The terrain of the Forbidden Forest was not very complex, but its scale was not to be underestimated.
Furthermore, since they didn't know when monsters might appear and attack, their movement speed was rather slow. They had to move in groups and prepare for any eventuality.
Thanks to this, it took almost half a day for Fenrir and the soldiers, and Siegfried and the knights, to reach the center of the Forbidden Forest.
"..."
Fenrir's gaze was fixed on the dead tree visible ahead. Just as Siegfried had said, the tree was enormous. Large enough to be located at a glance even from a distance.
"From now on, the knight will go north with me."
Siegfried approached Fenrir and looked at him, saying.
"As I mentioned, there is a monster's umbilical cord to the north. After examining that place, I will head to the Cave of Silence located to the west."
Those two places were the ones they had originally decided to look into together. So, Fenrir nodded as if to say he understood.
"Then, we will return to this halfway point to join the knights who surveyed the east, and then exit the forest through the southern entrance."
Siegfried continued speaking.
"The Grand Duke and I will lead the charge, with several squads following at regular intervals. This will make it easier to respond if anything unexpected happens."
He certainly wasn't pleased to have those few groups following behind, but he had no excuse to stop even that.
All that was needed was to eliminate Siegfried with a single stroke before they arrived.
...Actually, that was the one thing he was most confident about.
“Yes, let’s do that.”
Siegfried looked at Fenrir, who was giving a short answer, with a smile.
Then he ruminated on Dietrich's order once again.
"If the Grand Duke is truly connected to monsters, something will look different. And the moment such movements are shown, kill the Grand Duke on the spot, blaming it entirely on the monsters."
To be honest, Siegfried hoped that a monster would appear before reaching the old tree.
If Fenrir really had a connection to monsters, he would certainly react. In that case, it was much easier in many ways to deal with him when everyone was gathered together, rather than having to move separately from the Knights like this.
However, for some reason, not a single monster was in sight even until they reached the center of the forest. It was true that their appearance frequency had decreased, but that was outside the Forbidden Forest; it hadn't been like this inside the forest.
If you entered the forest, you could easily spot at least low-level monsters.
With the opportunity to confirm Fenrir's identity or eliminate him slipping away, the situation was turning out to be unfortunate for Siegfried. However, he was just as helpless.
"Then I will depart."
Fenrir nodded with an expressionless face, and soon the group split into their assigned groups and began to move.
"..."
As Fenrir took a slow step, his gaze quickly scanned the long sword hanging from his waist as if checking it, but no one noticed.
***
She had no idea what state of mind she was in to have taken the side path.
"..."
Presepe, who had been moving her feet forward endlessly, finally stopped abruptly after quite some time had passed. Then, looking around with a bewildered expression, she glanced around.
“We’re in big trouble.”
Before she knew it, Presepe had reached the Forbidden Forest. It was not simply because she saw the dense trees right ahead, nor because of the forest's distinctive, refreshing scent.
It was because of the fence that had been haphazardly and miserably broken.
To be precise, fragments of the fence seemed like it was built quite sturdily, very tall and thick, so she wondered how it ended up like this.
'Was it the work of a monster?'
But if that were the case, shouldn't the Knights have known by now? After all, the Knights had been stationed here continuously even before the Grand Duke arrived.
Furthermore, according to Fenrir, this place is under control. Malea said the same thing.
However, the broken fence was still a fence, and on top of that, she didn't recall seeing a single knight on the way here.
Should I go back?
Of course, that would be better.
However, even as she thought that, the voice of herself that came to mind earlier held her back.
[You said soldiers were guarding it... but there's no one here?]
Young Presepe's voice during the tutorial days
[Yeah, I have to take a look at it anyway...]
It was exactly the same as what she was thinking right now.
'I should take a look.'
Is it a coincidence that I haven't run into anyone, whether it was the me in my memories or the entire time I've been coming here?
It didn't seem like that at all.
"..."
Presepe swallowed hard and gazed at the Forbidden Forest with tense eyes.
Then, slowly, very slowly, he took a step into the forest.
"It's not as incredibly special as I expected."
Although the name evokes a scary and ominous image, it was no different from any other ordinary forest.
Of course, since it was said to be the monsters' stronghold, she couldn't help but feel uneasy, but so far, nothing was in sight.
All you could hear was the quietly blowing wind and the cute chirping of birds.
However, it wouldn't be good to go too deep. It was dangerous, of course, but Siegfried would also be investigating the forest with Fenrir.
Even amidst the collapse of the game, considering the awful choices that appeared when she met Ivan, it would be even better not to run into Siegfried.
Last time, at least she ran into him when she was alone. It is even more so now when she considers that Fenrir is with him as well.
So, if possible, she wanted to retrieve the memories from the lost tutorial before going deep into it.
She wondered why on earth shd came into this forest back then.
Also, what she was trying to examine back then.
“I don’t have anything.”
Unfortunately, however, the hidden forest still looked like an ordinary forest, and no memories came to mind.
"It's dangerous to go any further from here."
She had already walked quite a distance, and if she went any further, she would truly be in the middle of the forest. What should I do? Presepe pondered for a long time, and eventually decided to turn back.
However, at that very moment, something immediately caught Presepe's eye.
It was a lake visible in the distance.
Shining red in the sunset.
"..."
Presepe stopped abruptly in her tracks with a blank expression.
A different season from now.
A hot and sweltering summer.
The scenery was thick with lush, refreshing greenery. Trees that were enormous, tall, and densely packed with green leaves, like those damn towers. The sunlight pouring down upon them, the sound of insects chirping, and the scent of flowers and mysterious grass vibrating all around.
The lake that shone brilliantly and quietly held its ground.
And the small ripples rising on the calm surface of the water.
...The splashing noise.
“That notebook.”
As soon as she was possessed, she had organized the content related to the game.
She had a hunch that the lake where she had lost that notebook was right there.
Presepe looked around once more to check her surroundings, then began to run very urgently toward the quietly shining lake.
"Gasp, gasp..."
Gasping for breath, Presepe slumped down with difficulty by the lakeside.
She saw her slightly disheveled face on the transparent, clear surface of the water.
Also...
[Damn it, my notebook.]
Just like today, her young face also came to mind, having looked down at the calm surface of the water just the same way.
"I knew this was the right place."
Since Presepe was about 10 years old during the tutorial period, it coincides with the time when the subjugation festival was held in the Forbidden Forest, just as Malea mentioned. In fact, Malea also said that Presepe had visited this place with Vanessa back then.
She doesn't remember it fully even now, but having just been possessed by the game, she must have realized that there was information she needed to find out in the Forbidden Forest. So, she must have secretly come here thinking, 'I have to take a look anyway.'
Also, she lost that notebook by this lakeside where she had come, and only now did she feel like she knew exactly what the order was.
“Well, then I..."
Did they find out the information they needed to obtain from the Forbidden Forest?
Unlike now?
And was the fact that a real male protagonist existed also something they were aware of from the very beginning?
If only she could recall that, she felt like she could figure out who the real male lead is...
Presepe squeezed her eyes shut and struggled to recall her memories, but her efforts did not last long.
It was because of someone's shadow that suddenly fell over her face.
"..."
Sensing a presence, Presepe hurriedly opened her eyes.
Then, with a blank expression, she stared at the man in front of her.
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