Lunamaria’s father had passed away before she was old enough to form memories, leaving her mother, Noah, to raise her single-handedly.
Lunamaria had always adored her mother—a kind, warm woman who balanced her gentle nature with the demanding work of a top-class adventurer. She yearned to be of use to her mother, but as a girl with demon blood in her veins, her growth was sluggish; it wasn't until she passed the age of forty that she finally entered her physical growth period.
Her path toward becoming an adventurer felt like destiny. Under Noah’s mentorship, she honed her skills, and within a few short years, she had distinguished herself as a high-ranking adventurer in her own right.
Content that her daughter had come into her own, and at Lunamaria’s urging, Noah finally retired from the front lines. She began treating her chronic anemia under the care of her primary physician, Vier.
Then, disaster struck.
It happened about five years into Lunamaria’s career. By all accounts, she was an excellent adventurer, but she was by no means infallible.
It wasn't that she had been reckless or conceited; her preparations had been thorough and her health management peak. Yet, she had overlooked a sign so minuscule that only the most seasoned veteran would have caught it—the herald of a monster Stampede.
By the time Lunamaria realized her mistake, she was already encircled by a sea of monsters. Even with her high-ranking skills, the sheer numbers were suffocating, and she was slowly driven into a corner.
Just as she braced herself for the end, her savior appeared: her mother, Noah.
"Mother!"
"I’m glad I made it in time. Leave this to me and run, Ru-chan!"
Noah was a veteran of countless quests. She had sensed the signs of the Stampede from a single line in a copy of a request form Lunamaria had left at home and had rushed to the scene at breakneck speed.
Unwilling to waste even a second calling for reinforcements, her desperate gamble had paid off, and she had reached her daughter just in the nick of time.
"B-But...!"
"It’s all right. Your mother is strong... remember?"
A gasp escaped Lunamaria’s lips. Looking at her mother’s smile in the face of an uncountable horde, she understood the weight of the sacrifice being made. She turned and ran.
As she bolted through the remote forest, Lunamaria shed heavy tears.
She knew. If she stayed, she would only be a hindrance.
She knew. The only thing she could do now was find help.
She knew that during her active years, Noah had forced herself to consume vast amounts of animal blood to maintain her strength, despite her deep revulsion for it.
She knew that since retiring and stopping the practice, her mother no longer possessed the power of her prime.
She knew that at this rate, her beloved mother—the most important person in the world to her—was going to die.
Lunamaria sprinted desperately, forcing her body to keep moving even as she stumbled over roots and her muscles screamed in pain. But the nearest settlement was still so far; she was never going to make it in time.
The moment that despairing thought crossed her mind, her foot caught on a stray root and she took a violent tumble.
"Ugh... Someone... Please, help..."
Her voice was a thin, broken plea. But it was a plea that changed her destiny forever.
"Hmm? Is someone there? My, you’re badly hurt... Stay still, let me use some healing magic."
Lunamaria recognized the figure instantly. She was a being who stood at the absolute summit of the Demon Realm, a woman Lunamaria had seen from afar during the Hero Festival.
"The... Underworld King...-sama..."
"Oh?"
Realizing she was in the presence of Kuromueina, Lunamaria scrambled up and threw herself into a kowtow so deep her forehead scraped the dirt. She shouted with every ounce of strength she had left.
"Please! I beg of you, help me! At this rate, my mother will... Please! I’ll do anything! Anything you ask, just please!"
She knew this was beyond the height of insolence. To beg a favor from one of the Six Kings was an unthinkable sin, yet she clung to that one sliver of hope with everything she had.
A hand was placed gently on her shoulder as she sobbed into the earth.
"It’s all right. I’ll help you. Just tell me what happened."
"Ah... ugh... monsters... a Stampede... My mother is fighting them alone... and I... I couldn't do anything...!"
"A Stampede... I see. No wonder the monster presence felt so unusual."
Kuromueina listened, her expression pensive for a heartbeat before a radiant, dazzling smile bloomed on her face.
"Don't worry. I promise I will save your mother."
"Thank... you..."
In the pale moonlight, that smile was the most beautiful thing Lunamaria had ever seen—the smile of a true savior.
The Underworld King moved with terrifying speed. She reached the battlefield in an instant, annihilated the entire horde in the blink of an eye, and mended Noah’s broken body with potent healing magic. Finally, carrying the unconscious Noah over her shoulder, she returned to Lunamaria’s side.
"Mother!"
"She’s fine. She’s only unconscious. I’ve healed all her wounds, so her life isn't in any danger."
"A-Ah... thank you! Thank you so much! I... I don't even know how to begin repaying you..."
"Don't give it a second thought. I only helped because I wanted to. Besides, you’ve had a rough time, haven't you? You did your absolute best. It’s all right now. Come on, I’ll take you both home."
"Yes..."
Lunamaria wept with relief. Her beloved mother was alive.
Led by Kuromueina, the two returned to their house. After the Underworld King tucked the unconscious Noah into bed, she prepared to depart, but Lunamaria called out to stop her.
"Wait! Underworld King-sama!"
"Yes?"
"My name is Lunamaria. I will never forget this kindness! I will remember it for as long as I live!"
"You really don't have to be so formal. I’m Kuromueina. Perhaps our paths will cross again someday."
"Yes! I look forward to it!"
As Kuromueina walked away with a cheerful wave, Lunamaria bowed her head repeatedly until the King’s figure vanished into the night.
From that moment on, Kuromueina was more than just a benefactor; she became the center of Lunamaria’s world, the object of her eternal adoration and faith.