Chapter 228 Trials of the Forgotten Minds [2]

Chapter 228 Trials of the Forgotten Minds [2]

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.

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."