Chapter 222: A New Question Arises.

Luna took a deep breath.

"I won’t stop you."

Noah raised his eyebrows slightly, and she continued.

"If you want to talk to Ayane, that’s fine."

"..."

"Just be careful."

Noah smiled.

"I will."

Luna looked away.

"I don’t want you getting hurt because of that organisation again."

"I know."

"And I don’t want you getting kidnapped again, either."

"Believe me, neither do I."

Luna nodded and then took out her phone.

"Then I’ll let the others know."

Noah looked up.

"Wait."

Luna stopped.

"What is it?"

"I’ll tell them."

She blinked.

"You?"

"Yes."

Luna glanced at her phone and then looked back at him.

"I could send a message to the group."

"I know."

"It would be faster."

"I know that too."

"Then..."

Noah slowly shook his head.

"I’d rather talk to each of them in person."

Luna fell silent, and he continued.

"They’re my girlfriends, so if I’m going to meet with Ayane, I want them to hear it from me."

"..."

"I don’t want you to always have to explain my decisions for me."

Luna watched him for several seconds before slowly lowering her phone.

"I understand."

Noah smiled.

"Thank you."

She sighed.

"Yume will probably have a lot of questions."

"I figured."

"Aria too."

"I’m prepared."

"Iris might ask if it’s a date."

"It’s not a date."

"Ren will probably want to come with you."

Noah brought a hand to his face.

"..."

Luna tilted her head slightly.

"Changed your mind?"

"No."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

Luna smiled faintly.

"Then I wish you luck."

Noah looked at her.

"You seem a little too pleased."

"I’m just respecting your decision."

"Right."

Luna finished the last sip of her tea and then stood up.

"Shall we go?"

Noah nodded.

"Let’s go."

They left the café together, and on their way to the station, Luna took his hand, which Noah happily held in return.

They walked for several minutes, talking about classes, work, and a few matters related to training.

Finally, when they reached the place where they had to part ways, Luna stopped.

"Noah."

"Yes?"

She looked at him.

"I won’t sneak into your house while invisible without permission again."

Noah smiled.

"I’m glad to hear that."

"And I won’t interrupt your private conversations out of jealousy, either."

"Thank you."

Luna paused briefly.

"But if some girl tries to force you to kiss her..."

Noah sighed.

"You can intervene."

"Good."

Luna stepped closer, gave him a brief kiss, and smiled slightly as she pulled away.

"See you tomorrow."

"See you."

Noah watched her walk away before continuing on his way home.

’I think that went well.’

For the first time in a long while, he had managed to discuss a relationship problem without it turning into an argument, and that gave him a certain sense of satisfaction.

When Noah arrived home, he found Emma preparing dinner.

"I’m home."

Emma looked up.

"Welcome home, sweetheart."

"Hi, Mom."

"How was your day?"

"Good."

"Were you with Luna?"

Noah blinked.

"How did you know?"

Emma smiled.

"She told me you two were meeting up this afternoon."

"..."

Noah fell silent.

’Of course she did.’

Emma continued.

"She’s such a thoughtful girl."

Noah smiled slightly.

"Yes, she is."

After talking with his mother for a few minutes, he went up to his room, put his things away, and changed his clothes.

Later, as he headed downstairs again, he found Ava sitting in the living room, looking at her phone. When she saw him, she looked up.

"Noah."

"Hi, Ava."

"Are you back already?"

"Yes."

Ava glanced at the clock.

"You took longer than usual today."

"I was with Luna."

Ava’s expression changed slightly.

"...Oh."

Noah noticed but decided not to comment.

Instead, he remembered something that had been bothering him for some time: the fake Stella’s visit and, above all, that strange situation involving the Great Mother.

Noah grew thoughtful.

’Now that I think about it...’

During that visit, the Great Mother had whispered something to Ava, so Noah decided to test something and approached his sister.

"By the way, Ava."

She looked up.

"Yes?"

"I wanted to ask you something."

Ava set her phone aside.

"What is it?"

"Do you remember when Stella came over?"

Ava frowned slightly.

"Stella?"

"Yes, Stella Lumina."

She thought for a few seconds.

"The actress?"

"Exactly."

Ava looked at him.

"What about her?"

Noah sat down across from his sister.

"During that visit, she approached you and whispered something in your ear."

Ava blinked.

"..."

Noah continued.

"I wanted to know what she said to you."

Ava tilted her head slightly.

"What are you talking about?"

Noah frowned.

"When Stella came to our house."

"To our house?"

"Yes."

Ava remained silent for a moment before slowly shaking her head.

"Noah, I think you’re confused."

Noah felt a slight sense of unease.

"Confused?"

"Stella Lumina has never been to our house."

"..."

Noah stared at her, and Ava seemed completely sincere.

"Are you sure?"

"Of course."

"You don’t remember talking to her?"

"No."

"Not even during a strange visit?"

Ava frowned even more.

"What strange visit?"

Noah fell silent.

’Wait a minute.’

He studied his sister carefully. She didn’t seem to be lying or trying to avoid the conversation. She simply didn’t understand what he was talking about.

Noah decided to proceed carefully.

"Ava, do you remember ever seeing Stella in person?"

She thought for a few seconds.

"No."

"Never?"

"Only in movies and interviews."

"..."

"Why are you asking me so many questions about her?"

Noah didn’t answer immediately, and his mind began going over what he remembered from that visit.

The Great Mother’s presence, the strange behaviour of the people involved, and now Ava was claiming that none of it had ever happened.

’That can’t be.’

Noah felt his concern growing.

’Did they erase her memories?’

He knew enough about the magic of this world to know it was possible.

In fact, he had already witnessed situations where ordinary people’s memories had been altered.

But this was different because it was directly connected to the Great Mother.

’Then...’

Noah slowly lowered his gaze.

’Did she erase every trace of that visit?’

That would explain why Ava didn’t remember anything.

If the Great Mother had intervened to conceal what had happened, erasing the witnesses’ memories would be an effective way to do it.

But there was something that didn’t add up, and that was the fact that Noah remembered that visit perfectly.

’Why am I the only one who remembers?’

It was a difficult question to answer.