Chapter 82: - Eraser of the Mind

༺ Eraser of the Mind ༻

Regardless of circumstances, an unmarried man and woman could never share a room overnight. For Tyrkanzyaka, this was unquestionable common sense.

Tyrkanzyaka escorted her benefactor to his room and helped him settle on the bed. Unable to undress him herself, she had no choice but to let him sleep in his clothes, despite the discomfort it caused. Perhaps due to accumulated fatigue over the past three days, he immediately dozed off as soon as his head touched the pillow.

After quietly draping a blanket over him, Tyrkanzyaka positioned herself outside his room. Seated on her coffin with a parasol over her shoulder, she spent the night with the sound of his breathing as ambiance.

Sometime later, just before daylight arrived, Azzy the Dog King made an appearance, trotting lightly over from a distant corridor. Tyrkanzyaka's grip on the parasol tightened nervously for a second, however...

"Woof?"

Azzy merely cast a puzzled look even after spotting Tyrkanzyaka. This reminded her of what she had regained, filling her with a subtle sense of wonder. The Dog King didn't bark, that was all, yet even something so trivial brought her joy. Such a small event could prompt the recognition of her rekindled emotions.

"She really does not bark..."

Azzy spoke to Tyrkanzyaka, who was blocking the door.

"Woof! It's morning! Gotta wake him up!"

"Wait. I shall wake—"

"Woof! Woof!"

As Tyrkanzyaka opened the door, Azzy shot through the gap like an arrow and began to run around barking wildly. Startled, Tyrkanzyaka followed her inside.

Azzy was noisy. Enough to rouse even someone who had lost their memory. The fake warden sat up, slow as a mummy. Despite getting some sleep in, he still had that vacant, glazed look about him.

"Are you awake?"

Tyrkanzyaka spoke to him as she did yesterday, not expecting a reply. She simply wanted to create a sense of normalcy for him.

But at that moment...

"Hel...lo..."

The voice from the bed shocked Tyrkanzyaka to the core.

"Shei! Shei!"

Tyrkanzyaka settled her benefactor on the coffin and flew off straight to where Shei was staying. When Shei opened the door, rubbing her eyes, Tyrkanzyaka showed the absentminded man to her, exclaiming.

"He seems to have regained his memories!"

"Huh?"

"This morning, he greeted me as soon as he woke up. I am certain his memories are coming back!"

Tyrkanzyaka's voice still carried the excitement from moments ago. In contrast, Shei's reaction was tepid.

"Well, from what I can see, he's still a way off from that. Look at that lifeless face. He's a completely different person from his usual self."

"But is he not better than yesterday? Yesterday, he could barely follow my instructions, but today he even spoke directly. He must be remembering how to speak!"

Eyeing the enthused vampire, Shei hesitated for a moment. She knew that the truth would be disappointing, but she didn't know how to weave pleasant lies. Plus, it wasn't in her nature.

"The way he lost his memories isn't like how information is lost. Knowledge, language, and the like are still in his head. He's just lost the sense of self to connect and retrieve those things."

The benefactor didn't even seem aware that they were talking about him. Despite listening, he merely zoned out on the coffin. Shei quietly remarked on his behavior.

"See, he's not showing any particular response. He probably doesn't even know who he is right now."

"However, there is a slight difference. Look."

Tyrkanzyaka approached the fake warden swiftly. Sitting there in a daze, he only reacted when she drew near. She tapped his shoulder lightly and whispered to him, pointing at Shei.

"Now, see him? Try giving a greeting to Shei."

There he sat, like a spaced-out baby, while Tyrkanzyaka cared for him attentively.

Shei muttered inwardly at the sight.

'Agh, feels like my brain's getting scrambled.'

At first glance, they appeared to be a fully grown man and a girl, yet the girl tended to him as if she were his mother. Moreover, it was just days ago when the man was acting as a warden of the Military State, exuding an air of suspicion with a wily smile on his face. He always kept Shei on edge, yet now he was sitting all innocent, basking in Tyrkanzyaka's coddling.

Shei felt like she was about to lose it.

'I do understand Tyrkanzyaka's feelings. It looks like something happened to him while fixing her heart, and that's what's making her feel so responsible.'

Understanding aside, Shei still couldn't relax. That man could get a read on anything without lifting a finger, and even toy with others using a note. He was the mastermind-type that Shei loathed the most.

But it would have been better if he were only like a mastermind. Ever since he so easily repaired the Progenitor's heart, Shei couldn't even grasp his true intentions. The man was something that bordered on chaos, not just black nor completely white.

