One month later--

　In the land of demons, Lakafarsait.
　On the cliffs of Balfabba Mountain, there was a settlement of the Knights of the Illusionary Name, hidden by magic.

　The dwelling is a simple stone building, with only a bed inside.
　It is so devoid of life that you would think it was an abandoned village.

　In the center of the village, wood is burning and a large pot is boiling over.

　The steam and the smell of wild boar meat and herbs waft through the air.
　Just a whiff of it is enough to make me drool and whet my appetite.

"Here you go. Eat a lot.

　Luna scooped the boar and herb soup with a wooden ladle and placed it in the deep dish of the phantom knights.

'Princess, this one too,'

Hi, Ed. Thank you for everything.

　Putting on her apron and holding a small pot, Luna distributes the soup.

'Number three (xeno), have another cup of soup. I'll leave out the carrots you don't like.

Ghosts aren't fond of each other.

　Luna giggled as she poured herself a bowl of soup without carrots.

'You could say that, but it was written all over my face.

..........

　Drinking the soup in silence, Sanban (Zeno) throws a piece of black bread into his mouth.

　Good quality food is hard to come by in the current lakafarseit. The soil is thin, the rye is less nutritious, and the bread is tasteless. Most of the boar meat is hard, too.

　Still, in Luna's hands, it could be turned into delicious bread and soup.

　The black bread was tough but with a firm rye flavor, and the boar meat was cooked so tender that it would break apart in your mouth.

　The Phantom Knights, who had only honed their fighting skills, didn't know how to cook badly, and thanks to Luna, they had a decent meal for the first time in a long time.

''It looks totally different,''

　Number Four (Zed) says.

'Indeed,'

　Number Five (Bardet) is standing shoulder to shoulder with him, chewing on a piece of bread.

'But it's not bad,'

Yeah.

　Luna approached the two of them as they ate their meal in a wordless manner.

'Another private conversation during dinner?'

　Luna stares at number four (Zed) and number five (Balde).

'Not so much as a private conversation...'

Well, what?

　They flinched as Luna leaned in close.

　Ghosts who only throw themselves into the fray.

　In this time period, even in this Eronesian world, the actions of the Knights of the Phantom Name were the same as they were two thousand years ago.
　Their battle began in a far distant past life.

　They abandoned their compassion, abandoned their hearts, and killed the small in order to keep the large alive while playing the ghost of the dead.
　The days of battle, never understood by others, only feared incessantly.

　That's what Luna has not been told.

She says, "The princess has come, and hope seems to have been born.

"Hope?

　Luna twisted her head.

'We've been fighting for a long time. In this never-ending battle, I feel like there is one hope.

I'm just cooking a meal.　And I don't know anything about this country at all?

　Then the fifth (Bardet) laughed.
　It had been a long time since he had smiled in such a cheerful manner.

'It's for the best,'

　Luna twisted her head again as if she didn't understand.

　The country of the demon race is in the midst of warfare, and with humans, spirits, dragon-people, and even the god race participating in the war, the conflict continues to intensify.

　The Knights of the Illusory Name could already see the end of the battle.

　Annihilation.
　Everything is dying and everything is disappearing.

　Even if the battle rages on, this world will not last for long.
　Too much hatred has been built up and too many people have become too strong.

　If a few kings in the countries of the Elesian world get serious, the people living there will easily die.

　If they clashed with all their might, even the world would be destroyed.
　Hence, so far, clashes have been avoided.

　But there are things they cannot compromise and above all, they hate each other.
　The clash between the king and the king is becoming more and more inevitable by the day.

　No matter how hard they fight, no matter how much they win, they will not be able to defend themselves.

　There is only one end of the struggle: despair.
　He knows this, but no one can stop him anymore.

　In the midst of such a situation, Luna, who knows nothing and is able to act with a smile, is a small hope for them.

　Even if it was just a faint light in the midst of great despair.

'Number five (Bardet) is always floundering. Okay, I'll ask Number One (Jeff).

　Then, with a croak, the fourth (Zed) clears his throat and laughs.

'He's watching closely.'

He's certainly the least talkative of us all.

Another one?

"Let's get it.

　The two men matched their voices.
　Luna poured the soup again into the deep dish.

''........Then I'll go.......''

　Spinning around, Luna flipped over, holding the pot.



　Yeah, he nodded as if he had made up his mind, and Luna left at a small run.
　While looking at her back, the fifth (Balde) said.

''I have to admit, I was amused when the Commander (Isis) brought the princess with him, but...''

You can't stop fighting. Maybe he wanted to leave something behind.

　Luna came to a cave in one corner of the settlement.

　At the back was a solid door made of magic, and in front of it stood Ichiban (Jeff), carrying a spear.
　He was like a gatekeeper, always doing so here.

'Thanks for your help, first (Jeff). Soup and bread, you'll have it, won't you?　We caught some boar meat today.

Thank you, sir.

　As Ichiban (Jeff) took out a deep dish from the magic circle, Luna poured the soup into it. She takes the black bread out of the large pocket of her apron and hands it to him.

　Ichiban (Jeff) magically floats the deep dish and nibbles on the black bread.

''Um, I'm going to take it with me...?''

　As if afraid, Luna looks for Ichiban (Jeff)'s reaction.

Because, you see, you haven't eaten at all for about a month.　I think I'll be hungry. And I don't feel well.

