Story Reader / Affection / Nanami: Startrail / Story
This is the treasure the dragon has stolen—the one Nanami always hoped to find with you.
After Nanami's departure, Mr. Seaweed Puffhead and you risk venturing into a lair the dragon has abandoned, where you unearth a Cosmic Rider's Belt.
And she has this other message for you.
No matter where you go, the stars will always be in the sky, lighting your path forward.
Please take good care of yourself.
In a daze, you take the Cosmic Rider's Belt, and a blinding white light fills your vision—
You feel like your soul quickly separates from your body and soars toward the boundless sky above.
Oh, there you are...
In the infinite expanse of space, you see a girl with silver-gray hair.
Hmm... Let me put this in simple terms—I am the deity of this world.
Upon awakening again, you find yourself before the deity of this world.
Beyond the transparent floor-to-ceiling windows, silvery starlight flows silently, crossing countless moments of timeless void.
She stands here, her hand gently pressed against the window as she gazes at the starry sky in solitude day after day. The mere thought of it fills you with an overwhelming sense of loneliness...
[player name]?
No need to apologize... I'm not the one you should be meeting. I'm just the deity of this world.
Oh my... This place sure is quiet and cold for heaven.
Is that so...?
She sits down at the table by the window and gestures for you to join her.
In any case, the fact that you can see me means you're close to finding the treasure.
Hmm... That's not the real treasure.
The silver-haired girl doesn't answer right away. With a rueful smile, she gazes out the window at the endless, ethereal light beyond.
I've lost my ability to perceive emotions since I became a deity.
The deity gazes up at the stars, a fleeting glimpse of bewilderment and confusion crossing her eyes.
What I'm about to say... perhaps no longer contains my own emotions...
I'm merely reciting from those... mountains of diary entries I once wrote.
Or rather, I'm merely speaking on behalf of my past self and conveying her feelings.
Beneath the lonely starlight, the deity's figure grows increasingly ethereal and indistinct.
She rises and walks to the bookshelf, her fingers trailing across the neatly arranged books before picking one up and start leafing through it nostalgically.
You must still remember those moments we shared with Nanami.
Before you, she remains forever that cheerful, lively girl who once brought joy to everyone around her.
She faced every challenge with enthusiasm and expressed all her emotions with passion.
I'm a legendary knight—a Cardman Rider! And you're my commandant!
Commandant—take this!
Nanami doesn't know if they saved the world or not, but Nanami knows one thing... it's time we did something about that gloomy face of yours!
Those innocent, carefree calls still echo faintly in your ears. In every bleak apocalyptic moment, they remain the only bright memories that shine through.
I envy Nanami... because I can no longer shout out my feelings like she did.
The deity smiles and sighs as she slowly turns to the next page of the book.
But even back then, she had words she couldn't bring herself to tell you in time.
You all carry your own missions, bearing the weight of so many destinies upon your shoulders...
Ah, perhaps it's my own selfish desire? But in this world, at least, I want you and Nanami to embark on your treasure-hunting journey without any worries or distractions.
The deity lifts her gaze from the book's pages, bathed in pristine radiance as she gazes into your eyes.
Commandant, you were born into the apocalypse—and that's not something I can do anything about.
This world is built from yours and Nanami's imagination, and neither of you can live in a world you cannot trust.
Perhaps because your heart is too heavy with burden, so much so that your mind has been subconsciously reshaping the world throughout all the 262,537,412,640,768,673 cycles you've experienced.
Such an overwhelming flood of information would shatter a human's consciousness... I'm sorry, but there are only so many special memories I could keep for you.
You've been through countless cycles, but they haven't consumed much of your time.
I only wished for you to find the real treasure in them, and I'm sure you've started to see what it is by now...
As I once said... while Nanami can express her feelings with great passion, that very passion serves as a mask for different, deeper emotions.
The film of memories rewinds once more, and Nanami's face appears before your eyes again.
Commandant, Nanami really loves spending time with you like this!
The city's bustle drowns out Nanami's words, but her lips, moving softly as she smiles, convey her feelings silently.
But the roaring waves drown out the girl's heartfelt words.
This is when it hits you then that the "treasure" has been passing you by again and again all this time.
A good answer. I'll give it a 70.
A good answer. I'll give it a perfect 100.
The deity rests her chin in hand as she offers a gentle smile before returning to the pages of her book.
Before the girl became a deity, she had to leave that world behind to save her beloved homeland.
Even right until she had to go, she couldn't properly convey her feelings to the one she loved most.
Perhaps she had to flee from that impulse because if she had uttered those words... she might never have found the strength to leave.
Nanami was no different.
A perfect answer. After all, Nanami herself needs to try and find these feelings, too.
Because this treasure belongs to both of you.
You must understand by now—otherwise, you wouldn't be able to see me at all.
The real treasure isn't the Cosmic Rider's Belt... but what Nanami has tried to tell you countless times, what she has buried deep within all along...
...
Her feelings as a young girl.
The deity offers you a gentle smile.
The lights and shadows before your eyes begin to blur as you feel yourself being gently pushed away.
