CHAPTER 73: THE GIRL WITH CRESCENT MARK

Ethan realized that the Side-quest Limited he got couldn’t be transferred or canceled.

It was completely his responsibility now.

Luckily for him, that side quest didn’t have a time limit. That meant Ethan could postpone completing it while he focused on the Thousand Stars Event instead.

This isn’t useful.

Ethan walked out of the room and stepped outside the house.

He didn’t know who Luna really was or what her identity might be, and it would be troublesome if he had to travel while protecting her.

It was much better to leave her in the village, where another guild team might eventually find her.

They could probably take care of Luna better than Ethan could.

I knew there was something strange about this village. I should get out of here quickly.

"Wait for me, Sir Savior!" shouted the girl as she ran out of the house, chasing after him.

Ethan instinctively stopped and turned around. He saw the girl with the crescent moon mark on her forehead running toward him in panic.

"What are you—"

"I want to go wherever you go, Sir Savior," said Luna, her eyes filled with tears.

"Please... don’t leave me alone."

He stayed quiet, saying nothing, just watching the little girl who followed him.

Ethan remembered the words written in the small notebook earlier.

It said that Luna must follow wherever her savior went. In this case, Luna had already accepted Ethan as her savior, just like a baby chick recognizes its mother for the first time.

Luna was just a child who had survived a disaster that destroyed her village.

She had seen her home ruined, her parents gone, her friends missing.

Fear and anxiety were natural for her. But when she saw Ethan—the man with the white mask—her fear disappeared.

Someone had come to protect her.

Without Ethan, Luna was only a weak little girl waiting for someone to reach out a helping hand.

Ethan’s hard heart slowly softened when he saw tears rolling down Luna’s cheeks—a sign of her deep sadness.

He let out a quiet sigh and crouched down right in front of her so their eyes met.

"If you want to come with me, can you obey my orders?" Ethan asked.

"Yes... I’m really good at following rules," Luna said, wiping her tears.

He nodded. If Luna was willing to obey him, then Ethan was willing to take her along—no matter the risks.

After agreeing, Ethan reached out his hand, asking Luna to hold it.

A smile bloomed on Luna’s face, and she happily took his hand as they left Olok Village together.

They walked until they reached the forest. Luna became a little nervous there, always walking close beside Ethan, near his leg.

Through her glowing blue eyes, Luna could faintly see the positions of nearby monsters.

But those monsters didn’t seem to notice Luna or Ethan at all.

Ethan stopped when he found a hidden cave. When he checked inside, he saw three opened chests—it meant an enemy guild team had already taken them.

That didn’t matter. Ethan could still use the cave as a shelter for the night.

At first, he planned to rest in Olok Village, but the negative aura there made him uneasy.

He was afraid the village might harm him at night, especially since its destruction was still a mystery.

Luna, as a native of that village, didn’t know much either.

All she remembered was her father’s message—to hide until her savior came. Ethan was that savior.

The campfire was lit. Ethan had prepared two portions of meat for their dinner.

But when he turned, he saw Luna standing at the cave’s entrance, her attention fixed outside.

Her strange behavior made Ethan curious. He stood up and walked closer.

"What’s wrong, Luna?" he asked.

"I see a group of monsters killing people out there," Luna replied.

Ethan froze in surprise. He quickly pulled Luna behind him to protect her. The cave entrance wasn’t covered by bushes—it was wide open.

He looked out carefully. Rain poured heavily over the forest before nightfall. But Ethan couldn’t see any monsters out there at all.

His eyes weren’t blind or weak. There was nothing beyond the wet grass and trees.

"I don’t see anything but forest."

"I can see it clearly over there. The woman died—and her body disappeared," said Luna, pointing to the right side.

Again, Ethan saw nothing. But when he crouched in front of her, he noticed a faint blue glow from Luna’s eyes.

Those eyes... they’re just like Sera’s when she used her power.

Could this be her ability? Long-range vision?

"Luna," he said softly.

"Can you stop your long-range vision for now?"

Luna turned toward him, her blue eyes meeting his white mask. Slowly, she nodded.

When she closed her eyes, the blue light faded from her pupils, and the white glow on her crescent mark disappeared too.

With her normal vision restored, Luna could no longer see far into the distance—but she still remembered the moment that woman died. The thought made her tremble.

Still, with Ethan nearby, Luna didn’t feel afraid anymore. She believed he could protect her.

Ethan led her back inside and gave her food. Luna ate eagerly, saying the meal was delicious and suited her taste.

It’s been so long... since I last ate together with someone like this.

She finished her food. The warmth of the fire and the sound of rain outside made her sleepy.

Ethan could tell—she rubbed her eyes, yawned, and her voice softened.

Eventually, Luna fell asleep with her head resting on Ethan’s thigh.

He couldn’t let her sleep with her head on the cold stone floor—it wouldn’t be comfortable for a girl like her.

Ethan looked down at Luna quietly, then turned his gaze outside. The rain poured even harder now.

The crescent mark, the blue light, the vision ability... those are all clues I need to figure out.

Luna isn’t just a normal girl. I’m sure there’s meaning behind this Side-quest Limited.

Sometimes she shivered as the cold air crept into the cave. Ethan took off his black cloak and laid it over her like a warm blanket.

He hadn’t bought camping gear—no sleeping bag, no proper blanket.

Returning to Arkan City after the chaos he caused would be a bad idea. He needed to head for another city to buy supplies.

Ethan removed his white mask and closed his eyes. He told Hissy to stay on guard while they slept, and Hissy didn’t mind at all.

A few hours later, Luna woke up because the campfire had started to die down. The warmth was fading.

When she moved to add more firewood, she caught sight of Ethan’s face.

Since the first time she met him, Ethan had always worn that white mask, never once taking it off.

Now, while he slept, Luna could finally see the face beneath it.

There’s a handsome big brother under that white mask.

He looks about the same age as my older sister.

Maybe I’ll call him Big Brother Ethan.

Hehe!