The Last Place Hero’s Return - Chapter 304

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 304. Epilogue – Graduation (2)
“Daaaaaale!!!”
With a resounding cry, Lanez came rushing toward me in rapid footsteps.
Her eyes glistening with tears, Lanez threw her arms around me with such force that she nearly knocked me over.
“Sorry. I kept you waiting long, didn’t I?”
“Dale, Dale, Dale, Dale, Dale, Dale, Dale, Dale, Dale!!!”
“Yeah.”
“This… this isn’t a dream, is it…?”
“Want me to prove it?”
I gently lifted her chin and pressed my lips to hers softly.
“Ah.”
Lanez let out a soft gasp, her fingers tracing her lips.
Tears that had gathered at the corners of her eyes streamed down her cheeks.
“You really… came back.”
“Yeah. Sorry for making you wait so long.”
“Hic, hic… Waaah! Dale, Dale, Dale, Dale, Dale, Daaale!”
Lanez wept openly, her shoulders trembling with sobs.
I stroked her back gently as I recalled what Iris had told me.
“By the way, Iris said you were a huge support to everyone while I was asleep.”
“Sniff… that, that was…”
When I first learned I’d been asleep for a year and a half, my immediate concern was whether Lanez had lost control.
But contrary to my expectations, I was genuinely surprised to hear that Lanez had been the most composed, encouraging the others through their struggles.
“Iris and Yu, Yurina… everyone was suffering so much that I thought if I fell apart too, it would only make things worse.”
Lanez smiled shyly, her expression tender.
“I’m… well, I’m also the older sister… hehe.”
Watching her blush with embarrassment, I couldn’t help but smile.
‘She’s changed.’
Compared to when we first met—always anxious and fearful—this was a remarkable transformation.
“Still… it, it was really hard…”
“I know.”
“Every single day, I was terrified you’d never come back.”
“I’m sorry.”
“On days when I missed you so much, I… I undressed you while you slept to… to ease my loneliness.”
“Wait… what?”
Hold on.
What did you just say?
“I, I mean, even while you were asleep, you looked so h, healthy, Dale!”
“No.”
What exactly did you do to a patient?
“Ah…! I, I didn’t just undress you! I also tried putting a maid outfit on you, and a military uniform too!”
“Uh… yeah.”
“Hehe. I took tons of photos and sent them to everyone, and they all said it comforted them!”
“….”
What is this?
It feels like something incredible happened while I was asleep.
“And most importantly….”
Lanez gripped my collar tightly.
“B-because you said Dale would come back… I was able to endure it.”
“….”
Watching Lanez smile brightly as she spoke, I found myself pressing my lips against hers once more.
“Thank you for believing in me.”
“Heh, hehe. Kissing Dale… it feels so good.”
Lanez grinned widely, caressing her lips.
“…Lanez.”
“Dale….”
A peculiar atmosphere was forming between us.
“Hmm… if you’ve already shared a reunion kiss not once but twice, shouldn’t we move on to the next step?”
Click.
A tall, dark-haired beauty entered through the opened door.
Elisha, whom I was reuniting with after a year and a half, had grown her hair considerably—it now fell well past her shoulders.
“Elisha.”
“Hmph. Still calling me ‘professor’ even in a situation like this?”
“…Elisha.”
“Hehe. That sounds much better.”
“You grew your hair out?”
“I wanted to give you a fresh impression when you woke up, so I decided to let it grow.”
Elisha approached, running her fingers through her long hair.
“How does it look? Does it suit me?”
“Yeah. The short hair was nice too, but long hair has a different charm.”
“Hehe. A satisfying response.”
Elisha smiled faintly and pressed her lips against mine.
Through our touching lips, I could feel her trembling.
“…I missed you.”
“Yeah, me too.”
“Then shall we do a quick check?”
“A check? Mmph!”
Her tongue parted my lips, pushing inside.
Elisha’s tongue moved roughly through my mouth like a starving beast.
“Hah!”
Elisha pulled away from the kiss only when breath became scarce, her eyes gleaming as she studied me.
“…Heh.”
A soft exhale escaped from Elisha’s lips.
“The two forces have merged completely into one. It feels like… watching a colossal tree made of fire.”
“After all that time, I handled it cleanly, didn’t I?”
“Hmph. Don’t think you can just brush past this as if nothing happened.”
Elisha turned away with a sullen expression, her gaze deliberately averted.
“While you were gone… I was so lonely.”
“….”
“From now on, so you’re never lonely again, stay with me always.”
What is this?
Did she rejuvenate while I was asleep?
Why does our professor look so adorable right now?
“…Elisha.”
As I swallowed hard, watching her turn her head slightly while keeping her gaze averted.
BOOM!
A violent explosion shook the Party House.
“That sound….”
“Hehe. It seems your turn has come.”
Elisha shrugged and stepped back from me.
CRASH!
A window shattered as a woman in a dress flew through it.
“D-Dale…!”
“Long time no see, Camelia.”
“Ah… You… you really came back.”
Camelia embraced me tightly, her expression trembling with emotion.
“To cause your Empress such worry… truly, I am an unworthy servant.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Sigh. Truly… while you slumbered, I could not focus on anything. I spent the entire day locked away in my chambers, thinking only of you.”
“Then how did you manage the Empire’s affairs all this time?”
“Your Empress has many capable servants.”
“….”
How can she say she shirked her duties so confidently….
“Hehe. Do not worry. Since the Eternal Order and the Demons vanished, the Continent has known peace unlike any other era in history.”
“I see.”
Now that I think about it, that makes sense.
“Of course, a few scattered beast hordes and Heroes who commit crimes for personal gain still remain, but it is far better than when the Demons roamed freely.”
