Chapter 65: The ghost of the opera, (forcibly)

Not long before Yoo Shina, playing the role of Christine, was to meet the true ‘Phantom’ of The Phantom of the Opera.

“Luna, why did you buy my clothes at the pop-up store?”

When I stood up from my seat to go to the food court, Luna suddenly pulled me back into the pop-up store and picked up a mask and a black suit.

“You know, Sihyun, do you remember the day we had the masquerade ball in Seleneum?”

—Flinch.

As soon as I heard Luna’s question, I froze, my brain working at full throttle.

‘I’m screwed.

I definitely saw it in Luna’s past, but… I’ve seen so many memories that I can’t remember the exact details…!!’

Luna mistakenly believes that I am Lucian’s reincarnation.

So, after annihilating Greed, I was worried if Luna might ask about his time as Lucian.

‘To suddenly come at me like this.

Should I say it’s just like Luna?’

But I don’t panic!

‘That’s right, I’m Yoon Sihyun!

For me, who has mastered the Wind Release: Mouth Jutsu to max level, nothing is impossible!!’

I stroked Luna’s head with a bright smile, as if I remembered it perfectly.

“Of course, I remember.

I vividly recall the beautiful dress Luna was wearing, its color was… well, a whi—”

“I was wearing a sky-blue dress then…?”

“———It was the color of a clear, clean sky with white clouds floating in it!

I remember being mesmerized because you were as beautiful as the Moon Goddess.

Hahaha!”

—Gaze.

The silver-haired princess tilted her head and began to stare at me intently with her golden eyes.

‘Damn it!

Did she notice something??’

Gulp.

I swallowed dryly and carefully observed Luna’s expression.

Fortunately, the girl’s face showed pure curiosity rather than suspicion.

‘This is when I need to look at Luna with the most affectionate gaze!’

I gave Luna the best eye-smile I could manage as I stroked her.

—Thump-thump.

Whoosh!

At that moment, Luna suddenly rushed into my arms and hugged me tightly.

“I didn’t know Sihyun would remember it in such detail… It’s usually easy to forget memories from a previous life, so how do you remember so well…?”

No, I don’t remember.

I just blurted it out!

I don’t know anything about Lucian or whatever, so how would I know!

‘Of course, it’s not like I know absolutely nothing.’

Luna’s memories shown by Greed in the void, and Lucian’s memories forcibly injected with a headache a few days ago.

Since then, I’ve had a rough idea about Lucian, but perhaps because they’re someone else’s memories? It just felt like memorizing history, without the vivid sensation of having actually experienced it.

‘Still, it’s a relief that it’s somewhat helpful.’

I caressed Luna’s cheek and answered her question.

“Actually, I don’t remember everything.

I’ve forgotten a lot, and time has just flowed by meaninglessly.”

“I see….”

Luna rubbed her face against my chest with a choked sob.

She probably felt sorry, thinking that she had ended Lucian’s life with her own hands, causing him to lose his memories.

‘I’m not Lucian anyway, so there’s no need for her to feel sorry.’

I wiped Luna’s tears with my right hand and thought of something to say to comfort the princess.

“But you know… even though I’ve forgotten a lot, there’s something I remember clearly.”

“Wh-what is it…?”

“Precious memories, like a lantern always illuminating the way in the dark sea of memories… they are the memories with my beloved princess.

Personal things are only vaguely remembered, but all the memories I shared with Luna are clear.

Going to the ball with Luna, secretly buying delicious food at the market, and even getting scolded together by the head maid while playing hide-and-seek, hahaha.

Isn’t it amazing?”

“······!!”

I possess the memories that Luna and Lucian shared.

His personal memories passed by like a noisy video, so I don’t know them well, but I understood all of Luna’s memories through the re-establishment of the narrative.

If I use this, I can surely comfort our princess.

“Perhaps I’ve been a fool who only knew Luna from the past until now?

It seems I only remember things related to our princess.

Hahaha!”

“······Yes, Sihyun is a fool….”

“Yes, I’ll be a fool who only knows Luna.”

“······.”

I felt Luna’s shoulders, still in my embrace, tremble slightly.

She was probably moved and sobbing.

Poke-poke.

At that moment, I felt as if someone was poking my conscience with a needle.

It felt like a rebuke, saying, ‘Are you happy deceiving the princess by pretending to be Lucian?’

But so what?

Who told her to misunderstand?!

‘It’s too late to correct it now.

I’ve already crossed the point of no return.

As it is, I have no choice but to keep lying!’

And there are only about 20 days left until Luna leaves.

It would look bad to reveal the truth now anyway.

“The conversation strayed a bit, but did you bring the suit and mask because you wanted to have a masquerade ball after all?”

Luna shook her head, then placed the mask on my face and said softly,

“You know, Sihyun, you’re playing the role of a savior in this world too, aren’t you?

You’re saving people from the urban legends.

I know it now.”

“······????”

As I was flustered by Luna’s sudden actions, an emergency broadcast blared through the department store with a siren.

—Beeeeeeep.

Sirens and screams echoed from all directions.

As soon as people heard the broadcast, they all panicked and began to flee outside.

Luna, as if she had already known such a situation would occur, calmly put the mask on me and asked me to save the people.

“I really, really hate it when Sihyun is in danger because of his destiny as a savior… but my mom taught me that waiting and trusting the man you love is also a wife’s virtue.

