“Thank you. I am proud to have received your assistance, as well."
Embarrassed by her words, Yutra chucked. He remained silent for a short while, and then said suddenly:
“Actually... you probably don't remember... but we've met once before — a long time ago, when you were only a Master. The famous Lady Cassia! For me, it was very memorable. So that was why, while working at the facility... well, I felt like fate brought me there. Uh. What I mean to say is..."
Cassie tilted her head, listening to him silently.
‘...We've met before?’
She had delved into Yutra's memories many times, but never into his memories before the fall of the Sovereigns. There was simply no reason to, since he had only learned the name of Asterion later.
For him, meeting a member of Changing Star's cohort had been a memorable experience. He was also under the impression that Cassie would not have remembered him, in turn...
But Yutra was wrong.
Cassie never forgot anything. Her memory had always been good, and as she climbed the Path of Ascension, it came to a point where she was incapable of forgetting a single thing.
‘Why don't I remember meeting Yutra before the Chain of Nightmares?'
Her expression changed subtly.
“Awakened Yutra..."
He fell silent.
"Yes, ma'am?"
Raising an arm, Cassie pulled down her blindfold.
"Would you do me a favor? Can you please look me in the eye?"
He seemed startled.
"What? Oh... of course."
Then, as the gaping wound in the place where her left eye had been revealed itself, Yutra gasped.
"Lady Cassia! Your... eye..."
His voice faltered, and then fell into silence. Bewitched by her gaze, Yutra grew still.
At the same time, unbearable pain pierced Cassie's mind, and drops of blood trickled down her face.
Enduring the pain, she dove into Yutra's memories.
Past the quarantine facility. Past Godgrave. Past the years that stretched toward the Chain of Nightmares. And past the Chain of Nightmares, as well...
Finally, she found it. The day the two of them had met.
In that memory, Yutra was standing in line at a cafe. Bored, he turned around and noticed a petite, stunningly beautiful young woman standing behind him.
He stared at her for a few moments, dazed, and then suddenly flinched.
His heart raced.
“Excuse me... aren't you Lady Cassia? Song of the Fallen?"
The young woman smiled gracefully.
"Yes. Nice to meet you."
Yutra's mouth hung open.
It was Song of the Fallen! The famous Master and the idol of both women and men. There were movies filmed about her life!
The actress who played Lady Cassia was exceptionally lovely, but she could not even compare to the real thing.
Were all Masters so... so...
‘My wife won't believe me!'
He tried to pretend to be composed.
‘Behave yourself, you fool!'
"Wow! It's an honor to meet you, Master Cassia. I can't believe that I just ran into a celebrity. My wife won't believe me."
Yutra coughed.
“Oh, my name is Yutra. Awakened Yutra. Actually, my wife and I went to see your movie on one of our first real dates..."
Lady Cassia chuckled.
Her quiet laughter was incredibly pleasant to the ear.
“Well, I'm glad to know that it worked out for you."
Her voice was, too.
Lady Cassia exhaled slowly, and her expression seemed to change subtly. Yutra was too mesmerized to notice.
"Actually, I've been thinking..."
He held his breath.
"Yes?"
She lingered for a moment, and then said:
"How does one defeat an idea that spreads like a plague?"
Yutra blinked a couple of times.
‘Huh?’
What had she said?
"Oh... is it like a puzzle? I don't know. What's the answer?"
Facing him, Lady Cassia smiled faintly. When she spoke, her clear voice was like an enchanting melody:
"...The answer is oblivion."