A New Ring, a Doll, and a Goodbye

("Argh… where... am I?" said Luna as she regained consciousness.)

[A few moments earlier]

The sound of cheers and applause erupted across Movento as Luna defeated the great beast—relief, fear, and sadness vanishing from everyone's hearts. Even Raisya and her troops were overwhelmed with emotion.

Then, a blinding light flashed. Within seconds, joyful cheers were replaced by a collective gasp. A massive whale suddenly emerged from the sea with its mouth wide open, swallowing Luna whole as she stood hovering in midair above the ocean.

Everyone went pale, especially Raisya, who was visibly more shaken than anyone else. The sea slowly returned to calm, but not the hearts of Movento's people.

[Back to Luna]

When Luna awoke, she was on the deck of a small, dilapidated, capsized ship. A pungent fishy smell lingered, the ceiling was damp, and a low thumping echoed like a distant heartbeat. Though the space was pitch black, Luna could see thanks to her Night Vision skill.

As things came into focus...

"This… a cave? But I was swallowed! Don't tell me I'm inside its stomach?!" Luna thought, panic written on her face.

She rose, stepped off the wrecked ship, and began exploring the surroundings. Finding nothing useful, she spotted a cave and bravely entered it.

The cave was dark, with rocky walls and the occasional drip of water from above. After several minutes, she arrived at a chamber where a wooden doll sat facing a long-dead campfire. Beside it was a treasure chest.

(A wooden puppet? Is this Pinocchio? I once met a Tower Guardian whose tower was inspired by the story of Pinocchio and a prophet who a whale swallowed. Could this be...?) Luna thought.

She approached the puppet and tried channeling her mana into it. Nothing happened. She tried again—still nothing.

"Am I doing this wrong...?" she wondered.

Turning her attention to the treasure chest, she tried to open it. It wouldn't budge despite her full effort.

"Is this a chest or a boulder?! Why is it so hard?!"

She gave up trying to force it open.

"Oh! Maybe I need to infuse it with mana!"

Placing her hand on its surface, she channeled her mana again. The result was the same—nothing.

"ARGH! So frustrating!" she groaned.

Annoyed, Luna sat in front of the wooden puppet, letting out a long sigh.

"..."

(There's a campfire here. Maybe I should light it to stay warm.)

She extended her hands, preparing to summon fire magic—but the magic circle failed to form. Instead, it was absorbed by the remnants of the fire.

(Huh?! Don't tell me these ashes…)

Taking the hint, Luna channeled her mana into the campfire remains. Soon, a fire sprang to life. The room grew brighter, and then—

"Welcome to Abanes!"

Startled, Luna stood and stepped back, ready to fight.

The voice came from the wooden puppet—it was now alive and moving.

"Oh, visitor, are you a Tower Guardian?" the puppet asked.

"..."

"Yes, I am Luna, Guardian of the Moon Shrine," she replied.

"Ah, I've been awaiting your arrival, Miss Luna. I sent a distress signal when my mana was running low and received a response from a tower in the south."

(Oh… so that signal was from here.)

"Thank you for restoring my mana, Miss Luna. With this, I can operate for hundreds more years," the puppet added.

"Who is your master?" Luna asked.

"My master's name is Kardol."

(Kardol? Could it be...?) "Where is your master now?"

"My records say he won't be returning."

"What do you mean by that?"

"I don't fully understand myself."

(Has he passed away? Or perhaps... never existed here?)

"When was his last message?"

"About eighty years ago," the puppet replied.

(Eighty years?! That means he was here too!)

"..."

(Wait, if he was here eighty years ago... he must have died of old age…)

Luna's heart ached. Her eyes began to well up.

"Since my master is gone, I hope you will become my new one, Miss Luna," the puppet said.

The puppet approached the treasure chest and retrieved a dark blue ring, offering it to Luna.

As she accepted the ring, tears streamed down her cheeks. She clutched it tightly with both hands and fell to her knees. Only the sound of her sobs filled the room.

...

After some time, her tears subsided. She stood and wiped her face.

"Alright. I'll be your new master."

"Thank you, Miss Luna."

"Now then, I'll be going."

"Very well. Farewell, Miss Luna."

Luna began walking away, but after a few steps, turned back.

"Did you forget something, Miss Luna?"

"No, it's not that… how do I get out of here?"

