The girl stood on the hill beneath the setting sun, her platinum blonde hair waving slightly in the breeze. Her pink-tinted fuchsia gaze stared off into the distance at nothing in particular, as she let her mind drift like the clouds that dotted the horizon.

“Yuuu!!!”

Her languid reverie was interrupted by the sound of the familiar voice calling out to her. She turned around - just in time to catch sight of the purple blur that barreled into her, arms outstretched.

"Oof- hey there, Wenona!" Yurika grinned down at the petite girl, returning her hug. Good thing she was used to her friend's enthusiastic greetings, else she would have probably fallen to the ground from the impact.

The purple-haired girl - Wenona - leaned back and grinned. The girl released Yurika from her hug, her sapphire eyes sparkling.

“Wen, didn’t expect you to return this fast. I thought you are going to Azurlite dungeon with Taft and the others?”

Wenona didn't reply immediately, seemingly preoccupied with the grass near her feet. But Yurika knew her friend well enough to know that she was trying to avoid the question. Yurika looked at her friend in concern. "Wen, what's wrong? Did something happen?"

Wenona continued looking down for a moment, before she looked back up again. Though, the girl's formerly cheerful expression had turned into a pout. "Well, let's just say there was a change of plans. I'd... rather not talk about it."

Only one thing - or rather, person - could bring down Wenona's spirits that quickly. Yurika smiled sympathetically, "Oh, Moira strikes again?"

"Yeah, nothing but the usual," the other girl huffed. "Throwing our plans into disarray just so she could do more 'charity work' - at the expense of the rest of us!" The small girl threw her hands up in exasperation, her eyes suddenly blazing with fury. "It's nice helping people and all, but not when it inconveniences everyone else! And she always claims all the credit in the end, while the rest of us end up being reduced to her little helpers!"

Yurika looked at her friend, who was now stomping back and forth among the grassy hill, still ranting. It wasn't often the petite girl got worked up, but when she did, she didn't hold back. Moira was one of the older members that made up their group. They were a part of a family of sorts. Most of them had been war orphans originating from the northern coast who'd banded together - there was safety in numbers, after all. They had started taking in other people who had no prior relations, in an effort to build up their numbers. Yurika was one of them.

The purple-haired girl cut off her rant when she realized her companion wasn't actually listening. She folded her arms and glared at Yurika. "Yuuuu! Are you even listening to me? I'm being serious here!"

Yurika held up her hands in a placating gesture. "I know you are, Wen! Have you forgotten? I've had my own share of problems with her, too." It was true - Moira was anything but cordial towards her. She seemed to hold some kind of grudge against her, snubbing her at times - and on one occasion, outright berating her before the others. When it was Moira's turn to organize the dungeon teams, she would seem to forget to add Yurika into the mix til someone - usually Wenona - prompted her.

It went without saying that she and Moira didn't get along.

"Ah, that's true..." A thoughtful look crossed Wenona's face. She plopped onto the grass, pulling Yurika down to sit alongside her. "It's kind of strange how aggressively she's acted towards you from the get-go. I mean, she usually tries her best to charm the new arrivals, you know?"

"If I had to guess, it's because she doesn't like how Taft seems to pay attention to me sometimes." Taft was another fellow member. He was the friendly, older brother figure of their group, always willing to lend a helping hand whenever it was needed. He was also dating Moira.

"Yeesh, talk about being over-possessive," Wenona muttered crossly. "And Taft was the one who found you, so isn't it normal that he pays attention to how you're doing at times?"

Yurika sighed. "...I suppose so," she mumbled. She didn't like to think about Moira's dislike towards her. Most of the time, she ignored Moira's hostility. It wasn't like Yurika interacted with Moira more than necessary, anyway. It stung a bit, to be disliked over something so petty. Even so, she didn't want to cause any trouble for the group, so if she had to bear with Moira's attitude towards her, then so be it.

