The overseer simply acted as a stabilizer for her existence. She shouldn't get additional perks, such as memory of previous loops or knowledge of the challenge rules… unless."
"Yeah, you're starting to get it now, huh."
Talia's eyes widened as if she had come to a revelation. "A red herring…"
"Yeah, exactly that."
"'Make use of libraries' was a red herring, so you could go to a library and meet May—where you'd hand her the book, which would kill her. The only reason for the overseer to keep her alive is for her to be a hurdle to you."
Talia smiled. It was crooked and held no joy. "That's quite a cunning overseer, huh…"
"There's something I just don't get, though."
"Hm?" Talia tilted her head.
"What if the figure was being genuine?" he asked. "What if 'make use of libraries' really was a hint?"
Talia blinked. "So… maybe it isn't a red herring?"
Chrono nodded faintly. "To an extent. But that depends on how fair these challenges actually are." He paused, frowning. "No… that's not quite it."
Talia stepped closer. "Then what is?"
Chrono's gaze sharpened. "Its motives. What does the figure gain from all this? If we understand that, everything becomes clear."
Talia rested a hand under her chin, eyes narrowing. "So whether it's a red herring depends entirely on the overseer's motives…"
Her expression slowly hardened. "If you look at it that way… the entire situation changes."
Chrono nodded. "It's either an unfortunate chain of events… or deliberate manipulation. And without knowing its motives, reaching the right answer is basically impossible."
Talia exhaled slowly before speaking again. "There's still something bothering me."
"Hm?"
"If May's death was just bad luck—not part of some grand plan—then why does she have loop knowledge?"
Chrono answered immediately. "The cause doesn't change the effect. I gave her the book. That created who she is now. Red herring or not… I would've handed it to her either way."
Talia crossed her arms, unconvinced. "Yeah, but it still doesn't add up. Why give her loop knowledge afterward? If the figure wasn't planning to use her against you, then that decision feels… random."
She began counting on her fingers. "First—her knowledge of your looping and the rules. That's useless unless she's meant to interfere."
Another finger lifted. "Second—why keep her alive at all? There's no point unless she serves a purpose."
A third. "And third… her grudge against you feels engineered. Like everything falls apart without it. Even the Nocturne appearing as you—why do that unless emotional damage was the goal?"
Chrono rubbed his chin slowly. "That… is true."
Silence followed.
The sun dipped lower, painting the sky orange as streetlights flickered awake one by one. The breeze cooled, brushing past them like the conversation itself needed space to breathe.
Chrono finally spoke. "That's an interesting way to look at it."
Talia raised a brow. "You disagree?"
"Not exactly." He leaned forward, elbows on his knees. "I just think the planning happened after the incident—not before."
Talia's eyes lit with interest. "Oh?"
"Imagine the hint was genuine at first," Chrono said. "Then May dies. After that… the overseer decides to use the situation."
He snapped his fingers suddenly, pointing at her. "Think of the figure as an author. And we're characters."
Talia blinked.
"If I'm the protagonist," Chrono continued, "what makes a story more interesting?"
Talia hummed thoughtfully, tapping her chin. "…Ah! An antagonist."
Chrono smiled faintly. "Exactly."
"The figure turned May into the antagonist of its story," he said quietly. "That's why she's alive."
He let out a dry chuckle. "And honestly… her hatred makes sense. If someone killed you and you got another chance at life… you'd probably want to make their life as miserable as possible."
Talia's expression darkened instantly. "That's twisted," she murmured. "Disgusting even. She didn't ask for any of this. It's unfair."
The words lingered heavily between them.
Chrono's hands clenched in his lap.
Talia noticed immediately, her shoulders dropped."…I'm sorry."
Chrono looked up, confused. "Why are you apologizing?"
She sighed softly. "I told you not to have regrets… but I still touched on something you're sensitive about." Her gaze softened. "You're still carrying guilt. I can't erase that. So… I'm sorry."
"Huh? No, it's fine—"
She shook her head gently. "You don't have to pretend." A small smile appeared. "Taking a life… then facing that same person again knowing you'll have to do it again… that's heavy, Zeph."
Chrono looked down, smiling faintly at himself.
"Alright… I'll back down. But I should be the one apologizing for killing the mood."
"No, don't apologize."
"I brought it up."
"And I pushed it further."
"It's still my fault."
"It's not."
"Yes it is—"
Talia suddenly stepped closer, placing a hand firmly against her chest. "I don't want to contribute to that—your self-hate," she said quietly. "Saying that only made it worse."
Chrono froze.
The firmness in her voice wasn't anger—it was concern. Genuine, unfiltered concern.
For a moment, neither spoke.
Then—
Talia suddenly clapped her hands together dramatically, breaking the tension. A bright smile spread across her face as if she'd intentionally pulled them both out of the emotional spiral.
"Ah! That makes sense!" she said. "So that's what you meant when you said the motives of the figure answer all questions."
Chrono blinked before laughing softly.
"Yeah. Once you understand its motives, you'll know whether it's just observing… or actively antagonizing us."
