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Translator: penny
Chapter: 193
Chapter Title: The Black Star's Necromancer Hassan #4
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"To think you didn't lose consciousness even after seeing this lady's true form. Your courage has grown quite a bit."
I instinctively knew that this colossal woman, formed from a tangled mass of crows, was Luna's mother, Nox.
The goddess of night and superstition, Nox.
The immense being said to rule the deepest depths of hell had now revealed herself before me.
Though I'd conversed with her many times through Luna's body, this felt entirely different. Perhaps this was her true form.
Seeing her tremendous majesty, my body truly felt frozen. To think such a massive entity existed. She was enormous in every way. Cold sweat trickled down my back from the tension as I forced my mouth open to ask,
"With Luna right here, is it okay for you to appear like this...? She might wake up..."
Her deep purple eyes then swept past me, gazing down at Luna.
"The child... Luna will not awaken for the time being. This is that kind of curse. A curse that activates once Luna accumulates a certain amount of karma."
"A curse...?"
Even setting aside my bewilderment, her words seemed to carry undeniable weight.
"So Luna won't wake up from her sleep for a while?"
"Indeed. This is the curse placed by this lady and the Sovereign of Darkness, Erebos. From now on, Luna will fall into a long slumber."
I knew Luna's body carried curses.
Nox's curse and Erebos's curse.
But I had no idea what they entailed, and no amount of acupressure could dispel them, so I'd left them be.
It seemed they were curses that triggered upon reaching specific karma levels—specific level thresholds, in other words.
Luna's level was around 20 now, right?
Indeed, when Luna hit level 20, her sleeping hours increased.
Who would have thought that was the curse's effect?
A long slumber ahead...
At that moment, Luna's mother, the goddess of night Nox, murmured as if filled with deep regret.
"But the appointed day came sooner than expected. It should have taken a bit longer. It seems the limit arrived early. Far too soon."
Swish-.
The giant goddess Nox glided silently past me without a sound and knelt by Luna's head. She even gently stroked Luna's hair with her massive palm, petting her softly.
"By rights, it should have taken fifty more years. She should have lived an ordinary mortal life and enjoyed ordinary happiness..."
As she stroked Luna's hair, Nox mumbled with genuine regret. Round, hard objects soon fell from her enormous eyes, rolling across the garden courtyard.
Onyx stones.
Nox was grieving.
"Could you explain what's going on? Why was such a curse necessary?"
"Luna was born for the empty throne. This lady and her husband Erebos bore an heir to replace the escaped king. But Luna was too small. Too frail."
The empty throne.
The escaped king.
This was the story I'd once heard from the ox-headed monster. A tale that piqued my curiosity immensely, yet one I couldn't ask anyone about socially.
As I tried to understand what Nox intended to say next, she opened her massive mouth and added a few more words.
"We decided to hide Luna. But someday, when Luna grew, they would surely discover her. Thus, we had to curse her to prevent her growth."
"Discover her?"
Discover her by whom? The explanation was sparse, but from what I could interpret, someone was targeting Luna.
"Who says they're out to harm Luna?"
"The sons and daughters of hell. The chaotic heirs coveting the throne. Child, if you continue with Luna, you'll meet them soon enough. And you'll have to fight them."
Swish.
Mid-sentence, Nox raised her head and looked up at the night sky.
"They are sharp as honed spear tips. The great warriors chosen by chaos lurk in that night sky and dark shadows, glaring like black stars."
"..."
As far as I knew, Nox was a supremely powerful goddess.
Her domain was the abyss in Tartarus—hell's deepest reaches, where even screams and wails couldn't penetrate.
She dwelt there, a being so vast that even Jupiter, ruler of the world, acknowledged her authority.
For such a goddess to hide Luna from powerful foes...
Just as she said, I could almost feel assailants shining like black stars somewhere in that night sky, sending chills down my spine.
"With Luna as she is now, she cannot handle them. So we hide her from them. We halt her growth, plunge her into deep slumber if we must. Do you understand now?"
"...More or less. So, when exactly will she wake up?"
Swish.
Nox stroked Luna's face as if closing her eyes. Luna lay utterly still, as if dead.
No movement, no whimpers—just steady breathing.
I asked again.
"Then... when will she wake up again...?"
"I do not know. Perhaps in ten years. Perhaps in a hundred."
Her answer left me seeing stars. A week or a month had felt interminable. Now it was in units of a century. Our senses of time were worlds apart.
"A long time indeed. When Luna opens her eyes, everything she remembers will have changed. But to immortals like us, it is but a fleeting moment. When she awakens, Luna will resume her life as if nothing happened."
"That's..."
Luna awakening after a century.
Could I be by her side then?
No, of course not. Even if I lived a long life, eighty years would be my limit. As an ordinary human, I couldn't share her lifespan.
Truth be told, I'd vaguely anticipated this. I hadn't foreseen her falling into such a deep sleep, but I knew our timelines differed.
