Chapter 186: The Event After

The civilians continued screaming as their memories returned, leaving Reinhard and the others standing silently above the ruined streets.

Some people collapsed against walls, while others clutched their heads and cried. A man stumbled backward after recognizing the body of someone he had attacked. Nearby, a woman kept apologizing to her husband, who held her trembling hands without knowing what to say.

Reinhard watched them for several seconds before gunshots echoed through the city, followed by multiple explosions that sent smoke rising between the buildings. His expression tightened, but when he spotted helicopters passing overhead and emergency vehicles rushing toward the affected districts, he let out a tired sigh.

"Well, it seems everything is finally being handled."

Lily glanced at him. "You say that like you weren’t expecting another building to explode."

"After today? I was expecting at least three more."

"That’s a terrible way to measure whether an emergency is going well."

"And yet, here we are. Only two explosions so far."

Maki sighed while Yuna covered her mouth to hide a small laugh. Emily smiled faintly, but her attention remained on the people below them.

Aurilieus Security personnel were already spreading through the affected districts, securing damaged buildings and escorting survivors toward temporary shelters. Saint A Guards followed close behind, carrying medical equipment and specialized firearms.

As the Ashcrofts descended toward the streets, the full extent of the destruction became clear.

Emily’s smile slowly disappeared.

Even after everything they had done, there were people they hadn’t managed to save.

Reinhard noticed her expression and moved closer, allowing her to take his hand. He didn’t offer empty reassurance. He simply stayed beside her as they continued walking.

A Saint A Guard knelt beside an injured civilian whose shoulder had been torn open. He raised his specialized firearm and fired a green projectile into the wound. The energy spread across the man’s body, rapidly closing the damaged tissue and restoring the blood he had lost.

Within seconds, the man could move his arm again.

"Thank you," he whispered.

The guard nodded before treating another civilian whose leg had been badly injured by falling debris. A second Vitality Bullet restored the damaged tissue, allowing the woman to stand with assistance.

However, the moment she looked toward the destroyed street, her expression crumpled. She clutched her head and began crying, her shoulders shaking as the memories of the last several hours returned.

The guard froze.

Another civilian who had just been healed began sobbing beside her, repeatedly apologizing to someone who wasn’t there. Farther down the road, a man sank to his knees and screamed after remembering what he had done under the Black Moon’s influence.

The guard lowered his firearm and let out a heavy sigh. His fingers tightened around the weapon as he surveyed the wounded, the crying survivors, and the bodies being recovered from the rubble.

His bullets could repair flesh. They couldn’t erase memories.

A fellow guard glanced at him before returning to work. Neither said anything. There was nothing they could do about the suffering beyond treating whatever injuries remained.

...

The Ashcrofts continued through the district as the emergency response expanded around them. Everywhere they went, the consequences of the Black Moon were visible, but not every encounter was filled with grief.

A woman near one of the treatment stations suddenly looked up when Emily passed.

"Wait. You’re the Ruler!"

Emily stopped.

The woman hurried toward her, tears still visible on her face. "You came back. I remember seeing you fight that thing. You could have left, but you stayed and helped us."

Emily looked at her in surprise before offering a gentle smile. "I’m just glad you’re safe."

"You saved my life."

The woman bowed her head, and Emily hurriedly told her that she didn’t need to do that. Unfortunately, the exchange attracted the attention of several nearby survivors.

Some recognized Emily immediately. Others had heard about her actions during the battle and approached to thank her.

Then a man stepped forward, his expression filled with shame.

"I owe you an apology. I blamed you for what was happening and told people you were responsible for bringing the Black Moon here." He lowered his head. "But you still came back to save us. I’m sorry."

Several others approached, admitting that they had also insulted her or accused her of causing the disaster.

Emily looked uncomfortable as the apologies continued. "It’s fine. You don’t have to keep apologizing. We were all dealing with a terrible situation."

Reinhard turned toward the crowd.

"You should thank my wife for being so kind," he said. "Even after you blamed her, she still chose to save you and take care of you when you went crazy."

Emily immediately looked at him. "Reinhard..."

"What? I’m complimenting you."

"You’re scolding them."

