8. Prophecy

"Aah... sorry... but thank you. I made it this far because of you. If I ever get reborn, we'll definitely meet again, right?" The girl weakly gazes up at the man holding her, tears streaming down her face.

"Shes-tia!" The man shouts at her, his face twisted in agony.

"Shes-tia-chan!" A woman stands beside him. She too is covered in wounds, her expression strained.

Shestia, pierced through by an Ice Arrow, gasps her final words to the man, then slips into unconsciousness.

Shestia slowly opens her eyes.

The world around her is still dark. She woke in the dead of night, caught in a dream.

It must be the dream—the tears still haven’t stopped. The memory of the dream fades the moment she wakes, vanishing like corrupted data. Yet something remains in her heart—an undeniable feeling toward that man. She doesn’t know what it is, not yet. But she’s certain it’s real.

"Again, this dream," Shestia murmurs. She wonders, who was that man?

She’s had this dream many times. Every time she wakes, she cries. But lately, it’s happening more often. And though she still cries, she’s beginning to sense a different emotion stirring—something not quite sorrow.

『Shestia』

Suddenly, she thinks she hears her name called.

"Who?" Shestia whispers aloud.

『Shestia, calm down. I’m speaking directly into your mind.』

This time, the voice is clearer. Though it echoes inside her head, she feels its direction—like a signal source. She turns toward it, and a glowing point floats into view.

“Inside my head…? Wait, that light—? Could it be Firumia-sama?”

Shestia blurts out, startled. Her mind awakening, she remembers. She’s heard this voice and seen this light before. The moment she received Firumia’s blessing.

『Shestia, I can’t speak long. Just the message:』 Firumia’s voice comes through.

“Yes.”

『The Apostle will appear. They’ll be of help. Go to the Sacred Grove of the Demon’s Great Tree. I’m counting on you.』

The goddess speaks only that. The light fades slowly, and silence settles around her.

“The Sacred Grove of the Demon’s Great Tree…?” Shestia murmurs to herself.

◇

“I’m going to the Sacred Grove of the Demon’s Great Tree.”

The next morning, Shestia suddenly announces it to her party.

“Huh?! Shestia, what’s with the sudden move?” the woman replies.

“I heard there’s an ingredient for a potion that might save my parents,” Shestia says.

“Wait, a potion?” the woman asks. Her name is Aria. Leader of Shestia’s adventuring party.

“That’s right. So I’m going,” Shestia replies, voice firm.

“…” Aria falls silent.

“Alright. I’ll come,” the man answers. He’s Shestia’s older brother, Albert.

“Huh? Albert, you’re agreeing right away?! You didn’t even ask what it’s about?” Aria blinks in surprise.

“Yeah. If Shestia wants to go, I’ll follow,” Albert says.

“…Yeah. I’m the idiot for even asking,” Aria sighs, then pauses, thinking.

She takes a breath and begins to speak.

“…Got it. Let’s go. I was just wondering what to do next—my quest’s done, my vacation’s over, so timing’s perfect. But heading into the Miasma Forest? That’s not going to be easy.”

“I know. Thanks, Aria-sister. Sorry,” Shestia says, her voice cracking with tears.

“You silly thing. It’s fine. You’re serious about this, so there must be a reason, right?” Aria replies, smiling.

“Then we’ll get ready. Properly. We’ll need to tell the master, too. Everyone’s gotta bring their A-game!” Aria says.

Their trust is solid. No need to question every little thing. When it’s serious, even less so. And once they decide, they act fast—this is what defines this party.

So they set off quickly, gear in hand, bound for the Great Miasma Forest.

◇

It’s the year 1331 of the Holy Era. The Great Miasma Forest arose during the widespread destruction caused by the catastrophic failure of a large-scale magical construct in the year 372 before the Holy Era. Historically, the event is known as the “MagiCentral Miasma Catastrophe” or the “Great Demon Outburst Incident.”

The malfunction caused the once-vast territory of the Demon Kingdom to rise into plateaus, flooded with Miasma, transformed into a dense forest teeming with demonic beasts. The quake reshaped the planet’s crust on a global scale, devastating life on the surface. Fortunately, it didn’t end in planetary extinction.

The town where Shestia and the others live is the capital of a territory bordering the Miasma Forest. Because of its proximity, it’s a hub for adventurers.

The sanctuary hidden within the Sea of the Great Tree is something of a legend—its general location known, but little more.