Mixarnt slowly woke up, his vision blurry as he took in his unfamiliar surroundings. The room was cozy, and the soft light filtering through the windows made it feel warm and inviting. Before he could gather his thoughts, Misa’s voice broke the silence. "Mixarnt! You’re finally awake!" she exclaimed, her eyes welling up with tears as she rushed to his side and embraced him tightly. "Thank god you’re safe! I’m sorry you went through all that trouble just for us!" she sobbed, her voice filled with gratitude and relief.

Behind Misa, Kara, Jenna, Nessa, and Poppy approached the bed, their smiles gentle and relieved. Kara sighed good-naturedly at the sight of Misa’s emotional outburst.

"Er... where am I? What happened?" Mixarnt asked, still trying to piece together the events.

Poppy smiled warmly. "You’re in your quarters. To be exact, each participant who passed the first trial is given a room to stay."

Kara added, "Tomorrow is the start of the next trial, by the way."

Mixarnt frowned, looking at the group. "What about you guys? Don’t you need to prepare too?"

Jenna shook her head. "We don’t need to. We already forfeited the exam."

Nessa chimed in, "Seriously, after what we experienced, of course we’ll forfeit."

Kara nodded, her expression soft. "Truth be told, your plan actually worked. We received a lot of requests to join organizations, and some nobles even asked to hire us. But we refused..."

Mixarnt’s confusion deepened. "Wha— But isn’t that your goal???"

Misa smiled genuinely. "Yes, but we didn’t find the grail because of our abilities. We found it because of you, Mixarnt. All we did was follow you around. If we accepted their proposals, we’d be shameless."

Nessa grinned, trying to lighten the mood. "But don’t worry, Mixarnt! Passing the first trial, we were given 10,000 gold coins each! What’s more, because we found the Holy Grail, a special item, we were given an additional 100,000 gold! Though we’ll be splitting the 100,000 gold— Oh, right, that includes you. Haha."

Mixarnt waved it off casually. "Oh, it’s okay. You guys can keep that. I also caused all of you a lot of trouble when I almost died from the cold."

The women blushed at the memory of how they had shared their body heat to save him. Kara, still red-faced, stammered, "T-then, I guess each of us will have 30,000 gold each."

Jenna raised an eyebrow, teasing Kara. "Hey! Why are you also blushing!? You were so casual and logical about what we did back then. Now you’re acting like a love-sick maiden!"

Kara shot back, flustered, "W-what!? I don’t wanna hear that from any of you!"

Misa started giggling, and soon, Mixarnt joined in, his laughter filling the room. Before long, everyone was laughing together, the tension and stress of the past few days melting away. For a moment, they could forget the trials and the challenges ahead, simply enjoying each other’s company and the bond they had formed.

"By the way, the trial tomorrow is about combat and strategy. It’s supposed to be one-on-one, but I heard that might not be entirely true. I don’t know the exact details, but there’s something special about the second trial. If you win a certain event, not only do you pass the exam, but you also get to make a wish—any wish—and the king and queen will grant it as long as it’s within their power. That’s all we know so far. Also, 200 more people have withdrawn. It looks like they were either recruited by other groups or hired by wealthy nobles. That leaves 251 participants." Kara explained with a grin.

Mixarnt nodded thoughtfully. "I see... Well, no use thinking too deep about it for now, I don't have any wish right now too. By the way, what are you five planning to do now? You have the money—you could even start a small business or buy a small piece of land."

The five girls exchanged glances, their expressions a mix of hope and uncertainty. They all came from poor families in a rural village outside the jurisdiction of the Aetherlight Kingdom. Their village was ungoverned by any kingdom, and they had traveled far just to participate in the Aether Knight Trials. Their goal had always been to help their families escape poverty, but they knew that simply spending the money without a proper plan wouldn’t solve their problems in the long run.

Misa spoke first, her voice soft but determined. "We’ve been talking about it while you were asleep. We want to use the money wisely—not just for ourselves, but for our families and our village. Starting a small business or buying land is a good idea, but we need to think carefully about how to make it sustainable."

