# Under the Black Moon Sky

Beneath a sky where the black moon hung.

On a field piled with corpses, a woman sat with her head bowed, muttering to herself.

"Don't abandon me."

"..."

"Don't disappear and leave me behind."

"..."

"Don't hate me."

With trembling lips, cold fingers brushed across her face.

"Love me."

She was spitting out sorrow filled with hatred and anger.

This was an expression of love. The beginning of the first word of love she uttered to him.

"Love me..."

She cried out coldly in the face of cruel reality.

*

Another peaceful day at the Hamel Mansion.

"Eeeeek!!!"

The young miss was thrashing about on her bed, wailing loudly and throwing a tantrum.

"No...!!! I said no!!!"

"..."

"Why...!!! Why are you canceling it!"

Because I broke the promise I made with the young miss.

Wiping away the cold sweat on my forehead, I carefully offered words of comfort to the young miss who was clutching her pillow as if she might tear it apart.

"I'm sorry. It's just that... given the situation, I think it would be better to resolve this issue first before we go."

Shrieking loudly, the young miss responded with denial. Why should she suffer because of someone else's problem?

"They're them and I'm me!!"

"..."

"Why are you canceling everything on your own!"

The young miss's words could be called cold-hearted if one wanted to be harsh, or callous if one wanted to be critical, but I had to admit that the greatest fault lay with me for canceling our trip planned for next week.

I too was shedding tears of blood at the fact that I wouldn't be able to see the young miss in her bikini.

Still.

"I'm sorry..."

I couldn't ignore a crisis that might erupt at any moment. We could go on a trip anytime, but if we missed the timing on an issue where Serena's life was at stake, I would regret it forever.

I didn't think it was impossible.

Yuria, who had checked Serena's condition with her divine sight, said there was no solution, but having only solved impossible problems until now, arrogant as it may sound, I didn't think this was something I couldn't resolve.

"Hmph!"

The young miss pushed out her lips in a pout and turned her head away sharply, venting her frustration, but knowing the whole situation, she didn't say anything too harsh.

Though she was a callous villainess, her heart was more tender than anyone's.

I carefully approached the young miss with her puffed-up cheeks and crossed arms, and pulled out a chocolate from my inner pocket to offer her.

I didn't think this would completely heal the young miss's wounded heart, but I thought it might provide at least a little comfort.

"I'll make sure this doesn't happen again."

"...Hmph!"

"Please take this and bear with me just a little longer."

"Do you know how much I was looking forward to it? I even bought a black bikini! And I bought a ball that flies in the wind so I could play volleyball with Ricardo!"

"...Haha."

"I like playing with Ricardo more than chocolate."

Despite her words, the young miss was carefully extending her fingers toward the chocolate, which made me chuckle as I smiled with gratitude.

"Thank you."

The young miss turned her head and spoke gruffly. Since things had come to this, I should make sure to fix it properly.

"You have to save that plant guy."

"..."

"I'll take care of him, so make him better before it's too late."

"I understand."

With a small smile, I carefully opened my palm and then clenched my fist. If there was no other way, I was thinking of using the touch of rehabilitation to try to cure Serena's illness.

"...You're thinking of something dangerous again."

"No, I'm not."

"No. I clearly said no."

"...I understand."

With the young miss's warning, I awkwardly scratched my head and nodded.

"Then I'll be counting on you."

"Just trust me."

Along with the warm atmosphere, the young miss smiled as she put the chocolate she had received into her treasure pouch.

"..."

I don't know why my gaze was drawn to it.

"Hmmmm..."

"..."

"Has it gotten bigger... it shouldn't have."

As the young miss's hand moved boldly when the chocolate wouldn't go in as easily as usual, I slowly closed my eyes and carefully asked a question.

"Young miss."

"Hmm?"

"There's something I've been curious about for a while. May I ask?"

"What is it?"

"It's a bit of an indecent question..."

"It's fine, just ask."

With the young miss's enthusiastic permission as she nodded her head, I put on a brazen face and asked.

"By any chance..."

"Hmm."

"About that treasure pouch."

"Hmm?"

"When you put chocolate in there, doesn't it melt?"

Despite my sudden question being potentially offensive, the young miss smiled as if wondering why I hadn't asked sooner and answered.

"It doesn't melt."

"But people have body heat, how can it not melt?"

"Well..."

The young miss raised the corners of her lips.

"My treasure pouch is cold."

"...Pardon?"

"Strangely enough... my treasure pouch is always cold, so chocolate doesn't melt even when I put it in."

"..."

"Sometimes when it's hot it does melt, but usually... if I do this and then like this..."

I nodded and decided to stop thinking about it.

'East Sea waters...'

I didn't think I'd be able to stand up for a while.

Even after a long time, my heavy heart wouldn't calm down, and just as I was trying to change the subject to something more wholesome.

-Knock knock.

With the knocking sound echoing in my ears, the creaking door opening made the young miss's brow furrow.

"Eeek...!"

"Hmm?"

"Why are you coming in without permission!"

"I knocked."

