Stop Deluding Yourself
"Stop deluding yourself."
"Incomprehensible. How exactly did you manage to expel me?"
The Black Moon still couldn't fully grasp what had happened just minutes ago.
···I was sure I'd almost won her over.
"Agree with her views, empathize, lead her exactly where I wanted. A perfect plan with flawless setup, development, climax, and resolution."
Luna was still a fragile girl. Children that age, so easily swayed by their surroundings, were like pristine white canvases.
A single drop of black ink was all it took to stain them.
Whispers that someone precious might leave had already begun coloring her pure heart like black paint, bit by bit.
Up to that point, everything was perfect. Smooth as silk.
But then.
"That rabbit doll... it mentioned some 'auto-defense right' or something···."
The rabbit doll that suddenly appeared had forcibly ejected it from the dream with some unknown power.
And that doll had been given to Luna by the human she cherished—Yoon Si-hyun.
"No way... Did he anticipate my approach from the start and hand her that doll?"
Thinking back, his behavior had been off since that morning. Spending big money just to win a tiny doll? No rational person would do that.
"And he believed the doll could talk right away. A normal adult wouldn't take a kid's word so seriously···."
The Black Moon had witnessed every scene through the doll.
—"Haha, really? Looks like Lulu likes Luna too."
That man's eyes held not a shred of doubt, not even a speck of hesitation.
—"Luna, mind lending me Lulu for a sec? I wanna talk to her too."
"And then, like he'd been waiting, he took the doll and erased part of my power. How could a mere human...?"
A mere human? No, that wasn't right.
He was far too anomalous to call a mere human.
"···He's always been an odd human from the start. Stroking and hugging Luna, who wields mengmang-grade power, without a second thought. No normal person could do that."
The power of destruction was a authority even ghost stories feared.
Anything disaster-grade or below vanished just by approaching her.
Even catastrophe and apocalypse-grade felt utter terror.
If ghost stories recoiled like that, how could a mortal human stay unscathed by her side···?
Then, a possibility flashed through the Black Moon's mind.
That man had a peculiar ability: at night, his appearance changed. Jet-black hair, snow-white skin. Eyes deeper and darker than the abyss. A noble bearing that seemed to pierce all things.
The complete opposite of his daytime self.
"No way...! Impossible. That man is dead. By my own hand... definitely...!"
Tremble, tremble···.
The mighty being of sin began to shake.
What could make such a powerful entity tremble like this?
"I saw him die with my own eyes...! Even 'he' couldn't return from death...!"
In the distant past, the Black Moon recalled his final moments.
Blood dripping from his mouth, a blade buried in his chest—in that hopeless state, his eyes never died.
—"O destruction that deceived the princess and took root. I will return."
—"Again and again, dozens, thousands of times... I will return."
—"To end your stories, I will gladly walk that path."
The Black Moon had laughed at his words. How could a puny human return from death?
But now, a being reminiscent of him existed.
"Yoon Si-hyun···."
I'd thought he was just an ordinary human who'd survived on luck.
No. He had returned.
From death, to end the tale of destruction.
Biding his time, acting like any normal person. Fooling everyone.
With that innocent smile...!
"Chilling... To think he's this meticulous...!"
If he truly was the returned one, acting rashly again would be too dangerous.
"For now, all I can do is wait... But opportunity remains. My turn will come again."
The Black Moon sneered venomously and sank deeper into the shadows.
"Yoon Si-hyun... no, Savior Lucifer. This time, I'll finish you for good···."
A few days passed after the weekend, and honestly, I was way too happy!
"This sticky rice cake life~ This is the ordinary life I always wanted!"
A life where I didn't transform into that weird form at night!
No more fretting about when the sun would set!
Too good. Thrilling! Normal is the best!
"I was pissed when the notification window wasted my one life coin···."
"Whiiiine... You still haven't forgiven me?"
"These past few days have been peaceful, so I'm in a good mood. I'll forgive you specially this time."
The reason I was still upbeat despite blowing the amazing [Auto-Defense Right: 24 Hours] item?
