Trip to Memory Lane

An endless array of weapons keeps repeating along the path I take. No matter how many times I choose a path, it just sends me back to this damn starting place. Bloody hell, there isn't even a single door present. I tried to touch the rifle hanging on the walls, but somehow it won't budge. Sigh. How many days has it been? Damn it, I'm slowly losing my grip on time. I need to find a door, now.

"Damn, am I stuck in a time loop of some sort?"

I'm getting pissed now. What the hell is this place? Unlike Lily and Lilian's maze, which was just a small maze with three paths, this... Holy hell, it's quite boring. I continue to walk down the concrete floor. The silence of the maze is just getting on my nerves. The repeating sequence of the walls is making my head dizzy, my mind can't take the mental exhaustion. I fall down and drift to sleep.

"Wake up, comrade… Comrade? Wake up!"

A damn bright light invades my eyes... I slowly open them, and her smiling face greets me. Her piercing blue eyes, that pretty face, that long white hair... She's like an angel, calming me amidst my troubles... And that breast... What the hell am I thinking? I try to remove myself from her lap, but her hands prevent me from leaving.

We're now inside a white, blank space. There are specks of mana particles floating around, creating a scenic view. Katharina looks out at the expanse as she speaks to me.

"Comrade, just lie down. You're tired. Just relax and make yourself at home."

"Miss Schwarz... Ahem... I feel alright now... By the way, where are we?"

"I don't know. Somehow, I just woke up here."

Katharina pats my head, her soft yet firm hand caressing me. I want to close my eyes, but relaxation comes second when you're dealing with your patient. I sit beside her, and that pretty smile of hers is quite attractive, making me blush a bit.

"Miss Schwarz... How are you feeling right now?"

"I feel good, actually. Hey, did the bitch die? I hope it was a horrible death."

"She's dead, Miss Schwarz. No need to think about it."

"Hehe, thanks, comrade... Say, can I ask? Does your family want to kill you?"

I fall silent. I have some horrible memories of that so-called family. Father... Quite a strict man, I must say. He always tells me that 'to earn everything, you must be willing to kill.' It's a barbaric notion, but he's right about that. At least Mother and Sister didn't become like him, willing to cast aside the entire family. Quite a disgusting fucker.

"Hey, comrade! Do you hear me? You've been silent this whole time."

"Oh, sorry, Miss Schwarz... Yes, my family wants me dead, especially my brothers and sisters."

"Why do they want you dead, comrade? I mean, you're a successful therapist now, so there must be a reason, right?"

Her eyes tell me she's concerned about me. I give her a smile. I want to tell her the damn reason, but not yet. There's something I need to do before I can start my plans. I just need the assurance of an SSS rank to protect me, for now.

"Sadly, Miss Schwarz, I can't tell you right now... But maybe in the near future, I will."

"... Okay then, comrade... The Weiss Family is a bitch, right, comrade?"

"Yes... They are a bitch, Miss Schwarz."

She laughs at me—maybe out of pity. At least this kind of normalcy is fine with me. Dealing with crazy people, lunatics, drug addicts, gang members—it will take a toll on your mind. That's why those assholes at college tell me that if you want to be a psychologist, you must be a psycho yourself.

"Hey, about that girl with black hair, do you know her? She seems crazy about you."

"You mean Lily and Lilian? She's my first patient, Miss Schwarz. Please, she didn't mean to attack you... I hope you forgive her."

"Nah, I kinda like them... But you know, she reminds me of those Holo Tapes that we watch. What's the word called… Ah, "Yandere", a crazy girl who is obsess with you"

"Yandere? What the hell does that mean, Miss Schwarz?"

"Umm... You know, the type that will stalk you everywhere and will kill any girls that you talk to... There are more things a Yandere can do, and it's complicated, but they really, really, really love you."

"You mean Lovesick Syndrome... Do Lily and Lilian have that? I didn't notice any signs of it that could be classified as Lovesick Syndrome."

"Hehe, because they're really good at hiding it. Look, I'm only giving you a warning. Think of it as my goodwill, comrade."

Somehow I doubt it. I didn't really notice any signs except for her being clingy and demanding... But just in case, I should heed her words. Especially considering that Lily and Lilian thought I was dead—her reaction seemed excessive. If they do approach me with those intentions, I need to take precautions. Her voice interrupts my thoughts.

"Comrade... The deal—don't worry, I won't break it. Hehe, I'll give you my transceiver. Don't worry, just come to my cell once we get out of here."

"Of course, Miss Schwarz."

"Don't call me that—just call me Katharina."

She extends her hand to me for a handshake, and I respond in kind. The mana particles around us seem to glow blue.

"It will be a pleasure working with you... Alexander."

As soon as she says those words, I'm suddenly transported back to the familiar maze. Now then, time to go for a long walk. Time passes, and it feels like years have gone by... There's a door now, a red door floating, chained by a single lock. But somehow, I notice there's something different about it—it isn't radiating any mana.

"This is much different. I should inspect any kind of anomalies here."

Walking toward the door with anticipation, the lock opens. I find it strange that the door has just one lock... I reach for the metal handle, and suddenly a burst of mana waves erupts, almost making me fall. The blue mana glows, creating multiple chains that cover the entire door.

"What the—"

My voice is cut off as the entire door is now covered in chains. The maze suddenly shifts, like the vibrations of an earthquake, creating three new paths. All of them have red doors menacingly floating.

"In this situation, it's similar to Lily and Lilian's mind... But it doesn't have any white doors... Katharina's mental state, then, is much more disturbing."

The first path is a simple one—concrete floor and walls, with the red door now floating around, surrounded by red mana particles. My hands are shaking, my footsteps wobbling, but I reach for the handle.

I enter a sleeping area full of bunk beds. There's no one there except for three mercenary kids.

"Goddamn it, Katharina, why do you keep calling us 'comrade'? We have names, you know."

"Look, I just find it cool, okay, comrade?"

A young girl's voice and a man's voice can be heard. It's a young Katharina talking with Renard and Adriana, playing a board game together.

"Sheesh, Katharina. Anyway, I win. Hehe, man, both of you suck at this game."

"Yeah, yeah. Anyway, I've got a gift for both of you."

Renard takes out three dog tags. The iron engravings show their names, ranks, and a small engraving of a cross. He then wears one and gives the other two to Katharina and Adriana.

"What is this, Renard?"

"This is a dog tag. It serves as our identification... If I die, please take it and bury it in the flower fields."

"Wow, what a mood killer, comrade. But no one's gonna die, you know. We still promised that we'd ride the ferris wheel together, right?"

"Yeah, stop sulking, Renard. Look, I want to try the rollercoaster that I always hear about on the Holo TV before dying, you know. Hehe."

"Maybe I'm just being negative, but seriously, just bury it in the flower fields if I die."

I'm baffled. It's quite fucked up, those dog tags given as a gift for dying... These poor children are suffering on this mercenary team, not even knowing how to act like kids... They're victims, yet they don't realize it. I then notice a black door at the center of the bunk beds. My hands grip the handle of the door.

"Looks like there are some things I have to uncover."