Episode 57
A Midnight Talk
057 ? Midnight Talk #2
As we left the guards’ office, two moons were shining brightly in the sky. Both moons were covered in shadows, and their sharp claw-like shapes looked quite pretty.
Luna said as I was thinking about my Earth Science scores, wondering if it was a crescent or a waning moon.
“I’m sorry Hassan. I made it so difficult for you…”
Luna, whose anger had completely subsided, spoke in a crawling voice.
Since he had lost all his money, he might have lost everything he could call confidence. When your wallet gets thinner, your confidence also gets thinner.
“When I said I would help you, I said let’s do it together. I had some free time today anyway.”
“But I can’t just receive help forever. I did the work of building the cabin. I need to learn how to do it myself.”
Luna’s idea of doing things on her own without any help from others was very admirable. But on the other hand, it felt like she was drawing a line between my work and yours, so I felt a little lonely.
Of course, Luna didn’t mean to convey such a detailed meaning, but that’s just how I felt. Then, suddenly, I was surprised to find out that Luna’s words made me feel lonely.
It seemed like Luna was relying on me a lot, but it also seemed like I was relying on Luna a lot, especially on a mental level.
After all, in this beggarly world where even wild animals like deer rob you of your pockets, Luna’s softness and innocence felt like a light to me, who was rolling around at the bottom with no one I could trust.
Living alone, suffering and going through each day in despair.
But it feels different to have a trustworthy colleague with whom you can share things and go through hardships together.
“From now on, don’t follow men around without fear. What would have happened if something more dangerous had happened?”
“… .”
Luna realized her mistake and just didn’t say anything because she was so shocked. I thought saying more wouldn’t make the situation any better, and Luna seemed to understand well enough, so I decided to just keep my mouth shut.
As we walked, we arrived at Luna’s small hut located in the western slums of Sodomora.
“Are you really going to sleep here?”
“I don’t even have money for a hotel room.”
“I told you I would lend it to you?”
“No. If you borrow money without paying, you’ll get into the habit. Then, one day, your debt will grow out of control. I already owe 2 gold, so I can’t let it increase any further.”
Luna’s attitude was quite firm. She may have engraved in her heart the motto, “Don’t owe money to others while living alone.”
But I felt uneasy about having to leave Luna alone in this cabin.
I don’t mean to insult the poor, but honestly, I can’t say that the slums of Sodomora are safe.
If you listen closely, you can hear the sound of something hitting the floor, along with single screams of “ugh, ugh” here and there.
This is the back alley west of Sodomora, where robbers, vagrants, and sick people with bandages wrapped all over their bodies wander around with their yellow eyes gleaming.
Even though I have a strong physique and carry three swords, I always have to be on my guard when I pass by here.
Besides, if Luna were to sleep here, there’s no telling what might happen. Homeless people trying to escape the wind might storm into the cabin.
I asked.
“Are you really going to sleep here?”
Luna answered.
“What’s wrong with this place? It looks nice because it’s all cleaned up.”
Phew-.
Just then a gust of wind blew, shaking the perforated planks and making the hut shake as if it were going to collapse.
Luna trembles at his touch.
“It’s a little cold, but I’ve slept in worse environments than this. Anyway, thank you for today, Hassan. Bye, and see you tomorrow morning at the south gate of Sodomora!”
Luna seemed to have already decided to sleep here, no matter what I said.
In that firm heart, it seemed as if one could sense the attitude of a prisoner or monk accepting a kind of asceticism.
Punishment for losing money. Is that even possible? Of course, I don’t know exactly what Luna is thinking.
“Then, I’ll sleep here too.”
Anyway, I finally let out the words that had been lingering in my mouth. I thought about how and in what way I could get them out. In the end, what came out of my mouth were just raw words.
Luna frowned slightly as if she found my words strange.
“Hassan is sleeping here? Why?”
What does “why” mean? I don’t know if it’s just a question with a pure meaning, or if it’s a sophisticated twist of rejection.
However, I’m not sure Luna is capable of using sophisticated language, and my thoughts are leaning more towards the idea that it’s just pure curiosity.
“no?”
“It’s going to be quite windy here….”
“Then wouldn’t it be okay if we just stayed close to each other?”
