Book 1 Chapter 1020
1020.
Luna, now a spirit, thought.
‘Wow. She’s really proactive.’
Young Luna, after declaring a little while ago that she would make Leo fall for her,
literally acted like a battle tank.
Unlike herself, who subtly showed her feelings for Kyle despite having them, she expressed her affection to Leo without hesitation and tried to win his heart.
It was a stark contrast to her own passive self.
‘No.’
Luna shook her head.
‘I wasn’t passive.’
The day she first fell for Kyle.
Luna even proposed on the spot.
‘Right. I wasn’t passive; Kyle just didn’t understand, and my feelings got twisted.’
Thinking that, Luna looked at her younger self, who was smiling prettily at Leo.
‘It’s like me, if it’s like me.’
Just as she was thinking that.
“Ah.”
Young Luna speared a piece of fruit that came with refreshments and tried to feed it to Leo.
Luna, seeing that, scoffed inwardly.
‘Kyle wouldn’t accept something so cheesy.’
The Leo Luna knew would snatch the fork and bring it to his own mouth.
But contrary to Luna’s expectations, Leo readily ate the fruit that young Luna fed him.
[No! Why! You’re not that kind of person!]
Luna, seeing that, flared up and shouted.
Of course, it didn’t reach Leo.
Only young Luna, who could hear that sound, was startled and wide-eyed.
Seeing young Luna’s reaction, Leo calmly said.
“Why? I can accept it.”
“How do you know what I’m saying when you can’t even hear me?”
Young Luna asked with a curious face.
“Looking at your reaction, I can guess what you might have said.”
“Wow. You really know each other well.”
Young Luna rested her chin on her hand and marveled.
A little later.
Young Luna grabbed Leo’s hand and pulled him towards the bed.
[What are you trying to do!]
Luna, whose ears were beet red, flared up.
Then young Luna made a look of disdain.
“Wow. What am I, the adult me, thinking? I just thought he didn’t sleep well last night, so I’m just trying to let him rest a bit.”
Saying that, young Luna sat on the bed, then looked up at Leo and smiled.
“Lie here.”
And then, she patted her thigh.
It seemed she was offering him a lap pillow.
Leo brought a pillow and lay down.
Then young Luna snatched Leo’s pillow, threw it into a corner, and then forcibly pulled him to give him a lap pillow.
“It’s uncomfortable.”
“I’m a beautiful girl doing it for you, so just bear with it.”
At that, Leo sighed.
Young Luna, smiling sweetly, stroked Leo’s white hair.
[…….]
Luna, in her spirit form, merely gaped while watching the scene.
A little later, Leo fell asleep, making soft sounds.
[What! Why is he accepting it so readily! If it were the original, he’d have to be really prickly to be like Kyle!]
As Luna shouted, young Luna spoke to her in her mind.
‘Because I’m pretty?’
[Don’t be ridiculous! I’m prettier!]
Seeing her adult self getting angry, young Luna shook her head.
‘To be jealous of myself. I’m becoming an unattractive adult.’
At that, Luna bit her lip.
Seeing that, young Luna poked Leo’s cheek.
Normally, Leo would have woken up immediately, but perhaps because he was in a deep sleep, he didn’t react.
Young Luna giggled.
Leo was about to turn 18 and become an adult, but his sleeping face still held a youthful innocence.
‘Looking at him like this, he’s cute.’
[You’re younger, though?]
Luna’s current physical and mental age was in her mid-teens.
It was a bit strange for her to find someone much older than herself cute.
But young Luna shamelessly replied.
‘But actually, I’m the elder, aren’t I?’
At that, Luna sighed softly.
Young Luna stroked Leo’s hair.
Was it because the subject was Luna?
Leo, who was asleep, showed no sign of waking up.
He simply seemed to be in a deep, peaceful sleep.
Luna watched him silently.
Seeing herself, young Luna said.
‘Want to try?’
[What?]
‘Aren’t you really envious right now?’
[…….]
She wasn’t teasing her or anything.
It was literally pure goodwill.
[Are you doing this on purpose to make me feel jealous?]
