――Where are we now?
The sun had set, and deep shadows pooled at the bottom of the alley.
Only a faint light spilled down from the windows above.
From those small windows came other things as well—voices of people and the aroma of food wafting down.
The wall we leaned our backs against seemed to belong to a tavern.
――A tavern. Yes, a tavern. I knew that.
The food we saw on our way here—I knew it was food. I even recognized the names of some dishes.
I understood the language, could speak, and could read.
And I knew the trembling child beside me was my precious little sister.
Yet, despite all that, we couldn’t remember anything about ourselves.
The more I understood the world around me, the more terrifying it became to realize my own memories were a void—a gaping abyss.
It felt as though I was suspended above a bottomless chasm, unsure when the lifeline might snap.
The fear… it was maddening.
My sister and I ran aimlessly, trying to escape that terror.
We had gained nothing for our efforts and now sat huddled together here.
“Sister…”
“Yes?”
I summoned all my strength to answer her faint call.
She, who had shown such spirit during the day, was now in tears.
“Why did this happen to us? Did we do something wrong…?”
“No, of course not. I’m sure that’s not it.”
“I’m scared. So scared, Sister… It’s so hard. I don’t know what to do…”
Her spirit was crumbling.
I held her tightly.
But even I…
My hands trembled, unable to grip her firmly.
I was afraid, weightless, adrift.
Ah, I see now.
At the end of this feeling lies despair.
The moment I realized that, my body grew heavy, my eyelids drooped.
Everything began to feel meaningless.
Just before my eyes closed,
a voice echoed in my mind.
A gentle voice, steady as a heartbeat. A man’s voice.
The man I met during the day…
The one I couldn’t take my eyes off from the moment I saw him, with that kind smile.
The blackness threatening to consume my heart was suddenly dispelled.
It was as though a hearth had roared back to life within me.
That light… it was my salvation.
I jolted awake.
I must have dozed off for a moment.
The heaviness was gone.
I felt strange; I had been sinking moments ago, but now, when I pressed my hand to my chest, my heartbeat thundered in my ears. It was racing.
Ah, I see now.
I…
“Sister…?”
My sister had noticed my pounding heart.
She looked up at me anxiously.
I gently brushed aside her bangs.
“Hey. Let’s try calling ourselves by the names that man gave us.”
My sister started to object, but I interrupted her. Slowly, deliberately, I spoke.
“My name is Ruma.”
――A sense of clarity, as refreshing as a mountain stream coursing through me.
I cupped my sister’s cheek.
“Your name is Parte.”
“Sister’s name. And… my name.”
Reluctantly, she murmured it.
“…Parte.”
Then, she shook her head vigorously.
“No! No, no, no! I can’t accept that yet! Not yet!”
It was a strong denial, but there was a hint of something else in her voice.
I chuckled softly.
Her voice and demeanor had regained some strength.
I, too, felt reinvigorated. I hugged her again, this time with all my strength.
From within my embrace, my sister—Parte—muttered her complaints.
I whispered.
“I wonder… if we’ll meet him again.”
My voice, tinged with heat like a delirious ramble, embarrassed me.
As my thoughts settled, the surroundings seemed different.
I could now make out the voices beyond the wall.
I hadn’t noticed before, but across the alley, separated by the wall, there were some loud voices.
From the sound of it, two men, possibly drunk.
“Hey, is it true that your unruly daughter is joining the next Explorer Ranger Exam?”
“It is! That fool of a girl has finally decided to stand on her own. But she’s still hanging out with those other brats, as usual. Honestly, pathetic. You tell her something too, will ya? Something sharp!”
“You’ve got some nerve, you old drunkard. So, do those brats have a guild they want to join if they pass the test?”
“Don’t know, don’t care! Freedom is the best! That’s the true Ella Amo spirit!”
“You idiot. Belonging to a guild gets you rewards, support, even payouts after you leave, they say. Everyone takes that test just to join a guild, don’t they?”
“Don’t know, don’t care! Freedom!”
“You’re a terrible father, you know that?”
…What an unpleasant conversation.
Is that what family is like?
My chest felt heavy. I wiped my face, realizing my brow had furrowed unconsciously.
“Sister, this is it.”
Parte tugged at my sleeve, snapping me out of my thoughts.
“What is it?”
“We’ll become adventurers! We’ll join a respectable guild. Then we’ll get money, protection, and escape this dark alley!”
She whispered excitedly, her eyes sparkling. Her enthusiasm was so strong she stumbled over her words.
“Let’s take the test together, Sister! Let’s become adventurers!”
“Adventurers…”
In that moment, a voice resurfaced vividly in my mind.
“I am Isto Rilos, Guildmaster of the Adventurers’ Guild.”
That’s right. He had said he was a Guildmaster.
If we could pass the test and become adventurers, we might meet him again.
We might even stay together.
My cheeks relaxed, my heart raced.
How simple I was.
But I couldn’t stop myself now.
“Yes. Let’s become adventurers.”
To do that, we had to pass the test—no matter what!
