Overwhelming Firepower

Lucen could hear the sound of people singing, and he caught the scent of meat being grilled and boiled.

He then heard his stomach growling. He opened his eyes, and the first thing he saw was the face of his stoic father.

"You finally woke up."

Lucen blinked a few times. "... Father?"

"You have been out for four days." Vardon suddenly said, his tone flat as usual. Hearing what his Father said, Lucen, who had just woken up, focused.

It was then he noticed that his Father's eyes were a little red, and his eye bags, which were non-existent before due to his aura mantle clearing out impurities, were there.

'I guess he's been by my side without rest.' Lucen didn't say it aloud. He just looked at his father and let out a quiet breath that wasn't quite a laugh, but then he remembered the monster wave.

"Was there another wave?"

"There hasn't been a new wave. The goblins retreated to wherever they came from. I already sent scouts to see if there are any signs of a next wave, so for now, we are simply resting while waiting for the report of the scouts."

"I see, that's good to hear..." After saying those words, Lucen's stomach growled. Vardon then stood up from his chair and headed to the door of the room.

"Since you're awake, I'll take my leave." He paused briefly, his hand resting on the doorframe. "... Also, make sure to eat properly." And then he left.

Lucen stared at the closed door for a few seconds before chuckling softly. 'Awkward as always, Father... To think the old me thought he was as cold as the icy north.'

***

Lucen headed outside to the source of the smell. He saw the dining halls filled with people eating and drinking merrily. There were even some who were playing a few instruments.

Everyone was exchanging stories about where they came from and how they came to be here. There were also some telling the story of their part in the past monster wave battles.

Lucen spotted Harlik and the other members of Thornefang being surrounded by the soldiers of the first fortress, drinking merrily together.

Even Daniel, whom he thought would be sleeping, was present, though it looks like he had been dragged here. There was also Robert, who was playing territory war with the soldiers.

Thrall was eating a ton of food like a savage, and Veronica was trying to make him slow down from eating too fast, saying that he might choke. Bram, on the side, simply shook his head as he continued drinking his ale in silence.

Unfortunately, he noticed that there were a few missing new recruits. Lucen could already guess what their fates were. Lucen gnashed his teeth, but then quickly shook his head. Death in battle in this world would lead them to Varkun's hall of heroes.

'Surely they are drinking better wine and eating better food than we are here. They'll also be quite surprised to see the Goblin King on that side.' Lucen mused to himself.

Lucen saw that the members of Thornefang had left empty chairs available with drinks and food. For a brief moment, Lucen felt like he saw those recruits who died smiling and drinking with the others.

It was at that moment that Harlik noticed Lucen. "Little leader! You're finally awake!" The second Harlik said those words all the attention shifted to Lucen. Then there was a roar of cheers.

"Young lord, you're finally awake!"

"Cheers to the young lord! Come join us and eat!"

"Hahaha! Your battle against that monster is one that bards will sing for ages to come!"

"You're finally awake, Lucen! Tell me what that thing was you created using your unique magic?! That thing that shot out all those things in mere seconds! Tell me the principles of how it works!" Robert suddenly bombarded him with questions, but Harlik and Mark pulled him back.

"Come on, he just woke up, you crazy alchemist," Harlik commented while sighing.

"It's good to see you awake, little leader," Mark said with a smile on his face.

Lucen smiled faintly at Mark's words. "Yeah... It's good to see everyone is as lively as ever."

The smell of roasted meat and spiced ale filled the air, thick enough to make his stomach protest again. He finally sat down among his comrades, the cheers around him fading into laughter and music.

Someone slid a mug of ale into his hand. "Drink up, little leader!"

Lucen raised it slightly, looking around the hall. "To those who made it back..." He said, then his gaze shifted briefly toward the empty chairs. "... And those who didn't."

The laughter softened for a heartbeat. Dozens of mugs rose into the air.

"To the fallen!" everyone echoed.

