Future Yuji Itadori Joins the Chat Group

After leaving Geuse's room, Natsuki Subaru sensed that Yuji Itadori brought Rui out with him because there was something to discuss. Once they were in the corridor and he was certain no one could overhear, he asked:

"Itadori-senpai, is there something you need to say?"

There was a trace of worry in Natsuki Subaru's gaze.

He had been so busy dealing with Geuse's situation that he hadn't known how things were on Emilia's end.

"Yes, I need to talk about something regarding Emilia."

Yuji Itadori leaned against the wall, his expression becoming serious.

"What is it?"

"Emilia likely no longer remembers Geuse."

"What?"

Confusion was written all over Natsuki Subaru's face.

"Just now, Geuse didn't look like he was lying. If what he said is true, then both Geuse and the Fortuna he mentioned should be very important people to Emilia. However, when I mentioned those names in front of her earlier, she seemed to have no impression of them at all."

Yuji Itadori shook his head.

"If they were very important people... it's absolutely impossible to forget them."

Natsuki Subaru took a deep breath and nodded.

"Furthermore, Emilia's reaction after hearing the name Fortuna was very strange. Even though she couldn't remember who it was, her body felt a sense of sadness."

Yuji Itadori recounted what had happened earlier.

Beside them, Rui spoke up to add:

"That person you call... Emilia, her memories have also been tampered with."

"Emilia's memories were tampered with?! Could it also be that person called Pandora?"

"Exactly. At least from our side, we can see it clearly."

"Who on earth is that person? What does she want?"

"She is a Witch hidden in history; few people today know of her existence, and we have never met her ourselves."

Rui shook her head.

"That person seems to want to undo a certain seal in that forest, though we aren't clear on what it specifically is."

Being in the Corridor of Memories, she was able to know these things through the memories of the deceased, so Rui knew of Pandora's existence.

However, it was only to the extent of knowing of her. Even in the memories of the dead, information regarding Pandora was extremely scarce; even Rui had never seen her.

"To think... to think such a thing happened... Geuse also became the Sin Archbishop of Sloth because of her, right? But why? Why would she do this?"

Natsuki Subaru couldn't understand, but Rui also shook her head:

"We don't know. The memories here regarding her are truly limited."

Pandora.

Yuji Itadori repeated the name in his heart.

Perhaps everything that happened previously was related to this person.

For some reason, Pandora gave him a feeling similar to Kenjaku, hiding behind the scenes and attempting to plot something.

What exactly did she want?

Regardless, this person was a dangerous figure.

Yuji Itadori shifted his gaze to Rui.

"Rui, is Fortuna still alive?"

He inquired.

Looking at Rui's expression earlier, Yuji Itadori already had a general answer in his heart, but he needed further confirmation.

"According to the Book of the Dead of others, Fortuna is already deceased."

Rui stated.

Natsuki Subaru pursed his lips, understanding the meaning behind Yuji Itadori's words earlier.

If Geuse, who had just recovered, were to find out about this, it would be far too cruel.

However, Yuji Itadori noticed another layer of meaning in Rui's words:

"Are you saying you didn't see the memory of Fortuna's actual death?"

Through his previous interaction with Rui, Yuji Itadori had gained a certain understanding of the 'White Space' she resided in—the Corridor of Memories.

"Correct. In the White Space, we couldn't seem to find her own memories, and no one knows what happened after that incident."

Rui rested a hand lightly on her chin.

"However, we noticed something else!"

"What?"

Natsuki Subaru asked anxiously.

"After that man called Geuse—Petelgeuse—officially became Sloth, the then-vacant seat of Wrath was quickly filled. She is called Sirius, yet she shares the same surname as Sloth. Before that, information regarding her was virtually zero."

Hearing Rui's words, Yuji Itadori's brow furrowed slightly.

If Geuse was brainwashed by Pandora to become the Sin Archbishop of Sloth, Petelgeuse...

Then that person named Fortuna likely met a similar fate.

She became the Sin Archbishop of Wrath—Petelgeuse.

Yuji Itadori narrowed his eyes, his gaze like a cold blade.

Beside him, Natsuki Subaru had also guessed this possibility, his fists clenched tight:

"That bastard Pandora! She hurt Emilia, and she hurt the most important people around her! I absolutely cannot forgive her!"

His tone was agitated, but fearing he might be overheard, he had to adjust his emotions.

"Regarding Geuse, we still have to tell Emilia. But I believe Emilia's lost memories aren't just because of that being named Pandora—there's also Puck."

Yuji Itadori said.

"Puck?"

When Yuji Itadori spoke with Emilia earlier, he had tentatively sensed the shape of her soul.

Similar to Petelgeuse, her soul was blocked off from the outside by a certain presence.

According to Rui, in this world, memories shape a person and are a vital part of the soul. If memories are tampered with, the shape of the soul also changes.

However, Yuji Itadori could clearly sense that Emilia's soul—her memories—was being influenced by another soul.

It was a Contract.

The Contract with Puck.

"Are you saying Puck sealed a portion of Emilia's memories?"

"Currently, that seems to be the case."

"But... why? Shouldn't Puck be the one who cares most about Emilia?"

"I'm not sure. Perhaps we have to ask him personally to find out."

Yuji Itadori looked at the time on the wall clock; it was so late that Puck should have already entered his dormant state.

"Regardless, we have to let Emilia know about this."

Natsuki Subaru nodded and walked with Yuji Itadori to Emilia's door, knocking gently.

"Subaru? Itadori-sama?"

The door was pushed open slightly, and Emilia looked at the group with a confused expression.

She didn't look to be in a very good state; her eyes were still a bit red.