“I understand.”
“Hehe.”
Camelia smiled gently and caressed my cheek.
“All of this was possible because you existed.”
“….”
“How does it feel? Creating the era of peace you so desperately desired with your own hands?”
“Honestly, it still doesn’t feel real….”
I glanced around the room at the lovers gathered there and shrugged my shoulders.
“But it’s not a bad feeling.”
“Hehe. Looking at the women whose lives are so thoroughly intertwined with yours, you speak such words… Truly, you possess the qualities of an emperor, befitting the consort of the Empress.”
“….”
That didn’t sound like praise at all.
“By the way… aren’t you going to do it for me?”
“Hm? Do what?”
“The, the reunion kiss, of course.”
Camelia touched her lips with a hesitant expression.
Without a word, I approached her and pressed my lips against hers.
“Ahh… how wonderful.”
Camelia savored the lingering sensation on her lips, a gentle smile blooming across her face.
As the Empress of the Empire, I had tasted every delicacy and fine cuisine across the Continent, but nothing had ever been this sweet.
“So what remains now….”
Click.
They say even tigers come when called.
The door opened carefully, and Yurina entered.
“…Ah.”
Yurina, so gaunt it was painful to look at.
Her silver hair, once gleaming like moonlight, had lost its luster and hung limp and dull.
“…Yurina.”
Iris had told me that Yurina’s condition was the most severe.
‘I never imagined it would be this bad.’
I hurried toward her.
“D, Dale… eek.”
As I approached, Yurina startled and stumbled backward.
“…Why are you like this?”
“….”
Yurina hung her head low, her shoulders trembling.
“…I’m sorry, Dale.”
“Sorry for what?”
“I, I couldn’t protect you. I, I promised I would….”
“….”
Just before my fight with Morris, Yurina’s words flashed through my mind.
-Dale. I will protect you.
Yes.
She had definitely said those words.
“…So that’s why you were suffering so much? You thought my failure to awaken was Yuri’s fault?”
“W-well, that’s not entirely wrong, is it! If I’d been stronger, the Primordial Flame within Dale wouldn’t have run rampant like that…!”
“Sigh. I can’t take this anymore.”
When Iris told me that Yuri’s condition had been the worst, I’d found it surprising.
But she’d been blaming herself for everything, attributing it all to her own shortcomings.
‘That’s so like Yuri.’
Yuri possessed an integrity more steadfast than anyone else, yet this time that very nature had become her poison.
“It’s not your fault, Yuri.”
“B-but….”
“Even if it hadn’t been Morris, it would’ve been something I’d have to do eventually.”
“…Really?”
“Yes. And thanks to it, things are far better than before.”
It might be difficult for others to understand.
But for me, at least, gaining the ability to place a period on my life whenever I wished represented the greatest transformation imaginable.
I felt grateful enough to Morris for creating the catalyst for that change.
“So stop blaming yourself.”
“…Dale.”
“Look, see? I’m perfectly fine right now.”
I shrugged my shoulders and spread my arms wide.
Suddenly.
Yuri threw herself into my embrace.
“So from now on… we’ll stay together forever, right?”
“Yes. I’ll stay with you until you grow tired of me.”
“Hehe. Then we can be together forever.”
Yuri smiled brightly and leaned in to kiss me.
After finishing our reunion with my beloved.
I was thinking about reuniting with the other party members next.
Bang!
“Brother! I heard you woke up… Cough!”
Berald burst through the door with excitement, only for Yuri to kick him straight back out into the corridor.
“Y-Yuri…?”
“Sorry, Berald.”
Yuri smiled mischievously as she placed her hand on the doorknob.
“I still have things to do with Dale. Besides, you’re busy with graduation preparations anyway, aren’t you?”
“W-well, not that busy….”
“No. You must be busy. Right?”
As Yuri casually waved her hand through the air, a silver blade formed from what appeared to be moonlight materialized.
I had no idea how harsh her training had been during my slumber.
But judging solely from the aura I could sense, her power now exceeded even Camelia’s.
To put it in perspective… yes.
Strong enough that if I were to fight Morris from a year and a half ago, I could emerge victorious.

“…Say, now that I think about it, I seem to be quite busy!”
Berald nodded his head, his face growing pale as he was crushed beneath the overwhelming aura emanating from Yurina.
Whoosh.
After Berald fled outside like a man possessed.
“Well then.”
Iris, who had been quietly observing my reunion with the other lovers, approached with a gentle smile.
“Shall we have a proper ‘reunion’ now?”
Huh?
A proper reunion?
“Wait, what was all that before then…?”
“That was merely a greeting.”
Iris pulled my arm and laid me down on the bed.
At that same moment, a sinister glint flashed in the eyes of Yurina, Lanez, Elisha, and Camelia, who remained in the room.
If I had to compare it… yes.
It was rather like throwing a bound lamb into a den of starving wolves.
“You all have time available, yes?”
“I-I’m fine!”
“Me too!”
Lanez and Yurina raised their hands eagerly.
“The final exams are over, so I’m available as well.”
“The Empress has no issues for about a month.”
“…Pardon?”
Wait.
Did I mishear something?
I could have sworn she just said a month.
“Oh, how fortunate. There’s a ‘wedding ceremony’ in a month, so you’ll be free until then, I presume.”
Iris nodded with a gentle smile.
“Now then, Dale.”
Iris approached me as I lay on the bed and adjusted the patient gown I was wearing.
“Will you remove it yourself? Or shall I… do it for you?”
“…”
Hmm.
It seems like…
‘I’m done for.’
As the lovers drew slowly closer, I shut my eyes tightly.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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