As your consciousness struggles to return to your body, the deity's voice echoes once more.
Go, Commandant, and find that treasure.
...
...
[player name], wake up. It's the apocalypse.
You've lost count of how many apocalypses you've been through. You only felt a vague sense of déjà vu hearing the word "apocalypse" before, but now you're feeling a distinct clarity about it.
If things happen like they always have so many times before, Nanami would shake you awake. She'd giggle while saying things that barely make sense, then whisk you away on a carefree treasure hunt without taking no for an answer.
But unlike before, you already know the answer this time. Now, you'll finally have enough time to help her find the true treasure...
Come on, get up already. Don't tell me you enjoy being pestered awake?
Sure isn't easy waking you up at all.
I see you've defeated the evil dragon, but what a princess you are, I gotta say.
Nanami? Who's this?
Woah, hero, you do realize that these words that are coming out of your mouth now barely make any sense, right?
That's when it hits you that the person standing before you isn't Nanami... but a dashing officer in military uniform, wearing an expression that mixes exasperation with playful mockery.
What "Nanami"? You daydreaming?
Stop talking nonsense. Today is the grand celebration of your victory over the dragon. You don't want to show up looking like you're half-asleep, right?
The officer rolls her eyes in exasperation.
Freshen up and come out quickly. Everyone's waiting for you.
With it, she leaves you alone, leaving your question unanswered.
Outside the dimly lit room, the crowd's clamor fills the air.
You can't help but wonder if you'd see that same energetic girl bounce at you the moment you open the door...
Commandant [player name]... If it isn't our brave hero.
Oh noble hero, I don't know how I would have gone on living if you hadn't saved my daughter from the dragon... Sob...
Our family's fruit wine tradition almost ended with my generation, noble hero... Thank you so much for driving away the dragon for us!
If it weren't for you, my dear spouse would've...
The jubilant crowd swarms forward, their words of gratitude filling the air... but...
Your eyes scan across countless beaming faces in the crowd, but there's no trace of her anywhere.
Nanami... Who's Nanami?
At their revered hero's question, the bustling crowd falls silent as they exchange bewildered glances with one another.
About this tall, with golden eyes and cute gray hair tied in a ponytail? And she smiles all the time?
The Scavenger gestures animatedly based on your description of Nanami.
Never seen her before. Which family is she from?
My daughter has gray hair, too, but her eyes are black, and she barely ever smiles...
Nanami... Nanami... What a strange name. Do we have anyone like that around here?
The crowd buzzes with overlapping conversations as if Nanami were someone who never existed in their world.
Make way, make way! Clear a path for our brave hero—
What's wrong now? The celebration's about to begin. What's with the long face when you're the one that's driven the dragon away?
It's written all over your face—you've lost someone important.
Na... nami, that was her name?
No, I don't know her.
...What are you talking about? You were the only one there all along.
This Nanami person... You didn't just make her up, right?
The dazzling sunlight still stings your eyes as it shines upon your face... as the officer before you keeps saying things that make no sense.
At that moment, a young gentleman carrying a metal briefcase steps into view.
Hey there.
The young man responds with a gentle smile, still unfazed by the rather playful nickname.
The young man is briefly taken aback, seemingly surprised by your knowledge of him, but still returns a polite smile.
During the last apocalypse, he called her "Lady Nanami". He has to know something... He's now the only person besides you with knowledge of Nanami.
Na... nami?
The young man mumbles the name, a flicker of confusion crossing his face.
My sincerest apologies, but rest assured that I will assist you in looking for this person called Nanami once the celebration ends.
More importantly, I came today to bring you something else. This is your reward for defeating the dragon—the Cosmic Rider's Belt.
As the young man speaks, he opens the briefcase, revealing a belt resting quietly inside. You were able to meet the deity with this belt—and you figure that you'd probably have all your questions answered if you see her again.
You take the belt like you did in countless apocalypses before... yet nothing happens.
No matter how you fiddle with it, the belt shows no reactions whatsoever... its silver-gray metal frame as lifeless as scrap metal.
You stare at the belt's silver-gray metal frame. Without Nanami here today, it lies dormant, as lifeless as cold steel.
...Pardon my lack of understanding, but what is the treasure if this isn't?
The real treasure... was something you were meant to find together with Nanami, but you see no point in talking about it now since Nanami is no longer here by your side.
Also, I may need you to provide me with information about Nanami...
The brighter the sunlight, the deeper the shadows in your heart grow... Could Nanami have been nothing but a figment of your imagination?
Even as your mind drifts away, her radiant smile remains crystal clear in your memory.
What exactly is "Nanami", if I might venture to ask?
Nanami is Nanami!
Nanami is Nanami...
...
Beautiful flower baskets adorn every street and alley as people sing and dance in celebration of their hard-won peace.
The stall is filled with all sorts of game cartridges, comic books, sweet star-shaped cookies, and quirky jack-in-the-boxes, bringing endless delight to the children gathered around.
The dragon has retreated, the world is safe for now, people have returned to their peaceful lives, and all things are about to flourish once more.
...
But in this world, not a single soul remembers Nanami anymore.
