In the darkness, moonlight falls.
　The tense silence seems to contain an eerie, death-inspired quality.

　At the end of the drawbridge, decorated with two moons, the gate towers majestically.
　The moment a girl landed in the most graceful and robust castle in Estor. The center of existence has changed.

　The vastness and opulence of the castle, which seemed to embody the splendor and grandeur of the castle, became a mere backdrop.
　What the moonlight in the night sky illuminated was no longer the castle, but a girl.

　Floating in the sky, Nacht climbed over the walls, moat, and gates that humans must have built to deal with humans without regard to their intentions.
　You'll be able to easily open one of the windows with magic and enter the castle.

　You'll find a softly-carpeted path and eye-pleasing furnishings facing you as you step out into the corridor.
　You can't help but smile at such a peaceful welcome.

　At least the castles of the gaming era were not this kind.
　There were traps that were naturally set up to identify intruders by the quality of their magic, and there were also tricks to deceive the eye with artifacts and turn poisonous fangs against them. The only reason I was looking at the furnishings, which were not much, was because I had hoped for a little bit of such tricks.

　And if it was a castle (home) controlled by a guild, they would immediately eliminate any fools who entered by themselves. If you stepped in even one step, the intrusion would be detected at that point and an alarm (alert) would be heard, and you would definitely be welcomed by a tidal wave of forced transfers and guardian beasts.

''That's too crude for a base...''
　That is Nacht's honest opinion.
　Nacht walks down the peaceful road without any hesitation at all.
　He was given a few visions by the soldiers he passed, and when he arrived at the place, he was greeted by a most majestic door.
　Nacht puts one hand on the heavy gray-blue door that leads to the audience room, and for a moment, Nacht puts his strength into it. I'm not going to be the only one who can do this, but I'm not going to be the only one who can do it.

　The darkness that spilled out, the faint light source that illuminated it, attracted me as I walked forward.
　A rose-like carpet made a path on the polished marble floor. Ornate pillars of columns stood in a row, and a mysterious weight of air seemed to press down on them with each step.
　An empty throne, with no one sitting on it, was left standing on a platform of gold-studded stairs with little difference in height, and at the top of it was the coat of arms of Estor, which was decorated with a lion motif.

　It's a space that has not accomplished anything, but is probably valuable just by being there.
　However, Nacht's gaze does not turn there.
　You're going to be able to get a great deal more than you think.
　It's probably magic, and although it's hidden, Nacht's dragon's eye doesn't miss it.

　A sphere floating in the hollow, hidden behind the fabric engraved with the crest.
　Its brilliance alone is more than enough to be fantastic. Behind the shifting light like the aurora borealis, the world of the past, as an ephemeral phantom that dissipates, is flowing.
　It could be an unexplored region where dragons live, an ancient castle where the dead wander, a mechanical city where toys and humans live together, a city floating in the sky, an ocean where pirates spread, a ruin sunk to the bottom of the ocean, a cave covered in deep snow, a sacred mountain where giants live, or a mountain where the devil has crashed and is being hunted. It can be the depths of the earth, a box garden forbidden from contact with the outside world, the depths of a lonely tower marking time, or a vast fortified city heralding the beginning.
　And as if to say that it was the end of the landscape, for just a moment - the castle that had lost its light was reflected in it.
　Nacht just stared at that one point with a fleeting smile that was even melancholy.

'Ha--I don't know who it belongs to--oh, I've missed it a lot--' --
　At the moment when I was about to gently reach out for a treasure trove that I hadn't seen in a while...
　Boom!
　-- and was interrupted by such a dry gunshot.

　Nacht leisurely assessed the bullets flying at supersonic speed and then evaded them.
　The blue phosphorescent comet-like bullets repeatedly smashed through the solid inner walls and disappeared into the night sky.

'I hope you don't feel free to touch my dad's--'
　A quietly intimidating young voice echoes through the air.
　It wasn't just the voice.
　The figure peeking out from the shadows of the pillar also looked like a young child.
　Her lovely, crinkly eyes shine in the pale light. I'm sure you'll be able to find out more about this in the future.

　But the intensity of the signs emanating were not something a mere child could have.
　It is not a child that emits a sharp killing spirit that takes away your breath and is reminiscent of death.
　That's exactly the same sign that easily surpassed a person, the same sign that a monster has.
　He's one or two of the strongest people I've met in this world. They are probably not even a match for a fire dragon. That, the hurricane dragon, a sign so powerful that it could be said to be on a par with Alhazard.

　But still.
　Even so, it was still somewhat insufficient for Nacht to sense the threat.
　Rather, it was the weapon in her hand that Nacht was wary of.
　Nacht looks down slowly, letting out a deliberate sigh, and says with a deliberate sigh.

