1.
Luna’s first memory.
It was of someone turning away cruelly as they abandoned her in the <Ashen Wasteland>.
Even though it was from when she was very young, the memory was still vivid, as if it had just happened.
– Please, stay alive and be happy, Luna.
Under the moonlight, her golden hair sparkled, and Luna caught a glimpse of emerald green eyes.
– Eh, Mommy…!!
In a panic, thinking that if she let go, it would be the end, Luna stretched out her hand, but she couldn’t even grasp the hem of the departing figure and was left behind.
<Ashen Wasteland>.
The land that lay between the Viscount Coppell’s territory and the Gardner Viscountcy, abandoned due to the rampant monsters.
A land where all sorts of outlaws gathered due to the empire’s lack of interest, forming their own settlements.
No place to stay,
No food,
Not even drinking water in this barren land.
Abandoned there, Luna roamed around like a wild animal trying to survive.
Squish,
…Gulp gulp.
She tore into the decaying corpse of a monster, drinking its blood and taking its flesh.
-Khhhaaaaak!! Khup…!!!
She passed through several near-death experiences, but even as she survived, the harsh environment remained the same.
Squish,
…Gulp gulp.
To survive, she ate and struggled desperately to live, and those days repeated endlessly.
How many months, or even years, had passed?
-…Gkurr.
As Luna trembled in the face of death while tearing into the corpse of a special demon, a masked woman extended her hand to Luna.
– Either die now, or die a little later. The choice is yours.
Plop!
Luna quickly grabbed the outstretched hand, barely lifting her head to mutter.
-…Mom?
-…No, I’m not your parent.
But,
– If you wish, I can become one for you.
…
…
…
“…Phew! …Ah?”
Her consciousness flickering.
‘My consciousness just drifted away for a moment.’
Still, Luna retained a faint smile, but she was nearing her limit.
The same was true for the children who had just witnessed Olan’s death.
“Huhuh, Olan…”
“I don’t… want this anymore…!!”
“Olllan…”
Of the five children, the three excluding Olan and Luna burst into tears.
“1 million gold.”
“Auction number 1. Purpose?”
“Same as before.”
Crack.
Squeak.
Gulp.
The same manner of death repeated three times.
With a smile, Luna, struggling to focus her hazy gaze, watched the children’s final moments.
Olan, who wanted to feel full,
Mina, who wanted to wear a dress,
Bang, who wanted to see the ocean,
Carin, who wanted to return home.
“…Stop crying, I told you.”
In the end, they were all dead.
This place is the <Wandering Troupe - Loss>.
A group of trash that sells “<Items>” to the high nobility and amasses money.
As usual, Luna, the sole survivor of the day, naturally lowered her gaze towards Mother.
Regardless of that, she still opened her mouth in her usual cold voice.
“Luna. Starting at 100 million gold.”
A price incomparably expensive compared to the others, one that even the high nobility couldn’t easily bid for.
“That’s it, let’s head back.”
“Damn, she was holding up well without crying last time.”
“That’s enough, you buffoon. Don’t be concerned with the petty sums. Well, there’ll be another opportunity next month.”
The audience hastily gathered their belongings, and
“…”
Number one had already disappeared.
“End.”
The moment Mother declared the closure, the bright lights turned off.
…Creak.
“Keh! Phew, huh, huff, huff!!”
Luna, whose feet finally touched the ground and gasped for breath, barely managed to lift her head.
“Mommy…!!”
Under the darkened Wandering Troupe tent, with everyone gone, the only one Luna could see was Mother.
Luna, checking for shadows by instinct, confirmed Mother’s disappearance and finally twisted her expression as she crawled on the floor.
“They’re dead, all dead again… except me!”
“…”
“I told them everything you said…!!”
Frr.
Mother, grasping Luna’s pitifully trembling hand, whispered into her ear.
“Smile brightly, only then will you survive.”
“Try smiling a little more.”
“Even more brightly, as if your mouth will split. Only then will you survive.”
Saying so, the horrifyingly bright smile of Mother, revealed as she took off her mask, was exposed.
…Click.
Mother placed the mask she had removed back onto Luna’s face and whispered until the end.
“Don’t tremble, only then will you survive.”
“When it gets too difficult, cry while wearing the mask.”
“Keep trying and trying.”
“One day, you’ll be able to smile even while wearing the mask.”
A narrow curved eye smile,
A crooked mouth,
A money pouch full of gold coins.
…Kwak.
At the moment when she firmly gripped the money pouch in one hand and Luna in the other, an enraged voice echoed from the darkened audience.
“Get away.”
