Lord of Perverted Ladies

"I don’t trust you anymore."

Elia’s words hurt more than Adrian expected.

He stood completely still.

Around him, the city had become strangely quiet.

No shouting.

No screaming.

No movement.

Everyone who had been standing beside him moments ago now looked at him like he was a stranger.

Ryan stared at Adrian with confusion.

Noah stood beside him, cautious and defensive.

Adrian’s brother was looking at their mother as though he had never seen her before.

Even Aeron seemed uncertain.

Only the children remained calm.

They were watching.

Waiting.

Adrian looked at the System.

NEXT EVOLUTION: TRUST.

Then:

TO LEARN TRUST...

FIRST, GIVE THEM A REASON TO DOUBT YOU.

Adrian frowned.

"What does that mean?"

Nobody answered.

Then the System disappeared.

Ryan took a step toward Adrian.

"Who are you?"

Adrian looked at him.

"You know me."

Ryan shook his head.

"I don’t."

"You remember the ocean?"

"No."

"The warehouse?"

"No."

"The first time we met?"

Ryan’s expression didn’t change.

"I’ve never met you."

Adrian felt something inside him collapse.

He turned toward Noah.

"What about you?"

Noah stared at him.

"I don’t know you either."

Adrian looked at his mother.

She was crying.

"Mom?"

She flinched.

"Don’t call me that."

The words were almost unbearable.

Adrian stepped backward.

"What happened?"

His brother answered.

"We don’t remember you."

Adrian looked at him.

"You don’t remember me?"

"No."

"But you remember being my brother."

His brother shook his head.

"I don’t remember being anyone’s brother."

Adrian closed his eyes.

The memories were still inside him.

Every conversation.

Every battle.

Every laugh.

Every loss.

But none of them remembered.

Then Adrian noticed something.

The wooden car in his hand.

He looked down.

It was still there.

The word TRUST had appeared on it.

He turned it over.

A small message was carved beneath it.

THEY FORGOT YOU.

Another line appeared.

BUT THEY DID NOT FORGET WHAT YOU DID.

Adrian froze.

"What did I do?"

The city suddenly changed.

Everyone around him began remembering.

Not their friendship.

Not their adventures.

Not the good things.

They remembered the consequences.

A city destroyed.

A world abandoned.

People dying.

Aeron fighting humans.

The children being erased.

His mother crying.

His brother disappearing.

Every terrible thing connected to Adrian.

Ryan looked at him with anger.

"You did this."

Adrian shook his head.

"I didn’t."

"You created the conditions."

"No."

"You chose to interfere."

Adrian looked at Noah.

"Noah..."

Noah stepped away.

"Don’t."

His voice was cold.

"You don’t get to use my name like we’re friends."

Adrian stopped.

Noah continued.

"If all of this happened because of you, why should I trust you?"

Adrian had no answer.

Because Noah was asking the right question.

Trust wasn’t something he could demand.

It wasn’t something memory could guarantee.

And it certainly wasn’t something the System could force.

Aeron suddenly stepped forward.

"I remember."

Everyone looked at him.

Adrian stared.

"You remember?"

Aeron nodded.

"I remember Adrian."

The crowd turned toward him.

Aeron continued.

"He didn’t control me."

Someone shouted,

"He created you!"

Aeron shook his head.

"No."

"He caused your existence!"

"Yes."

"But that makes him responsible for you!"

Aeron thought about it.

Then answered,

"No."

Adrian looked at him.

Aeron smiled.

"He gave me the opportunity to exist."

He touched his chest.

"I chose what came next."

The crowd became quiet.

Then a man shouted,

"Then why did he create all of this?"

Aeron looked at Adrian.

"I don’t know."

The answer surprised everyone.

Aeron continued.

"I don’t know what Adrian wants."

Adrian looked at him.

"But I know what he did."

He looked toward the people.

"He let me choose."

The System appeared.

TRUST: 08%

Adrian stared at it.

Only eight percent.

