31. Hero Luna's Awakening (4)
—Luna, where are you right now?
Luna's family letter contained only that single sentence.
A sense of urgency could be felt in the handwriting.
"...If they're asking where she is, that means they've realized Luna isn't with the knights."
If Luna had been with the knights, there would have been no need to ask where she was.
It seemed an investigation into Luna's kidnapping was underway.
Luna, who had agreed to join the Sylvester Knights.
Since Luna hadn't joined even after arriving in the capital, the Sylvester Knights must have caught wind of something and started investigating.
They probably contacted her parents in Aden Village during the process.
"Hmm, this is a troublesome situation..."
The Sylvester Knights were obsessive.
They would track Luna's movements and discover she'd been kidnapped.
They were an organization that pursued criminals to the very end and never gave up.
Even the knights' motto had a nuance like 'Never give up. Persist through thick and thin.'
But the most troublesome thing was...
"It'll be even more annoying if Irina finds out I'm the kidnapper."
My former colleague, the Silver Knight Cecilia Irina.
As upright as she was stubborn and bothersome.
If Irina personally conducted the investigation, it would only be a matter of time before our hideout was exposed.
*Tsk, should we move soon?*
Since there weren't many rooms anyway, it wouldn't be bad to take this opportunity to relocate.
I asked Hare, who was hiding far away by the wall, spying on me.
"Hare, come here."
"Yes, mister!"
Hare came running over cheerfully at the sound.
Then she tilted her head as if asking why I'd called her.
"Do I have something to do...?"
"Rather than something to do, I want to ask you something. What do you think about leaving the capital?"
"I-I'm fine with whatever you want, mister! Anything is good!"
...
Asking Hare's opinion didn't seem very meaningful.
For now, I should deliver this letter to its owner.
I got up from the sofa.
Hare followed behind me, pattering along.
The first place I entered was Cecilia's room.
"Cecilia, I sent the letter. And there's also a reply—"
"Yes, just leave it there."
"...Alright."
Perhaps because Cecilia was focused on her book.
She spoke in a disinterested tone.
Hare's expression wrinkled slightly at that, but since I understood Cecilia's situation, I felt nothing.
The book Cecilia was reading was titled 'Between Ice and Flame.' A romance novel.
*...Good thing I organized the library.*
At least it's not an erotic novel like last time.
No matter what, reading such novels at the age of 14 was a bit much.
Now she'd mainly read wholesome novels.
I decided to leave the letter on the desk as Cecilia said and leave.
Before that, I had something to ask her too.
"Cecilia."
"Yes."
"What do you think about leaving the capital?"
"Hmm, are we being tracked?"
"Something like that."
We would be tracked.
It would take time, but the Sylvester Knights would definitely find our house eventually.
Irina was the epitome of a steadfast knight who never gave up.
At my question, Cecilia briefly looked up from her book and spoke in an indifferent tone.
"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. I'm fine as long as I have magic, books, and lessons. As long as my curiosity is satisfied, that's enough."
Curiosity.
That could be called the reason for Cecilia's emotionless life.
Now that I knew Cecilia's opinion, I left the room to avoid disturbing her further.
Hare looked on and asked curiously.
"Mister, is that girl Cecilia... always that arrogant...?"
"Did Cecilia seem arrogant to you?"
"N-no. I was fine with it... I just wondered if you might have found her arrogant..."
"That's probably because Cecilia is too honest."
"...Honest?"
"She doesn't lie and speaks truthfully as she feels, so Cecilia is a good child too."
"...Mmm, I understand."
Honestly, I wasn't sure if she was a good child.
At my words, Hare's expression didn't look very comfortable.
Probably because she couldn't understand Cecilia.
Thief of Deception.
Mage of Truth.
Thieves and mages had completely opposite dispositions.
They couldn't get along even if they wanted to.
"Well, that's enough about Cecilia. Now I should go to Luna—"
Should go...
Why do I keep hearing strange sounds from Luna's room?
What is she doing in there?