'Is, is he really not acting? I guess there's no real reason to but...'

He was the type of person to casually engage in madness, even without any reason. Shei wanted to dismiss her suspicions, but they lingered in the depths of her mind like a stubborn stain.

But just as she shot a glare at him, he made a move.

"Greet... ings."

Understanding Tyrkanzyaka's words, he timidly gave a nod to Shei.

"H-hello..."

Even that attitude he was showing aroused suspicion. Shei blamed his general demeanor.

She waved her hand dismissively.

"This is meaningless. Anyone can still say hello, even if they've lost their—"

"...unni."

"?!?!"

Shei's arms erupted in goosebumps as a chill ran through her whole body. Mind growing faint as physiological revulsion washed over her, she let loose a frantic scream.

"W-wa-wh-wah-what the heck?! You must mean noona!"

Tyrkanzyaka interjected.

"Shei, would not 'hyung' be correct?"

"Oh, yes, hyung. No, but. I'm well. Younger. Anyway! Hold on! Nobody move!"

When faced with sudden confusion, Shei had a single response: she would seize the floating Chun-aeng by her side and summon a gust of wind. Whoosh. An intricate current of pressurized air blasted out from Shei, spreading in all directions and passing through the narrow opening of the door, creating a sound akin to a beast's roar.

"What the devil has gotten into you?"

Tyrkanzyaka had lowered her parasol to shield herself from the wind. She furrowed her brow and looked behind her. Luckily, her intervention had prevented her benefactor from toppling over.

Shei fidgeted with her beloved sword, regaining her composure.

"Whew. Just wanted to cool my head for a moment."

"Another cooling might just uproot the prison itself. Be careful. In any case, do you understand now? Why I said it was different?"

"Yeah. I do get it..."

The term "unni" is used by women to address other older women, but it requires the ability to objectively gauge personal distance.

In other words, this meant the man retained a certain level of self-awareness and the ability to perceive others...

"But why 'unni' of all things?! It's completely the other way round!"

'Why is that scoundrel mistaking himself for a woman!'

The remark was directed at the man, but Tyrkanzyaka interpreted it the opposite way. She cupped her chin and scrutinized Shei from head to toe.

"Hmm. You are rather pretty-looking. Enough that it would not be strange to mistake you for a woman... a woman...?"

Tyrkanzyaka suddenly trailed off, brow furrowing. She repeatedly glanced back and forth between Shei and the man with a serious look, sighing worriedly. Then she approached him and began explaining in a hushed tone.

"Do not be confused. Shei may have a petite frame, slender limbs, and a pretty face, but he is undoubtedly a man. A true and indisputable man."

"A... man?"

"Yes. He is a man, be sure to remember that. Not an unni, and certainly not a noona. Mistaking that would be a grave offense."

Her words carried a sense of wariness rather than just the intent of correcting a misunderstanding. Shei felt an inexplicable emotion as she observed Tyrkanzyaka giving her the side-eye.

'She seemed off yesterday too... No way, it can't be. Did he seriously melt her frozen heart? Have my suspicions become reality?'

But as Shei pondered, she very belatedly realized something strange. As Tyrkanzyaka pointed out, Shei was—disguised as—a man. She did so with the help of an artifact, which functioned well even without much attention from her.

However, the man had addressed Shei as "sister". Unni. A term that implies the speaker recognizes the other person as a woman.

'Wait. He saw through Agartha's mask? How?'

In an instant, a new doubt surfaced. Could he have seen through her disguise from the very beginning?

But Shei quickly dismissed the suspicion.

'That's impossible. Agartha's Mask definitely works well enough that Tyrkanzyaka and other people still believe I'm a man. Besides, it'd be odd to reveal it now if he saw through my disguise.'

Then how?

Shei quickly formed a rational hypothesis.

'That's it. My artifact has the ability to determine first impressions. First impressions are crucial factors that influence subsequent encounters... but the artifact's influence is limited to first encounters. It won't work on those who have already met me.'

This meant one thing. It wasn't his first time seeing her, but he no longer had any lingering first impressions. In other words, his memory loss was genuine.

'It really seems like he's forgotten. I can stop doubting... Actually, maybe this could be a chance to naturally set the record straight...'

Although Shei had crossdressed in order to infiltrate the abyss and kept up the appearance as a precaution... surprisingly, she wasn't fixated on her disguise. It was to the point that she often forgot about the pretense herself.