‘Yes.’
Young Luna nodded.
‘After all, you can use my body as much as you want, right?’
In a way, it was natural.
The Luna of the past and the Luna of the future were not essentially different.
Even if it was her past self manifested through the Hero Record, Luna was Luna.
If the adult Luna made up her mind, she could take control of the body anytime and do as she pleased.
In fact, Luna had taken control of young Luna’s body several times.
Luna smiled bitterly, looking at her younger self who was looking at her pitifully.
[You don’t have to be that considerate.]
‘Why? Are you afraid of having lingering regrets?’
[…….]
‘Just think about yourself. It’s enough if you can be as happy as possible.’
At that, Luna closed her eyes.
It wasn’t wrong.
She just needed to think about herself.
What good were lingering regrets?
After all, consciousness would disappear.
Perhaps it was right to enjoy the happiness in front of her now if she could.
But…
Nevertheless, Luna refused that happiness.
[Yes. You’re right. It’s good to enjoy it while you can.]
Luna walked over to young Luna and squatted down.
And looking at the deeply sleeping Leo, she said.
[But… in the end, I think this damn guy will make me think about him more.]
Luna reached out her hand and patted Leo’s head.
Of course, there was no sensation.
[You’re just right. Because I’m me, I can chew over memories with my past self from that time, but I’m also a being that won’t build new memories.]
“……”
Looking directly into the eyes of her younger self, Luna smiled.
Seeing herself, young Luna’s eyes widened.
The dream she had today came to mind.
Her dying self, smiling brightly to ease Kyle’s worries.
She realized.
That her future self valued this man much more than herself.
And in that, Leo was no different from Luna.
Just then, Leo opened his eyes.
With that, a knock was heard.
Leo, sitting up, said.
“Come in.”
With that, the door opened and Seirun entered.
He then paused upon seeing Leo and Luna sitting on the bed, and asked.
“Did I interrupt? If so, I can come back later…”
“No, come in.”
At Leo’s words, Seirun entered.
“How is the magic spell analysis?”
“…I am working on it, but since Lady Luna is here, my analysis won’t be much help.”
“……”
Leo looked at Seirun with a bewildered expression.
Luna also looked confused.
“Did you eat something wrong?”
“Pardon?”
“Why are you digging yourself into a hole alone?”
“Well… compared to Lady Luna, I am a far less skilled wizard.”
At that, Leo clicked his tongue.
“There’s no need to resemble Luna in unnecessary things.”
“Pardon?”
“Being confident then easily getting discouraged. You’re just like Luna.”
“Hehehe. You don’t have to praise me.”
“Does that sound like praise?”
Leo scratched his head, looking at the shy Seirun with a look of disbelief.
“It irritated me every time I saw that side of her.”
“What?! Are you saying you were annoyed with Lady Luna?! Apologize to Lady Luna right now!”
Seirun, whose eyes rolled back at Leo’s words, lunged at him.
Of course, his arm was immediately caught by Leo.
“Aargh! It hurts! It hurts! I momentarily lost my mind… Kyaaaak?!”
Seirun, holding his twisted arm, frantically apologized.
Young Luna watched the scene, eating the refreshments on the table.
Then she said.
“My future self says not to underestimate yourself too much. She says she’s very grateful to you.”
“……”
Seirun, barely freed from Leo, drooped his ears despite the words.
“Undeserved praise… Thank you very much, Lady Luna. But I am merely an uncreative wizard who simply imitates Lady Luna. Rather, I feel sorry as if I’ve defiled Lady Luna’s name.”
Seeing Seirun’s face darken, a bewildered young Luna whispered softly to Leo.
“He’s so depressed. Is he always like this, this elf?”
At that, Leo clicked his tongue and summoned Raruel, the Great Spirit of Light, who knew Seirun well.
-Did you call, Lord Leo?
“This guy suddenly got depressed; is he usually like that?”
-Yes. That foolish elf sometimes acted like that.
Raruel sighed deeply.
At Raruel’s words, Seirun frowned.
