# 78. Hero Party! Let's Go on a Picnic (7)
In the dark night sky, a pure white star bloomed and sparkled.
Luna and Estia were staring blankly at the sky.
"It's a star. It's twinkling."
"I know, it's a star. It's shining brightly like Saint Estia."
Hehe—
It was Luna and Estia's first time climbing to a mountain peak to see stars up close.
It seemed like they could reach them if they stretched out their hands.
But unlike what their eyes showed them, the stars were farther away than they thought and couldn't be reached.
Luna stretched her hand toward the stars and muttered.
"If I get stronger later, I'll be able to pluck even those distant stars, right?"
The old man said so.
He said I'd become incredibly strong because I'm the Hero.
Though he said the process would be a bit difficult...
"Still, if I'm with the old man, it won't be that hard! He trains with me too!"
It would have been really hard if I were alone!
But with the old man, it's only a little hard!
Luna gazed at the stars, spending time thinking about the old man.
Then, among the still stars, one suddenly moved and emitted light.
Estia, who had been standing quietly, jumped in surprise and shouted.
"Lu, Luna! Put your hands together right now! It's the Goddess's voice!"
"Huh? The Goddess's voice?!"
"The sky belongs to the Goddess! When she shines light like that, she's speaking to us! To make a wish! Hurry, put your hands together!"
"O, okay!"
Clap—!
Luna and Estia put their hands together and began making wishes.
"Goddess...! Please give me Holy Water...! A lot of Holy Water...!!"
"Wha, what! Is it okay to make such a materialistic wish?"
"Tsk, Luna, you don't know anything! The Goddess loves money! She loves it a lot!"
"I, is that so...?"
I came to the capital because of money too...
Well, I guess the Goddess could like money too...
Luna tried to understand the Goddess Church and made her wish.
It was a different type of wish from Estia's desire for Holy Water.
*Hmm, I want to become strong, Goddess! I'll get strong, defeat the old man, and escape from being kidnapped!*
And after escaping from the kidnapping...
After escaping...?
"...I'm not sure what comes after. Anyway, please make me strong! I'm going to get strong!"
I don't want to see anyone get hurt in front of me!
Squeeze—
Luna wasn't someone who faithfully believed in the Goddess, but she prayed with all her might.
*I want to become strong!*
*Give me Holy Water!*
Two people looking at the same star but making different wishes.
Perhaps their sincere prayers got through.
The grass nearby began to rustle, watching them pray with satisfaction.
"Grrrowl—"
"Eh...?"
Why is there a demonic beast here?
Three pairs of unfamiliar eyes staring at the two.
A three-headed demonic dog with red eyes and a ferocious expression.
Cerberus.
Luna and Estia checked each other's expressions with stiff faces.
Nod—
And they made their decision.
"R, run!"
"Run away—!!"
Patter patter patter—
Running away is the only way to survive!
The wishes they made while looking at the stars were different, but the actions of the two upon seeing the demonic beast were eerily identical.
In life, major events happen without warning.
Just like now.
[There was a reason the demonic beast droppings Hare found were nearby! The demonic beast Cerberus is chasing the Hero and the Saint! What will Jun do?!]
[1. Watch over Luna and Estia.]
[2. Help Luna and Estia.]
...Cerberus.
Not the strongest among demonic beasts.
But a creature that causes tremendous damage to ordinary citizens with its fast speed and tracking ability.
With Luna's physical abilities, she could shake it off.
But with Estia, who was nothing more than a walking corpse, it would definitely be difficult.
*I definitely didn't sense any demonic beast presence nearby...*
Even if there were demonic beast droppings, they were quite old.
This is strange.
It feels as if someone intentionally hid Cerberus's presence.
There's no way I wouldn't notice a demonic beast's presence...
"Unless someone performed a miracle, this can't be explained."
"O, old man, this isn't the time...! If, if a demonic beast appeared...! Lu, Luna and Estia are in danger...!"
Hare spoke urgently, informing me of the children's danger.
However, her actions didn't seem that urgent.
It seemed she was clumsy at physical acting.
"Calm down, Hare. With Luna's physical abilities, she absolutely won't die."
"Sh, she won't die...? Th, then...?"
"She'll get hurt though."
She won't die. But she'll get hurt.
Of course, I'll be watching to make sure it doesn't go that far...
It seemed better to decide on a choice before it was too late.
*The answer key confirms option 1. Option 2 is too soft a choice.*
The Hero Party must ultimately defeat the Demon King without me.
That's the predetermined future, and if I always help them, they'll hit a wall at some point.
In the end, my help would block the Hero Party's future.
With that thought, I read the answer key that appeared before my eyes.
Option 1.
The answer to watching over Luna and Estia was...
"Old man, why aren't you going to Luna and Estia quickly?"
"Because there's no need to."
"Huh?"
"I'm going to watch over those children."
"I, is that so...? I trust your judgment, old man...! Hehe...!"
Since the Hero and Saint can handle this sufficiently.
I planned to watch over them from a guardian's position.
*This is something they can accomplish without me.*
Luna and Estia, who were running away desperately, would think it was hopeless.
But the answer key pointed to their victory.
Luna and Estia ran through the forest thinking they'd die if caught.
Since they would actually die if caught by Cerberus, it wasn't a wrong thought.
Estia, riding on Luna's back, looked behind and shouted.
"Hiii...! Sa, save me—!! The doggy is chasing us—!!"
"Hey! I'm the one running, so why are you making such a fuss—!!"
