The following day at the Fretz mansion, inside Liam’s room, before his exact time of examination and test with Gius.

When was the last time I took a mental examination? Ah, I don’t remember. Liam lamented on his past self, being somebody of high authority in his past life, he wasn’t too keen in showing himself with many people, he mostly avoided crowded places due to them being greedy as a man with water on the desert.

The Political world of the Empire then was different Now, with Liam and Silvestio’s several political reforms, it took a toll on Liam who was mostly invited in banquets for mostly political connections, he rejected them all.

Because unlike Silvestio and other key individuals in the empire, he had a mental problem, it was more or less a combination of Depression and PTSD, though he didn’t know the actual reasons, he did have another mental ailment that he wasn’t able to identify, but after a while, he forgot it even existed in the first place.

But the Past changed, more or less, Although Liam’s father, William was a minor nobility as a Baronet, he held several connections in the agricultural, Military, and Economical world, and was one of the biggest suppliers of wheat, potato, and even carrots, if there was a rumor that his eldest son was sick, it would’ve been best that Liam killed himself before it all even started.

Because no matter what he did to forget the past, it all happened anyway, not in the current world, but in his memories, it was as clear as the sky, all the atrocities and crimes he committed, he still remembered them all.

Ahh, Goddamit! Is this what they meant that the past always haunts you back? Liam lamented his choices in the past, with a child’s body and with his earlier mental attack, he was now temporarily bedridden but he was slowly recovering, he could already move his legs and stand up, not just to the extent in the past.

But what took his concern the most was that man, Gius Lor, his supposed Psychiatrist, Liam couldn’t help but think something was wrong with him, Liam, as much as he disliked it, knew there was something wrong with Gius, the same as what Gius thought about Liam.

Although he acted as how a doctor would greet a child, his facial expressions on the later events shook Liam, was it because Liam didn’t act as a child, or maybe there was something more sinister lurking behind the scenes.

As in Liam’s thoughts, he always thought that those who knew full well what the human mind would do, knows how to exploit it as much as they could.

And Gius was no better, Liam replied honestly as those inkblots made him thought a lot about his past, not of a child, but of his real and experienced past, Fire for his Magic, Physical Violence for his Swordsmanship, and Death for his alchemy.

Whether Liam looked at it in another way, that was what he saw and thought first, afterall, he wasn’t a child with a child’s mind, but he was a child with an adult’s mind, a very enlightened and sophisticated adult.

***

Several hours later, Gius finally returned in the afternoon, this time he brought again his leather bag, and the uniform he wore yesterday, his first course of action, was to meet with William about his next test for Liam.

“I’ll be conducting a memory test for him, and I’ll be also conducting a Psychotic test, a Personality test, and anxiety test.”

Gius stated out in a respectful manner towards William and Diana who were present, he then explained the four tests to the parents.

Firstly, the memory test would serve as Gius’s foundations for his answers, as memories influences the mind, it was important to know Liam’s past memories, what he felt, what he heard, and what he thought, then he would continue with the real tests.

The Psychotic test would determine if he has hallucinations, if he seemed to be quite altered in one way or another, just by the mere reaction to Gius’s inkblots made him add the psychotic test for Liam, which seemed to have quite the hallucinations for a young child, as imaginations was one thing, hallucinations was another.

Then the second would be the Personality test, although he seemed to be antisocial, which just started recently and that was the confusing part, he was said to be very outgoing and eccentric to everyone, even their farm’s workers, yet after the incident, he became very antisocial, he wouldn’t even bother inviting his parents or talk with them, which was another confusing part, since it doesn’t look like the two parent’s before Gius were abusive ones, instead they were doting and affectionate ones, which he was envious of.

Then the last would be the Anxiety test, there was one thing Gius noted during the Inkblot tests, and that was Liam’s reaction to all of them, although he replied blankly and straightforwardly, as most patients do, his expressions begged to differ, Gius saw euphoria, perplexion, and fear in Liam’s expression, he just didn’t tell the parent’s yet, instead he just took it as a additional test to see if something else was wrong with Liam.