Loud crashing sounds were leaking from Luna's room.
"...I'd better hurry. It might be Estia going berserk—"
"M-mister! L-let's go together...!"
Leaving Hare shouting something behind me, I quickly opened Luna's door.
The crashing sounds had quieted down somewhat.
Ever since Hare remembered where the key was, I always kept Luna's room key in my pocket.
I took the key from my pocket and checked what was happening inside.
What was happening in the room was quite a sight.
*...Did Estia go berserk?*
Estia's small frame was on top of Luna, who was lying below.
The two girls were on the bed, moving violently.
Estia, who seemed to be struggling, shouted as soon as she saw me.
"S-save me, kidnapper...!! She, she's acting weird...!!"
"L-let go—! Go get mister—!"
"..."
Apparently, the one who went berserk wasn't Estia.
It was Hero Luna.
*What on earth happened...?*
I needed to find out what had occurred.
The incident started with Luna.
After finishing training and returning to her room, Luna showered as usual.
"What did he say was lacking in today's training...?"
What was it...
Luna poured water from the basin over herself.
Swoooosh—
So cold!
"Oh, right! I remember! He said everything was lacking, didn't he?!"
He said my swordsmanship was flashy but not practical?
There were too many unnecessary movements, exposing weaknesses.
Something like that.
"Hmm, swordsmanship is fun but difficult... Is mister's explanation too hard?"
—Swordsmanship... shall I... teach you...?
"Wh-what...! Who's there...?!"
While showering.
That chilling voice suddenly began to reach Luna's ears.
The thing that had been quiet when she was with mister.
Had started talking to her again.
—Do you... want to get better... at swordsmanship? Are you ready... to bear... the 'karma'?
"Wh-who are you?! Who's talking to me...?!"
—Curious... about me? I am... .
"Sh-shut up...! Be quiet!"
Whenever the strange voice spoke, bizarre screams came along with it.
Someone's agonized voice, screams begging to be saved.
Luna felt her mental strength being chipped away each time she heard the voice.
—...I'll help... you. Before... that man... comes.
"St-stop! D-don't speak...!!"
She kept hearing voices begging to be saved.
Luna covered her ears in pain each time she heard the voice.
However, the screams showed no sign of stopping.
She roughly put on clothes while still wet and came out of the bathroom.
"Sh-shut up—!!"
"Eek...!! I-I didn't say anything, Luna?! Really, I didn't say anything!"
Estia, who had been imagining the taste of Holy Water on the bed, jumped up in surprise.
Just like before, Luna didn't seem to be in her right mind, crying out in pain.
"M-mister... Call mister, Estia... I-I think I'm going crazy..."
"O-okay! I'll call him!"
Estia ran on her short legs.
Huh?
"But the door's locked, how do I call him?"
She hadn't even run 1 meter.
The door was locked, so she couldn't call mister.
Luna clutched her head in pain.
"Ah, ahhh—!! Stop—!! Stop talking—!!"
"Y-you're worse off than me... W-wait, you'll get hurt! Stop moving!"
Luna thrashed about in pain, throwing herself everywhere.
Estia tried to restrain her as much as possible to stop her.
She mounted Luna, who was lying down, to restrain her.
It was a scene you'd only see in martial arts.
"St-stay still! I-I'll pray for you! May the Goddess protect you and bestow happy Holy Water upon you, blessing you to always live for happiness—"
"G-get off—!! Stop talking—!!"
A scene of madness.
Even from afar, any passing citizen could tell those two weren't in their right minds.
Who could stop this scene of madness?
Just as I thought that, the door opened.
"S-save me, kidnapper...!! She, she's acting weird...!!"
"L-let go—! Go get mister—!"
When Lee Jun-woo appeared.
Flinch—
Luna stopped her rampage.
"...Huh, I can't hear it anymore?"
Luna turned her gaze toward Lee Jun-woo.
Her pupils were trembling, but she could instinctively realize the truth.
*When I'm near mister, I don't hear the voice. And.*
It doesn't hurt either.
