Story Reader / Festival Event Story / Solitary Longings / Story
Daybreak
Memories seep back slowly through the silence, heavy and sluggish.
The gentle rippling of water and birdsong flutter at the edges of consciousness. As darkness recedes, light filters through closed eyelids.
...
Uhh...
With a hand on her forehead, Lamia rises with a soft groan.
Unlike being trapped in that realm of illusions, the memories flooding back through her drowsy mind are sluggish but clear enough.
It hurts so much... I really thought I was going to die...
Did I... make it out?
She hangs her head, her exhausted face is reflected in the pool below.
The gentle warmth of light and cool flow of water reassure Lamia of reality's presence, yet they cannot wash away the melancholy lingering in the depths of her mind.
Ah... the clothes are gone. Figured as much, though.
Her fingertips trail from her shoulder to her chest, droplets of water trembling in their wake. She mourns the loss of that beautiful dress—or perhaps something else entirely.
That... was one long dream...
In a daze, Lamia sinks back into the pool, her unblinking gaze fixed on the splashing water as if trying to catch glimpses of fleeting memories within.
Lamia, along with Begonia and the young person they rescued yesterday, are happily absorbed in digging holes in the sand and sorting through fish and shrimp.
Still can't remember anything even after getting some rest? We could help you look around, but without any leads to go on...
What about names? People, places... You haven't forgotten your own name, I hope?
You and Lamia sit at the edge of the bonfire's light, keeping a comfortable distance from the crowd.
It's a shame that you can't taste my cooking even though I promised to cook dinner for you.
But hey, we got a free meal without having to lift a finger. Can't complain about that, right?
Lamia lets out a lazy yawn, tugs at her sleeve, and leans against the shoulder beside her, her head nodding drowsily.
Hmm? Of course, we need to set it up... that's why I left it to you... Mmm... don't move... let me sleep a bit more... so sleepy... Zzz... zzz...
Hm? You don't know what a conch shell flute is? I thought everyone living by the sea would know what this is.
Fishermen play shells and conchs as musical instruments all the time, kind of like a little game for them.
As she speaks, Lamia gently closes her eyes and begins to blow into the conch.
Da... dada... dada...
As the conch flute's notes meld with flowing water, the scene reflected in the splashes reveals a serenity she dares not dream of, a peace too ordinary to imagine, and a joy too simple to believe.
It is like a warm, gentle sea—one that a solitary fish would never dare dream of finding.
Rustle...
Suddenly, a sound from the poolside snaps Lamia out of her daze.
Eek... W-who's there?!
Beneath her instinctive fear and vigilance lies a tiny glimmer of hope—one so faint she doesn't even notice it herself.
Could it be that person? Just like before in the prison, suddenly appearing by her side.
The thought vanishes as quickly as it comes, yet it fills Lamia with inexplicable courage.
Who's there...? I-if you don't come out, I'll have to... take action...?
Splash—
A dark figure leaps out, meeting Lamia's gaze.
In those tiny pupils flickers a confusion both innocent and foolish.
Squeak—?
...
...Gee, what in the world was I even thinking?
Dejected, Lamia gently pokes the squirrel's head.
There's no way [player name] could be here... not even if they came straight from the conservation area.
I wonder how you've been...
Are you awake yet...? Well, even if you are, I'm pretty sure you'll be on your way to your next mission anyway. That's the kind of thing that always keeps you busy.
I hope you're not badly hurt. Damage to the M.I.N.D. can be quite troublesome...
*Whistles*
The squirrel's soft cry snaps Lamia out of her thoughts.
Oh, did I hurt you?
She tries to pull away, but the squirrel clings tightly to her finger. The little animal squeaks non-stop while frantically nodding its head toward something behind them.
What are you... Hmm?
Lamia furrows her brows and extends her senses in the direction the squirrel indicates. Beyond the trees, three figures approach, one after another.
Temp Squad A41 has reached the target point. Transmitting coordinates and verifying search route.
We should be on the right track. The link we found left in the conservation area points to this region...
...
Eek—it's Babylonia, they've tracked me down!
Despite the considerable distance between them, Lamia instinctively covers her mouth.
D-damn it, should I do them all in? Should I? Uhh...
Never mind. I should probably get out of here ASAP. Yup. Yup. Pretty sure [player name] wouldn't want to see me hurt people from Babylonia.
Yup, damn straight. Don't want no beef with that scary bunch...
After rambling herself into a decision, Lamia turns to flee—only to crash right into something.
Thud—
？！
(They found this place already?!)
A weapon materializes in her hands and she swings down—only to halt abruptly just above the target's shoulder.