"I can do both. It’s one of my many talents."

Lily turned away, her shoulders shaking with laughter. Maki gave Reinhard an approving look, while Yuna struggled to hide her smile.

The people surrounding Emily lowered their heads, and some began crying as they thanked her repeatedly. Emily tried to reassure them, but every attempt seemed to make them more emotional.

"It’s really fine," she insisted. "Please, you don’t have to cry."

The man who had apologized wiped his eyes. "You don’t understand. We treated you like a monster, and you still saved us."

Emily opened her mouth, then closed it again. She finally turned toward her family with a helpless expression.

"Could someone please help me?"

Lily immediately pretended to find something interesting across the street. Yuna covered her mouth, and Maki smiled sympathetically.

Emily sighed and looked behind Reinhard, only to notice a large sign standing nearby.

She stared at it.

The sign displayed her name in enormous letters, followed by a dramatic description of her actions during the incident. It praised her bravery, listed the people she had saved, and described how she had continued fighting despite being injured. At the bottom, someone had even added a line about the precious medical resources wasted healing the very people who had insulted her.

Emily’s eyes twitched.

"When did this happen?"

Reinhard adjusted his collar. "I worked quickly."

She slowly turned toward him. "You made this?"

"Of course. A historic event deserves proper documentation."

"Why does it look like an advertisement?"

"Because I have excellent design instincts."

Maki burst out laughing, and Lily nearly doubled over. Yuna covered her face, her shoulders shaking.

Emily stared at her husband before finally letting out a helpless sigh. "You’re unbelievable."

"I prefer visionary."

She tried to maintain her expression, but eventually began laughing along with the others. The people nearby looked confused, having no idea why the Ashcrofts were laughing at a sign that appeared to celebrate Emily’s heroism.

Reinhard, meanwhile, was perfectly satisfied with his work.

After the exchange, the family continued toward the area where Aurilieus Security was taking the surviving Collectors into custody. Several armored vehicles had already arrived, and the surviving enemies were being restrained and escorted away under heavy guard.

Reinhard watched the prisoners carefully, but something bothered him.

He couldn’t find a single recognizable member of the Baal family.

Lily noticed his expression. "What are you looking for?"

"The Baal Guards."

"Should we tell security about them?"

Reinhard remained silent for a moment before approaching an Awakener who was recovering near a medical station. The woman had already received treatment for her physical injuries, although she still looked shaken.

"Excuse me," Reinhard said. "Did you see any Baal family guards during the incident?"

The woman blinked. "What are you talking about? The only people I saw were those damn Collector bastards, other Awakeners, and civilians." She studied his expression. "Why? Did you see someone?"

Reinhard shook his head. "Sorry. I thought I might have."

He glanced at the bandage being removed from her arm. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine, thanks to you." Her expression faltered as she remembered something. "I don’t want to imagine what I would have done if you hadn’t knocked me out."

The woman trembled before lowering her head. Reinhard’s expression softened.

"It’s okay. None of that was your fault."

She nodded, and he returned to his family.

"We should leave," he said. "There’s no point in telling them about the Baal family if nobody remembers seeing them."

Lily clenched her fist. "But I hate it! After everything they caused, are we really going to let them get away with it?"

"No," Reinhard replied.

Lily, Maki, and Yuna blinked in surprise.

Emily studied her husband. "Are you thinking what I’m thinking?"

Reinhard nodded. "Since they’re so fond of invading other people’s territory, it’s only right that we do the same thing to them."

Yuna’s eyes widened. "You don’t mean..."

"We’ll rest first," Emily said, her voice growing colder. "Then we’ll invade the Baal family. It’s time I cut off the head of that damn family leader."

Lily trembled before breaking into a grin. "I agree! We shouldn’t be the type to take a hit and never retaliate!"

Maki sighed, although a smile appeared on her face. "Fine, but we need a plan first. We’re not charging into their territory just because we’re angry."

"Of course," Reinhard said. "Let’s return to the mansion and rest."

Lily’s grin vanished. "The mansion is destroyed."

"I still have the repair relic Reinhard gave me," Maki replied. "We can use it to rebuild part of the house."

