# 111. Let's Not Carelessly Peek into Others' Memories (4)
It feels like I'm trapped in a dark room.
Everything around me is dark, and I have no idea what's nearby.
I waved my hands around thinking I might grab onto something, but nothing caught.
*'What an unpleasant dream.'*
Too peaceful to be a nightmare.
Too ambiguous to be a good dream.
"I can't see ahead, but if I keep walking, a path should appear."
I felt a tightness in my chest as I started walking forward.
Strange, small sounds echoed in my head.
The sounds were too clear to dismiss as hallucinations.
"Luna? Estia?"
These two are bothering me even in my dreams.
The chattering voices of the two.
I tried my best to ignore their voices and kept walking.
However, my patience soon reached its limit.
*'Oppa... memory... idiot...!'*
*'That's... happiness... choose...!'*
It's noisy.
Get out of my head.
But as if they had no intention of doing so, the two continued their conversation, and as Saten's voice joined in, my head was engulfed in a massive shock.
*'Run...! Save me...!'*
*'If we're caught... we'll die...'*
Thud thud—!!
Faint voices and the sound of running footsteps.
Each time, it felt like someone was hitting my head with a hammer.
So this is what it feels like when someone runs around in your head.
"So this is why noise complaints led to murders."
I clutched my head and shouted.
"Estia! Saten! Stop fooling around and go to sleep! It's noisy!"
"..."
"...Now that I think about it, there's no way they'd answer. This is a dream."
Even if it is a dream.
To be confined in a dark room and feel the Hero Party running around inside my head.
What an unpleasant feeling.
Just when my nerves were on edge from having my sleep disturbed.
A voice that wasn't from the Hero Party whispered in my ear.
*'Jun, I told you I don't like vegetables.'*
*'I told you to use honorifics with your master.'*
*'Do you want to die? Talking back to me when you're just a disciple?'*
*'Q-quickly give me the vegetables. My mouth hurts. Hurry up and move, Jun.'*
A scene from my memories flashed through my mind.
Preparing breakfast.
Eating while facing each other.
Sharing meaningless but enjoyable conversations.
*'...Damn it.'*
Why had I forgotten?
I had forgotten a memory I should never forget.
Though there are gaps in my memory.
I remembered who the woman I had forgotten was.
What emotions I had held for her.
"Nerdia Aina."
The first person to help me in this world.
My master.
The woman who shared happy memories with me.
How could I have forgotten?
As deep regret and forgotten emotions came flooding back, the dark space began to shine brightly.
It was time to wake from the dream.
"Where am I..."
When I opened my eyes, I saw a familiar ceiling.
"Damn, my head hurts."
Throb throb—
My head ached, but I endured the pain and sat up.
From below the bed, I could hear faint breathing.
"...So that's why I heard sounds in my head."
Was it because of these guys?
I lowered my gaze and checked below.
There, the Hero Party was lying on the floor, breathing.
"Are they sleeping? They're not moving at all. More importantly, why are they here?"
I don't understand.
I got out of bed and approached Luna, who was lying on the floor.
She appeared to be asleep with her mouth stupidly hanging open.
"Hmnya... hmm... uuuu..."
"...She looks quite stupid."
Luna seemed to be having a bad dream, frowning occasionally.
I couldn't leave her sleeping on this cold floor at dawn, so I picked up Luna from the floor.
"U-uuu... I'm shorry... I wash wrong to think that..."
"What are you mumbling about? It's noisy."
What kind of dream is she having?
I didn't understand, but I tossed Luna onto her bed and left the room.
"What on earth happened for all of them to be sleeping on that floor...?"
A situation I couldn't understand no matter how much I thought about it.
I returned to my room to put the other kids on their beds as well.
*'Hmm?'*
When I came back from Luna's room, the situation had changed slightly.
"Ugh... my head hurts. That petty Saint."
"You're awake, Saten."
"Uuu... Saint. You're dead to me."
Crackle crackle—
From what I could see, Saten appeared to be dominated by her emotions.
Having never applied the brakes, Saten couldn't control herself.
I grabbed Saten's arm as she approached Estia.
Thwack—
"...Mister?"
"Saten, unclench your fist. What are you doing in the middle of the night?"
"Mister, this is a misunderstanding. Estia betrayed us first, so I'm going to punish her."
"Betrayal?"
Nod.
Saten nodded as if she felt wronged.
I didn't know what that betrayal meant, so I let go of her arm and asked.
"Estia betrayed you?"
"Yes, she betrayed the Hero Party. She needs a stern punishment."
Burning—
Saten's eyes burned with the determination to punish.
Meanwhile, Estia seemed to have regained consciousness and made groaning sounds.
"Uuu, my head... you didn't say it would be like this, Goddess...! My head hurts...!"
