"All done. Now you really should rest," Acacia said softly, finishing the last of the cleaning. She leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to his forehead before gathering the first aid kit and quietly leaving his room. Back in her room, she secured the door behind her and walked over to her bed, collapsing onto it. The illusion she maintained flickered and dissolved, revealing her true appearance.

  'I am so damn hungry,' Acacia mumbled to herself, snuggling into the soft bedding. Her eyes drifted open again, and she caught a fleeting glimpse of a small, childlike version of herself playing near the foot of the bed. She blinked, and when she opened her eyes again, the miniature figure was gone.

  'Are you satisfied?' Daemonis's voice echoed in her mind.

  'If you're referring to that man?' Acacia replied, her thoughts heavy. 'There was a fleeting moment of satisfaction, a brief flicker of vengeance fulfilled, before... nothing. It felt good to avenge them, yes, but it was too easy, requiring so little of me. I don't want the same hollow feeling when it comes to Lucian. But he is far stronger, a true challenge. At least I can be assured that when I finally destroy him, my satisfaction will be immense.'

  'Interesting. And what about your little pet?' Daemonis inquired, a hint of amusement in its tone.

  'You're the one who insisted I keep him!' Acacia retorted mentally. 'I'd much rather just kill the thing. How am I supposed to handle something so potentially destructive if it's already a nuisance now?'

  'You should learn the value of keeping useful things close,' Daemonis countered. 'Why discard a potentially valuable weapon? Plus, it might be a beneficial experience for you.'

  'Whatever,' Acacia sighed inwardly, dismissing the topic of Behemoth.

  'By the way, your powers are surging again. You should be mindful of your reactions,' Daemonis warned in her mind.

  'Just perfect,' Acacia thought with a touch of bitter irony. 'Now I can't even show my emotions freely. Is there any way to suppress it? I don't trust myself not to react explosively to something.' She paused, a troubled silence filling her thoughts.

  'No,' Daemonis replied flatly. 'Your mana is intrinsically linked to your emotions. You need to either learn to master your feelings or become powerful enough that the surges of mana caused by them are manageable. Especially your anger and sadness, those two emotions are the strongest catalysts for your abilities.'

  'Now that I think about it, it doesn't react when I'm happy, annoyed or disgusted...'

  'You are still growing, it will react to those emotions one day.'

  Acacia remained silent, a weariness settling over her. She simply relaxed on the bed, burrowing into the softness of the covers for a brief moment before sleep claimed her. In the realm of slumber, her mind drifted to a distant time, a long-buried memory surfacing. She saw her mother, her face etched with sorrow, her hands gripping Acacia's shoulders tightly.

  "Please..." Odette sobbed, her voice thick with despair. "...any ability will do. Just have something... anything. I wish you had your father's eyes and not mine... I wish you acted like your father and not him... even though you are your father's biological daughter. It feels like the gods themselves are mocking me with your very existence." The distraught expression on her mother's face blurred, and the memory dissolved into the darkness of sleep.

  Behemoth suddenly emitted a sharp hiss, its tiny body tensing at the appearance of a shadowy figure that slowly reached out and tapped Acacia's forehead. The deep frown etched on her sleeping face softened, her brow smoothing out. The dark figure then gently tapped Behemoth's head, and the little reptile instantly went limp, falling into a peaceful slumber. "Sleep well... little butterfly," the figure whispered, its voice like the rustling of dry leaves, before fading away into the shadows as if it had never been there at all.

  A touch of fatigue clung to her as the new day dawned. Stretching languidly, Acacia sat up, feeling Behemoth's familiar weight around her neck. A soft hiss and the feel of his small body shifting reminded her he was awake too. She carefully detached him, a neutral expression on her face as he seemed to yawn, before returning him to his perch. She got off her bed and headed for the bathroom. The cool spray of a quick shower washed away the last vestiges of sleep, and she dressed in a simple white dress, the shift to Erla's guise seamless and Behemoth turned into a necklace. Reaching out with her senses, she found the butterfly in Elric's room, but the space was vacant, the bed untouched. A faint, fading echo of their connection reached her, and with a decisive snap of her fingers, she broke it. It lasted long enough, she thought, a hint of finality in the silent words. Elric was on the couch as she stepped out, his eyes lifting to hers.