　Ever since she began to take up residence with the Phantom Knights, Luna cooked a meal every day.
　However, Celis had eaten once in the beginning and hadn't tasted her food in a long time.

　Maybe Ewezeino's seasoning was not to her taste, Luna reflected.

　This time, she studied the ingredients and seasonings of Lakafarceit to please him, and tried her best to be creative.

　The taste was satisfying. He was confident.
　I couldn't help but look forward to the thought of that Buddha's face breaking into a smile as I cooked.

'I thought I did a good job today, so...'

He's out.

'Oh.........'

　Luna's shoulders slumped.
　The buoyant feeling was squeezed out at once.

'Is he meeting that girl...?'

"Girl?

The gods, I mean, Elesia....

　Hearing this, Ichiban (Jeff) narrows his eyes.

'I haven't heard, but I suppose I could be.

　Just imagining Ceris and Ehrenesia meeting, Luna's feelings became more and more depressed.

　Seeing this, Ichiban (Jeff) laughed.

'The princess has a fondness for the Commander (Isis)?'

'What?　Oh, no, it's not like that, I mean, I don't really understand the favoritism or anything.

　Luna said as she looked down shyly.

''Do I look ... like that ...?''

Yeah.

　My heart skipped a beat when he answered immediately.
　Celis's face comes to mind.

--?

I told you not to come here.

　Luna turned around in surprise.
　Celis was standing right behind her.

''Ah........Ki, did you hear.......?

　With a quick glance at her, Ceris didn't answer the question, but headed for the door.

'What do you want?'

...um, um, um, I brought you some soup...!

　With a big smile on her face, Luna showed him the pot.

'I thought you'd enjoy this one, since it came out so well today. See, you haven't eaten, lately. Twenty-four days now, maybe?　If you don't eat, you won't have much energy and I'm worried about you. Maybe you're busy, but I think you should at least make time to eat dinner.

　Luna tensed up in front of Ceris.
　As if to hide it, one word after another spilled out.

　But he doesn't say anything.

　He always does.
　All he does is stare at you with his sharp eyes and never give you a word.

　That's why Luna couldn't quite understand what he was thinking.

'Um... how about...?　If you said more things, I'd know... what you like and how you want it to be...

Nonsense.

　Luna looked like she'd been doused with cold water.

'Ghosts do not speak. Think of the dead wandering about.

　With that, Cerys left through the door.

　Luna gets depressed again.

　No matter how you think about it, he won't be favored.
　But even so, when you stare into his bright eyes, you stop breathing.

　I can't help but want to know what he's thinking about.

　It should be absolutely ridiculous to think like this after being treated so coldly, but even so, I can't stop feeling.
　Luna wonders if she's gone crazy somehow after being cut by the Spirit God Human Sword.

''.........Does he hate me.......?''

What do you think?

　Immediately the best (Jeff) said.
　Still, he didn't make it clear that he didn't hate me.

'But it's cold and...'

'As the Commander (Isis) said. The ghosts do not speak. Our words are worthless. If you want to understand, you will have to observe and speculate.

　Luna wracked her brain like she didn't understand.

But I talk to Elesia a lot. I didn't even get to drink the soup...

She's a co-conspirator. At least you are the only living person here. You don't even drink soup, and yet the Commander (Isis) welcomes you in. Why don't you think about what that means?

''But I won't know how I really feel until you tell me outright...''

　Luna muttered as she stared at the contents of the pot.

''.......I wonder how I can get them to talk to me....

　Luna thinks as she says it.
　But it was as if she didn't understand.

　She looks up and sees a man chewing on a piece of black bread.

'Hey. Why do you guys call yourselves ghosts?　Because we're all alive. And yet you're making all these secrets, and you're in such a secluded place, and you're like a recluse, and sometimes you join in the fray, isn't it strange?

Maybe so.

　Ichiban (Jeff) answered that, and he looked like he had lost his mind, just like the other Phantom Famous Knights.

'You don't really want to be a ghost, do you? Then why are you doing this?''

But we're still ghosts, you and I.

　It's the same answer as when he asked the others.
　I knew he wouldn't tell me either, Luna thinks.

''I'm sorry. The best (Jeff) will be pissed off if I stay, so I'll be back.

　Luna sprawled out and left with the pot in her arms.
　At her back, Ichiban (Jeff) said.

'Princess. The sooner you act, the better. You never know when a ghost will disappear. Waiting won't make things better.

What does that mean?

"Speak for yourself.

　Ichiban (Jeff) laughed and waved his hand.

''Well you could have told me...''

　As they left the cave and walked in a daze, Luna thought about the words he had said.

　The sooner she acted, the better, she wasn't sure what to do.

　He didn't say anything.
　She didn't know if it was fate or not.

　Besides, there are circumstances that she can't rush.

　She is the Lion of Perdition of Artsenon.

　Even the Spirit God Human Sword hasn't been able to break that fate after all.

　Even if he is the one who is destined to be with her, even if their feelings are reciprocated, they cannot have a child.

　She is the Princess of the Abyss of Disaster.
　She's still far from realizing her dreams, and she doesn't even have a clue how to do it.

　And yet--

　I keep telling myself it's not enough.

　I don't know why.
　My cheeks loosened helplessly just thinking about my future home.