Location: Liria – Day 100 in Atheria
The Bard stood once again beneath the lantern tree, flute in hand.
But tonight, his melody was different.
It wasn't sorrow.
It wasn't memory.
It was farewell.
And Jiwoo felt it in his chest before the system even spoke.
> [Harmonic Alignment Detected – Dimensional Gate Forming]
[Coordinates: Origin World – South Korea]
[Transfer Eligibility: 9 Registered Soul-Bound Companions]
[Powers and Inventory: Retained]
[Currency Conversion: Retain 999 Centillion Gold as Quantum Treasury]
[Would You Like to Return?]
The flute's last note hung in the air.
Then the sky split open.
Not violently.
Like a curtain parting in a breeze.
Revealing a glowing arch of swirling starlight… and beyond it—
Earth.
Home.
---
The Decision
Jiwoo turned to the eight.
No one spoke at first.
Not because they didn't want to go—
But because… they finally had something worth losing.
Sena whispered, "We're not escaping anymore, are we?"
"No," Jiwoo said. "We're simply… going home stronger."
Yoori glanced toward the valley. "And Liria?"
The Bard stepped forward, flute fading into motes of light.
"Peace is not a place," he said. "It is a legacy."
Mirae smiled. "Then let's carry it with us."
---
Final System Log: Liria
> [Liria: Peace Sanctuary – Status Frozen]
[Timeflow: Paused Indefinitely]
[Population: 123 Soul-Bonded Residents (Preserved)]
[Sanctuary Shield: Active]
[World Attention: Faded]
> Liria will remain eternal… should they ever wish to return.
---
Crossing the Gate
One by one, they stepped through.
No fanfare.
No system chimes.
Just silence… and a feeling like stepping into warm light.
Jiwoo stepped last, holding the silver feather in one hand—and the memory of a thousand peaceful days in the other.
---
South Korea – Present Day
A breeze passed through the rooftop of Jiwoo's old apartment building in Seoul.
Then—light.
A pulse.
And they returned.
Same age. Same clothes.
Same memories.
But now—each of them glowed faintly with something more.
Power. Peace. Purpose.
---
Status Interface Reopened
> [Dimensional Sovereign System Reactivated]
[Funds: 999 Centillion Gold – Now Stored in Reality-Linked Quantum Account]
[Magic Access: Full]
[Physical Stats: Infinite]
[Multiverse Travel: Locked Until System Reboot]
[Visibility to Others: Optional – Stealth Mode Enabled]
The world hadn't changed.
But they had.
---
The World Felt… Smaller
Seoul bustled.
People hurried. Cars honked. Lights blinked.
But Jiwoo felt no stress. No fear.
Only calm.
He could hear the heartbeat of the city like music.
A child cried in the distance—he smiled and flicked his fingers gently. The wind shifted, and the child began to laugh.
A traffic jam untangled as Mirae, from a rooftop, used a breeze spell to lift a lost drone out of a powerline.
Baek, leaning on a lamppost, grinned. "Feels weird being back."
Jihae nodded. "It feels… fairer now."
---
The Hidden Palace
Within days, Jiwoo bought a forgotten mountain range on the outskirts of Seoul.
He didn't bulldoze it.
He healed it.
With spirit trees, floating pavilions, and invisible barriers to keep unwanted eyes away.
His 999 centillion gold moved silently through anonymous funds and secret accounts across every global system.
But no one could track him.
Not anymore.
The world thought he was just… gone.
And maybe that was for the best.
---
Peace, Reimagined
No politics.
No charity galas.
No television interviews.
Just nine people living life on their own terms.
Gardening in hidden temples.
Flying through clouds at dusk.
Exploring old bookstores no one remembered.
Spending money not to conquer—but to create quiet moments that would last.
---
A Note on the News
A headline appeared weeks later:
> "Billionaire Tech Ghost Invests in Restoring Forgotten Villages Worldwide. No Identity Found. No Signatures. Just Results."
Jiwoo smiled.
Behind the scenes, he had quietly preserved old towns, rebuilt orphan schools, funded forests, and revived dying arts.
But he never asked for credit.
His wealth existed to remove burdens, not impose them.
And the world… slowly healed in invisible ways.
---
One Last Song
One night, on the highest terrace of their mountain home, the silver feather began to glow again.
Solace plucked a soft note on a stringed instrument.
The wind carried the sound.
And across dimensions, a brief echo returned.
From Liria.
Still alive.
Still singing.
Still waiting.
---
Ending Scene – Peace, Infinite
Jiwoo sat beneath the stars, a cup of tea in hand, watching the city lights far below.
Mirae leaned beside him. "You ever going to spend all that money?"
He laughed. "Not in this lifetime."
Yoori added, "Or the next seven."
Sena nudged him. "You know… we could always go back."
He nodded. "Someday. Maybe. But for now…"
He gazed at the stars—each one blinking like a quiet promise.
"…we finally found peace here."
And for once…
That was enough.
---
[Trillions of Peace: End of Volume 1 – Isekai Arc Complete]
[Status: Returned to Earth | Wealth: Eternal | Power: Infinite | Threat: None | Peace: Unbroken]
---