Story: In the quiet night, Nancy told everyone a story deeply buried in her heart. And it turned out Ace had a similar experience...
Dialogue[]
- (Nancy's home)
- (Warm yellow light shines in this little but comfortable home. The dinner's smell is still lingering in the air.)
- Ace: Nancy is such a great cook.
- Momo: I want another bowl of beef broth!
- Nikki: Thank you, it's been a while since we tasted such great family meals.
- Nancy: It's me who should say thank you. Without your help, I might get trapped in the nightmare forever!
- Nikki: It's okay. You are safe now, and all those who lost their memories!
- Nancy: Oh, Nikki... I have one request.
- Nikki: What is it?
- (Tears shimmer in Nancy's eyes. She tries hard to stay calm as she says the secret buried in her heart.)
- Nancy: Eight years ago, my boyfriend went to the Nine-Day War, but unfortunately, he was out on the fifth day.
- Nancy: But after the Nine-Day War, he gradually became strange.
- Nancy: In the beginning, he just became more often to forget things. But later, he gradually became cold and took me like a stranger.
- Nikki: This is unbelievable...
- Ace: Are you sure he changed after the Nine-Day War?
- Nancy: Hmm, I thought it's because of the failure in the Nine-Day War, but as time goes on, the situation only gets worse.
- Ace: What happened later? Where is him now?
- Nancy: Later... He buried himself in designing and the research of King Sayet's works. We never talked about breaking up, but there is nothing different...
- Ace: Nancy...
- (Ace holds Nancy's hands tightly, trying to bring her some comfort and warmth.)
- Momo: Wait! Isn't that the symptom of those who competed with Clariel?
- Nikki: Indeed, but Nancy said her boyfriend had those conditions after the Nine-Day War...
- Ace: Nikki, do you remember what we talked about back at the Ash Tree Institute?
- Nikki: Is that one about your closest person? Ah...!
- Ace: Yeah. She changed completely after the Nine-Day War, just like Nancy's boyfriend.
- Ace: And when I investigated Clariel, I found another thing. Pretty much everyone who attended the Nine-Day War had shown similar symptoms.
- Nikki: What? Someone had done something similar as early as Nine-Day War?
- Ace: I guess so, that's why I went to investigate the situation.
- Nancy: After you told me what happened today, I'm thinking about maybe Nikki can restore those people back to normal just like what she did today.
- Nancy: Sorry... I know this is too much to ask of you. You saved me already, and I want you to save everyone...
- Nikki: It's okay. If I really can help more people restore them back to normal, I'll do it without you asking.
- Momo: But it's not the same thing at all! You saved these people because you got the chain! But for the Nine-Day War, there were so many people there. Who knows what caused the disaster?
- Ace: Momo got a point. We don't know if there was such a thing like Aurora's Tear in the Nine-Day War. It could very well be caused by something else.
- Nikki: Oh, I saw the image of King Sayet in a work left by him.
- (Nikki told everyone what happened in Imperial Gallery as well what King Sayet's image told her.)
- Nikki: King Sayet's image says all the answers lie within the poem. Maybe if we can figure out what he means, we will be able to find the answer.
- Ace: Three paths, rosebud... Nikki, I really want to know what do they stand.
- Ace: As far as I know, Iron Rose is searching for something under Queen Elle's order. And the clues she gave mentioned three paths.
- Nikki: I can try to ask them, but Iron Rose serves Queen Elle only, will they tell us?
- Ace: Actually... Iron Rose has been disbanded recently just because they didn't finish this quest.
- Momo: What?! Iron Rose has been disbanded?!
- Nikki: Isn't Iron Rose the ace force of Queen Elle, why...
- Ace: As for the details, you can ask them later when you see the Iron Rose members. I know how to find them.
- Nikki: Okay, so, Ace, will you come with us?
- Ace: No, I'll go on investigating the memory loss thing. I don't think today's incident is as simple as it appears to be. Maybe there is something more behind Clariel.
- Nancy: Lady Elle (sic), if it's possible, can I go with you? I want to help.
- Ace: My pleasure.
- (The young girls look decisive.)
- (No matter what lies ahead, the fire of hope will not go out.)