The Moon Stone does not exist in this world.
Only a few records mentioning its existence remain, and the name and power of the Moon Stone have left no trace behind.
Originally, there were supposed to be two relics in this deep place.
One was the Moon Stone I held, and the other was uncertain until I received a letter from Arwen, revealing what it was.
[There is a relic called the Crown of Memories. Unlike the others, it’s quite a unique relic, wouldn’t you agree?]
The Crown of Memories. I’ve heard the name but have never known much about its powers.
I knew it was supposed to be with the Moon Stone, but back then, I could only focus on the Moon Stone’s power of reincarnation.
I had cut off my interest, but later, as I searched for relics, I began to learn a bit about its powers.
The Crown of Memories had a power as simple as its name.
A relic that retrieves forgotten memories; even though I had tried using it before with a faint hope, I didn’t gain any significant results.
I had gone in alone and also with Miragen.
I had heard of the Empire’s hidden secrets, but that was never the effect I desired, so I couldn’t help but feel disappointed.
This time, I would go in again, but I didn’t think anything would change.
It was better to give up on such expectations.
Even if it seemed likely to succeed, I thought it would probably fail anyway.
If there is hope, disappointment inevitably follows.
Even if embracing such thoughts is impossible, it’s better to let go than to be disappointed by something.
The carriage was quiet.
Perhaps knowing we were about to reach our destination, everyone must have had their own thoughts.
Miragen was probably thinking about the relic, and Adrian might be doing something similar.
But Adele’s thoughts were likely about me.
I sighed, recalling that I had just been leaning on Adele’s shoulder.
It reminded me of the past.
I had just fallen asleep out of fatigue, but it was true that I briefly remembered the times spent with Adele.
Recently, memories of the surrounding people had been slowly blossoming.
Like a seed waiting for the sprout to emerge, they were finally blooming in this 101st life.
I don’t know what this means.
Perhaps I’m just assigning meaning to it, and in truth, everything might just be coincidence.
…But what if?
If this really has some meaning, I was curious about what I would encounter in the Crown of Memories.
Who would I head into that vessel with, and whose forgotten memories would be recalled through my reincarnation?
That was all I wanted to know.
Clatter-
The carriage moved.
Even as I immersed myself in my thoughts, and Miragen looked at me with a strange gaze,
it continued to move toward the destination, regardless of such thoughts.
The Crown of Memories kept swirling in my mind.
Thoughts of the Moon Stone and the Crown of Memories, as if they were a couple, followed.
If there is such a thing as destiny, where would it lead me?
Even after thinking about it repeatedly, it was clear that I couldn’t find an answer right now.
It was clear about one thing.
“Is there a tower here too?”
“Well, originally this was the capital of the Empire. Right now, we have one Saintess, but there used to be several people with that kind of power, didn’t there?”
The depths of the South used to be one of the most prosperous places in the Empire.
If the national power hadn’t declined, it would probably still be the capital.
But now, it’s just the land of non-human races.
A place where the Empire’s strength couldn’t reach; at least it’s a consolation that towers like this have been well-preserved.
Even so, we still haven’t found a few relics, have we?
Adele nodded as she looked at the tower stretching toward the sky. It wasn’t as tall as the Moon Tower.
The Moon Tower was built to commemorate the Saintess who reappeared after a very long time.
Compared to the times when there were plenty of Saintesses, it had to have been built even more splendidly.
“It definitely looks like there’s a relic here. If we look at the records, it should be in the tower, but whether it’s the Crown of Memories, I’m not so sure.”
Miragen narrowed her eyes. We had to examine the entire tower for the location of the relics.
Considering we had already spent quite a bit of time going through the previous tower, she must be pondering that.
I thought it would take at least two days.
The previous tower was a bit longer, but this one was quite spacious.
If my memory serves me right, the Crown of Memories should be down below.
I didn’t think it would have much effect, but still, wouldn’t it be worth checking once?
Who knows, maybe this time it could be a little different.
That’s my reason for wanting to head toward the Crown of Memories, after all.
“I’ll go up. Last time, it was down below.”
I nodded at Miragen’s words. I was planning to head down right away.
Since I had a rough idea of where it was, there was no need to waste time.
As I took a big step toward the tower, I suddenly became curious about how Adele and Adrian were moving.
Adele shook her head slightly when our eyes met.
Was that her way of saying she’d be going up? Since it didn’t seem like she’d be moving with Miragen, she probably intended to go solo.
Adrian naturally grabbed my arm.
Miragen watched that curiously, but unlike last time, there was nothing to be embarrassed about since she didn’t hug me.
“I’ll go down with Robert. That seems to make more sense.”
“Sounds good. I’ll take care of Adrian.”
Either way, I didn’t plan to leave her alone.
Adele surprisingly didn’t seem to mind that I’d be going with Adrian.
Though Miragen’s gaze darted over, that was it; with no one stopping me, I walked back toward the tower.
I was the first to enter the tower.
Miragen followed me in, pulling out a bundle of papers and heading up, and after she disappeared, I moved down, recalling memories.
“There are more stairs than I expected.”
“It seems the underground is deeper than the Moon Tower. Probably because of the relics, right?”
“Do you know anything about the Crown of Memories?”
I hesitated for a moment at that question, but thinking there was no need to hide it, I answered.
It was information managed by the Imperial Family and the Order, but it wasn’t surprising for me, who was close to the Crown Prince and the Order, to know about the relics.
And after all, my partner was Adrian.
