In the late morning of Orario, two figures were seen walking from the gate. One of them, a boy around thirteen years of age, looked at the sight in wonder. The other, a girl of the same age, was dragging him forward until they arrived in front of the huge tower in the middle of the city.

"So this is Babel..." Anakitty Autumn whispered as she looked at the tower that marked the center of Orario.

"I've read about Orario in books, but the sight's really surprising, isn't it? It has a much denser population than Cormac's capital," Raul commented as he also looked at the tower.

"Come on. Let's ask around for Finn."

"I can't wait to punch him."

They asked around for any information on Finn. Raul didn't really expect Finn to become so famous in Orario. But maybe that was his intention. He broadcasted himself so that people like Aki and him would come to Orario.

After two hours, they finally arrived in front of the Twilight Mansion, the home of Loki Familia.

"Shall we?" Raul asked his sort of girlfriend.

They approached the front gate. Raul saw a human and a cat person guarding the entrance.

"This is the home of Loki Familia. Is there something that we can help you with?"

"We'd like to join," Aki said with a beaming smile.

The cat-person guard sighed. "At least you're not as young as some people. Come inside. We'll call the captain."

They were led to the big garden and told to wait. There were other members of the Familia there, either training or just relaxing. According to the information they got, Loki Familia was the powerhouse of Orario alongside Freya Familia. The sight that greeted them in the garden proved those words true.

"Finn is the captain, right?" Raul whispered to Aki, not wanting to get more attention.

"From the info, yes," Aki nodded.

Not long after, they heard a familiar voice. "I heard we have a prospective member? Good afterno-"

It was really Finn; Raul couldn't help but gasp. It was Finn in the flesh. His face was a carbon copy of Finn back then, just like he was Lazar's and Aki was Aki's. The blonde Pallum's eyes were wide in surprise at their appearance.

"Well, I should've expected that you two come in a package," Finn chuckled.

"Finn..." As expected, Aki cried. Now Raul had to punch Finn twice. Once for leaving them all back in the past and the second for making Aki cry.

"For a prospective new member, you must face one of us. Win or lose, it doesn't matter. We seek a certain drive to improve, a potential, so to speak. Please wait because I'll call someone to fight you."

"No, Finn," Raul stopped him. "We'd like to face you."

There was no surprise on Finn's face. Instead, he had a look of resignation as he rubbed his cheek. "Sigh... Fine."

The other members who were training or relaxing caught the news about the new recruits facing their captain and made circles around Raul, Aki, and Finn. Raul heard the whispers about his overconfidence in challenging a Level Five, but he honestly didn't care for them.

He didn't even care if he lost badly. He just wanted to deck Finn in the face twice.

"Are you ready?" Finn asked, brandishing a wooden spear. Raul did the same to his sword and nodded.

"Raul Nord, ready to fight! Here I go!" He ran towards Finn with all his power. To an untrained eye, his speed considering his age, was fast. However, everyone there was Adventurers, so to them, Raul was slow. Raul knew that fact, and because of that, he smiled when Finn didn't even react.

Raul punched Finn in the face. Although Finn was a Level Five who wouldn't even feel his punch, the momentum still forced him to brace himself. "This is for leaving us, you idiot! And this is for making Aki cry just now!"

As he landed the second punch, Finn easily grabbed his fist. "Now, now, I know what I did was stupid, so I let myself be punched. It wouldn't be the first time, anyway. But the second for making Aki cry? Don't you think that's a bit patronizing to her?"

Raul blinked. He then looked towards Aki, who covered her face with her palm, embarrassed after hearing his shout. When he thought about it again, it was really embarrassing, wasn't it? Slowly, his face reddened, and Finn used that to his advantage.

Finn twisted his arm and forced him to disengage. "Alright. Let's get to the business."

He looked at the smile on Finn's face. He guessed the blessings from a deity really made a big difference.

Raul let out a small chuckle. Really, if only they were available three thousand years ago...

And so Raul ran towards Finn. This time, his sword was ready. He intended to cut Finn from the side with a swing, but his wooden spear blocked the attack. Not discouraged, Raul used his knee to attack Finn's gut. But it was also blocked by Finn's other hand.

"A mistake, Raul."

His footing was only supported by his left leg because Finn caught his right leg. However, it was what he calculated! Both of Finn's hand was occupied; he had nothing else to block. Raul raised his left leg and kicked Finn.

