[Silver Ash] - Become The Strongest In Another World
CHAPTER 177: Clausa Memoria (2)

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The ground on which they stood began to tremble strongly, and the wall that seemed not far from there also started to move narrowed.

For a moment, Olivia raised her vigilance. But, he immediately ventured to himself when he realized that all the changes had no adverse impact.

After a while, the vibration disappeared, and the walls started to stop moving. Moreover, all the thick fog that had previously blocked their view had also disappeared completely.

The stone walls were arranged in such a way that made their positions all the more obvious. Right before them, the stone walls were towering and fused with the ceiling.

" … What really happened? "

All of them, including Olivia and Anzu, were confused by what happened. All too sudden, and too little information they had that they could not find any answer.

However, even without them understanding it, things just keep moving in the flow of time that keeps going.

A small ball of light appeared in the center of the stone wall, and widened its range of dim light so that all the surfaces of the wall had been covered by the dim light.

They didn't understand the intent, but they naturally moved forward tracing the long passageway that had been created from the crack of that wall.

Both sides of the wall were glowing, and a thin mist slowly appeared and covered their legs.

One by one, memories that they had not even thought of just now suddenly appeared on the surface of their minds.

" … What is it? "

Olivia, of course, was aware of the awkwardness. No matter how much he cherished all of his past memories, they would not have come into existence on their own without him wanting to.

It seems that everyone experiences the same thing, and there are various reactions from them. Most are very obvious reactions to confusion, but there are some people who show irritated faces when their past memories arise in their own minds.

Among all that, there was Anzu who seemed to have a melancholy expression on her face. He looked annoyed, but at the same time also looked sad when he remembered the past.

"Why did that memory appear now? "

Iris asked with a bit of worry, but she did not loosen her expression and instead increased her vigilance towards the surroundings.

Even so, there was not a single danger he could be aware of here.

Finally, after a while of walking down that corridor of light, they finally arrived somewhere.

It was a large room designed like a luxurious garden. There was a small river that surrounded the room, and a garden that had various types of flowers growing there, as well as a luxurious golden-patterned marble cottage that stood majestically right in the middle of all the beauty.

Their feet were naturally drawn towards the cottage. The size was not too big, but they were all still able to enter and move quite freely within it.

The sound of sparks from the fountains that adorned on each side filled the emptiness of sound there, and the chirping of birds that came from nowhere also participated in the small nature concert.

"Where are we really? "

Between this place, with the previous place, the scenery was too contrasting. Inevitably they become confused because of the many puzzles they have to solve without a clue.

"I don't think this will come as a surprise because we're in a dungeon. But ... Still, what the hell is this? Even our previous memories are also raised .. What does that mean? "

Iris put her hand on her chin as a sign that she was confused. Responding to it, Alan took a step forward.

"This place .. May have an effect that could evoke our memories, but I don't know for sure with that. Damn, at a time like this I really wish Rico was with us."

"Yes, he is annoying, but he is useful," Werli replied as he nodded.

"Stop talking about other people, think about how we can get out of this situation! "

Anzu started to get irritated, so he slightly snapped at them while wandering around the park in search of clues. However, the result was in vain. He didn't find anything.

And a second later, a strange sensation suddenly ran through their bodies.

"W-what the hell is this?! "

Werli ransacked his own body to remove the sensation, but it seemed like the strange sensation was emerging from within their bodies so that any action would have no effect.

Olivia herself resigned herself and gave herself to the sensation of not wearing it, and before long, the mist reappeared.

The fog slowly covered their surroundings, before finally disappearing, and being replaced with a new scene.

It was a simple apartment room, with a variety of household appliances that could be found in any home.

"This place … "

It was something that was already very familiar to Olivia. A strange feeling of nostalgia mixed with his current emotions as he looked at the room.

Not wrong again, it was Noelle's apartment room when she was still Izaya.

"See from anywhere .. This is the earth, right? "

Muku looked around her, and tried to touch one of the furniture there, but the touch easily penetrated the furniture as if everything was just a hologram projection.

