The Last-Seat Hero Has Returned

80. The Moon Swallowed by the Sun (2)

“Then. I’ll go first, so pack your things and come to the mansion tomorrow.”

“I have classes tomorrow….”

“Ha, are you using classes as an excuse after boldly skipping them in front of me today?”

“…….”

At my mother’s continued words, I bit my lip gently.

“…Yes. I understand. I’ll pack my things and go home tomorrow.”

“I’ll be waiting at the Valhalla City Wharf Gate, so come there.”

With those words, as if she had said everything she needed to, my mother turned and walked out of the room.

Click.

The door closed, and silence descended.

The ticking of the second hand echoed like thunder in the room.

“…….”

I sat down on the carpeted floor and blankly looked up at the window.

Beyond the transparent window, the shimmering moonlight poured in.

‘They said the moon doesn’t shine without the sun.’

Recalling what I learned from my basic education teacher when I was young, I let out a small laugh.

Unable to shine without the sun.

Isn’t it just like my current self?

“…Becoming a man, huh.”

In fact, even if I became a man, my life wouldn’t change much.

After all, except for my mother and a few family members, no one knew that I was ‘Yurina.’

‘Yes.’

Nothing changes.

Just like until now.

Without any difference from before.

I just need to live as Yuren, as I have been doing.

“…Dale.”

Why is it?

Why is his name the first thing that comes to mind at this moment?

“…Ah.”

Only then could I realize.

Only then could I feel it.

“I liked Dale.”

Why did my heart feel so stifled every time I saw Dale and Iris together, as if something was blocking it? Why did I feel such unbearable loneliness and desolation when I couldn’t see Dale for a few days?

-Well done.

Why?

Why did my heart tremble so much at a single, insignificant word?

Now I know.

I have come to know.

“Ha, haha.”

A dry laugh escaped from between my lips.

“How foolish.”

Dale doesn’t even know that I’m a woman, so what kind of ridiculous sight is this, being like this alone?

‘I decided to live as a man.’

Eight years ago, that day.

When Yuren, who had climbed the cliff saying, “I’ll pick it for you soon, just wait a little,” returned as a cold corpse.

The life of ‘Yurina’ ended.

‘This is the price I have to pay.’

Ignorance is a sin.

Innocence is evil.

What could be more shameless than a sinner who killed her brother with her three-inch tongue claiming, ‘I also have the right to dream of my own happiness’?

“…Let’s wash up.”

Staggering, I got up and headed to the shower room.

As I took off the pendant, a halo of light enveloped my body, and I returned to the form of ‘Yurina.’

Silver hair that shone beautifully as if woven from moonlight, a chest that wasn’t excessively large like an iris but pleasantly perky. A body so slim from consistent training that not a single ounce of fat could be found.

It might be a bit conceited to say it myself, but the woman reflected in the mirror was so beautiful that no one could ever call her unattractive.

“Yurina.”

I spoke, looking at my reflection in the mirror.

“This is the last time I’ll see you like this.”

The reflection in the mirror gave a sad smile.

“If… if I hadn’t asked my brother to pick flowers that day, could things have worked out with Dale?”

The reflection shook its head.

“Then I wouldn’t have met Dale at all? Ah, true. If I had entered school at my original age, I wouldn’t have had many chances to run into Dale, who is a third-year student.”

Thinking that way, should I be grateful that I got to meet Dale like this?

I can’t be his lover, but at least I can stay by his side as a friend.

“Haha, yes. Thinking that way makes me feel a bit better.”

When I lifted my head with a bright smile.

The reflection in the mirror.

Tears were streaming down Yurina’s cheeks.

“…Huh? Why am I crying?”

I had resolved.

I had steeled myself.

Thinking that I could stay with him as a friend made me feel a bit better.

Why.

Why, why, why.

Why was the reflection in the mirror crying so sorrowfully?

“Dale….”

When I murmured his name with a sob.

-Ding!

A clear chime rang from the Hero Watch.

[Did you get in safely?]

“Ah.”

In a hurry, I turned on the Hero Watch and saw a message from Dale.

“Hehe. You contacted me because you were worried.”

Just seeing the message from him brought a smile to my face, as if I had never been crying.

The fear that had gnawed at my heart like a bad drug, the sorrow that had choked me, all seemed to vanish.