"…Or both," Talia added.
He nodded.
She placed a hand on her hip, pouting slightly. "Then if this was your theory all along, why explain the other ones?"
"I didn't want you to agree with me," Chrono said. "I wanted you to see other perspectives. Your understanding matters more than what theory I want you to believe."
He stood, stretching his arms overhead with a tired yawn. "Besides… my theory could still be completely wrong."
Talia watched him for a moment before smiling. "…Yeah. I guess you're right."
Chrono turned toward her. "It's getting late. We should probably head home."
Talia stared at him. "…Huhhhhh?"
She threw her arms outward dramatically. "We're looping, remember? Going home is literally wasting valuable planning time!"
Chrono paused."…Oh. Right."
He scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "Still not used to this looping thing."
Talia grinned. "Clearly."
The streetlamp buzzed softly above them as night finally settled in.
And for the first time since the conversation began—
The weight between them felt just a little lighter.
Talia stretched her arms over her head, letting out a soft yawn. For a moment she looked half-asleep—until her eyes suddenly lit up with an idea.
"Oh! I know!" she said, snapping her fingers. "We should go for a walk."
Chrono slipped his hands into his pockets, considering it. "That isn't a bad idea," he admitted.
Talia nodded enthusiastically. "You can finish telling me everything while we walk too."
Chrono blinked in surprise, his eyes widening slightly. "Oh… you noticed."
Talia raised a brow. "Hm? Noticed what?"
"That I wasn't finished telling you everything."
She placed a hand on her hip, tilting her head. "Well, yeah. I figured," she said casually. "It felt too incomplete."
Chrono exhaled slowly, scratching the back of his head. "Well… to be honest, I didn't really want to tell you this part," he admitted. "I didn't think you'd notice I was leaving things out."
He looked at her with a faint, sheepish smile. "I guess I underestimated you."
Talia blinked. "Huh, really? I thought it was obvious."
Chrono let out a small sigh. "Yeah… I'm sorry about that."
Talia quickly shook her head, waving her hand dismissively. "No, it's fine. I don't mind at all."
Chrono studied her for a moment, as if trying to gauge whether she truly meant that.
"Well… I'll take your word for it."
He turned his back to her for a second, looking up at the darkening sky. The streetlights had begun to glow faintly, their light reflecting in his eyes.
After a moment, he turned back toward her. "So… where are we heading?"
Talia blinked. "Huh? Oh!" She laughed lightly. "I thought we were just gonna walk around aimlessly while talking."
Chrono tilted his head. "Really?"
She shrugged, stepping closer with her hands tucked behind her back. "It's fine. Your idea is probably better anyway."
She leaned forward slightly. "Do you know the park nearby?"
Chrono thought for a second. "East Park?"
"Uh huh."
Such a lame name…
Chrono glanced toward the direction of the park. "Oh yeah, right. Iris lives around this area if I remember correctly."
Talia's posture stiffened slightly.
Her eyes narrowed as she slowly folded her arms. "Iris Aurora?" she asked.
Chrono nodded. "Yeah, her. She's in my class."
Talia's eyes narrowed even further. "I know that much," she said flatly. "She's pretty popular. It'd be hard not to know."
"I guess." Chrono blinked.
Talia sounds pretty mad…It's hard to tell. Maybe she doesn't like Iris… or maybe it's because I'm bringing up another girl…?
Talia frowned, her gaze suddenly sharp enough to make Chrono instinctively straighten his posture. A faint shiver ran down his spine. It felt strange seeing her make that kind of expression.
"How do you know she lives around here?" Talia asked slowly.
Her eyes bored into him. "Do you stalk her or something?"
Chrono's mouth opened slightly. Not out of disbelief. Just mild exhaustion. "…No," he said flatly. "I'm not a stalker."
"Then?"
Chrono rubbed his temple. "We got paired up for an assignment recently, and she doesn't like using the internet because, apparently, 'the government is actively monitoring us. I'm not so much of a fool to willingly be spied on 24/7.'"
He mimicked the tone slightly, rolling his
eyes. "So she decided we should meet at the park on some days in the week."
Talia blinked.
Chrono continued. "She said her house is pretty close to the park, but she doesn't want me inside because my 'slob energy' will rub off on everyone there."
Chrono scoffed quietly. "So apparently she's immune to my 'slob energy' or whatever."
Talia tried to suppress a smile but failed slightly.
"Anyway," Chrono continued, "that's how I know she lives around here."
He raised a brow at Talia, noticing her lingering glare. "What? Do you not like Iris?" he asked carefully. "You didn't strike me as the type to hold grudges."
Talia didn't hesitate. "Yeah. That's right."
She looked away briefly. "I don't like her one bit."
Chrono blinked.
That's news…
Suddenly his eyes widened as something clicked in his memory. "Wait," he said. "In one of my previous loops, you mentioned there's someone you really wanted to beat on sports day."
He leaned forward slightly. "Is that person Iris?"
Talia immediately shook her head. "No."
