Help Me, Miraemond!

◈

Luna’s sudden behavior.

No matter how much I thought about it, I couldn’t imagine what could have caused such a change toward me.

If she was showing disgust or avoiding me…

I could immediately guess it was because of my honest gaze. Oh, wh-what should I do!

That would be easy to figure out because there were too many things I felt guilty about.

But rather, Luna hugged me, shouted that she wouldn’t give me to Bleks, and just went home.

No, really, why did she act like that?

Was my “I won’t leave you” appeal insufficient?

In the end, I couldn’t come up with any solution just by thinking on my own.

So.

“And that’s what happened this morning.”

“Yaaaawn… really?”

I consulted with Miriana-noona, who had her eyes narrowly open as if still sleepy.

For reference, Miriana-noona’s current attire was a white one-piece nightgown.

The somewhat cute outfit suited Miriana-noona well.

“Noona, aren’t you too tired?”

“What can I do if I usually sleep late? I’m originally, yaaaawn. I work from the afternoon, so this time is my sleeping time, you know?”

“Really? But you always come quickly when I visit. Even if you work from the afternoon, isn’t it a bit short?”

“Anyway, my job now is just management and paperwork. I haven’t done any active work since I received healing from you.”

“Is that so?”

“Should I call it trauma? In the end, the reason I ended up in that state was because of poison in the drink I was having during my break. I want to cut off the source of such things happening.”

“Is that okay though?”

“Don’t underestimate the connections I’ve built, Jin-sang~ Even if I don’t physically work, the establishment is mine now anyway. Besides, I’m capable and smart, you know? Business is actually better than when the previous owner was directly managing it. That means, no one can complain to me! Hohoho!”

“Ooh, that’s amazing. Ah. You’re still tired, right? Stamina Heal!”

I restored the energy of the capable and great Miriana-noona.

Then Miriana-noona blinked her eyes, her face now free of fatigue.

“Oh my. This resolves fatigue too?”

“Fatigue is ultimately a lack of stamina, so isn’t it natural?”

“That’s true?”

“More importantly, do you have any idea why Luna is acting like that?”

“Wait, let me wash my face first.”

“Ah, yes.”

Miriana-noona finished a quick face wash and returned.

“Phew, no matter how comfortable I am with Jin-sang, I’m still a woman, and talking with eye boogers stuck is a bit…”

“Noona is pretty even with eye boogers, so I don’t mind.”

“…This kid really knows how to say nice things. Ahem. Well I mind?”

Miriana-noona sat back on the sofa and said:

“Well, after hearing your story, I have a guess.”

“Oh, really?”

I’m glad I came to Miriana-noona.

“From what I can see… it’s probably her trauma creeping back up?”

“Trauma?”

“Yes. Jin-sang, the trauma that you might leave her.”

“What? But I have no intention of leaving Luna?”

“Jin-sang. No matter how much you don’t think that way, Luna can’t firmly believe it every single day. Moreover, Luna has been abandoned and had her party dissolved many times, right?”

“Hmm…”

“Such wounds of the heart can’t heal in just a day or two. I also stepped back from active work after that terrible experience, you know? Ah, of course~ if Jin-sang is willing, I could get real~ intense~ with Jin-sang…”

“Hey! Don’t sidetrack and explain properly please!”

“Tsk, with that innocent obsession.”

No harsh facts!

“Jin-sang, you’ve gotten much stronger lately, right? At first, you were completely pathetic, but now you’re decent? You’ve become an adventurer who can even hunt orcs.”

“Isn’t ‘completely pathetic’ a bit harsh?”

“In arm wrestling with Luna…”

“Yes, I was completely pathetic!”

Please don’t remind me of that embarrassment!

“Think about how Luna has parted ways with parties until now. Other party members all grew and became ready to go to the next city… but Luna, though fast, was stagnating because of her low stamina, right?”

“Well… that’s true.”

“So even if Jin-sang gives her reassurance by saying you’re the ultimate combo. Seeing Jin-sang grow, Luna’s trauma is constantly being triggered. That’s why she feels anxious and doubtful. What if Jin-sang abandons her just like everyone else? That’s what she’s thinking.”

“Th-that can’t be…”

Luna has such anxiety?

“Well, still, all the efforts so far have been worthwhile.”

“What does that mean?”

“If she was really anxious to the point of going crazy, she would have clung to you and begged you not to leave, right? But instead, she embraced you and told Bleks not to take you away, right?”

“Yes.”

“That means she still thinks to some extent that you won’t leave on your own. Though you might be taken away by someone?”

“I’m not such an easy man, you know?”

“Su~re.”

