Chapter 2 Nightwing Awakens, Dick Loses His Memory, Little Sister…
“Great and sacred spirit of all things, our revered mother, please forgive my offense and disrespect. I will fast and keep vigil for three days as punishment. I hope you will allow him to stay and make amends for my mistake.”
Amidst the onslaught of the raging wind and rain, only the oak trees blooming around the center remained unmoved. Beneath the statue in the very center, whose face was obscured, the ever-blooming flowers seemed completely unconcerned by the excessively scorching wind and rain, swaying gently as if in the gentle acquiescence of the statue's eyes.
Enid looked up and met those gentle eyes. The rain seemed to have lessened, though the wind was still blowing. The unicorn, bathed in holy light, gently nuzzled her from behind.
"Praise be to you, my great Mother Nature, may your glory shine forever."
She stood up, walked along the winding path out of the oak forest, and returned to the cabin. Just now, after confirming that he was alright and would suffer from amnesia for a while due to the shock, Enid rushed to pray for the Mother Goddess's permission. After all, no non-believer could stay here, but she had to do it—because it was her fault.
Fortunately, the Mother Goddess granted her request and was not angry. Although she was surprised by her mother's permission, she was grateful for her mother's forgiveness.
Just as she returned home, she stared blankly as the unicorn Aura, using the eaves to shelter from the rain, gazed tenderly at the drowsy man inside. After a fleeting glimpse of the faint moonlight, Aura disappeared outside, and she saw that the man had already woken up.
Then the man heard a knock on the door. He instinctively became alert and said softly, "Come in."
"That's great! I'm so glad you're awake."
When Enid opened the door, she saw Dick sitting up. He still looked a little unwell, but much better than when he was about to die. Perhaps because he had too many hidden injuries, Aura complained a little that she couldn't recover to her best condition all at once. Fortunately, he was awake.
Dick noticed the girl who came in. Her green, emerald-like eyes were no different from a clear lake. When he met those eyes, he seemed to subconsciously think of an elf. That was the first word that came to his mind. Just an elf? His memory was too sluggish, like a spring without oil, turning stiffly and incapable of turning. He couldn't recall anything more, as if something was suppressing him.
Nevertheless, Dick did not show it, as if he had received professional training and that his subconscious vigilance and probing were innate abilities.
"I'm glad I'm alright, but excuse me, may I ask where this place is?"
"Excuse me, this is my home. Um... I'm sorry..."
A little embarrassed, she hesitantly approached him, then took a deep breath and bowed in apology, startling Dick. But in an instant, he seemed to realize something… Enid didn't look at Dick's expression. Instead, after apologizing, she said, “I didn't have time to come over. You must have bumped into the rune here, which may have suppressed your memories. Because this rune was drawn earlier, I need to shut it down within the specified time. I'm sorry.”
His intuition told him that perhaps what the girl said was true, but another part of his intuition told him that this matter needed to be investigated more thoroughly. He almost instinctively smiled and said, "Okay, that's fine, but maybe you can tell me roughly how to recover?"
"About half a month, half a month at most! I'll send you out then."
Two weeks later, Enid would need to add new power to the magic circle to complete its final form, so this was the perfect time to send Dick away. Her time was running out; with the dark storm approaching, this place was actually more dangerous. Of course, this was the Sacred Forest, a place where even cultists were forbidden from trespassing without permission. She pursed her lips, feeling somewhat embarrassed, and her guilt became even more pronounced.
“I’m very sorry, but this is the Sacred Grove, a forbidden area within the Nature Worship community. Non-believers are strictly prohibited from entering. Although it was my mistake that forced you to stay here…” She paused, then mustered her courage, “Could you please please abide by the rules here?”
Holy Forest...a church dedicated to nature worship?
Dick was quite sensitive to the appearance of this word. He clearly had deep suspicions that his previous identity was not unusual, and he also had high suspicions about this place and this seemingly innocent little girl. However, he seemed very calm and natural in accepting it.