"Oh, right… Allow me to escort you."

The puppet led her back to the wrecked ship. As Luna stood on a wooden plank, it suddenly gave way, and she fell into a dark hole. Moments later, she splashed into the water and was carried by a current.

[At Movento's dock]

The sun had just begun to rise. A white horse and a young black-haired elf stood at the edge, gazing at the sea.

"Grandma…"

"Commander Raisya," someone said behind her.

"Just a moment, please," Raisya replied.

...

Moments later, Raisya turned and began walking away from the sea—until suddenly…

SPUURRR!!!

A loud splash echoed. Reflexively, Raisya turned. A geyser burst from the ocean, and from it emerged a figure. As she squinted, she recognized Luna. Joy instantly filled Raisya's face, her heart pounding.

Luna was launched into the air before falling—only to be caught midair by Langit.

"Langit!" Luna called.

HIHEE!

Langit brought Luna to the dock where Raisya was waiting.

"Thank you, Langit."

Langit licked Luna's face in response.

"Grandma!"

As Luna turned to the voice, she saw Raisya, eyes brimming with tears. Raisya rushed forward and embraced her tightly.

"Wait, but I'm… soaking wet," Luna muttered.

Despite her drenched clothes, Raisya held her tightly. Her subordinates nearby watched in silence.

...

After a while, Raisya let go.

"I'm so glad you're okay, Grandma."

"Sorry for worrying you, Raisya."

"It's alright. What matters is that you're back," Raisya replied with a smile.

"But… you should probably change out of those wet clothes," she added.

(She's right… I'm soaked… and smell like saltwater. If only I had a drying and cleaning spell like in novels or comics…)

"I know a great place. Come on, Grandma," said Raisya.

Raisya and Luna left the dock. Soon, they arrived at a luxurious three-story shop. Inside were dazzling displays of lavish items. The staff immediately recognized Raisya and treated her like a VIP guest.

(She has connections…) Luna thought.

After a brief discussion, Luna was led to a VIP lounge—furnished with elegant sofas, tables, and a changing room.

Once inside, several attendants brought in various outfits and guided Luna to the fitting room. After trying on a few, Luna finally stepped out.

"Um… Raisya…" Luna said shyly, her cheeks flushed.

Her pointed elf ears peeked out from her neatly styled silver hair, flowing gracefully down her shoulders.

She wore a white blouse with delicate embroidery, paired with a dark brown leather corset engraved with gold, highlighting her slender yet strong frame. A white cloak with gold symbols adorned the outer layer, while its inner lining shimmered blue. Her dark blue pants were embroidered with magical insignias—marking her not just as nobility, but a seasoned sorceress. A crescent moon pendant and matching earrings glinted at her neck and ears, both ornament and magical focus.

"Wow! Grandma, you look beautiful!" exclaimed Raisya.

"Ah… you're too kind…" Luna replied, her face now red to the tips of her ears.

"I'm not joking. You are beautiful."

"T-thank you… (I know I'm pretty, but hearing someone else say it… it makes me nervous...)," Luna thought.

Just then…

GROWL!

A loud rumble from Luna's stomach made her blush even harder. Seeing this, Raisya chuckled.

"Since you're all set, let's get breakfast."

The two found a place to eat. Over breakfast, they talked about Luna's disappearance and the whale. Luna learned from Raisya that she had only been gone a single night.

Luna also asked about the aftermath in Movento—what happened with the bandits and the demon leader.

(Raisya said things were brought under control with help from the adventurers' guild and local security. Some bandits resisted but were subdued. The surprising part was their leader—the demon man—who just sat quietly, looking lost after being captured.)

After breakfast and discussion, Luna decided to return to Bhorneo with Raisya.

...

The return trip to Bhorneo was smooth. Without bandits, they no longer needed to take shortcuts. On the tenth day, Luna and the others arrived at Nuzantra's capital. After their duties ended, Luna parted ways with Ekin and the Iron Spear group. Back home, Lusserina greeted her as usual.

The next morning, Luna was awakened by sunlight through the curtains and chirping birds. She stretched and approached the window.

"AHH!!" Luna gasped.

Lusserina, downstairs, rushed to the second floor.

"What is it, Madam?!"

"T-there…" Luna pointed toward the balcony.

Lusserina turned—and saw two griffins sleeping side by side.