Chapter 35

I've been transported to a different Schatten domain, and the domain itself is somehow linked to my past. Nonetheless, it felt as if it had been rewritten because I couldn't recall the specific details or even the song that kept playing in my head. I had no idea a Schatten could morph one's body into children as young as eight years old. That isn't the only problem; I also lack arte ability. Even if I decide to leave this domain, I will require assistance from someone. Even the weapon I borrowed went missing.

In the end, it appears that I only have one option.

"I need to find that person."

My argument with him shouldn't have been so unreasonable, and I should have avoided it. If I had just maintained my clarity of mind and concentration, I wouldn't be in this situation. I should not have let my guard down and allowed the Schatten to bring us here.

I lowered my shoulders and relaxed them.

My past served as the use for the creation of this location and this domain. Wouldn't it be possible for me to leave this place at all? the Schatten constructed all of these though, and of course, using my recollections. It's the second time I've come across something like this, and I can't believe how brazen it is to steal my memories; I will make him pay for what he has done. I only need to find the Schatten and destroy it.

"Hey… boy!"

"Don't bother calling me boy. I'm significantly older than you, remember. You need to treat me as your older brother."

I was a little confused by what he was saying, to be honest. I can't seem to put my finger on whether or not I have a brother. Second, this young man is under the impression that I am familiar with him, but I can assure you that is not the case at all! Simply due to the fact that I am inhabiting this body...in this body...

Why am I so short to begin with?

"...Say…bo—"

"Call me older brother."

Geez, he's so persistent.

"O...o...older brother..."

The strange boy turned his head specifically to show me his genuine grin. It caused my heart to start beating a little faster. This is very strange; I don't understand why he is making my heart beat in this way. That beaming smile appeared out of nowhere, and it completely took me by surprise.

"What is it, Euphy?"

Eh?

Does he know who I am?

In a sense, then, this child is a piece of my history. It's strange that I don't remember anything about him, but it's funny at the same time. I have no recollection of his physical attributes, such as his appearance. That is why I am curious as to whether or not Schatten is able to rewrite things like this.

When I was deep in thought, I was startled by the sound of a voice singing from some distant location. It was that song again, that creepy unexplainable and unfamiliar song.

'Lady bird, Lady bird…'

The song is coming from the tall belfry tower. I can still picture the belfrey. It's the area where I've been locked up. The people who manages the orphanage told me that I had something that was so special that I was not even allowed to touch the grass outside the tower because it was against the rules. They said that this something needed to be kept hidden from regular people.

To summarize, up until the Chasseur took me in, that tower was the only place I had to call home. There will be no visitors of any kind, including friends or family. Only my maids are allowed to enter that area, and they are not permitted to engage in even the most basic of conversations with me. They were all terrified that if even one person disobeyed the rules that had been established to protect me, then they would all be punished.

Nevertheless, there is something wrong with these memories; there is a gap in the story that I was unable to fill in on my own.

"What's the matter?"

This kid standing in front of me. As I've mentioned before, I never had any friends because I was locked away, but out of nowhere, this kid claimed to be my older brother.

"...Fly away to your home..."

Regardless of how hard I try to remember, I can't. As if there were a void within my recollections, which was gradually growing larger and causing a severe ache that I was unable to bear any longer.

There's a click and a sigh deep within me that's telling me I shouldn't try so hard to remember things.

"A song, there's a song coming from that building," When I pointed my fingertip in the direction of the belfrey tower to be more specific, the kid only closed his eyes and broke them open once more.

"It's been bothering me, so let's figure out what it is." I started moving forward toward the sound before the kid even had a chance to react, which allowed me to locate it. "Euphy! That place should be avoided at all costs! Come back here!"

He made an effort to stop me, but I ignored his advice and continued forward. It is abundantly clear that he was attempting to dissuade me from going in that direction.

It might have some feature that is connected to this domain. Something that could possibly assist me in escaping from this place.

"Euphy!"

