{Chapter 76} Forgetting, and Starting Again
"...What is this?"
Anna, who had just "awoken," found herself standing in a place that felt... somewhat familiar.
"I remember... I was... asleep, right?"
She looked around at the somewhat familiar surroundings, murmuring to herself in confusion.
"Am I... dreaming now?"
"But I feel so awake... I can even feel pain if I pinch myself."
"And where exactly is this...?"
The neatly arranged and clean stone-paved streets, the ornately decorated yet luxurious magic stone lamps, and the grand mansions lining both sides of the street.
Her gaze inadvertently shifted to a large mansion in front of her, and the sign at its entrance seemed to tell Anna exactly where she was.
"Bartham..."
She quickly turned her head and saw a slightly dilapidated mansion.
"Is this... my home?"
Without a doubt, she was now in the capital... standing in front of her family's old estate.
"...It doesn't seem much different from how I remember it."
As Anna was examining her family's mansion, she felt a tug at her sleeve.
"Huh?"
She looked down and saw a cute-looking blonde girl timidly pulling at her sleeve.
"What's wrong...?"
A strange glint flickered in Anna's eyes, but she didn't say anything. Instead, she crouched down to meet the blonde girl at eye level.
"Elder sister, someone over there asked me to call you over."
But the blonde girl said something that left Anna puzzled.
"Someone called me over?"
Following the direction the girl pointed, Anna looked over and saw a petite figure, about the same size as the blonde girl, holding a parasol.
"Hmm...?"
Before she could even see the figure's face clearly, just a vague glimpse of the silhouette, Anna felt as if she had been struck by lightning, her head suddenly throbbing with pain.
Closing her eyes, she endured the strange headache. When it finally subsided, she opened her eyes again.
The surroundings had completely changed. Now, Anna was sitting in the pavilion near the Philsey family's estate, the same one she had visited earlier.
The world, which had been in daylight just moments ago, had now turned to night, exactly like it had been back then.
However, the person sitting across from Anna was no longer the elusive old butler, but a small, shadowy figure, so tiny it looked like a child, with a face too dark to make out.
Yet, as Anna looked at this figure, she felt an inexplicable sense of sorrow and nostalgia.
Her lips parted, wanting to say something, but no words came out.
The blonde girl, who had been sitting beside Anna at some point, gently hugged her before disappearing once more.
"How does it feel to see your younger self?"
Finally, the shadowy figure spoke.
"It feels... awkward." Though her heart was filled with mixed emotions, Anna couldn't understand where these feelings were coming from.
She had no memory of this shadowy figure, yet she could converse with her as if they were old friends reuniting.
"Awkward, huh? But that's to be expected, since you're seeing your younger self." The shadow's voice carried a hint of amusement. "Anna, you've grown up."
"So, who exactly are you...?"
"Don't ask too much right now." Like smoke, the figure disappeared, only to reappear right beside Anna, gently pressing a finger to her lips.
Though it was just a fingertip's touch, Anna could feel the coldness of the finger and the faint, indescribable fragrance emanating from the figure.
"Hmm, there are some troublesome traces on you too."
She said something that left Anna puzzled, then shook her head.
"But that's not important."
"Anna, keep moving forward. Now that you know part of Garland's past, it's time for you to embark on your journey."
"When the critical moment comes, you'll remember everything, and we'll meet again."
"Remember everything... Does this have something to do with my childhood memories...?"
"Don't you already have the answer in your heart?"
She was right. The moment Anna saw her, she had already remembered something.
But those memories were too vague, as if they were missing pieces.
It felt like... there was no glue to hold these fragmented memories together.
"Don't overthink it. Just keep moving forward, step by step." The shadowy figure chuckled softly and gently embraced Anna, but just like her younger self earlier, there was no physical sensation.
"Soon, we'll meet again, and you'll remember everything."
"But when that time comes, you'll have to hug me a lot more."
"And now, you've slept long enough. It's time for you to wake up."
With those words, the shadowy figure gave Anna a gentle push, and this time, there was a tangible sensation. Anna felt her body tipping to the side—
"Huh?"
Before Anna could react, she felt a wave of dizziness.
"See you next time, little Anna."
And then, Anna opened her eyes—
"...Was that a dream just now?"
The sunlight was shining on her face, but the strange, lingering fragrance still seemed to linger in her nostrils.
The brief warmth on her lips felt as if it was still there.
If it was a dream, it felt too real...
"Anna! Good morning!"
As if she had been waiting for Anna to wake up, Helga barged into the room, greeting the newly awakened Anna.
"How did you know I was awake?"
"Hehe, I didn't have to wait for you to wake up, right? Just by me shouting like that, even if you were still asleep, you'd probably wake up anyway." Helga said something that would make anyone who loved sleeping feel their blood pressure rise.
"...Whatever." Anna originally wanted to retort, but she wasn't in the mood right now.
"What do you mean, 'whatever'?"
"Nothing." Anna hesitated for a moment. "Helga, do you remember... any friends we had when we were kids?"
"...Friends from when we were kids?" Helga seemed puzzled by Anna's question. "Did you forget, Anna? You were so introverted back then, I was your only friend."
"Ah... right."
Was that how it was?
Anna suddenly felt a sense of panic.
‘Was I really that introverted as a child?’
"What's wrong, Anna?" Seeing Anna's expression suddenly darken, Helga began to worry.
"...No, it's nothing." Anna took a deep breath and calmed herself.
"I just feel... that we should probably get ready to leave in a few days."
"Leave for where?" Helga's mind hadn't caught up yet.
"To the capital, of course. Honestly, I want to check my family's genealogy right now."
"...You're not just after some kind of rights as a descendant of the Celestials, are you?"
"Of course not!”
(Volume One Ends)