"That sounds fine, but I think I need to find out what the rules are first?"
"Ah! I'm so sorry, I'll be right away..." She was too nervous, but fortunately Dick seemed very gentle, and his eyes were full of warm smiles, which made her feel a little better.
"The agreements we need to follow are actually quite simple: no killing, logging, or destruction. We must not harm any living things, including plants and animals. If you encounter an injured, lone animal or other creature that needs help, please let me know if you cannot help, as this is my job. Don't worry about food; animals will bring us food. That's all. Thank you for your help."
She was extremely embarrassed, but Dick suddenly laughed, "Sorry, but not mosquitoes either?"
Her lighthearted and slightly humorous words momentarily stunned Enid. She instinctively shook her head. "No, no, wait, there won't be any mosquitoes to hurt you. Don't worry, you have Aura's blessing." Actually, what she was initially thinking was, do mosquitoes bite? Then she remembered her excellent biological knowledge. As the only Archdruid currently in existence, she possessed an absolute heart of nature, and no animal would intentionally harm her, including mosquitoes.
Therefore, Enid does not harm animals. Of course, this does not mean that she is completely vegetarian. She follows the laws of nature and the law of survival of the fittest. She will rescue stray animals and protect living beings and nature. As a high druid, she deserves corresponding protection. Her food comes from offerings and gifts from other animals. This is the only meat she will eat. Of course, eggs do not count as meat.
At this moment, Dick, having heard the rule, shrugged. He relaxed a little; it wasn't a difficult rule, and he could easily follow it, so he readily agreed.
“Very well, I think that’s no problem, it’s easy to do, isn’t it?” He smiled. “Perhaps, more than that, could I know the name of this elf in front of me? And, I guess I wasn’t wearing this before I lost my memory, right?” Dick was very suspicious that the loose robe he was wearing wasn’t his own.
“I…I’m Enid Niaf Grady.” She introduced herself somewhat awkwardly. After she finished speaking, the gray wolf Sed pushed a large wicker box over with her head. Feeling the furry touch at her leg, she tried to remain calm. “All your things are here.”
“Just call me Dick. My last name is Grayson. Doesn’t it sound like we have similar last names? Maybe we’re siblings,” Dick joked. “May I ask who helped me change my clothes? I should say thank you.”
Enid was on the verge of tears. She swore this was the first time in her life she had ever been in contact with a man. She had been sent by her mother to the Oko Girls' Magic Academy for a while, and there was no one else in the Holy Forest. She was extremely nervous because... she was the one who changed Dick's clothes.
Dick blinked his beautiful blue eyes at her gently, and she could see a hint of teasing in them. It was clearly a joke, and she blushed instinctively, feeling a little embarrassed... It wasn't because of the gender of the person opposite her, but because doing something very familiar with someone you don't know well, like helping a stranger change clothes, made her feel extremely uncomfortable.
"It's okay, but I think I'm in pretty good shape, right? My gut tells me I have a habit of exercising."
“Hmm…” She paused, turned her head away, and even though her pointed ears were hidden in her long red hair, the slight redness could still be seen. “Very good.”
"Hmm, actually I don't mind if you can secretly touch my abs, just kidding. So, can I walk around now?" Dick's face showed a hearty smile, making her feel inexplicably teased. Enid puffed out her cheeks and then nodded helplessly. "Sure, but you can rest for a bit first. How about vegetable salad and stewed rabbit for dinner? Sorry, we don't have any other food at home right now, maybe potatoes or something."
Enid felt a little embarrassed. She wasn't very good at cooking, while her mother was very good at it. She was also very good at making medicine. Her food was very monotonous and the cooking methods were very primitive. Her mother was different from her because she was the only one who possessed the Heart of Nature, so she was special.
“Maybe I can give it a try?” Dick subconsciously felt that he could cook, but he wasn’t sure if he needed to try. Hearing this, Enid was quite happy and enthusiastically led him to the kitchen.
