༺ A Moon That Wishes To Become A Star ༻
– Step, step…
A woman walked along a snow-covered country road, navigating through falling snow.
– Beep, beep…
“What’s happening?”
It was Vener, exhaling a warm breath to thaw her frozen hands.
“You lost contact… with the Paladin and the Saintess?”
Vener, who had embarked on a journey to punish Frey, frowned at the urgent radio message from the dispatched Hero Party.
“Is this info reliable? Could the Saintess have forgotten to use the radio, or the Paladin turned it off?”
While it was common for the Paladin and the pure Saintess, Ferloche, to lose communication, the message hinted at a more serious issue.
“You mean… the signal is completely gone?”
Even if their magical communication devices had been turned off, the signal should still be traceable. Strangely, it had disappeared entirely.
“I get it. I’m almost there; I’ll check it myself.”
Frowning, Vener disconnected the signal and quickened her pace, stopping shortly after.
“So…”
Soon, with a tense expression, Vener reached for the sword hanging at her belt.
“…What’s your business here?”
Someone stood in her way in the middle of a deserted path at night, holding a sword.
“Isn’t it obvious?”
The mysterious figure in the darkness revealed herself.
“It’s to ensure my dear disciple rests undisturbed.”
It turned out to be Isolet herself.
“Are you defying the world?” Vener questioned, her expression turning cold as she stared at Isolet.
“Just for those insignificant memories?”
Isolet responded with a chilling smile, as cold as the weather.
“For me, those memories are everything.”
“You’ll regret this. When I return, you’ll lose everything, and the Imperial family and the church will chase after…”
“I don’t care.”
Isolet interrupted Vener’s long speech, pointing the sword toward her.
“I’ve given up everything and made an oath to him.”
“What…?”
“Also, you see…”
As Isolet spoke, Vener’s pupils widened at her words.
“…Return? What does that mean?”
Isolet, glaring at Vener for assaulting her disciple, emanated an overwhelming sword aura.
“You’ll never return to the Hero Party.”
“That sword aura…?”
It resembled the legendary Sword Saint’s sword aura from a thousand years ago.
“…If you don’t want to die from a single blow, draw your sword.”
Recognizing her strength, Vener sweated bullets and quietly drew her sword.
– Claaaaang…!
Their swords clashed the next moment.
‘Serena… that brat…’
Amidst the massive shockwave, Isolet remembered Serena, who had hinted that Vener would come. Soon, she thought.
‘…She’s indeed a smart child.’
For the sake of sweet Frey, Serena and Isolet planned to remove Vener from the Hero Party.
‘But it seems the place behind them wasn’t the lodging Serena mentioned but just an old inn…?’
Yet, even that was part of Serena’s cunning plan.
.
.
.
.
.
– Shaaa…
“…Oh.”
In the ruins of the Western Continent, far from the Sunrise Empire in the Southern Continent, a makeshift tent stood.
“This is impressive…”
There, Kania manipulated a surge of dark mana that had suddenly entered her body.
“It’s much stronger than the dark mana I used before… At least ten times stronger…”
Compared to the mana she used before, it had a different level of concentration and strength.
“But I’m still… at the level of a high-ranking warlock?”
She thought she had grown stronger, but that wasn’t the case.
Because she remained at the level of a high-ranking warlock, Kania needed to surpass the top level of the high-ranking barrier to manifest the new dark mana throughout her body.
Even if she broke through that barrier, reaching this power level wouldn’t be possible for her.
In truth, she questioned whether this was genuine dark mana. Though she labeled it as such, Kania considered it “something close to the origin.”
“Well, it won’t hurt if I have it for now.”
After rolling the black sphere on her finger for a while, Kania absorbed it and murmured.
“With this, I can make Young Master even happier.”
While black magic typically caused pain and cursed the target, it could also produce beneficial effects if used skillfully.
Kania was confident in manipulating dark mana.
“Alright, then…”
Lying on the bed inside the tent, Kania quietly picked up a nearby lemon candy and licked it carefully.
“Euuuu…”
Despite its extreme sourness, Kania licked it as if familiar with the taste.
“He’s been quite active lately.”
Frey’s frequent kisses with other women made Kania feel like she had indirectly kissed all of them.
“Lick, lick…”
Her sensations went beyond that.
On certain days, she experienced ambushes or, conversely, ambushed others. There were instances when she was in armor-like confinement, with her entire body pressed against a woman’s flesh for hours on end.
Kania couldn’t endure it once and had to knock herself unconscious briefly. However, nothing worse had occurred since then, and she felt relieved.
Just before the excruciating pain, she had felt a dizzying sensation throughout her body.
‘I love you, Young Master…’
Overwhelmed by the emotions at that time, Kania had heated up. She blushed and rolled around on the bed, whispering to herself.
‘I want to return as soon as possible and serve Young Master…’
Clana’s investigation team on the Western Continent was nearing completion of its duties.
After a few more review processes, she was scheduled to return to the Sunrise Empire with the team in a few weeks.
“How can I make Young Master happy? I’ve worn the dress once, so… um…”
She had been eagerly anticipating each day lately, often mumbling while pulling her blanket.
“…Should I take a look at Young Master before going to bed?”
Despite the draining role of heading the investigation team, she had transformed into a cat to gaze at her Young Master’s face every night. That filled her with energy.
“Meow?”
With her eyes closed, she connected to the cat far away, and soon, her head tilted in confusion.
“Woof, woof! Woof…!”
Around her, a red puppy spun around and barked frantically.
“Chirp…”
Next to the puppy was Canary, crouched in a corner with a forlorn expression.
“Gugu.”
