Rebirth: 100 Days Before Doomsday-Chapter 346: Back To Work

"Am I interrupting a gossip session?" Grace teased as she stepped inside once Rune opened the door and let her in.

"Absolutely," Mira said as she stood up with her cup. "But only good gossip."

Though all six of them went on high alert just moments ago, they all were now relaxed once Rune informed them who the visitor was. And seeing Grace just immediately lifted their mood.

Grace smiled warmly at them all as she made her way into the living room. Her eyes lingered on Rune just a moment longer than the others, something that didn't go unnoticed by the other six who just smiled at each other.

"You all look much better," she said. "Sleep well?"

"Like corpses," Dain replied with a grin. "But less stiff."

She laughed, the sound light. "Good. Let's get you fed again. You have got a whole night of good food and even better desserts waiting for you."

Despite the number of dishes that Davian prepared for them in the morning, all of them were light dishes that were easy to digest. As that was the first time these six were eating properly after so many years, heavy food wasn't a great idea. So, he went with medicinal soups, normal soups, fruits and vegetable salads, juices, porridge, and such easily digestible options. freёweɓnovel.com

But now that they had recovered a lot compared to in the morning, they could try a little bit in the heavier side, though not much.

And it turned out the group was really excited to taste Davian's cooking again. One bynone, they all stepped into the portal that Grace summoned for them. This time, they didn't wait for Rune to take the lead. They were far more relaxed now.

Once everyone was gone and it was only her and Rune, she closed the portal and turned to face him.

They were silent as neither took the initiative to speak first. Then, Rune walked toward her and stopped right in front of her, brushing his hand against hers.

"They asked about you." He whispered softly.

"Oh?" she asked while arching a brow.

"I told them you are mine," he said with a quiet smile. "And that I'm yours."

Her lips curved upward and she wrapped her fingers gently around his before asking, "They took it well?"

"They said you deserved a harem," he provided, making her laugh softly.

"I like them already."

He then leaned in, brushing his lips against hers in a slow, affectionate kiss that held no urgency... just promise.

When they pulled apart, she whispered, "You did good, Rune. You brought them back."

He looked away briefly, and when he spoke, his voice was soft. "They deserved better."

"You are their anchor. You saved them. They still follow you, trust you. That matters more than anything." She was determined to show him the light in the darkness that was threatening to consume him.

He didn't respond. He just held her gaze with something fierce and unspoken burning in his eyes.

She squeezed his hand. "Stay strong, Commander. They need you."

And then, to her relief, he nodded his head and returned the squeeze. "I will. Promise."

* * *

Grace and Rune couldn't return to the Magik Realm, at least not yet. Their successful rescue mission triggered the alarms of the secret organization. The enemy was on high alert now, and any attempt to return could compromise not just them, but the original mission for which they headed there.

So, the Magik Realm needed to wait.

Earth, however, had its own wars to fight.

Grace didn't waste a single day. As soon as she was certain that Rune's men were well cared for and healing under Dr. Kian and 2025's careful monitoring, she threw herself back into her duties as the leader of Starfall, Blue Moon City, and the other two bases under her command.

She visited the academies to meet the warriors and get updates on their recent progress and missions.

Her next stop was at the Great Alliance's headquarters where they discussed about the redevelopment project of the new city. As per the calculations, the project was going to take about six-seven months to be completed as she wasn't heavily involved in it unlike Blue Moon City's redevelopment project. Instead, she was guiding from the sidelines.

Because of the Blue Moon City, there was no dire need for a new safe zone. Hence, Grace didn't try to provide extra help in order to increase the pace of the work and complete the project within a few months.

Besides, she wanted the Alliance to work and get better as well. She knew that if she continued to provide extra support, they would end up becoming g too dependent on her.

But at the same time, she wasn't keeping too much distance and providing her help whenever and wherever she thought it was needed.

A week later, she was back on hunt missions as well. She and a team of twelve warriors cleared up a group of Class 5 Monster Beasts and about three dozen infected.

While she was busy catching up with her daily life, Rune kept his team company. He barely left their side, guiding them through Starfall, introducing them to the people, teaching them how to use Earth's new systems, and showing them the evolution of this world.

"She created Starfall from rubble," he told them one evening in a low but proud voice. "She pulled survivors together, made a network of bases, built alliances even across continents. She unified the leaders of the fractured countries and taught them how to survive… and thrive."

Mira stared at the distant lights of the villa in the distance. "And to think we were calling her 'that graceful goddess' just two days ago."

"She is," Kael murmured. "Just… a terrifying one."

"Terrifyingly impressive," Elandra added. "She didn't just survive the apocalypse. She used it."

Asher, who had been mostly quiet, finally said, "She reminds me of you, Rune. Unrelenting. Strategic. But warmer."

That made Rune smile faintly.

"She's better than me," he said simply. "She saw something broken and rebuilt it without waiting for help."

Their admiration grew each day. And not just admiration. Respect. Affection. Loyalty. The kind only a true leader could inspire. They had known her barely a few days, but already they understood why Rune, who was once the most closed-off among them, had given his heart to her.