[From here, the story will be told from author's POV]

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Ririone sent them to the place with his bubbles and dropped them right in front of the entrance of Mahō no Sekai. That place only has 1 entrance and has a shield, which cannot be destroyed either with magic or swords. So the only way to enter or to get out from Mahō no Sekai is to go through the entrance, at least for now.

 

“Okay, so… we have to walk together or what?” Rihito said and walked through the entrance with Rin right next to him.

 

“Maybe we have to be together first? The 16 of us, I mean” Avril answered him and held her brother’s arm, Avardeen, tightly

 

“Hello! Hello? Hello, oooi, have you guys arrived already?” Ririone’s hologram suddenly appeared in front of Ren

 

“Woah!” Ren stepped back and looked around “yes, we all are here” he added

 

“Okay, good, Er…how should I tell you guys…?” he said and stopped “well…I want to change the rule, there is no group system…I mean you all are in one group.” Ririone’s hologram said

 

“That’s fast!” Edith said as he chuckled nonchalantly with both of his hands were behind his head

 

“The 16 of us in a group?” Yamato asked Ririone and he nodded, “that’s quiet a big group, I see” Yamato added

 

“Yeah…you know the monsters here are quiet strong…and well…I know you guys are strong too…but teamwork is needed here…so, how about that? J-Just look at the positive side, you don’t have to kill each other and…protect your own teammates…right?” the hologram said again

 

“Hum…we don't have to kill each other…that’s a good idea, I mean, we don't have to worry about being killed by the devils in this journey…right?” Avardeen said and continued reading his book

 

“I don’t even want to kill angels right now” Ren said and sighed “but well…I agree, I don't want to be killed by angels here as well” he added and smiled toward Avardeen

 

“Ugh…somehow I can see fire between those two” Minette said as she pointed at Avardeen and Ren

 

“Okay then, good luck for you all! And please come home alive” the hologram said again and disappeared.

 

“Now, what do we have to do?” Elesis asked with confused look on her face

 

“We have to find the key to open the door to level 1, we are in the Oublié City. And please don’t be careless or you will lose your memory” Vjour said

 

“Okay, so…where should we go first to find the key?” Rihito asked and looked at everyone

 

“Let’s go to the south first?” Leafa said, she has a very good instinct about where to go

 

“South? Okay” Yamato said and started to walk to the North

 

“Yamato, it is north, we all want to go to the south” Ren said and pulled Yamato’s shoulder

 

“Oh…ye-yes…of course, south” Yamato said as he covered his own mouth and nose, which was red, with his hand because he was embarrassed

 

They walked and walked that day but it wasn’t that easy to find the key, and they decided to call it a night.

 

“We have walked from the afternoon until evening, maybe we should rest for now, and find the key tomorrow” Rin said and sat on the ground

 

“Yea, I am very tired now, but where can we take some rest?” Edith asked and looked around to find a building, but none, all the buildings there are in bad condition

 

“We can build tents here for tonight, I guess?” Elesis pointed on the ground after they decided to stop for a while to rest

 

“But we don’t have anything to build tents” Vjour answered her

 

“Well we can only rest…here, on the ground…without anything…I think” Leafa said as she sat down

 

“Yosh! It’s okay, ground is not that bad to be a bed” Lire said and lied down, and they all lied down too except for Minette.

 

Minette frowned and said, “wait-wait, what do you mean? Sleep on the ground? Please guys, you cannot be serious”

 

“We are serious” Yamato said and lied down to sleep

 

“But…can’t we lie on other things except the ground? It’s too dirty, especially for a lady like me” Minette said again put her hands on her waist

 

“Minette, don’t be too picky in this kind of condition or I will turn you into rock” Kirai said and pulled Minette down to lie as well.

 

Minette only frowned but not too long after that she fell asleep just like the others

 

…

 

The next morning, they woke up in different parts of the city, and yeah alone.

 

“Huh?” Edith woke up and couldn't find anyone around him

 

“Wait-wait, where's everyone? Did they leave me alone?” Edith stood up and walked around to find the others but nah, he couldn’t find any of them. But it was not only happened to Edith, but to all of them.

