Wind…
Only endless wind poured into her clothes, swirling across her damp skin. It was utterly unlike ordinary breezes, leaving nothing behind but excruciating pain.
Black raindrops battered her frigid body relentlessly, piercing even deeper into her soul.
In this pitch-black world without end, her footprints marked the ground—only to vanish seconds later, without so much as a ripple in the puddles.
Where… was this?
The wind grew fiercer by the moment, unleashing a torrential downpour. Soon, she couldn’t even pry her eyes open, left to dissolve bit by bit amid the raging storm.
More and more rain. Temperatures plummeting toward freezing…
Her body was on the verge of breaking.
“You’re awake, Leia. It’s morning already.”
“Ah?!”
The silver-haired girl known as Leia shot up from the bed. Though the sunlight stabbed at her eyes, she pushed past her grogginess and woke fully. She quickly ran a hand through her hair, an urgent expression crossing her lovely features.
It had to be past eight already!
Strange. Why had she slept so late? This wasn’t how it was supposed to be.
“Mitrice, thanks for waking me.”
“Heh heh, no big deal. Hey, what’s the rush?”
The room was simple—a bare little earthen hut with walls papered over with old newspapers.
Leia swiftly pulled on a black thigh-high stocking, wrapping it around her slender leg. She stepped into her battered boots, worn smooth by sand and grit, then lifted her head. Her gaze fell on the red-haired girl as she sank into thought.
Her head still throbbed from just waking up…
From outside came the sound of chopping wood and chatter, mingled with the hum of magic tilling the soil. Leia turned, peering through the sunlit window at the endless plains and golden wheat fields stretching to the horizon.
It was harvest season. Everyone was out there toiling, sweat pouring from their brows.
“Strange…”
“What’s wrong, Leia?” Mitrice blinked and asked. She’d noticed the puzzled look on the Hero Party’s deputy captain. Perched on the edge of the bed, she carefully crossed her legs, hugged tight by black leggings.
“Why am I here? No… what was I supposed to be doing?”
“Battle fatigue, maybe?”
“Could be…”
Leia nodded.
In truth, though, she couldn’t recall the battle at all. The person before her felt familiar, as did the playful banter of the Hero Party outside the window. But everything else? A total blank.
Worse, something vital—something as precious as her very life—had slipped away unnoticed. It left a gaping void in her soul, an emptiness that gnawed at her. Leia grew frustrated, tempted to slap herself silly just to jog those lost memories.
It was like she’d crossed into another world, inhabiting someone else’s body. Nothing around her felt entirely her own.
“By the way, how are the Hero Party’s casualties?”
“Even Okate, who had it the worst, is fine. Ah… that guy’s off fetching water right now.”
“I see.”
No good. Still drawing a blank.
Leia shook her head, tugged on her boots, threw on her cloak, and staggered out of bed. She nearly tumbled to the floor in the process.
Damn it…
Had her body always been this frail and useless?
No. She had to find whatever that important thing was. At the very least, she needed to remember why she was here…
“Wait, Leia?!”
She stumbled out the door, with Mitrice hurrying after her.
Sunlight baked the earth, but when Leia looked up, there was no sun—just howling gales whipping the wheat fields into rolling waves of gold.
This was a small village.
Remote and untouched by the wider world, yet brimming with rustic charm. The wooden signposts confirmed they’d left the Human Realm far behind. It was one of the Camiran Continent’s rare peaceful havens, a hard-won spot to catch one’s breath.
Just who…
“Leia, you’re up! Eaten yet?”
A black-haired girl passed by, straw hat on her head and a basket brimming with wheat stalks slung over her arm. Strapped to her back was a bulky Great Magic Staff wrapped in coarse cloth, as if she could unleash a Supreme Magic spell at any moment. Tall and strikingly pretty, she waved cheerfully at Leia.
That person was…
Laer?
Yeah, that was her.
“Your attitude’s a bit off, isn’t it? Still hung up on him? Don’t worry—I’ll make sure you get your chance.” Laer drew closer to Leia with a faint smile. “But don’t push yourself too hard. Rest when you need to. A girl’s got to know her limits.”
“Alright, thanks, Laer.”
“Yeah, no matter what I say, I just can’t get through to Leia. Laer, you have to think of something!” At that moment, Mitrice stepped out from behind Leia, her face practically screaming “requesting backup.”
“Look at her—she’s spacing out again. She’s definitely up to no good.”
“Pure-hearted Leia doesn’t have a scheming bone in her body, Mitrice. Don’t spread nonsense.”
Laer clearly cared a great deal about Leia’s reputation. She stepped forward, wagging her finger playfully before tapping the tip of Mitrice’s nose. It was all in good fun, obviously.
“Fine, fine. But you have to get our Deputy Captain to eat something. She skipped dinner last night.”
“I’ll think of something…”
Laer immediately slipped into the same thoughtful mode as Mitrice. The latter’s fox tail swished back and forth behind her. Even as villagers passed by with their shoulder poles, no one batted an eye at the sight.
“Leia.” Mitrice suddenly balled her hands into little fists, her eyes brimming with eager anticipation.
“Hm?”
“If you eat something, we’ll grant you one wish—just us girls, okay~?”
“Even if you put it that way…” Leia gave a wry smile and waved her hands in front of her, looking thoroughly embarrassed.
“No, no, no! You’re a stunning beauty—one in a million—with a personality that’s the cherry on top! So you have to be super careful picking your other half. All those scumbags can just drop dead!”
“Ahaha…” Leia placed her hands over her chest, her heart utterly unmoved. Laer and Mitrice were just about ready to tear their hair out.
“I’m being super obvious here! Leia, your brain really isn’t broken, is it?”
“Leia, are you feeling ill?” Laer produced a neatly wrapped hot pancake from who-knows-where and placed it gently in Leia’s hand.
“No, it’s just… Never mind. What is it? Don’t keep it from me.”
“It’s the Hero!” Mitrice planted her hands on her hips and shook her head in exasperation. “Sigh. I thought he was dense enough already. Did you catch it from him, Leia?”
Leia’s heart gave a hard thud.
The Hero?
Yes… the Hero.
It had something to do with the void in her soul. That realization spurred her onward, and she pressed further.
Her dazed expression shifted to one of anxiety and urgency.
“Please, tell me everything about the Hero, Laer!”