The system was updating, so I couldn't use any abilities.
Synchronization: 58% complete
"Si-hyun, no abilities during updates, so you won't transform at night for a bit!"
"First time in my life I've ever hoped a download would go slower."
"Should finish in a day or two. Stay safe—no ghost stories or incidents in the meantime!"
The notification window blinked worriedly.
"I'm not some walking disaster magnet. Don't worry so much."
Who knew the system could even upgrade? I'd had no clue.
It boasted more features post-update, but···.
'Please just patch out the forced night transformation and skip the weird stuff, GM!'
Thanks to the beginner package, I had an office job with no overtime—but short hours meant I was a bit tight on cash.
"If I hadn't dumped my emergency fund here···!"
I pulled out my phone and opened an app.
[XX Investments]
"Why is my screen always blue···? Red exists in this world, right?"
As if someone erased the concept of 'red' from reality, every stock I'd bought glowed a mocking blue.
"Heh... I wasn't chasing get-rich-quick, but as an unemployed guy sucking my thumb, I tried stocks to scrape by living expenses. What an idiot."
When I was jobless and bored, some investment news inspired me to try.
Total newbie, so I scoured for info and ended up there.
US Stock Gal
'That was my downfall! Should've ignored those guys!!'
No one sharing stock tips on forums—or buying them—is sane.
Tap tap.
On a whim, I checked that gal.
"It's burning alive."
Every post was people screaming bloody murder at each other.
"Ugh fuck. Almost clicked a bait title myself."
Internet ghost stories emerging as they bled into reality.
Started as scary memes or pranks.
"But lately, they're evolving."
Click a link and it crawls out your monitor to kill you. Look seven times and die for real. Etc.
Rooted in the internet— inseparable from humanity—they'd become a bigger problem than expected.
'And baiting with porn memes exploiting basic human urges? Cowards!'
These vicious ghost stories. Have some decency!
"Sigh. Lost money's gone, but now what?"
At this rate, even loan interest was iffy.
'Why no bank ghost stories? Even ghosts fear capitalism?'
Lost in dumb thoughts, a silver-haired girl with a sweet scent approached.
"Si-hyun... no money...?"
Luna tugged my sleeve with her tiny hand. Her golden eyes looked anxious.
'Ah, she sensed I'm down.'
No no, can't do that. Head of the house can't show it, no matter how broke we are.
'One slip and the whole family panics.'
I stroked her head with a casual smile.
"Haha, don't worry, Luna! Even if the sky falls, I'll scrape up snack money—"
—Shwaaak.
Suddenly, Luna reached into empty air and dumped out shiny objects.
Gleaming treasures: 10kg gold bars and nuggets.
"L-Luna. What's all this?"
"Si-hyun... I have lots... Tell me if you need..."
Luna the mengmang-grade ghost story Collector. Her sub-space overflowed with hoarded loot.
'Insane even seeing it irl after novels.'
But I couldn't use them. Specifically, no gold bars.
"Luna, can't use this. Put it back."
"Why...?"
Why? Gold's not easy to buy/sell casually! One question on origin and I'm jailed.
But can't tell her straight.
'Gotta bullshit...'
I met her eyes, face stern. Dignified. Serious.
"Luna, we promised, right? No using powers."
"Yeah..."
"I want you living as a normal girl, no powers. Eating yummy food normally, spending normally—with me."
Luna just stared silently.
"So can't use this. Shouldn't. And I'll take responsibility to the end, so no worries. Got it?"
"Yeah... Si-hyun..."
She reached out, storing the gold away.
'Watching it vanish hurts. Should've snuck one to sell.'
"Si-hyun, all put away..."
Todododo.
Luna suddenly charged and hugged me.
—Hug!
"Luna?"
"Si-hyun... always for me... so kind... like..."
I like gold too··· no!
"Getting clingier, huh Luna? Haha."
I patted the girl in my arms, thinking.
'Phew, thought she caught me sneaking.'
In my hand hugging Luna: a tiny gold fleck.