MEMELAND

The doctor smiled.

"You're finally awake."

Kai slowly sat up.

His body protested immediately.

Every muscle ached.

His ribs still hurt from Taai's welcome.

"..."

Something felt...

Wrong.

The doctor's face.

The glasses.

The voice.

Kai's eyes widened.

"...Aren't you—"

The doctor immediately raised a finger.

"Shhh."

Kai stopped.

The man closed the door behind him.

Click.

Silence filled the room.

The doctor walked toward the bedside.

Then smiled.

"I didn't expect we'd meet like this."

He adjusted his glasses.

"But..."

"I wouldn't mind if this became our last meeting too."

Kai slowly lowered his voice.

"...Dr. Z."

The doctor gave a theatrical bow.

"Wonderful."

"You remembered."

Kai frowned.

"...We've never met."

Dr. Z grinned wider.

"True."

"...From my perspective."

He pulled up a chair.

Sat backwards on it.

Resting both arms over the backrest.

"My, my, my..."

"...Kai."

"So."

"You finally came."

Kai stared.

Dr. Z leaned forward.

"So."

"You really want that surgery, huh?"

Kai's expression froze.

"..."

Dr. Z tapped his chin dramatically.

"I've been wondering."

"How exactly do you know about Magic Circuit Implantation?"

He tilted his head.

Then slowly spoke each word.

"...Did..."

"...you..."

"...travel..."

"...back..."

"...in..."

"...time?"

The room fell silent.

Kai's heartbeat quickened.

Dr. Z suddenly laughed.

"Hahahahaha!"

"What a ridiculous conclusion."

"Even I wouldn't believe something that insane."

Kai let out a slow breath.

"..."

"...My memories."

Dr. Z stopped laughing.

"Hm?"

Kai looked at him.

"I've been recovering fragments."

"They led me to Oheyo."

"They led me to the laboratory."

"They led me..."

"...to Magic Circuits."

Dr. Z stared.

Completely silent.

Several seconds passed.

Then—

"...Fine."

"I'll believe your crazy story."

Kai muttered under his breath.

"...You're the crazy one here."

"I heard that."

"I know."

Dr. Z looked strangely pleased.

He stood.

Walked toward the window.

"The operation..."

"...will have to wait."

Kai frowned.

"...Why?"

Dr. Z sighed dramatically.

"My laboratory."

"You and those Outlaws buried it."

Kai rubbed the back of his neck.

"...Sorry?"

"No."

"I'm blaming the Cult."

Kai blinked.

"The Cult?"

Dr. Z nodded.

"They kidnapped one of your Outlaws."

"I specifically told them..."

"...not to touch those people."

He sighed.

"They ignored me."

"Then naturally..."

"The Outlaws redirected all of their attention."

"...Toward my laboratory."

Another sigh.

"So now..."

"...it's under a mountain of sand."

He shrugged.

"Oh well."

"Water under the bridge."

Kai narrowed his eyes.

"...You're not with the Cult."

Dr. Z looked genuinely confused.

"The Cult?"

Then burst into laughter.

"Hahahahahaha!"

"No."

"We're not with the Cult."

"We're from the Illu—"

He suddenly stopped himself.

His eyes slowly met Kai's.

"...Ah."

"I see what you did."

Kai hadn't done anything.

He simply stayed quiet.

Dr. Z chuckled.

"Almost made me say something troublesome."

Kai kept his face calm.

But inside—

His thoughts raced.

So there really was another organization.

Separate from the Cult of Azathoth.

Whether they worked together...

Or one manipulated the other...

He had no idea.

Dr. Z stretched lazily.

"Anyway."

"If you still want the operation..."

"I'll need to rebuild my equipment."

"My surgical tools."

"My calibration arrays."

"My mana stabilizers."

"Everything important."

Kai nodded.

"...How long?"

Dr. Z smiled.

"Not long."

He reached into his coat.

Pulled out a folded piece of paper.

An address.

He handed it to Kai.

"When you're discharged..."

"Come here."

Kai unfolded it.

The address pointed toward an ordinary district inside Muscle City.

"...That doesn't look like a clinic."

"It isn't."

"It blends in."

Kai slowly looked back up.

Dr. Z grinned.

"When you arrive..."

"Knock three times."

He demonstrated against the wall.

Knock.

Knock.

Knock.

"Then twice."

Knock.

Knock.

"And finally..."

He pointed dramatically at Kai.

"Say..."

"'A Doctor a Day Keeps an Apple Away.'"

Kai stared.

"..."

"...Seriously?"

"Absolutely."

Kai wasn't sure if he was joking.

Knowing Dr. Z—

He probably wasn't.

Kai slowly nodded anyway.

"...Alright."

Dr. Z stood.

Walked toward the door.

Then stopped.

Without turning around—

He waved lazily.

"Don't die."

"Hahahahaha."

The door closed.

Kai sat alone in the room.

Silence returned.

His thoughts slowly settled.

Magic Circuits.

The surgery.

The mysterious organization Dr. Z almost revealed.

The Cult.

None of it fit together.

Not yet.

But for the first time—

He finally had a path forward.

Kai leaned back against the bed.

"..."

"...What a weird guy."