'Why do I need you?'

Raviel thought for a few seconds, wiping the chocolate smudge with a tissue paper, he muttered. "We both need each other...that's why".

Fredrick remained calm and took a small sip from his glass.

Remembering something, that he wanted to ask.

Raviel set his spoon down and looked straight at Fredrick.

"Can you get me all the information on what's happening in the world right now?" he asked. "Everything you can."

Fredrick raised an eyebrow. "What do I get in exchange for this request of yours?"

Raviel leaned back slightly, keeping his posture stoic. He recalled the novel's plot, in the novel there was a company that would rise up fast — too fast — because it made lifestyle products for men and women. Cheap and good enough that even the poorest people could buy them.

When Raviel first read it, he thought it was nonsense. In a world where there was a high morality rate, who would care about mass producing stuff like that? And yet it had worked — extremely well for a newly made company.

Out loud, facing Fredrick, Raviel just said. "A very good insider info".

Fredrick tapped the table once. "Hmm."

He stayed quiet for a while, thinking. The silence stretched. Even Raviel could hear the ticking of Fredrick's watch, loud in the silent room.

Finally, Fredrick nodded. "Alright. Consider it done. I'll compile everything and mail it to you." He glanced at his watch. "Give me three to four hours."

Raviel nodded softly.

Then he added, "But I'm curious about two things."

Fredrick looked up. "Go on."

"First," Raviel said, "why did you act so weak when we first met? Second… do you actually trust me?"

Fredrick didn't answer right away. Then he said calmly, "Sometimes showing weakness gives you better options." He took a sip and added, "And I don't trust you. I trust the contract."

Raviel gave a small smile. "True".

Fredrick leaned forward slightly. "Now my turn. Tell me something, Raviel. I'm curious."

Raviel met his eyes. "What is it?"

Fredrick's gaze sharpened, his eyes stared straight into Raviel's. "Who am I talking to right now?"

Raviel frowned slightly. "What do you mean?"

Fredrick stared for a few seconds, then waved it off. "Never mind. The question was wrong...I see."

Both of them stayed silent for the rest of the time. Neither of them were fully revealing their true intentions.

finishing the last bite of his ice cream, Raviel wiped his hands with a tissue. He stood up and gave a small nod.

Raviel finished the last bite of his ice cream and wiped his hands with a tissue. He stood up and gave a small nod.

"Nice meeting you," he said calmly. Then, as he turned to leave, he added, "Send me whatever info you've gathered on me too. I want to see your skills."

Fredrick didn't stand. He just lifted his glass and took a slow drink. After swallowing the chilled liquid, he said casually, "By the way, I'd advise you to get some medicine on your way home."

Raviel paused and glanced back.

"That ice cream," Fredrick continued, swirling the wine, "had a pretty high amount of thickener and flavoring. Consider it payback for the previous event between us."

'Damn loopholes.'

Raviel frowned slightly. "I see."

He didn't argue. Instead, he walked over to the bartender — the same girl who had been stealing glances earlier — and asked for a cherry-flavored energy drink. He took the can, slipped it into his storage ring, and headed out of the café.

Inside the private room now, Fredrick took another sip of wine. He leaned back and pulled out a cigarette. "The world's really starting to change."

"Sigh".

Smoke curled into the quiet room as he took a long drag.

....

Raviel was back to his dorm room by evening. He had spent most of the time roaming around 'Parragon Yard' earlier.

Now he was sitting on his desk, a game was playing in the background on his laptop as his fingers glided on the keys.

He leaned back on his chair, and slowly guided his hands to his stomach.

"Fuck...should've taken that medicine".

Right then his Arctic buzzed.

Two new files appeared.

Raviel straightened a little and looked at the names.

[ #Raviel Thanarion ]

[ #Globe ]

"…That was fast," he said under his breath.

He didn't wait. He transferred both files to his laptop, the progress bar filling in seconds.

Raviel closed the game, placed both hands on the desk, and cracked his neck once.

"Alright," he muttered, eyes fixed on the screen. "Let's see who you really are, Raviel."

He tapped on the first file.

While the screen loaded, Raviel took out the can which was still chilled from his storage ring and popped it open.

Taking a sip.

The screen loaded.

A photo appeared on his screen.

A boy with white hair and violet eyes.

Raviel frowned.

"How..?"

The name beside it read clearly: Raviel Thanarion.

He leaned closer to the screen. "Did I see wrong before…?" he muttered. He had always assumed his hair changed later, maybe because of transmigrating — but no. According to this, it had been white from the start.

He scrolled.

Birth Date: 22/05/2100

Below that was a short summary.

[Born to Alya Thanarion and Rudolph Thanarion, one year after the birth of Alyssia Thanarion.]

He kept reading.

[The Thanarion family is known for producing scientific machinery and advanced weaponry components distributed across the globe.]

Seeing this, he was surprised.

Then his eyes froze.

[At the age of 10, admitted to Serenity Medical Institution due to severe episodes of self-harm and recurring panic attacks.]

The can in his hands felt colder.

[Later assumed to be diagnosed with Bipolar Personality Disorder. Condition cited as a major factor leading to the divorce of Alya and Rudolph Thanarion.]

His fingers trembled. The screen felt blurry.

He scrolled faster now, heart pounding. Dates. Reports. Doctor notes. Observation logs.

[At the age of twelve, patient was seen to have extreme levels of hallucinations and during the course, patient had slowly lost his sense of reality.]

A horrifying thought crawled up his spine.

'What if…'

His vision swam.

Ba—dump. Ba—dump—!!!

Raviel felt his heart rate increasing. His eyes were slowly getting blurry and his sense of touch was slowly loosing itself.

Raviel stood up from his chair and staggered into the bathroom.

Without bothering to see anything.

He shoved his index and middle finger— deep into his throat.

A harsh broken sound ripped from his throat as he kept pushing them.

"Ghkkk—!!!".

His stomach clenched tightly, the bitter liquid rose upto his throat and surged up.

"Blerrgg—!!"

The vomit splattered all over the basin. He gagged again, coughing as strings of spit and half-digested ice cream spilled out. His eyes burned, tears streaming down as his body convulsed.

He retched until there was nothing left.

Just dry heaves and a sharp ache in his chest.

Raviel turned on the tap, water rushing loud and cold. He rinsed his mouth, gripping the edge of the sink tightly.

Slowly, he looked up.

The mirror reflected a pale boy with white hair, violet eyes.

He brought two fingers near his head.

"I am me," he said hoarsely.

His voice shook, but he kept going.

"I know my life. I remember it. I read the novel. I lived there...I-i lived there."

Ever since he read the last part, a thought had crawled up in his brain — what if he was always Raviel Thanarion? What if his life as Lucas was just a dream due to his disease? But his mind rejected the thought, as he knew they were real, he had read the novel...he had lived there. So he knew all of it was real.

He laughed suddenly.

"No… no. I'm not a fake. Those memories are real. I'm real."

The laughter faded. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and stood there for a few seconds longer, breathing slowly.

Then Raviel turned off the tap.

He walked back to his room, sat down in front of the laptop, and stared at the open file.

His eyes hardened just a little.

"…Alright," he muttered.

He moved his hand back to the keyboard.

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