'What, you're lost--'

'Aaaaaaaaahhhhhh!　You!　Now you're treating me like a child!　You did!

'Hmmm, little girl - can you tell me your name?　Do you know where my mom is?

'Again!　Don't treat me like a child!
　Nacht laughed at the words of a little girl he'd heard somewhere before.
　The white and red strangely revealing maiden's outfit is a legendary equipment that I've seen before. However, the little girl has an even more eye-catching piece of equipment in her hand.

"The black cross of rebellion - a bit fussy for a child's toy,
　There is no mistaking it.
　The black cross, which is decorated to cause rebellion against God, pierces the heavens.
　It is truly an ancient grade (Ancient Grade) equipment. Although it is a mass-produced product with an established manufacturing process, it is still an ancient grade equipment. It has a hidden power that is far removed from other equipment.
　That's why Nacht avoided the bullets that were launched.
　If he ate it properly, there was no doubt that he would suffer damage.

What are you?　Why are you telling me about the equipment my dad gave you...?　No, that's not all. I could easily spot my fairy lair (Fairyhide) and move faster than a bullet and I knew I wasn't just a regular guy, but... ...

"Hmm, my name is Nacht - you can call me Nacht, with all due respect.
　The answer to the question was quite simple.
　Nacht's soul-sensing (soul-searching) was superior to the young girl's concealment (hiding), that's all.

'Erin Ailen Scarlet, call me sister.
　Erin said from above.

'Well, then, Erin--'
　Of course, Nacht will not take it up.

'I have only one question for you--who owns the Oath Jewel (Guild Orb) there?
　A voice, fallen.
　As if it were falling from heaven.
　The sound will be heavy and oppressive, as if gravity were doubled.

　The guild orb of the oath.
　Nacht was only one gil-in in the Otherworld Café (Outer Cafeteria), and he did not have, nor did he want to have, the Oath Jewel (Guild Orb), the proof of the guild's creator.
　Nacht continued as he gazed at the gleaming pearl of existence.　　

''You've put it to quite a joke of a use - if it had an owner in this world, I'm sure he'd be furious.
　However, Erin's reaction to Nacht's words of fierce fire easily betrayed Nacht's expectations.

''Gee, girudo-obu?''

What?
　A moment of silence, as if time had stopped perfectly.
　Erin, standing in front of me, tilted her head as if she sincerely didn't know what it meant.

''Well, I don't think it's possible--you didn't know what that was, and you were handling it without knowing what it was.......?''

Uhhhh-- of course I know that.

No more!
　Nacht looked at Erin sympathetically as she started to give an explanation that wasn't an explanation.

'Because my dad gave it to me and all he said was that when you get lonely, you think of your dad...'
　It's not a place to be poisoned, it's not a place to be drained.
　If he hadn't been so careful, he might have fallen over, and that kind of weakness hit Nacht.
　He was dumbfounded, dumbfounded, and even impressed by the fact that he was about to make a full circle.

　But at the same time, it was somewhat satisfying.
　Certainly if you understood what it was, you wouldn't think of using it in this way.
　No, I don't think the owner of the device had ever grasped that it had this kind of ability in the first place.
　After all, even Nacht didn't even consider it until he was able to give Tina a clue.

'I see....I should call it comical - or foolish - but, well, it's time to end this travesty. Your father would want that, too.

What do you mean?

The Guild Orb has no power to begin with, it's just a tool - its role is to govern the guild with these three powers of formation, administration and record keeping. That's all it was, a tool--
　But his power has increased.
　Just like Nacht's power.
　There was an increase in power there, as if the common sense of the game era had collapsed and the words inscribed as commentary had become reality.
　Nacht had underestimated the reality that wasn't a game.

'The authority you are using now, or rather the use of the power you were taught by your father, is the power of the Guild Orb, which was called the Realm of Memory (Memory Zone).
　In the past, in the world of Real World Online, character management depended on a central server of the management (Argast) that boasted of its monstrous computing speed and capacity.
　From the moment of birth to the moment of death, every action of every character controlled by the player was stored as information (data). The moment you defeat a monster for the first time, the moment you play a prank with your friends, the moment you defeat a raid boss, the moment you get married in-game, all the important moments were stored by the management (Argast).
　That's why there are means available to bring it out.

　One of these is the memory zone through guild formation.
　Guild members were able to carve out their own trajectory from their own characters through the medium of SS (screenshots) and videos (movies).
　Guilds are allowed to share memories with their peers as long as they have permission to do so.　
　It's a next generation information management mechanism (data system), if you will. In the past, players could store their memories only by building in their own apps and video recording software, but now the system has established a way to pull them out whenever and wherever they are.

　The 'wonderful power' to look back on memories, that's the true nature of what was covering this city.