She scoffed faintly. "There's no way someone as stuck-up as Iris would participate in sports day."
Chrono tilted his head. "Then why don't you like her?"
Talia hesitated for a moment. Then she sighed. "It's just…" she began. "The person I want to beat thinks very highly of Iris."
She crossed her arms again. "So I guess it's mostly an indirect dislike."
Chrono nodded slowly. "So if that person thought highly of me… would you dislike me too?"
Talia immediately shook her head. "No. I wouldn't hate you, Zeph."
Her voice softened slightly. "I already don't like Iris as a person. Someone praising her just adds to my distaste."
Chrono gave a nervous smile as a bead of sweat slid down his cheek. "…I'll make sure not to bring up Iris again."
Talia stared at him for a moment. Then she sighed, rubbing the back of her neck. "…You don't have to go that far."
But Chrono still looked slightly wary.
And the two of them began walking toward the park, the quiet night air settling around them as their conversation continued.
Talia looked down at the pavement as they walked, her shoulders drooping slightly. The earlier tension lingered in the air. "Do… do you think less of me now?" she asked quietly.
Chrono turned his head toward her. A small smile tugged at his lips, gentle and reassuring. "No, not at all," he said. "It isn't in my right to judge you for who you should and shouldn't like. I don't hold that authority… and I don't want to." He shrugged lightly. "So no, I won't think less of you."
Talia slowly lifted her head. Relief softened her expression, and a faint smile appeared. "Thanks, Zeph. I appreciate that." She hesitated for a moment before adding, "I… I knew I could trust you."
Chrono smiled back but didn't respond right away. His hands remained in his pockets as they continued walking down the quiet street.
I wonder…
What happened between them?
Who is the person she wants to beat so badly?
Why does she not like them?
There's so much I don't know about Talia.
I want to know more.
More… more about her.
But I'll have to ask her another time. For now, I'll focus on clearing this challenge.
Chrono glanced over at her again. "So, you wanted to hear the rest, right?"
Talia nodded immediately. "Yeah. That's what we were gonna talk about, no?"
Chrono scratched the side of his cheek awkwardly. "Right… dumb question."
Talia waved a hand dismissively and began idly twirling a finger through the air. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to," she said. "I ain't forcing ya."
"Huh?" Chrono blinked at her. "No, that's not it. I just wanted to ask you. Nothing serious."
Talia studied his face for a moment before nodding slowly. "Hm… Alright."
Chrono cleared his throat, shifting his gaze forward as he began. "It was on loop two. I decided to check the library. I had to make sure May still existed or not, and to my relief she was there, swaying her head blissfully to music." His voice softened slightly. "There's no way I could've known what was going to happen next."
His fingers curled slightly in his pockets. "I panicked. To the point where I felt sick." He exhaled slowly. "Multiple emotions overwhelmed me, so I decided to stand behind a bookshelf."
He gestured vaguely with one hand as he continued. "I took a book off the shelf to potentially strike up a conversation with her… but then I second-guessed if that was really the best idea and decided not to."
Chrono's eyes narrowed slightly as the memory resurfaced. "I glanced at her from behind the shelf. We made eye contact briefly, but… something was off." His voice lowered. "Her gaze was empty. Lifeless. Like a doll staring back at me."
Talia's eyes widened. She immediately turned toward him as they walked. "Oh! Do you think that's where her personality switched?"
Chrono rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "I never really thought about it like that," he admitted. "She was different after that point… so perhaps that's when the overwrite happened."
She nodded slightly. "Her acting differently after that basically confirms it."
Chrono tilted his head. "How do you know she wasn't acting before that though?" Chrono asked.
A grin spread across Talia's face. She lightly nudged him with her elbow. "You're so silly, Zeph. I should be the one asking you those questions."
Her grin softened as she continued. "Though… there's no way to know whether she was acting before that or not." She shrugged. "But I think it's safe to assume it happened there."
She suddenly laughed, covering her mouth slightly. "I'm starting to sound like you now!"
Chrono raised a brow. "Is that a good thing or a bad thing?"
Talia shrugged again. "Dunno."
Chrono's brows furrowed slightly, his lips pressing into a thin line as he recalled the next part. A bead of sweat slid down the side of his face.
He cleared his throat. "After we made eye contact, the librarian — like in the previous loop — said the library was closing soon."
Chrono glanced ahead, replaying the scene in his mind. "She got up robotically, asked the librarian a question, then left after that." He paused briefly. "I followed a little after she left."
"She was standing under a streetlamp outside the library waiting for me."
Chrono sighed. "After that she accused me of being a stalker, and we got into a little debate."
Talia tilted her head thoughtfully. "Confronting a person you suspect is a stalker on your own… that's pretty odd to be honest," she said. "Nonsensical, even."
Suddenly her eyes widened. "Oh!"
She pointed at him. "Is that why you made that face when I asked if you were stalking Iris?"
Chrono let out an exhausted sigh. "Yeah… only the second time, but why am I being accused of being a stalker…?"
