Heroines Must Be Taken Care of to the End
About an hour after I'd kept stroking Luna until she finally fell completely asleep, I let out a long yawn.
"Aigoo, I really need to sleep now too."
I settled down beside Luna. The moment I sensed both her and the Notification Window had gone quiet, it finally hit me—we'd made it to a peaceful night at last.
Lying there, I stretched out luxuriously.
"Tchwaaaaaah!! Gotta make noise when you stretch—that's the rule."
Today had been the most exhausting day ever, hands down.
"Even with Lora and Tsuki, it was tough... but this time, I legit dipped my toes in the River Jordan."
Figures a plain old commoner like me couldn't just swoop in and save a beautiful princess that easily.
—Smooth.
I stroked Luna's cheek as she slept with a happy smile, breathing softly.
"Mmmnya... hehe... Si-hyun..."
"Now she's even sleep-talking. Sweet dreams, Luna? Haha."
Luna's soft silver hair felt like silk—probably softer than any silk clothes I'd ever touched. Each strand, shimmering beautifully in the moonlight, was utterly captivating.
"No wonder the moonlight felt extra bright tonight. It's a full moon."
I followed the moonlight spilling in through the window. The perfect orb of the full moon shone so brilliantly it almost seemed golden, like Luna's eyes—an optical illusion, maybe.
Weird. I've seen full moons my whole life, enough to get sick of them, but tonight it feels brighter, prettier somehow.
Suddenly, I pictured a nighttime stroll under that full moon with Luna.
"She's sleeping now, so we can do it next full moon. The full moon flowers should be blooming by then too. Luna frolicking in a field of silver-glowing blossoms... it'd be adorable."
Come to think of it, I hadn't seen full moon flowers in ages. Strangely, they never showed up here. But there, they were rare but visible.
"Tomorrow morning, maybe hit the market with Luna and buy some full moon flower seeds... Huh...? What the hell am I even saying...?"
Full moon flowers? Never heard of a flower by that name.
No, have I...? Maybe it's an item from one of my games?
Nope, first time hearing it. But the memory bubbled up so naturally. A garden of flowers radiating silver light under a full moon.
Where did I... see that?
"Did I hit my head saving Luna too? Why's my memory all jumbled—"
Then—
Throb!
A slight headache hit, followed by a rush of noisy, fragmented memories flashing through my mind at high speed.
"Ugh...! M-my head, suddenly...!"
—Zzzzzzt!
"Luna, careful—you'll trip running like that. What if you get hurt, Princess?"
"Oh, this scar on my arm? Got it fighting disasters on Cellos Hill last time. No biggie, don't worry, haha."
"Got scolded by Lady Elsi the head maid again today? You gotta brush your teeth properly after snacks. She only nags 'cause she cares about you."
"This journey? Not sure, but word is a mengmang-grade showed up far from here. Might take a while to get back to Selenum. But I promise—I'll wrap it up quick and come back to you."
"Why do I love Selenum so much? Lots of reasons... the beautiful full moon (manwol) light, the full moon flowers (manwolhwa) blooming in response. And above all, our princess who looks like the moon goddess herself walked the earth... haha."
—Zzzzzzzzt!
"Ugh... what the hell is this...?"
A flood of unfamiliar memories. I'd experienced something like this before— that morning when Luna was just the 'Collector' to me, and her saying she had no name triggered weird recollections.
"That's when I heard 'Luna' in those memories and gave her the name."
This felt just like that.
But a bit different. Back then, it was just a conversation. Now, scenes are flashing by too.
Like corrupted data from an old video—fuzzy and faint.
Throb!
"Gah... not done yet...?"
—Zzzzzzzzzzzt!!
"Honestly, yeah, I'm kinda stunned by the situation... but your looks shocked me more. Didn't expect you to be this beautiful, haha."
"This path I chose? Definitely right. I made every decision. But I'm human too... can't help worrying how long it'll last. Just ignore my whining."
"Haha, amazing. You cry and laugh like us now. Used to be so expressionless... I like this you better."
"Dunno... but one thing's sure. They're precious to me... but now, so are you."
—Zzzzzzt...
The noise faded, the headache lifted, and the memories stopped coming.
I pressed my temples with my right hand, waiting it out.
"Agh... damn. What was that...? Old work migraine flaring up again?"
