"Come on you're gonna miss it!" a girl with red hair exclaimed, pulling her by the hand. They raced through the crowd of people and onto the grassy plain. It was nighttime, and there was… a festival starting in Frontier Town but their parents decided not to go. Instead, Em and the other girl decided to watch the fireworks. Beside the red-haired girl was a taller white-haired boy Em was also friends with. They watched the fireworks in silence, looking on in amazement. Em and the white-haired boy glanced at each other and smiled, holding hands with both him and the girl. She felt the boy's hand squeezing hers as the fireworks exploded in the night sky above them. In truth, she never wanted the moment to end.

As the fireworks start dying down, the three of them decide to part ways. But before Em returned home, she felt a hand pull her back. It was the boy. He opened his mouth to speak but no sound left it. Em curiously stared at him as he fumbled with his words. "I… you - I will see you tomorrow," he said, shyly before running off.

Em smiled at him, waving her hand. "Bye!" she called out, watching as he ran off.

Em opened her eyes, her sight blurry at first. She lifted herself from the bed she slept on, but she was soon filled with vertigo. She did not recognize the small room… inside… a temple? She could hear soft chimes from bells around her. A low voice came from beside her, startling her. "Easy now." Lizard Priest. He practically towered over her. "You were out for a whole day."

"What happened to me?" She vaguely remembered falling backwards after feeling dizzy but nothing more than that.

"You fainted," Lizard Priest replied. "I fear it might have been from your magic usage during our Goblin Quest." Using her magic never caused her to faint before. Why was that time any different? She decided to accept the reason, and not bother trying to explain further. She did recall hearing her mother's voice warning her to run before blacking out.

"Does this mean I'm no longer in the party?" Em asked Lizard Priest, who looked surprised by her question. She waited for an answer, fearing his silence meant he was confirming the fear of no longer being able to stay with them.

He shook his head. "No. It does not mean that. The question is, do you want to stay with us?"

She didn't have much choice seeing as she still didn't have much gold to continue living on her own, and even if she did receive more gold, she needed to take on more quests. "I still do, but I am more concerned Goblin Slayer doesn't want me with your group."

"Ah, I see," Lizard Priest said. "I doubt he wouldn't want you with us. You did a lot to help us out last quest. But… why don't you ask him yourself if you are still worried about it?"

Just as she was about to reply, Goblin Slayer walked into the room. He stared at her for a moment before saying, "You're awake." Em nodded, anxiety increasing inside her chest as he approached her. "How do you feel?"

"Better," Em replied, and she scratched the back of her head. "I don't know why I fainted."

He shrugged. "It happens."

She gulped, worried more and more about the question she wanted to ask him. Lizard Priest, who was behind him, gave her a nod of approval. "I – I was wondering… if you will still have me with you in your Party." At first, he didn't answer her. He stood there in silence, staring at her through his helmet. What was he going to say? Would he say no and tell her to look elsewhere? Or would he say no because he believed her weak as she couldn't even hit the training dummy with a simple rock?

"Yes," he said. So simple, yet it brightened her face. She had never been so relieved to hear that one word in her whole life. Lizard Priest smiled at her as if he knew what Goblin Slayer would have said to her the entire time. Em refused to question his answer to her, not wanting to ruin the moment.

"Are we going on another quest today?" Em asked.

Goblin Slayer shook his head. "Not today, no. You need rest."

Em became a bit nervous. If they weren't going to do more quests because of her… where would she stay in the meantime? She doubted she would be able to sleep in an alley one more cold night. "Is something wrong, Lady Mage?" Lizard Priest asked her.

"I don't have anywhere else to stay in the meantime."

"You… you don't?"

"No."

"I'm sure we can find a place for you to stay."

"Are you sure? Where? Everything in Frontier Town is booked."

Goblin Slayer spoke up. "You can live with me for now," he said. Em's eyes widened. Was he asking her to live with him? They barely knew each other yet… it felt somewhat comforting.

"Are you sure?" Em asked. "Will it be a bother?"

"No."

