Chapter 111: The Lesson of Love

Dillan stared through the window.

The silhouette was gone.

Nothing remained outside except the quiet street.

Yet Aurelia's words remained.

"The person who taught Sasha how to love you."

Dillan slowly turned around.

"…What does that mean?"

Aurelia didn't answer.

"Dillan…"

"No."

His voice was calm.

Too calm.

"Everyone keeps telling me not to ask."

He stood.

"But nobody tells me why."

Aurelia looked at him.

"Because you're not ready."

Dillan laughed quietly.

"That's becoming a very popular excuse."

Dana folded her arms.

"Maybe because you're acting like a detective in a murder mystery."

Dillan looked at her.

"Maybe I am."

Dana's expression changed.

Aurelia immediately interrupted.

"Enough."

Both looked at her.

Aurelia took a breath.

"There are things about your childhood that I can explain."

"Then explain them."

"But not here."

"Why?"

Aurelia looked toward the window.

"Because we're being watched."

Silence.

Dana immediately looked outside.

"By who?"

Aurelia shook her head.

"I don't know."

Dillan's System appeared.

[EXTERNAL OBSERVATION DETECTED.]

[OBSERVER: UNKNOWN.]

[DISTANCE: 183 METERS.]

Dillan's eyes narrowed.

"…You're right."

Dana stared at him.

"You're telling me there's actually someone watching us?"

Dillan nodded.

"Yes."

Dana immediately grabbed a weapon.

"Finally. Something normal."

Dillan looked at her.

"…How is that normal?"

"For us?"

She shrugged.

"Pretty normal."

The Rooftop

Twenty minutes later, Dillan stood on the roof.

The city stretched beneath him.

Lights flickered across the streets.

He activated the System.

[OBSERVER TRACE.]

[SIGNATURE DETECTED.]

[TRACKING…]

[TRACKING…]

[SIGNATURE LOST.]

Dillan frowned.

"You've got to be kidding me."

A voice came from behind him.

"You're getting better."

Dillan spun around.

Lyra stood near the stairwell.

"…How long have you been there?"

"Long enough."

"Did you know someone was watching?"

"Yes."

Dillan stared at her.

"Of course you did."

Lyra walked toward him.

"You shouldn't chase them."

"Why?"

"Because they want you to."

Dillan looked at the city.

"Then what do they want?"

Lyra stopped beside him.

"Your attention."

"That's it?"

"No."

She looked at him.

"Your memories."

Dillan's expression hardened.

"You know something."

Lyra remained silent.

"Lyria."

Her eyes narrowed slightly.

"You've never called me that."

Dillan paused.

"Sorry."

Lyra looked away.

"Don't apologize."

She leaned against the railing.

"You're remembering things too quickly."

"Everyone keeps saying that."

"Because it's true."

Dillan looked at her.

"What happened when I was a child?"

Lyra didn't answer.

Instead, she asked:

"Do you remember what Sasha said?"

Dillan frowned.

"Which part?"

"When you woke up."

He thought.

Then remembered.

Sasha had been holding his hand.

She had looked terrified.

And she had said:

"I thought she was gone."

Dillan's eyes widened.

"…She wasn't talking about the fourth child."

Lyra said nothing.

"She was talking about someone else."

Still nothing.

Dillan's voice lowered.

"Who?"

Lyra finally looked at him.

"Someone Sasha loved."

Dillan froze.

"…Loved?"

"Yes."

"Who?"

Lyra's expression became unreadable.

"You."

Dillan blinked.

"That's obvious."

"No."

Lyra shook her head.

"I mean someone Sasha loved because of you."

Dillan didn't understand.

Lyra continued.

"Before Sasha became obsessed with you…"

She paused.

"…someone taught her that love meant never letting go."

The Memory

Dillan's vision suddenly blurred.

He grabbed the railing.

Lyra immediately stepped forward.

"Dillan?"

"I'm fine."

"No, you're not."

A memory appeared.

A small room.

