# 32. Hero Luna's Awakening (5)
Hmm.
This is awkward.
This situation where a kidnapper and a kidnapped child are sleeping together.
It was so awkward that only silence flowed.
"..."
Luna was on the sofa.
I was on the floor.
We were both staring at the ceiling without saying anything.
We didn't really have anything to talk about.
*Even if we talk about the hallucination symptoms, it's not like we'll find an answer...*
Such an awkward silence flowed.
Unable to bear the stuffiness, Luna was the first to speak.
"...Mister, are you asleep?"
"No."
"...Then say something. It's too quiet, I can't sleep."
She can't sleep because it's too quiet.
The complete opposite of me, who falls asleep when it's quiet.
Well then, should I talk about that?
"Luna, what do you think about moving?"
"Moving? You mean moving to a different place?"
"Right."
"Hmm, well... I'm fine with it? Moving feels good! It gives you a fresh feeling!"
Luna was saying that as if it was fun, but it seemed she hadn't realized that we were the ones moving.
Well, I could explain it to Luna slowly later.
The contents of her family's letter too.
If I told her now, Luna would 100% make a fuss.
It would be better for my well-being to tell her later.
"By the way, is it true that you don't hear hallucinations when you're with me?"
"Yes, I don't know why, but when I'm near you, I don't hear the hallucinations. This is weird, did you do something?!"
"...If you're going to suspect me, first explain how one could even control hallucinations."
"Hmm... maybe magic?"
Does she attribute everything that can't be explained with words to magic?
The Hero was clearly too young in her thinking.
Her actual age was also young at 14.
It might be better to sleep than to talk.
"Just go to sleep. Talking more would be a waste of time."
"Tsk, fine! I won't talk to you again, Mister! Hmph! How am I a waste of time...!"
Angry at being called a waste of time, Luna turned her back to me.
The living room became quiet again, and I took out whiskey from the refrigerator to help me sleep.
It was a refrigerator I made myself, using ice magic to maintain the cold and repairing it with mana stones.
I grabbed the whiskey bottle and poured it straight down my throat.
*Gulp- Gulp-*
It was painful, as if my throat was burning.
It didn't matter since I could only sleep properly by drinking like this.
When I turned my gaze to Luna, she was quietly watching me.
Even after I emptied half the bottle of whiskey, Luna didn't take her eyes off me.
A bit uncomfortable.
"Do you have something to say?"
"...I was just wondering why you drink so much. You'll die young at this rate."
"Do you want me to die young?"
"N-no. That's not it! You need to be caught by the knights rather than die young! You can't die early!"
"...I see."
Rather than dying, get caught by the knights and reflect on your sins.
Is that what she means?
Unlike Hare and Saten, Luna was actually kidnapped.
So she might think of me that way.
Without showing much reaction to Luna, as the drunkenness began to rise, I lay down on the bedding on the floor and closed my eyes.
About 10 minutes passed.
Luna, who said she wouldn't talk to me first, spoke cautiously.
"M-Mister."
"...What is it?"
"P-please come to the bathroom with me... I-if I get too far away, I'll hear the hallucinations again... I-it's definitely not because I like you!"
"..."
Luna must have been holding it in a lot, as she was squirming.
I had no choice but to follow Luna to the bathroom.
"M-Mister, you're in front of the door, right?! Don't leave! Absolutely not! I'm really in pain!"
"I know."
"Make a sound every 5 seconds! I-I'm scared! If you heard that voice just once—"
"Be quiet. Just hurry up and do your business."
"...Okay. C-cover your ears!"
Waiting for Luna in front of the door, the alcohol gradually made me sleepy.
And, from far away...
*Creak—*
"...?"
Hare was watching me with red eyes through a crack in the door.
I didn't know how long she'd been there.
I was too tired and wanted to sleep quickly, so I didn't say anything.
And when morning came...
"What the."
For some reason, Hare was sleeping next to me.
Lying between Luna and me as if she were a wall.
According to Hare, "Luna might be anxious sleeping alone with you, Mister... so I slept next to Luna..."
She said she slept next to her to help Luna, but what her true intentions were remained a mystery.
For about 7 days.
The moving preparations proceeded smoothly.
Where would be good, where were the secluded places.
I searched mainly for spaces where I could let the kids roam freely without getting reported by other people.
*First, the only location is 'Henencia.'*
Henencia.
A place with the Demon Kings' dungeons, and good for training the Hero Party.
It was far from the capital, but it was a fairly large city.
*And to get to Henencia, we need to take the 'Magic Train'...*
Could I take all four members of the Hero Party?
Hare and Saten would be fine.
One unconditionally follows my words, and one just isn't interested.
They'll move well on their own.
*The biggest problem is those two...*
Luna and Estia.
Luna hears hallucinations when she's not near me, so she might be okay for now since she won't run away.
Still, there's a risk of escape.
*But the one with the highest escape risk is Estia.*
Luna at least has somewhat positive feelings toward me.
But Estia?
Probably 90% negative feelings.
If she doesn't drink holy water and sees a moment when she can escape while anxious, she'll definitely take that opportunity to flee.
And she'll go to the Church and summon their holy knights.
"...That absolutely cannot happen."
If Estia escapes and calls the holy knights, I'll die, and the Hero Party will scatter, possibly failing to defeat the Demon King.
"That absolutely cannot happen..."
