Quest: Soothe the Princess!

Si-hyeon already knew it.

He had no choice but to part with Luna.

But there was a world of difference between knowing it in his head and his heart accepting it.

'To be or not to be—that's the question... my ass. Screw that! I'd rather choose death than tell this pretty, adorable Luna we have to split up less than an hour after getting married?'

No way in hell. No, absolutely not!

—Rub, rub.

"Hehe... Si-hyeon, I love you..."

Those golden eyes brimming with the faintest tears. How could he say it to Luna, who was nuzzling her face against him with a smile brighter than the moon in the sky?

'Ah, damn this world's laws... I hate you more than ever right now.'

The biggest reason ghost stories could exist in reality was that they themselves were beings unbound by the laws. With their twists normalized, it was only natural for them to return to their original worlds and live happily.

But.

'When I was just reading it as a story, I didn't think twice... but forcing a wild animal that's bonded to a human back into the wild—what's the difference?'

Si-hyeon was starting to feel like challenging the author to a WWE match.

—Smack, smack.

"Mwah... Si-hyeon, am I good at kissing now?"

"Hmm~ Not sure? Wanna try once more?"

"Eek... Si-hyeon, you're such a perv... Mwah!"

Unaware of Si-hyeon's heavy heart, Luna kept nuzzling her face against his cheeks and lips. "Hah...! Ah, it's still hard to breathe while kissing... hehe."

Every time he faced Luna's pure affection, Si-hyeon only wanted to keep her even more.

'I really have nothing to say, even if I had ten mouths.'

Si-hyeon simply couldn't bring himself to tell Luna about the parting.

Of course, he knew their farewell wasn't the end.

'The Notification Window confirmed it. If I resolve more ghost story tales from now on, we'll definitely meet again someday.'

A fate where he had to keep ending bizarre, horrific ghost stories and level up.

It was a straightforward, certain goal, but ghost stories still felt uncomfortable to Si-hyeon.

'You can't know until you experience it yourself. How terrifying and cruel these ghost stories really are.'

Thanks to the beginner package, anything Disaster-grade or below could be "click-cleared," but from Catastrophe-grade up, that didn't work. He'd managed so far with luck, but in the most crucial Mengmang-grade tale, he'd nearly died for real.

He had unique abilities and felt somewhat chosen, but Si-hyeon was ultimately just an ordinary guy. Pretending it didn't faze him would be a lie.

However.

"For Luna... I can do even more than that."

"Huh? Si-hyeon, what're you talking about?"

—Smack.

Seeing Luna approach with sparkling eyes, Si-hyeon instinctively kissed her.

Her cheeks flushed bright red at the sudden kiss, and she shyly fidgeted.

"Hauuu...?"

"Haha, it's nothing. I just said I love you a lot too, Luna."

"Hauuuu... I like proactive Si-hyeon, but it's so embarrassing...! Hehe... I love you a lot too, Si-hyeon!"

If he could just see his princess smiling so innocently again, like moonlight... Si-hyeon could conquer any ghost story, even hell itself.

Just like how, amid that storm of emotions, he'd endured unbearable human pain to save Luna.

In the tales to come, he'd suffer countless times, collapse from it, but he'd never give up.

For the princess with silver hair and golden eyes.

'And besides, abandoning heroines is not in my dictionary! How many times have I suffered from authors who drop or pawn off heroines like it's nothing while reading web novels—'

—Poke, poke.

As Si-hyeon drifted into random thoughts, Luna poked his cheek with her golden eyes gleaming, as if reminding him not to forget her.

"My lord husband, what thoughts keep you from your humble wife? Hehe."

She was just smiling brightly, demanding her beloved's attention.

'Me and my worries about parting... I almost neglected the Luna right here beside me.'

Si-hyeon set aside his parting anxieties for now and focused on Luna.

—Pat.

His gentle hand caressed her head and cheek like petting a precious little cat. The two sat wordlessly in the grass, sharing each other's warmth.

The festival's merry sounds and fireworks' afterimages had all faded. Only the wind and soft crickets filled the space.

"Luna, it's getting late. Shall we head back to the lodging? I'll pat you to sleep again tonight."

"Yeah! Tonight, tomorrow... and always, right...?"

Luna's voice sounded on the verge of tears.

—Squeeze.

Si-hyeon pulled her into a tight embrace and whispered softly.

"...If my princess commands it, I'll do so until the world ends."

"Yeah...! It's a promise......!"

Luna's whisper carried a lingering sadness.

—Flash!

"Kyaa...?!"

"Then, princess, allow me to escort you safely to the lodging!"

Si-hyeon scooped up Luna, who was still on top of him, into his arms.

"U-um, Si-hyeon? I can walk on my own..."

"The path back is through the grass. You might step on a rock or something. Can't have you getting hurt, so just stay put. Haha."

"Really... you're such an idiot who only thinks of me..."

Luna let out a small sigh in his arms and wrapped her hands around his neck.

The starlight in the night sky slowly illuminated the silver ring on her ring finger.

—Sparkle.

At a glance, it was a beautifully shining ring, but somehow, its gleam felt a bit lonely. Like a fragment of the moon fallen alone under the sky.

—Rustle.

"Si-hyeon... do you love me...?"

"Of course. I love you so much, Luna."

"For real?"

"Yeah, for real."

"For real, for real...?"

"For real real real~! Hahaha!"

Si-hyeon was walking back to the lodging through the grass with Luna in his arms. Every step he took, Luna asked if he loved her, passing the time that way. As if constantly confirming something.

"Hehe... I hear you say you love me, but why are tears coming... ? This is so weird...!"

—Sniffle.

Tears flowed from Luna's moonlit golden eyes. Seeing the girl's tears mixed with a bit of sadness and joy made Si-hyeon's heart tighten more and more.

