The Hero Luna's Awakening (4)
The letter from Luna's family contained only one sentence.
—Luna, where are you right now?
The handwriting carried a clear sense of urgency.
“…If they’re asking where she is, it means they’ve realized she’s no longer with the knight order.”
If Luna had still been at the Sylvester Knights, there would have been no need to ask. It seemed an investigation into her kidnapping was already underway. Luna had been scheduled to join the Sylvester Knights, but she never showed up after arriving in the capital. The order must have caught the scent and begun digging. They had likely contacted her parents back in Aden Village during the process.
“Hmm. This is going to be a nuisance…”
The Sylvester Knights were notoriously obsessive. They would trace her movements and eventually discover she had been kidnapped. They were the kind of group that hunted criminals to the very end and never gave up. Their unofficial motto carried the same energy: Never surrender. Endure through sheer spite and willpower.
But the most annoying part was…
“If Irina finds out I’m the kidnapper, things will get even more troublesome.”
My former comrade, the Silver Knight of Sylvester—Irina. As upright as she was stubborn, and just as irritating. If she took charge of the investigation personally, it would only be a matter of time before our hideout was exposed.
Tsk. Looks like it’s time to move again.
The house didn’t have many rooms anyway. Taking this opportunity to relocate might not be a bad idea. I glanced toward the far wall where Hare was hiding, watching me.
“Hare, come here for a moment.”
“Yes, Uncle!”
Her face lit up as she scampered over, then tilted her head as if asking why she had been called.
“Do you need me to do something…?”
“It’s less about needing you to do something and more about wanting your opinion. What do you think about leaving the capital?”
“I’ll do whatever Uncle wants! Anything is fine with me!”
…Asking Hare for her opinion was pretty much pointless. I needed to deliver a reply to the letter’s senders first. I rose from the sofa. Hare trailed after me like a little duckling.
The first room I entered was Saten’s.
“Saten, a letter arrived. And here’s the reply—”
“Yes. Just leave it there, please.”
She must have been deeply focused on her book. Her tone was indifferent. Hare’s face scrunched up slightly at the response, but since I understood Saten’s situation, I felt nothing. The title of the book she was reading was Between Ice and Flame. A romance novel.
…Good thing I cleaned out the study.
At least it wasn’t one of those obscene books like last time. No matter what, having a fourteen-year-old read that kind of thing felt inappropriate. She seemed to be sticking to wholesome novels now.
I decided to leave the letter on her desk as she asked. But before I left, I had one question for her.
“Saten.”
“Yes.”
“What do you think about leaving the capital?”
“Hmm. Are we being followed or something?”
“Something like that.”
We would be soon enough. It would take time, but eventually the Sylvester Knights would find this house. Irina was the very model of a knight who never gave up.
Saten lifted her gaze from the book for a moment, then answered in a tone that suggested it didn’t matter to her at all.
“Can I only learn your magic in the capital?”
“No.”
“Can I only send letters to my family from the capital?”
“…No.”
“Then it doesn’t matter. As long as I have magic, books, and lessons, I’m fine. I just need my curiosity satisfied.”
Curiosity. That was the driving force behind Saten’s emotionless life. Having received her answer, I left the room so as not to disturb her further.
Hare looked up at me curiously.
“Uncle, is that girl Saten always so arrogant…?”
“Did she seem arrogant to you?”
“Ah, no. I was fine, but… I was worried you might think she was being rude…”
“It’s probably because Saten is too honest.”
“…Honest?”
“She doesn’t lie. She simply says exactly what she feels. She’s still a good child.”
“…Hmm. I understand.”
I wasn’t entirely sure if “good child” was the right description, but Hare didn’t look particularly convinced. She probably just couldn’t understand Saten. A thief of deception and a mage of truth. Their natures were complete opposites, so it was only natural they wouldn’t get along.
“Anyway, Saten’s settled. Now we just need to go see Luna—”
…But why were such strange noises coming from Luna’s room? What on earth were they doing in there?