Luna was the daughter of a goddess.
I was human.
Perhaps Luna lived as long as an elf or nymph, with an extraordinarily extended life.
Even if we lived happily together, maybe I'd pass first, leaving Luna alone on this earth.
It seemed that was indeed the case.
"To form bonds with immortals is thus, child. This is why gods do not casually speak of fading or love. They know such bonds inevitably end in parting."
"..."
I had no words to reply. I simply felt the immense wall before me. A wall far too great for me to overcome.
"But that doesn't mean there is no way at all."
"Is that true?"
"Indeed. If you truly care for Luna, it is not impossible."
"What's the way? What do I need to do?"
"Luna's tragedy stems from the empty throne. The battles over the seat of the escaped king. Then simply fill the seat."
* * *
"Your karma from me has run out. This lady will take her leave. Remember well what I have told you. Ah, before that, I wish to grant you a small blessing."
Nox stood before me.
Being looked down upon by a woman larger than myself felt mystical, eerie, and strangely nostalgic.
How long had it been since a woman loomed over me? It evoked memories of my mother from childhood.
Swish.
Smack-.
She soon lowered her head and pressed her lips to my forehead.
A kiss on the forehead from my girlfriend's mother.
Honestly, I couldn't help but be flustered. Even on Earth, I'd heard Westerners kiss on the lips as family greetings. Was this that?
Luna's family was so open-minded.
So, what blessing did you bestow-? As I meant to ask, text appeared before my eyes.
"A grace from the primordial night is bestowed."
"The grace 'Cloak of Night' evolves into 'Armor of Night'."
"Grace 'Armor of Night': Armor imbued with the primordial night—Nox's authority. Greatly increases the user's defense once per day. Stronger the less light is present."
Armor of Night.
The grace from Lady Nox had evolved my cloak from the veil of night into full armor.
Its power matched its name—increasing defense. But I couldn't quite grasp the sensation yet.
"May I ask what power this is?"
"It is the sacred armament bestowed upon this lady's holy warriors. Armor of Night. It cloaks the body in darkness, greatly hindering perception. Utter this lady's name."
She told me to call her name. Feeling somewhat awkward, I murmured,
"Lady Nox-."
"Karma value of 10 is consumed."
"Current karma value +180"
Text appeared before my eyes, and simultaneously...
Squish, squelch squelch-.
Something sticky like mud wrapped around my calves, knees, thighs, and more from the ground.
It was shadow like black ink. Right on the boundary between liquid and shadow. It even seemed alive at times.
The black substance coiled around me, painting my body dark like fresh paint.
"What, what is this-!"
Soon it covered my stomach, chest, arms, neck, face—everything. Panicking at the shadows overwhelming me, I shouted. Black liquid flooding my nose and mouth.
It felt like it would block my breathing, so I flailed about.
"Embrace the darkness. There is no need to fear."
Her reassuring voice allowed me to regain my senses.
In truth, though the bizarre shadows enveloped my entire body, there was no hindrance to movement or breathing.
"A full-body activation on the first try. Though your yin influence is strong from the recent Hades incident, the affinity is quite good."
Hearing Lady Nox's satisfied voice as she beheld me, I looked down at my arms and legs to assess my state.
Just as the grace's name implied, it felt like I'd donned a suit of bizarre armor. Sharp and jagged, like a villainous exec from a tokusatsu show.
What about my face?
As I patted my face with my palms, Nox waved her hand in the air. A small mirror materialized in the empty space.
I peered into the hand mirror. My face was shrouded in deep shadows, with only red eyes gleaming through.
"This..."
I looked like a total villain.
If I'd encountered myself like this in a dungeon, I'd have screamed, hurled my weapon, and fled.
But knowing it was me, it looked strong and imposing—pretty cool, actually.
Above all, a power to conceal my identity.
No need for cumbersome robes or masks—perfect.
* * *
The courtyard Nox had left was littered chaotically with crow feathers, as if a summer typhoon had passed.
Snore, snore.
Oblivious to my turmoil, Luna lay beside me, lost in slumber. A deep sleep of unknown duration.
Perhaps an eternal one.
I felt sorrowful.
The thought that I might never hear Luna's cheerful voice again filled me with such grief that tears nearly came.
I'd heard from Nox how to wake her, but whether it would happen in years—or at all—was uncertain.
Beside hell's throne grows a special flower called mente. Brew it into a potion and feed it to her, Zigress. Then Luna will awaken.
Nox had told me how: brew the special herb growing by hell's throne.
But hell's throne wasn't for just anyone. It would require immense resolve.
In other words, tantamount to telling me to die.
Could I even do it...?
I lacked confidence, but gazing at Luna sleeping so innocently stirred a bit of courage within me.
If I gave up the challenge, Nox had said she'd take the sleeping Luna and hide her where no one could find her.
I couldn't bear that.
But would Luna truly never awaken?
