The Author's POV Chapter Epilogue — Effort's Never Betray You [3]

Epilogue — Effort's never betray you [3]

[Ashton City Community Orphanage]

Laughter echoed across the modest sun-bathed courtyard of the orphanage, where a young lady with short messy brown hair threw herself into an energetic game alongside the kids.

"Don't get too far, Ricky. Come back here!"

Ideal weather prevailed, a soft wind rustling the vivid blooms in the garden while birdsong enriched the cheerful vibe.

Emma knelt low, her gaze gleaming with affection and gentleness, surrounded by eager children whose faces glowed with huge grins and eyes bursting with eagerness.

She clutched a frayed skipping rope, one end tight in her grasp, the other swaying loose.

"Okay, who's up for a skipping challenge?"

Emma shouted, her tone brimming with lively excitement.

"Me! Me! I want, I want!"

Thrilling shouts and waving hands erupted from the children, all clamoring for their shot at the play. Emma's eyes squinted in delight as she chose the initial jumper.

"Okay, let's go with Jane."

"Yay!"

Forward stepped a small girl in worn overalls and twin pigtails, her gaze alight with thrill.

"Make sure you hold the rope on both ends. Don't swing your arms too much but flick your wrists."

Emma passed the skipping rope to her, demonstrating the proper grip and sharing tips of support.

"Hmm... okay."

"Yes, that's good!"

Jane started jumping tentatively, and Emma clapped in steady rhythm, reciting a fun rhyme to match the skips. The rest of the kids formed a half-circle, applauding and rooting for her, fostering a sense of togetherness and cheer.

One by one, more kids had their go, backed by cheers from their playmates.

"Make sure to jump in rhythm! So long as you follow the rhythm, it'll become easier for everyone!"

Emma transformed seamlessly into a guide, displaying patience and empathy while leading them in the fun, straightforward activity.

Graceful leaps came from some kids, feet skimming the ground lightly, whereas others fumbled with timing, sparking peals of laughter. No matter—Emma cheered every try, turning slip-ups into chances for growth.

The play advanced, and kids loosened up, shedding shyness in Emma's comforting aura.

Confidence surged as they skipped bolder, grins broadening with newfound skills revealed. Vigilant Emma kept boosting them, lauding their tries and stressing that happiness was the real prize.

"Yes, that's very good."

"That's an improvement from your previous attempt. Good job Jason!"

Thus time flew by until long shadows stretched over the courtyard from the sinking sun, signaling the end of play. Breathless with flushed cheeks, the children huddled near Emma, eyes radiant with thanks.

'It's all worth it.'

Emma's throat tightened with feeling at their beaming faces, though she hid it well.

This wasn't just for them—she did it for her own sake too, feeling equal gratefulness in return.

"Have you all had fun?"

A gentle smile lit Emma's face as she gazed at the children and asked.

"Yes."

In perfect harmony, they answered, breaths coming quick. Her smile softened further at the sight, then she glanced back at the orphanage.

Nothing like its appearance a year ago when she first came remained. Gone was the ruined chapel; now a modern, expansive white building stood there.

Inside lay cutting-edge amenities she'd funded generously—from movie theaters to private rooms for every child, everything needed to spark delight.

'While it won't make up for what my father did... At the very least, it's a start.'

True, Ren had revealed this chapel's story to her. A full year post-war, her father's real character still baffled her.

The realization hadn't fully hit that he wasn't who she'd thought.

Even now, sound sleep eluded her, found only amid the children's company for peace. They alone kept her grounded.

This made her so grateful to them.

"Do you guys want to eat? Dinner should be about ready, so how about we go back and get you all cleaned up before eating?"

Emma herded the kids toward the orphanage, eyes on their weary yet joyful forms entering the building. Watching their content retreats, a bit more warmth filled her hollow heart.

'I truly made the right choice.'

Greater contentment with her decision filled her the longer she gazed upon them. This world felt isolating to her.

Friends surrounded her, yet all those she held dear had already departed. Her world remained solitary, though thankfully not as desolate as it might have otherwise been.

***

"Haa..."

A heavy sigh slipped from my lips as my eyes settled on the person standing ahead.

His gaze stayed fixed on the distant orphanage, lips pressed together slightly, various feelings flickering across his features. Deep in contemplation, his stare never wavered from the building.

'For fuck's sake...'

A mix of slight irritation and strange amusement washed over me while observing him.

"Are you really that scared of her?"

My remark stirred something within him, causing a shiver. He turned his head gradually, locking eyes with me.

"I'm n..not scared."

The tremor in his voice halfway through revealed his real emotions, nearly drawing a laugh from me. Naturally, I held it back and nodded solemnly.

