The protagonist stepped out of the inn's door. The moonlight was like water, serene and boundless. The full moon hung quietly in the night sky, as if waiting for his arrival. That lost moonlight was the key mentioned by the Timekeeper, filling his heart with questions—but even more so, with resolve.
"The lost moonlight... What exactly is it?" He murmured to himself, his gaze fixed on the bright moon in the sky.
This was the beginning of a new journey. He knew he needed to find the yōkai who once guarded the moon, to unravel the regrets in its heart—only then could he continue deciphering the mysteries of the Book of Time. And deep inside, he had a faint premonition that this journey was not just about the yōkai's past—it might also affect his own future.
In the gradually cooling night breeze, he quietly set off toward where the moonlight led. The path wound deep into the forest, the moon's glow filtering through the trees, guiding his way.
As he walked, a faint blue light flickered among the shadows of the trees. Unconsciously, he quickened his pace. That wasn’t moonlight—it was something else, something unknown, luring him deeper into the woods.
He passed through an ancient stone gate and entered a mysterious clearing. Here, the moonlit grass shimmered like a silver sea, and at the center stood a towering ancient tree. Beneath it sat a yōkai, perfectly still.
The yōkai’s figure was like a statue, blending seamlessly into the surroundings. Upon its head rested a circlet woven from moonlight, and faint luminescence drifted around it. Only when the protagonist drew closer did he notice the yōkai’s face—faintly familiar, yet impossible to fully recognize.
It slowly raised its head and looked at him, a trace of quiet surprise flickering in its eyes.
"You’ve come." The yōkai’s voice was as cool as the night wind, carrying a deep undercurrent of sorrow. "You’ve finally come to retrieve the moonlight I lost."
The protagonist stood before it and spoke softly, "I heard you once guarded the moon. Why did you lose your light?"
The yōkai lowered its head slightly, as if lost in memory. "Yes, I was the moon’s keeper. But one day, I lost my purpose. No matter how hard I searched, I could never return to the moon." Its eyes turned to the night sky, filled with endless loneliness and confusion.
"Then... you want to reclaim your light, don’t you?" the protagonist asked.
The yōkai gave a faint nod. "Yes. But I cannot find it. I once entrusted my entire purpose to that moonlight... Now, all I have left is solitude."
Something stirred in the protagonist’s heart. He stepped closer, standing beside the yōkai. "Have you forgotten your true self, placing all your hopes on an external light?"
The yōkai froze, as if it had never considered this. The moonlight still shone, gently caressing its cold, desolate face, as if peeling away layers of mist.
"Your light was never dependent on the moon," the protagonist whispered. "It has always been within you. You simply forgot how to find it."
At that moment, a glimmer flashed in the yōkai’s eyes—like a long-forgotten memory slowly resurfacing. The moonlight began to swirl around it, radiating a soft, warm glow.
"I understand now," it murmured, clarity gradually returning to its gaze. "Thank you... for helping me reclaim my own light."
The protagonist smiled faintly, feeling an intangible power flow through him. This was not just the yōkai’s liberation—it was also a cleansing of his own soul.
The yōkai rose to its feet and gazed up at the moon. Once more, moonlight cascaded over it—but this time, it was no longer just a cold, external glow. It was an inner radiance, something that belonged to it alone.
"I will always be grateful to you," the yōkai said, bowing deeply. "You helped me recover what was lost."
The protagonist nodded gently, warmth rising in his chest. He knew this was only a small beginning in his long journey. Yet with every yōkai’s heart he unshackled, his own spirit ascended further.
As he turned to leave, the moonlight still illuminated his path. But now, his heart shone brighter than ever before.
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