Just trying to sleep, and this happens.
Unknown memories crashed through my head like a tsunami, then vanished.
"Not unknown, though. I'd recognize that voice anywhere."
Fragments from solving Eclipse, and Luna's past that Greed showed in the void—I'd heard it tons.
Lucifer.
The guy who looked just like my nighttime Phantom form.
Those were definitely his memories.
But why now?
Right then, as if answering, the Notification Window popped up.
Oh, right right! Si-hyun, since you resolved Luna's story, you probably got a new memory fragment. That might be why your head hurts—
"...You pick a hell of a time to mention it."
Aaah...! N-no way, already?!
"Can't tell when I'm holding my head and grimacing? It's over already."
Hueeeeng... Sorryyy...! I got so distracted watching you and Luna all cuddly that I forgot to mention it...
The Notification Window blinked apologetically, hovering close.
Was us being all over each other that shocking? Didn't realize it hit her that hard. Gotta cheer her up more.
I sighed softly, giving her a 'no big deal' look.
"It's fine. Wasn't anything special anyway. Memories of that guy Luna mistakes me for—Lucifer."
...Lucifer?
The Notification Window froze midair at the name, staring at me.
...Si-hyun, did you see all of his memories?
"Saw 'em, but barely. Like watching a super glitchy video. Voice was clear, but visuals? Nada. And they were all scattered—no timeline."
...I see. Guess it's still... incomplete.
"Huh? Still what?"
Ah...! N-nothing!! Oh, check this out instead, Si-hyun!
The Notification Window muttered something, then hurriedly changed the subject with a system window.
Please resolve the mengmang-grade ghost story tales.
Resolved Tales: 0 → 1
I forgot to show this right after Luna's story too! Sorryyy (˶> _ <˶)
"Don't sweat it. I just remembered this was the goal anyway."
Ending the tales of mengmang.
The ultimate reason I'd busted my ass collecting fragments and saving Luna.
"One down after all that... long road ahead."
B-but hey, starting is half the battle! I'll always be here helping, so don't worry, Si-hyun!
"Duh, you better stick around. I'd die without you. You'll stay till the world normalizes, right?"
Hehe, of course! A-and... even after it normalizes, forever... kkhihit.
She giggled, lost in some happy fantasy.
She really acts like a kid sometimes.
I poked the laughing Notification Window with my right hand.
With a mengmang tale done, time to ask the big question: parting.
"Notification Window, I've been wondering every time we resolve a ghost story... Does Luna have to leave me too?"
...Si-hyun... you knew...?
"Wouldn't it be weirder if I didn't? Same with Lora and Tsuki—they got wrapped in light and vanished after I fixed their tales."
You noticed too... Yes. Once the ghost story's twisted tale ends, they return to their original stories. Check this, Si-hyun?
The Notification Window summoned another system window.
The tale of Selenum's princess has ended.
Luna must now return to her own tale.
—Thud.
Someone squeezed my heart hard.
"Knew it was coming, but seeing it stings."
Ghost stories exist here because of their 'twists.' You fixed it, so Lora, Tsuki... and Luna return to their original tales.
"Can I see Luna again after she leaves? Feels wrong raising her just to let her go."
Tough now... but higher system levels might make it possible!
"That 'get stronger and you'll see!' cliché again? Way overused."
Huiiiing... Clichés are clichés for a reason!
System leveled from 1 to 2, I got Narrative Reestablishment—a powerhouse ability.
And it was the 'first' new power. Maybe before level 3, something lets me visit Luna.
Not certain, but that hope kept me positive. Gotta stay upbeat or I'd lose motivation.
"Gotta make tons of memories with Luna before she goes. So she can be happy in Selenum too."
—Squeeze.
I pulled the softly sleeping Luna into my arms.
"Mmm... Si... hyun..."
She wriggled a bit, mumbling like she was chewing on something tasty in her dream.
Watching her blissful, oblivious smile, I made two vows.
First: "Starting tomorrow, burn all my vacation days to stick to Luna 24/7!"
Second: "Use Phantom, Narrative Reestablishment, novel knowledge—everything—to smash ghost stories ASAP!"
So I can see our princess again!!
You think I'd abandon my Luna? Abandoning heroines ain't in my dictionary!!