Chapter 479 - 478 - Promise Beneath the Moon!
Chapter — Beneath the Same Sky
The night had quietly descended upon the Drayden estate.
The magnificent manor, which had remained bustling with activity throughout the day, now rested beneath a blanket of tranquil silence as countless magical lanterns illuminated the stone pathways winding gracefully through the vast gardens. Moonlight poured gently over the ancient walls, bathing the towering buildings in a silver glow while the countless stars scattered across the heavens shimmered brilliantly, unobstructed by clouds.
A cool breeze wandered freely through the estate, causing the branches of centuries-old trees to sway softly while the leaves whispered quietly to one another. The distant murmur of flowing fountains blended naturally with the rhythmic chirping of insects hidden among the flowerbeds, creating a peaceful melody that seemed to slow the very passage of time.
High above the sleeping estate, upon the balcony connected to the guest room prepared for him, Luca stood alone.
His forearms rested lightly upon the polished stone railing while his crimson eyes wandered across the endless night sky stretching beyond the borders of House Drayden. The gentle wind played with his dark violet hair, carrying away the lingering warmth of the day as he silently watched the moon hanging proudly above the world.
It had been...
A long day.
So much had happened within the span of only a few hours that even now it felt strangely unreal.
The reunion between Aurelia and Kyle.
The spar with Kyle upon the training grounds.
The unexpected summons from the Iron Duke.
The overwhelming battle inside the study.
The conversation over tea.
And finally...
Those last few words.
Luca slowly closed his eyes.
Almost immediately, the Duke’s deep, unwavering voice resurfaced within his mind.
"I... the Iron Duke of House Drayden... acknowledge you."
"Hold your head high."
"Lead the way."
"The future... rests upon your shoulders."
The words carried a weight far greater than ordinary praise.
They were not compliments offered to encourage a promising junior.
Nor were they empty formalities exchanged between nobles.
They were expectations.
Responsibilities.
Trust.
Coming from a man who had spent his entire life standing at the frontlines of the Empire, protecting countless lives through his strength and leadership, those words possessed a significance Luca could not simply brush aside.
He released a slow breath.
The cool night air filled his lungs before disappearing into the silence surrounding him.
"In another life..."
He smiled faintly to himself.
"...I probably would have celebrated."
Back then, while sitting comfortably behind a screen, receiving acknowledgment from one of the strongest and most respected characters in the game would have felt like unlocking a hidden achievement.
Something exciting.
Something satisfying.
Something to proudly remember.
But now...
Standing beneath the same moon that illuminated a very real world...
Those words felt entirely different.
Because they were no longer directed toward a player.
They were directed toward him.
Toward Luca.
Toward someone who could bleed.
Who could fail.
Who could lose the people standing beside him.
His gaze drifted toward the countless stars scattered across the heavens.
The Iron Duke had not entrusted him with glory.
He had entrusted him with a future.
There was a profound difference between the two.
Luca rested his chin lightly upon his folded arms.
"So this is what responsibility feels like..."
The words escaped almost unconsciously.
There had always been responsibility.
Even during his countless playthroughs.
He had protected characters.
Completed quests.
Prevented tragedies.
Reached the best possible endings over and over again.
Yet no matter how emotional those moments had seemed...
There had always remained a quiet certainty deep within his heart.
It was only a game.
If something went wrong...
He could always begin again.
Load another save.
Choose another path.
Correct another mistake.
That certainty no longer existed.
There were no save files waiting quietly in the background.
No second attempts.
No convenient resets.
Every choice carried consequences that could never be erased.
Every person he met possessed a life that would continue regardless of whether he succeeded or failed.
The realization settled heavily within his heart.
Yet strangely...
It did not frighten him as much as he had expected.
Instead, it gave him clarity.
He slowly looked toward the moon once more.
"Even though I played this story countless times..."
A quiet smile appeared upon his face.
"...this is the first time I’ve truly felt like I’m walking the right path."
The words lingered beneath the open sky.
Not because everything had gone according to his memories.
Quite the opposite.
Almost nothing was unfolding the way he remembered anymore.
The timeline had shifted.
Important events had occurred far earlier than they should have.
People had made choices he had never witnessed before.
The appearance of the mysterious silver-haired figure.
The awakening beneath the ancient ruins.
The Vice Dean’s intervention.
The movements of the great noble houses.
Everything continued drifting further away from the countless futures he had once known.
The path before him had become unfamiliar.
Unpredictable.
Dangerous.
Luca smiled helplessly.
"If this were still one of my playthroughs..."
He let out a quiet laugh.
"...I’d probably be complaining that the developers secretly changed the entire storyline."
The breeze gently brushed against his face.
His smile slowly faded.
Replacing it was quiet determination.
"But this isn’t a playthrough anymore."
His crimson eyes reflected the moonlight.
"This is reality."
He understood that better than anyone.
Every step forward would lead somewhere unknown.
Every decision would shape a future that even he could no longer predict.
The road ahead had become infinitely more dangerous than any route he had ever completed before.
And yet...
For reasons he couldn’t quite explain...
He no longer felt the need to know exactly where it ended.
Because for the first time since arriving in this world, Luca realized that he had stopped walking merely to recreate a familiar ending.
Instead...
He had begun walking to create a future worth protecting.
The uncertainty ahead remained vast.
The dangers lurking within the darkness were greater than anything he had ever faced.
The coming war promised to shake the entire continent.
Countless lives would eventually depend upon the choices made by people like him.
Yet beneath that endless star-filled sky...
Luca found himself smiling.
Not because the future had become easier.
