167. The Beginning (9)
A day passed.
While Estia's condition improved and Luna was having a conversation with her,
Hare entered the room to meet Saten as promised.
BANG—!!
"Keep your promise."
"...Was it really necessary to kick the door open?"
"Yes, because time is passing because of you. I can't revive the old man quickly."
"...I suppose you have a point."
After Saten told Hare to close the door, she faced her.
Having stayed up all night reading the old man's will repeatedly, she was finally able to make a decision.
Saten spoke while holding BlackMeow in her arms.
"I'll go. On the journey to revive the old man."
"...Good, you made the right choice. Then pack your things right now. We're leaving today."
"But you have to make one promise with me."
"A promise?"
Saten lifted BlackMeow from her arms and showed her to Hare.
Her promise was just one thing.
"We have to take BlackMeow on the journey to defeat the Demon King. I absolutely cannot compromise on this."
A precious gift from the old man, a living creature.
Now that the old man was gone, BlackMeow was the only living being that cared about her.
Saten absolutely could not give up BlackMeow.
And that sight was enough to make Hare exasperated.
"...Do you think we're playing house? Don't take this lightly. We're leaving to revive the old man."
"Hare, you're the one who shouldn't take BlackMeow lightly. BlackMeow is more precious to me than the lives of 1,000 people."
"That's the same for me. The old man's life is more precious than people or cats."
"..."
Their opinions couldn't be reconciled.
However, the more they fought like this, the more time they lost to revive the old man.
It was clear who would lose, so Hare had no choice but to take a step back.
"...You take care of the cat yourself."
"Yes, I'll take care of BlackMeow myself."
"...Just hurry up and get ready. And—"
Hare pointed at the doorway.
"...There's food at the door, so eat it."
Saten nodded to Hare. Hare frowned for a moment, but as if remembering something she had to do, she immediately left.
Saten looked at the open door and whispered into BlackMeow's ear.
"Right now, only BlackMeow thinks about me. I need BlackMeow. So let's go together."
"Meow—"
As if understanding Saten's words, BlackMeow smiled and made a crying sound.
Gaining confidence from that sight, Saten got up from the bed and began packing.
Perhaps because she had read the old man's advice repeatedly until morning,
Saten was moving on her own, little by little.
"How is it, are you feeling okay?"
"...I'm fine!"
Estia gulped down the water Luna handed her with sleepy eyes.
However, as if feeling thirsty somewhere, she looked at Luna and said,
"Luna!"
"Yeah, why?"
"Bring me one more cup!"
"O-okay, I got it."
Estia shouting confidently.
Luna had no choice but to head to the dining room following Estia's words.
Luna felt a sense of déjà vu at Estia's appearance.
"...Estia is really strange."
—What's strange, Hero? Isn't she communicating normally?
"That's the problem! Estia shouldn't be able to communicate normally!"
Estia's current state is too normal!
That's the problem!
Luna recalled Estia from the night before.
Dizzy from drinking Holy Water, trying to nestle in her arms as if craving affection.
And she kept calling for the old man, whispering.
But.
She woke up this morning and she's normal?
Even though the old man died, she's normal?
This was a strange situation even the soul of the dead Lee Jun-woo would find odd.
"Something, something is very wrong... I think I need to have a serious conversation..."
Luna returned to Estia's room with a cup from the dining room to have a serious conversation with Estia.
When Estia saw the cup, she smiled brightly and expressed her gratitude to Luna.
"Thanks, Luna! I'll use the cup well!"
"Y-yeah. But why did you only ask me to bring a cup? Don't you need water?"
"Nope, I don't need it! Because I'm going to drink Holy Water!"
Trickle—
Without hesitation, in a very natural manner, Estia poured Holy Water into the cup.
Watching Estia blankly staring at the Holy Water coming from her hand, Luna thought to herself,
*...I, I don't have the confidence to have a serious conversation.*
Like a shield that seemed like it would deflect anything she said.
Luna grabbed the arm of Estia, who seemed like she wouldn't listen to her story at all, and said,
"T-the thing is, Estia. Will you listen to me carefully?"
"Yeah, I'll listen! But can you let go of this arm? I need to make Holy Water!"
