June: Arrival at Valla

Annette spoke, "Now that Owain can perform the spell, let's head back to Garreg Mach and tell everyone the great news!"

Everyone concurred. They headed to the monastery immediately. On the walk, Ferdinand put an arm around Dorothea. "I hope Advisor Crebbin does not rattle you too much. He is . . . very particular about things sometimes."

Dorothea shrugged. "Eh. I'm used to nobles treating me that way. One time when I begged for coins for a meal, one kicked me out his way. Many of them see us commoners as things to get rid of. The only reason they'd mourn our deaths is that there'd be one less tongue to lick their boots."

Ferdinand cringed. "I sincerely hope that under my reign, this behavior ceases. I will not tolerate any mistreatment towards the commonfolk. They are to be respected by the nobility, not harmed by them."

Dorothea simpered. "Your debonair and idealistic charm is what I love best about you. Careful not to let being the Emperor eat that away from you. Don't let it destroy who you are."

The tone of her voice-so commanding yet worried, touched Ferdinand. "I will not, and I will prove to the world just how crucial a true royal is. I have already made plans to care for the Hresvelg children unable to take care of themselves, and for orphans to receive financial support throughout their childhood and to learn a trade so they will prosper once they are old enough to work on their own."

Dorothea's face flushed pink. "Wow. You've already started that? When I told you that I didn't want any more starving children like the younger me, you hopped right to it. I figured you'd do something down the line, but not a solution so quickly."

Ferdinand tensed. "Well, it is not a perfect solution. The child's new caretakers could always end up abusive. I hope that it works out in the long-term."

Dorothea reassured, "If you keep at it with the same vigor as you have now, you're bound to find the answer you're looking for. And I'll be by your side the whole way through."

Ferdinand affectionately kissed her cheek. He first had feelings for her because of her beauty, they blossomed when he discovered her sharp wit, and finally came to fruition when he knew how kind and supportive she was. "I always knew I was lucky to have you, but now I know just how lucky."

Dorothea smiled. "That's sweet. I can't believe I actually thought for the longest time that you were nothing more than a stuffy little snot-nosed noble who looked down on anyone less fortunate than you."

The two conversed the whole way to the monastery. Everyone was granted entry and sat in a meeting with Rhea, Cichol, Cethleann, and Catherine. Rhea beamed at the warriors. "Thank you for everything you have done. Now Fódlan rests easy because of your valiant efforts. We will now remain vigilant for any Twilighter attacks. You must hasten to the other worlds and eradicate this threat."

Sophie leapt up. "Let's go to Valla! We need to go save my world!" Without delay she jumped through the portal and fell on the ground. She groaned and dusted the dirt of her. Sophie craned her neck. The sky was a serene blue with huge puffy clouds. There were no more bodies or blood on the former battlefield, and looked more like her home.

Suddenly, she was back on the gravel path with a crushing pressure on her back. Sophie cried out as the pressure rolled off her and she was pulled back on her feet, right next to her angry father. Silas roared, "What were you doing?! You could've charged right into an enemy ambush! Are you trying to get killed?! We go together!"

Sophie stared at the ground. "I'm sorry."

Silas saw his daughter's remorse and softened. "Besides, if you died, what would Valla be without its princess?"

Caeldori flew out of the gate and flew next to them. "Sophie! I didn't think I needed to worry about your safety, too! What am I going to do with you and Shiro?! Both my boyfriend AND my best friend are now causally traipsing to their possible deaths!"

Shortly, all of the heroes came, cross at Sophie for being rash. Once they noticed that she was already properly scolded by Silas and Caeldori, they begrudgingly dropped it. Sophie raced up to the door and entered her home.

Corrin was standing there speaking to someone, but saw her daughter and stopped the conversation to welcome her. "Sophie! I'm so glad to see you!"

Sophie beamed. "Ditto! So, we have amazing news!" She recapped everything that happened since they last saw another to her proud mother.

Corrin praised, "Well done! You've certainly come far. I'm glad that one world managed to escape. So you're saying that Odin-er, Owain-can cast this spell to weed out all the Twilighter locations in the world?"

Owain chimed in, "Do the wise salmon grant knowledge? Does the crow flap its wings in the dead of night?"

Corrin bit her lip. "I . . . I don't know the answer to either of those."

Ophelia enthusiastically cried, "Yes!"

Corrin didn't reply but motioned for them to follow her into the court mage's workspace. "Here's the best suited place in the castle for the spell to be cast."

Owain closed his eyes and repeated the same ritual he did when he first recreated it in Adrestia. The room lit up with the spell displaying the map of the world, with pinpoints as to where the abnormalities were.

Linhardt complained, "It looks like all every country has a base. That's so much work. I just want to be done with it and nap back home."

Ferdinand scolded, "Saving the world is much more urgent than your afternoon catnaps!"

Linhardt drily responded, "That's your opinion."

Sophie put her hands on her hips. "We're doing this with or without you! Go back to your home if you want; we'll just do it without it!"

Linhardt moaned, "I wasn't going to abandon you. I just want to sleep."

Corrin proposed, "Why don't you all rest here and we'll tackle this in the morning? Our minds will be refreshed and you deserve a break from all the traveling you did."

The heroes moved toward the guest bedrooms, but Sophie retreated to her own bedroom and collapsed on the mattress, relieved to finally sleep in her own bed.