Watching the Akademiya staff begin to disperse the crowd, Lumine was certain she had seen this scene before.
But when she tried to delve deeper into the memory, nothing came up.
Lumine wanted to tell herself she was overthinking it, but a persistent shadow of unease lingered in her heart.
"This is outrageous! Everyone's been looking forward to this day for so long."
"Sigh... Dunyarzad put so much effort into this. She must be heartbroken."
"Traveler, let's go comfort Dunyarzad."
When Paimon received no response, she turned to look at Lumine, only to find her lost in thought.
"Traveler?"
Paimon flew in front of Lumine and waved her hand.
"Traveler, what are you thinking about?"
Lumine finally snapped out of it. Faced with Paimon's question, she hesitated for a moment before sharing her suspicions.
"You're saying... it feels like we've lived through today more than once?"
Lumine nodded. The next second, Paimon placed her hand on Lumine's forehead and said quizzically, "You don't seem to have a fever."
"Traveler, are you okay?"
Lumine rolled her eyes and irritably flicked Paimon on the forehead. She was trying to have a serious discussion, and Paimon was treating her like she was crazy.
"Ow!"
Paimon let out a pained cry, clutching her head and glaring angrily at Lumine as tears welled up in her eyes.
"Traveler, you actually hit me! I'm never speaking to you again!"
Just then, a dejected Dunyarzad and Dehya walked over to them.
"What's wrong with you two?" Dehya asked, quickly noticing the tense atmosphere between Lumine and Paimon.
"Hmph! I'm not speaking to this person anymore!" Paimon declared, crossing her arms and turning her head away from Lumine. "Unless she buys me a huge meal, I'm never making up with her!"
"What happened?" Dehya asked Lumine, her curiosity piqued by Paimon's reaction.
Soon, Dehya and Dunyarzad learned the reason for their argument. Dehya scratched her head, looking puzzled.
"You're saying you feel like today has repeated many times?"
Lumine nodded, then looked at Dehya and Dunyarzad expectantly.
Dehya and Dunyarzad exchanged an awkward glance, unsure how to respond. After a long pause, Dehya finally spoke slowly.
"Look, Traveler... it's not that we don't believe you. It's just... what you're describing sounds a bit too fantastical."
"Let's take the simplest example," Dehya said. "You claim today is repeating, but how do you explain our memories? We don't remember this day happening over and over."
"And if you're going to say some entity erased all our memories, that's just too far-fetched."
"Setting aside whether such a being even exists, even if it did, it wouldn't be bored enough to play such a cruel prank on ordinary people like us."
Hearing Dehya's words, Lumine was momentarily at a loss for a rebuttal. She wasn't entirely sure about this point herself.
She also had no memories of the day repeating—only a faint, nagging feeling in her gut.
For instance, before the Akademiya ordered the Sabzeruz Festival to be halted, Lumine had only vaguely sensed that something major was about to happen. She couldn't pinpoint what it was.
So, it was possible she was just overthinking things. That's why Lumine had hesitated to make a firm decision.
"Could it be that you're just exhausted and overthinking things?"
At Dehya's question, Lumine shook her head.
She didn't know how to refute Dehya's logic, but her intuition told her that her theory was probably correct.
But Lumine didn't press the argument. She knew that if she were in Dehya's shoes, she wouldn't have easily believed something so absurd either.
"I think the Traveler might be right."
Suddenly, Dunyarzad's words made everyone turn to her in surprise.
Dunyarzad rolled up one of her sleeves, revealing rough skin with a few translucent scales still clinging to it. She spoke slowly to the group.
"Actually, I've felt something was off too, but I didn't think much of it before."
"Since the Traveler brought it up, I'll share what I've noticed."
Dunyarzad paused before explaining.
"Dr. Edward recently suppressed my Eleazar with a new prescription. Although it's not completely cured, I've been feeling almost like a normal person."
"But ever since I woke up this morning, my body has felt unusually tired."