“I need to reply quickly.”

Just as I was about to press the send button after writing ‘I got in safely’ in my reply.

“……”

A strong impulse boiled up from deep within my heart.

From noble mtl dot com

Suddenly, the memory of skipping class with Dale today and going out to Valhalla City to play flashed through my mind.

An experience of rebellion I had never done before, never even thought of doing.

“Tomorrow, I will become… Yuren, right?”

Which means.

Today is the last day I can be ‘Yurina’ in my life.

“……”

I took in the sight of ‘Yurina’ reflected in the mirror.

The last day I could be my true self.

The last chance. The last time.

If that’s the case.

“Just for today…”

Even if it’s a momentary rebellion.

Even if it’s a dream for one night.

Just for today.

Wouldn’t it be okay to be ‘Yurina’?

“……”

I moved my finger, which had stopped in front of the send button, and erased the pre-written message.

With trembling fingertips, I sent him a new message.

[Dale, can we meet for a moment now?]

* * *

Late at night, behind the school.

The moonlight quietly illuminated the backyard, so silent it felt eerie.

“This guy… Did something really happen?”

Having arrived at the meeting place first, I let out a low sigh and perched on a nearby bench.

“Ugh.”

Regret washed over me, wondering if I had made a mistake bringing Yuren out today.

‘Just by looking, it seems like he got an earful from that lady.’

Otherwise, why would he suddenly ask to meet at this late hour?

Especially since we hadn’t been apart for long, having skipped classes and hung out together all day.

“This is driving me crazy.”

As I sighed, mixing regret and self-reproach, I sensed someone approaching from afar.

“Yuren, is that you?”

“…No.”

A trembling voice replied.

The figure that emerged from the distance was a silver-haired woman.

Her face, revealed under the pouring moonlight, was so beautiful that I momentarily forgot to breathe.

“Hello, Mr. Dale. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

The silver-haired woman approached me and bowed politely.

“My name is Yurina Helios.”

“…Yurina Helios?”

If I recall correctly, Yurina Helios was the name of Yuren’s younger sister who supposedly died in an accident eight years ago.

“The world believes I died in an accident, but in reality, the family spread that rumor for other reasons.”

“What other reasons?”

“That is…”

Yurina trailed off.

With a sad smile, she continued.

“I am a direct descendant of the Helios family, yet I bear the ‘Mark of the Moon God.'”

“Ah.”

Now that she mentioned it, I had heard of such cases.

In high-ranking noble families, if a child is born with a mark different from their parents, they might be expelled from the family or even considered ‘dead’ to preserve the family’s honor.

“I came to the observation class with my mother today… I never imagined that Mr. Dale would take my brother out of class while I was briefly in the restroom.”

“That is….”

“Oh, don’t worry about my brother. Mother was very angry, but she talked it out with him and calmed down.”

Yurina shrugged her shoulders as she spoke.

“That grumpy old lady?”

“Hehe. Even though she seems that way, she cares a lot about my brother.”

“It didn’t seem that way at all.”

“Haha. It’s true. My mother has lived her whole life only looking at my brother, ‘Yuren’.”

As she said that, Yurina gave a bitter smile.

“I’ve heard a lot about you from my brother.”

“About me?”

“Yes. I was so curious about how much fun he had talking about his friend that I begged him to bring you here.”

“…….”

I looked at Yurina with a complicated expression.

“Oh, do you not believe me? Look here. My brother and I have different stigmata.”

Yurina gently opened the front of her shirt to show me her left chest.

As she said, her chest bore the ‘Stigma of the Moon God’ instead of the ‘Stigma of the Sun God’.

“…So where is Yuren now?”

“Oh, he’s in the room, saying he has something to talk about with Mother.”

In the room, huh.

“So, what do you want to talk about with me?”

“It’s not that I have something specific to talk about.”

Yurina shook her head with a faint smile.

“I just… wanted to see what kind of person you are.”

“So you called me at this hour?”

“I’m sorry. I have to go back to the mansion with Mother tomorrow. Today was the only chance I had to see you.”

As she said that, Yurina carefully sat down next to me.

“If not today… I might never have the chance to see you again.”

“…Why?”

When I asked with a frown, Yurina smiled brightly.

“I’ve been unwell for a long time. The doctor said I won’t live long.”

“…….”