162. The Beginning (4)
A thick book left in the place where he had departed.
While Luna and Hare were away from the house.
Saten and Estia, who remained at home, picked up and read that mysterious book.
"This is... I hope my prediction is wrong."
"Why? What's it about? It's just a book to brainwash us!"
"It's not just that. It's a book he wrote himself."
Saten looked at the letters in the book with a serious expression.
She could see the effort he had put in to write it without a single mistake.
And the book contained content that could be applied depending on the situation.
"When your magic isn't progressing, think about your body's circulation. Don't worry about what people say to you. If your magic doesn't work on someone, take a moment to look around. That's what's written here."
"Wait! Is there anything for me?!"
"For you, it says stop sleeping so much. Even if you drink holy water, drink one sip less. That kind of thing."
"Does he think I'm always sleeping and drinking holy water?! I quit holy water ages ago!"
This book is nonsense!
Estia shouted, voicing her complaints at the book.
Saten ignored Estia's behavior and focused on the book again.
She narrowed her eyes, feeling something was off.
"The content of the book is definitely good, but..."
"If it's good, then it's good! What else is there?!"
"You wouldn't understand, you simpleton. He always told us to check the author's intent. He said that's how you see things you couldn't see before."
No matter how good the words are.
It's right to read while considering the author's thoughts and state.
That's how you can understand what intent and thoughts the author had when writing.
"Hmm..."
Saten analyzed the book according to his teachings.
The result was quite troubling.
"Why? What is it! I'm curious, so tell me quickly!"
"Be quiet. This is serious."
Normally, her thoughts had to be absolutely correct, but...
Just this once, I hope my thoughts are wrong.
Not understanding because she hadn't explained, Estia shouted loudly.
"So why is it serious! Explain!"
"...This book was written assuming a time when he wouldn't be here. Ultimately, for it to be used effectively, he has to be gone. But the person who made this book is him. Do you understand what that means?"
In other words.
He knew he would disappear and planned for it.
As if Saten's anxious thoughts were true.
The door opened and only Luna returned alone.
Saten asked, hoping her thoughts were wrong.
"...Luna, where is he?"
There was no sign of Hare or him.
Luna kept her head down and didn't speak.
Saten's breathing became unstable as she expressed her anxiety in a situation that was increasingly becoming certain.
At the moment when unbearable stress gnawed at her.
"He's gone..."
Luna drove the nail in, as if Saten's thoughts were correct.
"Now, he's not in this world anymore... He left us behind of his own accord... It's all my fault..."
"...I see, so he's passed away."
Thud—
Saten once again closed the door of emotions that had opened just enough to let in a little light.
And she too lost her reason for living.
Now all that remained for her was magic that couldn't be grasped or seen.
Saten stared at her empty hands for a long time.
"..."
Unfortunately, nothing changed.
He was dead.
He had taken his own life.
Estia didn't care about those words at all.
"That's a lie!"
Luna's a liar!
How could someone strong enough to defeat the Demon King be dead!
"Trying to trick me because I'm stupid! What kind of Hero is that!"
Estia didn't believe Luna's words at all.
Because it was a lie.
"Right, oppa?"
After all, he was alive and moving right before her eyes.
There was no reason to care or believe it.
Estia looked around and smiled.
Near her, white flowers gathered to form a flower field.
"Hehe, oppa, how is it? Isn't this place amazing?! This is my world! I can move around freely!"
Estia grabbed the silent Lee Jun-woo's hand and walked through the flower field.
A fresh breeze scattered, the sky was blue, and the flowers were beautiful.
This entire space was created by Estia.
"This is the first time I've invited someone! I specially brought you here, oppa! How is it, good?"
"..."
"You're so happy you can't speak!"
Hehe—
Estia turned Jun-woo's body to show him the surrounding environment.
"When you're here, good memories and bad memories don't come up easily! It's a really good place! If we walk a bit, there's a lake too! Want to go there?"
"..."
"You want to go? Okay!"
Estia excitedly pulled Jun-woo's hand and ran toward the lake.
"This is a space I made when I was drinking a lot of holy water! When I drink holy water, I'm a god here!"