They'd been running for the same amount of time.
But Estia collapsed on the ground exhausted after just 30 seconds of running.
Her athletic ability was absurd.
*Cerberus is coming...!! I, I can't leave my friend behind!!*
If she were a certain Thief, she would have abandoned the collapsed Estia.
But Luna couldn't bring herself to abandon Estia.
"Even if she's lacking, she's still my friend...!"
"...Wait, was that directed at me?"
"Th, that's not what's important! Running away comes first!"
Luna hastily changed the subject and switched directions.
At the spot where she had just been, Cerberus's sharp teeth were positioned.
In that moment, Luna could sense it instinctively.
There was only one chance.
"If I make a mistake, I'll die...!! If, if I get bitten, I'll definitely die...!! If I get bitten 100 times, I'll die 1000 times...!!"
But she didn't have enough stamina to just keep running.
Carrying Estia while running doubled her stamina consumption.
In the end, Luna had to choose.
"Estia."
"Huh?"
"Get down."
"Uh, uhh...?"
Is, is she going to abandon me?
Se, seriously?
"Are you really going to abandon me, Saint Estia!? That's too much, you demon Hero!!"
"That's not it! I'm saying we should stop running and fight!"
"Oh, really?"
Estia quickly agreed.
"When I give the signal, get off my back!"
"Got it, then what?"
"Then I'll fight with my wooden sword!! I don't know if I can win but... I'll try...!!"
Because I'm the Hero.
Because I have to save the world, like the old man said.
I can't die in a place like this.
—No, Hero. You won't die.
"Right, I won't die..."
Anyway.
Luna made a determined expression and gave Estia the signal.
The signal was a resounding voice.
"Estia, get down!!"
"O, okay! I'll get down! Uh, uwaah!!"
Crash—
Estia, who failed her landing, rolled on the ground using the grass as a bed.
And Luna turned around to face Cerberus eye to eye.
Drawing the sword at her waist, she bravely shouted.
"I, I am Hero Luna—!! I'll never lose to a filthy demonic beast—!!"
"Grrrowl—!!"
The three-headed Cerberus howled and charged at Luna.
One head opened its mouth wide, spreading its jaws to swallow Luna in one bite.
However, that large mouth never swallowed Luna.
"This speed is! Slower compared to the old man!!"
Swish—
Luna turned her body to the side, gripping her wooden sword tightly.
When Cerberus's face approached Luna.
She raised her wooden sword high into the air.
And brought it down toward the dog's head.
Crack—!!
"Kyaing—!!"
A clear sound of a skull cracking rang out.
Another head of Cerberus let out a pained groan.
The head of Cerberus that Luna attacked couldn't open its eyes properly and was dazed.
The other heads also seemed flustered by the unexpected monstrous strength.
"What, Luna! You're stronger than I thought! You seem qualified to be the Saint's Holy Knight!"
"Sh, shut up!"
I need to concentrate.
I've smashed one head.
But I still can't let my guard down.
The old man said never to let your guard down in real combat until you confirm the opponent has lost.
"I'll never let my guard down...!"
—Good attitude, Hero. Demonic Beings are cunning and love to deceive. You must never let your guard down.
"You're noisy too, Holy Sword! You're distracting me!"
Whew—
Luna steadied her breathing and prepared for Cerberus's next attack.
"Grrr..."
Cerberus drooled as it waited to attack.
Amid the mounting tension.
Luna shouted.
"Come at me, you mutt!! I'll only lose to the old man!! N, no! Except for the old man, I'll never lose!"
Luna declared firmly.
And Estia...
"Go Luna! Make sure to protect me, the Saint! When this is over, I'll give you one Holy Water!"
Cheered Luna on enthusiastically.
It wasn't a bad fight.
Luna used her wooden sword to beat down Cerberus, one of the more threatening demonic beasts.
Though it would be called inhumane now, she was pushing Cerberus back like the dog meat days once practiced in the countryside.
Hare, hiding with me in the grass and watching, asked with curiosity.
"...But old man, why aren't you helping Luna?"
"I can't always help you all. You'll have to leave me eventually, so you need to develop independence."
"...Why do we have to leave you, old man?"
"You'll naturally find out later."
"..."
Hare didn't respond with a blank expression, not understanding.
While having that conversation with Hare, the fight over there was also reaching its end.
*Is it this moment?*
As shown in the answer key.
I entered Luna's battlefield.
It was the moment Luna was about to make a huge mistake.
Estia shouted to warn Luna.
"Lu, Luna—!! The, the first head has revived...!!"
"...!!"
Demonic beasts basically have strong regenerative abilities.
Luna, who had skill but lacked knowledge, didn't account for this and was in danger of being bitten.
However, that crisis didn't reach its peak.
Only the demonic dog Cerberus met its end.
"O, old man!? Why, why did you come so late! I almost died!"
"...I was watching for a moment."
"Wh, why were you watching! You should have helped!"
"I was checking your skills. You've improved a lot."
"Hmph, I'm not happy at all!"
Luna showed an embarrassed reaction for someone who had just beaten up a dog.
Still, seeing it with my own eyes rather than through the answer key allowed me to judge properly.
"Luna."
"Y, yes?"
"You've improved a lot. You didn't get scared and did very well."
I patted Luna's head to praise her.
Luna had a pouty expression, but she didn't particularly stop my hand.
"E, even if you say that, I'm not happy at all..."
Deep down.
She seemed to be pleased.