"Unfortunately, I'm more experienced than you this time."

Finn blocked his kick with his own leg. Before Raul could even use his left leg to support himself again, Finn swung his body and threw him into the air. But that was not all. From the air and still twisting, Raul barely made out the form of Finn jumping into the air with his spear. This was bad.

Raul tried to block the inevitable spear thrust. It connected as the wooden spear met his steel sword. However, the impact was still a thing, so he was sent further into the air.

"Finn, you idiot! If Raul dies, I'll kill you!"

"Ahaha, sorry. I was too into it and forgot Raul doesn't have Falna."

In the end, Finn caught Raul in a bridal carry as he descended and put him on the ground. "Sorry, I was too excited."

"It's fine," Raul shrugged. "Though I'm a little sad that our gap is too much this time."

Finn chuckled. "We're around twenty years apart in experience, and I'd like to keep it that way. Don't think I will slack off and let you catch up."

"Ugh, just you wait and see, Finn," Raul grumbled. He took the hand offered by Finn and used it to stand.

"Now, it's your turn, Aki."

Raul went to the side to give way to Aki. Sword in her hands, Aki smiled at Finn. "How about giving me my punch first?"

"Unfortunately for you, I'm not a masochist, so no."

"I wasn't asking. I'm commanding you."

Oh damn, how she said that reminded Raul of their private time together. Calm down, Raul. Only several more years.

Despite having twenty more years of experience, Finn cowed into silence and replied, "Y-Yes."

It seemed that aspect of him didn't change. Raul chuckled.

Clapping, Aki gave Finn a sweet smile as she approached him. "Thank you, Finn. This is for foisting all responsibilities to me!" Aki punched Finn. Surprisingly, she didn't stop there.

"This is for leaving all of us that way," another punch hit Finn's cheek. And then another, "This is for almost killing Raul just now!"

This time it was Raul's turn to cover his face in embarrassment. Aki, why the heck did you do that? Now he was going to become the butt of jokes from everyone!

It was official. Raul was now a member of Loki Familia.

"Right, you did punch Finn," Loki, his new Goddess, remarked after granting him her blessing. Exhaling, Loki continued, "Whew. Really didn't expect that you're one of them."

"One of them?"

"Y'know? Reincarnations. You think it's only Finn and you two?" Raul gasped at the implication about others.

"Was it someone we know?"

"Probably. You met them in your previous life. But I won't spoil the surprise. Call the cat person here."

Nodding, Raul fixed his shirt and left the room. "Aki, you're up," he greeted Aki as he closed the door.

"Thanks, Raul," Aki replied as she entered the room.

Now free, Raul looked around. He could wait for Aki, but the sounds of steel meeting steel drew his attention. It seemed that some members were training. Raul was now interested because he was, first and foremost, a former knight. And so he went to the nearest window and looked out at the garden.

There was no order; it was all chaotic. Two members were sparring against each other, one observing their movement with full attention. Another member was doing the exercises alone, trying to perfect her spearmanship. A mage was using his staff to channel magic and hit the dummy target. It was unlike the Goll Knights' training in his previous life.

His eyes wandered a little to the left and caught sight of something that made him gasp.

That was...

Before he finished his thought, Raul felt a hand grab his shoulder and catch his attention.

"Raul," it was Finn.

"Finn, that's..." Raul trailed off, pointing at the distant figure outside the window.

"He looks entirely like Goll, doesn't he? I was also surprised when he first came," Finn's expression turned somber. "Unfortunately, he doesn't remember."

Somehow, that made his heart feel like it was squeezed in pain. "Oh..."

"Don't think about it too much. Noir is looking for a student, I believe." With that, Finn left Raul to stew over his words.

Raul sighed. It was disheartening to hear that his previous captain didn't remember his past life, but it didn't excuse him from moping around. Finn was being helpful by giving him a little nudge. Now it was his turn.

"Raul, what are you doing?" Aki greeted him.

"O-Oh, Aki. You're done?"

"Yeah," she pouted. "I don't have any skills or magic."

"Don't worry, Aki. I'm the same. But that just means that we can be whatever we want to be," Raul said with a smile to reassure her.

"Sigh, you always know what to say, Raul. I really envy that part of you."

