Bernatore, Bernatore

As they approached the academy, both of their hearts sank endlessly.

When Flare brought Luna, an academy official led them down the hallway towards the morgue.

“He’s inside. This way.”

Hearing and seeing were worlds apart.

If there hadn’t been hope of reviving him, she would have collapsed right there.

‘This is for Scarl.’

Luna steeled herself.

“I’ll go in alone.”

“…Are you sure?”

“Yeah.”

Following the staff member’s guidance, only Luna proceeded.

“This way.”

Luna hesitated in front of the sign that read ‘Morgue.’

“I’m truly sorry for your loss.”

“…Is he really in here?”

“This is as far as I go. I wish Professor’s soul peace.”

“…Okay.”

Renewing her resolve, she entered alone. Luna looked at Scarl, laid out, and murmured in disbelief.

“…Scarl?”

Her resolve melted away like cotton candy in water.

Unlike his body covered in a white sheet, his face, arms, and legs were clean. He looked as if he were asleep, just like on the day she confessed with a knife to Scarl’s neck, so she approached cautiously.

She couldn’t stop the tears that streamed down her cheeks from growing.

“I’m here, Scarl. Please, open your eyes. We… even this morning—”

Stroking his cold cheek, she ran her hand under the sheet, over his uncleaned body.

“Ah… Ah, Aah—!!”

Even though he was covered by a white sheet, Scarl’s blood stained her hand.

“I will, I promise, I’ll bring you back to life. No matter what it takes, I will.”

Tears streaming down her face, she smeared the blood on her hand onto the stone.

As she saw the sign that she had succeeded, as written in the letter, tears of relief poured out.

“If you wake up…”

Luna conveyed her heart to him, though he couldn’t hear.

Flare forced a smile as Luna emerged, her face gaunt.

“Did you see him…?”

Luna, her eyes swollen from crying so much, also forced a smile.

“Yeah. Everything went as Scarl said. If we gather the remaining materials and devices… we can go back to this morning.”

At those words, Flare couldn’t hold back her tears any longer.

“W-won’t Scarl resent me? Because of me…”

Luna hugged Flare tightly.

Patting her back, she comforted her, saying it wasn’t her fault.

“There wasn’t any resentment in the letter he left. Flare.”

“Did Scarl look peaceful at the end…?”

The image from moments ago flashed in her mind, and she couldn’t stop the flood of tears.

“Let’s ask him together when he opens his eyes. He’ll tell us himself then.”

After that, the two returned to the mansion in silence.

Luna waited every day in front of the Aiden Guild office, one of the addresses written in the letter, just for Kasha.

After several days of waiting, she finally encountered Kasha getting out of a carriage.

Luna called out to Kasha with a forced smile and a high-pitched voice.

“Kasha! I’ve been waiting for you!”

Kasha, who had returned early due to the news of the tragedy in the capital, felt a sense of foreboding about Scarl’s crisis when she saw Luna waiting for her in front of the guild building.

“It’s a pleasure to see you. It’s our first time meeting here, Miss Luna.”

Kasha didn’t want to know why Luna was here.

“Weren’t you Scarl’s Imperial Bank employee?”

Luna’s question was a paradox, implying she knew everything.

Kasha sighed.

“Haaa… I quit the Imperial Bank a long time ago. I’m now the sub-master of the guild that Master created.”

There was only one master of the Aiden Guild.

“Scarl said that Kasha was the Aiden Guild Master…”

Kasha bit her lip at Luna’s confirmation.

“Of course, Master is the only Guild Master. Miss Luna. Where is Master?”

Luna’s expression hardened.

“…Scarl is dead.”

Why did these ominous premonitions always come true?

Kasha closed her eyes, her lips trembling slightly.

“…Follow me.”

Leaving behind those trembling words, Kasha led the way, small fragments of her heart falling behind her.

“Kasha…?”

Due to the terrible road conditions, Kasha and Luna walked diligently towards the guild warehouse located on the outskirts of the capital.

“We’ve arrived.”

“Where is this?”

Kasha turned around, her eyes bloodshot.

“…This is Aiden’s secret warehouse. Inside are the weapons and accessories that Master prepared for Miss Luna.”

“For me…? Scarl did?”

The steel door visible through the gap in the first door, which was crushed by the aftermath of the incident, was intact.

Kasha, relieved, opened the doors one by one using her authority as sub-master.

“That sword. That is Holy Sword 『Love』.”

Luna was taken aback by the name of the sword.

“L-Love?”

Knowing what she might be thinking, Kasha quickly corrected her.

“It’s just the name of the sword, Miss Luna.”

