I Have An SSS-Rank Service System: Hire Me For Anything!-Chapter 33: Finally [2]

They watched as the cart disappeared down the road, the sound of hooves fading into the distance.

For a few seconds, no one spoke.

Then Liam let out a long breath.

"...That’s it?"

"That’s it," Horg replied.

Maya stretched her arms above her head.

"Feels weird," she said. "After all that work."

Lola nodded.

"Yeah."

Dory looked down at the pouch in his hand, then tied it securely to his belt.

"It’s over," he said.

The girls exchanged glances. The energy in the forge shifted again, this time lighter, but also quieter.

Dano was the first to step back.

"Well," she said, brushing her hands together. "I guess this is where we leave."

Lila nodded.

"I want to sleep for a week."

Lisa laughed softly.

"Same."

Maya looked at Dory, then smiled.

"You didn’t mess up," she said. "I’m impressed."

Dory shrugged slightly.

"We all worked."

Lola stepped forward and picked up her bag.

"Don’t get used to it," she said. "We won’t always be around to save you."

Liam perked up slightly.

"You’re leaving already?"

Maya rolled her eyes.

"What, you want us to stay forever?"

"...I didn’t say that."

Horg chuckled quietly.

The girls gathered their things one by one. There was no rush, but no one dragged it out either. They had stayed longer than they needed to already.

Before stepping out, Maya turned back one last time.

"You better not forget what you said," she told Dory.

"I won’t," he replied.

She nodded, satisfied, then followed the others out. Liam also escorted them.

They stepped out together, their voices fading as they moved down the road. Liam stayed with them, pushing the handcart slowly, even though it was empty. He didn’t have a reason to carry it anymore, but he didn’t want to turn back too soon. The girls talked among themselves, already shifting back into their normal lives, laughing about sleep, food, and how much they had earned in a single week.

Inside the forge, the silence settled in fully.

Horg stood where he was for a moment, staring at the open entrance. Then he let out a long breath and walked back to his stool, sitting down heavily. The place felt bigger now. Too big.

Dory didn’t move at first. He just stood there, one hand resting on the pouch tied to his belt.

’...It’s really over...’

Horg glanced at him.

"You’re thinking too much again," he said.

Dory adjusted his glasses.

"Maybe."

Horg leaned back slightly.

"You did what you said you would do," he continued. "That’s more than most people can claim."

Dory didn’t reply immediately. He walked over slowly and sat down across from him.

"It wasn’t just me."

Horg snorted.

"You keep saying that."

There was a short pause.

Then Horg reached into his apron and pulled out a small pouch. He tossed it toward Dory.

Dory caught it easily.

"What’s this?" he asked.

"Your pay," Horg replied. "The remaining fifty coppers I owed you."

Dory weighed it in his hand.

"...This is heavier than fifty."

Horg didn’t look at him.

"It’s five hundred."

Dory frowned slightly.

"That’s too much."

"No, it’s not."

Dory shook his head.

"The deal was fifty."

Horg finally looked at him.

"And the deal didn’t include you turning my forge into something twice as efficient," he said. "Or bringing in business I didn’t even think about. Or finishing a contract I would’ve struggled with alone."

Dory opened his mouth, but Horg cut him off.

"Take it."

Dory hesitated.

"...Why?"

Horg leaned forward slightly, resting his arms on his knees.

"Because you earned it."

The words were simple, but they carried weight.

Dory looked down at the pouch again.

’...Five hundred...’

He slowly tied it to his belt next to the other one.

"Thank you," he said.

Horg nodded once.

"Don’t mention it."

Another silence followed, but it wasn’t awkward. Just quiet. The kind that comes after something big ends.

Dory stood up after a while.

"I guess... this is where I leave," he said.

Horg didn’t respond immediately.

Dory looked around the forge one last time. The tools, the anvil, the furnace. The place that had been filled with noise, pressure, and people for days was now calm again.

’...It feels different now...’

He took a step toward the door.

Then another.

"Dory."

He stopped.

Horg’s voice was quieter than usual.

"...Are you really going to leave your father?"

Dory froze.

For a second, he didn’t move then he turned back slowly.

Horg was still sitting on the stool, but there was something different in his expression. Not the usual gruff look. Something softer.

Dory stared at him.

"...Father?" he repeated.

Horg scratched the back of his head.

"...Don’t make it weird."

Dory’s lips twitched.

"...You’re the one who said it."

Horg let out a short laugh.

"Yeah, well... someone has to."

Dory stood there for a moment longer then he walked back. He closed the distance in a few steps and wrapped his arms around Horg.

Horg blinked in surprise then he laughed.

"Hey—what are you doing?"

"You said it," Dory replied. "Not me."

Horg shook his head, still laughing, and returned the hug.

"Idiot."

"Old man."

They both laughed, the sound filling the empty forge. It wasn’t loud, but it was real. The kind of laughter that came after days of stress, work, and pushing through limits.

For a moment, nothing else mattered asides from the hug.

"What did I miss?"

They both turned.

Liam stood at the entrance, looking between them with a confused expression.

Dory quickly stepped back, adjusting his glasses.

"Nothing."

Horg grunted.

"Nothing important."

Liam narrowed his eyes.

"...You two were hugging."

"We were not," Horg said immediately.

"You were," Liam insisted.

Dory cleared his throat.

"You took too long."

Liam crossed his arms.

"I was escorting them."

"To the end of the road?" Horg asked.

"...Maybe."

Horg snorted.

Dory shook his head slightly, a small smile still on his face.

Liam looked between them again.

"...Something definitely happened."

"Nothing happened," Dory said.

"Then why do you both look like that?"

"Like what?" Horg asked.

"Like you just finished crying and laughing at the same time."

Horg opened his mouth, then closed it.

"...Get back to work," he muttered.

"There’s no work," Liam replied.

Horg paused.

"...Right."

Dory let out a small breath.

"It’s over."

Liam looked around the forge.

"...Yeah."

The three of them stood there for a moment then Liam stretched.

"So... what now?"

Dory adjusted his glasses again.

"...We’ll figure it out."

Horg nodded.

"Yeah."