Anne’s POV

 

I had always hated caramel. Perhaps it was the memories it carried or the sickly sweetness it had. It intoxicated me. But, strangely, I liked it once. It was when Beatrice was around. Even though I hated it, I continued to eat it, just to see that joyful smile that lit up my day. 

 

Well, I hate it now. But, no matter. I can live freely now anyways, just like how I always wanted. 

 

However, now again, am I covered with that sickly sweetness, painting me with colors of hatred and pain. I like it, but I don’t, that is how I would describe the situation I’m in.

 

I saw my parents, my family. Oh, how lovely I would've been if it stayed. I wouldn’t care about the bitterness it carries. People may call me crazy for liking something I hate. The bitterness shouldn’t have been there in the first place. 

I created it. I created bitterness in that ever-sweet caramel.

 

But, for now, I’ll indulge in this luxury that those mad scientists have presented to me. It was the same the last time, right? When I first came. The feeling was foreign but kind of not. I would describe it as the emptiness or the queasy feeling you feel when you’re alone at home, silent without a trace. 

 

The questioning seemed so long, the illusion asking me the same question again and again. Usually, the lab subjects with stronger minds would have answered by now. But, I wasn't intoxicated by the caramel. I wasn’t. So, I didn’t answer. Should I act as an obedient pet or not? I did fine this now. So, it should be fine.

 

*****

 

Dr. Zero had a face full of satisfaction as he watched Anne obediently answering the questions presented. 

 

“ You know, Anne-chan always puts up a fight before finishing tasks. Maybe it’s because you’re here, milord?” 

 

Exor stayed silent.

 

“ Hmph! It’s not fair. You were so talkative when you were with those brats.” Dr. Zero said, pouting. 

 

“ Well, that’s because I wanted something from them,” Exor replied candidly, munching on the snacks provided by Dr. Zero with a serious face while looking intently at the screen.

 

There were three screens lit up. They displayed 3 distinctly different backgrounds with the trio respectively in each of them. The first one showed Anne, being interrogated by what seemed to be her family members while warmly sitting on a bed. Ice, on the other hand, was shown sitting with a younger version of Ruby, who was dressed in ragged clothing, 

 

They were sitting in a forest while busily wolfing down some plain-looking food. Ruby’s one, however, showed a different image. It showed an unknown woman holding Ruby’s and Ice’s hands respectively while looking at a vivid sunrise, sitting on a cliff. 

 

Even though each one of them was vastly different, all of them have something in common. It was that they were being interrogated, with the same questions at that. The second commonality, which couldn’t be seen implicitly, was that the places the trio each was placed in was held dear in their hearts. In other words, their most precious memory.

 

“Do you think they would remember what happened when they wake up?” Exor asked, a curious look on his face.

 

“ The hallucinogen you made is perfect, milord. Since you, a genius, had spent years revising it, it is sublime. As proof, we have yet to experience a slip up from the years that we had used your hallucinogen.” Dr. Zero complimented glibly.

 

“ Yes, but there still may be a bug in there. Recently, I have found out about the existence of variants. It may be a problem.” Exor informed.

 

“ Oh? Is there going to be a bloodbath again?” Dr. Zero asked, dropping his speech into a whisper.

 

*****

As Dr. Zero and Exor conversed, the trio was still stuck in their own mirages, chirping joyfully in their own sweet memories.

 

“ Hey Ruby, do you think we will ever have a chance to feast like this again?” I called, licking my lips to get rid of any excess crumbs I had missed.

 

“ Depends, y’know? We’ll be going to Feronis soon. So, maybe? Nah, very slim chance of it happening.” Ruby replied, jumping up suddenly.

 

“ Ya,  seems so. This will be the last meal we’ll have here.” I said, looking woefully into the scenery. 

 

 Mhmm, anyways, I have a question for you, where were you the night before the prime minister of Feronis and prime minister of Akaila came?” 

“Hmm? What do you mean? Did the prime ministers of Feronis and Akaila come? Did I miss it or something?” Ice asked, his face and speech expressing confusion.

 

“Nah, you didn’t. You probably just forgot. They came on 10th July 2024. Do you remember now?”

 

“ Huh? Isn’t this the year 2023?”

 

“ You have a bad memory, big brother.” Ruby said, pouting.

 

“ Really? Also, I don’t think you ever called me big brother privately before..”

 

“ You’re just imagining it. Now, answer my question. Where were you on the night before the prime ministers of Ferronis and Akaila arrived?”

 

“ Uh, with Anne and you? Oh! and that scaredy-cat, I guess?”

 

“ Still, isn’t this year 2023? I don’t think my memory is that bad.”

 

“ You’re just imagining it.”

 

“ You know, you’ve been saying that for a while now. Am I just imagining it or ….” Ice’s face morphed into an aggressive one.

 

“ You’re not Ruby! Give me back Ruby!”

 

“ Ice, calm down this instant! I’m telling you, you’re just imagining it!”

 

“ Oh, ok.” Ice’s face suddenly turned back to normal, his eyes a bit more hazier than before.

 

******

“ Shush now, we shall continue this discussion under further notice,” Exor said, placing his finger onto his lips.

 

“  Yes, milord.” Dr. Zero responded, stepping into the glass-enclosed room where the three were held.

 

After a while, the movements on the screens abruptly stopped, and the three woke up.