No matter how loud he shouted, my ears were not open for him. I went to the tower, and when I reached the entrance, something clanged, a sound that came so close to ripping my ears out of their sockets. It was extremely loud, comparable to the tolling of a church bell, and the sound of the horn was enough to make your ears ring. A sudden sensorineural I must say.

It gave me a brief feeling of vertigo. I pressed myself into a ball in the crook of the room, covering both of my ears, and closing both of my eyes.

"What the devil is that noise!?" I yelled, but even my voice isn't audible due to the ear-splitting din that is going on here.

The sound continued for a few more seconds before it finally subsided. I was so worn out that I couldn't help but start labouring over each and every breath that I took. I'm breaking out in a cold sweat all over my body at the moment. Even the shivering down my spine is having a difficult time easing up.

"What's up, Euphy?" When I opened my eyes, there were two children right in the vicinity. Someone had called my attention to them. One of them is a young boy who was standing a safe distance away from the other one, who was a young girl who was holding a stuffed rabbit toy in her arms.

"Why are you planning to part ways with me? Is there something that Euphy did that you despise? Is this the reason you won't come to see me anymore?

"Wha—?"

What I was seeing was so unbelievable. The young lady referred to herself as Euphy? This event in my life, which appears to be significant but from which I have no recollection whatsoever, is a mystery to me. I have no idea at all.

"You're wrong, Euphy," the other kid, who we will refer to as the boy, responded to the young Euphy. He smiled in a way that suggested naivety, but his eyes betrayed an underlying sense of melancholy.

"What exactly is not correct?...

You are the only thing Euphy has... My family despises me, which is the reason they abandoned me here…"

My pupils grew much larger.

"What in the world is Euphemia trying to say!?"

"My mother has told me that I'm a monster, and that she doesn't want to take care of me, and that she...that she...doesn't love me..."

I stood up. Their conversation is baffling, and I find myself getting angry all of a sudden as a result.

Everything about this has been made up. I have never, not even once, stated that! In addition to that, mother, she... It was she who rescued me from the depths of the infernal fire! She put her own life in danger in order to save mine.

"Then it looks like you are leaving as well; just... what is Euphy going to do without you?"

"Shut up!" After a while, my rage subsided, and I yelled angrily at them. They were halted in their tracks by me. The two of them cast their gaze upon me, thus, the Euphemia girl doesn't seem to be bothered by my presence. In fact, she should be freaking out since we share the same appearance.

"...You've got that right. I am a horrible beast! Everyone hates me, everyone doesn't like me. I disobeyed the rules that my mother had set, and that is why I set fire to the house and killed my family."

This whore, what exactly is she rambling on about?

"She hid herself in a remote location, fooling herself into believing that she could escape the consequences of her actions."

She was looking at me, pointing out all the blame. The blames that wasn't even true!

"...Grr…I can assure you that wasn't me!" I shot back a response while clenching my fist in annoyance.

She did not show the slightest sign of surprise as she asked, "How could you say so?"

"Because I remember everything!"

"What exactly do you remember?" Then she blew me with a rhetorical question.

Her questions, from time to time, make me confused and difficult to answer.

"...that's not something I did..." And it's as if my memories are rearranging themselves and slipping away from me little by little. I was completely unable to recall anything... anything... from...

"What is it that you didn't do?"

No, this is not right! My mind is not processing well. What did I forget?

"What's wrong with me? Why can't I remember anything?"

Remember… remember!

I let out a gasp as I discovered that I was surrounded by the darkness. I couldn't make out a single person, and even the girl was nowhere to be found.

Why am I in this place?

"What am I doing here in the first place?"

What is this? I can't find the reason; I can't find the answer!

I pondered to myself, "What on earth is this? Hahaha… I have no recollection of anything at all —" my face was covered in disbelief, and as if I'm going nuts, I started laughing out of the blue.

"...!!!" I was startled by a loud crash coming from behind me, and when I turned around, I saw a mirror with my own reflection on it.

The reflection in the mirror questioned, "Who are you?"

"Huh?"

But I just don't get what she was trying to convey to me in that sentence. I moved my feet to get a better look.

"Why are you pretending…to be me?"

"—!!!"