“…As I thought, there are no records of the name Arnea in the Royal Capital either. Most likely, it was deliberately erased.”

At Sarius’s words, Father furrowed his brow.

“Then… digging further could be dangerous.”

“But I’m going.”

I said it firmly.

On Rabbichu’s back, the Star Fragment of Innocence was shining brighter by the day. This wasn’t “just a record.” If we didn’t follow its call, it might vanish forever—a voice that belonged to someone.

“…Then I have no reason to stop you.”

Father exhaled softly.

And so, I was granted permission to journey.

Our destination: north of the capital—the Azure Garden of Records, once a training ground for the starmages.

Now sealed off, declared a restricted zone. But with Sarius’s authority from the Observation Bureau, we could enter under the guise of “research.”

“Within the ruins should be a crumbling transfer gate… and a ‘Record Tower.’ If the ancient star codes remain intact, there may be some mention of Arnea.”

As the carriage rattled along, Sarius explained calmly.

Rabbichu stared out the window, unusually quiet. Maybe he was nervous.

“…You okay?”

“Kyu…”

His winged ears trembled.

I reached out and took his paw.

“No matter what we find—you’ll always be you. That has nothing to do with what you were in the past.”

“Kyu!”

The Azure Garden of Records was silent.

Every gust of wind set the “star-grass” rustling like music. At the end of the ruins stood a crumbling tower, and at its center, a dark stone monument gleamed faintly.

Sarius whispered,

“…There’s no doubt. This is a Name Recorder. A device that seals a soul’s name, awaiting the time of rebirth—a ‘Star Key.’”

Rabbichu stepped forward, as if drawn to it.

The moment his winged ears brushed the monument, the air rippled.

“—Arnea. The Protector. The mark of innocent wishes.
Cloaked in starwind, the one who passed beyond the Door of Forgetting.
When the name is lost, it abides within the Record.”

A voice echoed.

The monument glowed blue, and a star fragment rose from Rabbichu’s back.

Inside it… was the image of a girl.

A small child with white hair, cradling a wing-eared creature in her arms. That creature was unmistakably Rabbichu.

“…Even if the world rejects this child, I will not forget…”

The memory flowed.

Someone had created Rabbichu as a protector, then fought against the world itself—only to “seal” him away.

Sarius pressed his lips together.

“…So Arnea was a guardian whose true name was stolen. Put to sleep along with his memories. Rabbichu was… his vessel.”

“Then… what about Rabbichu’s memories now?”

“They were reconstructed. His soul’s core remained, but everything else was reborn anew.”

Rabbichu looked up at me.

I just smiled back.

“That’s fine. Either way—you’re still you.”

“Kyu…!”

In the depths of the ruins, on a hidden stone tablet, the words were carved:

“A True Name is called forth by intent.
Only one who bestows a forgotten name anew may open the Path of Stars.”

And those words stirred something deep inside Rabbichu—
something that had been sleeping quietly, now beginning to awaken.