Covered in leaves and snow, Gugu had just returned from somewhere.
“Gu?”
The dove, unusually relaxed compared to the other animals, yawned and tilted its head at the staring cat.
“Mewww…?”
Only then did Kania snap to reality and realize their surroundings.
‘A-a lock…?’
They were inside a box.
‘Is this an attack?’
With this realization, Kania broke into a cold sweat and nervously looked around.
“…Meow?”
Glancing around, Kania noticed a note stuck inside the box, and she froze.
Reading the bold statement, Kania lowered her gaze in disbelief.
Kania’s mind went blank as she read the next line.
“Mewwwww…!”
The mournful cry of the cat-shaped doll echoed through the hideout.
.
.
.
.
.
“Frey! Snow, it’s snowing!”
“…Yeah.”
“And it’s the first snow too!”
“I know.”
Serena was excitedly running around, circling Frey, who was enjoying the snow outside.
“Do you recall? The first time I confessed my feelings to you was also on a day like this.”
“I don’t remember.”
“I do. It doesn’t matter, as long as I remember.”
Serena nestled into Frey’s embrace, snuggling her face against his chest before glancing to the side.
“Urrr…”
“There are demons ahead! Should we engage in battle?”
“W-well, let’s retreat for now. The village is too close. Lead them to a more remote area…”
The ongoing battle in the distant forest was being monitored in real-time through the eavesdropping magical device in her ears.
“Lowly demon race, chase those bastards.”
“Yes, ma’am!”
“Master said not to kill them. So don’t kill them.”
“Understood!”
Observing Lulu commanding the Combat Officer in real-time and driving away the members of the Hero Party who were already so close, Serena smiled contentedly once again and muttered.
“So, what do you want to say, Frey?”
Frey, who had been looking down at her, whispered in a low voice.
“I love you.”
“……..!”
Serena’s pupils dilated significantly upon hearing those words.
“Now that it’s nighttime, you should return to your original self, right?”
Frey turned his gaze to the side and added.
“…Well, it’s just that.”
“W-was that… what you wanted to say…?”
“Shut up.”
As Frey continued to avoid her gaze and replied with a cute expression, Serena’s heart beat uncontrollably.
“F-Frey….”
Serena gazed at him passionately and extended her hand toward him, but…
“Well, let’s call it a night for today.”
“Huh?”
“…I’m just a little tired.”
“……..”
After Frey stepped back from her and said so, she looked at him silently.
“To be honest.”
Frey calmly walked toward the inn, leaving her behind.
“…You are, actually, not that plain-looking.”
He stopped walking and spoke in a low voice, his eyes meeting hers.
“Just… keep that in mind.”
Having witnessed the illusion a moment ago and fearing that she might leave him, the villainized Frey finally managed to reveal his true feelings with much difficulty after relying on the power of alcohol.
– Step, step…
After delivering his impactful statement, Frey silently entered the mansion.
“……..”
“Sigh.”
Serena, who had been watching Frey with excitement, exhaled warmly and mumbled.
“…I can’t hold back any longer.”
.
.
.
.
.
“Hufff…”
Entering the inn before Serena, I just wanted to lay down on the bed in the room, and as the incoming fatigue creased my expression, I let out a deep sigh.
“Why are there no more vacant rooms…?”
I had asked the innkeeper, still groggy and confused after waking up, but he said there were no vacant rooms.
For a moment, I considered chasing the Sun God out, lying inside my room, but the cold made me think otherwise, so I just let her be.
“I guess there’s no other way.”
With things as they were, I had no choice but to sleep in Serena’s room.
She could sleep in her bed, and I could sleep on the floor.
Besides, she’s my fiancée, so it shouldn’t matter, right?
“…Ugh.”
While contemplating this, I suddenly groaned, feeling as if my head had cleared up.
Lost in thought, I emitted a soft groan, feeling a sudden clarity in my head.
‘How many times is this… now?’
Throughout today, my mind would clear up and then cloud over again.
What was this “Villainization” in my system window that kept popping up?
I seem to have regained my senses temporarily, but it would be quite troublesome if this continued.
Quest Content: Remove Serena’s Curse of Familial Subordination
< New Mission! >
Contemplating this, I decided to check the system notification that I had missed due to the recent attack by the Demon God.
“…Huh?”
My eyes widened instantly.
Mission Content: Spend the night with Serena
Reward: Progress 80% -> 90%
“…….!?”
Staring at the system window for a while, I was taken aback by the straightforward yet shocking content.
– Creak…
As the door opened and Serena stepped into the room, I instinctively closed the system window and spoke.
“Uh, hey… Serena…”
But something felt off.
“Frey…♡”
“Serena?”
Her eyes seemed unfocused.
Click…!
“Huh? Huh?”
Watching her with a bewildered expression, I suddenly widened my eyes as the door clicked shut. Our eyes met as she crossed the doorway.
“Hehe…”
“W-wait a minute? Serena?”
With a flushed face, Serena gracefully ascended onto the bed with gentle movements.
“I’ve always wished to become a Star ever since long ago.”
“What?”
Eventually, Serena delicately stroked the purity ring on my left ring finger, which had been shining white until then, and took my hand in her right hand.
– Ssk…
“…..!”
Undoing her dress in one swift motion, she revealed her naked body, dressed only in thin undergarments, and whispered.
“…Please, turn my family name into Starlight.”
As I gazed into her eyes, resembling moonlight, my mind began to go blank.
“Will you give it to me?”
It seemed that today would be the day my ring would turn black.
You can rate/review this series here.
Advanced chapters available on genesistls.com
Illustrаtiоns on our discоrd – discord.gg/genesistls