I thought and said it, but it was really amazing quick thinking and wit. It’s common for people to share each other’s warmth on cold nights to raise their body temperature.
I desperately squeezed out my wit even more, fearing that Luna might reject me.
“If we cover ourselves with a blanket and sleep with our shoulders together, we’ll be warm. It’s better for you to be with someone than to be here alone.”
“Hmm, that’s true. Okay, then!”
Oh yes, I got permission. Actually, I thought it would be a little uncomfortable to sleep in a hut like this instead of a hotel bed. I, too, am someone who has experienced enough to be sick of homelessness.
A place like this, with walls and a ceiling, can be called a super easy difficulty level even among the homeless classes.
Moreover, the mere presence of the warm and soft Luna touched my heart.
Swish, swish. Flutter-.
After laying out something like an old blanket on the floor, Luna and I sat with our backs against the wall, our shoulders pressed against each other, and I covered myself with my long raincoat as a blanket.
It wasn’t as bad as I thought.
“Not bad.”
“Right? I said this place is great. I can feel a faint magic nearby.”
Luna starts bragging about her cabin, saying how nice it is and how it has voodoo inspiration.
As he worshipped Knox, the god of superstition, he seemed to have a habit of believing in illogical inspirations and omens as if they were real.
Anyway, my attention was focused on Luna, who was talking with shining eyes, rather than the cabin.
The first thing you notice are her sparkling eyes, and when you look at her from the side, you can see that her eyelashes are surprisingly long. Her nose bridge is high, but it doesn’t feel like it has thick lines.
The jawline is thin and gives off a delicate feeling. However, it matches well with the white, soft skin, creating a pretty look.
The warmth and softness of the shoulder that touched me was felt particularly vividly.
Was it true that I really spent the night with this girl? When I think back, that day had some aspects of a midsummer night’s dream.
Because I was also absent-minded and clumsy, I think some of my memories of that day are exaggerated or distorted. I also regret not being able to try things, touch things, or lick things back then.
Sniff sniff-.
As I furtively sniffed, Luna smelled of cool peppermint as always. But today, perhaps because she hadn’t washed, there was a slightly sweet smell of sweat, which was very strange.
Swish-.
Sval, even though I know it’s not right, the juice in my lower body keeps bulging out. This kid is really an incredibly positive king.
“That’s how it is! What do you think? You can see why I chose this place! 3 gold for a place like this isn’t really expensive. I actually made a profit! The price here will more than double later.”
Luna, who had been talking to herself, concluded the story.
I was just looking at her profile, so I mostly just overheard the story, but to summarize, it seems like Luna was doing some otherworldly land speculation.
Anyway, that wasn’t what was important to me.
“Lu, Luna.”
“Huh? Why?”
Luna turned her head as if to ask if there was something she was curious about. Eventually, I couldn’t hold it in any longer and slowly leaned my head closer to Luna.
Because I felt like I would have no more wishes if I could feel those sparkling lips again. However, Luna’s slender hand reached out and stopped me near my chest.
“Oh, no, Hassan… .”
“Why? There’s only the two of us anyway. If we do it quietly and secretly, no one will know.”
At that moment, I suddenly remembered the function of the 《Graceful Night Cloak》 that I was carrying.
The Cloak of Night is said to reduce the chance of being discovered by others when performing covert actions in dark places. Does that apply to such and such things? Honestly, what could be more covert than that?
While I was lost in such thoughts, Luna spoke quietly.
“There are more than just the two of us. There’s a wolf spider over there too.”
Luna points to the jar in the corner with her finger. Sval, feeling a little creeped out when she realizes that there is a wolf spider the size of her palm inside.
“And there’s Lord Knox too.”
Swish.
I followed the tip of Luna’s index finger. Then, wasn’t there some kind of strangely shaped wooden statue standing there?
It’s about the size of a palm. I thought it was just Luna’s interior decoration.
“Is that Knox?”
“Yeah, yeah, it’s like a simple statue. It’s well made, right? You said you heard a voice last time. I made it based on that feeling.”
At Luna’s words, I got up from my seat and walked towards the statue of Nox. What should I say about what I saw up close?
