.

That was a very valid observation.

"Probably not."

"Especially after he learns there’s a hidden Mirror Dimension inside his castle."

Don shuddered.

"Please don’t remind me."

Moon giggled.

And Max decided to change the subject.

He looked at Elanor.

"How are the wedding preparations going?"

The princess’s eyes immediately lit up.

"Good."

"Just good?"

"Very good."

Max smiled.

"That sounds better."

Elanor took one of his hands.

"If everything goes well..."

She paused briefly.

"We can hold the ceremony in one week."

Max froze for a few seconds.

One week.

After everything that had happened.

It sounded strange.

And wonderful at the same time.

He smiled.

"Then it’s settled."

"What is?"

Elanor asked.

Max looked directly into her eyes.

"I’m going to use this week to finish the rest of my mission."

The princess listened carefully.

"I’m going to return every remaining summon."

"I’m going to solve this problem once and for all."

He gently squeezed Elanor’s hand.

"But I’m not canceling the wedding for anything in the world."

The princess’s eyes filled with tears once again.

This time, tears of happiness.

And she smiled.

A huge smile.

Beautiful.

Sincere.

"I’m glad to hear that."

Max smiled back.