Tricky questions

Haru's POV

"Welcome back, Ayase-sama."

Ayase waved a hand. "Did I make you wait long?"

"Not at all. I know your standing keeps you busy as always."

She gave a small smile before sitting down beside me on an elegant, velvet-upholstered couch. The dim lighting cast a golden hue over the polished glass table in front of us, where she carefully placed a traditional tea set.

I had expected something futuristic—maybe floating cups or an automated dispenser. But this was just normal.

Somehow, that made me feel a little more grounded.

Ayase poured the tea gracefully, her movements smooth and practiced. "I know you have a lot of questions, so I'll try my best to answer them. But you know…" She flashed a teasing smile. "Casual question-and-answer sessions are boring, right? So why don't we make it into a game?"

"A game?" I asked, casually sipping my tea. The warmth spread through my chest, grounding me further.

"Yes. You can only ask me three questions, so you'll have to choose wisely. Think carefully about what you want to know about this world."

She set her cup down, her blue eyes meeting mine with an unreadable gaze.

"By the way," she continued, "due to some unexpected circumstances, you can't ask anything about my past. But don't worry—one day, I'll tell you on my own."

I raised an eyebrow. "That just makes you sound more suspicious, you know."

She laughed softly, not denying it.

So she definitely knew me before. That much was obvious.

But if she wasn't willing to tell me directly, then I'd just have to figure things out myself.

I had too many questions. There was no way I could fit them all into just three.

If I was going to get the most information, my questions couldn't be specific. I had to ask them in a way that forced her to elaborate.

I leaned back slightly, pretending to be more relaxed than I was. I needed to act natural.

"It seems like you're thinking hard about your choices," Ayase mused, tapping a finger against her teacup. "Did you come up with one?"

I nodded. "Yeah. First question—how did Aether abilities change the world?"

Her lips curled slightly. "Oh? You're a fan of essay-style questions, it seems."

She swirled the tea in her cup before answering. "Aether was discovered about 400 years ago, but it only became widely used about 100 years ago. Once humans learned how to harness and refine it, everything changed—technology, energy sources, even the structure of society itself. Now, Aether has become the foundation of civilization itself. It's used in everything from power generation to military advancements. "

I processed that carefully.

So Aether wasn't just some rare phenomenon—it was the backbone of the entire world.

And if this technology has been evolving for centuries… that means I've been asleep for at least 400 years.

That realization should have shaken me more. But strangely, it didn't.

I didn't feel like I belonged to this world.

I felt like an outsider.

I set my teacup down, keeping my expression neutral. "Thanks, Ayase-sama. Can I proceed to my second question?"

She nodded. "Go ahead."

I took a breath. "Why are you helping me?"

For the first time, she seemed genuinely surprised.

Her grip on the teacup tightened slightly—just for a second—before she exhaled through her nose and smiled. But something about that smile felt a little forced.

"Hmm…" She placed her cup back on the table and leaned back, crossing her legs. "Let's just say… you're someone very special and important to me."

A vague answer. Expected.

But she didn't deny knowing me.

That, combined with her incredible control over time, confirmed my suspicion.

She's been alive for over 400 years.

There's no way someone with that much power and influence just happened to take an interest in me.

"…I see," I said simply. "Can I ask my final question now?"

She nodded. "Think carefully. This is your last one."

I had one shot left.

So I went for the question that would force her into a reaction.

"Are you my mom from 400 years ago?"

She froze.

"…Wha—" She choked mid-sentence, nearly spilling her tea.

She quickly straightened her posture, clearing her throat. "W-Well… there were definitely times I had to act like your mom."

Her reaction told me everything I needed to know.

She wasn't my mother, but she had been someone incredibly close to me.

Not just a government official. Not just an old friend.

Someone who cared deeply about me, even after all this time.

She sighed, regaining her composure. "Why waste your final question on that?"

"I wouldn't call it a waste." I smirked. "I already got the answers I needed."

I confirmed many theories.. about how long I sleep, and to verify if he's close to me.

"…You haven't changed," she murmured, shaking her head.

"Oh? You were expecting me to be different?"

She hesitated, but then smiled again. This time, it looked a little more real.

"Well, I know you don't have anywhere else to stay, so you can spend the night here."

"You only have one bed, though."

She tilted her head, amused. "The bed is huge. We can both fit just fine."

I exhaled. "Your husband might get mad, Ayase-sama."

She blinked, then burst into laughter.

"Husband? As if any man could keep up with me."

"…Fair."

She stood up, stretching slightly before walking toward a door at the side of the room. "Anyway, before dinner arrives, you should take a bath. You've been asleep for centuries, after all."

I blinked. "You have a bath here?"

She smiled. "Of course. It's not that futuristic. Just a normal bath—no floating tubs or anything."

That was oddly reassuring.

"Alright," I muttered, standing up. "I'll take you up on that offer."

Ayase's POV

I watched Haru disappear into the bathroom before heading to my office.

I picked up my hologram transmitter, dialing a familiar number.

After a few seconds, a slightly irritated voice answered.

"Huh? What do you want? I'm busy, so don't pass your work onto me."

I smiled slightly. "Oh, nothing much. Just thought I'd let you know that he's finally awake."

Silence. Then—

"…WHAT?! Why didn't you tell me sooner? I'm heading to your hotel right now."

"Calm down. That's not why I called."

A frustrated sigh. "Fine. What is it?"

"I'm enrolling him in Shinsen Academy."

"Huh why?"

"He forgot his memories."

"…You're making him go to school? You know he hates that, right?"

"He needs to experience the world first hand. Besides…" I exhaled, lowering my voice. "His memory loss isn't normal. I suspect Aether abilities were involved. If I tell him too much, too soon, all of his memories… it might be dangerous."

"…So another problem, huh?"

I nodded. "Make sure history doesn't repeat itself."

There was a pause. Then, a quiet but firm reply.

"Yeah. No matter what, we'll protect him this time."