"?! That fog! "

Olivia is now aware of everything, as are Alan and Anzu.

"What's really going on? "

Werli, who still did not understand the poured, tried to ask Alan, but Alan gave him a strange confused expression so that Werli was a little reluctant.

After being silent for a moment, Alan finally spoke while sighing. "It's nothing. It's just that ..The fog is probably what causes our memories to appear beyond our wishes. And now ... It seems that the memory of one of us is being projected."

"It ... It's hard to believe … "

Werli frowned. After all, everything that happened was also very unreasonable to him. A projection of someone's memory? It is truly a privacy violation! Besides, how does the system work behind it? Is it possible for someone to project the memory of another person?

"Ahh, wait. I think there's someone like that."

Werli then glanced at Liscia, who had been silent since then while folding her arms.

"What's? " Liscia was of course aware of Werli's thoughts, but she tried to ignore him by simply giving him an annoyed look.

But, it was true that Liscia possessed similar strength. It was just that, he could not project memories or what others imagined. His abilities are limited to his own. He was once able to do that because he had previously gotten help from Charlotte connecting him with Lilith and Rias.

But, without Charlotte's help, it wouldn't be possible. So, Liscia could be removed from the list of suspects.

"Why did you put my name on that suspect list anyway? You're annoying," said Liscia while giving her look of disgust at Werli.

"Uhh, sorry about that. But ... Alan, even if you say that this is a projection of someone's memory .. Whose memory is this? "

"Sadly this is not my memory. I don't remember ever living in such a luxurious place."

What Alan said was true. The apartment room was quite luxurious, but because of its minimalist design, it actually made the room look simple.

"Then ... Whose room is this? "

"This is Noelle's apartment room, or rather Izaya."

Olivia's voice suddenly appeared and caught their attention.

If what Olivia said was true, then this must be her memory. Or at least that's what they thought before Olivia denied it herself.

"This is not my memory."

Olivia said it in a very convincing voice while pointing to the perpetual calendar placed on a small shelf next to a 40-inch television.

"December 23, 2030. I can't say for sure that I remember everything. But, at least I know that I didn't visit her apartment on that date. More … "

Olivia then pointed at the rectangular hologram screen attached to the wall just above the television.

It was a common type of digital clock in those days.

"Her watch pointed at exactly 10 p.m. It's past my bedtime."

Olivia has had a very strict sleep time. It was for the sake of maintaining psychological health and part of his physical care.

"Then ... If this is not your memory .. Whose memory is this? "

Olivia shrugged her shoulders, and glanced at Anzu.

"Why don't you ask him? "

Everyone's gaze immediately fell on him. This time they looked very curious and had a lot of questions.

When he was suddenly appointed, Anzu was completely shocked. A twitch appeared on his temple, and an awkward smile began to form on his lips, and,

If he could, Anzu wanted to leave this place immediately. But, it seems that everyone will not let him do that.

"Is that really you? "

Anzu intended to say no, but her lips naturally uttered, "Yes."

Realizing the words coming out of his lips were the opposite of what he had thought, Anzu immediately used her own hands to close her mouth.

And when he re-opened it to say 'I wasn't there', what came out of his lips was exactly the opposite of that.

"Yes, I was there."

Everyone winked their nata in confusion. Some of them looked in disbelief, but their thoughts instantly changed when Anzu slammed her own head into the wooden table that was there.

"Why can't I lie?! "

The bewildered scream came out from Anzu's lips as she continued slamming her own forehead into the wooden table.

"Anzu .. You don't have to hurt yourself like that, okay .. Just explain to us what you're actually doing there … "

A girl was in the apartment room of a man who was not even her lover, it would obviously be a tremendous scandal.

"I don't think she needs to explain" Olivia said to draw attention.

And just as he said, Anzu really didn't need to tell him. Because, everything will soon unfold on its own.

Anzu raised her head in surprise and stared at everything in the apartment room.

