Luna's Hidden Longing
My name is Luna. It's not my real name. I can't remember my original one anymore, but surprisingly, it probably meant something similar. Like the subtle moonlight that doesn't stand out much but always stays by someone's side—I wanted to be that kind of existence for Sera.
Especially after we got dropped into this bizarre world, I worried about her even more than usual. I couldn't help it during separate training sessions, but otherwise, I stuck by her side as much as possible. Sure, it might come off as overprotective, but in a place as unpredictable as this, you couldn't be too careful. Unlike the others, I didn't have a personal mentor, but that didn't make me anxious. I'd been training solo since I was a kid anyway. In fact, I was getting stronger at a pace that rivaled everyone else. That must be what they call hero potential.
As long as I could grow stronger, nothing else mattered. To me, the only important things were protecting Sera's safety and happiness. That was it.
...When did I start thinking about her this much?
I first met Sera when we were little. It's from so long ago it's hard to picture now, but I still remember it vividly: her surrounded by boys our age, getting bullied. At first, it was just me following my father's teachings—protect the weak. But the more time I spent with her, the more I felt like I had to be the one to protect her. Someone had to safeguard that angelic purity of hers. And I wanted that someone to be me.
Before I knew it, she'd become my most precious person. Luckily, we hit it off right away and ended up going to the same schools, always together. But there was that one time... I messed up.
On the first day at our new school, we couldn't walk together by chance—and that's when it happened. I only found out later and hated myself for it. Sera wasn't hurt or anything, thank goodness, but that incident led her to meet someone new. Ares.
Sera had never shown interest in any specific boy before, but with Ares, she was hooked. It wasn't a bad thing, objectively. Ares was a genuinely good guy, and they suited each other. He could even help Sera get over her fear of men—she'd been hesitant around them. Sure enough, after hanging out with him, she pretty much conquered it. She could chat and laugh casually with the boys in class now.
Of course, the only one she truly liked was Ares. I hated to admit it, but it was obvious: love. Sera wasn't great at hiding her feelings, so anyone could see it.
Wait... what did I just say? Hated to admit it...? Why...?
Her friend falls in love, and instead of congratulating or cheering her on, I'm feeling this? Am I... jealous of Sera? Does that mean I like Ares too?
No way. If anything, it was the opposite. I was jealous of Ares, not Sera.
In other words... I was envious of the guy who'd stolen Sera from me.
I denied it outright—it was ridiculous. It'd make it sound like I had romantic feelings for Sera. Same sex? Impossible. Probably just confusion from growing up training martial arts like a boy. That kind of thing... it was absolutely not allowed.
My feelings were pure. Nothing more than wanting to shield her from the world's filth. I never thought about possessing her. Making her mine. Never once.
With that, I sealed those emotions deep inside.
...
We finished day two of labyrinth training without issues and returned to the Safety Area. There were several safe zones, but everyone liked this one, so we decided to stick around for a while. Minwoo ajusshi, who was handling living arrangements, said so, and we went along with it. Setting up tents every time would be a hassle anyway, and the hot springs were great.
Minwoo ajusshi turned out to be way more helpful than I'd expected, in all sorts of ways. When we first met, I didn't think much of him, but now I saw him in a pretty positive light. He didn't seem like a bad guy. And since Sera trusted him, that was enough for me. She's naive, sure, but sharp when it comes to people.
Still, he was an adult man, so I kept my guard up on principle. Truth be told, I was super suspicious when he offered massages at first. Men are wolves at heart. Put a beauty like Sera in front of them, and impure thoughts could sprout up fast.
That's why, when Sera said she was going for one, I planned to tail her secretly—but my mentor stopped me. She said after tough training, proper rest was key, and she'd keep an eye on Sera instead. Refusing would've been rude, so I trusted her and slept.
The next morning, Sera greeted me with her usual bright smile. I subtly asked if anything happened, but she said it was amazing—no issues—and insisted I try it too. I deflated completely. Guess it was just my needless worry.
And today, following her recommendation, I arrived at the tent where Minwoo ajusshi was waiting.
"Oh, Luna, you're here. Come on in."
"...Pardon the intrusion."
Sera vouched for him, so I wasn't on high alert anymore, but I still scanned the tent cautiously. It felt unfamiliar yet nostalgic, like stepping back into the modern world. A faint, soothing scent tickled my nose, relaxing me.
"..."
Minwoo ajusshi watched me with a kind smile, then reached into his pocket.
...
"Incubus...?"
"That's right."
I tilted my head at the unfamiliar word from Minwoo ajusshi's mouth.
"What's that?"
"A demon. One of the Demon King's minions."
"...I see."
I was a bit puzzled—he hadn't started the massage yet and was suddenly talking about some demon—but I listened anyway.
"Incubi aren't demons with raw physical power. But against women? Terrifying. They have special abilities that turn women into captives."
"Captives... women...?"
"Yeah. And they seem to lurk in this labyrinth too."
"...!"
That's when I got why he was bringing this up. If such demons existed, we'd need to be on guard.
I asked straight out, "Not sure how strong they are, but... couldn't we just take them down before they try anything?"
Minwoo ajusshi shook his head slightly. "If only it were that easy. They're dream demons—they invade through dreams, not direct confrontation. How do you block something slipping into your sleep?"
"..."
No counterargument. If they manipulated people via dreams, I had no way to stop it. I couldn't exactly enter Sera's dreams.
"So there's no defense?"
"Why do you think I brought this up now?"
"..."
I felt a quiet relief at his words. Of course... he must have a solution.
"Incubus powers are basically mind-manipulation magic. Strong-willed people resist it fine. From what I see, you'd handle it easily, Luna."
"..."
"But yesterday, massaging Sera, I realized... She's got a soft heart, you know? Doesn't scream 'strong mind' to anyone."
"..."
I nodded silently. I agreed.
"You might be fine, but Sera? Perfect target for an incubus. They love going after novice shrine maidens weak in mental training."
Minwoo ajusshi looked genuinely worried as he continued.
"That's why I'm saying..."
"..."
"Is Sera... dating Ares?"
"...Yes?"