The Eraser Within My Mind

There exist two kinds of unknowns in the world. One is not knowing the answer, and the other is being unaware of not knowing. Though the latter may seem far more distant from us, surprisingly, we can find it close by.

Lets revisit our memories. When you look back at your shining childhood of long ago, those days undoubtedly hold a splendid nostalgia that makes you special. Back then, you were the center of the world, the ruler of the loftiest dreams, and the protagonist of a grand epic.

Yet, the trivialities buried beneath those brilliant memories dont reveal themselves. The mundane, like the coolness of a sip of water on a certain morning or the sun-kissed scent rising from a pillow. These moments, while life-enriching, are extremely hard to remember. Theyll sink below the minds surface, never to emerge again.

You cant even attempt to recall such details until someone mentions them. And even then, any remembrance isnt the true memory, merely an imagination stitched together with the fabric of your experiences up to the present. Such is the nature of the abyss of memoriesgenerous, yet heartless.

So no one should be able to blame me, even if I cant remember something nobody points out.

Wait, Mr. Shei.

Huh?

Arent we forgetting something?

The regressor scowled as she retorted.

Youre talking like that again? Cant you be straightforward?

Talking like what? What do you mean?

That damned way you replace subject, predicate, and object with something!

Feeling a prick of conscience, I hastily gestured in denial, trying to make an excuse.

Thats unfair. I genuinely cant remember either! At least not this time!

Seems like you were aware, you rogue.

I was devastated by the undeserved reprimand, but it wasnt the time to fuss over something so small.

The officers packagegiven to her by them, to be opened when she needed a helpercontained a broad, fan-shaped leaf with a message written alongside it: [Remember whom you have forgotten.]

She had yet to remember, but the problem was that I also forgot whom the message referred to. Being a mind reader didnt mean I could recall something I didnt even know.

But something, something, tugged at the corner of my mind. Something pretty important that had slipped away.

I made every effort to recall the hazy memory.

What could it possibly be? Its related to you, Mr. Shei. Mr. Shei. Could you describe your characteristics for me?

What the hecks gotten into you?

Because Im in a hurry. Quickly.

At my prodding, the regressor crossed her arms and fell into thought.

My characteristics?

Regression I cant say that. A devourer of fortune, keeper of a treasury, and all gear no skill Tsk. Why does only stuff like this come to mind?

At least her self-assessment was pretty honest. But as that wasnt what I wanted to know, I began reciting the regressors characteristics one by one.

Distrustful of humans, likes men, quick-tempered, amputee production manager

Got a death wish? Of all the things to recall, why those?

Amputee production manager? Amputee production manager. Serial right arm killer. I figured it out. The right arm!

Are you sure? Youre just teasing me, arent you?

Teasing? Did she think I was the type to randomly tease others?

Though I wanted to give her a piece of my mind, this wasnt the time. I whipped around to face the regressor, raising my voice.

The right arm! Wheres the right arm?!

The regressor scrunched up her face.

Its on your right side. Why, want me to cut it and show you?

This isnt the moment for jokes! The undying, Rasch! His right arm! Where is it?

Undying?

Finally realizing what I sought, the regressor brought up the undying from her memories. She remembered about his right arm rotted with curse, his scattered flesh, and how she had brewed a potion to heal him, submerging his arm in it.

But she had no memory of taking the healed arm back out, which was only naturalshed completely forgotten about the arm after dunking it in potion!

The regressor sighed.

Oh. I forgot.

Forgot? How could you forget that?!

As I cried out in astoundment, the regressor ran her fingers through her hair, appearing bewildered as she gave a timid reply.

W-well. I put it in a potion to heal him, you see. But wouldnt you want to forget as well if that arm keeps flopping around?

You sure are talented! Doesnt it move over on two fingers and tap at you when its unhappy? Howd you let that slip your mind?

I mean, the curse wasnt lifted but the arm kept trying to come out of the potion tank so

So?

The way her eyes darted around, she resembled Azzy after causing a mess. What the heck had she done?

I chained it up and sank it under.

Sank it?

Even if I wouldnt have done that. Shed take the cake for being radical alright.

Well, fine. Lets assume thats okay. Still, you mustve seen it at some point while coming and going!

No, uh, the healing potion stank so I left it in a secluded room. And I put up a barrier to keep the smell from escaping

Sorry, but is that really a curse removal? Isnt it just a sealing ritual?

Unbelievable. I thought I was living pretty planlessly, but the regressor was of a different breed that would toss away even existing plans.

During the three days I was trying to revive Tyrs heart, the regressor was so curious about what I was doing that she neglected the undying and completely forgot about him!

I fixed the regressor with a frosty look.