Goblin Slayer and Em traveled out of Frontier Town within a few hours. Although her head felt a bit sore, she was sure she would recover in no time. She wore a hood over her head as it was a bit chilly outside. She didn't know what else to him... or to even thank him. Em awkwardly looked at Goblin Slayer, who remained silent per usual. "You sure this is okay?"

"Positive."

They approached a small farm, surrounded by a wired fence with a barn beside a house big enough for two people. Who else was he living with? A... life partner? She could not imagine him married or in a relationship. Did he also have children? Thoughts swirled around her in anticipation as they got closer.

A young woman with red hair in overalls waved, running up to them. "Welcome home!" She exclaimed to him. She glanced at Em for a moment, who was equally shocked. "Who's this?"

"My name is Em," she replied, shaking her hand. The red-haired woman looked super familiar but how? Em unveiled her hood, revealing her face fully to Cow Girl. Then she remembered the little girl with red hair as well telling her to hurry before the fireworks ended. 'Come on you're gonna miss it!' The words echoed throughout her mind.

The red-haired girl raised her eyebrow in slight disbelief. "No way," she whispered in disbelief. "Em? Em from... the Village? Is that… you?"

"Cow... Cow Girl?"

She nodded. "I thought – we thought you were dead."

"We? Who else believed I was –" Em noticed Cow Girl staring at Goblin Slayer as if she expected him to say something. "How exactly do we know each other?"

Goblin Slayer did not respond. He took his helmet off, revealing white hair, and red eyes. The same features the boy she was friends with had. "It's you," Em said softly, covering her mouth in shock. "You… never said anything to me when we met. Did you know?"

"I wasn't sure."

This is awkward, Em thought. "Can she stay here for a little bit?" Goblin Slayer asked Cow Girl, who nodded and mentioned her Uncle would need to approve first. I can't believe it… He's the boy I used to be friends with? I can barely remember him or much else. Cow Girl took off to speak with the man in the field planting crops, who Em believed was her Uncle. Her Uncle looked over at Em and Goblin Slayer and then nodded, although he had a look of suspicion when his eyes met hers.

What would happen if he said no? Would she have to sleep on the streets again? Cow Girl returned, and nodded with a smile. "He's fine with it until she can find herself a place." That was a relief to hear. She took Em by the hand, bringing her into the small house. Immediately, she was greeted by a smell of tea brewing from the kettle. "I still can't believe it's you."

"I remember who you are but everything else is a blur," said Em. Cow Girl offered her a drink of tea, which she accepted. "One specific memory is of you, me, and Goblin Slayer as kids watching the fireworks, and the next is my mother telling me to run as the fire grows in a village."

Cow Girl was silent for a moment, as she poured Em a cup of tea. "You don't know what happened?"

"Not really."

"Goblins attacked the village while I was away. They… killed my parents, Goblin Slayer's older sister. Everyone who lived there."

Em's mouth gaped open in surprise. She knew it might have been goblins, but she was not entirely sure until Cow Girl confirmed it. "I'm sorry," she said.

"Don't be. I'm just glad another person I knew back then is alive," Cow Girl said, smiling. It was still a bit awkward. How long had it been since they last saw each other? Ten years. How did she feel when she found out Goblin Slayer was alive? In fact, how did he survive that night? All this time the two of them were around – closer than she thought while training with her Mentor for the last ten years. Did her Mentor know? Why had she forgotten almost everything in her life? There were a few memories of her mother but only one with Goblin Slayer and Cow Girl.

"I wish I could remember more…" Em said, sighing. She took a few sips of the tea, which cooled down in between the time the two of them were talking.

She reached over, taking Em's hand and squeezing it. "Don't stress yourself about trying to remember everything," Cow Girl said to her.

Em chuckled but smiled at her. The young woman had the most beautiful red hair Em had ever seen before, keeping it just touching her shoulders. "Can't make any promises. Stress is my middle name."

"I'm serious, don't force yourself."

She wished Goblin Slayer said something to her when he met her the first time. Maybe, as he said, he was not sure it was her. After all, ten years passed by. They all looked a bit different from the last time they were all together as a trio. Especially Goblin Slayer, who grew from a small boy to a… handsome man.

There was a lot of nostalgia that had yet to be explored.