Death Penalty

“Who are you?” Rina responded to Kaito.

Kaito stood there, a bit shocked, but mostly confused. What did she mean ‘who are you’? Kaito had to get an explanation.

“What do you mean, Rina?” Kaito responded in a panicked voice. “It’s me, Kaito!”

Rina stood there in a thinking pose before replying, “I think you’ve got the wrong person.”

Kaito was flabbergasted. The last time he died was to Mauld months ago. There’s no way the death penalty Rachael talked about in the Realm Between Worlds had such a long cooldown between deaths. Or at least, that’s what Kaito thought.

Before Kaito could say anything, Iori appeared.

“Hi, Rina! I’m ready for some training!” She greeted Rina, and only Rina. “Hmm, who is this boy?” Iori referred to Kaito.

“Probably a new adventurer in town, though I think he’s got me mixed up with someone else,” Rina explained to Iori.

“Iori, not you too!” Kaito was really getting worried now. “You guys really don’t remember me!?”

Iori and Rina looked at each other, confused, before looking at Kaito again.

“Sorry…” Iori said.

Kaito ran off. He refused to believe what was transpiring. Kaito had to find anyone, just one person, who could remember him.

Edwin? Nope…

Khrom and Evona? They said no…

Elise at the guild? She’d have data on him and proof of his existence... She didn’t remember him and couldn’t make sense of his data. She even suggested that Kaito had forged it.

He went to the farm to see Fiona, but Alisha wouldn’t even let him in. Alisha didn’t remember him either.

Kaito, losing hope, sat on a bench in town. Everything he had worked for, he had just made up with Rina, and now this. It was already sunset, and he wanted to give up, but there was one more person he could think of.

Rachael.

She was a goddess; surely she had some resistance to whatever was transpiring. She was Kaito’s last hope.

Kaito went to the Giora Library and approached her at the front desk. He stood ominously in front of Rachael, making it impossible for her not to notice him.

“R-Rachael…” Kaito started hesitantly speaking. “Y-you… Please tell me you know who I am…”

Rachael looked at Kaito, confused, and responded, “Of course I know who you are, Kaito.”

Kaito started tearing up before he full-out bawled. He reached over the counter and pulled Rachael in for a hug.

“RACHAEL!!! I LOVE YOU!!!” Kaito announced to the whole library.

“Y-you idiot! Shut up!” Rachael responded, flustered by Kaito’s advance.

Rachael tried to get Kaito quiet, but it was too late. Clarise, the library head, loomed over the two at the counter and glared at them intensely.

“Hi, Miss Clarise,” Rachael tried to soothe Clarise’s anger at the noise, but to no avail.

Clarise grabbed the two and tossed them out of the library, slamming the door behind them.

“What is wrong with you!?” Rachael complained to Kaito as they both sat on the ground. “Now I won’t get any pay today…”

Kaito sniffled, “Don’t you already have infinite money?”

Rachael flinched. “That’s not the point! I still enjoy reading there anyway, so would you care to tell me why you’re crying everywhere!”

“I have a death penalty,” Kaito stated, finally stopping his crying. “Nobody else remembers me…”

Rachael got serious. “An amnesia punishment,” Rachael explained. “Everyone you have good relations with will have forgotten your existence. You’ve dug yourself quite a hole, haven’t you?”

“YOU’VE GOTTA HELP ME UNDO IT!!” Kaito yelled and grabbed Rachael from the ground, who had already stood up.

Rachael was appalled. “This is your responsibility! Why would I help you!?”

“You’re the only one I can count on!” Katio proclaimed. “If you won’t help me… I’ll… I’ll tell everyone you’re a godd—

Rachael covered Kaito’s mouth as he almost unintentionally announced Rachael’s true identity to everyone nearby.

“Fine! I’ll help you! Just shut up already!” Rachael folded. “There’s no way I’m about to be locked up in some Holy Church altar and worshipped for the rest of my life down here…”

“Thank you,” Kaito muffled, as he wept through Rachael’s hands.

Rachael explained what they needed to do to undo Kaito’s curse.

They had to head up north to the elves' domain. The elves had an exceptional doctor with a blessing capable of undoing curses. It was a surefire way to remove the curse, with the only obstacle being getting the okay to enter the elves' domain.