Warm sunlight shone down on the forest, and the spring breeze, full of warmth, gently caressed the beauty's face.
The fragrance of flowers spread through the air. The little animals hiding in the bushes or in tree hollows began waking one by one from hibernation, once again bouncing and bounding across the land.
Standing on the long-unseen earth, the little animals took deep breaths of fresh air. They happily scampered in every direction, playing, bickering, and laughing with their companions, bringing a little warmth and life to the returning spring.
At that moment, beneath a large tree not far from where the little animals were playing, someone fast asleep was woken by their lively sounds.
The person lying beneath the tree slowly opened her emerald-green eyes, gazed around in confusion, then braced herself against the trunk and stood up.
As she rose, her brilliant golden hair slid down over her shoulders.
"Where am I...? And where did that strange red-armored follower go?" the golden-haired girl murmured, then swept her gaze around.
Her eyes immediately fell on an enormous tree nearby, so tall it was almost frightening.
"...The Life Tree?" Looking at the tree that seemed familiar, the girl found herself walking toward it.
Its towering trunk rose nearly a hundred meters, and its enormous canopy blocked out the sky!
One couldn't help but marvel at nature's extraordinary craftsmanship.
If people from the modern world saw it, they would surely go to great lengths to protect this ancient tree, so valuable to research and preservation.
They wouldn't, like a certain clueless black-haired boy, swing a stone axe and hack away at the enormous trunk again and again.
"Phew—finished!" the boy exclaimed with a laugh, letting out a long breath as he wiped the sweat from his brow.
The boy carried his stone axe out of the tree hollow, then turned back and looked with satisfaction at the opening he had spent half a year chopping into the trunk.
"All I have to do now is tidy it up a little, and then I can bring her over—right? Hahaha! She'll be so happy when she sees it! Hahahaha!" Thinking of the smile on his Goddess's face, the boy couldn't help laughing with delight.
He had no idea that a huge beast was lurking behind him, silently creeping toward his blind spot. Then, with a sudden, ferocious leap, it pounced, ready to tear the boy to shreds!
A girl rushing toward them happened to witness the scene. She froze for a moment, but immediately recovered and dashed toward the beast with even greater explosive speed!
As if gripping an invisible object in both hands, she swung with a whoosh, the blow bringing with it a fierce gust of wind!
"Eh?!"
She had expected the attack to cut the beast cleanly in two, but it didn't harm it at all. Her ferocious slash passed straight through its body, as though she had struck a phantom with a real weapon!
Seeing this, the girl let out a strange, low murmur.
But the beast seemed to notice nothing unusual. It closed the distance to the boy's back without resistance, its long tusks already brushing against his black hair.
"Look out! Move!" the girl shouted in warning, but the boy didn't seem to hear her.
As the beast was about to tear the boy to pieces, the golden-haired girl could only bite her lip in frustration and grip the invisible object in her hands even more tightly.
Just as the beast was about to pounce on the boy, he suddenly bent his right arm back and caught it precisely beneath the jaw.
Then he put his strength into his right arm and, with one hand, hurled the enormous beast over his shoulder and slammed it into the ground!
A thunderous crash shook the earth.
"Die!!!" With a sudden, furious roar, the boy pressed down hard with the right hand pinning the beast, driving its body several more centimeters into the ground! He then swiftly raised his left fist and struck the beast in the face, his punch cutting through the air with a howl.
Pshh—!!!
As the boy stood with his back to the girl, blood sprayed violently into the sunlight, its color all the more lurid and vivid.
Watching the scene, Artoria stared in stunned silence, her mouth opening and closing a few times before she slowly shut it.
Ruthless, decisive, and merciless.
That was Artoria's assessment of the boy standing amid the vivid rain of blood, a strange smile on his face.
Then, when Artoria saw the black-haired boy dragging the beast's corpse toward a lake not far from the ancient tree, she hurried after him. She wanted to ask him a few questions about this place, but...
Her body couldn't block the boy's path. Just as when she had attacked the beast, she passed right through him...
Like a flower reflected in a mirror, or the moon reflected in water.
Visible, but untouchable...
"Tch... What's going on...?" Faced with the frustrating truth, Artoria let out an annoyed, helpless sigh.
Then...
Rustle, rustle... The sound of someone taking off their clothes came from behind Artoria.
"Hmm?" When Artoria turned in confusion to look toward the sound, her previously composed, slightly troubled face turned bright red in an instant! It even seemed to give off steam!
What was this before her?!
What was with such shameless behavior?!
How shameless could he be?!
Bathed in sunlight, the boy stood completely naked, head held high as he faced the open sky! Every so often, he struck a pose to show off his manly physique! When he finished, he even squeezed his well-muscled body before nodding in satisfaction.
"Naked swimming is the manly way to do it! Ooooooh!" Then, with Artoria's face red as an overripe apple, he shouted, sprang into the air, and leaped toward the middle of the lake!
With a splash, the boy plunged into the lake and disappeared beneath the surface.