Talia snorted quietly, trying to suppress a laugh.
Chrono sighed again before continuing. "After our debate, she pulled out a knife and began to attack me."
Talia's eyes widened again, her expression turning serious."That's insane…"
"I knew she was a threat but… I'd never imagined she'd go this far," she added quietly.
Chrono nodded slowly. "At first she was 'normal', meaning she wasn't doing anything supernatural. But as the fight dragged on…" His voice grew tense. "She began moving at impossible speeds for a human being."
Talia raised a brow. "Impossible speeds?"
"Yeah," Chrono replied. "She began moving so fast she created afterimages. So fast she created sonic booms when she moved."
Talia blinked several times. "That's insane…"
Chrono shook his head slowly. "And that's not even the worst thing."
He looked over at her. "Do you think it's possible for a human to level a building with speed alone?"
Talia frowned and shook her head. "I really doubt that's possible."
"Yeah," Chrono said quietly. "That's what I thought… until I saw May do it with my own eyes."
His voice hardened slightly. "She moved so fast she had enough force to completely level the library we were just in." He swallowed. "Not to mention she was unscathed."
Talia fell silent. For a moment she simply stared ahead, stunned. Then her face darkened. "To think… she has that much power and she just let us go…" Her voice dropped to a near whisper. "She could really kill us at any time… and there's nothing we could do about it."
"Yeah… she's real dangerous," Chrono said quietly. "I don't know what she has planned either. I don't know where she is, or if she'll attack again." He let out a frustrated breath. "It's… frustrating."
Talia placed a hand under her chin, her expression thoughtful but steady. "Her plan…?" she murmured, pausing for a moment. "So far we only know two shadow soldiers and their laws — the Nocturne's Law and Veritas' Law."
She glanced at Chrono briefly before continuing. "Might've been bad timing at first… but she seemed pretty happy when you triggered Veritas' Law." Her eyes narrowed slightly. "That makes me think it was part of her plan."
Chrono nodded slowly. "I think the same thing."
"Do you know how many shadow soldiers there are, Zeph?" Talia asked.
"Yeah," Chrono replied. "There's seven of them."
"…And so far two of them have been triggered…" Talia tapped her chin lightly, her mind clearly racing through possibilities.
"Even if it was accidental," she continued, "she got stronger after Nocturne's Law activated."
"That's because of the white figure's override, no?" Chrono asked, turning his head toward her.
"Yeah," Talia said, nodding slowly. "But what if every law that gets triggered — with her involvement, because of you — makes her stronger?"
Chrono stopped walking for a moment as the idea sank in.
"…That actually makes a lot of sense," he admitted. "It would explain a lot. Like why she didn't just kill me this time… and why she got so excited when I triggered Veritas."
Talia raised a brow. "Killed you?" she repeated slowly. "This time?"
Chrono blinked. "…Right. I guess I didn't tell you that part yet."
He cleared his throat and continued. "After she leveled the library, she lunged at me. She was moving relatively slower than when she destroyed the building, but still ridiculously fast."
Talia looked at him intently. "So… is that how you died?"
Chrono shook his head. "No. I dodged."
Talia froze mid-step.Her eyes widened dramatically. "H-huh?! You dodged?!" she exclaimed. "How?!"
Chrono frowned slightly, just as confused as she was. "I honestly don't know," he admitted. "I just had this thought that if she was moving that fast, she shouldn't be able to change direction easily."
"She'd have to move in a straight line. So predicting where she'd go was obvious." He paused. "My guess is that being 'worthy' improved my physical abilities to superhuman levels. I can't think of anything else."
Talia nodded slowly. "I see…"
Chrono continued. "Not long after that, police cars and an ambulance showed up. I was severely injured, so they loaded me into the ambulance."
His voice grew heavier as he recalled the moment.
"After they closed the door, I heard this huge bang outside. Like an explosion. I warned one of the paramedics not to open the door… but he ignored me."
Chrono's gaze lowered. "One second his torso was attached to his body… the next second it wasn't."
Talia's face went pale. "That's insane…" she muttered. "She did that with a knife?"
Chrono nodded grimly. "I can't even imagine cutting someone cleanly like that with just a knife. But she did it… like it was nothing."
The street grew quieter around them as they approached the park.
"You were cornered then," Talia said. "Did you manage to get away somehow?"
Chrono nodded his head slightly. "It was luck honestly. One of the paramedics lunged at May in a rage. That gave us a chance to escape."
He sighed. "But we didn't get far. She caught up almost instantly. She ran past the ambulance so fast the driver swerved… and we ended up crashing."
Chrono's voice grew tense as he continued. "By that point, May had adapted to her speed. Earlier she couldn't control it, but now she was turning and moving like it was completely normal." He glanced at Talia. "Imagine a basketball player… moving at the speed of sound."
Talia grimaced. "Seriously…?"
Chrono nodded. "About ten meters to my left there was an alleyway. May was about fifty meters ahead of me."
He swallowed. "But she could close that distance in a blink." There was no way I could reach the alley before her."
