"Alright, I'll go with you."

Almost instinctively, Moen spoke these words.

"No—"

Ann froze for a split second, then immediately retorted sharply,

"You can't go with me, young master!"

"Why not?"

"This has nothing to do with you, young master! There's no need for you to take such a big risk for me!"

"Who said it has nothing to do with me? And who said I'm going just because of you?" Moen chuckled lightly.

"What?"

"Actually, I still remembered that I still owe Aluka a meal as thanks." Moen turned his head, gazing at the massive, grotesque creature.

A trace of sorrow floated in his eyes.

In all honesty, Aluka was probably the first friend he made after arriving in this world.

Yeah, he even had meals at her house, so they could be considered friends.

It was just that he hadn't expected that, merely during the brief few moments of grilling a fish, she would turn into this.

Fate... it truly was both lamentable and detestable.

"As her friend, I have an obligation to see her off one last time." Moen said boldly, hands on his hips.

"No one has the right to stop me—not even you, Ann."

"But... it's still not okay!"

Ann stood up, stubbornly blocking Moen's way. She spoke earnestly,

"It's too dangerous. I’ve promised the master and madam to protect you, young master, and never let you come to harm!"

"Protect me?"

Moen tilted his head slightly, speaking softly:

"But Ann, haven’t you always wanted to harm me?"

"Harm? I haven’t."

"Drugging me, ambushing me, imprisoning me, even thinking about cutting off my limbs—aren't these things you’ve either done or intended to do? Aren't these, aren't they hurtful?"

"I..."

Ann faltered.

I'm doing it out of love; it's all because of love. That’s why I do such things for the young master.

If it were the old Ann, she would definitely say this—so boldly and self-assuredly.

But now, staring into Moen's calm eyes and hearing the monstrous wails not far off—the cries of hundreds and Aluka's madness echoing through the air—these words simply couldn’t leave her lips.

It felt like, if she dared to say them, Aluka would rise up from the pile of corpses and blood, grinning ferociously, and tell her:

"See, Master? You’re just like me."

No.

No.

No!

"Please, young master."

In the end, Ann could only turn her persuasive arguments into pleading desperation.

"Don't go."

"If anything happens to you, I... I’ll never forgive myself, even in death."

Ann clutched Moen’s clothes tightly, sobbing as she begged,

"I’m begging you, young master..."

"Ann."

Moen looked down at the tearful Ann, silent for a moment, carefully observing her demeanor.

Then, suddenly, he raised his voice and shouted,

"Ann! What’s the first rule in the Campbell household maid etiquette? Say it loud and clear!"

"Yes!"

Almost reflexively, Moen’s command triggered the instincts that Ann had cultivated over years of training.

For a moment, it was as though they’d returned to the scene of the daily morning lectures given by the former head maid.

Standing straight as a pine, Ann squared her shoulders, raised her head high, and declared loudly,

"The first rule of Campbell household maid etiquette: Always keep your back straight, except when bowing to the master or guests!"

"That's right, straighten your back, Ann."

Moen patted Ann's shoulder and smiled. He tidied her disheveled bangs, tucking the stray strands stuck to her cheeks behind her ears. Then he adjusted her maid uniform, meticulously smoothing out the wrinkles until she was restored to the image he had in his memory—poised, graceful, composed, unruffled.

"Doesn’t this feel more like the real you?"

"Young master..."

"Alright, stop crying. I know you’re worried, but haven’t you been saying often lately that I’m not the same as before?"

Moen stooped slightly, locking eyes with Ann, his expression gentle as he spoke:

"Forgive me for not becoming the ideal version of myself you wished for, but you’ve seen it yourself, haven’t you? I'm no longer that useless young master.

Sure, my tricks are still limited—that same old set of clumsy moves—but hey, I managed to escape from you, Ann. I even managed to escape from that monster’s grasp.

When it comes to running away? That’s my specialty. If I can't win, I can always flee.

