# 33. Hero Luna's Awakening (6)
Moving day.
The Hero Party moved busily, packing their belongings.
"Keep the weight to a minimum. Everyone, pack only what you need."
"Yes, yes! Got it, mister...!"
Hare nodded in understanding.
Come to think of it, Hare wouldn't have much to pack.
She came here empty-handed in the first place.
Hare would probably only pack books and the regular clothes I bought her.
While watching the Hero Party pack in the living room,
someone grabbed my sleeve.
"Luna?"
"Um, excuse me. Mister? What's going on...?"
"Can't you tell by looking? We're packing to move."
"M-move? Why?"
Luna's blue eyes gleamed with incomprehension.
If I told her about the letter now, she'd definitely cause a scene on the train.
I decided to make up an excuse.
"Housing prices in the capital are expensive."
"Huh?"
"If we sell now, we can make a good profit."
"M-mister is more practical than I thought..."
As they say, everything happens because of money.
Luna seemed convinced by my vague excuse.
I lingered near her, helping Luna pack.
Saten came out of her room with a small bag, apparently finished with her preparations.
"Saten, are you done preparing?"
"Yes, I'm finished. Should I give the bag to that child called Hare?"
"...? Why would you give the bag to Hare?"
"Well, obviously. A 'servant' should carry the bags."
"Hare isn't a servant."
Could it be that because Hare recently started helping the kids, Saten mistook her for a servant?
At least fortunately, Hare wasn't nearby.
Saten tilted her head at the statement that Hare wasn't a servant and asked.
"Why not? Everyone who acts so subservient has been a servant. Then shouldn't that child Hare be a servant too?"
"That's how it is in noble houses, but it's different here. Even if someone acts humble, there's no particular class distinction. It's a matter of personality."
"...Fine, I understand."
Saten seemed displeased, but
appeared to have decided to carry her bag herself.
"And Saten. Wear this hood. We can't draw other people's attention."
"Hmm, really? Give me a black hood. I won't wear anything unless it's black."
Saten, who liked the achromatic color black.
With her sharp eyes, she looked like a black cat.
When I told Saten to go wait in the yard, Luna seemed to have finished preparing.
She came out of her room holding a bag in one hand and Estia's hand in the other.
"Mister! I'm all ready! Let's go, Estia!"
"If I stay still, holy water will come down. If I stay still, holy water will come down. If I stay still, holy water will come down..."
"...Mister, something's wrong with her?"
"She'll be fine if you leave her alone."
I put a white hood on Estia.
I also handed hoods to Luna and Hare.
And now that everyone had finished preparing,
I spoke to them gathered in the yard.
"Well then. Let's go move."
The first destination was Aden Village.
The final destination was Henencia.
The page after the one burned black.
Wondering what the Demon King's trace could have been,
I left the house I'd grown attached to.
The train station in Capital Grancia.
Five hooded figures appeared.
One adult and four young girls.
It was quite a unique combination.
"Ahem, kids! You know what? To ride the train, you have to take off your shoes! You didn't know that, did you?"
"...Really? W-we have to take off our shoes...?"
"Of course! If you wear shoes on board, the conductor will throw you out while the train's moving! Really!"
...Luna's pulling a fast one.
Kids who've never ridden a train might fall for it.
I won't be fooled, but I wonder about the others...
I won't stop her, let's watch and see.
"Hare, take off your shoes quickly! You'll get kicked off!"
"O-okay. M-mister. Should I take off my shoes...?"
"...You don't need to ask about such things."
Hare took off her shoes, fooled by Luna.
It was the moment the Thief was deceived by the Hero.
Luna giggled watching the fooled Hare.
Luna's next target was Saten.
"Saten! You take them off too! You can't wear shoes on the train!"
"Why should I take off my shoes?"
"Huh...?"
"I don't want to take them off."
"B-but it's a rule people made—"
"There's no need to follow such trashy rules. It's neither efficient nor civilized. The station staff should clean the floor, there's no need for me to take off my shoes."
"O-okay... Saten, you don't have to take off your shoes..."
*Deflated—*
Defeated by Saten, Luna lost her confidence.
From her perspective, it must feel like facing a giant wall.
Luna turned her gaze away from Saten.
There was still one person left.
Luna spoke with a mischievous smile.
"Estia! If you don't want to fall off the train! You'd better take off your shoes right now!"
"No. I have to stay still. I have to stay still. I mustn't do anything conspicuous. I have to receive holy water."