"Mister, why are you talking to yourself?"
"...Luna, don't come in for a moment, just stand in front of the door."
Leaving Luna at the door, I had a private meeting with the girl with the highest risk level—Estia.
Her condition didn't look good at all.
"Y-you kidnapper...! Bring me holy water right now...!!"
Estia demanded with haggard eyes.
Her silver hair was disheveled, giving her the feeling of a ghost girl from a horror movie.
I grabbed the forehead of Estia as she rushed at me and said:
"Grr, grrr—!!"
"Do you want holy water that badly?"
"O-of course! Do you know how much I've endured?! I-I really feel like I'm dying! B-brother! Hurry! Get holy water! Right now!!"
Estia was saying this with bloodshot eyes.
Rushing at me like a zombie, she looked on the verge of going crazy.
I took out an item from my pocket and showed it to Estia.
*Clink—*
"What does this look like?"
A white liquid inside a glass bottle.
A liquid naturally emitting light.
Since it was made from Estia's body, she would know it better.
She trembled and identified the liquid.
"H-h-h-holy water...?! G-give it! That's mine!!"
*Gyaaah—!!*
Estia rushed at the holy water in my hand like a zombie.
"Holy water! Give me the holy water—!! It's mine—!!"
"No. Wait a moment. If you listen to me quietly, I'll give it to you."
"Give it! Right now! Give it!"
*Hop- Hop-*
Estia jumped desperately with her small body.
However, she couldn't reach my hand.
Perhaps from lack of exercise, her jump height gradually decreased.
"G-give... haa... give it..."
"I said I'd give it if you listen to me first."
"Please... give it..."
She's not listening.
I stopped Estia's body as she kept jumping.
Then I held her in place so she couldn't jump anymore.
Now she's less distracted.
"Listen carefully, Estia. If you just listen to me well, I'll give you this holy water."
"D-do you think I'll easily listen to you? I-I won't submit...! J-just give it...! Just give it..."
"...You're not listening. If you won't listen to me..."
I'll throw away this holy water.
If I just loosen my fingers a bit, the holy water will fall to the floor and shatter with a *crash*.
Estia, who had declared she wouldn't submit—how would she react to the sound of the holy water breaking?
After pondering, Estia opened her mouth.
"S-sorry... please don't break the holy water... I-I was wrong..."
"What about saying you wouldn't submit?"
"Sorry... a-actually I was just acting tough... hehe, so please... give me the holy water, brother... I'm gonna die..."
"W-wait, there's no need to lie on the floor, Estia."
She lay on the floor and grabbed my pant leg.
Then she even started begging me to give it to her.
"P-please... the white liquid... I'm begging you..."
A feeling like she'd die right now if I didn't give it.
What am I going to do with her...
I decided to say what I wanted to tell her.
"Estia, do you want to get this holy water now?"
"Yes, give it... Brother, give me holy water..."
"I'll give it. But there's a condition."
"Anything is fine... just give it quickly...!"
"...We'll soon take a train and move to another place."
"So...?"
"At that time, if you stay quiet on the train, I'll give you holy water."
However, the condition is that she doesn't attempt to escape.
It would be better to control Estia by holding the holy water hostage like this.
As if my prediction was correct, Estia shouted without much thought.
"O-okay...! I-if you give me holy water, okay...! Definitely okay...!!"
Estia drooled and nodded her head vigorously.
In the drug street of the Garbage Dump where I went to get holy water, people were acting exactly like this.
Aside from wearing priest robes, Estia was no different from them.
"Anyway, remember this. Stay still on the train. That's the condition for giving you holy water, and if you follow my words well..."
I'll add one more.
At that voice, Estia nodded brightly.
"Brother...! You're a good person...!! He, hehe... I love holy water..."
...Is she imagining the joy of taking holy water?
What a pathetic sight.
I didn't think I could communicate with her anymore, so I left the room.
Luna was standing there, looking at me like I was trash.
"White liquid...? S-she's asking for that...? W-what on earth did you..."
"...It's about holy water. Don't misunderstand, Luna."
"P-pervert! Don't come near me! N-no, don't go far away either! Anyway, pervert!"
What does she want me to do?
Sigh...
I already have a headache imagining taking this Hero Party on a train.
And the most important thing is when to set the moving date...
[If you're worried about the schedule, how about this? It seems not bad.]
[1. Rest for about a week before going.]
[2. Move tomorrow immediately.]
I haven't looked at the answer sheet once today...
So I can check both answers for 1 and 2.
I checked both answers.
...
The future of option 1 was a complete disaster.
While resting, the Sylvester Knights come to search our house.
It's impossible to hide all four children.
I'm chased by the Sylvester Knights, and the Hero Party is torn apart to different places.
It was a future that must not happen.
*Next is option 2...*
The future of option 2...
While moving to Henencia, we briefly stop at Aden Village.
Luna's hometown, so she can greet her parents.
*Wh-what? Mister, suddenly the sky...?*
The moment Luna and I arrive at her house, black clouds gather and the sky turns pitch black.
I tried to check more of the answer sheet by turning the pages in my head, but...
*This is...*
The answer sheet had turned to ashes from black flames.
I had encountered such an unobservable future once before.
*Demon King.*
It was definitely the same as when the Demon King appeared in the past.
That means, in Aden Village—Luna's hometown—a Demon King would appear.