Luna got up from the bed and urgently headed toward Lee Jun-woo.
The solution to this symptom depended on him.
"Hmm, so that's what happened."
"It's not just 'that'! I really almost died! This is really serious!"
"I... almost died too... Holy Water... give me Holy Water..."
Estia was sprawled out on the bed in exhaustion from stopping Luna.
Since Lee Jun-woo hadn't seen Luna's rampage, it didn't really hit home.
However, he was viewing the situation with serious eyes.
"...You heard someone's voice?"
"Yes! Screams and a voice like metal scraping! I keep hearing it! I don't hear it when I'm with you though, mister."
"Did you perhaps drink the water Estia gave you—"
"No way! Absolutely! I absolutely didn't drink it!"
Luna answered firmly.
Then what was her symptom?
Auditory hallucinations.
But when she was with Lee Jun-woo, she didn't hear the voice...
Hare viewed this matter differently.
*Is she faking illness to get mister's attention...? That was my plan first... Should I cancel it...?*
Of course, that was only Hare's thought.
Lee Jun-woo thought it through and came up with an answer about this symptom.
"Let's try an experiment."
"...Huh?"
"Stay right there."
Lee Jun-woo left those words and exited the room.
He moved farther away until Luna was out of sight.
*...Is it fake?*
Nothing's happening.
Lee Jun-woo felt something was off and went down the stairs.
And the moment he stepped on the last stair.
—Ahhhhh—!!
Luna's scream was heard.
Lee Jun-woo immediately reacted to the scream and went back up to Luna's room.
Contrary to the scream just heard, there was Luna in a peaceful state.
"What on earth is this..."
"M-mister. Don't leave me. Never... I-I keep hearing strange sounds..."
Luna frowned and covered her ears, saying she never wanted to hear it again.
From her reaction, she seemed to genuinely be hearing that chilling sound.
He eliminated the option of it being fake.
"...Alright, Luna. I'll believe you."
"Y-yes."
Luna felt fear from the hallucinations that kept coming.
So she grabbed the hand of Lee Jun-woo, the most reliable person here.
"I-I'm not holding it because I like you, mister... I-I'm scared so I'm holding the hand of the oldest person here... You understand, right? Don't misunderstand...!"
"...Yes, I won't misunderstand."
Lee Jun-woo patted Luna's head.
Hare felt uncomfortable, but she didn't show it in front of mister.
And at that moment, Estia bolted upright from the bed.
"Wait!! Kidnapper! Don't run away! Talk to me!"
"...What do you want to talk about?"
"Listen to my demands! Life here is too uncomfortable—!"
"Alright. I'll give you Holy Water soon. If you stay quiet just for today, I'll give you Holy Water."
"Huh? How did you know I wanted Holy Water! Really? Really? You'll really give it? You're not lying? If you don't give it, I'll die? If you're lying, will I die? Really? You see my hands shaking, right?"
"I don't lie."
Lee Jun-woo, whose head was spinning, quickly ended the conversation with Estia.
Right now, he had too much to think about.
"W-well then. I'll stay quiet. Since you said you'd give me Holy Water. Make sure you keep your promise! Got it!?"
"Got it."
"Yesss!"
Estia struck a victory pose with her golden eyes shining.
A Saint who became very simple in front of Holy Water.
Seeing that simple appearance, Lee Jun-woo could perfectly understand how to raise Estia.
*Holy Water is Estia's key.*
More than that...
Luna's tonight.
Was the biggest problem.
Lee Jun-woo patted Luna's head and said.
"Luna, in that state, you can't go into your room and sleep."
"Y-yes... right...?"
"Then sleep next to me tonight. That's the only solution."
It made sense.
However, the nuance of 'sleeping next to' him was too shocking.
"Huh...? Sl-sleep next to you?! P-pervert! You're planning to mess me up, aren't you!?"
"M-mister...? Sl-sl-sleep t-together, wh-what do you mean by that...?"
The two young girls were shocked.