The wooden floor looked like it hadn't been waxed in a while, so it had lost some of its shine. The items crammed together also had a little dust on them. It was clearly a cozy yet slightly serious place, but it was all shrouded in an unclear haze. Dick could tell very clearly that there used to be two people living here, but now, he glanced at Enid and realized that she was the only one here.
He composed himself and focused his gaze on the kitchen. Hmm... it seemed that only salt and sugar showed obvious signs of use; the other seasonings didn't appear to be present. The only vegetables seemed to be potatoes, piled up in a wicker basket, with a large wooden cabinet standing awkwardly to the side.
"If I'm not mistaken, this is a refrigerator?"
"Yes, it's a wooden cabinet, but it's been enchanted with a preservation spell so it can also be used as a refrigerator. The food inside can stay fresh for at least six months, just like when it was first born."
Enid became somewhat excited as she spoke, and yanked open the wooden cabinet. There was no cold air coming out; only the food looked exceptionally fresh. A basket of rabbit meat, casually hidden in a corner, was placed inside, but she noticed it keenly. Enid painstakingly retrieved the basket containing the rabbit meat.
Dick took it, and then, with Enid's tacit approval, took out some other vegetables. "Great, this looks very complete. It might be enough to make a big meal. Is there anything you don't eat?"
Amnesia doesn't seem to affect his daily life or even his various skills at all. He can find out anything he wants to know. However, he can't remember his identity, origin, or even the reason for his appearance in this area. It's just a vague obstacle. Fortunately, it doesn't give him a headache, which is half good news.
Enid shook her head at Dick's eagerness.
"I'm sorry, I need to fast for three days. You can take as much food as you like here. If you need anything, just let me know. There's nothing in the house that you absolutely cannot touch, so please feel free to use it. If you have any questions, you can call my name. I can hear you throughout the forest."
The rain gradually subsided, but the storm was still relentlessly pounding against the windows. The sound of rain had stopped, and she needed to keep watch. As she had promised the Mother Goddess, she could only apologize to Dick for leaving him alone here.
"I'm sorry, I'll have to leave you here alone." She looked very guilty.
“There’s nothing to apologize for. May I know what you’re planning to do?” He seemed insecure, well, that was just an act, but Enid didn’t notice. She pursed her lips and said, “Because I took you in, I’m keeping you here as I promised the Mother Goddess. I need to fast for three days and keep watch.”
Three days and three nights without eating or sleeping?
Dick's first thought was this. Although it might not sound like a very serious punishment, it was still his fault. He was about to say something when Enid stopped him. "It was my mistake. Of course, if you don't mind, you can come and keep me company when you're not sleepy. I can introduce you to my friends. But right now, I want to see Mr. Dick eat and rest well. If you don't rest properly and it affects your recovery, I'll be even more upset."
"Okay, it sounds like keeping watch is an interesting job. Maybe I can watch if I don't mind?"
The job sounded somewhat familiar to him, but he clearly didn't think that the job he was familiar with was the same type as Enid's night watch. However, he didn't think it was a matter of course for him to sleep soundly here while she went out to keep watch.
"Then it's a deal: if you're tired, you have to go back and rest, okay?"
Enid's emerald-green eyes revealed unparalleled sincerity as she looked up at him earnestly, deliberately putting on a serious face. "Slightly too cute," Dick thought, and couldn't resist reaching out to stroke her exceptionally soft hair. Enid was somewhat surprised, but a smile returned as she pursed her lips and rubbed her hand against his.
"No problem, I will follow Lady Enid's instructions."
"Actually, you can call me Fia. My mother likes to call me Fia the most because when I was born, Seren came to see me and blessed me, so my name is Fia."
While waiting for Dick to cook and eat, she sat in a chair, propping her chin up with her hand, explaining to him the origin of her nickname. Dick was a little curious about who Siren was, and asked with a clear smile, "Perhaps a kind person could explain who Siren and Aura are?"
He had been curious ever since she mentioned Aura's blessing: who exactly is Aura?