It feels a bit guilty to be hiding something, doesn’t it?
“I understand this is an object that helps uncover forgotten memories. Perhaps that’s why Her Highness the Princess wishes to utilize it.”
It’s not merely about securing it.
The secrets of the Empire that can be glimpsed through the Crown of Memories might just change the course of things significantly with only a little knowledge about this millennium-old empire.
It might even rival the accomplishments of Kaitel, now an emperor.
The memory I saw with Miragen was similar.
Secrets hidden by the Imperial Family and various items created by the Moon God.
But that was just what I heard from Miragen’s explanation.
At that time, I could only see a part of the memory that the Crown of Memories showed.
The voice that said I lacked the qualifications was still vivid.
While Miragen was able to see clearly, I realized that only the royalty could properly view it from what little I could perceive.
Of course, later I found a way to decipher it, so this time I should be able to use that method.
As I strode purposefully downwards, Adrian looked on with a peculiar expression.
It might seem a bit fascinating.
It would have been fine to go a little slower to find the relics, yet here I was moving as if I already knew the destination.
If I find the Crown of Memories, I’ll forget everything.
After all, this area consists only of stairs and walls surrounding it, so as Adrian brushed his hands around, he cleared the curiosity from his face.
“How much further do we have to go?”
“Well, I think… we’re not far from it.”
While feeling along the walls, one brick made a clunking noise as I pressed it.
I remember it being around here.
Pressing and turning this brick will remove the mechanism and reveal the relics stored in this tower.
Kugugukuung-
In an instant, the vibrating sound had Adrian clutching my arm tightly.
The tower, shaking violently as if it were going to crumble, suddenly fell silent.
As if what had just transpired was merely an illusion, Adrian finally spoke in the stillness of the tower.
“…What was that just now? Besides, the sensation has changed. Could it be you’ve found the relic?”
“It seems that way.”
Adrian’s gaze slowly shifted after hearing my words.
I figured she must be feeling it now.
The chamber beyond, which had given rise to yet another space within.
The empty area was a relic in itself.
A chamber that resurrects forgotten memories, commonly referred to as the Crown of Memories.
Adrian cautiously reached out her hand towards the inside.
The space that once held walls had vanished, leaving only a path toward the chamber beyond.
Feeling a hand brush through the air, Adrian opened her mouth in shock.
Now, clearly sensing the relic’s energy, a pure white glow began to emanate from her body.
“It’s responding naturally. Even though I couldn’t feel it until now, I never expected it to be hidden away in a place like this.”
“Did the Order not even identify its location?”
“I can’t know the details about the sanctum myself. I believe His Holiness the Pope might know, but… it’s my first time seeing a relic directly.”
Usually, relics are known to take the form of tools.
The Moon Stone I used was in the shape of an hourglass, and most relics were usable objects like swords or armor.
However, the Crown of Memories was different.
It was different.
Since this space itself was a relic, Adrian, who stepped inside, gasped in awe.
“This pure divine power is a first for me. So… it feels as if there’s another person here with me?”
I could relate to that. It was different from the past when I felt nothing at all. The Moon Stone that still existed within me was reacting. Just like when I felt Teresa, magic power was gradually resonating around us.
“…I see.”
Muttering quietly, my eyes narrowed, immersed in a strange sensation.
It’s different. What is? I couldn’t precisely judge, but
my senses, which had visited this place multiple times before, were definitely conveying something different this time.
My heart raced. I realized I was feeling anxiety from the pounding beat inside me.
Just by stepping into this relic, why was I feeling so anxious?
Feeling something strange, I attempted to pull away.
At the moment I was about to say it might be better to step outside while holding Adrian’s arm,
thud.
That low resonance conveyed one fact to me.
The door of the relic that had been open until just now had closed.
Even when I hurried to touch the walls, there were no signs of the relic opening again.
Was the anxiety I felt just now meant to inform me of this?
Even as I touched the wall, my head quietly shook.
“No.”
The anxiety I felt still hadn’t disappeared.
It was as if it was warning me about what was about to happen next.
As I pondered what that could be, Adrian’s voice reached my ears.
“Robert, could you look up for a moment? I think I feel a strong energy coming from above.”
“There’s nothing above—.”
At the same time I looked up, I couldn’t help but chuckle at the bright light that seemed about to burst forth from there.
It was the light emitted when the Crown of Memories activated.
I hadn’t done anything; I had only stepped inside, and yet it was moving.
In disbelief, I watched as the light slowly began to envelop the surroundings.
What can be seen from the Crown of Memories was a memory made of illusions.
That light depicted the forgotten memories of the Empire.
However, the scenery visible in the light was different from what I knew.
When I was informed about the secrets of the Imperial Family, I saw the Imperial Palace, but this time it wasn’t that place.
The scenery was so familiar that for a moment, I even mistook it for a malfunction of the Crown of Memories.
A forest I had seen somewhere, faces I had seen somewhere.
No, the faces I thought I had seen somewhere were mine.
Not the ‘me’ standing here now, but the past version of myself that I barely remembered.
Suddenly, a laugh escaped me, and I stared blankly at that scenery with a twisted smile.
It seemed certain that this life was special.
In this miracle where events that had never happened before were happening one after another, perhaps it was more foolish of me to deny it.
Finally, I felt I could acknowledge it.
This 101st life was definitely different.
The scenery shown by the Crown of Memories was about my death.
Forgotten memories.
Certainly, that wasn’t wrong.
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