"...Estia's come to her senses. I wanted to punish her without pain, but unfortunately she'll have to feel it."
"Calm down first, Saten. I'll handle this."
What on earth did Estia do
to make Saten this angry?
Feeling my emotions stir at the word 'betrayal,'
I lifted Estia from the floor and asked.
"Are you feeling alright, Estia?"
"N-no...! My head hurts! Not enough to die, but! My head hurts a bit!"
"It'll get better if you rest a little, so don't worry. More importantly, I heard you betrayed the Hero Party... is that true?"
"Th-that's!"
Flinch—
Estia flinched and reacted to the word betrayal.
Did she really betray them?
*'I need to hear the details.'*
Conflict within the Hero Party isn't good for the future.
I'll have to resolve this.
Though I felt emotions and had a headache from memories that wouldn't surface,
I tried not to show it and asked Estia.
"Estia."
"Y-yes?"
"I'd like you to properly explain what this betrayal is about."
When I asked, Estia began rambling in confusion.
"I-it is a betrayal, but...! I didn't betray Oppa... or should I say the others betrayed me... anyway, I'm not a traitor! I'm more like a savior! A Saint!"
"Lies. Estia definitely betrayed our Hero Party."
"...Your opinions differ."
One says she didn't betray.
One says she did betray.
A situation where the difference in opinions couldn't be narrowed.
*'At this rate, there won't be an answer until Luna or Hare wakes up.'*
Since opinions can be biased when it involves oneself,
though the word betrayal bothered me,
I decided to discuss this matter after Luna woke up tomorrow.
"...It's late at night, so let's talk about it tomorrow after we wake up."
"You have to believe me! Oppa, believe me! I mustered so much courage!"
"But the fact that you betrayed us doesn't change. You traitor. You deceived us."
"Enough."
It's noisy at dawn.
This is the most important time for the children's growth.
For them to grow even a little faster, it was important to sleep now.
I lifted Estia and Saten onto my shoulders.
"Kyaa, kyaaa—!! What are you doing, Oppa! You're going to abandon me, aren't you!? Without even listening to me! You're going to abandon me! You'll regret it! You'll definitely regret abandoning the Saint!"
"As expected, Mister. Abandoning the traitor is an excellent choice."
"You're both noisy. Go to sleep."
We'll talk tomorrow.
With those words, I put the two of them in their respective rooms.
Slam—!
The voices of the two didn't stop.
"O-Oppa! If you abandon me, Saten will kill me! Save me! Let's sleep together!"
"I can't stand it. Mister. Let me handle the traitor—"
"I said be quiet."
Throb—
As scenes from the past flashed through my head, I felt another headache.
However, I couldn't just stand still like this,
so I decided to act quickly first.
"...I'll let you both out tomorrow."
Click— Click—
*'I'm glad I installed locks for emergencies.'*
I locked the doors so the two wouldn't face each other.
"Open it right now, Mister. So I can punish that traitor. Please open it."
"Yay! Thanks, Oppa! Don't forget I helped you! I'll heal you!"
The contrasting reactions of the two.
Well, if I leave them like this, they won't run into each other tonight.
*'Surely when I unlock them tomorrow morning, Estia won't be dead.'*
It's not like it's a locked-room murder.
That won't happen.
With that, I left the two locked in their rooms and headed back to my room.
To put the last remaining Hare to bed.
However, Hare had already regained consciousness and was standing in place.
"At least you've come to your senses, Hare."
"..."
Hare didn't answer and kept her head down.
Something felt off about the atmosphere.
As if she had made a firm decision, Hare clenched her fists and said.
"...Mister."
"What is it, Hare?"
"I-I'll...! Fill all of Mister's empty spaces...! J-just trust me...!"
Flutter—
Hare spread both arms and began running toward me like a flying squirrel.
Why is she acting like this?
I grabbed the forehead of the approaching Hare.
"Hare."
"Y-yes...?"
"You must still be half asleep. Go to sleep. There are no empty spaces."
"...Yes."
Dejected—
Hare's shoulders drooped as she headed for the door.
"I-is this not it...? N-nothing's changed..."
Though Hare muttered something,
my head hurt too much to understand what she meant, so I decided not to worry about it.
And I had quite a lot to do right now.
*'...While I had no memories, I spent too much time at ease.'*
I shouldn't have wasted time so futilely.
So from now on, I'll have to run even faster.
But first...
[The very angry Goddess is calling you! You'd better come right away! Jun-woo!]
[1. I'm coming.]
[2. Don't come and die instead.]
"...Number 1."
I'll have to meet Minerva, whom I had forgotten, first.
I don't know why my memories are suddenly returning,
but I had to meet Minerva, who was furious about being forgotten.