...
The two pairs of eyes meet in a deafening silence. Lamia stares dumbfounded at her raised halberd, completely at a loss for what to do.
Beep—
Fortunately, the sudden beeping from the terminal breaks through the awkward atmosphere.
This is the Temporary Joint Command Center for the conservation area Incident. Routine communication—Temp Squad A42, do you copy?
Have you found anything? We need to hear from you as soon as possible if you have. Our mission target this time is an Ascendant we know nothing about, and we don't know how they fight. You're advised to move in group.
The words are on the tip of your tongue, but seeing Lamia's stunned expression, a different answer comes out instead.
Copy that. The other squads will begin a dispersed search, with your coordinates as the starting point. Stay safe.
The call ends, and the awkward silence returns as you stare at each other.
U-um...
Lamia's mouth opens before quickly closing again. She puts away her weapon and carefully smooths out the wrinkles on your shoulder caused by the weapon's swing.
She hunches her shoulders and mumbles nervously under her breath.
A-are you okay...?
Though it's a caring inquiry, the words come out with difficulty. After all, this isn't an illusion—your positions are clearly on opposite sides.
After a pause, she forces out another topic to keep the conversation going.
Uh? Oh... uh... Begonia...
She's doing alright? Well, that's great, then...
Lamia pauses for a moment, then pats her chest in relief while secretly monitoring your reactions.
W-what about... everyone else?
Ohh...
Clearly, this topic couldn't sustain the conversation either. After a long pause, Lamia speaks up hesitantly.
Well... guess I'll be on my way, then... since everyone is doing just fine?
She purses her lips, seeking permission to leave while wanting to ask something else.
What could it be?
After returning from that illusion to reality, we meet again... Is there anything you want to tell me, just between us? If not...
The light within Lamia's eyes dims as she realizes something.
...I see... Well, goodbye then. Thank you for telling me about Begonia.
Her brief farewell is filled with hesitation. Finally, with a gentle nod, she slowly walks away.
Silently watching her disappear among the trees, you let out a deep breath and begin to sort through your own jumbled emotions.
Just as you turn to leave, a rustling sound emerges once more from the woods.
The timid figure returns.
...U-um... wait!
Lamia peeks out from behind the tree, her hands trembling slightly as they grip the trunk.
Could you... tell me why you came? Did you only come to fill me in on what happened to everyone else?
If this is about what happened at the conservation area, then why... did you lie to them?
A glimmer returns to Lamia's eyes. Though lacking conviction and still tinged with timidity, her gaze, for once, doesn't shy away.
Even if you might not have anything to say to me...
I want to talk with you.
Though unspoken, the feelings hidden in those eyes speak volumes.
Please, say something.
Anything.
Otherwise, there'd be no reason for me to be here, right?
After a moment of hesitation, you suppress the inexplicable surge of emotions within, carefully weighing your words.
...Uh huh.
Lamia nods, her gaze growing more intense, eager to hear what comes next.
You hesitate several times, trying to arrange the words carefully—both to express your thoughts as precisely as possible and to... prevent any unnecessary misunderstandings.
But what counts as a misunderstanding? Why would there be any misunderstandings in the first place?
If the words are weighed down by too many considerations, are they still truly what the heart wants to convey?
Meeting Lamia's gaze once more, her usually timid expression has given way to pure determination.
And with that, all the chaotic thoughts fade away, leaving only the simplest, most honest intention.
Several hours later, at the Temporary Joint Command Center in the conservation area.
The terminal rings as the team prepares to return. Upon answering, Asimov's figure slowly appears.
No luck then, I presume.
Yes. We never know what they're up to since they've got quite a few tricks up their sleeves, which is why we need to proceed with caution.
...Will you now? Doesn't seem like it to me.
At the very least, you didn't check your terminal to see if it'd been tampered with.
Things aren't going to be pleasant if it gets sniffed out on our way back.
Don't mention it. Remember to take care of these trivial matters yourself next time.
After ending the call, you open the terminal's storage interface and navigate to the most recent dates. There lies a RAW file, created just moments ago.
You cut and transfer the file to a personal offline device. As it loads, the video fills the terminal's display screen.
...
After hearing this, Lamia stands rooted to the spot, speechless. Different expressions shift rapidly across her face.
Finally, she steps forward with her head lowered, fidgeting with the hem of her clothes.
...Say...
Say, will you come visit me in the future? Or I can go visit you, too.
Ding—
File transfer complete. The video fades away, and the memory ends.
Lamia's words still echo in your ears.
You whisper your answer. Lingering no more, you stand and walk towards the transport vehicle. The next mission awaits.