"Just a moment... just stay like this for a moment..."
Luna stopped Estia's actions and began telling her about what had happened so far.
The story of persuading Hare, the story of Saten's participation, the Goddess's story that they could revive the old man.
Estia listened blankly to that story, then shook off Luna's arm and tilted her head.
"But why revive the old man?"
"Huh, don't tell me you don't want to revive the old man, Estia...? That would be quite shocking..."
Estia shook her head, saying that wasn't it.
"No, that's not it. Why revive the old man?"
The old man didn't die.
What are you talking about, Luna?
Luna was flustered by Estia's words.
"Huh, what...?"
"The old man never died... so why revive the old man...?"
Golden eyes without a hint of wavering.
Luna could tell.
Estia wasn't lying.
Estia actually believed the old man hadn't died.
"I saw the old man yesterday too. We walked through the park together and swam in the lake. But what are you talking about, Luna? Reviving the old man."
"..."
Luna found it difficult to speak to Estia, who was talking as if nothing had happened.
How could she tell Estia indirectly that 'what you saw was just a dream from the effects of the Holy Water'?
After being lost in thought for a moment, Luna exhaled and said,
"The thing is, Estia."
"Yeah!"
"Actually, what you saw was all a dream... you saw that illusion because of the effects of the Holy Water... do you understand?"
"..."
Estia had no response.
"I-is this not right? I-I'm sorry I don't have a talent for speaking...!! N-no, what I was trying to say was..."
Tap—
Estia grabbed Luna's shoulder and made eye contact with her.
Estia's eyes were clearly very far gone at a glance.
"...Luna, what are you talking about?"
"U-uh?"
"What I saw was an illusion? What does that mean?"
"T-that was a slip of the tongue—"
"That can't be. The old man died? Are you saying my date with the old man was an illusion? Luna."
"U-uh."
"Do you really think that was a dream? I think it was reality."
I'll show you.
Which is the dream and which is reality.
Estia moved her hand from Luna's shoulder toward Luna's face.
At that moment, Holy Water came from Estia's hand and began falling toward Luna's face.
*'Never drink Estia's Holy Water, dear.'*
D-dangerous!
Recalling the old man's words, Luna dodged the Holy Water with high reflexes.
However, Estia's crazy behavior didn't end there.
"Don't dodge! Closing your eyes is reality! You with your eyes open are in a dream right now! Hurry and drink the Holy Water!!"
"Y-you're crazy. I shouldn't have told you the truth about the old man."
The truth doesn't always benefit you.
Somehow she ended up spreading poison to Estia.
Luna struck the back of Estia's neck to correct her mistake.
"Kek—"
"...Sorry, just sleep for now."
Estia stopped her rampage and lay on the floor, falling into a deep sleep.
Luna put her on the bed, then rummaged through the drawers and packed her things for her.
Even if the Saint's condition wasn't good, she was absolutely necessary for defeating the Demon King.
It was to take Estia along even in that state.
"...Still, I was better than Hare persuading her. Estia."
Still, so that everyone can smile in the end,
I'll be strong, so just bear with it a little.
Luna muttered that as she packed Estia's things.
Estia, lying on the bed and fallen into sleep, kept muttering "Old man..."
Each time she heard that call, her longing for the old man deepened, but Luna steeled her heart and shook her head.
"I can't cry... even if I cry, I have to cry alone... I'm the Hero..."
—The Hero must always smile and bring joy to people.
"I know, I know... I have to do it like it says in the book..."
Because that's the fate of someone chosen as the Hero.
Because it's the destiny of the Hero bearing that weight.
—Don't forget that on your shoulders are your family, friends, acquaintances, and all citizens, Hero.
"..."
The moment she felt the weight from the Holy Sword's words,
Luna thought to herself,
*'I always have to smile... but what if... what should I do when I want to cry...'*
How can I always smile...
As she fell into such thoughts, her gaze naturally turned to Estia's shelf.
To the existence called Holy Water in the cup she had brought.
*'If I really want to smile when things are hard...'*
Wouldn't it be okay to drink that?
Thinking that, Luna transferred the Holy Water from the cup into a portable bottle.
It was only an emergency measure.
A last resort.