When Bologue’s vision returned to normal, he was already back inside the Undying Club, with Serey’s heart-shaped breakfast and a glass of orange juice placed in front of him.
Bologue frowned, every time he woke up he would see Serey’s tired appearance, and seeing it too much made him somewhat uncomfortable.
Then Bologue felt a bit distressed, and in the bitterness, he actually wanted to laugh, and eventually his expression got out of control, and he covered his face.
"What are you doing?"
Serey scrutinized Bologue’s strange reaction, whenever this brute laughed, it usually wasn’t a good thing.
"Ah... how should I put it?"
Bologue looked troubled, took a sip of the orange juice, and then fell silent again.
Aimou finally opened her heart, confiding her pain and her desires to him, venting out these pent-up emotions.
Bologue understood that Aimou still harbored an indefinable wariness towards everyone, and the only reason she could tell him these things was that after each Time Reversal, he’d forget it all.
Aimou sees Bologue as an empty vessel who remembers nothing, but what she doesn’t know is that this vessel is not as simple as it seems. In this crazy Time Reversal, Bologue, like Aimou, can retain his memories in the torrents of time.
God, this feels terrible, Bologue was about to lose control and burst into laughter.
If Aimou knew he could retain memories in Time Reversal, she’d probably go mad.
Her wishes and vulnerabilities are all laid bare before him, just like a childhood diary being loudly read in public after many years.
And what’s worse is that in such an important and serious time, Bologue finds a twisted pleasure in it.
Bologue murmured, "Serey, I’m gradually understanding what twisted pleasure is."
Serey looked at him suspiciously, unable to comprehend what Bologue was saying, but anyway, he didn’t care, now Serey just wanted to sleep properly.
Bologue left the Undying Club and came to the parking lot outside the Order Bureau, turning the key to start the car.
A few minutes later, Lebius opened the rear car door, placed a few suitcases inside, and then sat in the front passenger seat, buckling his seatbelt with no expression.
"I know what Aimou’s wish is. She couldn’t get Teda’s love and recognition, so she was disheartened and wanted to give it all up, to become human, escape the shackles, and start a new life."
"To transform into a human?" Lebius thought for a moment, "It’s not unusual for an Alchemy Puppet to have such a wish."
Lebius has dealt with many similar incidents and has some experience in this area, "These beings created by Alchemists often face such identity crises."
"They possess the same consciousness as humans but become entirely different existences due to the constraints of their shells.
The split in their consciousness gradually becomes severe, and they doubt their place in the world, extremely lacking in a sense of identity..."
"Like a reclusive and eccentric child," Bologue said softly, "such things happen often, don’t they? The children who recognize each other play together, while the most bizarre child hides in a corner, all alone."
"What do you plan to do in this Time Reversal?" Lebius asked about Bologue’s plan.
Bologue’s voice was mixed with anger, "I’m going to save Aimou, she’s like a child who hasn’t been educated and doesn’t know how to handle her issues except by using the most extreme means, damn it, Teda, as her guardian, is also extreme!"
"Most importantly... she’s a member of our team!"
Lebius looked at Bologue confused, his mind was a bit stuck for a moment, "I remember we didn’t recruit Aimou."
There are only a few members in the Special Operations Group, Lebius doesn’t remember when there was an addition of Aimou.
"I know, but I recruited Aimou, I know I don’t have the authority, but there’s always some internal referral, right?"
Bologue gave Lebius a thumbs-up, "Though she’s just a reserve member, I think you’ll like her!"
"Previously, I didn’t know what she wanted to do, so I was at a loss, but now it’s different, I feel I have the ability to persuade her."
Maybe talking to Lebius diverted his attention, this time Bologue drove without as much irritation, but the speed was still fast.
"She wants to transform into a human through a Fantasy Species, but looking at her actions, it doesn’t seem like she’s capable of succeeding."
"You mean..." Lebius realized something.
"When even a Fantasy Species can’t redeem Aimou, what do you think her options remain?" Bologue’s voice turned severe, "This is a trap, a trap Aimou can’t refuse."
"I guess that Devil is watching all this from somewhere, letting out harsh laughter at our foolish actions. I know these bastards too well."
Lebius didn’t speak, he glanced at the rear-view mirror of the car, where Lebius’ cold face was reflected.
The car rolled over gravel, with a slight tremor, the rear-view mirror shook, and for a moment Lebius saw another blurred figure.
He was wearing pajamas, holding popcorn, watching everyone like an audience in a theater.
"You’re right," Lebius said in a low voice, looking at the empty back seat, "They’re watching all of this."
"And what about you? What are you planning to do, Captain?"
Normally, Bologue likes to call Lebius boss since he is indeed his boss, but when at work, to emphasize professionalism, he prefers to call Lebius captain.
Lebius said, "Going to delve deeper into the Alchemy Workshop. In the last Time Reversal, the Immortal Heart went out of control, with flesh covering the cliffs, spreading towards the surrounding buildings.
The King’s Shield Guard’s primary objective is the Immortal Heart, and we need to stop them, not letting them get the Immortal Heart."
"Split up? Seems like I need to find a way to buy you some time then."
Bologue drove onto the straight road, floored the gas as if a rocket launched, breaking through one red light after another.
If Lebius went to explore the Alchemy Workshop, no one would be there to aid him against Hood and the others regarding Aimou, which for Bologue, was quite a pressure.
"No, I’ll first help you deal with them and then leave," Lebius said. Official source is novel{f}ire.net
Bologue turned to look at him, "Are you sure? Will you make it in time?"
"No problem. In the last Time Reversal, I fully understood their Secret Energy. In this Time Reversal, they can’t stop me."
Lebius’s voice was full of confidence as if it was some iron-clad fact, indubitable.
An ethereal blue light floated and swayed over his body, Lebius continued speaking.
"Besides, I need some people to form a wolf pack."
Bologue looked at the road conditions, thinking carefully that he knew very little about Lebius, not even aware of the kind of Secret Energy Lebius possessed.
But such things were no longer important, since Lebius said so, all he needed to do was trust him.
"Alright, then let’s do it again!"
Bologue adjusted his posture, focusing his entire being and becoming engaged.
Accompanied by cheers, a familiar scene replayed as Bologue kicked open the car door, the ground rose into a launching platform, and azure arrows crashed into the thick fog of the Great Rift.