A group of civilians are sitting around a campfire outside one of the strongholds, discussing the events of the past year.
As the night settled in, a group of civilians sat around a crackling campfire outside one of the strongholds. They talked amongst themselves about the past year and the dangers of the world outside the walls.
"I can't believe it's been a year already," one woman said, shaking her head in disbelief.
"Yeah, it feels like a lifetime," another man added, staring into the flames.
"I still remember when the portals opened up," a third person chimed in. "It was chaos. Monsters everywhere, people running for their lives."
"Thankfully we had the degu users to protect us," the first woman said, relief evident in her voice.
"Without them, we'd be goners," the man agreed.
"But it's not just the monsters we have to worry about," the third person spoke up. "There are still raiders out there, trying to take advantage of the chaos."
"Ugh, don't remind me," the first woman groaned. "I lost everything to those raiders. If it weren't for the stronghold, I wouldn't have made it this far."
The group fell silent for a moment, the weight of their past struggles weighing heavily on them. But they all knew they had each other, and the safety of the stronghold, to keep them going.
"We'll make it through," the man said, determination in his voice. "We've already survived this long. We can't give up now."
The others nodded in agreement, their spirits lifted by his words.
Meanwhile, Fein remained unaware of their conversation, lost in his own thoughts as he continued his solitary walk through the city.
'Well, it's time to return.'
...
Fein unlocked the door to his new home and stepped inside, feeling a sense of relief wash over him as he closed the door behind him. He was finally home, in a place where he could relax and let down his guard. The living room was spacious and tastefully decorated, with comfortable furniture and a large fireplace in one corner. Melissa, his mother, was already there, sitting in a chair by the fire and reading a book.
This is their new house. Located to the center of one of the few S-rank strongholds where most S-rank degu users live. It's also the safest place after the appearance of the portals. The portals didn't permanently disappear, but they appear at random times and pour out monster hordes.
"Welcome home, Fein," Melissa said with a smile, putting down her book and standing up to give him a hug. Voli, Fein's golden bear companion, padded over to greet him as well, nuzzling his leg.
"Hey, Mom," Fein said, returning her hug. "It's good to be back."
"How was your day?" Melissa asked, stepping back to look at him.
"It was good," Fein replied. "Busy, but good. We had a meeting with the council and then I went to check on the patrols."
Melissa nodded. "Well, you must be tired. Why don't you sit down and relax for a bit? I'll make some tea."
Fein nodded gratefully and sank down onto the couch, feeling the tension in his shoulders start to ease. Voli hopped up onto the couch next to him, curling up with his head on Fein's lap. Melissa bustled around the kitchen, preparing the tea and some snacks.
As they waited for the tea to steep, Fein and Melissa chatted about their day, catching up on news and gossip. Voli listened with half an ear, occasionally making a rumbling noise of agreement.
"So, have you heard from Sofia lately?" Melissa asked, pouring the tea into mugs and carrying them over to the couch.
Fein shook his head. "Not really. She's been busy with her own stuff. I think she's been doing some research on her powers."
Melissa nodded, settling back into her chair with her own mug of tea. "Well, she's always been one to keep to herself. But you should invite her over sometime. It's been a while since we've seen her."
Fein smiled wryly. "Yeah, I know. I'll see what I can do."
They fell into a comfortable silence, sipping their tea and enjoying the warmth of the fire. Voli dozed off, his breathing slow and even. Fein felt his own eyelids start to droop, and he leaned his head back against the couch, feeling grateful for this moment of peace.
As the day drew to a close, Fein and Melissa said their goodnights and headed off to bed. Voli followed Fein into his room, settling down on the floor next to the bed.
"Goodnight, buddy," Fein whispered, reaching down to scratch the golden bear behind the ears. "Sleep well."
...
The laboratory was bustling with activity as various scientists and researchers worked on their respective projects. In one corner, a group of scientists were discussing their progress on developing new weapons to combat the ever-increasing threat of monsters. In another corner, a team of researchers were examining the properties of a new material that could potentially revolutionize the field of engineering.
As the discussions continued, a voice suddenly spoke up, drawing the attention of everyone in the room. It was Dr. Claire, one of the most respected scientists in the field. She looked around the room, her piercing gaze taking in the various researchers and scientists before her.
"Listen to me, my dear colleagues. We have made great strides in our research, but we must not forget the contributions of one man in particular - Fein," she said, her voice ringing out loud and clear.
The room fell silent as everyone turned to look at Dr. Claire, waiting for her to continue.
"Lord Fein's work has been instrumental in pushing the boundaries of our knowledge to new heights. His articles have inspired us all to think outside the box and to explore new avenues of research. Without his contributions, we would not be where we are today," Dr. Claire continued, her voice ringing with conviction.
The scientists in the room nodded in agreement, murmuring their assent to Dr. Claire's words. Many of them had read Fein's articles and were impressed by the depth of knowledge and insight that he had provided.
"He truly is a genius," said Dr. Park, one of the younger researchers in the room. "I was inspired to pursue a career in science after reading his work."
Dr. Claire smiled at the young researcher's words, feeling a sense of pride for Fein's accomplishments. She knew that he was a modest man and would never seek recognition for his work, but she also knew that it was important for his contributions to be acknowledged.
"He may be a modest man, but his work speaks for itself. Let us continue to push the boundaries of our knowledge and build upon the foundation that Fein has laid for us," Dr. Claire said, her words inspiring a renewed sense of purpose in the scientists in the room.
The scientists continued their work, each one driven by a renewed sense of purpose and a desire to build upon the foundation of knowledge that Fein had provided. As the day drew to a close, they left the laboratory, feeling more inspired and energized than ever before.
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