We made our way to the pond in silence.
I couldn't help but admire the scenery around us. It was late August—the sun no longer scorched, but in the shirt and vest, I still felt a little warm.
It really was beautiful. The lawn was neatly trimmed, shrubs carefully shaped—some into perfect squares forming hedges, others into solitary spheres.
A small artificial pond stretched ahead, crossed by an intricately carved wooden bridge. Theodore and I stepped onto it and, without a word, stopped right in the middle, leaning against the railing and gazing into the distance.
"It looks shallow," Theodore said, breaking the silence, and I turned toward him. "But it's actually very deep. When you were little, you almost drowned in it—but I saved you. I still remember how far down I had to dive to grab your hand."
"I don't remember that," I said, because I didn't know what else to say.
"You don't remember anything at all?"
"I don't even know who Alan Holivan is," I admitted with a quiet sigh.
"What would you like to know?" Theodore asked, finally meeting my eyes.
He seemed kind—genuinely so. And yet… something about him still unsettled me. He looked about twenty. Serious, slight, not particularly tall. There was real concern in his eyes, and that only made it harder to understand what exactly was putting me on edge.
Or maybe… it was just this body again.
"For starters," I said, "what was that strange device the doctor used to examine me?"
"Device?" Theodore looked confused for a moment. "Wait—you don't remember the doctor's abilities?"
"Abilities? What is he, some kind of shaman?"
"Oooh…" Theodore exhaled slowly. "This is worse than I thought."
"If it's too much—"
"No, it's fine," he cut me off. "You'll be studying alongside people with abilities soon anyway."
"Wait… I have them too?" I asked, surprised.
He laughed.
"Sorry. I'm just not used to you being a blank slate." He shook his head. "No, you don't. And honestly, someone from a family like ours doesn't need them. People with abilities are trained to serve us."
"Then why do I have to go to this academy? Do you study there too?"
"Yes. This is my final year." He leaned slightly on the railing as we resumed walking. "Getting into this special academy is an honor for any aristocrat. You'll make valuable connections there—and you're guaranteed a position in one of the special divisions that oversee the gifted. On top of that, you can recruit a personal bodyguard while they're still in training."
"A bodyguard?"
"Let's walk," Theodore said with a sigh. "This will take a while to explain. I thought I'd just help refresh your memory in case the doctor's friend couldn't—but I didn't expect to have to explain everything from scratch."
"I'm sorry," I said quietly, following him.
"It's fine," he waved it off. "Besides, it's good practice. After graduation, I've already been invited to a primary division. I'll often need to brief newcomers."
"So… what are these special bodyguards for? And who becomes one?"
"They exist to fight—and protect against—what we call 'the unclean.' Becoming a personal bodyguard for someone of status is a great honor, but they're not trained just for that. Their real purpose is to combat… let's say, supernatural threats."
"Sounds like a bedtime horror story."
"Yeah," Theodore smirked faintly. "For most people, it is. Not many can actually see them. But that doesn't mean they can't cause harm. It's easier for them to attack those who can see—they're more sensitive, more… vulnerable to them. People like that can physically interact with monsters—and even some powerful spirits. But those who can't see them aren't safe either. They can still be affected."
"In what way?"
"There are many possibilities. Possession, for example. But I won't go into detail right now—you'll study all of that at the academy."
"So, let me get this straight," I said slowly. "At this academy, there are people with abilities, trained to fight these… things. And people without abilities—like me. What exactly do we do there? Wouldn't it make more sense to recruit only those who can actually fight?"
"You're not wrong," Theodore admitted. "The gifted do most of the actual work. But they never rise to the very top."
"Why?"
He exhaled.
"It's complicated. Power. Money. Politics. In our world, it's always been the same—the ones with the most money rule. You don't need to get lost in that right now. Think of it this way: we're ordinary people who can see these things, but can't defend ourselves. So we pay for control over those who can."
"…That's twisted."
"It's reality."
"But you said not everyone can see them. Is it hereditary?"
"No. In our case, for example, neither Father nor Mother can see anything. But our grandfather could—and so can we. Our family has known about the academy and bodyguards for generations. Others only discover this world when they encounter it firsthand. If they have money, they're brought into the system. If not… they can still hire help, just once, to deal with a problem."
"And those who can't see—but are attacked?"
"They're easier to help, unless it's possession. Usually, we don't reveal anything—we just eliminate the threat. That's what the lower divisions and trainees are for."
I couldn't make sense of any of this.
"Wait… I can actually see them?" I asked, glancing around instinctively as a chill ran down my spine.
"The estate is protected by a barrier," Theodore reassured me. "Not even a lesser demon could get in here. But outside… it's very different."
"Oh God," I muttered. "I don't want to leave this place. Maybe I lost that ability along with my memory?"
"I doubt that's even possible," he said. "One of my professors explained it like this: once your eyes have seen the other side, they can never unsee it. It's connected to the soul—not the body."
I froze.
The soul.
Then I shouldn't be able to see anything.
In my previous life, I never did.
"…I see."
"Honestly," Theodore added with a sigh, "if not for that accident when we were kids—when you almost drowned, and I nearly died trying to save you—we might never have seen any of it. One way to awaken that sight is to come close to death."
The blood drained from my face.
So… maybe I could see them.
A shiver ran through me.
Fine. Then I just won't leave the estate.
And then something else hit me.
"Father mentioned some kind of specialist…"
"Ah, right. He has healing abilities too—but his specialty is the soul, not the body. Since our doctor confirmed your memory loss isn't physical, he asked his friend to come."
"The… soul?" I repeated, my voice dry.
"Don't worry," Theodore said with a reassuring smile.
Yeah. Right.
There's another person's soul in your brother's body.
I seriously doubt a man who heals souls won't notice that.
And what happens then?
What will they do when they find out?
A chill ran through me as I remembered Marcus Holivan's cold eyes.
Just like that, fear of the supernatural faded into the background.
I need to get out of here.
As soon as possible.