But, how did Gius know?

The reason, he looked closely at Liam’s facial expressions, from the tiniest details, and all of those dark answers he gave to Gius were accompanied by a slight, yet nonexistent smirk and quick eye movements that were unnoticeable, which shocked Gius and maybe even made him fear the young boy.

Facial expressions were important for humans since they do it every day, more or less unconsciously when talking or reacting, being lectured in the importance of facial expressions and body language, Gius knew what he saw, and what he saw was concrete proof.

Liam wasn’t a normal child.

As the parents and doctor finished their discussion involving Gius’s test to Liam, he excused himself out and towards Liam’s room, to where he would now start the main course.

In the next hours, he needed to at least know all the needed causes and answers, he first started the first test, and that was the Memory tests.

There wasn’t much problem, Liam remembered his family’s names, the Baronet’s lands, and some information concerning his family, all he didn’t know was their worker’s names, which was acceptable for Gius, since there were a lot of people working for the Baronet.

Although there were slight alterations with Liam’s answers, they all added up to the right memory, which was, at first, confusing towards Gius, but all he needed to know if his memory adds up to the eye witness reports, and their family’s.

“Then, we’ll move on to the next test, I’ll be asking 8 questions, I want you to answer as honestly as possible, it just needs to be Yes or no.”

Gius informed Liam, which immediately took a sheet of paper from his leather bag right near his chair, as he took out the piece of paper, it was accompanied by an ink pen, soon, Gius crossed his legs and immediately started asking.

“Do Familiar surroundings sometimes seem strange, confusing, threating, or maybe even unreal to you?” Gius asked, Liam hesitated to answer, but was forced to answer as Gius needed one.

“Yes…” Liam replied with a reluctant voice, Gius nodded his head and wrote something on the piece of paper, he then proceeded the next question, he straightened his back and proceeded to ask the question.

“Have you heard unusual sounds like banging, clapping, hissing, or ringing in your ears?” Liam looked uncomfortable in front of Gius, he tried avoiding eye contact but continued answering.

“Sometimes…” Liam said whilst avoiding eye contact with Gius.

“…I’ll put it under Yes…” Gius then wrote something on the paper again, he then fixed his posture and asked the next question.

“Have you felt that you are not in control of your own ideas or thoughts?” Gius asked whilst glaring at Liam in a suspicious manner, prompting Liam to reply in the same manner of glare, he then replied, although in a nervous manner.

“Yes…”

“Good, that’s three questions.” Gius said in a positive tone, but Liam wasn’t buying it.

“Next question, Do you worry at times that something may be wrong with your mind?” Gius continued asking.

Liam who was actually a man from the past, answered as truthfully and honest as he can, because as far as he was concerned, during his past life, he was too powerful in terms of Raw and magic strength and Political positions, that many people often avoided him whenever it wasn’t in a banquet or party of sorts, even doctors, making him unable to get a good examinations in his mental tests, as he mostly heard unwanted answers, doctors wanting higher position by getting on Liam’s good side.

“Yes…” Liam again replied in a hesitant and wary manner towards Gius,

Gius then again wrote on his paper whilst nodding his head, before once again continuing his questions.

“Are your thoughts sometimes so strong that you can almost hear them?” Liam flinched at such a question, remembering his past life, he remembered voices inside his head that forced him to do several atrocious things, even he knew that he wasn’t in control during that time.

“Yes…” Liam said in a straightforward and this time serious manner, unlike his earlier hesitant and wary state, his personality changed, Gius immediately started his brainstorming, a few seconds before the next question.