How long had they walked, asking and answering about love?

"Si-hyeon, hold on a sec."

"Yeah?"

Luna cautiously reached for the half-mask Si-hyeon was wearing. Her hand trembled slightly for some reason. Unlike her smiling lips, the center of that smile held forcibly suppressed emotions.

"Remember... ? At the masked ball in Selenum, you were wearing a half-mask like this."

"Yeah. Some princess nagged me that I had to cover at least my eyes."

"Eek... I was worried other ladies would fall for you if they saw."

—Slide.

The girl gently put on the half-mask and stepped down from his arms, walking a few steps ahead. Her steps were light, like arriving at a ball, but hidden within was a sad, quiet ripple. Like someone preparing for farewell.

"Somehow, walking through this grass... it reminds me of that day we snuck out of the ball and bumped into each other in the moon garden..."

"......"

Luna clasped her hands behind her back and stepped forward lightly, waiting for something.

'Si-hyeon probably forgot such a trivial day... what am I even hoping for?'

The moment Luna turned to say it was nothing.

"Princess, where are you rushing off to like that?"

"......!!"

The exact words from that past day came ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠from behind her.

"Wh-why are you here instead of enjoying the ball...?"

"To see the princess more beautiful than moonlight."

"Y-you could have approached at the ball...?"

"Meeting alone seemed better."

—Step.

Si-hyeon approached Luna slowly, his deep black eyes gleaming.

'Ah, no...! If he holds me again... I, I'll...!'

Luna raised her hand to Si-hyeon approaching, signaling him to stay away.

"No...! D-don't come closer...!"

"Luna...?"

"Si-hyeon... you can't come... stay away...!"

"......"

Luna suddenly rejected him coming closer so fiercely. Why had the girl who'd been whispering love in his arms moments ago changed like this?

'Hic...! I c-can't cry... act like it's nothing... I have to fool Si-hyeon...!!'

Luna backed away bit by bit and opened her mouth.

"Si-hyeon, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠actually, royalty can't marry saviors. Just like shrine maidens can't meddle in politics, those blessed by gods... can't join with the royal family."

"......"

"It's a secret only royalty knows, so you probably didn't know. Sorry for fooling you. I, I just used you to get rid of Greed...!! It, it was all lies!"

"......"

"I'll be honest now. Don't forgive me for using you...! I'll go far away where there's no Si-hyeon, so you be happy without me too...... happy......!!"

"......"

Such clumsy lies. No one but a fool would believe the nonsense she was spouting.

But Luna had to hurt Si-hyeon, even if forced, to keep him from approaching.

The strange message that had appeared before Luna's eyes a few days ago. At first, she'd dismissed it as nonsense, but deep down, she knew.

That she could be here because she was a ghost story.

And now that the twist was gone, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠she had to return to her original world.

'Si-hyeon doesn't know anything... if he finds out fate is forcing us apart, he'll surely...'

Si-hyeon, who loved her so much, would pine away and die from exhaustion.

So Luna hoped he'd forget her by saying hateful things.

Then he could live again.

—Throb!

'Hic...! It h-hurts... m-my chest hurts so much......'

The girl clutched her chest and sobbed inwardly. This was fine. As long as only she hurt, Si-hyeon could live on.

'Maybe he's already... left trembling with betrayal......'

But when Luna turned to check behind her.

"You're still terrible at lying, princess."

"...H-how...?"

Far from leaving, Si-hyeon had been right behind her, waiting for her to turn.

"Luna, did you think I'd fall for that?"

"......!!"

"I've told you so many times. No matter how much you hurt me, I won't leave."

"H-how—"

"Any idiot who doesn't notice his beloved crying isn't a real man."

—Slide.

Si-hyeon gently lifted the white half-mask Luna wore.

Beneath it, the girl's hidden eyes were red and teary. The will to hold back tears peeled away with the mask, and her hidden emotions burst forth as tears.

—Drip, drop.

"Hic......! I-I was barely... h-holding it in......!"

Tears flowed endlessly from Luna's eyes, hidden by the mask until now.

"It's okay to cry, princess."

'Perfect. All that worrying about how to bring up the parting was for nothing.'

Si-hyeon stroked Luna, sobbing ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠sadly in his arms, and sorted his thoughts.

Honestly, he'd agonized for days, but he never expected Luna to mention parting first.

'But this isn't the time to celebrate the perfect timing.'

Now came the important part. He had to coax and soothe Luna with his dazzling eloquence (disguised as scams) and brilliant mind!

'Way easier than being the one to say let's break up.'

Then, Luna, who had been crying in his arms, peeked her head out and stared at him intently.

"Hic...! I don't wanna part...! I don't care about fate or duty...! I only need Si-hyeon...! Why is the world trying to take you from me?"

"Luna......"

"I'm scared Si-hyeon's love will fade over time... scared it'll end while we're apart...! There's no eternal sorrow or love in this world. If we part like this, surely... surely...! Hic...!"

"Luna, there's no eternal sorrow or love, but there's one thing that's eternal."

"Sniff... Wh-what's that...?"

"It's—"

Si-hyeon closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and said softly.

"Sad love."

"Sad... love...?"

"Luna, like you said, there's no eternal sorrow or eternal love. But if the two combine, they can become eternal. Just like us... the bodyguard and the moonlight princess's sad love won't fade no matter how much time passes. Until the day we meet again. No matter what trials try to tear us apart."

"......!!!"

Hearing Si-hyeon's words, the girl's eyes widened in shock, tears still pooling.

'Haha, too early to be surprised? Get ready, Luna—I'm about to get serious with the soothing operation!'

Si-hyeon wiped the tears from Luna's golden eyes and launched the full "Princess Soothing Operation."