He continued walking slowly as he spoke. "As soon as I moved, she did too. She flew past me in an instant, then spun around and jabbed her knife at me, but the ambulance driver jumped in front of me."
Talia's eyes widened again.
"He took the hits," Chrono said quietly. "Then he told me to run."
"And I ran." He paused briefly. "But when I reached the alley…"
"She was already there. As if she teleported. She jabbed her knife at me again. I dodged, but…" He exhaled slowly. "My body had reached its limit, I collapsed."
Chrono's hand slowly rose to his neck. "That's when she explained it. She told me that I appeared as the Nocturne… and that I killed her."
His breathing grew uneven. "And in a rage…" Chrono paused, his voice shaking. "…she cut my head off."
Talia stopped walking immediately.
Chrono stopped as well and turned toward her.
Their eyes met.
Talia looked horrified — her eyes wide, lips slightly parted. "You… you went through that?" she asked, her fists slowly tightening.
Chrono nodded. "It was terrible," he said quietly. "All those people sacrificed themselves for me… but it was meaningless."
His gaze dropped. "I couldn't escape. I couldn't win." His voice hardened with guilt. "It's my fault. Everything."
"And now… I dragged you into this. May sees you as an enemy now too." Chrono lowered his head slightly.
"I'm sorry. I really am."
"Don't apologize."
Chrono looked up.
Talia was smiling softly, though the unease still lingered in her eyes."It's fine," she said. "I know what I'm getting myself into."
She placed a hand on her chest. "So if something happens to me… that's on me, not you. Alright?"
Chrono shook his head immediately. "I'm sorry, but I can't accept that. I dragged you into this. So if anything happens… it is my fault."
Talia's expression hardened. "Then WHY, Zeph?" she demanded suddenly.
Chrono flinched.
"Why recruit me if you feel this guilty about it?" she continued, frustration spilling out. "If there are so many risks, why do it at all?!" Her voice rose. "Where's the sense in any of it? Tell me!"
Chrono opened his mouth—
But nothing came out.
He had no answer.
His hands clenched tightly inside his pockets as he bit his lip.
Finally, he let out a long sigh. "…Sorry." His voice was quiet now.
"My head's all over the place and I can't think straight right now." His voice trembled slightly. "I'm just… really tense."
He looked at her. "I'm terrified, Talia. I want to survive. I need your social skills, your connections… but I also know how dangerous May is. The pain I went through… it's not something I want someone else to experience for my sake."
He laughed weakly at himself."It's contradictory. I want you involved… but I don't at the same time." He shook his head. "I'm such a fool…"
Talia didn't respond immediately. Instead, she folded her arms and turned away, walking ahead silently.
Chrono watched her go.
After a few steps, she stopped and turned back. "We're at the park now," she said calmly. She gestured toward the entrance.
"You coming?"
Chrono blinked, momentarily stunned — like someone who had just been snapped awake.
Talia looked at him firmly. "I know it's not easy… dying." Her voice softened slightly. "But you can't stay like this forever."
She pointed ahead. "Sitting in sorrow gets you nowhere. If you truly want to survive, move forward. Regret no actions."
She began walking again. "Use me if you have to. Be selfish. It's what you need to survive this challenge. Rid yourself of morals."
Talia pointed toward a bench beneath a dim park lamp. "There's an empty bench over there."
She kept walking. "There are still some things we haven't finished discussing."
Chrono didn't move. He stood there with his head lowered, his shoulders slightly tense as if weighed down by his own thoughts.
Talia stopped a few steps ahead and turned around, one hand settling on her hip. "Zeph?"
Chrono finally lifted his head a little, though he still avoided her gaze. "I'm sorry… Talia."
Talia tilted her head slightly, confused.
"Hm?"
"I won't…" Chrono hesitated, drawing a slow breath. "I won't rid myself of morals."
He paused for a moment before continuing, his voice steadier now. "But you're right. I can't keep regretting everything forever, otherwise I'll never move forward." He looked up at her fully this time. "So I'll do it. I'll beat this challenge… without abandoning my morals."
For a moment Talia simply stared at him. Then she smiled softly and turned back around, resuming her walk. "I thought you'd say that." she said quietly.
---
They eventually reached the bench and sat down.
Beside them stood a small playground: three plastic slides and a rusted monkey bar set. A little further beyond it sat another bench connected to a picnic table. Two people were seated there, though from this distance their conversation was inaudible.
Talia leaned back against the bench and looked up at the sky, lightly kicking her feet as they dangled.
"It's kinda funny," she said with a small laugh. "We went from a bench… to another bench!"
Chrono chuckled quietly.
Before he could say anything, Talia suddenly clapped her hands together. "Alrighty!" she announced. "There's one last thing I wanted to discuss before we get into the nitty-gritty of your plan."
"What is it?" Chrono asked.
"It's about May's plan." Talia leaned forward slightly, resting her elbows on her knees. "It might be a stretch, but it's worth considering."
"Alright. Let's hear it."
