"I understand," Lunarinas said gently, her voice returning to its calm, composed tone. "Everyone carries one or two memories they would rather leave untouched."
Nathan exhaled slowly. "Thanks for understanding."
The lingering tension in the starlit space eased, pressure quietly escaping from Nathan. Above them, the cosmic sky shimmered again, endless constellations regaining their soft glow.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
Then Lunarinas straightened slightly.
"So," she began, folding her hands neatly on her lap, "are you willing to undertake the quest to free me?"
Nathan tilted his head.
"Depends on the circumstances," he answered honestly. "I'm still new to this world. All I know so far is that zombies spawn at night and evaporate at sunrise."
He scratched his cheek.
"I'll try my best to help you — as my way for saying thanks — but… if the task turns out outrageously impossible, I might have to reconsider."
Lunarinas nodded, seemingly pleased by the practical response.
"It is not impossible," she said. "But it will not be easy either."
Yeah. That sounds exactly like every long-term quest description ever.
"So," Nathan continued, "what exactly do I need to do?"
Instead of answering immediately, Lunarinas rested her cheek against her palm and struck an exaggerated thinking pose.
"Hmmm…"
Nathan waited.
She hummed again.
"…The details are not important for now," she finally declared. "This will be a long-running quest."
Nathan blinked.
"Oh. One of those."
"Yes," she continued smoothly. "You are not required to pursue it constantly. Progress may be made slowly — at your own pace."
She smiled faintly.
"I will even grant you a blessing to aid your journey."
Nathan crossed his arms.
"So basically… a side quest I can work on whenever?"
"…Your terminology continues to concern me," she admitted. "but yes."
He nodded thoughtfully.
"Then what about your existential crisis?" he asked immediately. "You said you only have a few months left. And what exactly is this blessing you're taking about?"
Her smile twitched slightly.
"You truly do not hesitate with questions."
"Efficiency," Nathan replied proudly.
She sighed.
"I still possess several months before my whole existence fades," she said. "And this is precisely where I require your assistance."
She paused.
"I want you to become my follower."
Nathan snapped his fingers.
"Ah. So as long as I stay alive, you continue to exist."
"Exactly."
Her gaze sharpened.
"But I do not wish for you to be merely a follower."
Nathan raised a brow.
"I want you," she said, voice gaining weight, "to become my apostle."
"…Apostle?" he echoed.
Lunarinas nodded.
"We gods hear the prayers of our followers," she explained patiently. "Those we deemed worthy may receive blessings — fragments of divine authority granted sparingly."
She raised one finger.
"But apostles are different. A god may appoint only a very limited number."
Her tone turned solemn.
"They act as direct representatives of a deity. They spread faith, carry divine will, and serve as anchors of existence within the mortal world."
Nathan listened carefully.
"In exchange," she continued, "an apostle receives far greater authority than an ordinary blessed-follower."
She tilted her head.
"Are you still following?"
Nathan nodded.
"So basically," he summarized, "I spread your faith… and I get stronger using your divine power."
"Yes."
He rubbed his chin. "What kind of authority do you even have?"
Pride flickered across her expression.
"I possess authority over Darkness."
The surrounding starlight dimmed subtly, as if acknowledging her words.
"If you accept," she continued, "you will inherit a fraction of that authority — manifesting through illusion, concealment, or afflictive powers that weaken your enemies. But it'll differ from person to person."
Nathan nodded slowly.
Okay… sounds extremely villain-coded.
He carefully did not think that part too loudly.
Honestly though? Kinda cool.
Edgy… and I like edginess.
He looked back up.
"Alright," he said. "Make me your apostle."
Lunarinas blinked. "…You agreed rather easily."
Nathan shrugged. "I need an endgame goal anyway. And freeing a cute, gothic-lolita-cosplaying-goddess in distress sounds like a solid one."
A hint of concern crossed her face.
"I could attempt to charm you again, you know."
"Nah," Nathan said confidently. "I know you won't."
Her brows lifted. "And why are you so certain about it?"
He grinned. "Just following my guts, and I want to increase my score in your eyes."
"…What does that even mean?"
Nathan leaned back casually.
"Even though I said I was just teasing you earlier," he admitted, "I'm actually serious about making you my girlfriend."
Silence fell.
"…Excuse me?" she said flatly.
"So naturally," he continued, ignoring every warning sign in existence, "I have to earn your favor first."
Lunarinas stared at him.
Then.
"And where did this sudden surge of confidence come from?" she asked, smiling with half amusement and half teasing. "Half an hour ago, you were nothing but an introvert with catastrophic social skills."
Nathan scratched his cheek.
"Realizing even goddesses have their own problems puts things into perspective," he said. "My old life ended before I got to enjoy much of anything."
He looked up at the endless stars.
"So this time… I'm gonna enjoy life to its fullest. I'll try everything I never had the chance to experience…" he looked back at Lunarinas's eyes. "And taking a goddess as girlfriend is one of them.
Lunarinas watched him quietly.
"I hope that confidence lasts," she said softly.
A pause.
Then her eyes gleamed mischievously.
"…Very well. I shall increase your motivation further."
Nathan narrowed his eyes suspiciously.
"If you successfully free me from these accursed bonds," she declared, "I will consider becoming your girlfriend."
Nathan pointed immediately. "You better keep that promise."
"Of course," she replied with regal composure.
She rose gracefully. The cosmos reacted instantly — starlight gathering around her feet as she stepped closer.
Nathan instinctively straightened.
Lunarinas cleared her throat and immediately, her entire demeanor changed.
Gone was the emotional girl from moments ago.
Before him now stood a goddess.
Her posture became flawless.
Her presence vast and overwhelming.
Her heterochromatic eyes turned faint crimson like a rising blood moon.
Her voice echoed across the cosmos.
"Nathan Nightshade," she proclaimed, "do you willingly accept the sacred mantle and responsibility of becoming my Apostle?"
Nathan blinked once.
Then immediately dropped to one knee, fully committing to the moment.
"Yes, Your Divine Edginess."
She ignored the title entirely.
"I, Lunarinas — Sovereign of the Red Moon, Keeper of the Veiled Night, Goddess of Eternal Darkness — hereby appoint you as my Apostle."
Light and shadow spiraled around them.
"Bear fractions of my authority.
Carry my name.
Walk the path between shadow and dawn."
Her voice deepened, vast and absolute.
"Serve faithfully, and the night itself shall answer your call."
Something shifted inside Nathan.
Not physical, not even magical.
But existential — like a switch flipping deep within his being.
His senses distorted.
His body—
Glitched.
Fragments of his form scattered into particles of light before reassembling again.
"Oh," Lunarinas said casually, dropping back into her normal tone. "It seems your real body is waking."
Nathan looked down at his fading hands.
"Umm… can we meet again?" he asked. "I actually quite enjoyed my time talking with you."
She smiled softly.
"As long as I retain enough energy to summon your consciousness, yes."
She pointed at him.
"Pray in my name regularly. Your prayers will accelerate my recovery — and strengthen the blessings you received."
Nathan nodded. "I will."
The stars began dissolving.
"Oh, and one last thing," Lunarinas added.
Nathan looked up.
"I transferred you to that forest because it was quite safe from my 'haters' and has the highest probability of you obtaining multiple girlfriends," she said matter-of-factly. "Just as you requested during your dying breath."
Nathan's brain briefly stopped functioning.
Then he grinned widely.
"Lunarinas," he said warmly as his voice faded with his form, "you're the best."
His body dissolved into light.
"I heckin love you—!"
And then—
Darkness swallowed everything..