This Omniscient Confederation member referred to this place as the "Old Ones Temple," claiming it was built in the distant Third Era. At that time, the inhabitants of The Divine Construct revered the fourteen great deities, as they do now. After a cataclysm that shook the continent, they spent over a century building this magnificent group of temples in the forest. This great feat endured many storms; it witnessed countless momentous events—the two most powerful nations of the Third Era signed treaties here, and the first sparks of the Great War were ignited here. The faithful prayed here; great philosophers questioned the gods; ingenious scholars researched the nature of mana…

However, this Old Ones Temple was destroyed in the final war of the Third Era. Whether Selene had seen it in reality or they were experiencing it now, it was merely a shadow drawn from history.

“It seems Your Holiness the Saintess has no memory of this; I must congratulate you,” the masked man’s face twitched beneath his mask, as if forcing a smile. “These words were once spoken by you. Now, consider this our repayment.”

“Congratulations?” Selene looked at the man bound like a dumpling by Alice. “Do you think memory loss is a good thing?”

“Of course not, especially for scholars like us. It represents the end of the past; the loss of knowledge is certainly frightening, but personality alteration is even more terrifying. How many heroes and virtuous kings have perished because of it? How many cowards and tyrants have been born because of it…” the masked man said in a mournful tone. “But you are different. From the moment we collaborated, you pursued oblivion. You learned of this place from ancient texts, painstakingly becoming a Saintess, gaining access to another artifact from the Third Era, and obtaining the power to summon this temple from history…”

“I joined the Divine Glory Church to access an artifact from the Third Era? What artifact?” Selene interrupted.

The masked man didn't answer directly:

“I think Her Highness Alice knows better than I do.”

Selene glanced at Alice, who had been silently listening since earlier. Feeling slightly uneasy, she continued:

“Why did you say you entered this dreamscape to help me? How did you know about my situation?”

The masked man opened his mouth, then suddenly stopped, seeming to sense something. After a moment, he spoke:

“It seems our meeting must end here. The True Light cultist’s soul has completely dissipated. As for your questions… I believe that before everything began, you saw it all, including this dreamscape.”

The bound figure on the ground strained to bow deeply, showing utmost respect.

“Farewell.”

Immediately afterward, his body dissipated like foam.

Selene watched the foam-like remnants of his body dissipate in the air, slowly dissolving. From the corner of her eye, she saw ominous cracks spreading across the corners of the temple; the dreamscape was crumbling.

“Alice, what kind of person do you think I am?”

Alice calmly observed everything; even hearing about Selene's collaboration with the Omniscient Confederation didn't cause her to flinch.

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“Someone worthy of trust.”

“Even knowing that I once collaborated with those heretics?” Selene couldn't help but ask. “He was a member of the Omniscient Confederation, the damage he could inflict is limited, but those True Light cultists are different…”

Alice fell silent for a moment, then asked:

“What do you think of The Divine Construct, of this world?”

“It’s beautiful,” Selene answered without hesitation.

“Then my answer remains the same: you are someone worthy of trust.” Alice took a few steps, retrieving a shattered sun sigil from the mass of the cultist’s remains, holding it in her palm. “This cultist entered the dreamscape physically, so he’s also turned to dust in the real world. Remember that; don't enter a dreamscape physically.

“Once I wake up, I’ll quickly finish my work in the Holy City, then come to Alorn to protect you. That Chief Archmage is certainly powerful, but he cannot be entirely trusted…”

Selene opened her mouth, but Alice didn't give her a chance to speak, asking one final question before the dream completely vanished.

“How did you enter the dreamscape?”

“I remember… it was while facing the light… while praying to the Lord.”

“Yes, I remember.”

Then, the dreamscape completely dissolved.

...

Selene suddenly sat up, her forehead colliding heavily with Richter's. Both of them tumbled to the floor.

“Richter?!” Selene, drawing on her extensive experience, quickly got to her feet, gritting her teeth. “What were you trying to do, getting so close?”

“I’m innocent! I just wanted to wipe your forehead!” Richter immediately raised his hands, displaying the cloth. “You were steaming.”

Selene eyed the damp cloth skeptically, then touched her forehead, confirming the presence of wetness before believing Richter. Sighing, she passed him and went to the writing desk, silently looking at the stack of papers bound together. On top was a sheet with a group of words written on it—

“Lost, I pray to the Lord of Radiance.”

She had seen those words, prompting her question about Richter's prayer.

She pondered for a moment, then leaned down, cupping Richter's face in her hands, meeting his gaze, completely oblivious to the sudden flush creeping onto his cheeks.

“Richter, what kind of person do you think I am?”

Richter struggled to look away, but couldn't. Selene’s hands were soft, but her strength was clearly greater than his. Besides, he was hesitant to touch her due to their genders...

He looked at Selene, noticing the weariness on her face, her eyebrows lowered, her mood seemingly heavy… What had she seen in her dream?

Richter gathered his thoughts, about to answer, when he saw Selene suddenly release him, standing up and staggering down to the second floor.

“Forget it, I don’t want to hear it.”

She feared that Richter, like Alice, would say, “Trustworthy.”

Alice said she trusted her; but which "her"? Was she truly the Saintess Shinten, or a person from another world who'd been in an accident? Probably the former.

Alice trusted her unconditionally, but could she trust herself? Could she trust the Selene who existed before the amnesia?

The masked man said that the "her" before the amnesia had foreseen everything… including her own crossing? Or perhaps, I never arrived in this world a few days ago? Perhaps I’m amnesiac, but only forgot my memories of The Divine Construct?

How did the "me" before the amnesia treat me? In her frantic pursuit of oblivion, using everyone without hesitation, where did I stand?

Selene sat vaguely at the table on the first floor, pondering these somewhat pretentious questions. The pre-transmigration her would have scoffed, muttered some curses, and sarcastically declared, “I am who I am.”

She raised her hand, examining the fair skin and slender fingers, then glanced down at her body, flat but undeniably feminine.

"Cut it out, you're such a drama queen."

Managing a wry smile, she wiped her face with both hands, stood up, and decided to apologize to Richter; unleashing her bad mood on him…

As if some shackles had broken, the surrounding air fell instantly silent the moment she rose. Selene tilted her head, noticing a white envelope resting silently on the table. The quiet sunlight illuminated it, dust motes dancing in the beam; it seemed to have been waiting patiently to be opened for a long time, yet it also seemed to have been just placed there by the writer.

The envelope was addressed:

“To Selene Bjorda, From Yourself.”