Chapter 203. Flip
In the heart of the Alaris continent, nestled deep within the aristocratic domain bearing the same name, the Alaris estate stood tall and dignified.
Inside its lavish yet eerily quiet lounge, a group of young adults sat scattered on the velvet-cushioned sofas.
"Did you find any clues?" Zyon’s voice broke the silence, sharp and direct as he glanced around the hall, his elbows resting on his knees, hands loosely clasped together.
A collective murmur of defeat followed.
"No," they all said, almost in unison. Tired, synchronized by failure.
Leon leaned back with a huff, the weight of disappointment dragging his shoulders. "It’s not like we didn’t find anything. There were some classified documents—info dumps about other continents, their military capacity, power structure, even affinity distributions among their populace. But... anything even remotely linked to history?" He scoffed. "Completely scrubbed clean."
Kaelira crossed her arms tightly, her gaze locked onto the patterned carpet beneath her feet. "It’s the same as the library. Every shelf was meticulously sorted, pristine... but empty. History is a blank page. And that man we found trapped?" Her jaw clenched. "He still won’t speak. No matter what we try."
Celeste groaned and threw her head back. "That man’s a whole damn puzzle box. Honestly, I didn’t believe your bullshit at first—I thought you were exaggerating, or just paranoid. But after watching Miss Celia’s reaction..." She grimaced, "...yeah. That guy’s someone. And someone dangerous."
Freya turned to the others, her expression uncertain. "Should we... ask Miss Celia for help?"
"Nope." Lilith was quick to reject the suggestion, her tone laced with disdain. "Not a chance. Her behavior’s been too erratic lately and emotional. If anything, she’s suspicious."
Zyon let out a tired sigh, rubbing his temples like he was trying to squeeze the headache out of his skull. "Honestly, every adult’s acting off. Every single one of them knows something. They’re all hiding pieces of it. But why?" His brows furrowed. "What could’ve happened in the past that made them decide to erase it so completely?"
There was a moment of silence—each of them caught in their own theories—until Celeste finally spoke again. Slowly and hesitantly. "Guys... what if we’re wrong? What if we’re not supposed to know the past? What if there’s a reason it’s sealed off? What if it’s better that way?" She bit her lower lip, hesitant even as she said it. "Maybe it’s not about hiding from us, but protecting us."