The second on the hologram's digital clock began to move, and the air became warmer as the room's warmers began to emit a faint roaring sound.

"No, wait! "

Anzu was unable to stop it, everything had happened so suddenly.

A few seconds passed, and finally one of the doors that was there opened. The figure that came out of that door was a girl with reddish-brown hair that was cut short to her shoulders. Her lower hair strands are a bit curly and look messy, but that actually increases her attractiveness.

His face that only displayed a sleepy expression of someone who seemed to have not slept for a full day was actually increasingly adorning the beauty of his face.

He was quite tall, and he wore a dark blue hoodie with a white-gray shirt inside. For her bottom, she only wears a short, faded black skirt accompanied by a black stocking that covers all parts of her legs and thighs.

Her appearance only showed a little skin, but strangely it did not reduce her natural beauty. He really looks 'what is'.

The girl was a figure that they had almost forgotten her looks. In fact, the girl is the original appearance of a girl who has always been with them for the past 15 years.

He was Anzu in his previous life, Shion Natsugawa.

"Aaahhh–"

Anzu who saw herself there could only sigh in resignation, and sat down at that spot with a blank expression.

"Seriously, what are you doing there? "

Alan was completely dumbfounded, but he tried to act calm while watching Shion's figure coming out of the room.

His hair looked messy, indicating that he had just woken up from his sleep.

"Hmm? Ahh, you're awake."

Another voice suddenly appeared. This time from the other side. They turned their heads, and saw a tall male figure who seemed to have just come out of the toilet.

Her hair was black, and her face could only be categorized as 'handsome'. It was a face that was already very familiar to them.

"That's ... Noelle? "

"To be more precise, he was Iza. Noelle in her previous life."

Izaya Canaria, a man who is seen by everyone as 'perfect'.

Different from their memories, this time Izaya was wearing thin silver-framed glasses. Highlight his sharp eyes peeked through the optical lens, staring at Anzu with a glance, before finally turning to open the refrigerator.

"It was really a nice sleep. Thank you for lending me your bed. I won't be able to sleep well at home because of all those kids."

Izaya giggled for a moment, and took out a few small boxes of unopened milk, then placed them on the kitchen counter.

"Work after waking up? I think it'll be good for your health. Do you want to? "

"Yahh, thank you."

Shion unhesitatingly walked over and took the one box of milk, then stuck out a straw and drank the contents for a short period of time.

"Full cream, yes .. Not my favorite, but it's not bad" Shion said as she walked and then sat on the sofa.

Izaya seemed to have no objection to it, and instead brewed a cup of tea using the electronic water heater that was there.

"You just had a shower? " ask Anzu.

"Nn, I love taking a shower at this hour. Do you mind? "

"No, not at all."

The conversation from the two of them felt so natural that it looked shocking.

"Are you guys really familiar? "

Werli suspiciously asked Anzu, who he then replied with a bitter smile. "There are many reasons for that. Clearly, he and I do not have the kind of relationship you think they have. I was in his apartment at the time because my house was full of children from my relatives who came for Christmas and new year holidays."

"Yahh, I think that's understandable," Waka replied while nodding briefly.

Waka himself so remembered the condition of his home in the past which was always full of noise during the holidays.

As they were all discussing it, Shion there finally showed movement.

He got up and stretched his body in place before finally staring at Izaya.

"Iza, I'm going home. Again, thank you for lending me your bed."

Answering him, Izaya had a pretty clear worried expression. "Are you coming back? It's late, and it's dangerous for a girl to wander around. If you were in danger, your father would have shot me in the head. You can stay here, I'll sleep with a folding mattress I keep just in case."

" … Are you sure? "

Although Anzu looks a bit complicated by this, he is personally happy when looking at his past. Because at that time he really felt happiness as a teenager.

"Mhm. I don't mind. Besides, it'll be worth it if you don't stay the night. After all, you've prepared a few sets of change of clothes there."

Izaya glanced at a sports bag that was placed carelessly on the sofa. The bag contained Shion's clean clothes which she brought herself to this apartment.