"At first, I thought my Eleazar was flaring up again, but when I checked carefully, I realized that wasn't the cause."
Hearing Dunyarzad's words, Dehya stared at the few remaining scales on Dunyarzad's arm, lost in thought.
Paimon, on the other hand, couldn't hold back any longer.
"I feel a little tired too! I've been so sleepy all day."
You're just being lazy.
At Lumine's silent jab, Paimon huffed angrily and declared, "I told you, we're not friends anymore!"
"Don't think you can get away with this without treating me to a feast!"
Paimon had no idea her words were sending shockwaves through Dehya's mind. Even Dehya herself had been feeling a slight sense of fatigue.
"But if someone can actually reverse time... that's terrifying!" Paimon exclaimed.
"And they erased everyone's memories of the repetition! Is there really someone in this world who can do that?"
"And that's not all," Dunyarzad added. "If the Traveler's theory is correct, then today has already repeated more than just once or twice."
Although she found the idea utterly absurd, she couldn't think of any other way to explain what was happening to her body.
"Miss, how are you feeling now?" Dehya asked Dunyarzad urgently, snapping back to reality.
"Don't worry too much. I'm just a little tired."
"Besides, even now, I feel better than I ever have before. That's why I didn't pay much attention to it earlier."
Dehya breathed a sigh of relief at Dunyarzad's reply.
"We really need to thank Dr. Edward properly."
"Speaking of which, Dr. Edward might have some insight into this. Let's go back and find him."
Everyone nodded in agreement with Dehya's suggestion.
Dunyarzad's feeling of fatigue was subjective, so having Dr. Edward verify it would be ideal.
Soon, the group returned to Dunyarzad's home and went to Dr. Edward's room.
"You're all back so early? Is the Sabzeruz Festival already over?"
Seeing Dr. Edward's puzzled expression, Dehya quickly explained.
"Not yet."
"The Akademiya interfered, so the festival had to be canceled. That's why we came back early."
After explaining, Dehya immediately asked, "By the way, Dr. Edward, we just made a rather peculiar discovery. I was wondering if you've noticed anything..."
Dehya quickly recounted their discovery to him.
After hearing her explanation, Dr. Edward turned to Dunyarzad.
"Alright, let's have a look."
He conducted a thorough examination of Dunyarzad—checking her from head to toe, inside and out. Afterward, he stroked his chin thoughtfully.
"Miss Dunyarzad's physical condition is currently excellent, but her mental energy is significantly depleted."
"It seems you were right. Today has likely repeated more than once."
Dr. Edward paused for a moment before continuing.
"However, I don't believe time is reversing."
"Rather than time reversal, I'm more inclined to think we've been trapped in an illusion."
At these words, everyone's eyes lit up, a sense of sudden clarity washing over them.
Reversing time was a feat likely beyond the power of even most Archons. In comparison, being trapped in an illusion seemed far more plausible.
"But that raises another question," Dehya interjected. "If the person who trapped us in this illusion isn't that powerful, how did they manage to erase our memories?"
Dehya's question plunged everyone back into deep thought.
Ultimately, despite a long discussion, they couldn't find a definitive answer—not even after calling Faruzan over to help.
Finally, they devised a plan: they would all stay in Dr. Edward's room tonight and force themselves to remain awake.
Before long, the night deepened.
The group fell silent, waiting for the moment the day would reset.
As time ticked by, the atmosphere grew heavier, and their breathing became labored. No one dared to let their guard down, their eyes wide as they watched each other for any change.
"How do you think our memories are being reset?"
Suddenly, Paimon, unable to bear the oppressive silence any longer, blurted out the question.
Her voice instantly drew several pairs of eyes toward her. The synchronized turn of their heads nearly scared Paimon to death.
It was at that exact moment that they all noticed an unnatural quiet outside.
Not only had human voices disappeared, but even the chirping of insects and the rustling of the evening wind had fallen completely silent.
