My Lost Self's Actions

Suddenly, I was pushed to the ground.

"Is something the matter, Devil?"

"I've had enough of this..."

Her face was completely different. From the innocent, happy-go-lucky expression, she now looked like someone who suffered immense trauma. Well, I guess you could call it the natural expression of children from the Human Realiser Project.

Sitting on top of me, she held my neck down with her hands.

"It can't possibly be true that you've lost your memories... YOU CAN'T JUST RUN AWAY LIKE THIS!" she held her head and screamed at the top of her lungs.

"What do you mean?"

I could feel her increasing the pressure on my throat.

"My sister... MY SISTER, WHERE IS SHE?!"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"YOU TOOK HER AWAY FROM ME! Back during the Human Realiser Project. I've been waiting for this... day... I want... you to give her back... to me..."

Tears streamed down her face as she glared at me in despair.

"I'm sorry, but I don't know what you mean?"

"YOU CAN'T JUST COME BACK AND TELL ME THAT YOU'VE LOST YOUR MEMORIES. WHAT SHIT IS THAT?! You took the most precious thing to me... and you claim you've lost all memory of it?!"

This must also be related to my lost memories. But the honest truth was that the current I didn't know of this. No matter how much she pushed, she wasn't going to get anything out of it.

Her expression had gone from one of anger and animosity to that of genuine sadness.

"Please... can you give me my sister back...? I'll do anything you want... I... I just want to see her again... Oliver... I beg of you..."

"I don't know what you want me to do. I have no recollection of this."

Slowly, light gathered all around her body. Like a giant crystal ball, she emanated a deathly aura. Illuminating the entire street, she looked down at me.

Her tears fell onto my face.

"WHY?! Why did you steal my sister and then fucking forget all about it?! You can't be this awful! This entire time... my hatred for you has been gathering... and yet... you just cop out like this..."

"I'm afraid that's the way it is."

"No... I won't accept it. I SWEAR, I WON'T ACCEPT IT!"

I looked up at her.

"Are you going to kill me?"

Holding a ray of light like a sword, she pressed it up against my neck. I could feel the heat from the blade tanning my skin. It was a sword of infinite sharpness, if I were to fight against it, I wouldn't stand a chance.

However, she wasn't going to kill me.

If I really took her sister away from her, the last thing she'd want to do is to kill me.

"...this is so unfair... why is this so unfair... all I wanted was my sister back..."

She let go of her weapon.

It fried the ground, turning the dirt into dark, crusty ash before evaporating out of existence.

"So, what are you going to do now, Devil?"

"I-I... don't know... tell me... Oliver, what should I do...?!"

"If it's the way you described, I'll only be able to help you after getting my memories back."

"...how can I trust you...?! You're the one who took her away from me!"

"It's the only way, isn't it?"

I put my hands into the loose, open dirt, pulling myself back up to my feet. She was still on the ground, on her knees, crying uncontrollably.

"The choice is yours, but I'm going to leave."

"...wait...!"

"What is it?"

"You'll help me right? We'll work together to get your memories back, then you'll return my sister to me, right?"

"I guess that's what I can offer."

"I'll do it. I'll find a way."

"If you say so."

As I continued taking steps away, she didn't even look up. Staring down at the ground, she aimlessly tried to calm her thoughts.

There wasn't much reason for me to keep associating myself with this, but I assumed that this wasn't going to be resolved any time soon. I've been trying to recall my past memories for quite a few years, to no avail.

There was likely some condition before I could truly regain them. Based on what the headmaster said, it would appear that she knew something about all of it. Still, it looked like there was going to be some more time before I'd be able to learn the truth of it all.

And just now, it seemed that things had gotten even more complicated.

What really was I like during the Human Realiser Project? I do remember fragments of my life and personality, but for what reason did I kidnap someone else's sister? It was somewhat mysterious.

Hearing frantic footsteps from behind me, I noticed that she was once again following me.

"Why are you back?"

"We're going to work together, aren't we? I thought that you were my enemy, but holding this pointless grudge isn't going to save Rylah. I'm going to get your memories back, no matter what I have to do."

"I won't resist, but I'm just going to say that it's not going to be easy."

"Could this be the work of Nightmare?" she asked.

"The S-rank esper who controls memories?"

"It's the only thing that makes sense... how else could your memories have been altered?"

"That's a good point, but why would she do that?"

"I don't know. But she's the only clue we have."

We walked along the desolate road.

"Well, you're also an S-rank, where would she be hanging out?" I asked.

"I'm not too sure. I doubt that she'd be anywhere around here. The S-ranks split off quite a bit upon being released from the project."

"Well, where do you suggest we look?"

"I don't know..."

With no plan in mind, there was no way that we were going to be able to find Nightmare. At this point, she was just blindly clinging to any hope she had.

Even if we were to find her, there was no guarantee that everything would be resolved.

Still, it seemed that she was determined.

Clara was still following behind us, albeit a little more cautiously. I guess we seemed a bit eccentric.