 

As Edith kept walking, he then saw someone’s back a little far from his spot, “is that Avardeen?” he talked to himself as he quicken his steps, “yes, it’s him, well I don’t really know him but…it’s better than being alone here” he nodded as he shouted and ran to Avardeen, “Avardeen!”, but Avardeen didn’t turn to him or answer his shouting

 

“AVARDEEN!” Edith shouted again, louder this time, but still, Avardeen kept ignoring him. He ran faster and patted Avardeen’s shoulder then he turned back to Edith

 

“Avardeen! Are you deaf or what? I kept shouting your name but you didn’t even turn to my way” Edith said and frowned to him

 

“Who are you? Who is Avardeen? And where are we? What are we doing here right now? I want to go home! But…where is my home?” Avardeen asked him with his usual poker face

 

“What?” Edith blinked several times, “uhmm…” suddenly a smirk popped up on his face as he tapped Avardeen’s shoulder, “you are my pet” he added as he tried his best not to burst into laughter

 

“Your pet? My name is Avardeen? So you are my master…right? And…wait I cannot remember anything” Avardeen said and held his head

 

“Please don’t say you lose your memory or something…” Edith said and his expression turned into panic expression

 

“Maybe I do…I don't know anything, I don’t know anyone” Avardeen said and broke down into the ground, “but thank goodness that Master is here now” he added

 

“Oh please why did you not be careful? Gaaaah!” Edith frustratingly shouted and looked around, didn't know what to do because he didn’t see anyone else there, suddenly he found a gold-like stuff and ran to that, left Avardeen alone

 

“Master! Don’t leave me alone!” Avardeen called out to him but Edith didn’t stop and only shouted with excited voice, “WAIT THERE AVARDEEN, I’LL BE BACK!”

 

When Edith got closer to that stuff, he could see it clearly that it was a key! He found the 1^st key! After he took it, he ran back to Avardeen, but this time, he was not alone, Leicester was there

 

“Leicester!” Edith said and ran to Leicester and Avardeen’s way

 

“Yo Edith, glad you are safe and do not lose your memory” Leicester said and sat down next to Avardeen

 

“So Avardeen, what was your last memory that you can remember until now?” Edith said and sat next to Avardeen’s another side

 

“I saw a shadow, it kept walking around me when I woke up, and then I met my Master again” Avardeen said then glanced at Edith with a happy smile

 

“Master?” Leicester looked at Avardeen with puzzled expression before immediately turning his gaze toward Edith, “Edith?” he said

 

“What?” Edith asked innocently as he grinned

 

“Listen Avardeen, Edith is not your master, he just played a prank on you” Leicester explained with a sigh

 

“What?” Avardeen blinked his eyes as if to show the two of them that he didn't get a thing about whatever they were talking about

 

“Anyway, Avardeen, you said you saw a shadow? Do you mean something like ghost?” Edith said again and looked around

 

“There is no something like ghost here, ghost can only be found in our place anyway, I believe it is one of the creatures that lives here” Leicester said and stood up when suddenly a black shadow passed them

 

“That’s the shadow!” Avardeen shouted and pointed at the shadow, which was trying to run away

 

“Okay, wait for me here and don’t play another prank on him, Edith. I will catch that annoying thing” Leicester said and followed that shadow

 

“Yeeeees! Don’t worry and good luck, Mr. Smiley!” Edith replied as he lied on the ground next to Avardeen while waving his hands

 

…

 

“He-hello? Is anyone here? Please, come out, I don’t care even if you are Kirai or anyone just…please…” Minette said with frighten voice

 

Suddenly Minette saw a shadow kept walking around her and she grew more nervous and began to sob

 

“Well-well little princess, stop crying there and help me catch the annoying shadow” Leicester suddenly appeared from her back and patted her head to calm her down

 

“Le-Leicester!” she said with happy voice and hugged him

 

“Okay don’t be afraid, Minette, I am here, now stop crying and help me” Leicester said again and Minette released her hug “what can I help you?” she asked Leicester, “can you do something to make its movement become slower?” Leicester asked her.