Mr. Shei. Do you happen to dislike Mr. Rasch?

Er, actually, I cant say Im particularly fond of him.

Hm. So even though you like men, it doesnt mean you have no taste.

Stop emphasizing stuff like that! I just forgot okay?!

I did lock it up in too inconspicuous a place The sight of that flopping right arm alone gave me illusions of that terrible corpse golem. And afterward, I was so preoccupied with Tyrkanzyakas heart that I had no mind to spare I should reflect. I was too short-sighted.

So she did know how to reflect. The girl apparently still had the heart of a human.

Yeah, who cares? People can be forgetful sometimes. Its absolutely not because Id forgotten as well

Hold up! More importantly! Youre the one who used the undyings arm! You shouldve remembered a bit!

Cancel that. This girl was a screwball who didnt even know the meaning of reflection.

Sure, I also forgot. As the owner of Immortal Righty, I admit to being a teensy bit responsible. But you know

My situation was different from yours, Mr. Shei.

What excuse are you gonna make? We both forgot in the end!

But back then, I was trying to revive Tyrs heart, and I almost died while losing my own identity. You expect me to remember some mans dirty right arm?

Well.

I even left a note, considering I might lose my memory. But what about you Mr. Shei? Didnt you keep your wits just fine?

If you have anything to say, go ahead, Mr. Shei. I think Im gonna have to weigh your conscience today. I bet itll come just around Chun-aengs weight.

She was on the hook now.

The regressor crossed her arms, putting on airs for nothing, and smoothly turned to point outside, avoiding answering.

I sealed the right arm in the laborers quarters over in that corner. Well, its not urgent, is it?

Its way late, but lets go have a look.

I went in the direction she pointed.

The laborers quarters had dozens of generic-looking doors lining the corridor. Some were broken, and others had completely fallen off, but even such traces of destruction lacked any uniqueness because they could be seen everywhere. Without senses as keen as Azzy, itd be hard to find something hidden somewhere in this place.

This way.

The regressor opened one of the doors at the end of the corridor. The moment I stepped inside, I was hit by a wave of hot air along with the pungent odor of herbs. Beyond the hazy smoke filling the room, I saw a square tank in chains, placed on a bed. I fumbled my way forward to confirm its contents.

In the tank, the undyings right arm was submerged in a boiling, transparent potion. At first glance, it resembled an ancient ritual underway.

As I turned wordlessly to face the regressor, she averted her gaze, clearly at a loss for words herself.

I pointed at the tank and began to talk.

You left it here all this time?

Mhm. I only had to remove the curse, so there was no need for anything else.

Seems like the curse is completely lifted.

Yeah Seems like it.

Why didnt you take it out?

I forgot.

Ugh, you blockhead.

What?!

Musing that the girl sure was sensitive to certain words, I set about releasing the chains wrapped around the whole tank. With each loop of the chain I freed, the undyings right arm flopped with increasing vigor.

Wait just a second, Righty. I shall set you fre

But the moment I was about to take the chain off, the right arm seized the opportunity of its loosened bindings and sprang out of the potion like a carp, smacking the bridge of my nose.

Gagh!

While I was momentarily stunned, the right arm swiftly landed on the ground and scurried away on two fingers.

Holding my smarting nose, I cried out.

Mr. Shei! Catch it!

Mm?

But the regressor had moved out of the right arms way, evading it. The arm escaped the room and started sprinting down the corridors in the blink of an eye.

I hastily got up and raised my voice resentfully.

You just let it go?!

Its a bit gross so Why though? The arm will go looking for its owner anyway. Werent you intending to bring the undying back to life?

Thats what I intended to do! Before she interfered!

Huh? What do you mean?

No time to explain! Where is Mr. Raschs body now?

In the classroom cabinet.

Whyd you put it there of all places?! That makes it look like youre trying to hide a corpse!

I immediately rushed to the classroom, while the regressor followed me cluelessly. We rushed down the corridors without pausing for breath, following the right arms fingerprints.

Upon arriving, we discovered the officer standing in front of the cabinet with a package in hand, and the right arm bouncing off the wall to fly toward the undying.

Holy crap, the arms flying.

I absentmindedly mumbled to myself: with that level of physical control, it might even pull off a triple-disc catch.

Meanwhile, the right arm stuck right to undyings shoulder and began to transfer the abundant life essence it had absorbed from the regressors special healing potion. It looked like a gigantic syringe was being injected into the undyings shoulder.

With each substantial contraction of the swollen right arm, the essence it contained flowed into the undyings body. And as the undyings flesh accepted that energy and let it course through his veins, vitality began to return to him.

Then all of a sudden, the undyings eyes snapped open.