Downstairs, on the way to Eris’ suite…


    Intricately carved marble pillars and ethereal lamps cast a soft, celestial glow. The air carries a faint fragrance of sacred incense… a lingering presence of holy sanctuary.


    Eris’ suite is the last one down the corridor – a lavish corner apartment whose exterior is opulently adorned in a manner befitting the Oracle’s esteem. I haven’t seen the inside yet, but judging by the grandeur of these surroundings… damn!


    If only the apartment complexes back in my world looked like this. Hey, a girl can dream!


    Anna and I… we’re about to meet Eris. To return the memories she once chose to forget – sealed away in that accursed Memory Crystal pulsing ominously in Anna’s grasp.


    Knowing what’s in there, we can only hope, Rinnah willing… that Eris finds closure and comfort in remembering her Manager’s sacrifice and love. That through it, she’ll break free from this hollow existence of hers and seal the hole in her heart and soul.


    It’s gonna be a lot.


    Anna and I… we gotta be there for her, as friends. It’s how we’ll pull through. Together.


    Now, here we stand at Eris’ door. My stomach twists with unease. I won’t lie – I’m worried. Stressed, even. And Anna… she’s feeling it too, no matter how hard she tries to conceal it. The dark, cold presence of the Memory Crystal clings to her like a bad omen, but she remains steadfast, as stoic as she can be in the face of the toll it’s taking.


    “Alright. You good to go?” I ask, my gaze fixed on the ornate door before us. “Once we step inside, there’s no turning back.”


    “Yes. I’m ready…” Anna replies, though her voice is quieter than usual. She clutches her cloak tighter around her shoulders. “Let’s hurry, Arisa…”


    I nod. “Of course. Hang in there while I get the door. Love ya.”


    Anna chuckles softly. “Love you too…”


    “Here, hold onto this for now,” I say, gently easing her arm from my shoulders and placing Elizabeth in her grasp. “It’ll help.”


    Wordlessly, she nods and plants Elizabeth firmly into the ground, using it as a makeshift support. The sturdy frame keeps her steady, the angelic wings at its crest faintly shimmering in response to her touch.


    “Alright, that’s enough chit-chat,” I say, stepping forward. “Let’s do this.”


    Before I can even knock, the door swings open.


    Eris stands there, a nervous yet eager smile lighting up her face. The pointed tips of her elvish ears twitch slightly – almost imperceptibly.


    Huh. Was she… waiting behind that door for us?


    “Arisa! Anna! You’re back!”


    Her teal eyes shine with anticipation as she practically bounces in place. “Umm… what did Lady Nhaka say!? Did she…? Oh! Umm…”


    Eris’ words and enthusiasm die the moment she sees Anna – the wretched, shivering state she’s in. Her expression crumbles into one of immediate concern.


    “Ah! Anna…”


    Anna musters a weak smile, nodding in silent reassurance. Instantly, Eris steps back, granting us entry. A silent invitation into her home.


    And so… it begins.


    <hr>


    Inside Eris Aintree’s suite…


    This place is nothing short of breathtaking – a vast, opulent space with high ceilings, gilded decor, and furnishings fit for royalty. Every luxury imaginable is within arm’s reach. And yet…


    Something feels… off. But why?


    I see my answer all around me – messy piles of paper covered in illegible scribbles litter the floor, tangled with broken instruments – torn strings, shattered glass… and dark wine stains bleeding into the plush carpet.


    It’s a ruin of excess… a life in disarray.


    “Sorry about the mess…” Eris murmurs, her voice barely above a whisper. “Ah. It’s… not a good look, I know…”


    She averts her gaze as she picks up a broken harp from the sofa, its delicate frame barely holding together. With little care, she tosses it aside to make room for Anna and me, settling herself in the middle.


    A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    “Last week, I… ah… I’m sorry. This isn’t proper at all!”


    “No room service in the Palace of Lights?” I ask, arching a brow at the state of the place as I help Anna onto the sofa at Eris’ left before taking my seat on her right. “I hear the maids here are pretty damn good at tidying up.”


    “I can’t let them in. Not like this, Arisa.”


    Hmm. Fucking hell. So this is how she’s been coping, shutting herself away like this? She lost her memories – painful memories, no doubt – but in losing them, she lost more than just that. Her singing voice. Her passion. Her purpose. From the looks of it… everything.


    And now I see it clearly – the strain behind her smile. It’s not the look of someone merely sad or grieving. It’s the hollow mask of someone who has forgotten why they’re alive, struggling to maintain a cheerful fa?ade.


    “I was upset with Lady Nhaka for ignoring me,” Eris says quietly, staring down at her lap. “I hated her. I hated her with everything in my heart.”


    “Don’t say that. Miss Mezalune… she wanted to protect you. Nothing more than that…” Anna’s voice is weak yet firm. “She said she needed me… to do what she can’t do for you.”


    “Is that so…?”


    “Yes.”


    Eris exhales, her fingers curling into the fabric of her stockings. “I see. Anyway… I’m ready to remember. Yes… I am.”


    Anna nods and unveils the Memory Crystal. At once, Eris hesitates. The sight of it—the dark, swirling depths – draws her in… yet repels her. And as I look at it again, I swear… it feels even colder than before.