His personality seems to react by some questions, as a child, it is only normal to be wary against strangers, moreover somebody that asked for your personal credentials, but this one is different, his personality changed, although only for a brief moment, it was enough to be a different person… I like this child. Gius said in a thrilled tone in his mind, he then finally prepared the next question, for Liam, although this question was only the sixth one, it would be a game changer if Liam answers what Gius expects.

“Have you had the sense that some person or force is around you, although you couldn’t see anyone?” Gius said while glaring at Liam in an agitated manner, as Gius himself was nervous, his answers all relied to this one question, if Liam answers what Gius expects, then he didn’t need to do the personality test anymore.

“…Yes…” Liam said in a defeated tone, as if that of a surrendering man, something which shocked Gius, not only did his personality and reactions change, it was the very answer Gius needed.

This! This is it! Gius cheered in his mind.

“Good Liam, it looks like we’re over earlier than expected.” Gius stood up from his chair, and started packing up his things in a quick manner as if he wanted to already leave, which made Liam confused.

Unbeknownst to Gius, is that Liam is actually a person far older than him, his thoughts and reactions are that of his past self, the one which was rebirthed in the past, he knew what the future held, but Liam finally experiencing a real mental examination was taken aback by such an response from his personal doctor.

“I, I thought you were going to ask 8 questions?” Liam questioned Gius who was already nearing the doorway, as he already finished packing his belongings and medical equipment.

Gius smiled back at Liam in a childish manner, and replied with.

“Well, it was more or less to make your mind expectant for something nonexistent, did you believe it? Well, too bad, that was also a test!” Gius then left the room in a childish manner, as he ran like a little boy on not only Liam’s doorway but also on the mansion's hallway.

Obviously, that was a lie, but Liam who hadn’t experienced any type of mental examinations believed it, after all, Liam was tricked like what Gius intended to do.

***

Gius’s shed, outskirts of town.

“Mother! Mother! You wouldn’t believe me! This child is more than what I had expected! For him to have such a rare and complex type of Illness!”

Gius talked passionately towards his mother’s severed head, which he held with his hands holding his mother’s head at eye level with him, totally ignoring that it was a decapitated head, instead he embraced it like it was still alive.

“AHAHAAH! This is what I’ve been waiting for! The perfect specimen!”

He yelled aloud inside his she whilst holding mother’s severed head, as Gius looked at the severed head with a proud look, like a young boy asking for praise, his expression immediately shifted to anger, undeniable wrath and loathing towards the severed head.

“Mother! Aren’t you proud for me!?”

He yelled, losing his previous composure and excitement, now, it shifted to nothing more than pure anger and loathing towards the severed head, he immediately threw the had on the board walls of the shed with raw strength, as it hit the wall, releasing a loud thump.

Gius’s breathing started becoming heavier after he threw his mother’s severed head on the wall, then even after no reaction from his supposed ‘mother’ he immediately yelled in anger, whilst pulling his hair in anger and irritation.

“Why! Why! Why! Why! WHY! WHY! WHY!”

He yelled as he slowly dropped down on the ground, as his legs landed on the ground, his posture immediately resembled that of a very depressed man, he kneeled on the ground, back hunched, and head staring on the ground, he then said in a depressed tone.

“Mother… I’ve done everything you wanted me too…”

He said in a weakened manner, like he was about to break down on tears, he then looked at his mother’s severed head which was already showing signs of decomposition.

“I’ve become a fine, talented young man, I’ve graduated a prestigious school like what you’ve told me, I’ve found means to make money for our family…”

He then started tearing up in front of his mother, and said in a dejected manner.

“Am I not enough! Is what I’ve done not enough!”

As he yelled that in a dejected manner, one of his mother’s ear fell on the wooden board, it immediately made his mood change, from a depressed and dejected Gius, to a cheerful and proud Gius, he stood up from the ground and ran towards his mother’s severed head.

“Oh, Mother! I’m sorry for pushing you! I’ll be a good boy now! Please forgive me! I-I’ll pay you back! I promise you mother! I’ll find a new member for our family!”