"I think you're right .. But .. I'm going to sleep with that mattress, and you're going to sleep in your own bed, do you understand? I don't feel good about having to take your place like that."

"Are you telling me to sleep in a bed that still has the rest of your body's warmth? I didn't know you had such intentions."

Izaya said so while putting on a mischievous smile and leaning her body forward, but Shion actually returned it with a look of disdain.

"So you saw me with perverted eyes, huh? I'll report this to Ayano later," Anzu said as she lifted a corner of her lips.

" … Please don't."

The two only smiled wryly and giggled for a moment before finally walking into the room together.

"How should I say it .. Your relationship .. is absolutely wonderful … "

"You're really familiar ... In a weird way."

" ……… "

Even without them saying it, Anzu herself realized that she had a strange relationship with Noelle. But, it was precisely because of that that that he wanted to get a little away from her. It was all to keep himself from developing unnecessary feelings for the man.

Anzu glanced slightly at Olivia, and realized that Olivia did not seem to mind at all. Instead, he looked a little envious as well as proud of Anzu.

He looks happy when he sees Anzu can be familiar with Noelle, but also looks envious because the one there is not him.

Truly a troublesome girl, Anzu thought.

The scene switches, now the apartment space is turned into a room with an area of about 6 square meters.

A large bed was placed right in the middle, and a hanging television was attached to the wall right in front of the mattress.

The blanket was a little messy, but that was because it had been used by Shion to sleep before.

Izaya opened the door of a large closet that was in a position facing the left side of the bed, and opened the drawer that was below there. From there, he took out a large plastic bag which he opened and threw the contents at Shion.

It was a portable mattress that turned out to be very comfortable to use. The texture is soft, and elastic so it won't take up much space.

Shion without saying anything immediately unfurled the portable mattress right next to Izaya's big bed, and Izaya also helped her to arrange the pillows and blankets she took from her own bed.

When he finished, Shion finally lay on his own bed.

He had slept long enough before, so his eyes could not close at all now. It was very annoying because in fact he wanted a comfortable sleep.

Instead, he would invite Izaya to chat for a moment.

"Hey, Iza … "

Izaya herself was already lying on her bed, but she had not fallen asleep either. He was still playing his phone while leaning against his pillow.

"Hmm? "

He muttered without turning his head in the slightest, seemingly focused on his phone, while his own ears were also focused on listening to Shion.

" … What are you doing? "

"Just reply to a message. You can't sleep? "

" … That's how."

As soon as Shion answered him, Izaya immediately turned off her phone. She had finished replying to all the messages that came in, and was now ready to go to sleep. After putting his phone on the wireless charger plate on the shelf right next to his bed, Izaya immediately fixed his sleeping position.

The lights have been turned off, and the AC is also on in a state of heating. There were absolutely no curtains covering the windows, so the two of them could clearly see what was outside.

Dark skies, white snow, and lights from buildings and vehicles down there.

Izaya's apartment room was located on the 28th floor in a large apartment building, so they could clearly see the cityscape from here.

The view was beautiful, that's what Shion thought. Only, there was less there. There are no stars at all. The sky had become cloudy due to the dark clouds covering it and the snow in the city.

" Iza ... You think .. What have we been doing .... That's right? "

" … Why all of a sudden? "

"Eitherway. It's just that .. This silence instantly made me remember all the bad things I've done … "

Izaya did not answer. He closed his eyes for a moment, before finally returning to speak. "If you think it's wrong, then it's completely wrong, and vice versa. In the end, good or bad is determined by each person's perspective. In the present, it's hard to objectively determine good or bad, you know? "

" ……… You're right. Sorry for asking me something stupid."

Not that Shion doesn't understand Izaya's way of thinking. He was just a little confused, about his own feelings and instincts. For better or worse, he was already not at a stage that could tell the difference.

"No problem, now you better get some sleep. We have to finish everything tomorrow."

"Tomorrow, yes .. I think you're right. Good night."

"Mrs."

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