Immediately after I laughed, I hastily covered my mouth and looked at the owl who was looking at me with squinted eyes.

"....."

A strange silence took over the surroundings.

"....It wasn't funny."

I tried to play it off, but the cat gave me no chance.

"That was a laugh."

It then turned to look at the owl, a smirk slowly creeping up on its lips. It didn't say anything, but from its gaze, it looked to be gloating.

The owl merely glanced at it before expressing what seemed to be contempt.

"You're one to talk, pebble."

"....."

The cat froze, and so did I.

I hastily held onto my chest and suppressed the twitch on my face.

'What in the world is this...?'

My face repeatedly twitched.

It only got worse when both the owl and the cat turned to look at me. It was as if they were daring me to laugh.

But I didn't.

I persevered.

"...."

Biting my lips until they started to bleed, I kept my face firm.

Thinking about it, the fact that I was trying to hold my laugh against a cat and an owl showed just how far gone I was.

The realization was what truly calmed me down and I took a deep breath.

"You have very interesting names."

"....My name is only temporary."

The cat said while glaring at me.

Then, standing on two feet, its voice deepened.

"But don't let that fool you. I am an all-mighty dragon!"

"A dragon?"

I blinked my eyes while looking at the cat trying to make itself look imposing. It certainly tried, but I just found it strangely adorable.

On the other hand, the owl watched from the side as it opened its beak to speak.

"I am a tree."

"....A what?"

My head flicked in its direction.

Meeting its two piercing red eyes, I asked again to make sure that I hadn't heard wrong.

"You said you were a tree?"

"Correct."

"....Oh."

I pinched the middle of my brows.

So not only the cat, but the dog had lost it.

'No, in the first place, I'm the one who has lost it.'

At the thought, I started to ruffle my hair and tried to make sense of the entire situation.

'So, I am inside of the body of someone else that I don't know. A strange owl and cat appear to know the previous body's owner, and they're saying that there's a chance that I might've lost my memories, but I doubt that's the case.'

....Or maybe not.

Thinking about the names of the owl and the cat, I found myself thinking that perhaps their hypothesis wasn't wrong.

'Of course, there's also the chance that I'm just imagining those two.'

If that was the case, then that hypothesis was out of the window.

But seriously...

'Owl-Mighty? Pebble...?'

Amazing.

"Until we figure out what is going on, we will be keeping you alive."

Attracting my attention was the owl's voice as it looked at me.

Then, as if realizing something, it asked,

"Do you know how to use your powers?"

"Powers?"

What powers?

"...."

The owl and the cat turned to look at each other. They stood in silence for a brief moment before the cat spoke.

"If he's lost his memories, then he shouldn't be able to."

".....Yes."

"What are you two talking about?"

Powers...?

Were they talking about powers like those people in the comics had? Nah, no way, right?

Without saying a word, the cat stepped forward.

I stared at it in confusion, but before I could say anything, I suddenly felt something heavy press against my shoulders.

"Ukh...!"

My back started to hunch down as breathing started to become more difficult.

Opening my eyes widely, I stared at the harmless-looking cat as it coldly looked down on me.

"You have powers, human."

Its deep voice echoed loudly within my mind.

".....The previous body was quite powerful. Far from as powerful as me, but a respectable strength. The two of us are active wills that exist within the body that you have taken."

"Khh...!"

Despite the pressure that was bearing down on me, I continued to listen to each word that the cat spoke.

"You have not lost your powers. I can feel it. You may have forgotten how to use them, but they are still within you."

As the cat's words faded, the pressure that was bearing down on me also started to fade.

"Haa... haa..."

Breathing heavily, I looked up at the cat.

There were several things that I wanted to ask, but stopped when I noticed the owl's gaze on me.

I found myself unable to talk as I lost myself in those creepy red eyes.

It was its voice that shook me out of it.

"Try saying, status."

"Uh...?"

"They were the words the human used to say to open up that strange window. I wonder if it also works with you."

I looked at the owl in confusion, but after a few seconds, I gathered myself and did as I was told.

Though I had no clue about what it was saying, I also had no clue about everything else that it said.

For that reason, I complied.

Opening my mouth, I mumbled,

"Status."

That was when a change occurred as my eyes widened.

".....!"

Appearing right before was a large luminescent window, and my heart skipped a beat. [Julien D. Evenus]

Level : 35 [Tier 3 Magician]

Exp : [0%[11%]100%]

Profession : Magician

Type : Elemental [Curse]

Type : Mind [Emotive]

Spells :

Advanced type spell [Emotive] : Anger

Superior type spell [Emotive] : Sadness

Advanced type spell [Emotive] : Fear

Intermediate type spell [Emotive] : Happiness

Intermediate type spell [Emotive] : Disgust

Advanced type spell [Emotive] : Surprise

Beginner type spell [Curse] : Chains of Alakantria

Intermediate type spell [Curse] : Grip of Pestilence

Skills :

[Innate] - Foresight

[Innate] - Etherweave

[Innate] - Veil of Deception

[Innate] - Step of Suppression

[Julien D. Evenus]

"Oh, this..."

