Free Web NovelChapter 303: Eliminating the Wrong Option
Despite the lingering doubts regarding Ashe's theory, the room had grown noticeably calmer. The wary glares faded as everyone finally sheathed their weapons and relaxed their stance.
At the very least, they all agreed on one point. Their relationship must have run deep, or they wouldn't have ended up in this "Amnesia Cabin" together. As for whether they were friends, lovers, or family, those were merely details yet to be uncovered.
Given more time, they might have figured things out. Unfortunately, the weight of the amnesia was too heavy to bear. To wake suddenly in a strange place, surrounded by unfamiliar faces with no one to rely on, where even their own names had slipped away, was a terrifying void. It was like being a newborn abandoned on the street, standing alone against the crushing weight of reality, as if the very air were pressing in, threatening to suffocate them.
An infant had no response but to cry, but sorcerers were different. Their capacity for violence had not been erased.
In the cabin's single-player mode, most sorcerers lashed out at their phantoms in a panic. The phantoms could not be destroyed, but through that release of aggression, the sorcerers gained a fragile sense of security. Even if they could not calm down, they at least recognized their situation and chose either to leave or to accept the game.
Multiplayer mode, however, changed everything. Compared to attacking one's own phantom, it felt more natural to turn that violence toward the unfamiliar "strangers" around them.
The earlier standoff between Ashe and Sonya had been almost inevitable. Sonya, wary and hot-tempered, would surely have clashed with him had Ashe shared her volatile disposition. Fortunately, Denzel had entered at that exact moment, interrupting their transition into combat just as the appearance of the phantoms drew their attention away.
Yet, the crisis in their relationships remained unresolved. The cabin was small; if they were to proceed with the question-and-answer game, everyone would inevitably be in each other's presence.
Their rationality was stretched to its limit. They could no longer endure the gaze of others. As long as the others remained, they could not bring themselves to continue the game.
The phantoms had no contingency for this. They knew how to guide and soothe sorcerers, but the cabin's mechanics lacked any function to mediate conflicts between them.
In any case, there was no need for mediation.
The phantoms soothed the sorcerers only to ensure the question-and-answer game would proceed. If the situation continued to deteriorate, it would likely end with only one survivor. The others would either be driven away or killed. The number of participants was irrelevant. As long as a single person remained in the cabin, the game could continue.
The last one standing could answer for all four. Should that person answer correctly, they would naturally claim the others' rewards as their own
Thus, as Ashe and the others discussed their connections, the phantoms did not interfere. They had expected the situation to devolve into a desperate death match, yet Ashe had managed to unite the group, even drawing the late-arriving Denzel into the fold. Phantom Ashe, Sonya, and Dia cast quick glances toward Phantom Denzel, who calmly returned their gaze.
Phantom Ashe said, "It seems you've reached a consensus. Are you interested in answering the questions now?"
"Wait," Sonya cut in, suddenly recalling something. "You said you possess our memories. Can you tell us what our relationship actually is?"
Phantom Dia replied, wagging a finger. "We cannot. We are not permitted to reveal specific information. You must provide your answers under the full weight of amnesia."
Ashe spoke up. "Then, aside from revealing information, if I were to ask you to do something, would you agree?"
"What kind of request?"
"For example..." Ashe pointed at Phantom Ashe, then at Phantom Sonya. "You two. Go kiss. A deep one, preferably."
Neither Phantom Ashe nor Phantom Sonya showed the slightest change in expression; even their eyelashes remained perfectly still. Yet, for some reason, their original selves felt as though the light in the cabin had suddenly dimmed.
Before the phantoms could even respond, Sonya grabbed Ashe by the collar, her face flushed crimson. "What are you even saying?!"
Ashe remained perfectly calm. "Think about it. They are phantoms with our memories, right? They can communicate and appear capable of thought. In that sense, they can be treated as other versions of ourselves. If the Watcher and the Swordswoman can kiss naturally, that would prove we are in a romantic relationship."
"And if they refuse?"
"Then we lower the threshold of the test. We change it from a kiss to a hug. If a hug is acceptable, then we must share a close bond, perhaps like family. Using this method, we can gradually test the depth of everyone's relationships."
Sonya froze for a moment, weighing the feasibility of the idea.
Ashe took hold of her hands and gently removed them from his collar. "I haven't shouted or lost my temper, but I've lost my memory too. The fear you feel, I feel it just as strongly. It isn't just you. I, too, want proof of the bond between us.
"I want to trust all of you without reservation. In a world of darkness, nothing brings more peace than placing your hand in someone else's."
At that moment, the phantoms seemed to finally grasp the intent behind Ashe's words.
Phantom Ashe waved a hand and shook his head, rejecting the request with a firm double denial. "No. We are only responsible for guiding you through the questions. We will not agree to any request outside of those parameters."