Loud crashing and banging sounds kept leaking out from behind the door.
“…I’d better go check. It might be Estia going on a rampage again—”
“U-Uncle! W-Wait for me…!”
Leaving Hare’s frantic shouts behind, I quickly unlocked Luna’s door. The crashing sounds had quieted somewhat. Ever since Hare had memorized where the key was kept, I had started carrying Luna’s room key with me at all times. I pulled it from my pocket and opened the door to see what was happening inside.
The scene inside was utter chaos.
…Did Estia go berserk?
There was tiny Estia straddling Luna, who was pinned beneath her on the bed. The two girls were rolling around violently on the mattress. Estia, panting and struggling, spotted me and immediately screamed.
“S-Save me, you kidnapper…!! Th-This girl is acting weird…!!”
“L-Let go of me—! Go get Uncle—!”
“…”
It seemed the one who had actually lost control wasn’t Estia.
It was the hero, Luna.
What the hell is going on…?
I needed to figure out what had happened.
The incident began with Luna.
After finishing training and returning to her room, Luna had taken a shower as usual.
“What did Uncle say I was lacking in today’s training…?”
What was it again…? Luna poured water from the basin over herself.
Splash— It was freezing!
“Ah, right! I remember now! He said everything was lacking?!”
He had said my swordsmanship was flashy but impractical. That I had too many unnecessary movements, leaving me full of openings. Something like that.
“Hmm. Swordsmanship is fun, but it’s so difficult… Is Uncle’s explanation just too hard to follow?”
—Swordsmanship… Shall I… teach you…?
“Wh-What…! Who’s there…?!”
While she was showering, that spine-chilling voice suddenly rang in Luna’s ears. The one that had stayed quiet whenever she was with Uncle. It had returned.
—Do you… want to become stronger with the sword…? Are you… ready to bear the ‘burden’…?
“Wh-Who are you?! Who keeps talking to me?!”
—Curious… about me? I am…
“S-Shut up…! Be quiet!”
Whenever the strange voice spoke, grotesque screams accompanied it. Someone’s agonized cries, desperate pleas for help. Every time Luna heard them, she felt her sanity being chipped away.
—…I will help you. Before… that man… comes.
“Stop! D-Don’t say anything…!!”
The cries for help kept coming. The pain was so intense that Luna covered her ears. But the screams showed no sign of stopping. She threw on her clothes while still wet and stumbled out of the bathroom.
“S-Shut up—!!”
“H-Hiiik…!! I-I didn’t say anything, Luna?! I really didn’t say a word!”
Estia, who had been lying on the bed daydreaming about the taste of Holy Water, jumped up in fright. Just like last time, Luna looked completely out of her mind, screaming in agony.
“U-Uncle… Call Uncle for me, Estia… I-I feel like I’m going crazy…”
“O-Okay! I’ll get him!”
Estia dashed off on her short legs. But then—
“Wait, the door’s locked. How am I supposed to call him?”
She had barely moved a meter. The door was locked, so she couldn’t call for Uncle. Luna clutched her head in pain.
“A-Aaah—!! Stop—!! Stop talking—!!”
“Th-This is worse than me… W-Wait, you’ll hurt yourself! Stop moving!”
Luna thrashed wildly, slamming into everything around her. Estia tried her best to restrain her, eventually climbing on top of the writhing girl in what looked like a scene straight out of a grappling match.
“S-Stay still! I-I’ll pray for you! May the Goddess protect you and grant you blessed Holy Water, and bless you to live only for happiness—”
“M-Move—!! Stop talking—!!”
A scene of pure madness. Even a passing civilian would have been able to tell at a glance that neither of them was in their right mind. Just as I wondered who could possibly stop this insanity, the door opened.
“S-Save me, you kidnapper…!! Th-This girl is acting weird…!!”
“L-Let go of me—! Go get Uncle—!”
The moment Lee Junwoo appeared, Luna froze.
“…Huh? It stopped.”
Luna turned her gaze toward me. Her pupils were trembling, but she instinctively understood the truth.
