The Elf Saint is a NEET, so I Forced Her to Work in Another World

Homecoming (Extra Chapter)

***The village of New Elebor, under the jurisdiction the Duchy of Maverny, Empire of Kersea***

It's been a long while since the last of the young elvish soldiers—recruited by the Duke of Maverny—was seen in their villages, like in New Elebor. As the noble man never hid his intention to invade the old elvish realm, Cherwoods, many of the close-knit elf families were worried of their sons, nephews, and fathers. The long weeks of no communication, brought forth by the dangerous situation in their native lands, added to their woes, yet everyone was still hopeful they would see their loved ones alive and well once again.

As such, it was with great jubilation and relief when the first batch of elf soldiers finally arrived by train at New Elebor. At first, their relatives couldn't believe their eyes; they thought they were seeing hallucinations. But when their loved one gave them a warm hug after being separated for so long, it was then that they realized, they could now breathe easy that they had come home.

"..."

Of course, even with the safe return of the elves, there were those who were greeted with sadness and despair, as news bearing the loss of their loved one came to them. The Duke of Maverny's army encountered a powerful enemy, as most letters explained, yet those who died 'fought with honor and distinction'. And there was a medal included in those correspondences, along with a note assuring the nobleman's support for those who lost their family.

Meanwhile, when the news spread about the arrival of the first batch of the elvish soldiers from Cherwoods, the families of Behrien and Glamden immediately rushed to the train station to wait for their loved ones. While Behrien's parents knew—and approved—his participation in the Duke of Maverny's expedition, the mother and sister and Glamden were shocked at their youngest child's disappearance. The fight between the two at the port city of Maverny gained infamy, for the Lord Kuro himself reimbursed the damaged human stores in their fracas. And that made the Glamden's mother unable to gain her son back to safety; while the duke asked her to take Glamden home, she had to let her youngest go, as her 'elvish honor' dictated that she should do it.

However, now that the war has ended, she wants to meet her brave son...

"!!!"

Her heart sank when she heard the train blew its whistle, and slowly sped away from the station. Amidst the celebrating families, she and her daughter could only watch and despair as the reality that Glamden was not on the first train dawned on them. Nevertheless, it was Behrien's parents who approached them...

"Our kid isn't in those cars as well," Behrien's father quipped, still trying to glimpse in the moving locomotive. "But, I'm confident that those two will come back."

Glamden's family smiled back, though it was weak. At that moment, even if their sons gained notoriety for their rivalry in New Elebor, their desire to see those two once again united them together.

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By the fifth train that arrived in the village, both of Behrien's and Glamden's families were losing their hopes. They had seen other families of their sons' friends come and go—some reunited to a happy end; others devastated by the realization that they won't see their children again. The parents of the two elves tried asking their regiment companions for their loved ones, but to no avail...

"I'm sorry, missus, I haven't seen Behrien and Glamden for too long after the landings. I was injured back then, and was evacuated to safety."

"Their company fought well in the battles at the beaches. I haven't heard from them since."

"Eh? They were sent to patrol last time, before they sent my company back to the Mouth of Calabria. I'm sure they're fine!"

Nevertheless, even with the positive news that they could still be alive, Behrien and Glamden's families won't believe the newcomers' tales until they saw their sons personally. As for Glamden's mother, though the hour of the long sleep was fast approaching, she wouldn't dare leave her spot in front of the station. And with her was Behrien's father as well.