After leaving the team, the adventurer ladies regretted it deeply

In front of the Demon King's Castle.

The land was ravaged, with terrifying chasms everywhere.

Residual magic power lingered in the air like invisible firecrackers, crackling intermittently.

The chaotic magic elements were as lethal as poison—the battlefield was fatal for anyone below the Law Tier within ten seconds.

"Did I forget something?"

Lia landed on the ground in a daze.

She glanced at the Demon King's Castle ahead, then looked at the fiery great sword in her hand.

Since the Demon King "Hades" was killed by White Dove United, why was she crying? The Legendary Swordsman "Bursting Flames" was renowned for her bravery and fearlessness—it was impossible for her to shed tears on the battlefield.

"Hahaha, we won!"

Taige approached excitedly. "You silly girl, don't cry. The Demon King is dead, those Demon Clan Legends have surrendered, we adventurers triumphed, and everyone is a hero!"

Bailuo also laughed and said, "Captain Lia, it's been another pleasant collaboration this time."

"Mm, Bailuo... Captain."

Though she had worked with Phoenix Tail Flower for a long time, she still wasn't accustomed to calling him "Captain Bailuo."

On the battlefield, Isa, Abner, Evelyn… each wore expressions filled with myriad emotions.

Everyone stood side by side before the ruins of the Demon King's Castle, reminiscing about the decade-long journey.

Bitterness, grievances, the joy of victory...

Some laughed heartily; others broke down and wept.

They had won.

The war was over.

...

...

The ten years of the Warfire Calendar became history written in books.

The Mystic Continent opened a new chapter.

The Third Princess "Audrey" ascended as Empress. At the Holy Tree, she awarded the "Honored Hero" medals to those Legends who had participated in the decisive battle at the Demon King's Castle.

The grand and dramatic "Recovery History" began.

Earth and wood system adventurers became highly sought-after experts in city reconstruction, with the Royal Capital allocating significant financial support.

The war-ravaged Mystic Continent was revived, like cracked earth nourished by spring rain.

In the third year after the war ended, the Snow Goose Adventure Team safely reached the 49th level of the World Tree.

As for the 50th level, it had long been sealed.

It would only reopen the next time the Demon King "resurrects."

The Snow Goose's adventure journey had reached its end.

Lia decided to peacefully dissolve the adventure team.

After retiring, everyone pursued their own professions, continuing to contribute their strength and warmth for the continent's recovery.

Aiko turned to the fashion industry and opened a store in the Royal Capital named "Tea Love," specializing in women's clothing and lingerie. Its superior taste far surpassed that of "Elf's Home," sweeping the Royal Capital within half a year and becoming the largest clothing brand, with intentions to expand to cities across the entire continent.

Lia heard that even White Dove City had someone joining Aiko's "Tea Love" clothing store.

Oru and Klyne, after getting married, ran a trade company dealing in magical equipment. Their income appeared to be quite substantial. The two were compassionate individuals who often donated to adventurers so poor they couldn't afford a meal.

The Snow Goose's former commander, Phyllis, joined the Wise Institute...

That was the highest-ranking institute of knowledge, and it was said Phyllis was studying iron shells that could move without relying on magic power.

The most surprising development for Lia was Klrona.

The mischievous brat who didn't seem very bright had transformed into a refined, bespectacled, literate comic book author.

Her work "After Leaving the Team, I Somehow Became the Strongest With an Adventurer Uncle~!" made it into the top three in the book sales rankings in the Royal Capital. Once, Lia encountered Klrona on the streets, surrounded by a crowd of frenzied fans.

She was beautiful, talented in comic book creation, and a Legendary Rank adventurer... her popularity was through the roof.

Lia sneakily glanced at Klrona's chest, then looked down at her own, and silently left with a dark face.

As for the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Group and Ice Flower, they had also achieved good progress.

Bailuo became a teacher, specializing in training elite adventurers.

Monica became a renowned magic game designer and was planning to adapt Klrona's comic book. The two lived together, like sisters.

Taige wandered in the wilderness, aiming to taste every dish across the continent.

It seemed like everyone was doing something meaningful.

Only Lia herself—after the battle at the Demon King's Castle—felt like her soul had been lost. Food lost its flavor, sleep became restless, and her chest was weighed down by something, making it hard to breathe.

She went to see a priest, who diagnosed her with "anxiety disorder." This was a type of illness that had surged in prevalence after the Warfire Calendar.

Many people were troubled over their lost homes or jobs, while adventurers were despondent about lacking the motivation to continue scaling the World Tree...

The priest told Lia, "Your favorite thing is adventuring, isn't it? Now that you're so strong, there's no longer anything risky enough for you to pursue, which is why you feel uninspired."

The solution was actually very simple.

"Just find something to occupy yourself, to make your days more fulfilling."

Lia walked out of the church, still somewhat bewildered.

After some thought, she decided to follow the priest's advice.

She chose to cultivate flowers and plants.

People used to say she had a bad temper and was irritable.

Tending to flowers seemed perfect for improving that flaw.

So Lia bought a mansion in the outskirts of the Royal Capital.

The location was near a forest and very serene, with a large private courtyard ideal for nurturing her spirit.

A year passed.

Two years.

Five years...

In the blink of an eye, ten years had gone by.

...

Lia's situation hadn't improved.

She had grown increasingly reclusive.

At first, she would step out of her mansion to stroll around the Royal Capital.

Later, she started purchasing a wagon's worth of food and confining herself to her courtyard.

Aiko, Klrona, and others were all worried and came to visit Lia.

But Lia's demeanor during conversations was perfectly normal—she only explained that her reluctance to go out was due to laziness and assured them there was no need to fret.

Eventually, Aiko and the others only visited during major festivals, such as the Winter Festival or the Harvest Festival.