Lily’s eyes lit up. "Then what are we waiting for?"

She immediately rushed ahead, leaving the others to follow at a more reasonable pace.

Reinhard paused as he passed one of the bodies near the road. The person had been badly mangled by an explosion, leaving little that could be used for identification.

His eyes narrowed.

Could it be...?

He remembered the gunshots and explosions that had erupted during the incident. If the Baal Guards had deliberately destroyed their own bodies to prevent identification, that would explain why nobody could remember seeing them.

If they really went that far to conceal their identities, they’re more terrifying than I thought.

...

By the time the Ashcrofts returned to the mansion, reports about the Black Moon incident were already spreading across the megacity.

The first accounts were incomplete, describing the black sphere above Marvello and the collapse of Mensus. As recordings began circulating, however, the Ashcrofts’ role became increasingly difficult to ignore.

Emily had confronted the Black Moon Heart and helped sever its connection. Reinhard had fought alongside her, while Maki, Lily, and Yuna had protected the family and rescued civilians throughout the disaster.

The Awakener Association ordered Reinhard’s assessment to be reviewed, while powerful organizations began asking how the Ashcrofts had survived an incident that overwhelmed an entire city. Several wealthy families that had previously underestimated them now wanted to establish contact.

[Fame Increases!]

[735,235 → 930,000]

[Current Fame: 930,000 / 1,000,000]

[Description: Emily is no longer merely a star known in a few cities. She is now recognized throughout the megacity and regarded as a hero by her growing fanbase, which has expanded rapidly as the people of Marvello learn of her actions.]

...

Later, once the family had settled into the part of the mansion that remained usable, exhaustion finally caught up with them. Maki’s repair relic had begun restoring sections of the building, but there was still plenty of work to do.

Lily, Maki, and Yuna had fallen asleep in the portion of the mansion that remained usable. Maki’s repair relic had begun restoring sections of the building, but there was still plenty of work to do.

Emily, however, was stubbornly trying to stay awake.

Reinhard glanced at her. "You’re falling asleep."

"I’m not."

"You closed your eyes while answering me."

"I was thinking."

"With your eyes closed?"

"It’s an advanced technique."

Reinhard smiled and gently caressed her face. Emily leaned into his hand, her tired expression softening.

"You’re terrible at lying when you’re exhausted."

"And you’re terrible at pretending you aren’t worried about me."

"That’s because I don’t pretend very well around my wife."

Emily smiled, but her expression gradually became more serious as she looked toward the damaged windows.

"Thank you for being there this time."

Reinhard’s hand paused against her cheek. "You don’t have to thank me for that."

"I know." She held his hand against her face. "But I still want to."

The first Black Moon incident had left Emily with questions she couldn’t answer and memories she had been forced to carry alone. She still didn’t know why she had survived or what the Black Moon truly was. Defeating the Heart hadn’t solved those mysteries, and it hadn’t erased the fear that had followed her for so long.

But this time had been different.

She had investigated the phenomenon, made her own choice about Tepes, and confronted the Heart with her family beside her. The threat had been just as incomprehensible, but she hadn’t been powerless against it.

She had acted, protected the people around her, and made the decisive choice herself. Reinhard had trusted her to do it.

"I thought I would always be alone with those memories," she whispered. "But I don’t have to carry them by myself anymore."

Reinhard wrapped his arm around her and held her close. "You never did."

Emily rested her forehead against his shoulder before letting out a quiet laugh.

"You’re going to make me cry."

"Then I’ll have to charge you for the emotional damages."

She lifted her head and stared at him. "You’re impossible."

"And yet, you married me."

"That might have been a terrible mistake."

"Too late. No refunds."

Emily laughed, but she couldn’t keep her eyes open much longer. She settled against him and finally allowed herself to sleep.

Reinhard adjusted his position so she could rest comfortably, then glanced at Lily, Maki, and Yuna, who were all sleeping nearby.

The room was quiet at last.

He looked down at Emily and smiled faintly. Marvello still had a long road ahead, the Baal family remained a threat, and the truth behind the Black Moon was far from revealed. But those problems could wait until morning.

A familiar blue window appeared in front of him.

[Reward Calculation Complete.]