Chapter 52: Chapter 52: Luna Opposes the Marriage.
Noah found himself in a situation where the girl who had kidnapped him, who worked for an organization that wanted to eliminate a large portion of humanity, and who had barely spoken more than a few sentences, had just handed him a marriage certificate.
Nozomi picked up a pen.
"I already filled out my part. All that’s missing is your information and signature."
Noah did not take the pen.
"Why?"
Nozomi blinked.
"Why what?"
"Why do you want to marry me?"
Nozomi looked away for a moment.
"That doesn’t matter."
"It matters quite a lot."
"You only need to know that, if you agree, I won’t hand you over to the Great Mother."
Noah looked at the document.
"And what happens afterward?"
Nozomi settled into her chair.
"You’ll live here with me."
Noah looked at the windowless walls.
"Here!?"
"It’s a safe place."
"There’s no way out."
"You don’t need a way out."
Noah looked back at her, and Nozomi continued speaking with a calm expression.
"I’ll try to take care of you as best I can, and you’ll have food, clothes, and everything you need."
"And will I be allowed to go outside?"
"Once a week."
Noah opened his mouth slightly, and Nozomi raised a finger.
"With me, of course."
"That’s not a marriage, it’s a permanent kidnapping!"
"It’s a protective measure."
"You kidnapped me right in front of two magical girls, you know?"
"They pose a risk."
"They were protecting me."
"Then they were doing a poor job, since I managed to take you away so easily."
Noah gritted his teeth, since he could not completely deny that part.
Nozomi held out the pen.
"If you behave, I might allow you to choose where we go on our outings."
Noah pulled his hand away from the table.
"I’m not signing."
Nozomi remained motionless, but her expression did not change immediately.
"What did you say?"
"I’m not marrying you."
Nozomi pushed the document toward him.
"I don’t think you understand the situation."
"I understand it. You’re threatening to hand me over to the Great Mother if I don’t agree to live locked up with you."
"Exactly."
"Then my answer is still no."
Nozomi narrowed her eyes.
The temperature in the room dropped, and dark shadows began spreading across the floor.
Noah rose from his chair, and Nozomi stood as well.
"I’m not asking for your permission."
"Then you didn’t need to prepare a marriage certificate."
"I wanted to do it properly."
"Kidnapping someone isn’t a proper way to start a marriage."
Nozomi appeared in front of him, and Noah stepped back on instinct.
She had crossed the room without walking.
Nozomi placed a hand on his chest and shoved him against the wall.
"Listen carefully."
Noah tried to push her arm away, but Nozomi was stronger than she looked.
"You’re going to sign."
"I already told you no!"
Nozomi brought her face closer.
"You can agree now and be treated well."
Noah kept his eyes fixed on her.
"My answer isn’t going to change."
Nozomi tightened her grip on the fabric of his shirt.
"I know your address."
Noah tensed.
"I also know your mothers’ names."
Noah’s breathing grew heavier.
Nozomi smiled again, although this time there was no arrogance in her expression, only irritation.
"Emma Reed and Sarah Reed."
Noah clenched his fists, and Nozomi continued.
"And your sister, Ava Reed."
"Leave them out of this."
"That depends on you."
Noah tried to push her away, but Nozomi did not even move.
"Sign the document, and I won’t need to visit your family."
Noah felt fear mixed with anger.
"I won’t let you hurt them."
"Then sign."
"No."
Nozomi’s gaze hardened.
"I could take you in front of them and force you to watch while I..."
An explosion shook the room, and dust fell from the ceiling.
Nozomi turned her head, and another explosion sounded in the distance, causing the shadows on the floor to writhe.
Noah looked up.
"What was that?"
Nozomi released him.
"Don’t move."
"Where could I go?"
She ignored him and walked toward the center of the room.
"I’m going to see what’s happening."
Noah watched as darkness formed around her body, and Nozomi pointed at him before disappearing.
"When I return, we’ll continue with the proposal."
A moment later, she was no longer there.
Noah was left alone. He looked at the walls, then the ceiling, and then the marriage certificate.
’This got out of control way too fast.’
He walked toward the table and picked up the documents.
All of Nozomi’s information appeared to be authentic, and there was even an address written down, although Noah did not recognize the place.
’Was she really planning to keep me locked up here?’
Another explosion made the floor vibrate, causing Noah to raise his head.
’What’s happening outside?’
He had barely finished the thought when a black line appeared across the ceiling and spread from one end to the other.
Noah stepped back.
The ceiling split apart, and several pieces fell toward him.
