Chapter 69: White Moon and Yana
[White Moon? Why are you speaking? What happened to Yellow Moon?]
“Master. Yellow Moon is unconscious due to severe injuries. I will report in his stead.”
Suppressing Yellow Moon, who was desperately struggling even with a gaping wound in his throat, White Moon spoke firmly.
[Is that so. Was the opponent strong enough to render Yellow Moon unconscious?]
“Yes. By the time I arrived, Yellow Moon and the majority of Depicio’s elite forces were already incapacitated. However, there were gains.”
[Gains?]
“The four who had been guarding Aajen Clover were also rendered combat-unable. Aajen Clover himself is currently presumed to be fleeing alone. I will pursue and eliminate him.”
[Understood. Proceed without compromising the grand plan. I look forward to hearing good news, White Moon.]
“……Yes, Master.”
White Moon responded smoothly with a smile.
“Please leave it to me.”
It was a chilling, icy smile.
Then, confirming the connection had been completely severed, White Moon shattered the communication orb.
Clink!
As the orb broke into scattered pieces, Yellow Moon’s eyes widened.
“Ghhh! Khhhk!”
Even with blood vessels bursting in both eyes and a sword lodged in his throat, he strained every muscle to scream.
He seemed to be asking—Why? Why on earth?!
“Ghhh!”
Why betray your comrades, your kin, Depicio?!
“Hmph.”
White Moon looked down at Yellow Moon, his face contorted in fury and disbelief, and smiled faintly.
“Right? I didn’t think I’d end up like this either, Yellow Moon.”
As she spoke, she gently wrapped both hands around the hilt of the longsword she had driven into him.
“I think I lived too long… as someone else.”
She muttered in a dry whisper.
“That fleeting memory… completely overtook me.”
It happened three years ago.
White Moon, the youngest to ever earn the title of "Moon" in Depicio, was given a mission by the Mountain Elder.
A long-term infiltration assignment—she was to approach and form a romantic relationship with a specific target.
However, the mission had an unusual condition: her memory and sense of self would be sealed.
–The target is a civilian, I presume. Leave it to me, Master. I’ll see it through flawlessly, as always.
White Moon had been confident. She could already picture herself returning triumphantly.
But—
–You’ve lost your memory? Even memories of yourself? Your family or hometown? Oh dear…
The target’s name was Oridion Bartwell. He was a deeply kind man.
He had found a complete stranger collapsed on the street and nursed her tenderly all through the night.
–I-I know it’s sudden, but would you come with me? Ah! I-I don’t have any weird motives or anything! I’m not a strange guy! I’m a doctor! I just… I want to help you find your memories. Will you let me?
He had extended sincere kindness to someone who had nowhere else to go.
–Can I give you a name? Just for now, until you remember yours. Oh, you’ll let me? Haha! Thank you so much.
–For some reason… you feel like moonlight to me. This name... I thought of it, just in case…
And so, day by day, over the course of two years, they fell in love.
Like most young people do—entranced by that great magic called love.
Even someone like White Moon, once a ruthless assassin, became just an ordinary woman.
It was a spring-like, radiant love.
But its end was tragic, horrific… despair. Despair, despair—nothing but despair!
That’s why she, who had now returned to being White Moon, betrayed Depicio.
Because Oridion Bartwell's kindness had soaked and colored her through and through.
–Darling?
And because she could never forgive them—
For forcing her to kill the man she loved with her own hands!
“They must’ve assumed the relationship had progressed enough, and activated it… The protocol implanted within me… a behavioral override.”
Depicio had anticipated that White Moon might defect after regaining her memories.
So they installed a hidden mechanism in her body that would ensure the mission’s completion—regardless of whether she turned or not.
“It must’ve been Black Moon. He specializes in manipulating minds. He probably sealed my memories and identity while adding his little failsafe.”
Even with no memory, her assassin skills remained ingrained in her body.
Under the protocol’s haze, she had strangled Oridion to death, then forcibly reverted to “White Moon.”
And at last, her memories as White Moon returned.
–Aaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!
Right at the moment she killed her lover with her own hands.
“You were wise, Yellow Moon. The Master trusted me, so did Black Moon... even I believed in myself. But only you doubted me.”
The blade, already embedded in Yellow Moon’s neck, slowly twisted deeper as he glared daggers at her.
“You always liked predicting and analyzing future events, didn’t you? Well, now I can say it—Yellow Moon.”
White Moon smiled beautifully, her crescent eyes curving like moons.
“Your prediction was exactly right.”
“Ghhhk—!”
That final gurgle was his last.
