—————————————————————–
Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
—————————————————————–
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Estia emerged from the bathroom, the night air cold against her skin. Her pants were different from when she entered, but she tried to ignore it.
“That was just a dream… my pajamas always looked like this…”
Estia, lost in self-delusion, blushed and glared at the book lying on the floor.
‘The book that restores memories except for that woman’s!’
If I read this, I can heal Mister! It’s not a complete cure, but…
Hmm.
‘But I’m not satisfied unless it’s a complete cure…’
Estia, who wanted to heal all pain, felt uneasy about Minerva’s instructions, but she opened the book.
“T-This is…! Unbelievable!”
Estia frowned and exclaimed,
“Too many words! So annoying! Don’t you have a picture book!?”
The Goddess has no sense!
No picture book?!
The Goddess seemed less impressive in person. Estia grumbled, but she started reading.
“Hmm…! Hmm, with this method…! I can decide what to do with Brother’s memories…!?”
The Saintess will decide the patient’s treatment.
Estia, holding the book like a scalpel, walked towards Lee Jun-woo’s room with a solemn expression, like a surgeon entering the operating room. But her shadow wasn’t alone.
“She’s going to Mister’s room? But why does it feel like Estia’s pants have changed!?”
“You’re right.”
“We have to stop her… w-we can’t let her restore his memories…!”
Three shadows followed Estia. It was perfectly normal for people to wake up when there was a commotion in the hallway in the middle of the night.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
‘Brother is still asleep.’
Lee Jun-woo was sleeping peacefully, his eyes closed. He tossed and turned, murmuring in his sleep, as if having a bad dream.
Estia wanted to sleep next to him, but she remembered her task and shook her head.
‘I-I can’t lose to sleep, Estia…! You’re the Saintess…! You have to heal Brother…!’
I can’t be sleepy…!
Estia opened the book and looked at Lee Jun-woo. And like a priest performing an exorcism, she began to chant.
“By the power of the Goddess, I pray for the one tormented by nightmares, unable to sleep. May his soul be healed and freed from these nightmares!”
A golden light emanated from Estia, filling the room. She continued to read the passage with a sincere heart.
“Ease his pain… and grant him a new life with the power of the divine…”
The room brightened, but Lee Jun-woo remained asleep, his face contorted in a frown. Estia’s voice weakened, and drool dripped from her mouth.
“Ugh… uhhh… I’m… losing consciousness…”
My mind is fading…
Like the book said, my mind is connecting with Brother’s ‘dream’ and ‘soul.’
“He… hehe… hee…”
As their minds connected, Lee Jun-woo’s memories flashed before Estia’s eyes. She watched, mesmerized.
“This is dangerous.”
“You’re right. It’s dangerous.”
But the Hero’s party wasn’t going to stand idly by. Luna, Hare, and Saten watched from the doorway.
‘Trying to heal Mister behind our backs, you traitor…’
Betrayal is unforgivable.
Creak-
They opened the door and approached Estia, who was making strange noises.
“Mmm, ehh… hehehe…”
“Estia! You traitor! How dare you try to heal Mister!”
“B-Betrayal must be repaid with death…!”
“Wait, something’s wrong with Estia. She’s twitching like she’s being electrocuted, so don’t touch her-“
Ah.
Saten’s warning came too late. Luna and Hare had already placed their hands on Estia’s shoulders.
“Mmm, ehhh…”
“He… hehehe…”
“Mister… Mister…”
“This is a mess.”
Everyone except Saten had lost consciousness. Saten held her throbbing head.
“Sigh.”
She wasn’t sure what was happening, but she had no choice but to join them.
‘They’re not hurting Mister, so it should be fine.’
I don’t like this… indecent display… but…
Saten reluctantly placed her hand on Estia’s shoulder.
“Mmm, uhh…”
“He… hehehe…”
“Mister… Mister…”
“…”
And so, the consciousness of all four connected with Lee Jun-woo’s soul.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
The sky was clear and blue. Even though it had been a dark night, all they could see was a bright blue sky.
“Where are we?! Were we kidnapped?!”
“No, this doesn’t seem like a kidnapping. Look over there.”
Saten calmly analyzed the situation.
There was an ordinary house with a flower garden. Various plants, presumably for research purposes, were growing there. Saten reached out to pick a flower, but her hand passed right through it.
“Invisible flowers!”
“No, the flowers aren’t invisible, we are.”
