Hope

"Here, paper and a pen."

"Thank you!"

Perloché took the paper and pen from Serena with a beaming smile and immediately began sketching on the sheet.

"First, the crescent moon from the riddle!"

Once she'd finished her drawing, Perloché proudly showed it to Clana and Serena.

"...Perloché, a crescent moon is usually drawn upright, not sideways."

"Ah..."

Clana sighed and pointed out the issue, leaving Perloché momentarily stunned. She soon furrowed her brow and asked, "Hmm... should I draw it so the left side shows, or the right?"

"Make the right side visible. That's how crescents are always depicted in the Sunrise Empire."

"Wh-why is that?"

Perloché, pen in hand and looking utterly clueless, tilted her head. Serena tapped the desk with her finger and replied, "It's because of legends about the Moon God. But we'd waste too much time diving into that now, so let's skip it."

"Got it! Then... a crescent with the right side showing..."

Following Serena's advice, Perloché redrew the crescent and flashed a ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠confident grin. "Next, the waxing moon on the right... uh..."

"...The Sunrise Empire is on the 'Southern Continent,' so the waxing moon should show its left side."

"Thank you!"

Perloché had paused, unsure of the waxing moon's orientation, but with Clana's guidance, she swiftly sketched it in.

"Perfect! Now the riddle's crescent and waxing moon are on the paper!"

"Good. What's next?"

Serena, who had been watching with mild disinterest at first, now looked intrigued. Perloché answered excitedly, "Now I just draw a boomerang passing between the crescent and waxing moon!"

With that, Perloché cheerfully reached to draw the boomerang between them—but hesitated.

"Aren't you considering the boomerang's direction?"

"Eek."

Clana's words stopped her hand again.

"Ugh... then I'll draw it from every angle!"

"Hold on, Perloché."

As Perloché, sensing victory was near and growing impatient, lunged for the paper, Serena calmly caught her hand.

"No need for every angle. The four main directions will suffice."

"Huh?"

"I have a hunch. If this represents a letter... that should be enough."

"O-okay, I'll draw it!"

Serena's eyes widened as she spoke, and Perloché eagerly began drawing the boomerangs.

"First one..."

"This is..."

"Serena?"

For some reason, Serena reacted to the very first one. Perloché blinked in confusion.

"...Looks like I need to visit the Western Continent after all."

"What?"

Serena stood with a grave expression, prompting Clana and Perloché to react in alarm.

"Why the Western Continent all of a sudden?"

"No, Serena! You're in a very dangerous position right now!"

Hearing that, Serena recalled her precarious situation—vulnerable to attack from the Secret Party Leader at any moment—and gritted her teeth before sinking back into her seat.

"I'm sure I saw that shape... in a ruin on the Western Continent..."

"Th-then! Did we solve it?"

"...You did, Perloché."

Serena clutched her head and praised Perloché, then spoke in a low voice. "But there are still a few mysteries."

"Mysteries?"

"Yes. First, why didn't the person who left this sentence provide the solution?"

"Who gives a riddle and its answer together?"

Clana crossed her arms, but Serena shook her head. "No, the one who made this riddle had every reason to explain it. They shouldn't have made it a riddle at all."

Serena thought of the First Hero, who must have left the prophecy book.

"Yet they left it as a riddle, so either they had no choice... or even they couldn't solve it."

"Whatever it is, congrats!"

"And the second... concerns you, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Perloché."

"...Me?"

Serena gazed at Perloché, who offered congratulations, with an odd look in her eyes. She tapped her fan as if about to speak—but paused.

"Perloché, was that coincidence... or your will...?"

"Serena, shouldn't you be heading out soon?"

"...Ah."

Frey, emerging from the bathroom and glancing at his watch, hardened her expression.

"Hm... I need to leave now if I don't want to be late."

"Yeah, take care, Serena."

Serena rose and approached Frey, who watched her with a wistful gaze. She whispered, "I left your birthday present ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠at your seat."

"Birthday present? You already gave me..."

"It might just be the gift that leads you down a new path."

Her expression several times more serious than usual made Frey nod instinctively. Serena smiled and continued, "And we need to catch the Secret Party Leader as soon as possible."

"Right, we do."

"I think I have to go to the Western Continent."

"Western Continent?"

Frey frowned. "If it's about ruins, the Demon King's army..."

"No. I must go personally, in secret."

"...Why?"

"Something I need to confirm."

Serena glanced at her watch, stepped back from Frey, and whispered, "Anyway, with this new hope... never give up, Frey."