Miriana-noona crossed her arms, slightly lifting her large breasts with a squish.

Ooh…!

“Jin-sang?”

“…Ahem! Ahem! Ah, a man’s instinct is unavoidable! But that’s separate from dissolving the party with Luna! I will absolutely never dissolve it!”

“My goodness, now you’re even becoming shameless? Our Jin-sang has grown a lot?”

“No, Noona. More importantly, what should I do? How can I give Luna more… faith in me? A sense of security?”

Help me, Miraemond!

To my question, Miriana-noona shrugged and said:

“Well, if words aren’t enough, why not give a gift?”

“A gift?”

“Yes. Even something small is fine, but giving a gift as a token of trust or affection makes people trust you completely. Like how Jin-sang… healed me?”

“Ooh.”

“By the way, Jin-sang, have you given Luna even one gift?”

“Uh… no.”

“That’s why this happened. Even without any intention, not giving a single gift after being in a party together for a month is a bit… lacking, don’t you think?”

“Ugh…”

I have nothing to say.

“Well, Luna is the same in that regard. Jin-sang, first, give Luna a gift. If you make the first move, it will have a really good effect?”

“Is that so? Ah! Then what kind of gift would be good?”

“Jin-sang.”

“Yes!”

“That’s something you have to think about yourself. Would it be right to rely on me for everything?”

“Hmm… that’s true.”

It’s not good to leave all judgments to others.

Especially for a gift for Luna, who is a precious companion and ultimate combo partner.

It would be wrong to entrust it to Miriana-noona instead of deciding myself.

“Thanks for the advice, Noona!”

I immediately stood up and thanked Miriana-noona.

“You’re leaving already?”

“Yes. I’m going straight to the market to buy a gift for Luna!”

“It’s good that you act quickly. Take care, Jin-sang~ I need to sleep a bit more.”

“But I restored your energy?”

“A beauty naturally needs a lot of sleep~. Or… would Jin-sang like to come into bed and keep me from sleeping…”

“Sleep well!”

◈

After rejecting Miriana-noona’s temptation, I immediately went around the market.

A suitable gift for Luna…

I thought very hard.

I’ve never given gifts to women in the first place!

…Of course, giving carnations to my mom is naturally an exception.

But even without experience, one can have knowledge!

I roughly thought that something wearable would be good for this occasion.

What would be good for Luna…

A necklace… since Luna is fast, it might choke her, so pass.

A bracelet? But what if it causes discomfort when wielding a dagger?

A ring… honestly, that’s too much.

While thinking deeply and looking around the market.

“Ah.”

An item caught my eye.

It was a hairpin with a crescent moon-shaped decoration.

A hairpin with pretty color and shine that didn’t look cheap.

And moreover, the decoration design was a crescent moon!

I don’t know if it’s the same here, but “Luna” also means moon.

Good.

I immediately decided on the gift for Luna.

At times like this, intuition is important!

“Ex… Pretty sister! How much is this?”

“My, the young man has a good eye!”

I got a discount.

◈

“Uuuuu! J-Jin-sang must think I’m weird…! Uuuu…”

After hurriedly returning home.

I covered myself with a blanket and regretted the mistake I made in the morning.

Jin-sang wasn’t any different from usual.

But I got anxious and ended up doing s-something bold.

Jin-sang’s gaze at that time was hot.

It felt like Jin-sang’s attention was focused only on me… I liked it.

But when Jin-sang immediately tried to continue exercising…

I ended up doing an even bolder action.

I s-slightly showed my breasts to Jin-sang.

“J-Jin-sang will th-think I’m a strange woman.”

He stared at the time, but by now, wouldn’t he think I’m strange?

I was anxious that he might distance himself thinking I’m vulgar.

Moreover.

“B-Bleks was just t-teasing Jin-sang as u-usual…”

It felt like my nightmare was becoming reality, so I ended up shouting at Bleks.

I should apologize later.

Right now, I felt too pathetic to leave the blanket.

“Jin-sang…”

In the end, Jin-sang was worried and asked, but.

I couldn’t answer properly and just left.

My behavior was strange to anyone.

Jin-sang was just worried about me.

Yet I selfishly thought that such a Jin-sang might leave…

“Heuk! Sniff!”

I’m disqualified as an ultimate combo partner…

“N-no!”

If I’m d-disqualified, J-Jin-sang will leave me…

“Huiing…”

Even though I thought Jin-sang wouldn’t abandon me, that anxiety didn’t leave.

It was then.

Knock knock knock.

“Luna~.”

“J-Jin-sang!?”

I heard Jin-sang’s voice knocking on the door.