After the clamor subsided.
Arthur sat on a cold stone, silently watching the thief's corpse bob half-submerged in the murky mudwater. He reached inside the lining of his breastplate and took out that flower.
The white flower had long since withered completely, its colorless petals twisted and curled like the shriveled wings of dead insects.
A wildflower?
Knight's Soulfire flickered. In his world of shattered memories and undead obsessions, this flower had been the only thing that had stubbornly grown within that sunless ruin.
It was no mere wildflower.
It was the most unique existence, the most precious color.
Just like himself.
An undead who could think, possessed vague memories and emotions, and believed in nature.
He even remembered that he had a younger sister.
Alice.
Brown braids, like amber honey; a clear, bright laugh, like wind chimes... She should have been the cutest... skeleton in the world.
The knight's logic fell into brief confusion.
Since he himself was a pile of bones, then Alice, the cutest little sister in his memories... naturally, ought to have been a tiny, adorable skeleton that hopped about.
The thought brought warmth to his cold soulfire, but when he raised his head and swept his gaze around, that warmth was instantly replaced by bewilderment.
But where was this?
He had only focused on chasing them and had no idea where he had ended up.
He seemed to be... lost.
Just then, a pitch-black feather spiraled gracefully down onto the knight's shoulder armor. With a bang!, it burst into a black crow.
"Count Bran has arrived!"
The crow elegantly groomed the feathers on its chest with the tip of one wing.
"Look at our poor Arthur. Who has made this knight so melancholy? I hope this Count has not disturbed you."
The knight remained silent,