In a way, I'm even better than you, Ann.

So, don't worry anymore, alright?"

"But..."

Ann stared blankly at Moen.

She wanted to say more, but Moen suddenly raised a finger and pressed it gently against her lips.

"No rebuttals. This is a command from me as your young master."

Ann froze momentarily, stunned.

Although it was an order, his words were incredibly tender.

She gazed at Moen, a bit dazed.

The sunlight poured onto Moen's golden hair, enveloping him in a soft, glowing halo.

The breeze brushed by, brightening even his brows and eyes, rendering them all so radiant.

Those lake-like, crystal-clear pupils seemed as if they could pull her soul right in.

Yes, the young master had changed.

Overnight, he completely veered off the path she had painstakingly laid out for him.

Now he was ambitious, gentle, cunning... and even a little foolish.

To voluntarily confront the corruption of an dark god—such a thought would’ve been utterly unthinkable for the old version of young master.

It was as if he’d become an entirely different person.

Yet somehow, this version of him, still far removed from her ideal expectations, seemed like he had a magnetism that captured her gaze completely.

How dazzling he was, her young master.

Tears rolled down Ann’s cheeks as though she were staring directly at the blazing sun.

...

"Alright, let’s get started."

Seeing that Ann had finally been persuaded, Moen gave a faint smile.

He swung his arms energetically, loosening his muscles, then without a backward glance, strode toward the hideous monster ahead.

He said:

"Let’s bring redemption to your apprentice, my friend, our dear Aluka."

...

...

"Ahhhh, here I go againnnnn!"

Standing atop a towering steel pillar a hundred meters high, Moen clutched his head, flailing wildly like a lunatic having a breakdown.

"My damn occasional self-destructive urge!"

Whether it was Celicia back then or now, the outcome was the same.

Even when alternative, smarter choices existed, he still seemed hell-bent on rushing toward the path of self-destruction.

I love my life so much—why do I keep losing control at crucial moments?

"Haha... Seeing a pretty girl cry makes me freeze in my tracks. I guess that makes me a unique sort of old-fashioned sleazebag, huh?"

Moen sighed softly.

But this time, compared to that last event, it was... different, somehow.

At least this time, he didn’t feel completely powerless.

...

"Listen, Anc. Here's the plan."

"First, now that Aluka has been corrupted by the dark god, she can’t be killed by conventional means. I imagine you’ve already noticed.

"So our objective isn’t to waste energy trying to kill Aluka—or even trying to wake her up—but instead to target the source of the dark god's corruption, the medium through which the god's power was channeled.

"A ring, a necklace, a statue... There’s definitely something like that there. It's impossible for a dark god to directly transmit its power without a medium—this is how the world’s rules run.

"The source should be somewhere around Aluka. Which means I need you, Ann, to use your abilities to clear us a path.

"You pave the way, helping block the monster's attacks, while I use my agility and mobility to get close to Aluka, locate the source of contamination, and destroy it!"

"That’s the plan!"

...

Recalling the strategy he had laid out with Ann not long ago, Moen exhaled lightly.

At a time like this, Moen couldn’t help but feel slightly grateful that he had read the original novel—only because of that did he have some grasp of how to handle the dark god.

Still... it wouldn’t be easy.

Because the more he recalled the novel, the clearer its depiction became—and the more terrifying it seemed.

"...Looks like there's no turning back."

Opening his arms wide, Moen steadied his breath. Then, directing his voice toward the distant monster in water, he shouted:

"Hey—

All eyes on me, I’ve got an announcement!"

"Huh?"

Catching the sound, the monster twisted around, the dozens of faces scattered across its form all swung their attention over at once.

Then, it charged toward him.

Aluka shouted excitedly, "Mr. Moen, are you finally coming to accept my love?"

"I’d never accept your love!"

Moen flipped a middle finger, laughing wildly:

"Because—

I’m a parachuter!

Hahahaha!"

With those words, Moen leapt forward into the fray.