Grand Return System

Morning Beneath the Ancient Canopy [Part -2]

"...Wait."

Her blue eyes narrowed ever so slightly.

"You... opened your eyes awfully quickly."

Rias blinked before turning toward Leon.

"...Don’t tell me..."

"Were you already awake?"

Leon rubbed the back of his head with a helpless smile.

"I never really fell asleep."

Both women froze.

"...What?"

Leon looked toward the fading campfire.

"I closed my eyes to rest."

"But someone had to stay alert."

"This forest isn’t completely safe."

"If a magical beast or an unexpected visitor had appeared during the night, someone needed to notice first."

Realization slowly dawned on both of them.

The protective barrier...

The untouched campfire...

The peaceful night...

He had quietly watched over them the entire time.

Selena lowered her eyes, a mixture of gratitude and guilt filling her heart.

"You... stayed awake all night?"

Leon smiled casually.

"It wasn’t a big deal."

"You two were exhausted."

"I wanted you to get a proper rest."

Rias bit her lip before speaking softly.

"...You really don’t know how to take care of yourself sometimes."

Leon laughed.

"I’d say I did exactly that."

"I made sure everyone was safe."

The two women looked at him silently.

Their embarrassment gradually faded, replaced by warmth and appreciation.

Neither of them said another word.

Instead...

Both smiled gently at him.

The quiet morning somehow felt even warmer than before.

Leon gently added, "You both looked comfortable."

Rias covered her burning face.

"You’re teasing us..."

"Maybe a little."

Selena sighed helplessly before smiling.

"I should have expected that."

Leon stood and stretched lazily.

"The sunrise is beautiful."

The two women looked toward the horizon.

Golden light spread across the endless forest.

Morning mist floated above the nearby stream.

Everything looked peaceful.

Rias suddenly smiled.

"You know..."

"I don’t think I’ve had a morning this relaxing in years."

Selena nodded gently.

"Neither have I."

Leon quietly looked at both of them.

For a brief moment...

His expression softened.

He had watched them become stronger with every battle.

He had watched them refuse to give up even when facing impossible odds.

Now, seeing them smile so freely in the peaceful morning light, he felt that every hardship had been worthwhile.

An unusual silence settled between them.

Rias fidgeted with the edge of her sleeve, glancing at Leon before quickly looking away again.

"...Teacher?"

"Hm?"

She hesitated for several seconds.

"If..."

"If we camp again someday..."

She rubbed the back of her neck awkwardly.

"...would it be alright if Selena and I slept beside you again?"

The moment the words left her mouth, her ears turned bright red.

Selena looked at her in disbelief.

"R-Rias..."

"You actually asked..."

Rias laughed nervously.

"I was just wondering..."

"It felt... peaceful."

Selena lowered her gaze, her own cheeks warming.

"...I..."

"I wouldn’t mind either."

Leon blinked, clearly surprised by the question.

He looked at the two embarrassed women before letting out a quiet laugh.

"So that’s what you’ve both been thinking about since waking up?"

Neither answered.

Their silence was answer enough.

Leon smiled warmly.

"If neither of you minds..."

"I don’t mind either."

He paused before continuing.

"I like having both of you around."

"You’ve become people I truly care about."

"You’re my family."

"And..."

"I’m your family too."

The simple words carried no hesitation.

Selena slowly raised her head.

A gentle smile blossomed across her face.

"...Thank you."

Rias grinned brightly.

"I knew you’d say something like that."

She clasped her hands behind her back, unable to hide her happiness.

Leon shook his head with an amused smile.

"You two really overthink things."

Selena let out a soft laugh.

"Maybe..."

"But hearing you say it out loud makes us happy."

Leon smiled.

"Then I’ll just have to remind you whenever you forget."

The three exchanged warm smiles before continuing their journey beneath the bright morning sky, the peaceful atmosphere around them feeling lighter than ever.

Watching them smile so naturally somehow felt even more rewarding than victory itself.

Selena happened to notice the warmth in his eyes.

Her heartbeat quickened.

He rarely revealed his feelings so openly.

Rias noticed it as well.

She smiled to herself but said nothing.

Neither woman spoke about it.

Yet both silently reached the same conclusion.

Perhaps...

They weren’t the only ones whose feelings had begun to change.

The thought alone filled their hearts with quiet happiness.

Leon noticed the unusual silence.

"What?"

Selena quickly shook her head.

"Nothing."

Rias nodded repeatedly.

"Absolutely nothing."

Leon narrowed his eyes suspiciously.

"I don’t believe either of you."

The two women suddenly laughed.

Seeing his puzzled expression made it impossible to hold back.

Leon smiled helplessly.

"I’ve clearly missed something."

"You have."

"But we’re not telling."

"Not today."

Leon simply shook his head.

"I suppose I’ll find out eventually."

"Maybe."

"Maybe not."

The playful conversation continued while everyone packed the campsite.

Once everything was cleaned up, Leon casually raised one hand.

A gentle wave of Mana swept across all three of them.

Dust disappeared.

Wrinkled clothes became neat once again.

The lingering fatigue completely vanished.

Rias looked at herself in amazement.

"That never stops being incredible."

Selena smiled.

"It certainly makes traveling easier."

Leon laughed.

"It saves time."

He glanced toward the distant horizon.

"Ready?"

Both answered together.

"Ready."

The three left the peaceful valley side by side.

Although none of them spoke about what had happened that morning...

The atmosphere between them had subtly changed.

It wasn’t awkward.

Nor was it uncomfortable.

Instead...

It felt warmer.

More natural.

As if the quiet trust they already shared had taken one small step toward becoming something even deeper.

Whatever the future held...

None of them felt the need to rush it.

For now...

Walking together beneath the morning sky was more than enough.

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Authors Notes: Dear Readers, Thanks so much for joining me on this adventure! Your enthusiasm, feedback, and encouragement really keep me motivated to keep bringing *Grand Return System* into existence. If you’re loving the Chapters, I’d love it if you supported my book with a Powerstone, review, or even a Golden Ticket—it helps me develop as a writer and lets more readers enjoy the story. I look forward to hearing your ideas and thoughts, so please don’t hesitate to share!

With love,

Scoturn777

Creator of Grand Return System

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