"And you always know how to react to a situation, as expected of a queen."

Both of them smiled at each other, their face getting closer.

"You two looked like a married couple. Oh wait, you were!"

"Gah!" Raul backed off when a voice disrupted him and Aki. In an instant, what was about to happen came to his mind. Ugh, he couldn't believe he had lost himself. And when he was the one who told Aki to wait a few years too... He felt ashamed as a former knight.

Raul heard Aki's gasp and turned his attention toward the voice. There stood a figure familiar to both of them; a stout Dwarf with brown hair and a usual grin.

"Galmus!"

"It's Gareth now, lads and ladies."

"You remember..."

Gareth blinked. "Of course, there's no way I can forget our adventures."

"Finn said that Captain Goll doesn't remember..."

He ignored Aki's gasp at his statement. "Captain Goll?"

Gareth let out a hum. "Noir, huh? Yeah, unfortunately, he doesn't remember our past adventures. A shame. But don't stop there because he doesn't remember. I don't really know your captain much aside from a few drinks together, but Noir isn't bad, either. Try to approach him and ask for a lesson or two."

"...Finn said the same. I'll do it later," Raul said with a small laugh. "Thanks, Gareth."

"Oh yeah, is there anyone else who is reincarnated like us?" Aki suddenly asked the Dwarf.

Gareth didn't reply quickly. He was thinking of something. "Wait for a week, I believe. That's when we usually have our meetings."

"'Our?'"

"Why, the other reincarnates, of course!" Gareth grinned. "I won't stop you if you want to find out by yourself by exploring Orario. But we usually gathered once a month just to pass the time together."

Raul saw Aki's face relax. "It's nice not having any responsibilities, isn't it?"

His mind went back to their time in the kingdom. As the ruler of the nation, Aki was always busy. It didn't help that he himself was promoted to Captain after Goll retired, thus increasing his responsibility. The two of them only celebrated their wedding in one day, and after that, they returned to work.

Even if he was technically the King Consort, he still worked as the Captain of the troops.

"Too true!" Gareth laughed boisterously. "It was a stroke of brilliance from me when I declined the vice-captaincy and gave it to Riveria instead!"

Aki frowned. "Does that mean Finn is alone?"

In that instant, Aki and Raul looked at each other. Using the almost-telepathic connection they built in their previous life, they came upon one agreement.

They would help Finn as soon as possible, no matter how.

"Calm down, Aki. You look like Her Majesty. Anyway, Finn has me, and the other executives also support him. I just don't want to handle the responsibility, so I abstained from having any title," Gareth shrugged.

"...Wait, Lady Aria is also here?!" Aki's eyes turned into stars. Great. Her fangirling mode was back. After the counterattack of humanity, Aki looked up to Queen Ariadne Lakrios as a ruler and tried to emulate her. Somehow, Aki succeeded in fooling everyone into thinking that she was elegant and graceful, just like her idol. She couldn't fool Raul, though.

"...I didn't say anything. Anyway, time to go. See you later, Aki, Raul."

"Wait, Gareth!" Aki ran, chasing Gareth and leaving Raul alone.

Well, if nobody needed him, he might as well...

He walked towards the garden, specifically to the place where he saw Noir. He was observing other people performing a uniformed sword style. Raul couldn't help but smile. It seemed that remembering his past life or not, some things were just fated to be.

"Good Afternoon, Sir. My name is Raul. I'm interested in joining the training."

The elderly man raised his eyebrow. "Take a practice sword and get into position."

"Sir, yes, sir!" Raul replied with a smile.

A/N: Alright, who's mad that Noir doesn't remember? Honestly, I'm pretty sure it was implied in the previous chapters when none of them joined the reincarnators gathering, so you can't blame me. And besides, I feel like when other reunions are always between the people who remember, I want to show ones who don't, and I feel like Lazar and Goll is the best one to show it. Raul won't mope and will quickly move on with his life. Noir would likely wonder why this one youngling really admired him, though.

Anyway, we're jumping to Raul and Aki's arrival because I want to move things along in the status quo where Lili and Finn still have their problems. So we're almost one year after Ais' join date and around eight years before canon. I took some liberties with Lazar and Aki's relationship after the Knight of Fianna's event because honestly, those two deserved each other. Stay tuned for the next chapter, where Raul and Aki finally took steps inside the Dungeon!