  "Morning," he said, the single word weighted with a low tone.

  "Good morning," she offered softly, studying his expression. "How are you feeling?"

  A pause, then his voice, heavy with something she couldn't quite place. "...there are knives...in the bathroom. On the floor. I... I used them on someone."

  Her eyes widened slightly. "...knives? You... you fought with someone? Was that why you were acting so strangely?"

  "Did you..." Elric began, pausing, his gaze distant for a moment before snapping back, his hands now a rigid knot. "Have you ever... felt like things weren't quite right? Like you perceived things... sensations... that no one else did?"

  'Yes.'

  "No," Acacia stated, a slight edge of confusion in her tone. "I don't understand. See what things?"

  "I... I don't know," Elric murmured, the words barely audible. "Maybe... maybe it's because of the orb..."

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  A bright smile bloomed on Acacia's face, a contrast to his troubled tone. "How about we have breakfast outside today? Some fresh air will do us both good." She reached for his hand, her touch warm and firm. He rose instantly, his gaze still clouded, allowing her to gently guide him out of the apartment.

  "Yes..." he agreed quietly, the single word carrying a hint of resignation, as they stepped into the hallway and walked towards the elevator.

  The scan was routine, and the elevator descended without incident. As they stepped out, the undercurrent of conversation was palpable, people discussing yesterday's events, and Elric felt a knot of unease tightening in his stomach.

  Acacia's hand remained a steady anchor as they entered the courtyard. Without warning, a man lunged in front of them, his face a mask of outrage as he pointed a shaking finger at Elric.

  "Where the hell were you yesterday? You just abandoned everyone! And what kind of monster smiles when people are lying sick from poison?" The man's hand clamped onto Elric's collar, yanking him forward slightly, his breath hot with fury.

  "What are you talking about?" Elric stammered, his confusion turning to alarm as his brows knitted together.

  "Don't you dare pretend! I saw you! I saw you leaving the restaurant with a sickeningly pleased look on your face, as if nothing was wrong!"

  'Smiling? Did I... was I smiling then?' A flicker of uncertainty crossed Acacia's mind as she searched her memory.

  Without hesitation, she reached out and smoothly detached the man's hand from Elric's collar. "Please stop this," she stated, her gaze steady. "You're making unfounded accusations. It's easy to misread someone's face in such a chaotic situation. You shouldn't be confronting him like this."

  "But I saw him—" the man sputtered, his agitation still high.

  "Enough." Barachiel's voice, sharp and commanding, echoed through the courtyard as he approached. The man's jaw snapped shut, his eyes flicking towards Barachiel with a hint of fear.

  A quick glance at Barachiel, then back at the retreating figure. 'Right, he was one of those people that invited me to the restaurant yesterday,' Acacia recalled, a faint frown creasing her brow as she noted his lingering animosity.

  Barachiel's voice was firm but held a note of something unreadable as he addressed Elric. "Elric, I need to speak with you. And what happened to your face?"

  "I... I don't recall," Elric mumbled, his gaze fixed on the ground.

  Barachiel's eyes lingered on the mark on Elric's face for a moment, his expression thoughtful, before he turned. "Follow me, please."

  "Yes, sir," Elric replied quietly, falling into step behind Barachiel. The other man gave a short, derisive laugh before turning and walking away.

  "You too, come along." Barachiel's command included Acacia with a brief glance back. A flicker of curiosity crossed her features, her head tilting almost imperceptibly before a confident smile bloomed.

  "Alright."

  She stepped closer to Elric, her hand finding him, a subtle gesture of reassurance as they both fell into step behind Barachiel.

  Barachiel led them into the restaurant, the silence within a heavy shroud compared to the vibrant chaos of the previous day. Empty tables and overturned chairs served as stark reminders. He settled at a central table, gesturing for them to join him. They sat, their eyes fixed on him, the quiet amplifying Elric's palpable nervousness.

  "I'm assisting with the investigation," Barachiel began, his voice calm but direct. "Cerais is pursuing other leads to expedite things. Now, Elric, you attended the meeting yesterday and then came directly here, is that correct?"