Saten’s hand passed through the front door as well. Estia shouted,
“How dare you come here!! I-I’m supposed to be healing him!! What are you doing!!”
Three pairs of eyes glared at Estia.
Luna said,
“Why did you try to heal Mister… without telling us…?”
“Because I wanted to! So what!”
“If he regains his memories! Mister won’t be happy! You idiot!”
“We don’t know that! But we can’t just leave him injured! You call yourself the Hero! You’re just an idiot!”
Luna raised her fist at Estia, who quickly apologized.
“S-Sorry! My bad! Don’t hit me!”
“Good apology, Estia.”
“Phew…”
Estia, intimidated by Luna’s change in demeanor, explained,
“I wasn’t betraying you! The Goddess told me to heal Brother’s soul, but not the memories of that woman!”
“Who?!”
“The Goddess!”
“…The Goddess didn’t say anything to me.”
“So the Saintess is more trustworthy than the Hero, huh!”
“But I’m the one who defeated the Demon Lord… I feel bad…”
Luna sulked. But while they were arguing, Hare’s eyes were darting around.
“I found him. M-Mister…”
“Where?”
“He… hehe… he’s by the window… he doesn’t have a beard… he looks so young…”
Hare giggled, looking at the younger Lee Jun-woo. Saten’s expression turned serious. And it became even more serious as she saw what happened next.
“The red-haired woman. Was her name Aina?”
“M-Mister is… so close to her… n-no way…”
Lee Jun-woo and Aina were play-fighting by the window. Aina had Lee Jun-woo in a headlock, and she seemed to be saying something to him. She was beaming, and while Lee Jun-woo looked annoyed, he seemed to be letting her do it.
The scene was both heartwarming and shocking to the Hero’s party.
“T-That’s… the Mister we know?! N-No way! That’s not Mister! It must be a monster disguised as Mister!”
“He looks so happy… happier than when he’s with us…”
“…”
“Is that Brother’s true form? I like that he’s bright and cheerful, not gloomy!”
The other three frowned at Estia’s comment.
“W-What! What did I say?!”
“…You’re so clueless. Even more clueless than me!”
“…You should be careful what you say, Estia.”
“I agree.”
“W-What did I do wrong…”
Estia, the only one with a different opinion, pouted. Meanwhile, Lee Jun-woo and Aina’s daily life continued.
“They’re moving!”
“W-We have to follow them…!”
The Hero’s party followed Lee Jun-woo and Aina as they moved from the window. They were unresponsive to the Hero’s party’s presence, so the children entered the house.
“The house is surprisingly clean! As expected of Mister! Mister was her disciple, right?”
“That’s what I heard. He learned magic from her.”
“Sh-She’s more impressive than I thought.”
How does she compare to me?
The thought made Luna feel strangely uncomfortable.
“…I’m probably not even close. I’m still not good enough.”
If I become as strong and amazing as her…
Will Mister smile at me like that?
Luna carefully observed their interactions.
“Jun.”
“What.”
“Why.”
“…Why.”
“Right, right. I should use honorifics with Master. More importantly, what’s for breakfast? I told you I would kill you if you made vegetables again.”
“You’ll eat it even if it’s vegetables, and you won’t kill me, so be nice.”
“…Just give me food. I’m hungry.”
Aina whined and tapped the table.
Lee Jun-woo seemed used to her behavior and even chuckled. The children didn’t like this unfamiliar side of him.
“Don’t you have hands! You can do it yourself!”
“Sh-She’s flirting with Mister… g-go away…”
Lee Jun-woo, ignoring Luna and Hare’s protests, continued to prepare breakfast. He finished cooking and placed the food in front of Aina.
Aina’s eyes lit up, but she quickly schooled her expression, glancing at Lee Jun-woo.
“Well, not bad for today. But who said you could make vegetables? Do you want to die? I’ll use you as an experimental subject!”
“…Try it first.”
“Don’t talk back to your master! Do I look easy to you?!”
“Just eat. My arm is getting tired.”
“…”
Chew~
Aina reluctantly ate the vegetables. Lee Jun-woo smiled, a smile the Hero’s party had never seen before. Luna felt a pang in her chest.
“Has Mister ever smiled at us like that?”
“…N-No.”
“…”
“That’s… the first time I’ve seen Brother smile like that… I don’t like it…”
He had smiled before, but…
This smile was different.
The warmth was different.
‘Can I… receive a smile like that from Mister?’
Seeing that smile directed at someone else, the Hero’s party felt a sharp pang of pain.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