"Well, you should be."

I stressed those words deliberately. Predictably, my earnest tone made him tremble harder.

'Ah... how I missed this.'

Delight surged through me at the scene unfolding. I kept my face neutral, of course.

It proved crucial to hide my enjoyment. That way, my amusement could grow even further.

"As I've told you before, I've already shown her everything. She knows what you did and of your sacrifice. While I respected your choice of keeping everyone's memories of you sealed, how do you think she'll react if you suddenly show up to her out of nowhere?"

One full year had elapsed since returning to Earth, and with my enhanced abilities, reviving Kevin became feasible—in a manner of speaking.

"Being a Protector means you have to sacrifice a lot of things. Your entire existence should revolve around keeping the universe balanced so that it remains stable. As things stand, you're still a protector. However, the moment you denounce your status, you'll become a regular human and you'll lose everything that you have. Are you willing to do that?"

Only upon ascending to Overseer did the intricacies of a Protector become clear to me. Vastness defined the Universe, allowing Protectors to integrate into societies yet never fully belong.

Their endless lifespans served as both boon and burden. Extended life held its downsides...

"Isn't it possible to make Emma a Protector as well?"

Kevin's unexpected query prompted brief reflection before I nodded.

"It's possible."

My authority enabled granting Protector status to seven individuals. They would wield immense power and endure as long as I did.

"I can, but do you really think Emma would want to?"

His features shifted at my words, head dropping. Deep down, he grasped the truth.

"If... and I mean if I were to leave, what will happen to you? Will you be fine without me? What will happen if Jezebeth returns... or someone like him?"

"I'll be fine."

His concern brought a smile to my face. Jezebeth lay vanquished in this Universe by my hand. No successor would arise while I decreed otherwise.

"Well..."

Kevin lingered in thought for an extended period, shoulders finally easing with a prolonged exhale.

"Haaa..."

A subtle softening touched his expression.

"I think I want to rest a little. I've lived for far too long with one goal in mind and I've never been happy once. Will you allow me to be selfish, just this once?"

"So?"

My eyebrow arched, curbing the grin threatening to appear. His choice shone obvious to me.

Our eyes met, and he returned the smile.

"You already know my answer."

***

"Come now, brush your teeth and go to bed."

Glancing at her watch—10 p.m.—Emma sighed. The still-energetic kids scampering around drew another sigh from her.

'Weren't they supposed to be tired from all that playing?'

Their remaining vigor astonished her. During her own childhood, she never matched their stamina.

Surveying the area, Emma pressed her lips together.

"I think it's about time I hire a helper."

Over a year into managing the orphanage, the reality of being short-staffed hit her fully.

Handling a dozen children proved no simple feat—quite the opposite. Astonishingly, she had sustained it for more than a year.

To Tok—!

Suddenly, a gentle knock echoed from the orphanage's front door, startling Emma as her eyebrows shot up.

"Oh, who could it be?"

Visitors seldom appeared at the orphanage. From time to time, one or two might arrive seeking to adopt children, yet such moments remained scarce. Following the war, Ashton City's former economic strength had shattered, with countless residents fighting to reclaim their everyday routines.

Few ever considered adoption.

Nevertheless, envisioning prospective adopters, Emma's gaze brightened as she hurried to the entrance.

"I'm coming."

Yelling out, she adjusted her attire and donned a gentle grin. Greater happiness eluded her than watching the kids discover a true home.

Despite her utmost efforts to gladden them, she realized nothing could substitute for a nurturing, intact household. Absolutely nothing.

Grasping the doorknob, she gradually swung the door wide and beamed radiantly.

Clank—!

"Hi there, are you looking to ad—"

Mid-sentence, her speech cut off as her form went rigid. Her once-peaceful thoughts emptied, leaving her reeling to process the moment.

A silhouette from her nightly dreams stood there. He might desire her to erase him, yet she found it utterly impossible.

Erasing him from her mind was out of the question.

"..."

Beneath the twinkling stars, his scarlet eyes sparkled like gems.

He appeared identical to her recollections, prompting her to blink deliberately. She yearned that upon opening them again, he'd endure.

And endure he did.

No dream or illusion was this.

Right before her he stood.

Pita! Pita!

Scorching trails from her cheeks pierced the hush, pattering onto the earth.

Her sight gradually hazed as an inner emptiness began to heal.

At that very spot, she craved only to hurl herself into his hold and weep fiercely against his cozy frame.

Still, she held herself back. Hesitation gripped her.

What if it all proved a fantasy? What if he wasn't real, merely a doppelganger?

