Navia slowly lifted her eyelids, feeling as though she was submerged in a swamp.
"Where am I?"
Strangely, the world was ashen.
Or perhaps, silvery.
The vast river that stretched out before her, even the sky that caught her eye, all were silver.
Navia suddenly looked up at the sky.
"Ah."
There, overwhelming in its size, was a giant white crescent moon, as if it was about to pour down from the sky.
But she wasn’t afraid. Why? She just instinctively reached out her hand. Endlessly reaching towards the moon.
As if begging it not to leave her.
That's when she felt a strange sensation in her outstretched right hand. More precisely, from her right wrist.
A warm sensation spread from where the Black Moon used to be, and Navia’s body began to turn white, just like the moon, in a spreading glow.
It was a warm and comforting feeling.
"I want to stay like this forever."
Then, she vividly remembered Lark, who had reached out to her, his face contorted in expression.
Just when her entire body had turned white.
"......!"
Navia returned to reality.
This strange feeling, she had felt it before. The dream of that black night after she had regressed.
The eerie gaze felt from the pitch-black sky was still vividly etched into her entire body.
This dream was different.
It was too quiet and peaceful, filling her with a sense of reverence.
Navia checked her wrist.
The Black Moon was gone.
Instead, a pure white crescent moon had appeared in its place.
"Why has the Black Moon turned like this......?"
Confused by the inexplicable change, Navia was snapped out of her thoughts by Margaret's excited voice.
"Miss! You're awake. Thank goodness, truly."
Turning her head, she saw Margaret with tears in her eyes, Charlotte, and Minerva approaching with medical tools.
Seeing them, Navia remembered what had happened to her.
The eerie red lines spreading on Lark's body and the Black Moon absorbing them.
'And then my body cracked with red lines.'
It was a pain she never wanted to experience again. Therefore, Navia abruptly sat up and asked,
"How is His Grace? Is he alright?"
"His Grace is fine. You've been lying here for five straight days. But we knew something was up when the light disappeared this morning."
Navia was overwhelmed with the information pouring in all at once.
So, Lark was alright. Next, she had been lying down for five days?
"How could I, for five days......?"
"We don't know the specifics either."
Margaret detailed the events they had witnessed that day.
The sudden burst of white light from her body, the breath returning, the wounds disappearing.
Navia, with a puzzled look, first checked her hands.
She was always prone to injury, but her body in this life had been through so much that it looked battered beyond recognition.
But the dense scars were now nowhere to be seen, as if it was all an illusion.
Navia immediately checked her legs by lifting her skirt.
Gone. The numerous cane marks made by Philippa had also vanished.
Navia's body was as if nothing had happened, completely clean.
'Is this the power of the White Moon?'
Curiosity meant it was time to find out.
Without anyone stopping her, Navia took out a paper knife and without hesitation inflicted a wound on herself.
"Kyah! Miss!"
While everyone screamed in horror, Navia alone watched with a calm gaze as the wound healed.
The White Moon detected the injury and showered a gentle light. Unlike the Black Moon, it was a warm and cozy sensation.
Should it heal the wound?
The White Moon seemed to ask, fluttering its light gently.
Navia thought of healing, and the wound closed up instantly.
"This......"
Realizing the power of healing, Navia sighed softly.
It was an incredible power, incomparable to the Black Moon.
She quickly calculated the dangerous situations this power could bring about.
"Miss, to inflict an injury on yourself to test your power!"
Margaret scolded her with an uncharacteristically stern expression and a hard voice.
"You must value your body, or something serious might happen......!"
Margaret, and the others as well, heaped their worries on Navia, and the storm of their nagging finally ceased.
"I'm sorry."
Navia, with drooping eyebrows, promised almost 40 times that she wouldn't do it again.
Margaret went out to inform Lark that Navia had awakened, and Charlotte prepared the meal.
Minerva was checking several times to see if Navia was in good condition, growing up healthily without any abnormalities.
"Minerva, do you still have that bruise from back then?"
Navia asked, recalling the day she fell and got a big bruise because of the maids sent by Theorban.
"It's almost healed, Miss."
Navia took Minerva's hand.
Since the Black Moon could steal others' abilities, wouldn't the White Crescent Moon have a similar influence? No, it definitely would.
Focus!
When Navia focused on the White Crescent Moon, a bright light enveloped Minerva. Minerva, checking the wound, showed a surprised expression.
"Oh...! Miss, the wound has completely disappeared."
'As expected.'
Navia clenched her small fist.
'With this power, couldn't I cure the Duke's illness?'
Suddenly, everything in front of Navia turned dark, and a sharp, cold scent wafted through.
Now, just the smell alone made Navia smile.
"Duke...!"
Navia tried to greet him happily, but her voice was muffled as she was tightly embraced in his arms.
Lark's trembling was palpably felt.
"It's a relief..."
A suppressed voice painfully and heatedly burst out, revealing the meaning of that tremor.
The suppressed voice was damp and humid. Because of this, Navia crumpled her forehead. Tears quickly rose and wet her cheeks.
Lark, holding the child dearly and painfully, repeated several times.
"I'm sorry."
Those were the only words he could say.
Navia knew how shocked he must have been, how terribly he must have suffered.
He had collapsed in the rain, just like she did.
Now, Navia could be sure that what she felt and what he felt were similar.
Perhaps that's why?
"Dad..."
Now, she could call him father without hesitation. But Navia chose to say 'Dad'.
Just, strangely, she wanted to call him that.
At the word 'Dad', Lark's body flinched slightly.
Navia, as much a coward as this man, or perhaps more so, spoke to reassure him.
"I'm okay."
Pat, pat.
That's why she patted his back, sobbing.
"...Dad, I'm okay."
Lark cried endlessly, like a pathetic human being he so despised.
There was no way to hold back these tears in the world.
Minerva, watching them, teared up, then quietly left the room, not to disturb their moment.
Lark was holding Navia tightly, then suddenly stepped back.
If another crack occurred and transferred to Navia, he would truly go mad.
Navia felt a sudden absence of warmth, as if a cold aura enveloped her.
The perfect bond they felt until now wavered.
Lark, turning his head away, did not show his face, wiping his tears.
'I'm not scared anymore.'
If there are two cowards, one must be brave.
Navia cautiously mustered courage and grabbed the hem of his clothes.
Lark, about to push her away as usual, hesitated.
"...It's dangerous, let go of my hand."
Navia fully understood why he said that.
"Is your body disintegrating?"
"..."
"Restoration magic is for a crumbling body."
Navia finally understood the whole story.
Lark's body was disintegrating for some reason, and magic was cast on the mansion to stop it.
"The day you waited for me at the main gate, you couldn't step out because if you left here, you would die."
"...Yes."
Navia looked down at the White Crescent Moon.
Could this warm, kind power really cure Dad? Navia didn't mind if the crack transferred to her again.
So, she embraced Lark tightly.
'Please cure Dad.'
Please ease the suffering of this lonely man, endlessly looping through the same world alone.
The White Crescent Moon responded to her heart, enveloping Lark in a warm light.
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