"If you can joke around like that, then I don't need to be afraid."
Tadeus gave Lyxander a faint smile.
"By the way… why are we in the hospital?"
He frowned. "For some reason, my memory feels bl—mm?"
Once again, Lyxander's innate ability activated.
His thoughts accelerated far beyond normal speed.
'Wait. How could his memory be blurry?'
Everything that happened after he was shot… was gone.
'I have photographic memory. I should be able to recall every detail perfectly. This makes no sense.'
Lyxander's body stiffened.
This wasn't the first time.
'Before this, I also couldn't remember the reason behind my accident. As if someone erased it.'
A chill ran down his spine.
He realized it now.
He was under someone's influence.
'Back then too… I couldn't remember the cause of my accident. As though someone deliberately removed it.'
Now he understood.
He was being manipulated.
For now, it was only a suspicion. Maybe he could obtain more information in the next group chat.
His thoughts returned to normal.
"So… why are we here, senior?" he asked.
Tadeus fell silent for a moment.
"To be honest, I don't remember very well either. But I heard Vivi killed Oscar and saved us."
"Senior Vivi?"
Lyxander tensed instantly.
"Wait—how is she?!"
Lyxander had witnessed Oscar's horror firsthand. He never imagined Vivi could defeat him.
—
In another room, Vivi lay on a hospital bed, several of her bones fractured.
It was strange.
Judging from her battle against Oscar, she shouldn't have been injured this badly.
Beside her bed sat Simon, who had come to visit.
"Report everything in detail. Don't leave anything out," Simon said sternly.
Vivi took a deep breath and began recounting everything—
From Oscar's emergency call, how Lyxander exposed the murderer's identity, to the final battle.
"And then… after I killed Oscar…"
Vivi swallowed, her gaze turning cold.
"Someone turned on the switch."
Simon raised an eyebrow.
"It was Lyxander. I only saw him for a moment before he turned the lights off again."
"At that time, he attacked me with incredible force. Even though I managed to block it, my arm and several ribs were broken."
"You only saw him briefly?"
Simon stared sharply.
"What did he look like?"
"His eyes were red," Vivi replied.
"And there was a strange black liquid on his face."
"I see."
Simon smiled.
"One last question," he continued.
"How did you survive?"
Vivi's pupils widened. Her expression stiffened.
"There was someone else there."
Simon froze.
"Someone else?"
"I couldn't see them—it was too dark," Vivi said, her hands trembling.
"But… I heard a whisper."
"What did it say?"
"Not yet."
Simon fell silent.
He took out a small notebook from his pocket and wrote down those two words.
Not yet.
"Thank you for your report," Simon finally said.
"Please enjoy your leave."
He left the room.
—
Back in Lyxander's hospital room.
He spent some time chatting with Tadeus before Simon arrived to question them about Oscar's murder case.
Lyxander explained everything—
How he discovered the clues, and how Oscar shot him in the head.
"But after that shot," he said quietly,
"I can't remember anything."
"I see."
Simon smiled.
"Last question. Did anything feel off to you?"
Lyxander fell silent.
"Well…"
He hesitated.
"I don't think so."
That couldn't be right.
Something was clearly strange.
Then why can't I remember it?
"Very well," Simon said.
"Please enjoy your leave."
He left.
—
Not long after, Tadeus's wife and young daughter came to visit.
His wife was beautiful, while his daughter looked shy.
Spending time with them allowed Lyxander to understand Tadeus's past.
When he was young, Tadeus lost his entire family due to himself slowly turning into an Entity.
Consumed by guilt and fear, he lived on the streets—until he was hunted down, then saved by Simon.
Even now, he still felt guilty.
Afraid to have a family again.
Fortunately, he met his wife—
The person who gave him the courage to start a new life.
'I understand the pain of losing a family.'
'Will I be able to live like Tadeus someday? Get married, have children, and live happily?'
Lyxander wondered.
But no one knew how fate would toy with his life.
Lyxander's own family wanted to visit as well, but due to hospital regulations, they couldn't come that day.
•••
Tuesday, July 6, 1740
The next day, his family finally arrived.
His mother immediately hugged him tightly, her face filled with worry.
"My son… how did you end up like this?" she asked.
Lyxander had already prepared an excuse.
An explosion caused by a gas leak while going out for lunch.
Not entirely a lie.
He quickly introduced Tadeus as his senior at work.
The conversation shifted—just as he had hoped.
His brother, Pigeon Xander, didn't come.
He was still stationed in the southern territory of the empire.
•••
Wednesday, July 7, 1740
It rained.
Lyxander was discharged from the hospital.
The first thing he had to do—
Attend the funerals of Neon and Oscar.
Many members of the Entity Corporation attended, wearing military uniforms as a sign of respect.
Lyxander stood straight under the rain.
To protect the organization, Oscar's crimes were not made public.
He was remembered as a hero.
His wife sobbed uncontrollably.
She couldn't even stand.
'How ironic,' Lyxander thought.
'With a wife like that… why did he cheat—'
'Wait.'
'Why did he cheat?'
'More importantly… why did he kill his mistress?'
Oscar was a calm man.
He understood risk.
Even if the case hadn't been exposed, the Entity Corporation would have investigated the woman.
In the end, Oscar would still have been caught.
Then why?
His thoughts spiraled.
He sat on a bench near the cemetery, trying to calm himself.
But suddenly—
His memory began to blur again.
"Ugh!"
He rubbed his eyes.
"Want a cigarette?"
Lyxander turned his head.
"No, thanks."
"Aren't you the new kid?"
The man beside him lit a cigarette in the rain.
"New kid?"
A man with dark blue hair and deep blue eyes looked at him.
A sword rested at his left side.
Lyxander's pupils shrank.
"You're… one of the people who captured me."
"Zircon Iscariot. Just call me Zircon."
"So, what's wrong?"
"I've been having trouble remembering things lately."
"Then why not write them down?"
Lyxander froze.
"Write them down… ah, I see."
'Damn it.'
'I got too comfortable relying on my photographic memory and forgot something so simple.'
He took out a pen, rolled up his sleeve, and wrote:
Remember to ask about the irregularities in the group chat.
—
Three days later.
Saturday, July 10, 1740
Lyxander received a two-day leave.
At nine in the evening, he drew the sigma symbol on his PC screen and opened the group chat.
Pup dog
"I forgot something, but I wrote this sentence: Remember to ask about the irregularities in the group chat."
Admin
"I see. There are many identities capable of manipulating memories. But I think I know who tampered with yours."
Pup dog
"Someone manipulated my memories?! Who?"
Admin
"Why do you think I added you to this group? Because you are an identity user?"
Pup dog
"Wasn't it just a coincidence?"
Admin
"We Seven-Stars are not bound by fate or coincidence. You entered this group because I saw an anomaly in your destiny."
"Seven-Star… Admin is a Seven-Star."
Lyxander staggered back from the PC.
Admin
"The Seven-Star who deceived your fate is the Deceiver—Abingel."
Pup dog
"Abingel?"
Admin
"Do you think you are alone in your room right now? No. He is with you—always with you."
Lyxander backed away further, his entire body breaking into goosebumps.
He stared at his room.
There was only himself.
But… was that really true?
Who could say?