“Your language has gotten quite harsh, hasn’t it, Raruel?”
-Well, I’m 3000 years old now.
“You’ve grown big enough to have a big head, haven’t you?”
Leo clicked his tongue, watching Seirun and Raruel glare at each other.
“Lumern too, and Azonia and Damian… and even you.”
Leo sat in a chair and said.
“Aren’t you all too unnecessarily conscious of us?”
“……”
“You are heroes who have accomplished deeds worthy of pride. We are relieved to have had you.”
[Exactly, exactly.]
“My future self agrees with Leo.”
Luna nodded at Leo’s words, and young Luna conveyed her reaction.
But despite that, Seirun still merely looked depressed.
Seeing that, Leo sighed.
“Rodias must have had a hard time too.”
“Why that lizard?”
Seirun said in a sharp voice.
-Don’t call Rodias a lizard!
As Raruel flared up, Seirun snorted.
“Rodias calls me pointy-ears too.”
Seirun crossed his arms.
“Besides! Lord Kyle suits Lady Luna best! Isn’t it a bit odd to even make the strange claim that he suits Lady Licinas?”
[Oh my. My junior truly knows what’s what.]
Luna smiled brightly.
Seeing such Seirun, Raruel flared up.
-Don’t be ridiculous! Lord Leo married Lady Licinas!
Seeing Raruel relaying unnecessary information, Leo spoke without mercy.
“Elsie. Drag her out.”
-Mmph mph?
Elsie, who appeared from the shadows, dragged Raruel away.
Meanwhile.
Seirun, having heard the shocking story, gaped.
“Is that true?! Then Lord Leo toyed with the innocent Lady Luna?!”
Seirun, regaining his senses, lunged at Leo.
Leo spread his palm and struck Seirun’s neck hard.
Seirun, clutching his neck, rolled on the floor.
“Listen to the end. I was also scammed by Licinas.”
“Cough, cough. Scammed?”
Leo sighed and explained the situation.
After that, Leo sighed, looking at the now convinced Seirun.
“Why do I even have to make these excuses?”
“It’s karma.”
Seirun said without mercy.
Leo grabbed Seirun’s ear and pulled.
“Aargh! Did I say anything wrong?! It’s because Lord Leo didn’t understand the feelings of Lady Luna and Lady Licinas!”
“Shouldn’t you not say things like that?”
“Pardon? What do you mean…?”
Seirun, freed from Leo, rubbed his ear, wearing a bewildered expression.
“You also had feelings for Lumern but didn’t know it, didn’t you?”
“Pardon? What nonsense is that again…”
“What? Nonsense?”
“Mmmph mmmph?!”
Seirun, whose lips were caught by Leo, struggled.
A moment later, Seirun, freed from Leo, looked flabbergasted.
“I liked Lumern? That can’t be. Aren’t you mistaking me for Rodias? That lizard! He was a terrible fellow who had feelings for Lumern even knowing Lumern had children! Though he himself didn’t seem to properly realize his own feelings.”
“What do you mean Lumern had children?”
“Annelie Eisarn. The elf Lumern loved, and the elf who bore Lumern’s children.”
“You mean Eiran is Lumern’s descendant?”
“Something like that.”
Leo, narrowing his brows, said as if it was strange.
“But in Lumern’s memoir, it was written that not only Rodias but you too had feelings for Lumern?”
“Pardon? What do you mean…”
Seirun, who was confused by Leo’s words, paused.
“Wait a minute. I had feelings for Lumern?”
Seirun, realizing his own emotions, gaped.
Then his face gradually started to turn beet red.
“I-I liked him?! That’s ridiculous… Huh? Huh??”
Leo, who had been looking at him with a bewildered expression, glanced at young Luna.
“You’re enjoying this situation right now, aren’t you?”
“Yes. It’s a messed-up love triangle drama.”
Luna’s eyes sparkled.
“It’s the most interesting thing to watch in the world.”
Leo, clicking his tongue as he watched, thought of his successor, Lumern.
In history, there was no mention of Lumern’s descendants at all.
‘I’ll have to ask Eiran about it once.’