Then Elia stepped forward.

"I remember something too."

Adrian turned.

"What?"

She looked at him.

"I remember that you lied."

Adrian’s expression changed.

"When?"

"Many times."

She looked toward the children.

"You told them everything would be okay."

Adrian said nothing.

"You knew it wouldn’t."

"I was trying to protect them."

"I know."

Elia’s voice softened.

"But it was still a lie."

Adrian lowered his head.

"Yes."

She looked at him.

"That’s why I don’t trust you."

Adrian nodded.

"I understand."

Elia looked surprised.

"You’re not going to defend yourself?"

"No."

"Why?"

"Because you’re right."

The System appeared.

TRUST: 17%

Adrian looked at it.

He finally understood.

The test wasn’t about proving that he was trustworthy.

It was about accepting that people had reasons not to trust him.

The children began whispering among themselves.

One little girl stepped forward.

She looked at Adrian.

"Did you really erase us?"

Adrian hesitated.

"I don’t know."

The girl frowned.

"That’s not an answer."

Adrian nodded.

"No."

He looked toward his mother.

"She erased you."

His mother closed her eyes.

"But I was part of the reason."

The girl asked,

"Why?"

Adrian’s mother stepped forward.

"Because I was afraid."

The girl stared.

"Afraid of us?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because I didn’t understand you."

The girl looked at Adrian.

"And you?"

Adrian answered honestly.

"I didn’t understand you either."

The children became quiet.

The girl looked at him for a long moment.

Then she asked,

"Do you understand now?"

Adrian shook his head.

"Not completely."

The girl smiled.

"Good."

Adrian blinked.

"Good?"

"You don’t pretend anymore."

The System appeared.

TRUST: 29%

Ryan suddenly laughed.

Everyone looked at him.

"I don’t remember Adrian."

Adrian looked at him.

"But somehow..."

Ryan rubbed his forehead.

"I still remember that you annoy me."

Adrian smiled.

"That’s probably the most reliable memory you’ve ever had."

Ryan stared at him.

Then smiled.

"I think I hate you."

"Sounds familiar."

Noah looked between them.

"Are you two really friends?"

Ryan shrugged.

"Apparently."

Adrian looked at Noah.

"You don’t have to trust me."

Noah studied him.

"Then what do you want?"

"Nothing."

"No reason?"

"No."

Noah frowned.

"That makes me trust you less."

Adrian laughed.

"Fair."

The tension slowly began to break.

But then the sky turned black.

The System appeared.

TRUST: 31%

Then:

INSUFFICIENT.

Adrian’s smile disappeared.

"What happens if it doesn’t reach one hundred?"

The answer appeared.

THE WORLD WILL CHOOSE WITHOUT YOU.

Adrian frowned.

"What does that mean?"

The sky opened.

Images appeared.

Cities.

Countries.

Communities.

Families.

People choosing sides.

Some chose Adrian.

Others chose against him.

Some wanted him gone.

Others wanted him protected.

Conflict returned.

But this time it was different.

People weren’t fighting over resources.

They were fighting over whether Adrian should be trusted.

A man raised a weapon.

"He’s dangerous!"

Someone else shouted,

"He saved us!"

Another voice:

"He destroyed worlds!"

Another:

"He gave us freedom!"

The argument spread.

Adrian looked at the Guardian.

"Is this another test?"

The Guardian shook his head.

"No."

"Then what?"

"It’s reality."

Adrian stared.

The Guardian continued.

"You wanted a world where everyone could choose."

"Yes."

"This is what that looks like."

Adrian looked at the people.

"They can choose to hate me."

"Yes."

"They can choose to distrust me."

"Yes."

"They can choose to destroy me."

"Yes."

Adrian smiled faintly.

"Then I can’t stop them."

"No."

The Guardian looked at him.

"And that is the point."

Adrian turned toward the crowd.

He raised his hands.

Everyone became quiet.

"I could tell you I’m innocent."

Silence.

"I could show you my memories."