Drown already, you awful, shameless brat! Artoria cursed him furiously, her face still red.
In all her twelve previous battles, Artoria had never seen a man show up in front of her completely naked. Today, she had not only seen one, but... but he had even...
"Xia! Are you here?" Just as Artoria was still fretting over the black-haired boy's behavior, a familiar voice suddenly called out. She looked up toward the sound.
A human-shaped figure radiating white light slowly emerged from the forest and appeared before her.
"??" Artoria stared at the white figure, confused. Why couldn't she see its face? Why couldn't she make out its shape? Why could she only hear its voice...?
Her mind was full of questions, and she angrily raked a hand through her golden hair. Ever since she had arrived here, one strange thing after another had happened! First she had ended up here for no reason, then she had somehow come across a beast about to hunt, and afterward she had discovered, to her shock, that she couldn't attack anything or make contact with anything. And now that shameless figure had appeared in front of her!! Aaaah! This was driving her mad!!!
At the thought, images of the boy's poses filled Artoria's mind again!
His strong, sunlit body; the scarred back, marked from countless struggles with beasts; those broad shoulders that looked so dependable.
"Hmm... He really does have a nice body... Huh?!" Artoria paused, suddenly realizing her thoughts had taken a strange turn! She clutched her head in anguish and crouched down!
"Xia! Are you here? Answer me!" The familiar voice called out again, this time carrying a hint of anxiety and unease.
Gurgle... Gurgle-gurgle...
As soon as the anxious call ended, bubbles began forming across the lake's surface.
Then came a thunderous crash!!~~
The water exploded into a curtain of spray, its droplets glittering in the sunlight.
The first thing to burst out of the water was a gigantic figure! It was about twenty meters long and three meters wide, and it opened its cavernous jaws as it lunged toward the white figure on the shore.
"Damn it!" Even though she knew she couldn't touch the enormous creature, Artoria's chivalrous spirit wouldn't let her stand by and watch someone get hurt. She stepped in front of the white figure and raised the Holy Sword, which suddenly unleashed a raging wind.
Just as Artoria was about to unleash the Holy Sword, her vision suddenly blurred...
At some point, the white figure had placed her slender hand on Artoria's back.
He's here. He'll protect me, my guardian...
"Ugh!!!!" The voice that suddenly appeared in her mind made Artoria's heart contract violently. The intense pounding forced her to drop to one knee and clutch her chest.
Remember. Recall that feeling, that longing.
She bit down hard on her lip, fighting the feeling inside her, which threatened to overwhelm her reason.
That sense of familiarity, that feeling of dependence, and that longing that felt like a volcano on the verge of eruption...
"Get away!!! You mongrel!!! If the filthy air you breathe from that foul mouth touches me even a little, I'll tear you to pieces!!" A furious roar burst out of nowhere! From the curtain of water the monster had emerged from, an even faster red figure shot out.
Look. He's here. Remember him. Even if you've been sealed, even if your memories have vanished, that figure will still appear!
Just like the figure who had appeared when she was attacked by the wolf-beast.
Just like the figure who had appeared when the butler had mocked her.
Just like the figure who had appeared when she thought she could never fulfill her knightly dream, and cried in sorrow...
"Uaaah!!" The moment Artoria saw the figure rush out of the water, she could no longer bear the truest feelings in her heart and let out a cry of anguish!
Whoosh~~~!!
White light burst into the sky! It engulfed the entire Fairy Forest!
In an instant, deep in Artoria's mind, it was as though a screen had exploded. Her entire mental space filled with reels of memories!
The dream of becoming a knight!
The fury she felt when the noble's butler mocked her!
The boy who appeared out of nowhere, wielding a broken sword, his face twisted with rage as he plunged the weapon into the butler's heart!
Will you come with me, Artoria...? His words were warm, his care so gentle, as if he feared breaking something.
The pursuit. Four knights behind them.
The forest. The boy carrying her as he ran for his life.
The fall. He held her in his arms and clenched his teeth, using his back to absorb the impact.
The Fairy Forest!
The Life Tree!
The oath!
The promise!
The seal!
The figure who appeared again after countless cycles of reincarnation!
"Remember..."
"Remember...!"
"Remember the figure from deep within your memories! Remember the person who will come to your side, no matter what happens!"
"Call out to him. Call his name. As long as you call his name, he will come to your side, even across the barriers of time."
The voice in her mind grew louder and louder, and the cry in her heart grew more and more real.
"Ugh!!" Artoria, bracing herself on one hand, let go of the Holy Sword for a second time and clutched her head, letting out a pained groan.
She barely lifted her head and looked again at the boy speeding toward her through the air.
His hair, soaked with sweat, hung limply over his face.
So tired.
My body feels so heavy.
I can't remember...
I can't recall!
Who... who... who is he?!
Just then, the film strips racing through her mind suddenly stopped in unison, then converged from every direction in an instant!
"My name."
"Your name..."
"Keep it in your heart!"
"Tell me!! What is it?!"
"My name is!"
Before you continue