It was as if, in that instant, the entire world had shrunk to just them, gathered in Dr. Edward's room.
Lumine's heart sank. Just as she was about to do something, her consciousness suddenly plunged into a blank void...
She hadn't dreamed at all last night!
Lumine shot up in bed, her heart filled with overwhelming joy.
Her illness was cured!
Excitedly, Lumine woke Paimon, and the two of them hurried toward Dr. Edward's room.
Paimon let out a yawn before slowly knocking on the door.
"The door's unlocked. Please, come in."
Hearing Dr. Edward's voice, the two immediately entered the room.
"Good morning, Dr. Edward!"
Just then, Lumine noticed a pungent odor in the room. She scanned her surroundings and quickly located its source.
The smell was coming from a medicine pot, causing Lumine's body to jolt. She suspected the medicine inside was meant for her.
"Traveler, it's time for your medicine."
The next second, Dr. Edward picked up the medicine pot and spoke in a gentle tone.
Lumine hastily waved her hands, insisting her illness was already gone.
"It's fine. Even if you're truly cured, you can drink this to reinforce your recovery. Come on, I prepared this especially for you!"
Thinking it was a gesture of Dr. Edward's kindness, Lumine finally closed her eyes, suppressed her nausea, and gulped down the medicine from the pot. Gulp, gulp, gulp.
As she drank, she thought she saw her deceased great-grandmother.
Oh, wait. She didn't have a great-grandmother. The hallucinations were clearly getting worse!
After finishing the medicine, Lumine collapsed onto the sofa, her face a mask of utter despair.
"Give me the pot. I'll dispose of the dregs."
Hearing Dr. Edward's words, Lumine quickly shook her head. She stood up, clutching the pot, and walked toward a trash can.
Huh?
As Lumine stood before the trash can, she suddenly froze. A deep, inexplicable urge welled up inside her—a desire to rummage through the trash.
It wasn't just a thought. Lumine had already reached out her hand
Just then, the door was knocked on again.
"I knew you'd come to Dr. Edward's first, Traveler, Paimon."
Dunyarzad smiled and greeted Lumine and Paimon. At that moment, Lumine quickly pulled her hand back, preserving her lifelong reputation.
Strange... What's wrong with me?
Lumine was utterly bewildered. She couldn't understand why she'd suddenly felt such a primal urge toward the trash can. She clearly remembered that only her friend...
Lumine froze again. Do I even have a friend whose hobby is rummaging through trash?
Why... why can't I remember at all?
"Hello, Dunyarzad, Dehya!"
Paimon greeted them cheerfully, but then noticed their attention wasn't on her. She turned to look at Lumine.
"Traveler, what's wrong?"
Hearing Paimon's call, Lumine shook her head vigorously, then emptied the medicine dregs into the trash can and walked over to the group.
It's nothing. Don't worry about me.
Lumine conveyed her meaning to the others, which seemed to put them slightly at ease.
"Traveler, Paimon, today is the Sabzeruz Festival! Let's hurry out and see the floats!"
"Dr. Edward, would you like to come with us?"
"No, my status is... special. It would be too conspicuous if I went with you. You all go ahead."
Hearing this exchange, Lumine's expression faltered slightly. For some reason, the scene felt strangely familiar.
"Alright, then I'll go ask Madam Faruzan."
"Wait, Paimon!"
Dunyarzad tried to say more, but she couldn't stop Paimon in time.
Finally, Dunyarzad and Dehya burst out laughing as they watched Paimon being unceremoniously shooed away.
"You're still laughing? Have you no sympathy?!"
"Hmph, Paimon's mad now!"
"If you don't treat Paimon to a feast, Paimon will never forgive you!"
The moment Paimon finished speaking, Lumine's mind exploded with a deafening boom.
She had definitely seen this scene before, even though she had no memory of it!
But there was no mistake. Her intuition screamed that this wasn't the first time she had experienced this!
It felt like she had been repeating this day over and over again...