Episode 91
The moment Lillian saw that sight, she could sense it instinctively. She knew there was more than meets the eye. And perhaps, it wasn’t by chance that she found herself in this place meeting her. Whether Theo standing behind her felt the same, a whisper of unease crept softly.
“Hey, this is a little suspicious…”
“It’s okay.”
She knew it was suspicious. Lillian glanced towards the door. Asher was standing there. Even if she were to bolt straight for the door, there was no guarantee of a successful escape. So, she might as well accept the price she had paid to come this far. Lillian licked her dry lips.
“I don’t know much. Just that there’s a lineage that receives the love of the Goddess.”
As Lillian spoke, others began to murmur.
“Such an existence exists?”
“Surely, if the ‘moon’ referred to in this passage means them, it makes sense!”
They returned to their previous chatter, quickly becoming lively again. It was evident that they didn’t have much interest in the “Daughters of the Moon.” The only thing that pleased them was finally being able to interpret the scripture correctly.
But she wasn’t like them. Taking advantage of the commotion, she rose from her seat and approached Lillian.
“You’re someone who knows how to choose your words wisely. You don’t know everything about the Daughters of the Moon, do you?”
“…That’s correct.”
The lady chuckled at Lillian’s lie and subtly gestured outside.
“It’s fine. Anyway, it’s important that we’ve met someone interested in the same topic. If there’s anything you want to know, feel free to ask.”
If she followed.
She said so and entered the salon. As Lillian moved to follow, Theo grabbed her arm.
“Lillian, I’m really uneasy. Don’t go. Let’s go back.”
“After coming all this way, you want to go back?”
But Lillian had no intention of heeding Theo’s words.
“I need to make sure.”
Why did the temple chase Agnes and her child? What connection did the Daughters of the Moon have with the temple, anyway?
To be honest, Lillian wasn’t particularly interested in such truths. What mattered to Lillian was Swan’s revenge, not the cause of the tragedy that befell Swan.
‘But if I don’t know the cause…I can’t create the result.’
If she knew what they were after with Agnes and Swan, it might be possible to use that knowledge to seek vengeance. So, Lillian had to make sure. She removed Theo’s hand and said,
“If you really care about me, you won’t stop me in this matter.”
This was the reason she had lived up to now and everything that sustained her life.
* * *
Lillian entered the room alone. Theo decided to wait outside the door.
As she entered the room, the lady, as if expecting it, took a long drag from her pipe. Smoke, reminiscent of incense, wafted from the pipe, adding to the lady’s mystical aura. Before any conversation ensued, she introduced herself.
“My name is Victoria. I’m quite prominent in this literary circle. I’ve been here almost as long as Asher.”
Her introduction was more detailed than expected. It seemed to exert a subtle pressure on Lillian to introduce herself, but she steered the conversation to the point.
“Asher… He mentioned you were interested in the Daughters of the Moon.”
“Yes, that’s right. I’m the only one here who knows about them. So when you mentioned that name, I was very pleased. No one else has known about them until now. Now, tell me properly. How much do you know?”
Lillian revealed everything she knew to Victoria.
About how the Daughters of the Moon, born into unhappiness, faced persecution everywhere and eventually sought refuge in the temple. And for some reason, the temple was now pursuing the Daughters of the Moon.
“And I know about the Daughters of the Moon who died because of the temple. I can’t tell you who they were… but they were very close to me.”
“I see.”
“So I want to know. Why is all this happening? Why is the temple—!”
As Lillian spoke, her hands clenched tightly on the hem of her skirt. Eventually, she couldn’t continue speaking, and instead, lowered her head. Victoria, instead of answering, tapped the ash from her pipe and began to speak.
“Why, you ask, is a somewhat fresh question. It’s quite natural. Although it’s said that our fates are predetermined, ultimately, it’s human desires that create all this unhappiness.”
“I understand why you’re questioning. You must have wondered why the Daughters of the Moon, who sought refuge in the temple, are being chased again by the temple. The reason is simple.”
The Daughters of the Moon are born with both divine powers and beauty, both the love and unhappiness of the gods. Those loved by the gods are particularly unfortunate and easily exposed to misfortune. In their desperate bid for refuge, they fled to the temple, only to realize that it was humans who had constructed this sanctuary.
“At first, the temple welcomed the Daughters of the Moon. Their relationship was amicable. The Daughters of the Moon used their power to step forward for the temple. In return, the temple revered them as saints and promised them high status and peace.
But ultimately, where there is light, there is shadow. Such peace did not last long. No matter where they hid under the moonlit sky, like moonlight spreading, their unhappiness found them again.
“The temple gradually wanted not the Daughters of the Moon but their strong divine powers for themselves. They wanted the high status and peace for themselves. Since the Daughters of the Moon were already dependent on them, betrayal was easy.”
Having nowhere to go and fearing the outside world, the Daughters of the Moon acquiesced to the temple’s demands. They were exploited by the temple for a long time, and the temple quickly erased their names from history.
But fear tends to diminish with time and generations, while resentment accumulates. As time passed, the number of Daughters of the Moon decreased. So the hatred of the remaining young girls eventually overcame their fear.
“The last remaining Daughter of the Moon fled, and those left were only old and weak. The temple lost the power of the Moon like that. And they became obsessed with tracking down the fleeing child.”
“Then… do any of the deceased, who were close to you, have children?”
When Swan died, she was only ten years old. And Agnes had no other children.
Lillian slowly nodded her head. Her stiffened head barely moved, making it difficult to nod properly.
‘I thought there must be some reason.’
Swan was the last remaining Daughter of the Moon. Lillian brought out the questions that had filled her mind since earlier.
“Then… what does the temple want with the Daughters of the Moon?”
“That’s an interesting question, Miss Lillian.”
And the one who answered was not Victoria. When they turned their heads towards the sound, Asher, now without his mask, was walking towards them. He sat down opposite Lillian with a smirk and spoke.
“But first, you must swear to silence. This story should never leave this room.”
“I have no intention of speaking.”
“You may end up telling it even if you don’t want to. Someone with such powerful divine powers might hint to others.”
It’s also possible to coerce such a confession.
Asher said so and chuckled.
“You know, right? You’ve probably experienced it already.”