Without hesitation, White Moon swung her sword.
Slash—!
Yellow Moon’s head spun through the air before dropping to the floor with a dull thud.
And then—
Clap, clap, clap!
Soft applause echoed through the air. She slowly stood and turned around.
“Magnificent!”
There he was.
“A truly brilliant act of revenge.”
Elwin approached, a satisfied grin on his face.
“I heard this airship had two Depicio executives on board.”
He spoke casually, revealing classified information as if it were nothing.
“One of them must’ve been the ‘Yellow Moon’ you just killed. Which would make you… ‘White Moon’.”
“……!”
“I’d like to make a proposal to someone like you… oops.”
Before he could finish, he leaned back just in time to avoid a flashing dagger slash.
“Well, that’s troubling. I’m not your enemy.”
“...And you think I’d believe that lie?”
With that, White Moon attacked him without another word.
Elwin scratched his cheek awkwardly and sighed—still effortlessly dodging all her attacks.
‘She must be extremely on edge. Did I provoke her unnecessarily?’
He had only chimed in to acknowledge her as a fellow avenger with the same enemy…
‘Though, yeah. I do look suspicious.’
Elwin nodded, admitting it to himself.
Who would trust a guy who flew in out of nowhere, attacked an airship, blew up a mana cannon, and then asked for peace?
Still, siding with Aajen Clover’s group was the smartest move for White Moon now, since they shared a common enemy.
‘She probably thinks she could’ve died because of me.’
It made sense.
‘Best to disable a threat to your life first. And if negotiations happen later, she’ll have the upper hand.’
Even if her time as a civilian had changed her, White Moon had lived almost her entire life as an assassin.
Now that she had all her memories back, her mindset would naturally lean toward “White Moon.”
‘I never intended to kill her… not that she’d believe that.’
Elwin had calculated everything.
Attacking and downing the airship was the most efficient way to eliminate Depicio’s assassins in one move.
Even though White Moon was in the blast zone, he’d done it because he was sure she’d survive.
“Yikes. Close one.”
He dodged her twin-dagger combo while watching her nape. More specifically, something she wore under her clothes.
White Moon likely had no idea what that item truly was.
So Elwin was planning to enlighten her personally. His blue eyes gleamed sharply.
“……!”
Then, in an instant, he moved so fast even White Moon couldn’t track him.
Startled, she scanned her surroundings.
Slide.
A chilling sensation landed at the back of her neck. The cold touch of steel.
But more than that threat, something else completely crushed her will to fight.
“…! Aa—Aah!”
Frantically, she patted her neck.
It was gone. Gone!
The one keepsake that let her remember her days with him—vanished!
“Looking for your ring?”
“……!”
“If it’s that, it’s right here.”
Elwin held up a necklace he had stealthily swiped.
Two rings dangled from it, clinking softly.
“Will you surrender now?”
White Moon immediately raised both hands.
“…What do you want?”
She asked tensely. She couldn’t begin to guess what this enigmatic man was after.
“A peaceful conversation?”
“What?”
She blinked, dumbfounded, as Elwin handed back the necklace.
He’d only taken it to calm her down—but didn’t want to be the kind of bastard who threatened someone with what they cherished most.
“I understand why you’d be suspicious… but I truly am not your enemy, White Moon. I’m an ally—one who shares your enemy.”
With that, Elwin lowered his blade and stepped back.
No more threats.
“I see.”
White Moon quietly cradled the rings, then looked up.
“Very well. Let’s hear what you have to say.”
Relieved, Elwin introduced himself as Lewin Legisel and asked,
“Before that, could I know your name?”
“My name? I am the 609th Shadow of the Shadow Clan—”
“Um, no. That’s not what I meant.”
Elwin gently cut her off without offending her.
“What I’d like to know isn’t the name ‘White Moon’... but the precious name your lover gave you.”
“……”
At that, White Moon—no, the woman—pressed her lips tightly together.
“…So. You knew about him.”
“Well, kind of.”
Though they’d never met, Elwin was confident he knew a great deal about Oridion Bartwell, a character from LAMPAS.
When he answered sheepishly, White Moon broke her stoic expression with a soft smile.
“You resemble him.”
Before Elwin could ask, Who?, she lowered the scarf hiding her face.
Then, with a look of quiet resolve, she parted her lips.
“My name is…”
In that moment, she was no longer White Moon.
Her expression, her tone, her atmosphere—everything transformed.
–No. This was her true self.
“Jana. Jana Bartwell.”
She, Jana, smiled radiantly—like a goddess of the moon descending to the mortal world.