But Luna hugged the Holy Sword tightly, as if it were Scarl himself.

“Even so.”

“…And this. The ring of regeneration and the necklace of agility. They are precious items that increase the wearer’s health recovery and agility, respectively.”

“Can rings and necklaces really have such effects?”

Seeing Luna’s expression of genuine ignorance, Kasha sighed softly.

“Huu… Miss Luna, you’ll need a lot of learning to become a Hero.”

Only then did Luna remember the letter.

“Hero? Ah! The letter! I think it would be faster for you to see this.”

Luna handed over the letter, still holding the Holy Sword in one arm.

“May I read it?”

“Yes, please.”

Kasha read through it in an instant, almost crumpling the letter.

“If this is true, can Master be revived?!”

Kasha carefully handed the letter back to Luna, her eyes blazing with fire.

“Yes.”

Kasha pointed out the most important part.

“Then where is the stone written here, Miss Luna?? Scarl’s blood should have been smeared on it that day—!!”

“The stone is already prepared. It’s currently stored in the safest place in the mansion. I’ve also confirmed that it worked properly, as the letter said.”

Kasha’s voice grew louder.

“This is the safest place! No, I’ll prepare the safest vault in the world, so let’s move it there!”

“Okay. I’ll do that if you help me, Kasha.”

“Of course! I’ll prepare the vault first!”

“What about the remaining materials?”

At those words, Kasha regained her composure, her voice quieter than usual.

“Ah…! To prepare everything, we’ll need to increase the size of the guild. Please wait a little longer.”

Flare also spent several days at the academy, searching for Sophia.

The woman weeping alone in front of the memorial was an unusual person with a faint scar on her forehead above her frowning face.

“Scarl, you promised me a lifetime together when we were young. How could you leave first like this…?”

Flare, seeking confirmation, asked a classmate who was looking for Scarl.

“Are you Sophia?”

Sophia spoke sharply, her face full of irritation.

“Who are you?! What do you want—!!”

Flare cut off Sophia and went straight to the point.

“That’s right! I want to save Scarl! Help us!”

Sophia, annoyed by the ridiculous nonsense, snapped.

“What nonsense are you spouting! How can you revive a dead person! Do you even know who I am before you say such things?!”

Flare hit her chest as if frustrated.

“Your name was in the letter Scarl left behind. Help us, Sophia.”

“…A letter from Scarl? If you’re lying, you’re dead!”

“Come with me. I’ll show you.”

Three years passed.

Luna and Flare, who had grown into Heroes, formed a hero party.

Sophia, who had become the party’s mage, entered the makeshift tent and announced a major issue.

“This is terrible! Luna! Flare! The Demon King took the most important …? How did he know about it and take it!”

Flare was furious at Sophia’s words.

“That’s all that’s left! I’m going to kill that bastard right now—!!”

Sophia looked at Luna and said.

“What do we do now? Luna?”

Luna nonchalantly tapped the Holy Sword 『Love』 hanging at her waist and said.

“There’s no choice. We’ll just have to kill the Demon King twice.”

And two more years passed.

Luna and Flare, known as the Hero Sisters, finally killed the Demon King.

Behind their achievements were the material support of Aiden Guild Master Kasha and the political support of the Second Princess Sophia, who had become the Empress from the Hero Party’s mage.

The surrounding courtiers praised the achievements of the three who had written a legend, opening their eyes and ears to record what kind of conversation they would have, wanting to leave it for eternity.

Empress Sophia, who had become the Empress, asked Luna and Flare, who had defeated the Demon King.

“Hero Luna. Hero Flare. You two have finally achieved the great feat of killing the Demon King. You’ve worked so hard. Now, tell me what you want. I’ll grant you anything except my husband’s position.”

Luna stepped forward as the representative.

“Empress Sophia. I want the Bernatore surname.”

“…As a reward, I can grant you the title of Duke or the largest territory in the empire. Hero Luna. And don’t you already have a mansion and territory in the capital? Are you trying to take even Scarl’s last remaining surname?”

As expected of Luna!

There’s a reason why she’s called the Queen of the Battlefields!

The deceased Hero Bernatore would be pleased!

Yes. If not Luna and Flare, who else would carry on the name of Bernatore!

As the surrounding courtiers praised only Luna and Flare, Sophia’s lips twitched.

Flare, who had been holding back her laughter at the sight, stood up.

“He is everything to both of us.”

“…I really can’t beat that sentiment. I understand. I will bestow the Bernatore surname upon the two of you.”

Thus, the two became nobles who inherited the surname of the fallen Bernatore family as a reward for defeating the Demon King.

So, that’s the story in the light that everyone knows.