"...Mister, I'm telling you something's wrong with her."
"Leave her be."
"...Yes."
Luna turned around dejectedly.
Estia was working so hard to obtain holy water.
I couldn't let that be interrupted.
Estia repeating the same words like a parrot.
As I watched her quietly, the train—
the magic train that moved using mana stones—had arrived.
"Before boarding. Hare."
"Yes, mister...?"
"Put your shoes on. Luna lied to you."
"Luna... lied...?"
*Chill—*
Hare glared at Luna with a cold gaze.
Those lifeless eyes made Luna say "Sorry! I-it was just a joke!" and quickly board the train.
It looked harmonious if you looked at it that way, but
in reality, when you looked inside, two had been kidnapped and two were being raised.
It was a very strange situation.
"Now everyone board the train. Don't cause a commotion inside."
"Okay!"
"O-okay, mister...!"
Only two answered.
And so we boarded the train.
On that train was a disgusting lingering scent.
*'Not today... they were here until yesterday...'*
The smell of those Grimoire bastards was strong.
*'They moved not today, but yesterday.'*
Fortunately, there was no major commotion on the train.
Saten and Hare were busy pressing their faces against the window, admiring the scenery outside.
Estia just buried her head and muttered in a small voice.
And Luna, who had been most excited before boarding...
"U-uuugh... ugh... aah... save meee..."
As if having a nightmare,
she was sleeping with her head on my shoulder.
Since our cabin was in a private room format,
fortunately I didn't feel other people's gazes.
Hare, who had been admiring the window, looked at me and asked worriedly.
"M-mister. Your shoulder must hurt... Should I move Luna next to me...?"
"No, it's fine. There's no need for that."
"...Really? If you say so, mister... Okay... If it hurts at all, please tell me... I'll take responsibility for Luna..."
Before turning her head, Hare glanced at Luna once,
then focused on the window again.
A vast grassland spread out, and the magic train moved at high speed.
Not much time passed before the train arrived at Aden Village.
"Everyone remember to take your luggage."
"Y-yes!"
"Yes."
Two people answered.
And just as I was about to wake Luna, who was deep in sleep—
"U-uaaah—!! I-it's a nightmare—!!"
She woke up screaming on her own.
She stroked her cheeks as if her senses were off.
She looked completely out of it.
"Huh...? W-was it a dream...? Or not...?"
"Luna, get up. We've arrived at Aden Village."
"A-Aden Village?! Are we moving to Aden Village?!"
"That's not it. Read this slowly as we get off the train."
"Huh? This is a letter from my family!? Why are you giving this to me now!"
As we got off the train, I handed Luna the letter.
At first Luna was happy, thinking it was a letter from her family.
However, seeing the single sentence written there, her expression immediately hardened.
"M-mister. Don't tell me, this..."
"It's as you expect. The knights conducted an investigation, and your parents found out you're not with the knight order."
"Wh-what...? B-but that can't be...?! I-I absolutely didn't want to worry them..."
*Dejected—*
Luna hung her head.
Was the Hero hanging her head over such a trivial reason?
I thought it was pathetic.
"Then just make sure you don't worry them."
"How! They already know everything!!"
"Hide the information cleverly. I'm telling you to sprinkle lies into truthful information."
"Huh? What does that mean?"
Hare seemed to grasp the meaning, muttering "Sprinkle lies into truthful information..."
*'Luna, who's lived truthfully, doesn't understand the meaning.'*
Giving Luna time to think, we left the train station and arrived at a small inn in Aden Village.
I rented a large family room where five people could stay, roughly unpacked our luggage, then said to Luna.
"Do you understand what I mean?"
"No, if you talk like that, I can't understand!"
"...Luna, mister's words aren't like that. Watch your mouth. You're the one who didn't understand..."
"Tch, fine..."
It's natural she doesn't understand.
So to show Luna what I meant,
I took only her outside.
"Tell your family. The truth is you weren't kidnapped, but are living as an 'adventurer.'"
"...An adventurer?"
"Yes, then they'll accept where the money came from too."
"But adventuring is dangerous, so they'll worry..."
"No, it doesn't matter because I'm here. If you introduce me not as a kidnapper but as a companion."
"Ah—!!"
Luna let out an exclamation.
Did she finally understand?
Luna clapped her hands together and shouted.
"Mister! You're a total genius... no wait! I-I was thinking the same thing! Y-you were just 10 seconds faster! I'm not agreeing with your opinion at all!"
