"—Who is Titania?"
Luna tilted her head as she asked.
It was a question I never expected.
A cold hand seemed to grip my chest, and my mind went blank for a moment.
I had spoken with Titania only once.
It was last year, when we went to the Legriff territory on a labyrinth investigation request from Count Eddington.
Even then, it had been a sudden, brief contact.
Most of what I knew about Titania's personality and nature came from stories Luna had told me.
Whenever Luna spoke about Titania, she always smiled happily.
—Yet now, the same girl was looking down with a sorrowful expression.
"Why...? I shouldn't know anything about her... so why does hearing that name... make my chest hurt so much...?"
Luna pressed a hand to her chest, her voice sounding like she might start crying at any moment.
'Pixie, what is this...?'
I recreated [Spirit Domination] and asked the fairy Pixie, who was always by Luna's side.
'...I thought you knew, Orun... That the Queen's footprints had been lost.'
Pixie's small voice trembled slightly, but it also carried a quiet note of reproach.
"...Footprints...lost...?"
When I unconsciously repeated the words, Pixie continued as if forcing them out.
'...Cavadel...used his special ability [Equivalent Exchange]...to rewind the time of this world.'
"I know that."
The time rewind was what my grandfather—Cavadel Evans—had done in exchange for his own existence when I was defeated by the Cyclamen Cult in Tsutrail.
'...Cavadel offered not only his own existence...but also ten years of his footprints...as the price. That's why...everyone now recognizes him as...someone who died ten years ago.'
I already understood that much.
Grandfather had been a genius magic tool craftsman whose name was known far and wide.
But there were people who disliked him, and he had been persecuted and isolated.
Unable to endure that environment, he had supposedly chosen to take his own life—that was the official story.
In reality, he had not died. He had come to Tsutrail, run a modest general store, and watched over me.
Before the time rewind, a small number of people had known he was actually alive.
But after the rewind, even those who had known he was alive now believed he had died ten years ago. I had thought that was the price of rewinding time.
'...But that wasn't enough. So...the Queen also offered...her footprints from long, long ago...along with the magical energy that made up her very being...'
So that was it.
Grandfather had paid not only his existence but also his past footprints as the price.
If Titania had also paid a price, it must have been the same kind.
'...The fact that she met Luna when she was still little...and all the words they exchanged...the Queen offered all of it...as the price...'
Luna's head snapped up.
"…Did I...meet Titania...?"
'...Yes. That's why...Luna is feeling sad right now...even though you don't know why...'
"…!"
Luna pressed her hand harder against her chest and looked down.
While I searched for words to say to her, Luna lifted her face toward me.
Her eyes were sad, but somewhere in them shone a light like resolve.
"…Orun. If it's not too much trouble...could you tell me? ...What kind of person was Titania...?"
I drew in a short breath at the question.
Her voice was still trembling, but she was trying to face forward.
"…Alright."
I knew I had to answer.
"…Almost everything I know about Titania comes from what you told me, but I did meet her once. Do you remember? It was when we went to the Legriff territory on Count Eddington's request—you, me, and the apprentices—"
Luna nodded and gave small sounds of acknowledgment, listening quietly to the end without interrupting.
I could tell she was trying to take in every single word I said.
When I finished speaking, Luna opened her mouth.
"…Thank you."
The words fell softly.
Despite what she said, her expression still held confusion.
It was only natural.
What I had told her was based on things she herself had once said, but for the Luna now, they were nothing more than "memories without any real feeling."
There was no way words alone could restore the shape of something that had been lost.
Even so—she was trying to trace whatever still remained inside her.
"…It really does feel strange. The more I hear, the more my heart feels unsettled. Even though none of it feels real..."
Luna murmured as she gently placed a hand over her chest.
She lowered her eyes, as if confirming something.
"But...I'm glad I heard about it. For me now, the memories of my childhood were only painful ones. But it seems there were also happy times I spent with Titania. Just knowing that is enough..."
I couldn't find the right words to reply to her smile.
When I thought about the sense of loss and pain hidden behind that smile, any words I could offer felt too shallow.
—I should have protected this future before it even began.
It would be a lie to say I never thought that.
But saying it out loud would only sound like an excuse.
"…Luna."
I shifted my gaze slightly and looked up at the sky.
Even now that I had regained my memories, the helplessness I felt back then had not disappeared.
The only difference from that time was—
"…The feelings you're holding right now aren't fake. Sadness, loneliness...if those emotions are there, then you haven't lost everything. There must still be something left inside you. ...I lost my memories once too. I didn't realize it at the time, but looking back now, I think there were things that remained."
Luna's eyes widened at my words.
"…You don't have to force yourself to remember. You can take it at your own pace and slowly find the shape of those memories."
Luna took a small breath and gave a soft nod.
There was still hesitation on her face, but even more than that, a clear will to face it shone through.
Even if the memories were gone, the feelings must still remain somewhere.
And surely...those feelings would sprout again if shared with someone.
That was why I wanted to search for them together with her.