Morning arrived quietly in the Kingdom of the Giants.
The cold mountain winds swept through the castle gardens as the first rays of sunlight slowly began to illuminate the colossal walls surrounding the capital. It had been almost two weeks since our arrival there, and even after so many days, that place still felt different from any other kingdom I had ever known.
The giants were simple.
Straightforward.
Proud.
But above all, they were honest.
That morning, I woke up earlier than usual. The room was still quiet as Scarlet slept near the wall, Liriel remained curled up beneath the blankets because of the mountain cold, and Elara was sleeping soundly after spending much of the night talking with Rai'kanna.
Lyannis still had an open book beside her bed even while sleeping, something that had already become a habit. Vespera remained motionless as always, almost like someone who never completely relaxed.
I watched them all for a few seconds before quietly leaving the room.
The mansion was silent at that hour of the morning. A few demi-dragon servants were already awake preparing breakfast while the golden light of dawn streamed through the enormous windows of the main hallway.
I walked outside the mansion.
The garden built by the giants was enormous. Giant trees surrounded the stone pathway while small blue flowers grew near the ancient statues scattered throughout the area.
And that was where I found Freyja.
She was sitting beside the central fountain, gazing at the sky.
At that moment she was in her human-sized form thanks to the Royal Giant Artifact. Her long brown hair swayed gently in the cold morning breeze while her blue eyes reflected the light of dawn.
When she noticed me approaching, she smiled softly.
"You really wake up early every day."
"I guess my body got used to it."
She let out a quiet laugh.
"Giant knights usually say that."
I sat down beside her on the edge of the fountain.
For a few seconds, we simply watched the silent garden.
"You're leaving today," she said softly.
"Yes."
A brief silence settled between us.
I had expected that moment from the very beginning. Our mission there had ended days ago. The demons had been eliminated. The land had been protected by Liriel's purification. The giant kingdom was finally safe again.
Even so...
It still felt strange to leave.
Freyja rested her hands on her lap as she watched the fountain's water.
"When I was a child, my father always said that giants needed no one but themselves."
I looked at her in silence.
"I believed that too."
She took a slow breath.
"But when the demons began their attacks... I realized we weren't invincible."
Her eyes became a little more serious.
"I saw villages being destroyed. I saw giant warriors fall without even being able to fight properly because of those demonic stones. And for the first time... I was afraid."
I continued listening without interrupting.
"Then you appeared."
She looked directly at me.
"And changed everything in just a few days."
I gently shook my head.
"It wasn't just me."
"It was."
Her voice remained calm.
"The giants are too proud to admit certain things... but you saved our people."
I looked away for a few seconds toward the distant mountain horizon.
"The war isn't over yet."
"I know."
The wind grew a little stronger at that moment.
"Sometimes I wonder how many kingdoms will still suffer before this is over."
She remained silent for a few moments before asking,
"Do you really believe you can defeat the First General?"
The question was direct.
And sincere.
I took a slow breath before answering.
"I don't know."
She seemed surprised by my response.
"But I'll keep fighting until I can."
Freyja lowered her gaze slightly.
"That scares me."
"Having hope?"
"No."
She looked back at me.
"The way you talk about the war."
That made me fall silent.
Maybe because she was right.
At some point, fighting the demons had stopped being just a goal.
It had become an obligation.
Something inevitable.
Freyja moved a little closer.
"You carry too much on your own."
"I have all of you."
"Even so."
She smiled softly.
"You always seem like someone trying to protect the whole world by himself."
I let out a faint chuckle.
"Maybe I really am trying."
She slowly shook her head.
"Idiot."
We remained silent for a few seconds after that.
The sound of the fountain's water and the wind passing through the trees filled the garden.
Then Freyja spoke again.
"After you leave... maybe the giants will finally join the alliance of nations."
I looked at her attentively.
"King Gromkar decided that?"
"He's still thinking about it. But the council has already begun discussing the matter."
That was important.
Very important.
If even the giants were beginning to realize the true danger posed by the demons... then the world's situation was worsening much faster than I had imagined.
"The First General is making his move," I said quietly.
She frowned slightly.
"You sensed that?"
"I've been having some strange dreams."
I didn't explain everything.
There was no need.
Freyja remained silent for a few moments before speaking again.
"So you'll head straight into another war after leaving here."
"Most likely."
She turned her gaze back toward the mountains.
"Humans live far too fast."
"And giants live far too long."
She laughed a little upon hearing that.
It was a light laugh.
Small.
But sincere.
After a few minutes, she slowly stood up.
"Come with me."
"Where?"
"I want to show you something before you leave."
I accepted.
We walked through the castle gardens as the kingdom slowly began to awaken. A few giant guards were already patrolling the outer corridors while workers began their daily routines.
We climbed a long stone staircase leading to one of the highest sections of the castle wall.
And when we reached the top... I understood.
The view was incredible.
The giant mountains stretched all the way to the horizon. Great rivers flowed through the valleys while small villages could be seen in the distance among the enormous forests.
The morning sunlight illuminated everything in golden hues.
Freyja walked to the edge of the wall.
"This is my favorite place in the kingdom."
I stopped beside her, taking in the scenery.
"Now I understand."
She smiled softly.
"When the attacks began... I came here every night."
I looked at her.
"Why?"
"Because I was afraid of losing all of this."
Her answer came out more quietly this time.
"The war seemed so far away for such a long time. Then suddenly it reached us."
The wind gently moved her brown hair.
"I thought our kingdom would fall."
I remained silent.
She then turned completely toward me.
"That's why I asked my father."
"About the marriage?"
She nodded.
"I wanted to thank you."
"Freyja..."
"I know it seems strange."
She let out a small awkward laugh.
"But that's how giants show their gratitude."
I smiled faintly.
"It still caught me completely off guard."
"I noticed."
She took one step closer.
"But I don't regret it."
Her eyes remained fixed on mine.
For a few seconds, silence returned between us.
Then she asked,
"Will you really come back someday?"
The question sounded simple.
But it carried far more meaning than that.
I looked toward the distant horizon once again before answering.
"I will."
She continued looking at me in silence.
"After this war is over... I'll come back."
Her eyes seemed to relax a little after hearing that.
"And if the war never ends?"
I took a slow breath.
"Then I'll end it."
She watched me silently for a few seconds.
Then she slowly stepped closer.
This time, there was no surprise.
No hesitation.
Freyja gently held onto my clothes before kissing me.
It was a gentle kiss.
Quiet.
Filled with feelings that no words needed to explain.
When she slowly pulled away, she kept her eyes closed for a few seconds before opening them again.
"Then come back alive."
I smiled softly.
"I intend to."
She laughed a little.
"You say that as if it were simple."
"For me, it never was."
The wind swept across the castle walls once more as the giant kingdom fully awakened below us.
And even knowing that peace would not last much longer... in that moment, standing beside her as we looked out over the horizon, everything felt peaceful for a few minutes.
But deep down...
I could feel it.
The war was drawing closer and closer.