A cherished tone shattered those doubts.

"Ehm... so."

His timbre echoed her memories perfectly, and upon clearing her tears, she spotted the clear anxiety in his stare—head lowered, eyes flitting anywhere except her direction.

"So, like," he rubbed his neck uneasily while fumbling for the right words. "Ehmm... I had a whole speech prepared, but... I can't seem to find my words."

Emma instantly perceived his tension, her heartbeat easing. He matched precisely the image from her past.

"Huuu."

Finally drawing a steadying breath, their stares connected; lips pressing together, he declared.

"I... I heard that you were looking for helpers."

***

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'Efforts never betray you.'

This revered phrase echoed across the globe, oft repeated by many.

Some embrace it as a lifelong guiding principle, others mock it outright as foolishness.

Why labor hard with a tycoon father handing over everything?

Grand estate?

'Hey Dad! Could you snag me a house?'

Sleek vehicle?

'Daddy~ Spotted this amazing new ride I adore, wonder if you might...'

Plenty dwell in splendor via pure chance, like lottery winners.

Precisely how much toil wins a lottery?

'Congratulations! You've claimed 200 million.'

Where fits 'efforts never betray you'?

Sure, beyond those outliers, numerous instances validate the words.

Say, that flick—what's its title again?

Got it!

'Pursuit of Happyness'.

Ideal showcase for 'efforts never betray'.

A poignant yarn of a street-bound father and son, driven by boundless affection and resolve for his boy, rising to riches. Deeply stirring.

Yet...

My take?

What's my word on 'efforts never betray'?

Sheer drivel. End of story.

Well... that's my old mindset, anyway.

Today? I'm not so sure.

Resentment plagued me once.

Likely from rewritten memories, lugging my parallel self's anguish—trapped in ceaseless cycles despite endless toil—though ultimately...

I don't deem it total drivel now.

As the 'other me' passed on his full legacy, blending his ordeals and gains into mine, I grasped he surpassed a simple alternate.

Truthfully, he wasn't some alternate version of myself or a separate being at all.

Right from the start, he was simply me, and I was him.

Whether in the past, present, or future.

I am Ren.

"This should be the place?"

I paused briefly and gazed forward, where an extensive staircase came into view. It appeared to extend without end, enveloped by lush greenery, with a gentle wind blowing softly.

"Oh, well."

With a sigh, I moved ahead and began ascending the steps.

'She'll kill me if I'm late.'

Truth be told, I was already running late, yet if I didn't arrive excessively tardy, she probably wouldn't react too harshly... at least, that's what I hoped.

Anyway, returning to my earlier point...

Efforts never betray you.

There might have been more wisdom in those words than I'd first understood. Although efforts don't assure victory, they ensure advancement and personal development.

Whether for Kevin, myself, or even Jezebeth.

Our efforts never let us down.

Each of us accomplished our goals. No one among us fell short of our aims, and it was precisely the hard work we invested that brought us to our current positions.

"It's funny how the quote I once used to despise turned out to be the very quote that I couldn't agree more with. Could this be character development?"

The idea made me chuckle as I kept ascending the stairs.

I lost track of the time spent climbing those seemingly infinite stairs ahead, yet strangely, it didn't bother me. A profound tranquility washed over me with each step up the lengthy staircase.

Immersed in my reflections, I pressed on with the climb.

Deliberately.

Step by step.

Mirroring the journey I'd followed to reach this stage.

Suddenly, I arrived at the summit of the stairs, welcomed by a stunning vista. Atop this elevated spot, the vast urban expanse unfolded below me like a tapestry.

My eyes didn't dwell on the cityscape for long, for my steps came to a stop, and my attention fixed on a recognizable silhouette facing away, with shoulder-length black hair dancing elegantly in the wind.

Poised elegantly against the metal railing, contemplating the metropolis down below, the moment hung suspended in time briefly.

Countless emotions surged through my thoughts then, urging my hand to slip automatically into my right pocket, sensing the small box tucked securely inside.

Innumerable ideas raced through my head right then, drawing my mind back to the path that brought me here to this crucial juncture.

From our initial encounter to the moments shared and every hardship endured.

All at once, nervousness gripped me.

'It's really been a long journey...'

A lengthy path it was, yet deeply rewarding. Everything converged on this precise instant, leaving me convinced it had all been worthwhile.

The tension in my features eased into gentleness, lips pressed together, as I advanced a step, pulling my hand free from the pocket.

While toying with the box in my hand, a smile slowly bloomed on my lips, filling me with fresh confidence in my choice.

'I may not be proud of every step I've taken, but I know they have all led me to this moment. Not all stories end