Chapter 33: If We Could Return

A few hours earlier in the central tent…

"How many more worlds do we have to go through before we can go home?"

Haru couldn't answer.

"Haru, I have a request to make," She finally said. "If you're okay with it, will you please do this for me?"

Haru was hesitant. "I'm not confident that you could rely on me, but I'll try my best. What is it?"

"It's very simple. I just want you to check if we can still go back and forth from this world to the previous world anytime."

"You want me to go back to the Castellia Fort?"

"That's right."

"Well, I don't mind trying, but why? Did you perhaps want to go back there?"

Haru thought about it as well when he saw the treasure room.

If they could loot some gold and gems from there and bring it with them on their return to their original world, they would undoubtedly get rich. Haru didn't bring that idea up because no one else did.

Mr. Wang wishes to stay in the devil's world, so it's useless for him to do that. Camille is already rich, so she couldn't be bothered with it. Alicia was too anxious to return home, so she couldn't immediately think of it that time.

"We don't know how many more worlds we have to stay in and I'm growing more anxious not seeing my son. If we are to be transported to a different world again, this kind of feature might not be there anymore. And in the following world and then to the next. And next…"

"Oh… I see," Haru looked down. "So you want to confirm that even if we could be transported to the next world, you can return here to ease your pain of missing Eugene."

Alicia nodded, returning her wistful gaze to the stage.

The next morning, Haru told Camille about Alicia's request.

"Let's do this then," Camille suggested. "You go do Alicia's request. Take Ali with you since you're probably the one he wants to be with, anyway. I'll look for Mr. Wang in the meantime."

"A-Are you sure about that? Shouldn't we just leave him alone?"

Camille sighed, "I knew it, you're really on bad terms with him, aren't you?!"

Haru got flustered, so Camille dropped it and just sent him off with a 'take care'. "Make sure you figure it out before nightfall!" She added. "We need to keep an eye on the parades."

Haru went to fetch Ali and began walking back to the entrance they were transported in. The portal is still there, so they walked in it.

"Hold my hand and don't let go," Haru firmly told Ali. "It might get dangerous."

When they returned to the Castellia Fort, Haru's eyes widened at the sight. The Castellia Fort looks like it is slowly vanishing.

Its colors are getting thin as if the place became a forgotten memory.

Haru stepped back to the portal towards Tale Park World with Ali and they were able to get through. He gripped Ali's tiny hands tighter.