"Did something happen?"

"Emilia, I have something to tell you. Please, prepare yourself."

Emilia looked into Yuji Itadori's eyes, bit her lip gently, and then nodded.

She also wanted to know why she was like this.

"Yes, please tell me."

Yuji Itadori proceeded to tell her almost everything regarding Geuse, though he did not mention the matter of Fortuna's whereabouts.

Hearing these words, Emilia's body trembled slightly, her eyes widening, her gaze full of disbelief.

These words were far too shocking; even though she had mentally prepared herself, her heart could not find peace for a long time.

Geuse...

She had never heard that name...

But why did that same feeling of sadness arise in her heart?

"Why... why don't I remember anything..."

Emilia's voice lowered.

"It's likely because your memories were sealed."

Yuji Itadori replied.

"My memories... were sealed?"

Emilia froze for a moment, trying hard to recall what had happened to her.

Meeting Puck—

But what about the memories before that?

Emilia suddenly realized that she actually couldn't recall any memories from before then.

That headache-inducing feeling returned.

"Emilia, I can help you recover your memories."

Yuji Itadori said to Emilia.

"But you need to make the judgment yourself. Past memories aren't necessarily beautiful."

Emilia's gaze wavered with hesitation, but soon that hesitation was swept away. She nodded to Yuji Itadori with absolute seriousness.

"If they really are people who were very important to me, I absolutely cannot forget them! So, Itadori-sama! I am ready!"

"Alright. But before that, please give me your pyroxene pendant for a moment."

"The pyroxene pendant? Do you mean Puck?"

Usually, Puck resided within the pyroxene.

"Exactly. This matter is related to Puck's Contract, so it's best to ask him about the situation as well."

"I... I understand."

Emilia took the pendant from her slender, fair neck and carefully placed it in Yuji Itadori's hand.

Yuji Itadori looked down at the sparkling pyroxene.

Puck entered a dormant state at night because there wasn't enough Mana.

In that case, theoretically, as long as there was enough Mana, Puck could be awakened.

Though Cursed Energy and Mana were different, their properties were similar; he might be able to achieve it.

Okkotsu Yuta seemed to have done something similar, infusing his own Cursed Energy into a ring so that his descendant could summon Rika again.

Yuji Itadori held the pyroxene in his hand—

At the same time, he channeled Cursed Energy into it. The massive amount of Cursed Energy surged inside like a tsunami, and the pyroxene burst forth with an incredibly blinding light.

"Honestly! Itadori! Forcing me awake from a beautiful dream, meow!"

As Puck's cute voice rang out, his tiny, cat-like body floated in mid-air, and he let out a yawn.

"But... to be able to wake me up, Itadori, you're really something else."

Puck's true form was one of the four Great Spirits; merely maintaining a physical form consumed a massive amount of Mana.

It was precisely because Emilia's Mana was nowhere near enough to supply Puck that he usually only maintained a cat-like state and would only appear during the day.

Yet now, Yuji Itadori had injected a huge amount of Cursed Energy into the ring, actually waking Puck from his dormancy.

Puck hadn't expected Yuji Itadori to possess such terrifying power.

"Puck!"

"Lia..."

Puck turned his head to look at Emilia, his gaze carrying a fatherly sort of affection.

"Even though I was dormant within the pyroxene, I still heard your conversation—you're right, Lia, you have forgotten many things."

"But... Puck... why?"

"I wanted to protect Lia. I didn't want you to suffer because of the past... but now, it seems you don't want that anymore."

A gratified smile appeared on Puck's face, while his gaze fell upon Yuji Itadori.

Everything Puck did was for Emilia's safety.

But now, there was someone who could protect Emilia better than himself.

"Lia, have you made up your mind?"

"Yes, Puck! I want to remember the past. If they really were people very important to me, I absolutely cannot forget them! No matter what happened!"

Emilia's purple eyes projected an incredibly determined look.

Puck looked at Emilia and did not answer immediately.

He had thought of countless possibilities in his heart; Lia would have to face the past sooner or later.

However, Puck hadn't expected that it would be Emilia who brought it up proactively today.

It was all because Yuji Itadori had brought Geuse back.

"I understand, Lia—I had thought about explaining everything to you when there was a chance, but now, there's someone more trustworthy than me."

Puck said with a smile.

In the next instant, cracks appeared on the crystal in Yuji Itadori's hand. Before Emilia could react, Puck's body burst with a flash of light and then dissipated into countless photons.

Yuji Itadori knew that Puck's Contract was the Binding Vow sealing Emilia's memories.

So Puck had just unilaterally destroyed the Contract, releasing the seal.

"Puck?"

Emilia watched this in confusion, while her past memories surged into her mind bit by bit. A massive sense of exhaustion swept over her.

"Let 'us' help you a little."

Rui walked up to Emilia and reached out a hand, resting it gently on her.

Her Authority had recovered; besides Solar Eclipse and Lunar Eclipse, Rui could also control other people's memories to a certain extent.

Rui helped Emilia reassemble her past memories like a puzzle.

Finally, Emilia remembered everything.

Geuse, Fortuna...

"I... I remember it all..."

Her past memories were complete. Emilia's eyes were moist, and tears poured forth like a dam breaking.

However, Emilia quickly wiped her tears away. She couldn't let Geuse see her like this, lest he worry.

A smile appeared on her face. Though her eyes were still red and swollen, her purple crystal-like eyes seemed to shimmer with light.

"I am ready."

Yuji Itadori returned the necklace to Emilia and spoke to Natsuki Subaru.

"Subaru, please take Emilia to Geuse."

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T/N: We're barack to daily uploads until we reach the 100th chapter.

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