"After knocking, you're supposed to say your name!!"

Serena, who had entered the room, offered a brief apology of "Sorry" and began striding toward me.

"Human, I have something to say."

I responded without hesitation.

"Don't come over here!!"

"...Human?"

"Um..."

Crossing my legs elegantly, I smiled awkwardly at Serena and said. I couldn't stand up in the current situation.

"Could you please sit on that sofa over there and talk?"

"..."

"It's not that I dislike you, don't misunderstand. It's because I smell of sweat."

"Sniff...sniff... You don't smell like sweat..."

"I can't right now."

Reluctantly nodding, Serena looked at the young miss and bowed her head.

"Woman, excuse me. I've come in."

The young miss clenched her fist and looked like she was about to rush at Serena, but seeing Serena's clueless expression, she sighed and bowed her head.

"Someone even dumber than me has arrived."

"Thank you for the compliment."

"You little..."

"Female owner is kind."

Serena, looking pleased, carefully took out a notebook from her bosom and began to recite the contents written in it while looking at me.

"Didn't the human tell me to report once a day?"

"Ah... yes."

"I'll begin my report."

"Yes."

"My condition today is good. I woke up early and greeted the plants."

"Yes, yes..."

"And today I went to that big-boobs sister and..."

"Not big-boobs, it's Lady Elysia."

"The female owner called her that, so I thought her real name was big-boobs."

"..."

"Anyway, I was dragged to big-boobs and got lectured. About Ricardo Chapter 1 Verse 5..."

At Serena's words, my mind suddenly became calm, and I uncrossed my legs and covered Serena's mouth.

"I don't think you need to tell that story."

-Blink. Blink.

Looking down, I glanced at Serena's notebook and bit my lip with a faint sigh.

[Condition Report.]

Today's condition is good.

Talked with big-boobs sister.

Plants are growing well so I feel good. I think I'll be rich soon so I'm happy.

Not allowed to find land with dowsing rods so I don't feel good.

(!) Strange voices have started to be heard in my ears.

I felt like I shouldn't waste any more time.

·

·

·

·

A few days later.

"...Hmm."

Serena thought that the atmosphere in the mansion had been strange since she had fainted.

"Hmmmm."

She thought that the attitude toward her had become more careful, and the female owner who always looked down on her had become gentler.

"Hmm..."

It wasn't uncomfortable, but Serena sighed and wiped her forehead, feeling left out in an atmosphere that seemed like they were plotting something behind her back.

"Hmm..."

For now, she needed to focus on the game.

"Plant."

Deliberately ignoring Olivia's nickname that echoed in her ears, Serena looked at the chessboard on the table with a deeply contemplative expression.

"Hmm."

"You lost."

"Hmm hmm..."

"I said you lost."

Olivia looked at Serena and clicked her tongue.

"Stop thinking and surrender!"

Serena, staring at the chessboard as if she could bore a hole through it, snorted and replied.

"I haven't lost. It's not over yet."

"..."

"I still have one move left. A divine move that can overcome this unreasonable situation."

"What are you going to do with just two pieces, you idiot."

Looking at the chessboard that had become empty just as Olivia said, Serena moved her king one square to the side with a sly smile as if nothing was wrong.

"I dodged it."

"..."

"Now my counterattack begins..."

With a dull 'tap' sound of moving a piece, Olivia said in a short voice.

"Checkmate."

Serena's eyes trembled as she grabbed both corners of the chessboard.

"Human."

"Yes?"

"Look out the window."

"..."

"There's a giant bat over there..."

"If you flip it, I'll hit you."

At Olivia's voice filled with killing intent, Serena carefully removed her hands from the chessboard and nodded.

"I lost this round."

"You're at 0 wins and 10 losses. Don't talk like you've won before."

"..."

Serena, trying to distract from her damaged pride, changed the subject. If she talked more about chess, she felt her confidence that had been built up by beating Ricardo would be wounded.

"So, where did the human go?"

"Why Ricardo?"

"The human told me. To not leave his side."

"..."

"I haven't seen the human lately."

At Serena's question, Olivia tried not to show any change in her expression as she answered.

"He told you to play with me."

"..."

"I'll play with you, so don't look for Ricardo and play with me."

"Human is boring."

"What?!"

"Human doesn't help me."

"It's because you're too bad at it."

"I want to play with the red-haired human instead of the human. At least the red-haired human is handsome, so there's some fun in looking at him."

"You just lost 5 points."

"..."

Looking at Serena's drooping shoulders as she hung her head dejectedly, Olivia sighed and slowly rose from her chair.

"Get up."

"...Aren't we playing one more round? I can win the next one."

"I'm hungry, so get up."

"...Right."

Rolling up her sleeves, Olivia raised the corners of her lips.

"I'll cook for you, so follow me to the kitchen."

The corners of Serena's lips slowly began to drop.

"Ah..."

She remembered what Ricardo had told her.

-You must never eat food prepared by the young miss.

-Why not?

-Because you might die.

Serena gulped and said.

"S-save me, human."