She was grateful that they had taken her in despite the unusual circumstances in which they'd found her. Taft who had come across her stumbling among the alleys of Marina Harbor, half-conscious and delirious, wearing nothing but a simple white slip that'd been stained red with her own blood. He'd brought her back to the orphans' shared lodgings, and they'd nursed her back to health. She didn't know how she'd got into that alley, or why she'd been so badly hurt. Everything was a blur. There were certain vital details she remembered, like her common name and her True Name, but nothing else. Occasionally she would catch glimpses of a few blurry faces and figures in what seemed to be her memories, but those bits and pieces would slip away as quickly as they came

When she'd recovered enough, she had started training. It was something she'd insisted on, wanting to repay them the kindness they had shown her. After the disappearance of the Goddess of Light, the world became a dangerous place. Formerly docile animals mutated and became aggressive, attacking their former masters. Spirits and hostile creatures, powered by magic, roamed every corner of the world. Attacks on human settlements were not uncommon, and people lived in constant fear, praying that the next day would not be their last. That was— for those who did not choose to fight back, instead.

To become a "warrior" was not to be taken lightly - these were people who faced death on a daily basis. Not many would choose to take up such an occupation of their own free will. However, it was also a highly lucrative line of work. For those who were struggling to make ends meet, it was the only way to survive. For that matter, the orphans belonged in this category.

Naturally, it was far from easy. Most people had to train for months before they could even pick up the most basic of skills. With her memory loss, it made sense that she'd be even further behind. Yet, the moment she started training, all of that was blown away. She picked up on the skills and motions almost as if they were second nature. Sometimes, she'd find her body moving of its own accord, even before her mind caught up. It was as if her body remembered something that her mind had failed to recall. Within mere months, she'd reached the skill level of someone who had been training for years. Her extremely fast progress boggled her, and her fellow members as well. Occasionally, she'd catch them whispering to each other, wary gazes pointed in her direction. She tried not to think too much of it, trying to simply appreciate her quick progress for the blessing it was

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

"—rika...! YURIKAAA!!!"

She snapped back to attention at the sound of Wenona calling out her full name, Wen only did that when she really wanted to get her attention. She had gotten distracted by her own internal musings yet again. She flashed Wenona an apologetic smile, "Sorry about that. I was thinking about some stuff."

Wenona raised an eyebrow in curiosity, but didn't press. "...'kay. Now that you've come down from whatever cloud you've been floating on, maybe you could finally answer what I've been trying to ask," she muttered, rolling her eyes. "Just why do you put up with Moira's abhorrent attitude towards you? Like, seriously, you have more than enough reason to call her out. In fact, everyone's pretty much waiting for you to do it."

Yurika bit her lip lightly. "I just don't want to stir up any trouble, particularly not with one of the more established members. She already dislikes me enough without me adding more fuel to the fire. Besides, it's not like I'm going to put up with her behavior forever."

A curious glint lit up Wenona's eyes. "Oh?"

"One day, when I'm strong enough, I'll be sure to repay her oh-so-kind actions most graciously," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm on the last part.

Wenona burst out laughing at that. "And here I thought you didn't have a vengeful bone in your body!"

Her laughter was contagious, soon Yurika found herself laughing as well. Their carefree laughter ringed out around them. Yurika's smile grew, glad that her friend seemed to have cheered up.

"So, how goes the training?" Wenona turned to look at the girl sat next to her. "Learnt any skills yet?"

Yurika nodded eagerly, eyes sparkling. "Yeah! I'm almost done with the skills for both the Brawler and Priest classes."

Wenona gazed at her in shock. "Geez, girl, that's fast! And for both your main and sub-classes? It took me at least a year to pick up all the Elementalist skills. And let's not talk about my sub-class." The shorter girl waved her hand dismissively, then pouted. "Are you sure you're just a beginner?" she jested lightly, but there seemed to be something more than idle curiosity in her tone.

"I think so..." Yurika trailed off unsurely. "At least, as far as I can remember. Then again, considering how little I can recall before meeting you all, that's not saying much, is it?" Her pink eyes flickered down to her hands, and she clenched and unclenched them nervously as the fast pace of her training was brought up. "Am I... really progressing that quickly?"

Wenona's features softened slightly upon seeing her friend's uneasiness. "Yeah, you are," she replied. "You managed to finish learning the skills of both your main and sub-classes within a mere three months, while most people take at least six months, if not more, to get all the skills of their main class down. Either you're a genius, or..." she trailed off, not finishing the sentence.

"Or...?" Yurika prompted.