"Don't you find it strange how May didn't try to attack you? It almost seemed like triggering Veritas was her only objective."
Chrono nodded slowly. "Uh-huh."
"I believe she's somewhat restricted."
Chrono's eyes widened, a broad grin instantly forming on his face. "Really? I believe so too."
"'Do you really have free will?' That's what I asked her."
"Yeah… I remember." Talia nodded. "I didn't really understand what you meant at the time, but now it makes sense."
Talia folded her arms thoughtfully. "May claims she has free will, but I doubt that's entirely true. Her actions are probably limited by the overseer. She's like a puppet."
Chrono leaned back, crossing his own arms. "It's difficult to say. My guess is the restrictions are tied to the laws somehow. Maybe in order to gain real freedom she has to force me to activate them."
"Do you think she becomes stronger every time a law activates?" Talia asked.
"It's possible," Chrono said. "But we don't have enough information yet."
"We don't know her restrictions either," Talia added. "Maybe she's not allowed to kill you unless she forces you to activate a law. Or maybe she can't kill you anymore at all and uses the laws as a workaround."
Chrono rubbed his chin. "Or maybe she's completely restricted and only becomes free after all the laws activate… though that doesn't explain why she was able to kill me in the previous loop. Maybe she can only kill you every other loop?"
Talia suddenly slumped back dramatically on the bench. "Ugh! This is so frustrating." She dragged her hands down her face. "There's no way to confirm any of this unless we encounter May again. And even then we'd probably only learn fragments."
Chrono gave a small reassuring shrug. "It's fine. We'll figure it out eventually. No need to get frustrated."
Talia exhaled slowly, calming herself. "I can't say I share your optimism," she muttered, "but I suppose staying positive is better than spiraling."
Silence settled between them for a moment.
Then Talia suddenly straightened and looked past the playground toward the other bench.
Her eyes widened. "That's not who I think it is."
Chrono immediately turned to her, alarmed. "Huh? Who do you see?"
Talia's expression slowly shifted into annoyance as she folded her arms. "What's she doing here…?"
"Huh?" Chrono turned to look. "Iris?" he said, confused. "It's not even that late, but I wouldn't expect her of all people to be out here."
Iris sat at the table speaking to someone beside her—a boy wearing a gray hoodie and black pants. His back faced them. Iris herself was still wearing her school uniform.
"Is she on a date…?" Talia whispered.
Then she suddenly turned to Chrono, her eyes sparkling mischievously. "We should crash her date! Come on Zeph, let's do it!"
"Huh? What? No— absolutely not."
"Why not?"
"I don't think I need to explain why that's a terrible idea." Chrono sighed. "Besides, Iris wouldn't wear her uniform on a date. She's far too prideful for that."
Talia clicked her tongue. "You're right…" she muttered. "Then what could she be doing?" she wondered aloud.
"Beats me." Chrono shrugged. "Why does it matter?"
"It doesn't." Talia smirked slightly. "But I'm curious."
She leaned closer toward him. "Aren't you curious too, Zeph~?"
Chrono flinched.
It had been a while since Talia used that teasing tone. He had almost forgotten that was how she used to talk when they first met.
"No… not really," he said quickly. "If you want to go then go by yourself."
"You're no fun…" Talia pouted. She stood up and began walking toward Iris.
Chrono sighed heavily.
Before Talia even reached the table, Iris looked up.
Their eyes met.
Talia froze mid-step.
She forced an awkward smile as a bead of sweat rolled down her cheek.
Iris spoke first. "Oh… what an unpleasant surprise." she said calmly. "Odd seeing you here, Talia Fenrow."
Her voice was steady, composed, and faintly authoritative—as if she were addressing someone beneath her attention rather than greeting an acquaintance.
Talia's smile widened slightly as she suppressed her irritation. "There's really no need to say my full name," she said sweetly. "You sound weird."
Iris ignored the remark entirely. Her gaze shifted past Talia.
Her eyes widened just slightly. "Zeph?" she said. "How unexpected. My, what an unusual pairing."
Guess there's no helping it…
Chrono sighed and stood from the bench, walking over to join them.
"What are you doing here, Zeph?" Iris asked evenly. "I do not recall scheduling a meeting with you."
"You didn't," Chrono replied. "Actually I was about to ask you the same thing."
Without breaking eye contact with Chrono, Iris extended her hand toward the boy in front her. "My brother wished to visit the park," she said. "He requested that I accompany him."
Chrono raised an eyebrow. "You had a brother?"
Iris raised one of her own in return, mildly puzzled. "I do. I distinctly remember mentioning him before."
Oh…?
Chrono narrowed his eyes briefly before smiling awkwardly and scratching the back of his neck. "Ah… right. That's my bad. I must've forgotten."
He gestured toward the boy. "Could you remind me of his name?"
Iris turned her head toward him. "Introduce yourself."
The boy turned around. He smiled nervously. "H-Hello! My name is March—March Aurora," he said, extending his hand enthusiastically. "I'm Iris' older brother. It's a pleasure to meet you."