　Nacht, who was given a clue by Tina, searched for the evidence.
　Rather, the basis was lying right beside him from the beginning.
　The first - that is, the moment Nacht entered this city.
　The clear sense of discomfort felt at that time - no one felt that hostility that was so great, that uncomfortable sense of discomfort that no matter if it was Aisha or an ordinary person, it would not be surprising to feel.
　Why was Nacht the only one who felt it?
　The answer to that question was a matter of speculation, but combined with the Guild, it made sense.

　The difference between Nacht and Aisha - that is, whether they belonged to a guild or not.
　Perhaps, but Nacht's guess was that the guild leader at the time had assumed a war with the other guilds, and as a result of a special strong vigilance on the other gil-ins, his perception of the intruder had reacted. Even back then, they were attacking each other's castles (homes) during every guild war, so it's not surprising that exploration was set to run into the area of control.

　If the power that covers the city is the memory zone, then it was necessary to define the area of effect.
　The memory zone can only be effective if it is a territory that it controls.
　Of course, if they wanted to include Estor in their territory, they would have to either become the ruler of the land or the ruler would have to donate the territory to them. The choice is probably the latter. The inclusion of the city of Estor in the territory controlled by the Guild Orb, with the idea of reviving the king's wife, was probably the beginning of the dream.
　That's why Nacht was the first to go to the place where the king was likely to be.

''The power of the Pearl of Oaths (Guild Orb) has increased, but the nature of its power has not changed at all--''
　The expansion was merely an extension of the object and mediation of the effect.
　Just as Toru had once seen the past through images and videos, people looked into the past through puppets - the former restriction of guild members only had been removed, and the guild orb reflected the past for as long as anyone in the realm wanted to.
　So it wasn't something to detest.
　I just didn't agree with the way it was handled, and I can see now that I shouldn't have blamed Aisha for it.

''That power doesn't belong to the guild leader alone. It's also for your friends. Isn't it because your dad and the others recognized your precious family as your friends that you entrusted them with it?
　I think he hoped it would at least be a deception because it would make him feel lonely.
　That's probably why he handed it to his family without even telling them what it was originally intended for.

''......Well?　I don't know - I mean, my dad was such a great guy - but I'm going to put my family, who might be living in the present, before my past thoughts, and I don't regret it. --Well, I couldn't find Rinoa-chan, which is crucial, and she's been spotted in a tricky situation, so I guess it's time to go.
　Nacht can't help but react to Eren's conflicted tone of voice.

''Huh!　Rinoa, you mean...?　Is that that red-haired, one-horned, cocky demon tribe?

'What?　You know little Rinoa?　She's my niece - she said she had the means to find her, so I lent her the guild-ob, or was it guild-ob, well, I lent her that.
　No, it's not so strange if you think about it calmly.
　Since he has so much equipment, there was a great possibility that this guy's father and Rinoa's grandfather were the same person.
　But even so, that fact shocked Nacht.


　Nacht said that at least sarcastically.

'Oh no, that's not very funny! But we were all having a hard time back then, so - nah, that's an excuse.........

You're going to kill me, aren't you?
　Nacht said as if to provoke him.
　Of course, he didn't intend to kill uselessly, but he certainly didn't know how it would have turned out depending on the situation.

''-- If you do anything to Rinoa-chan, I'll break you.
　Two pistols were pointed at Nacht's heart.
　The cold air seemed to flood out of the black muzzle.
　A dense atmosphere of death, which would be impossible to call an illusion, filled the area.

　Nacht's thoughts, which were even smiling at such a situation, were thinking about something completely different from the current situation.

'Range Sinohara--no--'

.........?
　Nacht thinks to himself beside Erin, who is almost tilting her head in question.

'Does the name Evil Fallen Archangel ring a bell?'

"...Is that really a person's name?　I don't have any idea of anyone with such an embarrassing name.
　I wonder what he would look like if he were to hear it - and my amusement deepens when I think about it.

'Hmmm, well - maybe, but I guess we'll find out eventually.
　Saying that, Nacht moved.
　An illusion of dots and dots, as if their coordinates had been swapped.　
　It could be said to be an instantaneous movement, and in the space of a moment, Nacht was holding the Oath Jewel (Guild Orb) in his palm.

''Hey! What are you doing?!''
　Nacht smiles leerily at Erin as she complains, "I'll take it as a nuisance, I'd say - I'm kind and forgiving - but let's play a game, Erin.

'I'd say I'll take it as a nuisance fee - I'm kind-hearted and forgiving - but let's play a game, Erin. If you can strike me with even a single blow, I will return it.
　Yes, I'm going to stick to my terms.
　I'm not going to tolerate any objections or rebuttals, as if to say.

"Well, come on now, you can show me the power of what he left behind...