“I saw someone go over there! I’m sure of it.” Louella’s eyes sparkled. She must have been fascinated about treasure hunting these days.

Gerald sighed. His little shoulders drooped.

“You can’t leave her alone, Zeze. Jeje can protect Lulu, right?”

“Mom, I think it’s too hard to protect Louella.” Gerald trudged after Louella. He heard a small voice. A small voice came to them, as if it was the most normal thing.

Louella grabbed Gerald’s hand and pulled him.

“Here, here!” When Louella saw that no one was in sight, she pushed her small body into the door.

“What?”

It was a small room with a huge stone statue. It was covered in white marble.

“It was here.” Louella pouted her lips.

Well, she chased a girl that was about her age, but there was nothing else that she discovered. Louella tilted her head and circled around the statue. It was a stone statue intertwined with a white snake and a dragon.

Even young Louella knew that it was a stone statue of the White Uroboros protecting the Arena Empire.

“There’s nothing dangerous, I guess.” Louella inflated her cheeks and tapped the floor with her feet.

“There’s no treasure here. I thought I could find a great treasure like what was in the book. It was when Louella tried to go out the door with a disappointed face.

[You…]

What? Louella turned her head.

No one. Emptiness greeted her.

[Your destiny is also deeply intertwined with us.]

“Hmm?” Louella murmured.

It’s a word she had never heard of. Louella tilted her head and approached the stone statue. If there was something here, then… But, the more she stared she realized that it was just a stone statue.

“I should tell my mom! Zeze! This statue speaks!” She thought that she found a treasure. She couldn’t believe this rock was talking!

Louella called Gerald with an excited face, but no answer was heard from anywhere.

What? Did he run away? Anyway, Zeze. Louella thought that maybe she should bring Gerald back.

If the voice hadn’t called Louella again…

[Should I give you a present? Isn’t it fate that we met like this?]

Present? Louella nodded with glittering eyes.

A gift is a good thing. When she untied the ribbon of the box, it used to contain things that Louella liked. Dolls, clothes, pretty shoes. Or there were times when it was a fairy tale book or a snack.

“Yes! I like presents!”

[Children are simple.] The voice gave a laugh. It felt somewhat bleak.

It was time for Louella to shudder back. A finger flicked past Louella’s forehead.

[She’s innocent, too. This is the present I give you. Wouldn’t it be a great honor for humans to dedicate their souls to God? Bring your destiny to me. Lead your companion to me and give me the neck of my brother.]

Laughter crawled across the floor. Louella’s eyes are dilated. Something dug deep into the child’s small body. Louella trembled at the sudden chill.

When she closed her eyes and opened them…

“Huh? Why am I here?”

It was after forgetting all the memories. Louella ran out of the place. Gerald, who was looking for Louella, who suddenly disappeared, found her.

“Where the hell have you been?”

“I don’t know. Where did I go?”

“Lulu is a fool! Hurry up and let’s go. I’m going to get in trouble.” Louella nodded and began to walk while holding Gerald’s hand.

* * *

“……from a young age…….” Gerald shook his head.

A glimpse into the past, it seemed to be the same for Gerald. It was a memory that I had already forgotten because I was very young. Gerald’s eyes met with mine.

“Well, Gerald, you have all sorts of abilities”

Ha ha. He smiled awkwardly. Little me, what the hell were you doing?

“What do you think?” Gerald asked, sweeping back his hair.

I was the only one who tried my best to keep calm. He twisted his head and murmured to himself what he couldn’t answer.

“Ni-se-phor.”

He said that he would answer my questions, so it must have been about Nisephor.

Philia also apparently had a similar route as the illness. And… maybe the Crown Prince knew about this but didn’t do anything about it.

But isn’t the White Uroboros the god that protects us? But what does Nisephor have to do with God? Gerald tugged my arm.

I fell over at Gerald with his unexpected force. Gerald approached me with my arm held.

He asked, “Do you understand now? Do you understand what kind of reckless thing you’re doing right now?”