"...Yeah."

Not fully understanding but trusting Serena's words, Frey nodded quietly. She flashed a brief eye smile and slipped out of the room.

"Frey! What did you and Serena talk about?!"

"None of your business."

Frey gazed after Serena wistfully, then answered Perloché's indignant probing with ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠a cold tone before heading to his seat.

"......Hm?"

As Frey sat and reached for the cake Clana had neatly sliced, he noticed a sheet of paper on his seat.

"What's this?"

"A riddle!"

"A riddle?"

Frey tilted his head at the paper.

"Serena said it's her gift to you," Clana said, arms crossed.

Frey picked it up.

- DLC

"So, what is it?"

"She said it might be a hope that changes everything?"

Clana shrugged at his question. Behind her, the morning sun was slowly rising.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Meanwhile, at that moment.

"Yaaawn..."

The Demon King yawned lazily at the rising sun and began strolling down the bustling street.

The Demon King, who could incinerate the world, became the orphanage's little saintess and walked the morning streets.

"Ruby sis!!"

"Ruby big sis!!"

"Hi~!"

Humming a tune as she walked, Ruby smiled and waved back at the boy and girl greeting her from a shabby vegetable stand.

"Business going well?"

As she passed, Ruby paused and asked the girl.

"Yes! It's great!"

The girl forced a bright smile, but the scrawny boy beside her, hacking coughs and eyeing the fly-covered counter, couldn't lie.

"One carrot, please."

"Ah, yes!"

Watching the boy briefly, Ruby gave a kind smile and ordered.

"Three coppers."

"Here."

"...Gasp."

Ruby took the carrot and pressed a gold coin into the boy's hand.

"Keep up the good work!"

"Ch-change...!"

"You don't have change anyway. Just keep it."

She ruffled the boy's hair, and the onlookers watched with warm approval.

"See you."

"Ah, goodbye..."

Ignoring the gazes, Ruby walked on, leaving the blushing boy behind.

"...Hoh."

She suddenly stopped and looked up. With a flick of her hand, she swatted away something floating before her eyes.

Her dynamic vision, rivaling light itself, read the info in a flash, letting her dismiss it effortlessly. A glimpse of her monstrous physical prowess—pure instinct, now habit.

After walking some more, Ruby reached a rundown inn and knocked.

"Oh, Ruby, here again?"

"Yes! Breakfast has to be at this inn!"

"My... such a sweet girl. But you don't need to come every single day."

"No way! I do it because I want to!"

The innkeeper's eyes welled with gratitude.

"One potato soup and one whole wheat bread, please!"

"...Coming up."

Ordering brightly, Ruby leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes briefly.

"...So, what was that penalty again?"

A info window appeared before her.

"Even then, using my hand instead of a finger would rip them all apart?"

Unfazed by Ruby's bored tone, the system applied the penalty. She looked intrigued.

"Definitely feels weaker. Amazing, really."

She poked the window, then sneered. "But... that's it? A mere loser's scrap like you can only interfere this much."

Shoving the window hard, Ruby scowled as it drifted back. "I know you can still hear me in that state. So why not answer? Hm?"

Poking insistently, she yawned in exasperation. "Too boring."

Scanning the room idly, Ruby smiled as the innkeeper approached with her meal. "Thanks for the food~!"

Scooping a big spoonful of potato soup, she tilted her head in confusion.

"...What?"

The soup was red. Had the innkeeper messed up?

"Um, why is this re—ghk!!"

As she opened her mouth, Ruby doubled over from a sensation she'd never felt before.

"R-Ruby? What's wrong!?"

"Agh... ugh... hack!!"

Is this blood? Is this really blood pouring from my mouth?

Her mind reeled, her body wracked with unfamiliar agony.

"......What?"

Clinging to fading consciousness amid the incomprehensible horror, Ruby glared at the window and muttered through gritted teeth.

"Who... who the hell... huh?"

Blood-soaked and scanning wildly, she spotted a suspicious figure outside the window and tried to cast detection magic—but.

"Ruby!! Are you okay!? Ruby!!!"

"Call a doctor! Hurry!!"

"Did she have some illness? Ruby was always so healthy..."

"M-move..."

The people she'd helped swarmed her, blocking her view of the figure.

"Ugh..."

Struggling to push them aside for a better look, Ruby hit her limit and blacked out.

"No idea what happened, but..."

Glare watched from outside.

"...Now it's certain."

She added a note to her densely scribbled notepad.

"You're the hero's enemy."