After leaving the team, the adventurer ladies regretted it deeply

"What on earth have I forgotten?"

Every morning, when Lia wakes up and looks in the mirror, she finds the corners of her eyes damp.

She dreams often. In her dreams, there is a black shadow reaching out a hand to her.

The figure opens its mouth, shouting something.

The sounds are like the screeching of nails on a chalkboard, utterly unintelligible.

...

Time flowed by like a fleeting white colt glimpsed through a crack in the wall.

Thirty years had passed.

Though Legendary Rank adventurers have lifespans of 200 to 300 years, the passage of time still left its traces on Lia.

One day, while washing up, she noticed a strand of her red hair had turned white in the mirror.

A ripple stirred within her heart.

That ripple led Lia to decide to take a walk.

She visited her former teammates and comrades-in-arms.

At noon, she randomly chose a restaurant to eat in.

In the afternoon, as she roamed aimlessly, she found herself at the graveyard.

This was where some of the significant figures who had perished in the war were buried.

On the gravestones, Lia discovered several familiar names.

Robert of the Valiant Adventure Team, Gale of the White Dove Adventure Group.

President Weylon, Officer Mevent...

As she stared at the familiar names, scenes from her memories surged forth.

"Hahaha! Miss Lia, no one can match you—training a Fusion Finishing Skill with Leader Isa? Tomorrow's conquest battle on the 15th floor is practically guaranteed!"

That was Gale's comment to her on the eve of their competition with Red Heart City over the 15th floor of the Great Mystery Continent.

Lia had collaborated with her old rival Isa to train a Fusion Finishing Skill.

Looking back, it still felt unbelievable to her.

She had loathed Isa. How could she have agreed to train with her?

And in the end, they even became friends?

Rumor had it... they even shared a bed once.

Even more absurd.

Lia's head throbbed, her footing unsteady, so she sat down in front of a gravestone.

"Congratulations to all of you for becoming a Sunrise Level adventure team! Now White Dove City has four Sunrise Level teams. Captain Lia, well done!"

This was President Weylon encouraging her during White Dove City's heyday.

Four teams?

Lia's headache worsened.

Snow Goose, White Dove, Ice Flower... Where was the fourth?

Oh, right. Phoenix Tail Flower!

The leader of Phoenix Tail Flower... Bailuo became its leader only after Cyan City. Who was the leader back in White Dove City?

"The greatest regret of my life," Mevent had written in his diary upon his death, "was suppressing the Phoenix Tail Flower Team for political achievements. I want to apologize to their leader..."

A cascade of memories flashed in her mind.

On the surface, nothing seemed wrong, yet Lia felt as though something was missing.

Her head throbbed even more violently, her breathing grew labored.

"Lin...!"

Like a drowning person clutching at straws, Lia instinctively reached forward.

She grabbed onto a hand.

"Lia?"

The person exclaimed in surprise, "What's wrong with you? You look terrible..."

The anomaly within her vanished instantly, dissipating without a trace, leaving Lia to wonder if she'd just imagined it.

She looked up, dazed, and stared at the person. "Anna?"

"I came to pay respects at everyone's graves. You too?"

Anna looked just as she always had—black hair, black dress, holding a parasol.

Possessing the bloodline of a giant bat, Anna's lifespan far exceeded that of regular Legendary Rank adventurers. Even after decades, she still appeared as a youthful girl.

Worried about Lia, Anna took her back to her home.

Anna's home was located near the inner ring of the Royal Capital—a three-story standalone villa.

In the living room, Anna poured Lia a cup of calming red tea.

Sunset light streamed through the window onto Lia. Her red hair, split and frayed like weeds, her gaze unfocused. Holding the teacup limply, she looked worse for wear than a beggar from the slums.

"Lia, what happened to you? I heard you haven't been doing well all these years."

In Anna's memory, the most carefree member of the Snow Goose Adventure Team had always been Lia.

Everyone else could "cry," but Lia was the last person you'd expect.

Lia: "I... don't know."

"You're kidding me."

"I really don't know."

Lia hesitated before saying, "But if I had to say something... maybe, I just feel like I'm missing something."

"You feel that way too?" Anna raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Impossible."

Lia was stunned. "Wait, you feel the same way?"

"Yes, like something is missing."

Anna stood, her expression turning serious.

Crossing her arms, she began pacing the room. "Ever since the final battle at Demon King's Castle, I've been dreaming a lot."

Lia: "What kind of dreams?"

"Dreams of long ago, before I became an adventurer. I've never told you about my origins, have I?"

Anna laughed bitterly to herself. "The truth is, I don't have parents. The Mikero family took me in because of my talent.

In the beginning, I was just a common piece of 'merchandise' in the hands of slave traders.

The scar-faced man used to whip us every day, even when we hadn't done anything wrong.

The children around me would lose their minds from fear.

I was the only one who turned pain into joy, laughing every day.

Seeing me neither cry nor scream, scar-face eventually stopped beating me.

I thought for sure I'd be sold to some twisted noble one day...

Until he appeared."

Anna's tone unconsciously lightened. "Forget anyone else—I'll never forget him."

Lia said, "But you have forgotten."

"Yes." Anna nodded. "I can't remember his name or face at all. Which is why I suspect..."

"Suspect?"

"Yes, I suspect someone has tampered with our memories.

That final battle before the gates of the Demon King's Castle—was it even real?"

Anna's words sent a chill through Lia.

"We're Legendary Rank adventurers. Who could tamper with our memories?"

Lia felt Anna's thoughts were too extreme.

"Speaking of which—Aiko, Lin Xi, Bailuo... Have you noticed? None of us got married."