Chapter 317: Chapter 317: Memory (2)

Lethe’s Blessing.

Honestly, it was an ominous name from the beginning.

The fact that a pill with the same name as the Greek goddess of forgetfulness had the effect of ‘memory erasure’ couldn’t be a coincidence.

Ah, of course, I didn’t think much about it back then.

This was a city where evil spirits were active.

It wouldn’t be strange for a player to come up with that name.

But…

‘I can’t believe that player was me…’

I couldn’t even laugh, as strange things kept happening, starting with the ‘rumor’ Pelic Barker spread.

I was just spacing out when…

“Wait a minute…”

…Ipaello looked at me suspiciously.

“How did you know about that pill? I’ve only given out samples to less than twenty people.”

Ah, that.

“I heard that Pelic Barker received it from the Lord.”

“Hmm, really?”

I confidently puffed out my chest despite his suspicious gaze.

I hadn’t lied.

Pelic Barker did have Lethe’s Blessing.

Well, he didn’t tell me the details, he just said he received a potion made by the alchemist as a reward from the Lord.

“Well, the Lord has been taking an interest in him lately, so that’s possible.”

Ipaello soon agreed without needing a long explanation.

But he was still curious about one thing.

“But where did you hear the name ‘Lethe’s Blessing’?”

“Well, I think that’s what they called it. Maybe I misheard.”

“Haha, it seems like they’ve already created their own slang.”

His suspicion disappeared.

So that was the end of that topic.

I subtly asked him something I was curious about.

“But is that pill safe? I heard it was recently developed. Are there any side effects?”

“Don’t worry. There are no side effects, except for the fact that the range of memory loss is inconsistent.”

Inconsistent…

It seemed like they hadn’t figured out how to mass-produce it with consistent results yet.

“Well, considering what you’re going to use it for, side effects don’t really matter, do they?”

“That’s true, but what if it’s defective and doesn’t work?”

“That’s highly unlikely. The effect is usually too strong, not too weak. There has never been a defective product among the first test batches.”

“Too strong?”

Ipaello seemed excited as the topic of conversation shifted to his field of expertise. He told me to wait for a moment and then brought a box from a corner of the workshop.

“Here, this is the first pill I made.”

There was a white pill in the open box.

There were over ten slots, but they were all empty except for one.

“It’s twice as big as the one I saw.”

“Huhu, it’s not just the size. If you take this pill, you’ll lose almost all your memories.”

“…What?”

All my memories?

But then it’s not really a defective product, is it?

No, wait, why did he even bother mass-producing it when he had a better prototype?

Ipaello gave me an answer that sounded like a corporate researcher as I asked out of pure curiosity.

“Ah, that’s because it costs a fortune to make one pill. The Lord said it wasn’t cost-effective.”

It was a reason I could understand as a former office worker.

‘Well, it was made to be used on witnesses, so a few days of memory loss would be enough.’

I talked to Ipaello for about five more minutes, and that was the end of our conversation for the day.

______________________

Time passed, and it was the day before D-Day.

We did a final check of our plan.

Well, I wasn’t even sure if we could call this a plan…

But what could I do? We had to try.

Anyway, to summarize the main points:

1. Infiltrate the Lord’s Castle and steal the Fragment of Records.

For reference, this was my solo mission.

Amelia said there wouldn’t be many guards left at the Lord’s Castle tomorrow. She thought I would be able to pull off a heist with my skills.

Anyway, Amelia was going to stay with her younger self while I was at the Lord’s Castle…

And this is where the problem with our plan started.

2. Reunite with Amelia and escape with the sisters.

Although that was the plan, nothing was set in stone.

Even if ‘that guy’ came and dispelled the [Unfair Contract] Pelic Barker had cast on Laura, the rest was all up to improvisation.

And…

3. The Rainwales sisters live happily ever after with new identities on the surface.

That was our entire plan.

Honestly, I didn’t think it would work.

It wasn’t because it wasn’t detailed enough.

The most important part was missing.

[Once a timeline has been observed, it can’t be changed.]

The future wouldn’t change, no matter what we did in the past, and I had seen enough evidence.

Dwarkey and Raven.

The barbarian heart.

And even Lethe’s Blessing.

I had already experienced this much, and Amelia must have experienced even more.

She must have felt a sense of déjà vu and recalled old memories in her daily life.

Thud.

Something touched my arm.

I turned my head, and Amelia was offering me a bottle of alcohol.

“…You want me to drink?”

“That’s right.”

“Suddenly?”

Amelia answered flatly as I spoke incredulously.

“The operation is tomorrow night.”

