Free Web NovelChapter 230: Lunar Warden-1
After his conversation with Gustav, Luke decided to check on Monica before leaving.
He knew he would only be gone for a few minutes, but to him, those minutes would stretch into hours. So, for his own peace of mind and as a reason to return home safely, he wanted to see her face one last time before setting out.
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Carefully, he eased the door open and peeked inside.
The room was dimly lit, with only a single candle flickering on a nearby table. Its gentle glow illuminated Monica’s peacefully sleeping face.
A soft smile appeared on his lips.
Stepping inside, he quietly closed the door behind him and made his way toward her bed. He knew how lightly she slept, so he was careful not to make even the slightest sound.
When he finally reached her side, he slowly crouched down.
For a few moments, he simply sat there, watching her face from up close. The calm rise and fall of her breathing, the relaxed expression she wore in sleep, and the warmth she brought to his heart made it difficult to look away.
It wasn’t often that he got to see her asleep.
Every morning, Monica woke up before him, and more often than not, she went to bed after him as well.
So yes, watching her sleep brought him an indescribable sense of peace. It eased the tension in his heart and made him want to linger there a little longer.
His gaze traced the gentle rise and fall of her chest, her slightly parted, soft lips, and the delicate brows that were faintly furrowed even in sleep.
Slowly, he reached out and rested a hand atop her head.
Just enough to feel her beneath his touch.
As though sensing his presence, the faint crease between her brows gradually relaxed.
A smile spread across Luke’s face.
"I’ll be back before you wake up," he murmured softly.
He resisted the temptation to lean in and steal a kiss.
Waking her up now would only lead to questions about where he was going, and he had no idea how he would answer them.
So, forcing himself to rein in his urges, Luke slowly rose to his feet.
With a thought, he summoned the Vanishing Cloak from his Inventory.
Draping the cloak over his body, Luke approached the door.
He had no intention of being spotted and questioned again, so he activated <Silent Walk> as an extra precaution.
The rest of the household was asleep.
Before leaving, he briefly checked on Laila as well and found both her and Ginna sleeping on the same bed.
Earlier, Ginna had told him that she would be sleeping with Laila for the night since she still had some work to finish. Luke hadn’t objected, though he had reminded her not to make a habit of it.
As far as he could tell, the two women were having some difficulty sharing the bed.
Not because they were uncomfortable with each other’s presence, but because the bed itself was simply too small.
’I need to get her a new bed too.’
There were plenty of things he needed to plan and improve, but he pushed those thoughts aside for now and focused on what mattered most.
Moving cautiously, he approached the main door and opened it just enough to slip through without difficulty.
"Haa!"
The moment he stepped outside, he heard someone’s voice.
He turned and found Lex in the front yard, repeatedly swinging a wooden sword.
Sweat glistened across his forehead, and his exhausted body showed clear signs of fatigue. Yet when Luke looked at his face, all he saw was pure joy.
Lex was happy.
Happy to wield a weapon again.
Happy to stand on his own two feet.
For the first time in a long while, he looked like himself. The cloud of gloom that had once hung over him was gone, and so were those lifeless eyes.
He looked whole once more.
[As the system previously suggested, the host should have utilized the opportunity to make the target the host’s subordinate. The target was inevitably going to recover, but the host could have taken the credit and gained a loyal servant.]
Luke’s expression immediately flattened.
’Do you know what sybau stands for, System?’
Silence.
The System offered no response.
Luke shook his head and continued on his way.
Passing beyond the perimeter, he checked the trap one final time before breaking into a sprint toward the forest.
Since running with the cloak on was restrictive, Luke removed it once he had put enough distance between himself and the house.
However, he quickly put it back on as soon as he neared the village perimeter and noticed the increased patrols.
He even spotted Dart on the western front, accompanied by another warrior as the two kept a vigilant watch for any unusual activity.
’I hope he gets enough sleep tonight so he can’t use that as an excuse tomorrow when he loses.’
A grin appeared on Luke’s face.
Not lingering any longer than necessary, he slipped past the perimeter and headed into the forest without issue.
By now, he had become thoroughly accustomed to crossing the village boundary. Combined with his ability to completely silence his footsteps, even veteran magical warriors would struggle to detect his presence.
His departure was smooth and uneventful.
Only after reaching deep enough into the forest did he slow down.
In a small clearing surrounded by trees, Luke finally came to a stop.
Taking a few deep breaths, he steadied himself before asking,
"Can I transfer to the dungeon now?"
[Indeed, Host. You have fulfilled all the requirements necessary for the system to confirm that you are in optimal condition to challenge the dungeon once again.]
Luke grinned.
"Sweet."
He still needed to use the cover of night to escort Synthia back to her house. The preparations were already complete. All that remained was executing the plan, and he could only hope he would have enough time.
[Host, the system recommends consuming the Lunar Pearl before entering the dungeon. This location appears suitable for the assimilation process.]
Luke blinked.
He had almost forgotten about it.
Reaching into his Inventory, he took out the pearl Synthia had gifted him and brought it close to his nose.
A sweet fragrance greeted him.
Tempting.
Without overthinking it, he opened his mouth and bit into it.
Crack.
The pearl broke apart like hardened chalk.
Luke began chewing.
The texture was surprisingly pleasant, while the taste resembled a sweet rice cake.
It was far more delicious than he had expected.
Not even waiting for the first bite to reach his stomach, he stuffed the remaining piece into his mouth and chewed enthusiastically.
The sweetness spread across his tongue, making him instinctively close his eyes and savor the experience.
Then something changed.
"Hmm... cough!"
A violent cough escaped him.
Luke staggered backward, nearly losing his footing.
As he raised a hand to steady himself against a nearby tree, his eyes suddenly widened.
His arm...
It was glowing.
No.
Reflecting the moonlight.
The pale silver radiance shimmered across his skin as though the moon itself had settled upon him.
"What the fuck..."
Shock flashed across his face.
Looking down, he realized the change wasn’t limited to his arm.
The same luminous sheen had spread throughout his entire body.
His skin, his hands, even the faint outlines of his muscles carried an ethereal glow beneath the moonlight.
At that moment, the system’s notification rang out.
[Congratulations, Host. You have acquired your Ethereal Form: Lunar Warden.]
Luke stared at his transformed body, momentarily speechless.
Then he slowly lifted his gaze toward the moon hanging above the forest canopy.