So I carried her to the second floor and tested: lifting her eyelids, pressing her cheeks.
"Luna, wake up!"
I even shouted loudly by her ear, but Luna didn't stir an inch, deep in true slumber.
I flipped her prone and pressed firmly on the nape and base of the skull with my fingers.
The Fengchi and Tianzhu points, massaged diligently.
These were spots teachers used to wake drowsy students—stimulating blood flow to the brain, clearing the mind, perfect for rousing sleep.
Squeeze, squeeze-.
"Mmm..."
But Luna only whimpered, showing no sign of waking.
While at it, I moved my hand from her nape to tug her earlobe. Soft, cool, tender.
Father once said the ear is a microcosm of the body. For waking, the head points; the earlobe governs the head.
So I pulled her earlobe firmly and pressed hard with thumb and forefinger.
"Ugh-."
A pained groan escaped Luna's lips. Any normal person would have bolted up furious, yet she didn't.
"The nerve-."
My stubbornness kicked in, so I placed my thumbs on her temples.
Temples were vital points and weaknesses, but also key for headaches and massage.
Pressing down hard on both sides.
"Eeeeeek-!!"
This time, even Luna couldn't endure it; she let out a piercing scream.
"...Hassan!! I was sleeping fine, why'd you do that!!"
Thud-.
"Gack-."
It hurt for real; she sat up and punched my gut hard. Caught off-guard, my solar plexus sent me croaking like a stomped frog.
"Guhhh..."
"Ugh, my head hurts. Thought my skull would crack-!!"
Luna scowled, rubbing her temples.
"Luna, you're awake?"
"Yeah!! Of course I wake up if you press like that!!"
Luna yelled furiously, but I was overjoyed she'd awakened.
Then text appeared before my eyes?
Ding-.
"Relieved Luna Noxdoty's status 'Nox's Curse'."
"Karma value +50"
"Current karma value: +240"
Ding-.
"Relieved Luna Noxdoty's status 'Erebos's Curse'."
"Karma value +50"
"Current karma value: +290"
What the heck.
Curses I'd poked everywhere to no avail had converted to karma value. And a hefty amount, more than usual.
What?
Maybe pressing the sleep-waking points in sequence like a combo?
Father once mentioned order matters in acupressure, like courses in a French dinner.
I'd dismissed it as nonsense and never properly learned.
But now it seemed pressing wake-up points in order actually worked.
Perhaps curses and statuses I'd failed before could be lifted by sequential pressing? Who knew.
Anyway, Luna awakening from what I thought eternal sleep was cause for immense joy.
No need to trek to hell or whatever for mente flowers—thank goodness.
Still, just to be sure, I asked Luna,
"Luna, do you remember everything that happened?"
If curse aftereffects wiped recent memories, that'd be disaster.
"I remember up to stargazing. When did I fall asleep?"
Fortunately, Luna recalled everything up to falling asleep.
"No pain or discomfort anywhere?"
"Doesn't seem so? But Hassan, you're so worried. Let's go to the clinic tomorrow then!"
Her assurance that she was truly fine finally eased my mind.
I relaxed.
Yet part of me wondered if I should.
I'd boldly promised Lady Nox to stop some war or battle.
What about that vow?
Luna's sleep was to freeze her growth, hiding her from the Abyss spawn.
Awake now, she'd grow further, potentially drawing those attackers.
Pluto, who fled abandoning hell's throne.
His cultist followers, fallen to heresy.
Struggles over the vacant throne.
The chaotic heirs, potential threats.
Lost in the chaos earlier, my mind now reeled with crucial keywords.
I wanted more details, but who to ask? Then I recalled Antiope, the holy warrior I'd tattooed into corruption recently.
Snakes know snake paths best? No—earth-dwellers know better.
Then cultist matters should be best known by a knight order hunting them.
With training against Hippolyte tomorrow anyway, I could visit Antiope and inquire if she knew anything.
"Hassan... More importantly, something's bothering me..."
Luna sniffed close to my body, like smelling an odor. Something bothering her? Did she sense Lady Nox's visit?
Curious about her reaction to Nox's scent, I tensed slightly.
"...What a peculiar karma. Strangely familiar too. But it's a woman's karma. What is it? Hassan, did you meet a woman while I slept?"
"No."
"...Liar! You reek of female. Dangerous, a dangerous female's scent-!!"
Luna then rubbed my forehead with her forearm. The spot where Lady Nox had kissed still felt warm.
"Whoever she is, don't meet that woman again!! She's seriously dangerous-!!"
Luna declaring I mustn't meet her own mother, Lady Nox. My mind spun dizzily.
[Author's Note]
The illustration is complete...!! Featuring two existing characters together in one piece, a combination blending three techniques...!!
Shoutout to illustrator star741 for the hard work on the two characters and background, and to all readers who gave coupons—glory to you all...!!!
Next illustration's star: the ditch water nymph...
Then the one after...
Then the one after that-.