Chapter 49: A Girl Named Luna Managarm

You ever have one of those days where you wake up and head to school, only to realize once you get there that it’s a holiday?

That was me. A few dozen minutes after leaving the house, I arrived at a deserted school and turned right back around. Once I got home, I didn't have anything better to do, so I decided to spend the day studying. I sat at my desk for hours, eventually hitting my limit. My mind drifted to Luna, and since I was worried about her, I decided to summon her.

"Oh, Master? Why the sudden summons?"

"Well, I haven't been able to call for you since that business with Laura, you know? I was worried."

"You’re too kind, Master. But I’m alright. I think I can keep myself under control as long as I don't actually run into her."

I knew that Laura and Luna had been quite close back in the other world.

Luna had studied under her to learn close-quarters combat, and I remembered they had been close enough to be called best friends. Luna wasn’t the type to open her heart to others, so I understood just how much that bond meant to her. That was exactly why I found it so hard to broach the subject.

After all, I thought, Luna was the one who fell apart the most when Laura died.

"Hey, Luna... want to go out somewhere today?"

I couldn't fully grasp what was going on in her head, but I hoped it might cheer her up even a little. The moment the words left my mouth, her ears and tail twitched in an instant reaction.

"Really?! I... I've always wanted to see Master’s world!"

"Yeah. Though, I’ll need you to change your clothes first. What you’re wearing now is a bit... revealing for the public."

"Then wait right there! I’ll change immediately, so send me back for a second. Give me ten minutes!"

And so, I returned her to the soul for a brief period. Ten minutes later, I summoned her again and found myself face-to-face with a transformed Luna.

She was wearing a one-piece dress. It was a deep blue, looking brand new and fitting her so perfectly it was as if it had been custom-tailored for her. She looked incredibly cute.

"Did you have something like that? I don’t remember storing any clothes for you."

"Arachne-san made it for me! She worked super fast because she said it was for a 'precious date'!"

"Leave it to Arachne. She’s a real professional."

Arachne was a spider-like Summoned Beast. She was a craftswoman at heart who frequently made clothes for my other summons. Whenever she had a spare moment, she and the [Wild Hunt] would use her silk to whip up new outfits for the girls. Their combined sewing skills were top-tier—one of the many "perks" available within the soul. While I appreciated the hobby, I was starting to fear the sheer volume of clothes increasing by the day. Still, I thought while looking at Luna, since we're in the modern era, I should probably bring her a fashion catalog next time.

"Well, shall we head out? Anywhere specific you want to go?"

"Um, I want to eat something, and... I want to see one of those 'movies' you mentioned back in Mythologia! The ones where the pictures move, right?"

"Sure. Let's head toward the city center. We can hit the theater and then grab a bite to eat."

"I'll leave it all to you, Master! I don't know my way around yet."

The two of us took a series of buses into the heart of the city—Shinjuku. We headed straight for the cinema, where I let Luna pick the film. After stopping by the concession stand for the first time in ages to buy popcorn and melon soda for us both, we settled in.

I made a mental note to buy a program afterward if the movie was any good. We killed time until our showing and then took our seats. For some reason, Luna had picked a horror-fantasy flick. It was exactly the kind of genre I struggled with.

Actually, "struggled" was an understatement. It was terrifying.

"........."

"Oh? Master?"

".........What?"

"That was amazing! There was so much blood, and those wolves were so cool!"

So that’s what she was looking at, I realized. Then again, she wasn't human, so it made a weird kind of sense. The plot was your typical 'humans wander into a remote village and fight a demon who controls wolves' story, but the production values were high, making the scares incredibly effective.

"And that green drink was so fizzy and delicious... plus, the popcorn? The caramel flavor was so much fun!"

"Well... as long as you enjoyed yourself, Luna, that’s all that matters."

"There are more movies, right? It was long, but... I want to watch another one with Master."

It might come as a surprise, but Luna had been fond of human entertainment since our time in the other world. That was likely why she had taken such an interest in films.

"Of course. Next time, let's invite the others and come as a big group. There are romance movies and stuff, too. I bet Arachne-san would love those."

"......I'd prefer to watch the romance ones with just the two of us. You know I was obsessed with novels back in Mythologia, right?"

"No... that would be awkward. Especially a romance movie."

"Muu. Master is such a coward."

Give me a break, I thought. Just having Luna around was drawing enough attention as it was. Between her appearance in the Perseus stream and her general looks, she was becoming quite famous. I’d asked her to hide her ears, but her beauty was still overwhelming. I could feel people stealing glances at us, and it was getting annoying.

"Sorry, I'm going to go wash my hands. Wait here."

"Okay. I’ll be waiting, Master."

I watched Master walk away toward the restrooms and fell into thought.

This world had things called Dungeons, yet it was so peaceful. Unlike Mythologia, I heard no news of wars, and monsters rarely overflowed into the streets. It seemed like an incredibly easy place to live—a world so peaceful and fun that it bordered on boring, where even entertainment like "movies" could flourish. It was fine because Master was here, but fundamentally, I hated everything.

The others are fine, though... because they’re the same as me.

We were all people who had been saved. In different ways, we had all stayed by Master’s side, recognized his worth, and loved him. Master was straightforward, pure, and kind to a fault—the person I loved most, who never stopped moving for the sake of others.

"And that is precisely why... I hate everything else."

The humanity that betrayed him. The enemies who looked down on him. Even the world itself that forced those trials upon him—I hated it all so much I couldn't stand it. Everything was an enemy. I wanted to kill them all... I wanted to cast them into the [Ice Mist] and end it.

This world was still tolerable because people Master cared about lived here... but everyone from the other world was an enemy. I would kill them, rob them, and bite their throats shut. If anyone who knew him from back then ever showed up here, I would never let them escape. I had been a bit unfair to Laura, taking my frustration out on her... but it was her own fault for leaving Reima behind.

"If an enemy comes, I’ll show them the [Demon Wolf’s Obsession]. I'll show them a real hunt."

Hehe... Ah, my killing intent is boiling over.

A smile spread across my face, rising from the depths of my heart. I am Luna Managarm. The sinner who devoured the moon, and Master’s most precious Summoned Beast.

Retribution for those who harm him. Absolute death for those who resist. I will devour every last spark of life. I will kill every single enemy so that Master’s heart never clouds and he never feels pain again.