The mugs clashed, ale spilling freely across the table. "May Velmira guide their souls to Varkun's Hall of Heroes," Lucen mumbled to himself as he drank the ale in his hand.

One of the soldiers started singing.

"Let's raise our mugs for those who fell.

Glory and honor are theirs, we tell.

They now sit among the heroes of old,

Their stories will forever be told."

The other soldiers joined in and started singing as well.

"So sing, my brothers, lift your voice,

For every sorrow, we'll make our choice.

To fight, to live, to laugh, to stand,

Together strong, this weary band."

"So drink, my friends, the war still calls,

But tonight, within these halls,

We feast, we sing, we mend, we cheer,

For every soul we've lost, is here."

The song carried through the hall, voices rough but filled with pride. Some sang with smiles, others with tears in their eyes, yet all with their chests raised high.

While they were singing, the commander of the First Fortress, Roderick, sat beside Lucen.

"They could sing like this thanks to you, young lord."

Lucen looked at Roderick. "Because of me?"

"Yes... Do you know, young lord, every time before, when we faced a monster wave, we were always expecting a lot of us to die. But this time, just a few went on to Varkun's hall of heroes. Because of the weapons you made, many will get to go home and meet their families again."

Lucen looked down at the mug in his hand. The brown liquid rippled slightly as the laughter continued around them. He took a quiet sip before he spoke.

"It wasn't all because of me. No matter what kind of weapon I created, the people who use it are what matters. It's because of everyone's will and their strengths gathering together, which is the reason we survived to fight another day."

Roderick looked at Lucen, his eyes wide open for a second before he shook his head and chuckled. "It is as I heard. The young lord truly doesn't speak like those of his age... I guess that is the burden of those who are born to the Thornehart family."

Lucen smiled faintly. "You speak as if I sound like an old man."

Roderick laughed, a low, weary sound that still carried pride. "Not an old man, young lord... Just someone who's seen too much, too soon."

Lucen leaned back slightly, watching as Harlik arm-wrestled a knight twice his size and won, roaring with laughter. Across the hall, Thrall nearly inhaled an entire leg of boar and was almost choked. Veronica helped him cough it out.

Robert continued playing Territory War with the soldiers, but was also glancing at Lucen from time to time, seemingly wanting to talk but holding himself back.

It was chaotic, loud, and imperfect, yet wonderful all the same. Lucen, who gained his past life's memories, felt that this magical world, with all its killing, scheming, and monsters, was beautiful in its own way.

"... Too much, too soon, huh?" Lucen murmured, half to himself. He glanced at the empty seats again. "Maybe that's true for all of us."

"OH, Young lord! It's good to see you finally awake!" Sir Thalos entered the hall, his body sweating most likely from his daily training. He picked up a huge piece of meat, bit into it, and walked toward Lucen.

Lucen blinked at him, half-smiling. "Sir Thalos... As expected of you, still training while everyone was celebrating."

Thalos chewed loudly, swallowed, then grinned. "Of course! If I stop for too long, my muscles will start crying... Also..." Thalos mumbled something that Lucen could not hear, but his face showed a look of melancholy.

"What did you say, Sir Thalos? I couldn't quite hear you in the end."

Thalos shook his head and grinned wider than before. "It's nothing... I just said the spices on this meat taste pretty good."

Lucen studied him for a moment. Thalos' grin was as wide as ever, but Lucen noticed how his hand trembled slightly when he lifted the meat again.

The proud knight's eyes, bright, sharp, always burning with resolve, flickered with something quieter, something heavy.

Lucen didn't press further. He understood that someone like Thalos would have a very sad and dark backstory to match his always burning passion for training.

"Come on, Sir Thalos, let's drink!"

"Gladly." Thalos grabbed several mugs of ale with one hand and started drinking.

Lucen raised his mug once more, letting the noise of the hall wash over him. The flicker of torches, the smell of roasted meat, the echo of laughter.

This night might just be one in many, but he hoped that in the future, when everyone, including himself, remembers the events that happened here, this night would be the one that shone brightly in their memories.