    “These are my memories…?” Eris whispers fearfully, caught between dread and longing. “What I’ve forgotten? Ah. I…”


    She wants to look away, but she can’t. It’s as if the fragment of her past is calling to her… a siren’s song that can’t be ignored.


    “Place your hand on this Memory Crystal,” I say solemnly, my gaze fixed on the void within. “It’s what Lady Mezalune has been keeping for ya. And with it… you’ll remember, once more.”


    Her hand hovers over it, trembling. She hesitates for a moment – just a moment – but in the end… she can’t resist. These memories were hers, after all.


    And as soon as her fingertips brush against the Memory Crystal…


    “Ah!”


    The reaction is immediate. A dark pulse engulfs Eris, wrapping her in a cold embrace. She stiffens, her eyes widening as the memories rush back in an unstoppable tide. And as I glance at Anna… I see warmth return to her face, the colour no longer drained, her body no longer freezing over nor engulfed in inky shadows.


    “So this is why Mister Roland won’t speak to me anymore…” Eris utters, her voice trembling as tears well up in her eyes. “Why the Studio…”


    She doesn’t finish the sentence. Once black as the abyss, the Memory Crystal dulls to a lifeless grey, completely spent as it tumbles from her grasp to the floor.


    “They’re all dead… all because of those cultists. And I…”


    “Eris…” Anna says as she reaches out, worry etched into her features. “Please listen to me…”


    Good grief. This timeline is all kinds of fucked up. I thought we’d stop the Demon Cult. I thought that was the plan. And yet, this happened instead.


    Why? Just why? I push against the world… and it pushes back. I’m the Hero with all the strength and power to save Nisha, and still… the tears come, darkening the world despite me.


    Good grief. Is there truly no way to prevent…


    “These sins of yours. These sins of mine.”


    “Thank you for this…” Eris says, her voice flat, her tear-streaked eyes fixed on the glass shards at her feet. “It’s what I wanted. Now, please leave. I… want to be alone. Ah. I have to…”


    We don’t move. Not an inch. Anna and I remain seated beside her, forming a barrier – one that keeps her here and keeps her safe. But that’s only a temporary measure. I look into her eyes, empty yet brimming with grief… and I know.


    She’s drowning in despair, self-hatred, and guilt. And now, with the weight of the truth crashing down on her… it’s a fate worse than death. Worse than emptiness. The irony isn’t lost on her.


    And in this state, it’s only a matter of time before she’ll… y’know. We can’t leave her like this.


    “Please move aside,” Eris utters dispassionately, her tear-stricken eyes staring forlornly at the glass shards languishing on the carpet. “You’ve done enough. Please leave me be…”


    “Eris, please listen to me!” Anna exclaims, her voice urgent, her hands gripping Eris’ shoulders. “Mister Roland wanted you to be safe. He did what he had to do to save your life!”


    “You’ve seen…? You know…?”


    “Yes! Arisa and I saw what he did for you through the Memory Crystal.”


    “Ah. You did, huh? To think I repaid him by pretending it never happened, living a lie…”


    “That’s not true, Eris…”


    “It is! I have no right being here when he’s… gone. Because of me…”


    “You have to help her in her time of need, Hero. Surely there’s something you can do.”


    Yes… there is. I could use that spell – the one from the Shadow Fiend! Mind Control. It would stop her from doing anything rash. It’s some really evil shit… but I’d be using it for good.


    “Yes. Use it… and everything will be good again. As it should be.”


    That makes it okay… right? Here and now, for the greater good. To help her…


    I…


    No! I can’t. I won’t! I promised I’d trust Anna to lead the way. She’s got this – I know she does. I can’t waver. Not now. Not when it matters most.


    I trust you, Anna. Always. To these thoughts of mine… this temptation… I deny you. And I shall suffer no trespass. Not anymore!


    “You were in shock back when you chose to forget,” Anna says gently, her voice steady yet filled with compassion. She reaches for Eris’ hand, offering a reassuring squeeze to ground her in the present. “You needed time to breathe. And now that you’re ready to remember his love and sacrifice, you chose to do so on your own terms.”


    “But why me…? Why us…?” Eris asks softly, her voice barely above a whisper. “Tell me, Anna – why did the Demon Cult do this…? We’ve done them no wrong, and yet…”


    “Honestly, I don’t know. The world can be cruel. It gives and takes on a whim,” Anna says, shaking her head. “But I know this – Mister Roland gave you his love willingly! He used what remained of his life to protect you from that Cultist for a reason.”


    “Which is…?”


    “That one day… you’d smile again. He hopes that it’ll be so.”


    “You really think so…? That I can…?”


    Anna embraces her tightly, letting Eris cry against her shoulder.


    “Remembering him was the first step. It may feel impossible now, but that’s okay. Healing takes time. It may take many Seeds… many years, even. But you’ll make it one day because it’s possible. Because time is possible.”


    “Ah! Anna…”


    “May Arisa and I pray for the dead?” Anna asks gently, her smile warm yet solemn. “It’s the least we can do.”


    “I…”


    Tearfully, Eris nods. Following Anna’s lead, as her Healer… I know what I gotta do.


    And I… I’m glad I held back. I really am.


    But then… why the fuck did I even think of that at all?