But because, despite all its uncertainty...
He finally believed he was walking toward it as himself.
The night continued embracing the Drayden estate with quiet serenity.
The stars stretched endlessly across the heavens like countless scattered jewels, while the moon hung high above the sleeping land, bathing the magnificent manor in a gentle silver glow. The cool breeze wandered freely through the balconies and gardens below, carrying with it the fragrance of blooming night flowers and the distant sound of water flowing through marble fountains.
Luca remained leaning comfortably against the stone railing.
His thoughts had finally begun settling after everything that had happened throughout the day.
The conversation with the Iron Duke.
The acknowledgment.
The weight of responsibility.
The uncertainty waiting somewhere beyond tomorrow.
Little by little, the restless thoughts inside his mind were becoming quieter beneath the peaceful night sky.
Then—
The soft sound of footsteps reached his ears.
Unhurried.
Gentle.
He didn’t need to turn around.
There was only one person on the entire estate whose footsteps had become that familiar to him.
A few moments later, Aurelia quietly stepped onto the balcony.
She had changed into a simple crimson night robe embroidered with delicate golden threads, her long red hair flowing freely over her shoulders rather than being tied as it usually was. Beneath the moonlight, the soft silver glow dancing across her hair made her appear almost ethereal.
She stopped beside him.
Neither of them spoke immediately.
Instead, she rested both forearms upon the balcony railing exactly as Luca had done, quietly looking toward the endless sea of stars stretching across the horizon.
The silence between them felt comfortable.
Neither felt pressured to fill it.
Eventually, Aurelia let out a quiet sigh.
"I knew I would find you here."
Luca smiled faintly without taking his eyes off the night sky.
"Was it that obvious?"
She laughed softly.
"You always seem to find balconies whenever you’re thinking too much."
"I have been exposed."
"You have."
The breeze gently brushed past them once again.
For several moments, only the sound of rustling leaves accompanied their quiet companionship.
Then Aurelia finally spoke again.
Her voice had become noticeably softer.
"...About what Grandfather said today."
Luca slowly turned toward her.
She still wasn’t looking at him.
Her violet eyes remained fixed upon the moon hanging peacefully above them.
"You don’t have to carry those words on your shoulders."
Her fingers unconsciously tightened around the stone railing.
"Grandfather..."
A small smile appeared upon her lips.
"...has a habit of placing impossibly heavy expectations upon people he acknowledges."
She lowered her gaze slightly.
"I’ve experienced it myself."
Luca quietly listened.
Aurelia continued.
"So..."
She hesitated for only a moment before speaking more firmly.
"...don’t feel like you have to throw yourself into every dangerous situation just because he told you the future rests on your shoulders."
The concern within her voice was impossible to hide.
"You don’t have to carry everything alone."
She finally turned toward him.
Her violet eyes reflected the moonlight beautifully.
"If a war really comes..."
A determined smile slowly appeared upon her face.
"...then I’ll stand in front of you."
Luca blinked once.
Aurelia continued speaking without hesitation.
"I’ll fight."
"I’ll protect the people important to me."
"And if danger comes for you..."
Her expression remained unwavering.
"...then it will have to go through me first."
For several seconds—
Luca simply stared at her.
Then—
A quiet laugh escaped him.
Not mocking.
Not dismissive.
Just genuinely amused.
Aurelia immediately frowned.
"...Why are you laughing?"
Luca shook his head with a helpless smile.
"It’s nothing."
"It is clearly something."
He looked directly into her eyes.
"Because..."
A warm smile spread across his face.
"...of course I believe you."
The simple sentence caught her completely off guard.
Luca continued smiling.
"I’ve seen you fight."
"I’ve seen your determination."
"I’ve seen how stubborn you become once you’ve made up your mind."
He chuckled softly.
"So yes."
"I absolutely believe you’d do exactly what you just said."
For a brief moment—
Aurelia couldn’t think of a response.
Then she narrowed her eyes suspiciously.
"...Wait."
Luca tilted his head innocently.
"What?"
She folded both arms across her chest.
"So you believe that I would protect you..."
"Naturally."
"...but somehow you don’t believe that I’ll actually win?"
Luca blinked.
"I never said that."
"You implied it."
"I most certainly did not."
"You laughed."
"I smiled."
"You smiled while laughing."
"I was appreciating your confidence."
Aurelia looked thoroughly unconvinced.
"I think you’re secretly doubting me."
Luca placed one hand dramatically over his heart.
"I would never."
"You absolutely would."
"I have complete faith in Lady Aurelia."
She raised an eyebrow.
"Complete faith?"
"Without question."
"Then if I challenged you to a duel tomorrow morning?"
Luca answered immediately.
"I would respectfully decline."
Aurelia stared at him.
"...Why?"
"Because believing in you and volunteering to be beaten are two entirely different things."
For a single heartbeat—
Silence.
Then Aurelia burst into laughter.
The bright, carefree sound echoed across the quiet balcony, carried gently away by the night breeze.
She lightly nudged his shoulder.
"You’re impossible."
Luca grinned.
"I’ve been told that rather often recently."
"I wonder why."
"I suspect the problem lies with everyone else."
She laughed again.
"That level of confidence is exactly why you keep getting into trouble."
Luca pretended to think deeply.
"I’ll consider reducing it."
"You won’t."
"I probably won’t."
The two of them remained standing beneath the moonlight, smiling as the gentle breeze drifted around them.
For just a little while longer...
The approaching war, the responsibilities waiting beyond tomorrow, and the countless uncertainties of the future all seemed wonderfully far away.