Ashe retorted, "But this request is directly related to the game! I believe it's absolutely necessary for you and the Swordswoman to kiss—"
Phantom Sonya explained calmly, "We may only be residual images that linger for a short time, but we still possess a certain level of intelligence. Do not try to sway us with wordplay. We fully understand that you are attempting to use our interactions to extract memory-related information. That is forbidden. Give it up."
Seeing the phantoms refuse, Sonya felt a surprising trace of dissatisfaction. "Can't you make an exception? You're me, after all..."
Phantom Sonya sneered. "If you became nothing more than a fleeting fragment of thought, would you fulfill someone else's whims? You should be glad I am not truly you. Otherwise, you'd be in even more trouble."
Sonya considered her own temperament for a moment, then shut her mouth awkwardly.
Ashe said, "So, that means we have no way to confirm our actual relationship. In that case, let's temporarily assume that you are all my lovers. Or would you prefer to be my younger sisters?"
"Younger sister," Dia whispered timidly.
Sonya frowned. "Why does it have to be one or the other? Can't we just... not choose?"
Ashe said seriously, "Because this serves as the foundation for our answers. Look at it this way. If you are all my lovers, it implies you willingly share the same partner. From that, we can derive three logical conditions. First, our relationship is unequal, with me in a position of advantage, perhaps due to strength or social status. Second, there must be significant ties of interest between us, meaning you cannot rationally afford to leave me. Third, we may have endured much together, meaning you are emotionally unwilling to give me up.
"If those conditions don't hold, a romantic relationship makes no sense. These assumptions can guide our judgment when we face the questions. Likewise, if you are my sisters, we can derive a different set of conditions. I'm not trying to take advantage of you, but in this void of amnesia, even a flawed reference point is the only lifeline we can grasp."
Sonya's face flushed, then went pale. Hearing how reasonable Ashe sounded, and recalling how defensive she had been, a surge of inferiority and embarrassment welled up within her. She grumbled, "Who knows what you're really thinking!"
Denzel, who had remained silent throughout, suddenly spoke. "If we must choose, I choose Mistress."
Sonya looked at her in surprise. "Why?"
"No particular reason," Denzel said calmly. "I just feel the word 'sister' is too distant for me."
Ashe turned to Sonya. "And you? This is only for the sake of the game, not our actual relationship. If you don't like these options, you can propose another identity, as long as it explains why we're together."
Sonya did not answer. She stared at the grain of the wooden floor, her left hand clasping her right. If Denzel had chosen "sister," Sonya would have followed suit without hesitation. But with Denzel choosing Mistress, something felt off.
She remembered nothing. She did not know who anyone was. Her heart held nothing but vigilance and suspicion. And yet, a strange sense of frustration rose within her.
It was not anger directed outward, but blame turned inward. As if, by continuing to maintain her prickly, defensive posture, she would lose something... or miss something.
Sonya tilted her head and glanced at Phantom Sonya. The double observed her coldly, a subtle, unreadable emotion flickering in her eyes.
"Lover," Sonya muttered.
"Hm?"
"I said lover!" Sonya gave in to the impulse and pulled out a chair. "It's not real, anyway. Let's just start the questions."
Ashe said, "Perfect. Younger sister, mistress, and lover, one identity each. From now on, let's address each other accordingly."
Dia tugged at Ashe's sleeve. "What about you?"
Ashe paused, then smiled. "I actually forgot about myself. But since I assigned your roles, it's only fair that you decide mine. What identity do you want me to have?"
Sonya snapped. "Our slave."
Denzel thought for a moment. "Our master?"
Dia hesitated. Her eyes drifted to a painting on the cabin wall that showed a knight standing before a dragon, shielding a princess. "I hope you can be... a knight who protects us."
Ashe said cheerfully, "Alright, then I'll be the knight. It seems we won't gain any more information through talk, so... let's begin the questions."
Ashe led Dia over to a bench and sat down. Denzel moved to sit beside Sonya.
The four of them exchanged glances for a moment. Ashe asked, "Who goes first?"
The silence that followed made the question feel like asking which oil drum would like to volunteer as a firefighter. Dia shook her head instantly, while Denzel remained pointedly silent. Just as Ashe was about to raise his hand and offer himself up as the first sacrifice, a sharp thud echoed beside him.
"I'll go first."
Her voice was as clear as the chime of a windbell, ringing with firm resolve. Sonya stared directly at her double, her gaze a turbulent mix of burning courage, deep-seated insecurity, and sheer stubbornness. Unfortunately, the only person in the cabin capable of truly reading her sat directly across from her.
"So eager to prove yourself?" Phantom Sonya asked, lowering her gaze. "As you wish."
She stood and pulled a picture book from a nearby shelf. No one could quite remember if the book, or the shelf itself, had been there moments ago.
She opened the book and pointed to three images. "Among these three people, who do you love the most?"
The pictures showed a plainly dressed middle-aged farm woman, a small dark-skinned girl who did not look cute at all, and a hooded figure sitting alone in a small boat.
Ashe pointed at the hooded figure in the painting. "First, eliminate the wrong option."
