Episode 82. The Moon Swallowed by the Sun (4)

On one side of the imperial capital lies the Helios Family.

As befits a family that once held more power than the imperial family itself, the vast estate and magnificent mansion showcased the family’s prestige.

However, it wasn’t a place that mindlessly flaunted opulence like the mansions of other wealthy families.

The Helios Family had three “Sun Gates” protecting their sun.

First, upon arriving at the entrance, one would see towering walls and iron gates reminiscent of a fortress.

This massive gate, known as the first Sun Gate, was guarded around the clock by hundreds of trained guards.

The second Sun Gate was marked by knights scattered throughout the estate.

The “Sun’s Knights,” the Helios Family’s personal knight order, were stationed along the path to the mansion, ready to confront any intruders at a moment’s notice.

After passing through the first Sun Gate, guarded by hundreds of soldiers, and the second Sun Gate, protected by one of the empire’s most formidable knight orders, one would finally reach the Helios Family mansion.

The mansion’s gate, overwhelmingly large, was guarded by a Sun Gate far more powerful than the previous two.

The third and final Sun Gate was a protective barrier installed within the mansion by the “Great Sage” Julius Bastian for his dear friend.

This powerful barrier would activate the moment an unauthorized intruder entered the mansion, unleashing an unimaginable number of terrifying magical barrages that would instantly reduce the intruder to ashes.

The reason for the vague expression “it is said” is that in the 500-year history of the Helios Family, the third Sun Gate has never been activated.

Although there have been intruders seeking the treasures within the Helios Family, most couldn’t even breach the first Sun Gate.

Of course, compared to 500 years ago, the Helios Family’s prestige has waned, and the Sun Gates are no longer as formidable as they once were.

But as the saying goes, “Even a ruined noble lasts three generations,” and no matter how much the family has declined, the Helios Family remains a fortress that no one dares to challenge lightly.

“……”

Inside the Helios Family mansion.

A silver-haired woman gazed blankly at the sunlight streaming through the window.

“…It’s clear.”

Yurina looked up at the cloudless blue sky and smiled bitterly.

“I wish it had been a bit cloudy today.”

The sun shining in the blue sky.

The sunlight illuminating all things burned as brilliantly as ever today.

As if it would swallow the world.

As if it would swallow me.

Knock knock.

A firm knock interrupted her thoughts.

The door opened, and her mother entered the room.

“Are you ready?”

“…Yes.”

She nodded weakly and stood up.

A thin white gown, almost like underwear, brushed against the floor.

“Professor Faust says he’s ready, so come out soon.”

“Yes, I understand.”

She followed her mother slowly.

Creak.

“……”

Before stepping out of the room.

She stopped and turned her head toward the mirror in the corner.

A silver-haired woman in a white gown stared back at her with sad eyes.

Goodbye.

Take care, Yurina.

She waved softly at the reflection in the mirror.

“What are you doing standing there?”

“Ah, sorry.”

“Hurry up. And loosen up your expression. Today’s a good day, isn’t it?”

“……”

“If the procedure goes well today, we’ll have a small celebration party.”

“…Yes.”

A good day.

She forced down the emotions welling up in her throat.

“……”

She followed her mother silently down the hallway.

The procedure would take place in the mansion’s basement.

Despite the family’s name, “Sun’s Family,” the basement had a rather gloomy atmosphere.

“You’re here.”

Upon arriving in the basement, a man introduced himself as Faust approached.

A man with pure white hair swept back and gold-rimmed monocle.

Despite his handsome appearance and friendly smile, just talking to Faust made her feel nauseous.

“Hmm? Are you feeling unwell?”

Perhaps her emotions showed on her face.

Faust tilted his head, observing her expression.

“Ah, is the gown too thin?”

Faust clicked his tongue, looking at the thin gown she was wearing.

“My mistake. I thought you wouldn’t mind since you’ve lived as a man. Should I prepare a thicker gown?”

“No, it’s fine. It’s not that.”

She wasn’t lying.

‘When I went to the bathhouse with Dale, I was so embarrassed.’

Why was it?

Standing in front of a strange man in a see-through gown, she didn’t feel particularly ashamed.

The emotion she felt now was just instinctive discomfort.

It was like seeing a squashed bug.

“Hmm. Is that so?”

Faust smiled subtly and shrugged.

“Then, please come here and lie down comfortably.”

In the center of the spacious basement was a procedure table just large enough for one person, surrounded by a massive magic circle that even a layman could tell was immense.