He lowered his hands.

"I could force you to remember everything."

The crowd watched him.

"But if I do that, your trust isn’t yours."

Adrian stepped backward.

"So I won’t."

The crowd became silent.

"I don’t need you to trust me."

Ryan looked at him.

Adrian continued.

"I need you to make your own choice."

A woman shouted,

"And if we choose against you?"

Adrian nodded.

"Then I’ll accept it."

"What if we hurt you?"

"I’ll defend myself."

"What if we kill you?"

Adrian paused.

"Then I die."

The Guardian looked at him.

Adrian smiled.

"I’m human."

The System appeared.

TRUST: 47%

The sky changed.

The people began making their choices.

Some walked toward Adrian.

Others walked away.

Some stayed uncertain.

No one was forced.

Adrian watched.

His brother approached him.

"I don’t remember you."

Adrian nodded.

"I know."

"But I want to."

Adrian looked at him.

"Why?"

"Because you looked sad when I said I didn’t."

Adrian smiled.

"That isn’t a good reason."

"I know."

His brother held out his hand.

"Then I’ll find my own reason."

Adrian took it.

The System appeared.

TRUST: 61%

His mother approached next.

She stopped several steps away.

"I don’t remember being your mother."

Adrian’s smile faded.

"But I remember choosing you."

He looked at her.

"Maybe that’s enough."

She slowly reached for his hand.

The System rose.

TRUST: 74%

Elia came next.

"I still don’t trust you."

Adrian nodded.

"But I trust that you won’t force me to."

Adrian smiled.

"That means more."

TRUST: 81%

Noah approached.

"I don’t remember everything."

"Neither do I."

"But I remember enough to know you’re stubborn."

Adrian laughed.

Noah held out his hand.

"I’ll trust you until you give me a reason not to."

Adrian shook his hand.

TRUST: 89%

Ryan walked over.

"I’ve decided something."

"What?"

"I still don’t trust you."

Adrian raised an eyebrow.

Ryan grinned.

"But I trust Noah."

Noah stared at him.

"Why?"

"Because if you’re secretly evil, he’ll probably notice first."

Adrian laughed.

The System appeared.

TRUST: 94%

Everyone looked toward the sky.

Only six percent remained.

The children stood together.

The youngest child stepped forward.

She looked at Adrian.

"I don’t trust you either."

Adrian smiled.

"That’s okay."

"But..."

She took his hand.

"I trust that you’ll let me decide."

The System flashed.

TRUST: 100%

The cracked heart appeared above the city.

But it didn’t break.

It opened.

Light poured through it.

The System appeared one final time.

LIFE HAS LEARNED TO CHOOSE.

LIFE HAS LEARNED TO FEEL.

LIFE HAS LEARNED TO WANT.

LIFE HAS LEARNED TO CONFLICT.

LIFE HAS LEARNED TO SACRIFICE.

LIFE HAS LEARNED IDENTITY.

LIFE HAS LEARNED EMPATHY.

LIFE HAS LEARNED TRUST.

Adrian waited.

A final line appeared.

TRUST CANNOT BE DEMANDED.

Then:

IT MUST BE GIVEN.

The System disappeared.

For several seconds, everything was peaceful.

Then Adrian heard something.

A voice.

Not from the sky.

Not from the ocean.

From somewhere behind him.

"You’ve learned how to trust others."

Adrian turned.

A familiar figure stood there.

Aeris.

His former identity.

But Aeris looked different now.

He was smiling.

"You still haven’t learned the hardest part."

Adrian frowned.

"What?"

Aeris pointed toward Adrian’s chest.

"Trusting yourself."

Adrian’s smile disappeared.

The wooden car in his hand cracked.

A new symbol appeared.

Not a heart.

Not a hand.

Not an eye.

A mirror.

Then a final message appeared.

FINAL EVOLUTION: SELF.

Adrian stared at his reflection in the broken wooden car.

For the first time...

he couldn’t recognize the person looking back.