 

“Ah, make it moves slower? Okay!” she said then step forward, as she started singing, the movement of the shadow really did become slower

 

“Good job” Leicester said and caught the shadow with the net he brought pulled out from his pocket

 

“Why do you have to catch that shadow?” Minette asked and looked at Leicester

 

“Well we need this annoying shadow” Leicester said and pulled the net with his left hand and pulled Minette’s hand with his right hand

 

“Why?” Minette asked again and walked right next to Leicester

 

“This creature took Avardeen’s memory, he lost his memory now” Leicester said and kept walking until they could see Edith and Avardeen sat on the ground

 

“Yo Leicester, Minette, welcome back! Do you get the shadow?” Edith said and waved to them

 

“Yo! Of course, don't call me Leicester if I cannot catch it” Leicester said and laughed

 

“Hi Edith!” Minette replied him and smiled cutely and they sat on the ground

 

“So now, I can remember anything?” Avardeen asked Leicester

 

“Well, we have to try first, if only Lire or Vjour is here, we can ask them” Leicester said and took out the shadow from the net

 

“Let me see it” Minette said and took the shadow from Leicester and started to put her hand in it, around a minute Minette took out a cloud and said “found it!”

 

“What is that cloud thingy?” Edith asked and tried to touch it but Minette didn’t let him touched it

 

“It is Avardeen’s memory, don’t touch it, you might destroy it~” she said and placed that cloud on Avardeen’s forehead, as soon as she placed it, Avardeen fainted

 

“A-Avardeen?!” Minette said panicked and turned to Edith and Leicester “…help me…” she added as she looked at them with teary eyes

 

“Ahaha…” Edith laughed a little then walked to Avardeen to see what happened to him, just as Edith touched his forehead, he woke up

 

“Good morning, bookworm” Edit said and smiled at Avardeen

 

“HU-HUWAAAAAAAA~!” Minette shouted and hugged Avardeen

 

“Good morning, oh? What are you doing here Leicester, Edith, Minette? And where is the other?” Avardeen said and patted Minette’s head “And why are you crying, Minette?” Avardeen asked again

 

“I…I…I… thought I killed you…HUWAAAA…I am happy that you didn’t die” Minette said while sobbing

 

“Killing me…?” Avardeen blinked his eyes confusedly as he kept patting crying Minette’s head

 

“Hah~ thanks goodness you had your memory back” Edith said and lied down

 

“My memory?” Avardeen asked with confused looked, then Leicester told him everything

 

“Wah? Really? I am so sorry, I won’t let that happen again and become a burden again!” Avardeen bowed toward the three of them

 

“Nah, don’t worry, I got you to call me Master so it’s not a problem” Edith laughed nonchalantly

 

“Yep, Edith’s right, the problem now is where is the other? When I woke up this morning, I was alone, I couldn't find anyone” Leicester said again and looked around

 

“Yeah me too, last night I remembered that Kirai held my hand and when I woke up I saw no one around me” Minette said and puffed her cheeks

 

“I thought you guys left me or something.” Edith then said and all of them laughed, “oh! By the way I found this” he added and showed them the gold key he found

 

“It’s the key!” Leicester said and took the key and examined it

 

“Is it important?” Minette asked as she rested her back on Avardeen’s back

 

“Yes of course, with this we could go to level 1!” Leicester said full of spirit

 

“Well I found this one” Minette showed them a key too, exactly the same with the one that Edith found

 

“Wait, 2 keys? How many keys do we need to open the gate actually?” Leicester said and also took the key from Minette

 

“We need 8 keys, Elesis and I found 2 already” suddenly Takumi appeared from the back

 

“Greetings everyone” Elesis said to them as she walked next to Takumi

 

“Elesis! Takumi! Glad you two are safe” Leicester said

 

“So, we have 4 keys for now?” Avardeen asked

 

“Well, we don’t know about the others, maybe they also found the other keys” Elesis answered him and patted Minette’s head

 

“I hope we all can meet each other again” Minette looked down as she gripped the edge of her skirt tightly

 

“Well we won’t meet each other if we only stand up here, let’s find the other” Takumi said and walked again, they all followed Takumi.

 

At the same time, at another side of Oublié City, Kurumi had met Rihito, now they were walking together, they both also found the keys

 

“This is so awkward, it feels like before though minus that little guy” Rihito thought

 

“Uh…Ri-Rihito, do you know where are the other?” Kurumi said as she tried to break the awkward silence they both felt

 

“I didn’t see anyone else before I met you actually” Rihito answered her and kept walking, they tried to find the others.