Chrono hesitated a moment before shaking his hand. March shook it far more energetically than expected, surprising Chrono.
March Aurora had spiky brown hair similar to Xander's, dark blue eyes, and thick bushy eyebrows. He was about a year older than Chrono, though his innocent expression made him look younger. He was roughly the same height as Talia.
"It's… a pleasure," Chrono said carefully. "I'm Zeph. Zeph Chrono." He gestured toward Talia. "And this is my friend, Talia."
Talia squinted suspiciously. "You two don't look alike at all," she said bluntly. "Are you really siblings?"
Iris sighed softly and closed her eyes for a moment, placing a hand against her chest. "We receive that comment quite frequently." she replied. "Yes, we are siblings. However, I am adopted."
She opened her eyes again. "We are not related by blood. His father took me in."
Chrono and Talia both stared. "Seriously!?" they blurted in unison.
March nodded happily. "It's true! My dad found her when she was really young and decided to adopt her."
"I… see." Talia muttered awkwardly. "Sorry about that."
Iris turned her attention back to Chrono, folding her arms neatly. "Well then, Zeph," she said. "I have explained my presence here. I believe it is only fair that you explain yours."
Her gaze flicked briefly toward Talia. "Especially considering the company you're keeping."
Talia flinched slightly.
"We're on a date," Chrono said suddenly. The words came out smoothly enough that even he was momentarily surprised.
"The park seemed like a nice place for the two of us to hang out."
Talia's head snapped toward him, her face flushing faintly before she quickly regained composure.
Iris scoffed, a faint, mocking smirk formed at the corner of her lips. "Taking a girl to the park for a date?" she said coolly. "I expected better from you, Zeph."
"C'mon Iris, don't be like that. Not every date has to be in some fancy restaurant." Chrono said, a nervous smile tugging at his lips.
"I suppose you're correct."
Chrono blinked.
His eyes widened slightly in genuine surprise.
He had expected resistance—maybe a condescending remark, maybe a lecture on standards—but not immediate agreement.
"...Are you really Iris?" Chrono joked, raising a brow.
Iris raised a brow. "And what is that supposed to mean?"
Chrono fanned his hand dismissively. "It's nothing. Don't worry about it."
"Very well. In that case, we will be taking our leave." Iris stood up and stretched a hand toward March. "Come along, brother. Father doesn't like when you're out late."
March grabbed her hand and stood. "Yeah, yeah. I know, I know."
He turned to Chrono and Talia with a wide smile and waved enthusiastically. "Bye bye guys! I hope I see you again!"
Talia waved with one hand before leaning toward Chrono and covering her mouth with the other. "Is he really the older one? It's almost like he's a little kid," she whispered.
Chrono didn't respond. His gaze remained fixed on March, eyes narrowed with clear skepticism as he lightly tapped his foot against the pavement.
Just as Iris and March turned to leave, Chrono spoke again, his voice low and serious. "Hold on a second."
They both turned around. Iris folded her arms, irritation creeping onto her face. "What is it, Zeph?"
Chrono stared directly at March. "Just who the hell are you?"
March flinched and pointed to himself. "M-me?"
"As long as I've known Iris, she's never had any siblings," Chrono said calmly. "So this is pretty shocking news to me."
Iris looked at Chrono with a strange expression, almost as if he had said something absurd. "What are you talking about, Zeph?"
"It's been about two weeks since we were paired for the assignment. Monday, Wednesday, Saturday. That's six meetings." Chrono slid his hands into his pockets. "During those meetings you've mentioned your father, your mother, your cousins, your grandparents, the maids, your uncle overseas, even your dead aunt."
He tilted his head slightly. "Yet somehow you never mentioned your brother. Not even once."
"You could argue maybe the two of you weren't on good terms," Chrono continued.
"But you're on bad terms with one of the maids, and yet you still talk about her."
"So there's really no logical reason you wouldn't mention him even once."
His eyes locked onto Iris. "So when I suddenly see this guy you call your brother… of course I'm going to be skeptical."
Chrono tilted his head. "If he really is your brother, I'll apologize. But you could at least explain why you've never mentioned him."
Iris clenched her fists. "You're wrong! I have mentioned him when speaking to you! I know I have!"
Chrono shook his head. "No. Not once."
"Yes I hav—"
"Your father, your mother, your cousins—"
"I said I HAVE!"
March stepped forward and gently wrapped an arm around Iris' shoulders. "Hey, hey… calm down Iris. Maybe… maybe he just has bad memory!"
Iris slowly calmed down, breathing heavily. She looked back at Chrono.
"Yes… yes, you're right. Chrono is the one at fault here. He simply doesn't pay attention to what I say."
Chrono sighed. "Alright then. Do you remember what you said when you mentioned him? Maybe it'll jog my memory."
Iris nodded slowly.
"Yes."
Her voice became strangely distant.
"Yes… I remember."
"I'll tell you word for word."
She paused.
Then repeated.
"Yes… I remember."
"I'll tell you word for word."
Then again.
"Yes… I remember."