Rather than keeping up the disguise, she reckoned it might be better to address the misunderstandings, late as it was, and establish a comfortable relationship. However, she had no intention of forcibly revealing her gender by undressing or the like.

Given the circumstances, if Shei could subtly plant the perception that she might be a woman...

"A... man."

"Yes. A man. Memorized it?"

He gave a big nod at Tyrkanzyaka's question and added a quiet remark.

"No wonder, it felt ambigayus."

No wonder. Ambiguous. Unspoken but evident, Shei could hear the unuttered words lingering in the air: he struggled to determine whether she was even a woman. Without the influence of Agartha's Mask to boot...

Shei's temples throbbed with anger as she pointed a menacing finger at him.

"Oi. C'mere for a sec. You do remember, don't you!?"

His instinctual alarm came before his conscious thoughts. The fake warden hid behind Tyrkanzyaka in fright. In response, the latter put on a compassionate smile and soothed him, then turned to scold Shei.

"Shei, do not intimidate him so. Do you not see he is afraid?"

"But isn't it suspicious? Just listen to the way he talks! He's being passive-aggressive!"

"It is true that you appear ambiguous. You have such a delicate frame for a man that even I have been confused at times."

"Is confusion all there is?!"

'Hang on. Ambiguous... didn't that ass say it differently just now?!'

As Shei glared, Tyrkanzyaka moved closer to the fake warden, shielding him. Her parasol hid his face.

"It may have been different before, but now that he has lost his memory while trying to help me, he is no different from a clueless child. How can you blame him?"

"Confusing my gender is already suspicious enough, but it's outright ridiculous that he sees himself as a woman! There's absolutely no reason for that! Oi! Talk straight. You didn't lose your memory, did you?! Aren't you just secretly laughing inside?!"

"Resorting to slander now? Such a narrow mind for a man. You go too far, no?"

Due to Tyrkanzyaka's persistent defense, Shei could only seethe in anger, unable to lift a hand. However, her intense glare made the fake warden cower behind Tyrkanzyaka's back.

And Tyrkanzyaka secretly enjoyed this. It was partly why she didn't bother to berate Shei. Feeling the fake warden's grip on the back of her collar, Tyrkanzyaka comforted him again.

"Worry not. Did I not promise to take responsibility for you?"

"I, thank...you. Uh..."

As he trailed off, Tyrkanzyaka continued gently.

"I told you earlier, call me Tyr. Go on."

"Okay, Tyr."

"Yes, good boy."

Shei could only gape, dumbfounded.

'I wasn't going to attack anyway! Don't go casting me as a villain!'

The situation was becoming increasingly absurd. Doubts started to creep in, despite Shei's reluctance. If the man was pretending to have lost his sense of self, that alone would be astonishing. But it would still be remarkable if he was genuinely suffering from amnesia. How could someone behave so suspiciously in such a state?

Shei gnashed her teeth for a while, until suddenly, a brilliant idea dawned on her.

"Wait. Why didn't I think of this before?"

If he genuinely had amnesia, he would truthfully answer any questions asked. If he was pretending, then he would dodge difficult questions with vague answers.

'If it's the former, I can uncover his hidden information, and if it's the latter, I get to see through his charade. It's an opportunity!'

Having nothing to lose, Shei eagerly proclaimed her plan.

"Tyrkanzyaka, now's the time. Now is our chance to extract information from him!"

Shei didn't expect Tyrkanzyaka to immediately agree, but she was confident in her persuasive skills.

As expected, Tyrkanzyaka showed an immediate negative reaction.

"Information? Do you mean to interrogate someone who has lost their memory? What more do you mean to pry? Absolutely n—"

"His name, rank, or how he ended up here and his abilities—anything like that! If we lose this opportunity, there won't be another!"

Shei interjected with a subtle proposal, smiling gleefully. She hoped to pique Tyrkanzyaka's curiosity.

"How about it?"

Tyrkanzyaka halted her vehement opposition.

"His name, you say."

Murmuring softly, Tyrkanzyaka glanced at the man with a mix of curiosity and guilt. She closed her eyes slightly and took a step back, passively expressing agreement.

"...If I am to continue looking after him, I suppose I should know at least something. Such as his name. Mhm."

The wall protecting the man was gone. He stared plainly at Tyr, but she merely averted her gaze.

E/N: Noona is used by males to address an older female. Unni is used by females to address an older female. Hyung is used by males to address an older male. All commonly used in K-Dramas but this could be new information to readers who aren't too familiar with Korean culture. This is the reason for Shei's confusion since MC addressed her as unni, used by females to address older females.