 

“I wonder where the others are right now…” Kurumi said and sighed

 

“We will meet them soon, don’t worry” Rihito patted Kurumi’s head

 

“I just kinda afraid” Kurumi said again and looked down

 

“Hey, I am here with you, you don’t have any reason to be afraid” Rihito said and Kurumi’s head

 

Kurumi kept in silent as her heart raced a bit, her face became red as she tried to hide her face. But somehow in her heart she felt like it ever happened before.

 

“Kurumi? Something’s wrong?” Rihito asked and kneeled down right in front of her

 

“E-Eh…nothing! I only felt like this ever happened but…I just cannot remember anything about it” Kurumi said and tried to remember, but nothing came in her mind.

 

“Really? Wait, what’s the ‘this’ here?” Rihito said and stood up

 

“Well, I felt afraid and you calmed me down…” Kurumi looked at Rihito “…but that’s impossible, we have just met each other several days ago” Kurumi added.

 

“You know, there is something called ‘the previous life’, maybe in our previous life, we were friends and yeah I comforted you” Rihito said and laughed as they kept walking together

 

“Un~ maybe, but don’t we suppose to forget about our previous life? I mean, we suppose not to remember every single thing about it, right?” Kurumi said again and looked up to the sky, it was getting dark.

 

“I don’t know about it actually, but knowing stuffs from your previous life is kinda fun, you know” Rihito said and chuckled and being followed by Kurumi, they walked again and found a really huge gate.

 

That gate was made of gold and diamonds and has some complicated reliefs on it. That gate also has 8 keyholes.

 

“Rihito-kun, did you find any key?” Kurumi asked Rihito

 

“If you asked me about a little gold stuff, I found one” Rihito said and started searching that ‘stuff’ at his bag, “here” Rihito tossed a gold key to Kurumi and Kurumi caught it.

 

“Let me try it” Kurumi said and start put the keys to 2 key holes “Whoa these are the keys! But we still need 6 keys to unlock this gate” Kurumi said while examined the gate, she then pulled out the keys and gave it back to Rihito, “let’s wait for the others, they might have the rest of the keys” she smiled

 

“Kurumi? Rihito? Takumi? Please anyone reply me!” they heard Rin’s voice but she was no where to be found

 

“Wait, it’s Rin’s voice, right?” Kurumi said and looked around, try to find Rin.

 

“Yeah, it is obviously Rin’s, but…where is she?” Rihito said and helped Kurumi to find Rin

 

“Kurumiiii~” Rin’s voice could be heard again, and it got closer to them

 

“Rihito, I think her voice is coming from there” Kurumi said and pointed at a forest just right in front of them

 

“Let me check, I don’t know if it’s going to be okay or not so please stay here” Rihito said and walked to the forest

 

“What?! No, no, what if you get hurt? No, I am not that weak though, I will help you” Kurumi said and followed Rihito

 

“Kurumi, I am gonna be okay, you stay here, and take care of this” Rihito said and gave Kurumi his key

 

“B-but…” Kurumi said again while held Rihito’s key

 

“Kurumi, I will be back for you” Rihito said and smiled.

 

Suddenly Kurumi’s head felt really hurt and she sat down, a little memory like a film played on her head.

 

She could see a little boy with a charming smile and a little girl who was crying so loud, he patted that little girl’s head and also said the same thing to calm her down, but that boy never came back and made her kept waiting for him.

 

“NOOOO!!!” Kurumi shouted and made Rihito stopped and looked confusedly at her “Ku-kurumi?” Rihito ran back to her and patted her head just exactly the same way as that boy patted the little girl

 

“No…I don’t want you to leave me again…I…I kept waiting for you until you showed up, I won’t let you go again…” Kurumi said while crying.

 

Seeing Kurumi cried a little memory also showed up on Rihito’s head, he saw the girl he loved crying because they couldn’t meet each other again, then he realized that little girl is Kurumi, he remembered about his feeling to Kurumi since they were young

 

“Don’t…leave me again…I…miss you…so much, Rihito” Kurumi said and fainted around Rihito’s arms