“Even so…”

“I have something to tell you.”

Ah, she should have just said that from the beginning.

I took the bottle and opened it.

It was a bit funny.

She couldn’t get drunk, so she was giving me alcohol before our conversation. Well, it would be easier to talk if the other person was drunk, even if you were sober.

“Keuh…”

I took a swig, drinking half the bottle.

“So what is it? Is it important?”

“No, it’s not. But… I feel like we haven’t had a proper conversation lately.”

Amelia said so and avoided my gaze.

She’s embarrassed, isn’t she?

“Uh… ye, yeah…”

I felt my face flush.

Ah, is this because of the alcohol?

Damn it, this is strong. And bitter.

I was about to ask where she got it when she called my name.

“Yandel.”

“I thought you said we should use our aliases even when we’re alone?”

“It’s over today anyway. It doesn’t matter even if someone hears us.”

“…So why did you call me?”

“I have something to tell you.”

Amelia quickly corrected herself after saying that.

“No, to be precise, it’s an apology.”

“…Apology?”

I felt a sense of foreboding.

And as always, my premonition didn’t fail.

Thud. Roll.

The bottle, more than half empty, slipped from my hand and rolled on the floor.

Damn it, no wonder it tasted so bitter…

“What did you put in it?”

Amelia answered flatly as I asked, holding my arm, which wouldn’t move properly, to my thigh.

“All the drugs I have that won’t kill you.”

She sounds like a psychopath with that expression.

Aside from the chills running down my spine, at least I knew one thing.

‘Right, so she wasn’t planning to kill me.’

I swung the small hammer I had strapped to my thigh, my emergency weapon.

Unfortunately, it didn’t work.

Whoosh!

Amelia leaned back, and the hammer cut through the air.

“I knew you would do that when you lowered your hand.”

She could see through me after all the surprise attacks.

“Damn it.”

My muscles weakened, and I stumbled as I tried to get up. Amelia caught me before I could fall.

Okay, I knew she would do that.

“Ugh…!”

I took the opportunity and wrapped my arm around her neck.

It was a triangle choke.

But this woman was also tough.

Kwaaang!

I was thrown back, a sharp pain in my temple.

Two women were standing over me, their vision blurry.

It seemed like she had summoned a clone and kicked me in the head…

‘I’m done for.’

I couldn’t move. The drugs had weakened my body, and now my head was injured.

“…You’re never easy, are you?”

Amelia chuckled and then lifted me up and laid me down on the bed.

And she spoke,

“I’m sorry. I don’t think I can be your companion after all.”

I grabbed her wrist with all my might as she turned to leave.

“Wh, what… are you… doing?”

Amelia didn’t answer.

She just shook off my hand and then started putting on her equipment, her expression solemn.

And…

“Check the drawer when you wake up.”

…that was my last memory.

_______________________

Amelia Rainwales looked at herself in the mirror.

She adjusted her clothes and brushed her hair back.

The scar on her ear was revealed.

It was a flaw that would hinder her if she wanted to live as a woman.

But it wasn’t a sacrifice. She had sacrificed much more to get here.

“…….”

But she couldn’t bring herself to leave.

Why?

Amelia observed her emotions.

It wasn’t fear.

Life had been nothing but a means to an end since that day.

Even if she couldn’t change anything today, and her decades of effort ended in failure.

Failure didn’t scare her.

It was actually closer to salvation.

She had been longing for that day, even as she relentlessly pursued her goal.

Then what was it?

What was holding her back?

“…….”

Amelia turned around.

She saw the barbarian sleeping soundly.

He had been glaring at her with a demonic expression, asking what she was doing, but now he was snoring peacefully.

Thud, thud.

Amelia walked over to the bed and opened the drawer.

She placed a note she had written beforehand inside and then turned to leave.

She suddenly remembered a conversation they had a few months ago.

[If I succeed in saving your sister and resolve all the restrictions even after we return to our original time…]

[…Resolve the restrictions?]

[Then join my clan.]

It was ridiculous, even thinking about it now.

It was unrealistic.

But it would have been fun, if she could just imagine it. Exploring the labyrinth with that idiot would be full of unexpected incidents.

Right, it would definitely…

“Ah…”

Amelia finally realized why she couldn’t leave.

It was regret.

A lingering attachment to a future that would never come.

Thud.

But emotions are just emotions.

She just had to use more force if her feet felt heavy.

She didn’t stop walking.

Creak.

She took a deep breath at the door and then opened it.

Chaos had already begun outside.

“Fi, fire!!”

Flames were rising from the eastern district.

She had told him that it was tomorrow night…

But today was the day.