Reveal The Truth

"...You came from another world, didn’t you?"

"Again, I have no idea what you’re talking about."

"And again, don’t try to fool me. What I mean is: I’m almost certain you weren’t born in this world. You’re one of the foreigners, aren’t you?"

"Foreigners? So that’s what you call us?"

"Yes. And you—do you admit it?"

"…"

Reaper lowered his gaze, hiding his face.

What he was trying to hide… was his overwhelming joy.

"Hahahahaha!! Hahahahahaha" the boy laughed like a lunatic.

"What’s so funny?"

"Ah, I’m sorry… I just can’t help it. I’m happy someone finally figured it out!"

"And why does that make you so happy?"

"The first people I met in this world were far too kind. Not a hint of suspicion, no questioning, they just nodded along and tried to help me.
So much kindness… it felt like I could go around stealing whatever I wanted, and the worst I’d get would be a scolding. Money seemed like a formality here.
It felt like we had landed in a world full of NPCs, like these people were just puppets...

But then, I started meeting people with strong personalities, people who made me think—maybe they’re real after all.
And now, you’ve confirmed it. Eccentric or not, I can tell you're just as human as I am!"

"...Living each day like it’s some grand fantasy. In a way, I think I can understand how you act.
When you say 'we,' are you talking about the rest of your group?"

"No. I’m talking about my real friends—like the purple girl.
My true friends are one girl and two guys, just like this group, but the three who are with me now are just travel companions I ran into by chance."

"But you realized they aren’t from this world either?"

"Yeah. If I may say so, I believe Arya is from here—but Edward and Peter? It was obvious to me that they came from my world."

"How could you tell?"

"They’re the only ones who got my references to our world. Even though Arya lost her memory, she still knows the meaning of most words… except for the ones from our world. Besides, they were the first to show any kind of suspicion toward me."

"Suspicion is a good thing? Should I take that to mean I need to keep an eye on you?"

"That’s not what I meant. The people from this world seem overly kind, while Edward and Peter were at least a bit cautious—even after we formed an alliance."

"You’re not the first foreigner I’ve met, but I think you’re the first one to ever become a bearer of a Mors fragment. What I mean is: how did you manage that?"

"When my friends and I arrived in this world, we thought we’d been isekai’d. But we all agreed—we were brought here while still alive.
With our teamwork, we managed to survive in this new reality. Eventually, we heard about the four fragments of Mors.
Four fragments… four people summoned to another world… It all lined up, right? So each of us set out on a journey to find one."

"Interesting story. But what I want to know is: the details. How exactly did you find one?"

"Oh, that? I guess I just got lucky… or maybe it was fate that brought Mi Giulietta and me together."

Reaper pulled Magdalena into a sudden embrace, holding her in a dance-like pose.

"Mi Romeo doesn’t need to share how it happened—our love story belongs to us alone."

"Exactly! That’s private!"

"Well, you don’t seem like a threat, but I’ll be keeping an eye on you just in case.
If you’ll excuse me, I’ll go check on the others and evaluate how dangerous they might be. What I mean is: I need to see with my own eyes whether they’re trustworthy."

"Wait! If you’re going to question them, I’d like to come along and hear their answers myself."

"And why is that of interest to you?"

"I was planning to reveal the truth to Edward and Peter once our journey ended… but since you brought it up, there’s no point in waiting.
If my friends and I weren’t the only ones sent to this world, then I need to figure out why we were sent. Maybe they can help me with that."

"I’m going to use a ritual I learned at the Academy of Magic to guide them into their Soul Palaces—basically a deep meditative state. What I mean is: do you want to participate too?"

"No, I’d rather stay outside. I already had to go through that today. It wasn’t pleasant at all."

"Ehh~ Fine by me. Just try not to disturb them."

"Don’t worry! I’ll sit quietly in my corner, just watching. I’m starting to get excited to find out… what secrets are waiting for us!"

(...)

The sound of the city being rebuilt echoed like a muffled hum beyond the shattered windows.

Inside a dimly lit warehouse, Arya and Edward waited for Tsugumi’s return.

"Isn't she taking a while?" Arya asked, growing restless.

"Think Reaper stirred up some trouble? Wouldn’t be out of character."

The creak of the wooden door cut the conversation short.

Peter stepped inside, accompanied by Yasuyuki.

"Finally found you two."

"Peter! Glad to see you’re up. Are you alright?"

"Yeah, just need a good night’s sleep to get back to full strength." Peter went straight to the point. "So, what are you guys scheming here?"

"Tsugumi said there's a way to send our consciousness into our Soul Palaces through a ritual."

"But when it comes to the specifics… we’re still a bit unsure."

Yasuyuki decided to step in.

"You’re probably talking about the Introspective Soul Ritual."

"So you know about it?" Peter asked.

"Not firsthand. I never attended the Magic Academy, but from what I’ve heard, high-level mages use it for self-reflection—personal growth, something like that."

"In our case, we're just trying to recover my lost memories..."

"It’ll be fine. I’ll be with you," Edward said, then turned to Yasuyuki. "Tsugumi asked me to join… so does that mean I’m going into her mind?"

Before Yasuyuki could answer, footsteps echoed again, and Tsugumi appeared, accompanied by Reaper and Magdalena.

"No. I want you to go into your own mind. Same for you, Peter-kun."

"Whoa, whoa, what’s with the sudden nicknames?"

"Don’t mind her—Tsugumi has a habit of giving everyone cute nicknames."

"Focus, Yuki! We’re in the middle of something serious!"

"Sorry..."

"Peter-kun, Edward-kun, Arya-chan. I will guide you into your Soul Palaces. Think of it as deep meditation. I ask that you surrender yourselves completely… and be willing to face whatever you find."

"Face whatever we find?" Peter still looked confused. "Hey, no one told me I was part of this. What are you even talking about?"

"What I mean is: stay strong, no matter what happens."

The three exchanged looks, uncertain about what those words truly meant.

Tsugumi knelt down and began drawing circles on the ground with a piece of chalk. She repeated the same pattern three times: large circles filled with intricate lines, each with a smaller circle near the edge, positioned in a triangle formation.

"First step—grab something of personal value. It doesn’t have to be emotionally heavy, just meaningful in some way."

Edward reached for his now-broken sword. Peter chose the Guild medallion he’d received from Belchior. Arya picked her flute.

Each of them sat facing the smaller circles, so they could look at one another. Following Tsugumi’s instructions, they placed their chosen items within the smaller circles.

"Now, I want you to clear your minds completely. Block out all sound, all thought. Once the darkness takes over, you’ll awaken inside your Soul Palaces—in places deeply etched into your memories."

"What’ll happen while we’re inside?"

"For us watching on the outside, it’ll look like you’re just sleeping."

"Don’t worry, we’ll keep watch and make sure no one disturbs you," Yasuyuki added, trying to reassure them.

"This whole thing should last around ten minutes," Tsugumi continued. "That’s your time limit to find your answers."

"Except for Arya, we’re not even sure what we’re supposed to be looking for…" Edward admitted, still uneasy.

"Don’t worry. If my theory is right, you’ll find them. Just remember: it’s all happening inside your minds, so there’s nothing to fear. What I mean is: hold on tight."

"Alright..."

"Are you ready?"

"...Yes!" The three answered in unison.

It was time to uncover the mysteries hidden within themselves…