"I'll tell you word for word."
Again.
And again.
And again.
The same line.
Over and over.
Her voice never changed.
Her expression never shifted.
Like a broken audio recording.
Like a corrupted file.
"Yes… I remember."
"I'll tell you word for word."
"Yes… I remember."
"I'll tell you word for word."
Chrono felt a chill crawl down his spine. "What the hell…?"
He glanced back at Talia. Her expression was completely unchanged, as if nothing strange was happening.
What the hell is going on…?
Iris kept repeating the phrase. It was sickening to listen to.
"Hey! Iris! Snap out of it!" Chrono stepped forward and tapped her shoulder.
The moment he touched her, the world glitched. Everything distorted for a split second, like a skipped frame in reality.
Iris suddenly stopped repeating the line and grabbed her head. "Ah—!"
Chrono froze. "What the hell…?"
He turned toward Talia. Her eyes were now wide with shock. Chrono turned back to Iris, unease settling in his chest.
What… was that…?
The world just—
Something changed.
This is bad…
Iris nearly collapsed, but March caught her. "Oh no… you're having a headache again," he muttered frantically, digging through his pockets. "Where are the pills…?"
Chrono blinked. "This… happens often?"
March shook his head quickly. "No. It only started recently."
Chrono placed a hand on his chin. "Something isn't right."
"Iris!" Chrono suddenly shouted.
She looked up at him in pain, her body trembling violently.
"Do you remember what you said when you mentioned March?"
"I… I… I… I… I… I…" she stuttered before her voice shifted unnaturally. "I never once mentioned March to you."
Chrono flinched. "What? But you said you did…"
He quickly shook his head and refocused.
"Do you remember the debate we had at school about May?"
Talia turned toward Chrono with surprise. "Seriously?"
Iris groaned in pain, gripping her head tighter. "May…? Who… who is May?"
Chrono's eyes widened.
That confirms it. Her… memory has been altered.
March looked at Chrono with tears in his eyes. "Please… stop asking her questions… you're hurting her."
"Shut up!" Chrono snapped, pointing at him.
"Iris never had a brother! I don't know who you are or what you are, but your existence is what's causing her pain!"
"You are NOT Iris' brother. The fake memories of you are clashing with her real memories. That conflict is causing the headaches!"
Chrono's voice hardened. "So drop the act, you bastard. Who the hell are you?"
March lowered his head silently. A shadow covered his face.
Then slowly… he looked up. Smiling. "Ahhh… it was obvious, wasn't it?" He casually lifted his hand, letting Iris' body drop to the pavement.
Chrono and Talia both stared in shock. The casual cruelty of the motion stunned them
March stretched his arms out and casually placed his foot on Iris' face, grinding it against the ground. "This girl right here," he said pleasantly, "decided to investigate mistress May."
"You bastard!" Chrono shouted, trying to lunge forward, but Talia grabbed him and held him back.
"I couldn't allow that," March continued with a laugh. "A normal person almost discovering mistress May's identity? INSANITY! Especially after you warned her not to."
"So we made a small adjustment. Mistress May rewrote her memories. Her family's memories too. Now they all remember me as her sibling."
He shrugged. "Of course, we are not blood related. That would be unnecessarily complicated."
Chrono's fists trembled.
March continued smiling. "Her memories of mistress May should be erased right now. That includes your debate with her about May too."
March placed a hand proudly on his chest. "My life belongs to the mistress. I will do ANYTHING to protect her. Because I am her shield. No one but Zeph Chrono may know her secret."
Then he began stomping on Iris.
Once.
Twice.
Again.
Blood splattered across the pavement. Iris screamed.
"STOP IT! YOU BASTARD!" Chrono roared.
March eventually stopped and kicked Iris' body aside.
"She isn't a problem," he said casually. Then he pointed at Talia.
"But her… she has been convinced. If the day resets, she'll remember everything." His smile grew twisted.
"I have to kill her tonight… otherwise I've failed my mistress."
Chrono turned to Talia, fear flashing in his eyes. She clutched his shirt, trembling.
"Zeph…"
"Talia. Let go of me." His voice was calm but firm.
Chrono stepped forward, placing himself between her and March. His hands slid into his pockets as he stared at him with controlled rage. "I will not let you anywhere near her."
March laughed, tilting his head toward the sky before locking eyes with Chrono again. "Do you really think you can stop me, Zeph Chrono?"
"I'll do everything in my power to make sure I do."
"I want to see you try."
Chrono turned slightly toward Talia, offering her a soft smile."Don't worry. When I lunge at him, run. Run as far away as you can."
"Are you sure you'll be okay?" Talia asked.
"Don't worry about me. I'll be fine. Just get out of here."
Talia nodded. "Alright… I trust you. Please… kick his ass."
Chrono nodded. "Yes ma'am."
Behind his back he held up three fingers.
Two.
One.
Then he lunged.
Talia sprinted in the opposite direction.
In an instant Chrono closed the distance, charging a punch straight at March.
And for a moment…
It felt like time itself was slowing down.