A dreadful voice filled with animosity,
…No,
【<Black Curtain (Ex)> has been activated.】
【<Necklace of the Demon Slayer> absorbs a portion of the <Compulsion (Ex-)> within this area.】
【<Black Curtain (Ex)> manifests at maximum capacity.】
“Stay away from Luna immediately.”
A terrifying voice filled with murderous intent.
2.
The moment they entered the tent of <Wandering Troupe – Annihilation>.
As Dallan moved silently, Ruby hesitated slightly, prompting him to nudge her gently.
“Pay attention, Ruby.”
“A, I’m sorry.”
Only then did the glimmer of light return to her eyes, which had been growing fearful.
Dallan, upon confirming this, slowly swept his gaze around the dusty interior and asked.
“No information to share? Even branch managers should have free access to information.”
“I checked briefly just now, but there’s nothing. You know, the <Ashen Wasteland> is treated similarly to the land of demons.”
Ruby’s statement was true.
<Ashen Wasteland>.
Before the incident that took place four years ago, it was a haven for criminals, but now that it has been completely eradicated, it is nothing more than abandoned land.
The appearance of monsters has visibly decreased since the hero party’s campaign, and thanks to the trickle-down effect, it has become much safer compared to before. However, the monsters have not been completely eradicated.
For this reason, mercenaries, nobles, and merchants alike hesitated to invest here and even halted all attempts to obtain information, deeming it unnecessary.
Dallan sighed softly, his shoulders slumping in disappointment.
“In the end, it seems we’ll have to do this with brute force.”
It would have been nice if at least a blueprint of this tent-like building was available.
As if sensing Dallan’s regret, Ruby grinned and extended a piece of paper.
Upon the crisp sheet, a floor plan was drawn in red.
“I prepared it before we entered.”
“Wasn’t that called ‘paper doll’?”
“Living doll. You can just call it ‘baby’ for convenience.”
Dallan glanced at the floor plan while ignoring the glint of madness in Ruby’s eyes.
A semi-circular stage. Facing it were扇-shaped seats arranged in rows.
It was a circus tent with no special features other than the devices installed on the stage.
“Is this all?”
“Probably?”
Dallan nodded and carefully folded the tent’s floor plan, storing it within his robes.
There were two layers of tent flaps to enter, including the one at the entrance.
Between these layers, Dallan, his eyes gleaming, sensed something emanating from Luna.
“Luna must be on the stage.”
“Hanlyang will be standing in front of it.”
Instantaneous location identification.
“Capturing them alive is the priority, but if that’s not possible… we must kill them. Then forcibly dissolve the contract the troupe leader has with them.”
The blue and red eyes exchanged glances in an instant.
“I’ll take Hanlyang.”
With a swift nod, Dalan lowered his stance, his adrenaline rising, while Luna, noticing this, coyly covered her mouth with her hand and smiled.
“Leave Luna to me.”
Was it due to their undercover identities as one of the world’s top ten and the mercenary union’s branch manager?
Despite their differences, the two showed unexpectedly good teamwork as they gradually approached the inner tent.
“On the count of ‘one, two, three’ we’ll open it.”
“Alright.”
“Alright then, one, two…”
THREE!
FLAP!
The tent flaps were opened quietly at Dalan’s command, revealing the hidden interior.
And,
“…Ah, damn… .”
The Hanlyang they saw wasn’t wearing his usual mask but one imbued with a darker energy.
“Ah, DAMN!!!”
The tightly clenched fists of Hanlyang swung at Dalan before he could even react.
“Ho, looks like we’re in over our heads?”
At the moment Dalan chuckled briefly, Hanlyang’s punch struck him.
KWA-A-A-ANG!!!!
The ground shook violently.
“Ruby, deploy the fleet dolls! Use everything you have!”
Dallan, who barely managed to block the attack, turned his head and shouted at Ruby, but what caught his sight was Luna with a mask on her face.
Ruby who had been hit just moments before was frozen, her hand halfway in removing her mask.
‘So you were waiting all along.’
Since when?
‘…Probably from the moment we separately fell.’
Out of control escalation.
A mind-control technique that had taken down three members of <Black Wolf> and himself, making four.
Dalan decided instantly that there was no choice but to fight to the death. But,
“Should be alright to rest, right?”
Recalling the face of someone trustworthy,
He cast his sword outside the tent, smirked, and muttered.
“I’m afraid we’ll have to leave this to you, Chief.”
With those as his last words.
“Smile brightly. Only then will you survive.”
Click.
Like a snake wrapping around, Dalan’s face was also covered by an ash-colored mask.