  "I..." Elric started, his throat seeming to tighten. His gaze darted around the room as if searching for an escape.

  "You did, didn't you?" Acacia offered a reassuring smile, catching his eye. He took a slow, deliberate breath and nodded.

  "Yes. Yes, I did."

  Barachiel was silent for a moment, his gaze steady, before clearing his throat. "And you also requested some guards to assist with the poisoning incident. Is that accurate?"

  "Oh, he did? That's wonderful, Elric! Why didn't you mention that?" Acacia exclaimed.

  "I... yes, I wanted to help," Elric mumbled, shifting in his chair, his gaze darting nervously.

  Barachiel's voice was sharp."Someone broke in, abducted a beast-man, and threw him from the roof. Did you witness anything?"

  "No... I... I don't believe I saw anything like that," Elric replied, his eyes widening slightly in what seemed like genuine shock or perhaps feigned surprise.

  "Are you certain, Elric? Try to recall carefully," Acacia urged softly, a note of worry in her voice as she watched his distress.

  "Fine," Elric said, taking a shaky breath. "Tell me... tell me everything that happened yesterday."

  "Well, I received a message about the meeting... then..." He stammered, shaking his head as if trying to clear his thoughts. "No, first... I went to the meeting."

  "Easy, Elric," Acacia murmured, gently rubbing his back in a soothing motion.

  "Attacked by whom?" Barachiel pressed, his gaze unwavering, but Elric's eyes held a lost, unfocused quality.

  "With all due respect, sir," Acacia began, her gaze unwavering as she looked at Barachiel, "while the situation is critical, Elric is clearly not in a condition to provide reliable information. I will relay everything I know."

  Barachiel turned his attention fully to Acacia, his demeanour sharp. "Explain his current state."

  "He was gone for a meeting this morning, returning hours later with a severely injured face and speaking nonsensically about something I couldn't grasp," Acacia explained, her concern evident. "He became erratic, almost aggressive, and in self-defence, I struck him on the head with a kitchen spoon. He immediately lost consciousness and now struggles with significant memory loss."

  Barachiel's brow furrowed slightly. "It seems unlikely that a simple blow from a kitchen utensil would have such an effect on a healthy individual. Are you certain you have no prior fighting experience, or perhaps an inherent ability you're unaware of?"

  "I assure you, I have no such background or talents," Acacia stated firmly. "His collapse was unexpected. It's possible that the altercation he was in before returning had already pushed him to his physical limit, and my action, however unintentional, was the final blow." She offered a small, almost bewildered shrug.

  "Elric," Barachiel said, his voice firm but tinged with frustration as he rubbed his temple. "We need your memories. Any detail, no matter how small, could be vital. Please, try to remember anything at all."

  Elric's head snapped up, his eyes locking onto Barachiel with a sudden flicker of clarity. "You... you were there... you attacked me... in the kitchen."

  Barachiel's frown deepened, and his gaze flicked to Acacia, sharp with suspicion. "Where were you when this alleged attack occurred? And why do all these incidents coincide so precisely with your arrival here?"

  Acacia's brow arched, her gaze hardening slightly. "Are you accusing me of something?"

  Barachiel leaned forward slightly. "The pieces aren't fitting. Your appearance matches the description of the woman who intervened at the bathroom door. Then, you vanished inexplicably just before Elric was seen leaving the restaurant. Later, he's found elsewhere, claiming an attack and bleeding, yet now claims no memory. And now, he's accusing me? Why were you present at so many key moments?"

  "I wasn't there," Acacia repeated, her expression firm. "Maybe it was someone who looked like me, someone else with blonde hair?"

  Barachiel's scepticism is palpable. "But if it were an imposter, why did they choose to impersonate you and Elric specifically? It's illogical. And frankly," he added, his eyes narrowed on Acacia, "I don't trust you at all."

  "Enough!" Elric snapped, his voice shaking with anger. "I said she was there, and she helped me! The real enemy is the one who attacked me, twisting everything! If Erla was against me, I wouldn't be standing here! Stop acting so superior just because people treat you with some deference!"