So go quickly and save the people.

Give them back their lives, just as you saved me.”

“······?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?”

“But you absolutely must wear this mask!

H-Perhaps other women might fall for Sihyun when they see him saving people!

N-No cheating allowed!!

Got it?”

“?!?!?!?!?!?”

What is this situation?

Why is she suddenly putting a mask on me and sending me to face an urban legend?!?!

I don’t want to go!

I’ll just run away!!

I’m not a savior!

I don’t have a destiny or anything!

‘Sihyun is so scared of urban legends!!

They all look super scary!!’

I really, really don’t want to go!!

I was planning to do absolutely nothing and just laze around during my vacation!

‘It’s clear Luna is misunderstanding something again!

I need to correct her quickly…’

I lowered my head to look at Luna to explain, but as soon as I saw her expression, I had no choice but to give up.

Golden eyes that looked like they would burst into tears at any moment, Luna biting her lip tightly to suppress her sobs while forcing a smile.

‘Her expression looks like she’s filmed 10 tragedy movies in her heart… There’s no explaining this now… Damn it.’

Luna was currently possessed by the pitiful heroine who sends off the man she loves due to destiny.

But what if I suddenly poured cold water on that?

‘That would be like trampling on a growing girl’s dream…’

“Hic…! G-Go quickly!

You have to fulfill your mission as a savior before I hold you back!

If you waste any more time, I feel like I’ll try to stop you from going….”

‘Please, can’t you hold me back more?’

“Is it hard for you to go because I’m right in front of you…? Sihyun always found it hard to leave me even in Seleneum…!

But don’t worry!

I’ll run outside right away, so don’t worry about me and save the people with peace of mind!”

‘Can’t you worry about me a little, Luna?’

—Dash-dash-dash!

As soon as Luna finished speaking, she began to run outside.

She probably thought that if she hesitated, it would be hard for me to leave.

“It’s a relief that Luna is evacuating to a safe place… but to actually leave without looking back… I feel like I might cry a little….”

She tells me to go to the urban legend, but she runs away to safety by herself…!

‘Luna… a scary child…!’

I vowed not to give Luna any snacks today.

“Sigh… Since our princess asked, I guess I have to go….”

So, I was half-forced to change into a cheap cosplay outfit and went down to the first basement floor to save people.

“She clearly said it was disaster-level on the broadcast earlier…?

You’re dead, you bastard.”

It’ll be night soon anyway.

With just the Aura of Destruction from the beginner package, dealing with illusions and disaster-level threats is literally a ‘click’, regardless of strategy.

I’ll unleash all my rage from being abandoned by my princess due to a ridiculous misunderstanding.

****

[The false play ends here.]

The sentence that came from Phantom’s mouth felt like an absolute being declaring to his creations.

A noble man clad in pitch-black aura.

His black suit and the white mask covering his entire face made his presence even more mysterious.

An urban legend bestowed with the unprecedented rank of Destruction-level.

The pitch-black aura emanating from him instantly began to annihilate The Prankster’s presence.

—Swoosh!!

[Kuaaaaak!! What… what are you…!

You are not the puppet I prepared…!

Th-this overwhelming and dangerous aura… C-Could it beeeee!!!]

[Oh foolish one, who treated others’ lives as a game, your story ends here.]

[N-No way…!

I-I still… there’s so much I haven’t seen…!

Now, now that I’ve finally gained my muse——]

—Fizzle—

The Prankster was annihilated into dust along with its plushie disguises, without even its true form appearing.

[The Prankster, you were merely an audience member.]

Such immense power.

Disaster-level beings couldn’t even maintain their form before him.

Yoo Shina, the girl who witnessed everything from nearby, felt fear at his overwhelming power, yet had something she wanted to ask Phantom.

“Why did you appear here…?

Did you come because you truly pitied a frail girl caught by an urban legend…?”

She had heard that Phantom only appeared when humanity was in danger, above disaster-level urban legends.

But to appear just to eliminate a mere disaster-level urban legend.

Was there someone special to Phantom here?

‘N-No, what am I thinking…!

I’m not a special person like a heroine in a story… It must just be a coincidence.’

Shina initially didn’t believe the rumors about Phantom.

How could she easily believe that the most powerful urban legend, who played with and killed people, would save humans?

‘Honestly, I thought Phantom saving Yeonwoo was just a coincidence.

But…’

Phantom appeared on stage as if he had been waiting for the moment Shina made a deal with an urban legend and mortgaged her life.

Perfect timing.

It could only be seen as him coming to save her.

Shina forced out a trembling voice and asked Phantom,

“Phantom… why did you come here…?

Just out of boredom?

Or… did you come for someone special?”

As if responding to the girl’s voice, Phantom, wearing the white mask, slowly turned his head.

The girl who had questioned him was standing there, wearing the dress The Prankster had put on her.

She looked like a princess.

Seeing her, Sihyun was reminded of the silver-haired princess who had forcibly sent him to the urban legend.

‘Boredom my ass!

Am I crazy?

To come catch an urban legend because I’m bored?! I was forced to come here because of our princess!’

At that moment, in sync with Sihyun’s thoughts, Phantom answered Shina’s question.

[Because of the princess.]

—Thump!

‘H-He really came just to save me…?’

The single phrase Phantom uttered began to plunge Shina into a great misunderstanding.