In a forest dark and murky forest, a rescue squad had come across many corpses. It was quite an intense mission as they encountered a few wanderers popping out of the spatial quakes.

Some were being chased by beasts or monsters. However… this time, they won't end up dead….

And….

What’s peculiar was that one of them was… that she was found by the lake down the river, at first… she was written off as just another corpse to be taken back to the city.

But…

“...Where am I?” the girl asked. She seemed confused, yet… less alive despite speaking.

The rescuers were left at a loss for words as they distanced themselves from her. They didn’t know if she’d become an undead abomination; perhaps she was just another Pale Mimic. But… they’ve never heard of a Pale Mimic speak fluently.

The girl was looking at the people who’d dragged her out of the water. She… however, found it strange. The fact that she was so calm… he heart wasn’t beating, or it… was? Her body temperature was low… then again. She struggled to feel any sensation whatsoever.

She also noticed something strange… her hair was pure white…. | …Huh…? | the girl wondered. And after that realisation, she looked at her own hands. They were pale, and she couldn’t properly feel the movements of her fingers as she watched them move.

In shock, she found it difficult to comprehend what was going on. | …Why am I so calm? My heart is beating but… isn’t? And I—I lack a sense of everything? |

And as she thought along those lines, she headed to the lake, and there… she fell on her knees as she saw her reflection….

“...Is… this…. Mi-chan?” the girl uttered. “...No, wait… Mi-chan was never this pale… and she disappeared…. So… it really is me…?”

Seeing the reflection in the water, she saw that her eyes had changed to ruby-red—unlike her previously silverish-grey. Her hair was pure white and… | …Did I really die? | she calmly pondered. | But that can’t be… I’m here now…. |

And it was then a girl walked up to her, asking, “How are you feeling?” in a soft and gentle tone. She wore nun-like clothing and was very pretty, the pale girl thought.

“...I don't know….” The pale girl dishearteningly replied as she hung her head.

“...Do you remember anything?” the kind sister inquired as she gently sat down beside the disheartened girl.

“...I was cornered by a green-looking kid… after that, a girl with teal-coloured hair swooped me off my feet, but… I don’t remember anything after that. I… I think I died from shock….”

“...You’re not dead… per se,” the sister said. “You’re… not dead. You’re a ‘Lich’.”

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“...A Lich?” the girl asked in surprise. “...So I really did die….”

“Yes, a creature that’s between life and death.”

The girl’s eyes widened as she looked down. “...I think I’m sad,” she said. She then looked up at the moon. “I… I’m unable to even cry….”

“...Do you remember your name…?” The sister asked, trying to change the subject.

“Freja… Karlson?”

As she uttered her own name, the sister looked stunned momentarily before introducing herself. “...My name is Amethely Ilis… is it alright if I call you Freja?”

Freja nodded, not understanding why Amethely had acted the way she did. “Is my name strange?” Freja inquired.

Amethely lightly shook her head, “No… it’s just that I’ve got a friend with the same family name… but he told me that it was a common name, so… I was just overreacting, I suppose?”

“Last name? As me?” Freja uttered as she wondered, “...Where exactly am I?” Freja finally asked.

“You're currently in the borders of Lea Nor. Which is under the sovereignty of the Lesich Empire.”

Freja didn’t register her words as she was just uttering some unknown names to her. But… if that’s where she was… she surely thought she was nowhere close to home.

Still….

Freja was calm… even after all of that, she had a hard time feeling distressed, even if her mind was in jumbles. “You said you knew someone with the same last name… are they from around here?” Freja hesitantly inquired.

Amethely shook her head. “No,” she replied. “He’s an otherworlder.”

Hearing that, Freja’s eyes widened. “What… is the name of your friend…?” Freja hesitantly asked. | …Just… maybe…? |

Amethely softly smiled. “His name is Noel. Noel Karlson, and… my future brother-in-law….” ‘

“...huh…? Brother-in-law?” Freja uttered. “...does he have platinum blond hair and silverish eyes…?”

“How…? Don’t tell me….”

And judging by Amethely’s expression, Freja’s eyes sparkled.

‘Gulp’

“I-if… it’s the same person we’re talking about… then… he’s my elder brother….”

“...Noel did mention he had siblings….” Amethely uttered. “Do you perchance know Miu Nanase?”

“...!”

“M-Mi-chan is here as well!?” Freja flusteredly asked, leaning closer to Amethely. It looked like she was about to cry…

And… Freja started to shed tears. She felt overwhelming emotions, unlike a few moments ago when she struggled to feel anything.

Seeing the girl shed tears, Amethely gently embraced the crying Freja as she patted her back. “There there…” she said to comfort the girl. “I will take you to your brother….”

| …This warmth…. | Freja thought. It was comforting and soothing, and soon… she fell asleep in Amethely’s warm embrace.

— :::: —

“Saint Amethely… should we really bring an undead into the city…?” One of the rescuers asked.

Amethely softly smiled. “She’s not a threat, at least… her mind is intact, she remembers who she was and… she’s the sister of my brother-in-law… probably.”

“.....”

The others silently watched and couldn’t utter words. After all, it was common for beings such as a Lich to lose their memories, becoming mindless undead abominations with enough lethality to eradicate a whole squad of foot soldiers.

“...If that’s what The Saint wishes for… we won't oppose.”

“Thank you…” Amethely said, turning her soft and gentle expression into a determined one. “I want you to prepare a magi-tech amulet that negates the repulsion of Madbeasts and Unwanted Abominations.”

“...Certainly.”