"Or... you're a 'taboo'," Wenona uttered tonelessly, and so quietly that she could barely make out the words.

A chill ran down Yurika's spine, even though she didn't quite understand what Wenona meant. "A t-taboo? What tab-" She was cut off when Wenona leapt up and slapped a hand over her mouth before she could say anything else. Her friend's eyes seemed to be trembling with something - fear?

"Don't say it out loud," she hissed, still keeping her voice low. "They are called 'taboos' for a reason. Don't you remember-" she cut herself off. "Right, amnesia..." Wenona sighed, settling back onto the grass. "I'll tell you about them, just this once. It's something everyone - particularly adventurers like you and me - should be aware about."

The purple-haired girl shifted nervously, whipping her gaze in every direction, before she spoke again. "A 'taboo', also known as, a Fetuuina Fanaurra."

"A fetu... fana.. what?" The blonde struggled to pronounce the strange words her friend had just uttered.

"A Fetuunia Fanaurra," Wenona repeated softly, "Translated into the common language, it means 'the cursed reborn'. They are people who have already died once - but, through some twist of fate, rather than passing on, they are 'reborn' back into the world of the living. Their reasons for being reborn can vary. It might be some unfinished business they had yet to attend to. Or perhaps they are still holding onto a grudge, so heavy and deep-seated, that the weight of their hate brings them back. And there are those who wish to return simply so that they can see their loved ones again."

The girl paused to take a breath, before she continued. "No one knows where they come from, or how they came about. From appearance alone, they look the same as any other normal human. What sets them apart is the unnatural strength they possess within their very genes, allowing them to surpass the limits of the common human. Of course, it's this same strength that makes them so feared." She let out a soft sigh. "...To be honest, it's more of an urban legend. To date, no one has managed to prove the existence of the Fetuunia Fanaurra. Even so, pretty much everyone believes in it."

"...Do you?" Yurika asked, "Believe in it, I mean?"

Wenona blinked, then smiled wryly. "Well, legends have to come from somewhere, don't they?"

"I guess..." Yurika nodded hesitantly. "But still... I don't think I'm stronger than any of you. Sure, I learnt fast, but in terms of strength... I'm still far behind you guys."

Wenona looked at her friend in contemplation, before she spoke again. "Yeah. I don't think you're a taboo. My guess, is that you might have already learnt them before you lost your memories. So it was just a matter of remembering them again."

"Yeah! That might be it." Yurika clapped her hands in agreement. "I still don't remember anything, after all... Who knows what I'd been doing before then?"

"Mmm..." Wenona hummed in agreement. "...In any case, it's about time to head back. It's almost dinnertime, and I'm famished!" Wenona got up to her feet, dusting off the skirt of her dress armor, and grinned. "Riddelle's our chef for tonight, and you know how good her cooking is- ...Yu?"

Yurika was sitting in the same spot, rosette eyes still focused on the horizon ahead. "Hey, Wen... Do you think they really exist? These... 'taboos'?"

Still hung up on that, huh? The purple-haired girl rolled her eyes. "Look, I really don't know about that, alright? It's a story that dates back as far as the Tale of Creation itself, and we all know how old that thing is. But I'll tell you one last thing, and then we'll never speak of this again - agreed?"

Yurika nodded in acquiesce, "Alright."

"Well... I said that they look like any normal human, yes? So it's near impossible to identify them. But, according to some, there is a way. All Fanaurra carry an invisible tattoo somewhere on their body. When the Fanaurra themselves realize their true identity, it will glow. Only then will they'll regain all their past memories, and their unnatural strength, originally locked away, will be unleashed. Also, that tattoo..." Wenona trailed off ominously, "is said to be set over the location of the very blow that took away their past life."

Yurika's eyes widened. "Wait, so you mean that the Fau- Fanu- Fanaurra-" she stumbled over the word, "themselves aren't aware of it in the first place?"

"...Yeah. That's what I heard. Well, that's it. Let's head back before it gets too late." The purple-haired girl turned away, looking back at Yurika over her shoulder. "C'mon, Yu."

"Alright, I'm coming." Yurika got up to her feet, and walked over to join her friend. "Hm, I wonder what will Riddelle be cooking up today?"

Wenona chuckled lightly, "Well, we'll see."