Enid smiled and pursed her lips. "Then I'll take you to see them later!" She knew they'd be passing by during their night patrol, since they were only temporary residents. "I'll introduce you to all the little animals here! You can guess what kind of animals they are." Her smile was quite adorable, and Dick couldn't help but smile too.
Although it wasn't said, Dick roughly knew that Seren was a deer, but who was Aura? He was a little curious.
Before his curiosity could even fully take hold, he seemed to already know.
After a simple dinner, he followed Enid out of her cabin, just in time to see the full moon, as round as a jade plate. The exceptionally soft moonlight shone on Aura as she approached. Her eyes were gentle and kind, and she was draped in a silvery veil of moonlight, like shimmering light, as she walked towards the beautiful elf, who was giving him a sly smile.
It turns out that Aura is a unicorn, while Enid is an elf.
A note from the author:
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The God of Nature is the true God, and Mei Bao is the only believer (nods). The amnesia was indeed Xiao Fei Ya's fault, so it's definitely like a mother wiping her daughter's bottom, lol.
Although the rules are as described (the rules are below), Archdruids (Little Fia is an Archdruid) have absolute permission in the Sacred Grove, as long as the Mother Goddess allows it.
So Dick came in, and the weapons came in too. They were all put away in that wicker box, all the equipment.
When Little Fia went to pray to the Mother Goddess, Dick had actually done some research on the place. Little Fia knew about it, but she didn't think there was anything wrong with it. Dick actually noticed that he felt very relaxed and there was nothing unusual about his body. His intuition told him that it was strange and abnormal (laughs), but it wasn't a bad thing.
Actually, Mother Goddess wasn't really happy for Dick to come in. It was only because it was Little Fia who caused it that she could only be somewhat lenient, since it was her own child's mistake. But because Dick was a good child, she had Aura bless him. It was at the moment when Aura released moonlight that she gave Dick a unicorn blessing.
It's true that she changed clothes, but Little Fia used magic to help her take them off, and she put them on manually. The robe was made by Little Fia using moonlight because she didn't have any clothes that Dick could wear (laughs).
And Little Fia really has never seen a man before; she's incredibly gullible.
Here is some publicly available information about the church.
Nature Worship, as the name suggests, is the self-designation of its followers. However, among most Celts and others, it is referred to as Celtic Paganism. [Nature Worship is not some extreme animal or plant protection organization! Don't worry!!! The term "pagan" simply refers to a difference in origin between the two religions, but it is essentially a very legitimate and normal religious sect.]
Rules within the Sacred Grove:
1. Entry Permissions: The Sacred Grove is a sacred place, and only members of Druid rank or higher may enter freely; other members must be accompanied by a Druid to enter; non-believers are strictly prohibited from entering, and violators will be severely punished unless permitted by the Mother Goddess.
2. Code of Conduct: Absolute silence and reverence must be maintained when entering the sacred grove. Loud noises, running, and playing are prohibited. Flowers, grasses, and fruits in the sacred grove must not be picked at will, unless permitted by the Archdruid for use in religious ceremonies. It is strictly forbidden to bring any non-natural items into the grove, such as metal products, firearms, and electronic devices, unless permitted by the Mother Goddess, in which case they may not be used.
3. Ritual Site Maintenance: The druids responsible for the sacred grove rituals are required to clean the site regularly. If any believer damages the site facilities or natural landscape during the ritual, the damage must be repaired under the supervision of the druids, and the believer must perform sacred grove protection work for a period of time, along with other corresponding punishments.
4. Sacred Grove Ecological Protection: Any activities that may damage the ecology within the Sacred Grove are prohibited, such as felling trees, digging up the land, or polluting water sources. If any animal is found to be injured or sick within the Sacred Grove, believers are responsible for reporting it to the Druids in a timely manner and assisting in its treatment. Believers are regularly organized to participate in the ecological maintenance of the Sacred Grove, such as planting saplings and clearing fallen leaves.
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