Noah raised his arms, but a dark barrier appeared above his head and stopped the debris before it could strike him.
Light entered the room, and Luna descended through the opening.
Her magical-girl dress fluttered as she touched the floor.
Noah stared at her in disbelief.
"Luna!"
She immediately approached him.
"Are you hurt?"
"No."
Luna checked his arms, his face, and his clothes.
"Did she do anything to you?"
"No, but she tried to force me to sign a marriage certificate."
Luna stopped checking his clothes and immediately looked at the document on the table before turning back to Noah.
"Did you sign it!?"
"No!"
Luna nodded in relief.
"Good."
Noah pointed toward the destroyed ceiling.
"How did you find me so quickly?"
Luna extended her hand, and a new barrier covered the opening.
"I was able to track your magical energy."
Noah blinked.
"My energy?"
"Your body retains some of the energy from the abilities you use during training, so after you disappeared, I searched for that trace."
"You can do that?"
"I can now."
Noah did not know whether he should feel relieved or worried.
Luna continued.
"The kidnapper didn’t take you very far. She only transported you to a hidden facility beneath an abandoned building."
"And the explosion?"
"Yume."
Noah closed his eyes for a second.
"I should’ve guessed."
"We prepared a plan."
Noah looked at her again.
"A plan?"
"Yume is attacking the exterior to draw the enemy’s attention while I entered from the opposite side, located your energy, and came to get you."
Noah looked at the hole in the ceiling.
"How long did it take you to organize all of that?"
"Less than two minutes."
Noah remained silent.
Luna tilted her head slightly.
"Is something wrong?"
"No, it’s just a little frightening how quickly you can organize yourselves whenever I get kidnapped."
"It should reassure you."
"I’m not sure about that."
Another explosion shook the facility, and Luna took Noah’s hand.
"We need to leave."
He looked at their joined hands, and Luna did not appear uncomfortable.
She held him firmly and created a platform of energy beneath their feet, carrying them both upward through the opening.
Above them was a destroyed hallway and several walls covered in attack marks.
Luna kept a barrier around Noah as they moved forward.
"Yume will catch up with us once she finishes distracting her."
"Should we help her?"
"No."
"Will she be all right?"
"Yume was instructed not to pursue her if she tries to escape."
Noah raised an eyebrow.
"And is she going to obey?"
"I don’t think so."
"That’s what I thought."
Luna opened an exit through one of the walls, and they both reached the outside.
They were behind an abandoned building, several blocks away from the training grounds, and another pink explosion sounded in the distance.
Noah exhaled.
"I’m guessing that’s Yume."
"Yes."
Luna deactivated the platform, but she did not release Noah’s hand.
He looked at the building.
"Nozomi said the Great Mother’s organization wants to capture me."
"I heard."
Noah turned his head.
"Since when!?"
"Since before I broke through the ceiling."
"Then you heard about the marriage certificate too!"
"Yes."
Luna remained silent, and Noah noticed that her expression was more serious than usual.
"I really didn’t sign it."
"I know."
"I didn’t even consider it."
"Good."
Noah watched her.
"Luna, are you upset?"
"Yes."
"Because of the kidnapping?"
"That too."
Noah did not have time to ask what that meant.
Luna released his hand and took a step toward him. Noah thought she was going to check him for injuries again, but instead, Luna held his face with one hand, leaned forward, and kissed him.
There was no warning, nor was there any explanation.
Their lips remained pressed together for several seconds.
Noah’s eyes opened completely.
He could not move, figure out what to do with his hands, or think about the explosion that had just occurred several blocks away.
Luna pulled back, and her expression remained serious.
Noah stood motionless.
"Luna..."
She kept her eyes fixed on him while Noah tried to put his thoughts in order.
’Did Luna just kiss me?’
Yes, she had kissed him directly.
Not by accident, not to stop a transformation, and not because they had fallen on top of each other, but because she had wanted to.
Noah opened his mouth, but no words came out.
Luna turned toward the building.
"Yume will return soon."
Noah was still frozen.
"Wait."
Luna looked at him again.
"Why did you do that?"
Luna remained silent for several seconds and then answered in the same calm voice as always.
"Because I wanted to."
Noah could not find a response, while another explosion illuminated part of the sky in the distance.
Luna extended a barrier around them both, and Noah continued touching his lips.
’What am I supposed to do now!?’
The Clover app vibrated inside his pocket, but Noah did not want to check it.
For the first time, he felt that a notification from the goddess was the least of his problems.
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