As she was overwhelmed by the scale of the magic circle, Faust approached with a soft smile.

“Haha. No need to be so tense. The procedure itself won’t take long.”

“…Yes.”

She weakly moved to the procedure table and lay down.

The cold surface seeped through the thin gown.

“……”

Above her was the dim basement ceiling.

On this glorious day of becoming the true “Sun,” what lay before her was darkness as black as pitch.

‘Dale.’

Lying on the procedure table, a face naturally came to mind.

‘He looked so shocked yesterday.’

When she approached him as “Yurina” yesterday.

His shocked expression as he looked at her came to mind.

‘Was he so surprised because I was so pretty?’

She chuckled at the silly thought, reminiscing about their brief encounter under the moonlight last night.

‘It was nice.’

Seeing his shocked expression, sitting beside him and talking, silently gazing at the moon together in the night sky.

Others might scoff, saying it was nothing special.

But to her, it was an irreplaceable, precious memory.

‘That’s enough.’

Yes.

That’s enough.

Like a runaway candidate who eventually returns to school.

The end of deviation is a return to normalcy.

“Then, let’s begin the procedure.”

Yes.

This is my normal.

Lying on the cold procedure table, waiting to become the “Sun”—this is my true life.

‘This is it.’

This measly thing.

This pathetic thing.

This is the life of Yurina Helios.

‘I hate it.’

Suddenly.

An unbearable surge of emotion erupted.

Slap!

She roughly slapped away Faust’s reaching hand.

“Yurina! What are you doing?!”

Her mother’s panicked scolding echoed.

“Ah… I-I’m sorry.”

She turned to Faust with a startled expression.

Faust, holding his reddened hand, smiled gently.

“No, it’s fine. I understand you’re feeling very confused right now.”

Faust took a step back and turned to Rozanna.

“Perhaps we should give Yurina a bit more time to prepare herself?”

“Sigh. I’m sorry. She’s been hanging out with Republic kids and has become unruly.”

“……”

Her mother sighed and shook her head.

Seeing that, she couldn’t help but let out a hollow laugh.

A sense of emptiness carved into her heart.

‘What have I been struggling for all this time?’

The fact that she had desperately worked for the past eight years just to earn a word of praise from such people seemed laughable.

‘Even now… can I run away?’

Abandon everything.

If I break free from this place, could my life change?

“What are you doing? Hurry up and lie back down.”

“…Yes.”

Contrary to the turmoil in her mind, her body obediently followed her mother’s command.

“……”

Life has inertia.

No matter how much I want to escape, the past eight years have shackled me tighter than anything else.

Hearing my mother’s cold voice, my body stiffened and refused to move.

Even the desire to run away from here felt futile and faded away.

“…Ah.”

All I could do was obediently lie back down on the procedure table.

“Ha, haha.”

I let out a dry laugh and shook my head.

‘Nothing has really changed.’

Yurina Helios’s clock stopped eight years ago.

On that day, when I could do nothing but cry over my dead brother’s body.

“Sigh.”

Suddenly.

A story my brother told me when I was young came to mind.

A cliché tale of a princess being rescued by a prince on a white horse.

‘The brother who told me that story died because of me.’

I let out a self-deprecating laugh and lay on the procedure table, staring at the dark ceiling.

I imagined Dale’s face on the dark ceiling.

I fantasized about him suddenly breaking through the wall and rescuing me like a prince in a fairy tale.

‘What am I even expecting?’

I chuckled at the absurdity of the thought.

Expecting Dale to save me.

Dale doesn’t even know that I’m Yurina, not Yuren.

Even if he knew, what could he do?

‘Dale couldn’t possibly come here alone.’

The Helios Family mansion is guarded by hundreds of soldiers and the Sun’s Knights.

Not to mention the protective barrier set up by the Great Sage Julius inside the mansion.

No matter how skilled Dale is, he couldn’t possibly break through three Sun Gates and reach this place.

“Please begin the procedure.”

Enough of this childishness.

It’s time to accept reality.

“It seems you’re ready.”

Faust smiled gently and approached me.

As his hand reached for my Holy Mark—

Beep beep beep!

A loud alarm sounded from the Hero Watch on my mother’s wrist.

“What’s going on?”

My mother frowned irritably and turned on the Hero Watch.

“I clearly said there’s an important event today…”

[Intruder alert!]

“Huh?”

[An intruder has breached the first Sun Gate and entered the mansion grounds!]