"..."
Well, think what you want.
Ignoring Luna's words, I started walking toward her house.
Since the address was written in the letter, it was easy to find.
"Ah! Wait for me...!! If I get separated from you, I'll really die...! Please wait for me...!!"
*Hurrying—*
Luna rushed over as if she couldn't be separated from me.
I chuckled watching Luna like that, but as we walked forward, the smile gradually disappeared.
The smell of Grimoire was getting much stronger.
*'This direction is toward Luna's house...'*
...I hoped it wasn't what I was expecting.
Walking along the road where farmland spread out, I checked the sky.
The closer we got to Luna's house, the more black clouds appeared.
"Huh, is it going to rain? The clouds suddenly appeared?"
"..."
Without saying anything, I increased my pace toward Luna's house.
Far away on the grassland, a single house standing alone.
The exterior looked fine, but the smell of Grimoire wafted from inside.
I placed my hand on the door handle.
"Luna."
"Yes?"
"Turn around."
"Huh? What do you—"
"I won't say it twice. Turn around."
"Y-yes!"
Luna immediately turned around.
...I hoped nothing had happened.
Though I knew that couldn't be, I opened the door to Luna's house.
The stench of blood pervaded the place, and among several Grimoire believers, I saw one with particularly dense demonic energy.
That one must be the Demon King.
Unfortunately, it wasn't the Demon King I was looking for.
"Luna."
"Yes, why do you keep doing that, mister!"
"...Even if you hear strange sounds, run away immediately."
"Run away...? What do you... huh?"
Luna finally turned around.
She saw the brutal scene visible behind my back.
The corpses of her family, brutally murdered.
The interior of the house, mercilessly destroyed.
She took that sight into her blue eyes.
Luna, unable to accept reality, fell to her knees and screamed.
"N-no... th-this can't be... i-it can't... aaah...!! D-Daaad—!! M-Mooom—!!"
"..."
*Thud—*
I wanted to comfort Luna as she began to shed tears.
However, the gaze from inside was too intense.
It was as if threatening me to come in right now.
I spoke firmly to Luna, who was trembling and screaming no.
"Leave, Luna. This isn't a place for you."
The Hero must live.
So I had to choose.
[...Don't sacrifice yourself, Jun-woo. You'll surely suffer. You might be able to defeat the Demon King, but Jun-woo, you'll die. But, but... I'll give you... a chance to choose. Because this isn't our end... Because there's the Hero's 'karma'...]
[1. Hand over the Hero to Grimoire and run away.]
[2. Fight the Demon King to buy time for the Hero to escape.]
"There's no need to even look at future number 1."
Even for the sake of the fight that would come later, I had to see future number 2.
The answer sheet burning with black flames unfolded before my eyes.
...
I dealt with the Grimoire gang easily, but the Demon King wasn't easy.
Even for me, it was difficult to defeat a Demon King.
So I chose.
*'I can't run away. I can't win either. As you know, our skills are similar.'*
So if you have no intention of backing down, we'll both have to die.
In the end, I lost my life fighting the Demon King.
Since I didn't kill him with the Holy Sword, he'd revive in 100 years, but...
I wouldn't.
However, even though I died, strangely the answer sheet didn't end there, and many pages remained after.
*'It's not the end.'*
My future self muttered that and closed the page called life.
...
"So this is how it ends up."
I chose number 2.
Answering the Demon King's gaze, I entered the house.
Then I tried to close the door so Luna couldn't see.
After leaving her with final words.
"Luna, when you open your eyes, explain the situation to me in detail."
Because this won't be the end.
*SLAM—*
Closing the door, I stepped over the corpses of Luna's family and stared at the man sitting in a chair.
A handsome man with red hair and no horns, who looked no different from an ordinary person at first glance.
He asked me with a mocking smile.
"Nice to meet you. Dog of the Goddess. You obviously know who I am, right?"
"...Demon King of Greed, 'Greed'. You're the only one who's been looking for the Hero Party, so you must be Greed."
Greed chuckled and answered.
"Correct. Looking at you, you're quite desirable too, Dog of the Goddess. So here's the thing..."
Won't you offer me your life, since I want to have you?
Demon King of Greed, Greed.
He shouted at me with eyes soaked in greed.
There was only one thing I could give to the greedy him.
"Go to hell."
Along with Luna's crying sounds from outside,
the battle with the Demon King began.