Shit, it wasn’t a new product anyway. If I had to give it a name, it would probably be something like a cursed object. It’s like a device that opens a secret door by fitting it into a puzzle piece in a maze in a horror game or something.
The sight of it looking like a mix of an owl and a human was creepy. In particular, the two large, raised pupils seemed to be staring at me strangely, giving me a very creepy feeling.
“Why did you suddenly make this?”
“From now on, I have to pray to Lord Knox every night before going to bed. He said he wanted to hear about what happened that day and what I thought.”
“I see.”
It felt like I was receiving a report from my daughter. I pictured Luna chattering away on her own. I think there was something cute about that.
“T-T, more than that, does Hassan believe my story?”
“What? The deer ran away with the money? Honestly, it sounds like a joke-.”
“No, it’s that Nox-nim spoke to me. If I tell this story, other people will tell me not to lie… Actually, it feels like a dream to me too.”
Aha. Luna seemed to find it hard to believe that Nox had spoken to her. After all, people in this world fervently believe in God.
Because only a very small number of people have heard the grace or voice of God. Most people only vaguely feel that “there is a great and amazing being.” I am the same.
However, as someone who had met Knox and a blanket, I had no doubt that what Luna said was true.
I sat down next to Luna again. For the time being, I thought I would be content with the warmth I felt from over my shoulder. However, I was determined to find a way.
“I believe the story about talking to Knox. It seems true.”
“Oh, really? Is it really true?”
“I guess so.”
“Hassan is very convincing when he talks about it. Why Hassan, you received help directly from the God of Light last time. I’ve only heard of it in myths and legends. This is the first time I’ve seen someone receive help directly from a god.”
Luna stuck out her tongue as if she was amazed, recalling something from long ago. Then I remembered what had happened in the swamps of Kallan.
A flaming arrow that flew through the fog and blew away all the moisture in the swamp. In fact, I was a little bit tired of it. Another similar experience was the duel with Hippolyte.
The man who suddenly appeared in the world that had stopped was probably a being revered as a god in this world.
Could it be Mars, the god of strife? Judging from the fact that he says he chose between himself and Minerva, it seems like it’s a story about the two guilds of Sodomora.
Then the man naturally becomes Mars, the god of struggle.
But, didn’t Hippolyta say she was Mars’ daughter? A father who takes off his own daughter’s armor? What? I don’t know.
“You were really great, Hassan. Now that I think about it, it’s interesting. Hassan, are you by any chance a really great person? Are you by any chance the son of Jupiter?”
“Whose son am I?”
“Jupiter, the god of lightning and thunder! His children are said to become gods of high powers, or heroes who accomplish incredible feats. Is that the case for Hassan too? Are both your father and mother your real parents?”
No, shit, why are you suddenly being so rude? I was taken aback for a moment, but I soon realized that Luna didn’t mean it that way.
Actually, I have heard the term “son of Jupiter” here and there. Luna was talked about as if she was something great, but the term that people used was actually closer to a contemptuous term.
Because it meant a child who doesn’t know his father. It means a child without a father.
Jupiter, the most powerful god in the world, is said to be quite the debaucher, and he seems to puff up the bellies of women here and there to make them bear children.
So women who gave birth to children without knowing the father would say, “This child is the son of Jupiter!” and that became fixed in that sense or something.
“Both of my parents are still alive and well in my hometown.” Probably.
“Really? Then how come you are receiving so much attention from the gods when you are not even a child of God? Enough to break the silence of 30 years… .”
Luna was lost in her own thoughts, as if she couldn’t understand.
What kind of expression would Luna make if she realized that the person in front of her was not Hassan from Samaria, but Hassan from the Republic of Korea?
Anyway, Luna was lost in thought for a while, and then she fell into a deep sleep. She must have been tired from chasing the deer and organizing things, so she probably fell asleep quickly.
As I was watching the sleeping figure, I was also trying to close my eyes and conserve my energy for the thief-catching event tomorrow.
Ssssss.
The chilly cold began to creep into the cramped cabin again, giving me goosebumps. At first, I thought it was just the wind blowing through the hole.
Tsk tsk, tsk tsk-.
Shit, I’ve already experienced this abnormally cold weather that chills you to the bone.
“I. Am. Coming.”
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