I took a step back.

"....What kind of situation is this?"

***

Thump!

A figure fell before the Archbishop.

"Ukh... uh... ah..."

Convulsing beneath the Archbishop's feet, black tears continued to fall from the figure's eyes.

"....."

The man appeared to want to say something, but the only thing that came out of his mouth were incoherent words.

"Oh, my."

Archbishop looked at the man with genuine sadness.

"It looks like this disciple still needs to be taught."

He lifted his head, his gaze darting to the nuns encircling the room. Their eyes were eerily closed, faces expressionless, and they clutched candles that flickered slightly.

An unsettling stillness gripped the air as the Archbishop waved his hand.

"Bring him to the Trials of the Forgotten Minds. His mind is still corrupted."

At his order, the eyes of the nuns flicked open as two stepped forward.

As if understanding what was happening, the man on the floor started to convulse further.

"Akh..! Akh!!"

His screams echoed loudly within the church.

Nonetheless, they were all for naught. Even as he resisted, he could only watch as the nuns lifted his body and carried him away.

"Uakh...!"

Drip! Drip...!

Black tears stained the ground as he left.

Staring into the distance, Archbishop Lucas closed his eyes.

Then, turning back to face the altar, he mumbled,

"It looks like it's time for the disciples in training to have a taste of the Room of the Forgotten Minds."

Only then would they truly become disciples.

***

"Fuck..."

Leaning against the side of the wall, Kiera looked up at the ceiling walls. It had been several hours since she had been locked up in the room, and she was quite frankly bored.

The adrenaline and confusion had all passed, and all that she had left was boredom.

"....It's so dirty as well."

Looking around, she felt her hands tingle.

It was so dirty, and unorganized. And that was despite there not being any decorations in the place.

Fuck.

Fuck.

Fuck.

"I want to clean this."

She started to scratch the back of her head as anxiety started to take over her mind.

This was torture.

Rumble...!

Thankfully, her torture didn't last for long. All of a sudden, the doors started to rumble and she looked up.

A woman dressed in white stood on the opposite end of the door.

Kiera didn't need her to speak to know what she wanted and she stood up and followed her out of the room.

"Where are we going?"

"...."

The woman in white didn't answer.

"Ah, so that's the case."

Not that it mattered to Kiera.

All the isolation was making her go crazy.

"So it's this way. I knew it."

There was only one path...

"So like, was everything that happened before we came here fake? I didn't really kill, right?"

Kiera could still recall what had happened back in the forest when she fought Aoife and Leon.

She could still recall the chaos, and ever since, things had been a little awkward with the others.

Well, things had always been awkward with Aoife, but they had started to get better.

Now...?

"Ehh."

Kiera felt like things were even worse than they had ever been.

"It's fake, right? An illusion?"

Actually, she knew it wasn't the case.

While she didn't fully understand what was going on, she knew that she had died twice.

Of that she was certain.

She just didn't want to acknowledge it.

"...."

Unfortunately for Kiera, she would never receive her answer.

The entire time the lady in white remained quiet until she eventually came to a stop.

"Umpf!"

Lost in her own thoughts, Kiera's face smacked against her back.

"Ah, ukh."

Covering her nose, she looked ahead and her expression froze.

A church.

...A large church loomed before her eyes. Sitting on the wooden rows were familiar faces, causing Kiera's expression to shift subtly.

"This is..."

She was never able to get her words out.

Gradually, her eyes locked onto a figure that stood in the middle of the church. With his eyes closed, he stood before a large altar.

He seemed to be muttering something.

Furthermore, right behind him was a young man with short blonde hair and blue eyes.

That guy...

Kiera could recall him.

He was the strange cadet from the Aurora Empire.

'What is he doing there...?'

Kiera could still recall him from the exchange they had in the forest. He was rather strong, but there was something about him that she felt was rather unsettling.

She couldn't quite explain it, but he gave off similar vibes to Julien.

But... at the same time, he was different.

Her best guess was that he was also an Emotive Mage, but Kiera felt like there was more to it.

"Let us begin."

Kiera's thoughts were disrupted by the loud echo of the old man standing before the altar.

Pressing his hand against the blonde-haired cadet, his words echoed throughout.

"....We will now commence the trial of the forgotten minds."