"..."
"If I just sleep... I can only play here! That's why I sleep every day! Because I like it here! If it weren't for you, oppa, I would have stayed here forever!"
Sleep, have good dreams, and live in a happy world.
Estia could have lived here for her entire life.
However, she liked reality even more than this space.
"If there was no holy water, I would have lived here!"
"..."
"And! If you weren't here, oppa, I would have kept drinking holy water!"
"..."
"So why did you leave us?"
Estia's tone turned cold.
Arriving at the lake, she stopped Jun-woo and asked.
"You said you'd help me live well, oppa. But why did you leave me?"
"..."
"I still need you, oppa... Don't you need me? I'm a Saint, you know?"
"..."
"You still have no answer. Goodbye, oppa."
Plop—
Estia pushed the motionless Jun-woo into the lake.
He didn't resist at all and sank down into the deep lake.
"Wrong again this time."
But it's okay.
I drank a lot of holy water.
If I do it many times, I'll be able to find an oppa who can talk.
In reality, Estia trembled from the cold and muttered softly.
"O-oppa... hehe... hug... me..."
Craving Jun-woo's warmth, she fell into an even deeper dream.
For her, reality was more of a nightmare.
That night.
Hare didn't come home.
And as days passed and continued to pass, she didn't return.
"Why isn't Hare coming back..."
Hero Luna was starting to worry about her.
Luna, whose lips were dry from not drinking any water, picked up the food on a plate and moved it to the dining table.
There were five sets of tableware in total.
She had prepared the meal as usual, but she was the only one seated.
"Everyone's late... We promised him... that we'd always eat together..."
Can't be helped.
Luna picked up her fork alone and put the steak in her mouth.
The inside of the meat wasn't cooked properly and was tough, but she desperately chewed the meat.
It was to survive.
"I'm sorry... I'm sorry for being alive... I'm sorry for eating to survive alone..."
Tears falling onto the steak with a reddish tinge of blood.
However, Luna acted as if it didn't matter.
She continued to chew the meat.
—As long as I'm here, your mind will never break, Hero. Don't worry.
"..."
Ignoring the Holy Sword's voice that kept echoing.
Luna forced food into her mouth to survive.
Each time, her guilt only grew larger.
Luna hated herself like this.
—Hero. You must save the citizens. Bear the weight.
"Weight! Stop talking about that!!"
—Shouting won't change anything, Hero. Hurry and take your party members to find and eliminate the Demon King.
If you do that.
As the Goddess says, your guardian might come back to life.
—Our Hero Party. We're cheering you on, and we're after your body.
"What...?"
—If you don't want to become one of us, don't die too many times. And don't trust what I say too much.
"I, I can't trust what you say."
Your words keep changing.
How can I trust you like this?
"I, I have to do it alone...! It's because I didn't work hard enough that he left...!"
Luna, who left half the steak.
She carefully picked up the book beside her and read it.
There, the path he had paved in advance was written.
'If I have left this world, you'll be reading this book. When you're confused and can't find your way, open this book and read it.'
"...Yes."
Having read the entire overview, Luna read aloud the first page, first paragraph, first line of the book in a choked voice.
"After I leave this world. The children will all fall into grief and suffer. So, Luna, as the party's leader, you must lead the children well..."
To do that, first.
"Take out the child who has locked herself in her room... And if there's a child who has left the house..."
Find that child first.
And by any means necessary, change that child's heart.
This is something only you, the Hero, can do, Luna.
"That's too much... What am I supposed to do if you just leave words behind and go..."
Luna buried her face in the table in depression.
She wanted to collapse for a moment from guilt and self-loathing.
But she couldn't because she heard the Holy Sword's voice.
Luna had no choice but to get up from her seat and head outside.
"Weight... I'm sad too that he left, like Hare, Saten, and Estia... Why am I moving instead of grieving...?"
I really hate myself like this.
I hate being a Hero so much.
Nevertheless, Luna was moving to find Hare.
"If I listen well, he'll come back too, right...?"
Perhaps it stemmed from an obsession that she had to unconditionally follow his words.