Kara nodded in agreement. "Exactly. We don’t want to waste this opportunity. We’re thinking of pooling our resources together to create something that can benefit everyone back home. Maybe a small farm or a trading business that can provide jobs and income for our village."

Jenna added, "We also want to make sure our siblings can get an education. If we can set aside some of the money for that, it’ll give them a better chance at a future."

Poppy smiled gently. "It’s not just about the money, though. We’ve learned a lot from this experience—about teamwork, perseverance, and trusting each other. We want to take those lessons back home and use them to make a real difference."

Nessa, who had been quiet until now, spoke up. "And we’re not giving up on our dreams, either. Just because we’re forfeiting the trials doesn’t mean we’re done growing. We’ll keep working hard, whether it’s through a business, farming, or something else. This is just the beginning for us."

Mixarnt listened intently, a proud smile spreading across his face. "That’s amazing. You’ve all come so far, and it sounds like you’ve got a solid plan. Glad I could help, even if it was just a little."

Misa’s eyes softened as she looked at Mixarnt. "You did more than just help, Mixarnt. You gave us a chance we never thought we’d have. We’ll never forget that."

The room fell into a comfortable silence, the weight of their shared journey settling over them.

"How about working at the Adventurers' Guild?" Mixarnt suggested. "We need more staff, but people in Aetherlight see us as mere mercenaries, so recruiting is tough. Guild Master Orion is kind—I can ask him to build a school in your village and set up a guild branch for protection. Moonlight can also help create jobs there." He spoke casually, curious about their reaction.

The five girls stared at Mixarnt, their eyes widening in surprise at his suggestion. Working at the Adventurers Guild? A school for their village? A guild branch for protection? It sounded almost too good to be true.

Misa was the first to break the silence. "Mixarnt, are you serious? The Adventurers Guild would really do all that for us?" she asked, her voice tinged with disbelief but also hope.

Mixarnt nodded with a confident grin. "Of course! Like I said, Guild Master Orion is a good man, and he’s always looking for ways to help people. If I talk to him, I’m sure he’ll agree. Plus, the guild needs more staff, and you guys have proven you’re hardworking and reliable. It’s a win-win!"

Kara crossed her arms, her practical nature kicking in. "But wouldn’t that be asking too much? Building a school and a guild branch in our village... that’s a huge investment."

Mixarnt shrugged casually. "Not really. The guild has the resources, and establishing a branch in your village could open up new opportunities for trade and exploration. Plus, having a school means more people can learn and grow, which benefits everyone in the long run. As for jobs, Moonlight can help set up small businesses or provide training for your villagers. It’s all about creating a sustainable future."

Jenna’s eyes sparkled with excitement. "If this really happens, it would change everything for our village. We wouldn’t just be surviving—we’d be thriving!"

Poppy clasped her hands together, her voice soft but filled with gratitude. "Mixarnt, this is... incredible. I don’t even know how to thank you."

Nessa, ever the skeptic, raised an eyebrow. "You’re sure this isn’t just some grand plan you’re making up on the spot? This sounds too perfect."

Mixarnt laughed. "I’m serious! I’ll talk to Guild Master Orion as soon as I can. And if he agrees, we can start making plans right away. But first, you’ll need to decide if this is what you want."

The five girls exchanged glances, their expressions a mix of excitement and determination. Misa spoke for all of them. "We want this. More than anything. If there’s a chance to help our village and give everyone a better future, we’ll take it."

Mixarnt’s grin widened. "Then it’s settled. I’ll talk to Orion, and we’ll get things moving."

As the girls began discussing their hopes and dreams for their village, Mixarnt couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride. He had started the trials hoping to prove himself, but along the way, he had found something even more meaningful—the chance to make a real difference in the lives of others. And for the five girls, this was the beginning of a new chapter, one filled with hope, opportunity, and the promise of a brighter future.