Young Sasha sat on the floor.

She was crying.

A girl sat beside her.

Dillan couldn't see the girl's face.

Sasha whispered:

"He's going to leave me."

The girl placed a hand on her head.

"He won't."

"What if he does?"

"Then don't let him."

Young Sasha looked up.

"But how?"

The girl smiled.

"Make yourself the only place he feels safe."

Dillan's eyes widened.

The memory shattered.

He stumbled backward.

Lyra caught his arm.

"…What did you see?"

Dillan stared at her.

"Someone was teaching Sasha."

"Teaching her what?"

"How to love me."

Lyra's face became serious.

"Then you finally saw it."

Dillan looked at her.

"Who was the girl?"

Lyra didn't answer.

"Was it the Fourth Child?"

"No."

"Then who?"

Lyra's eyes moved toward the horizon.

"I don't know."

Dillan stared at her.

"You're lying."

"I wish I were."

The System

A notification appeared.

[MEMORY TRACE ACTIVATED.]

[NEW CONNECTION ESTABLISHED.]

[SASHA: EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT EVENT.]

[SOURCE: UNKNOWN FEMALE.]

[TIME PERIOD: BEFORE FIRST CHOICE.]

Dillan stared at the System.

"Can you identify her?"

[NO.]

"Why?"

[IDENTITY IS PROTECTED BY HOST MEMORY.]

Dillan's expression changed.

"Protected by me?"

[CORRECT.]

He went silent.

Then another notification appeared.

[ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AVAILABLE.]

[WOULD YOU LIKE TO RESTORE IT?]

Dillan hesitated.

Lyra immediately said:

"Don't."

Dillan looked at her.

"Why?"

"Because this memory isn't yours alone."

"What does that mean?"

"Someone else is connected to it."

Dillan stared at the System.

Then selected:

[YES.]

Lyra's eyes widened.

"Dillan!"

The world disappeared.

The Forgotten Room

Dillan stood in darkness.

A small lamp flickered overhead.

Young Sasha sat on a chair.

Across from her…

stood the mysterious girl.

But this time…

Dillan could hear her clearly.

"You love him."

Sasha nodded.

"Yes."

"Then you must understand something."

"What?"

"Love isn't enough."

Sasha looked confused.

The girl crouched in front of her.

"If you want Dillan to stay…"

She gently touched Sasha's forehead.

"…you need to become someone he cannot live without."

Sasha whispered:

"How?"

The girl's eyes glowed crimson.

"Become his home."

Dillan's blood ran cold.

The memory distorted.

Young Sasha suddenly looked directly at him.

Not at the girl.

At him.

As if she could see him watching.

Her eyes slowly turned crimson.

She smiled.

"Dillan?"

Dillan froze.

The memory was looking back.

The System screamed.

[ONEIRIC MALFORMATION ACTIVITY DETECTED.]

[MEMORY IS NO LONGER PASSIVE.]

[WARNING.]

[THE MEMORY CAN SEE THE HOST.]

Dillan stared at young Sasha.

She smiled wider.

"You came back."

The screen shattered.

Dillan was thrown violently out of the memory.

Rooftop

Dillan collapsed.

Lyra caught him before he hit the ground.

"Dillan!"

His breathing was ragged.

He opened his eyes.

Lyra was holding him.

"…She saw me."

Lyra's expression was grim.

"Who?"

"Sasha."

Lyra went completely still.

Dillan slowly sat up.

"She saw me inside the memory."

The System appeared one final time.

[ONEIRIC MALFORMATION: ACTIVE.]

[HOST MEMORY: COMPROMISED.]

[SASHA CONNECTION: STABLE.]

[WARNING.]

[SASHA IS CURRENTLY AWARE OF THE HOST.]

Dillan stared at the notification.

"…She's watching me."

Lyra whispered:

"No."

Dillan looked at her.

Lyra's expression had gone pale.

"Something worse."

She looked toward the empty city.

"She's waiting for you to find her."