When I’m near Uncle, the voice disappears. And…
It doesn’t hurt anymore.
Luna climbed off the bed and rushed toward me. The solution to her symptoms lay with him.
“Hmm. So that’s what happened.”
“It’s not just ‘that’! I really almost died! This is extremely serious!”
“I-I feel like I’m dying too… Holy Water… Give me Holy Water…”
Estia, exhausted from trying to hold Luna down, lay spread-eagled on the bed. Since I hadn’t witnessed Luna’s rampage myself, it didn’t hit me as hard. But I was looking at the situation with grave seriousness.
“…You heard someone’s voice?”
“Yes! Screams and a voice like metal scraping on metal! It keeps coming back! It doesn’t happen when I’m with you, though.”
“Did you drink any of the water Estia gave you—”
“No way! Absolutely not! I didn’t drink any!”
Luna answered firmly. Then what could be causing her symptoms? Auditory hallucinations. But the voice stopped whenever she was near me…
Hare saw the situation differently.
Is she faking it to get Uncle’s attention…? That was my idea first… Should I cancel my plan…?
Of course, that was only Hare’s personal suspicion. I thought it over carefully and offered a solution.
“Let’s run an experiment.”
“…Huh?”
“Stay right there.”
Leaving only those words, I exited the room. As I moved farther away and Luna disappeared from sight—
…Is it really fake?
Nothing was happening. Feeling strange, I continued down the stairs. The moment my foot touched the final step—
—Aaaaagh—!!
Luna’s scream echoed from above. I immediately turned and rushed back to her room. Despite the scream I had just heard, Luna was sitting there calmly.
“What in the world…”
“Ah. Uncle. Please don’t leave my side. Ever… Th-That weird sound keeps coming back…”
Luna frowned and covered her ears, as if she never wanted to hear it again. Her reaction seemed completely genuine. The possibility that she was faking it vanished from my mind.
“…Alright, Luna. I believe you.”
“Y-Yes.”
The constant hallucinations terrified her. So she grabbed the hand of the person she relied on most in this house—me.
“I-I’m not holding your hand because I like you or anything… I-I’m just scared, so I’m holding the hand of the oldest person here… You understand, right? Don’t misunderstand…!”
“…Yes. I won’t misunderstand.”
I gently stroked Luna’s head. Hare looked visibly uncomfortable, but since I was right there, she didn’t show it. At that moment, Estia suddenly shot up from the bed.
“Waaaaait!! Kidnapper! Don’t run away! Talk to me!”
“…What do you want to talk about?”
“My! My demands! Living here is way too uncomfortable—!”
“Understood. I’ll give you Holy Water soon. If you behave yourself just for today, I’ll give it to you.”
“Eh? How did you know I wanted Holy Water! Really? Really? You’ll really give it to me? You’re not lying, right? If you don’t, I’ll die, you know? If it’s a lie, I’ll die? For real? Can’t you see my hands shaking?”
“I don’t lie.”
My head was spinning, so I quickly ended the conversation with Estia. There were far too many things I needed to think about right now.
“Th-Then… fine. I’ll stay quiet. Since you promised to give me Holy Water. You have to keep your promise! Got it?!”
“I understand.”
“Yayyy!”
Estia’s golden eyes sparkled as she struck a victory pose. The Saintess became incredibly simple in front of Holy Water. Seeing that pure simplicity, I finally understood exactly how I needed to raise her.
Holy Water is the key to controlling Estia.
But more importantly… Luna’s condition tonight was the real problem.
I continued stroking her head as I spoke.
“Luna, in that state, you won’t be able to sleep in your room.”
“Y-Yeah… I guess not…?”
“Then sleep next to me tonight. There’s no other way.”
It was the truth. But the phrasing “sleep next to me” was far too shocking for the two young girls.
“Eh…? N-Next to you?! Y-You pervert?! Are you planning to mess me up completely?!”
“U-Uncle…? Wh-What do you mean by sleeping t-together…?”
Both children were utterly stunned.