“So who are you?” An old man wearing glasses asked with a stern voice, although his scalp was more reflective than the glasses themselves… I did not think it was possible to be blinded by the reflection of candlelight. 

 

I sighed. “I already told you I don’t know…” What was with this old man?! Do you just drag a random girl into a room, and question her for hours? Even though she has said the same answer for every single one except for name...

 

“Hmm, are you sure about that?” He took a discerning look. “Your story isn’t lining up you know…” 

I slammed the table. “Old man, how do you want it to line up if I have only answered a single question of yours! Don’t make me accountable for things you have forgotten already!” 

 

“Well yes, but actually no.”

“What do you mean?!” What was with this guy!

“Hmm, something weird is happening here, and I can tell. You still have your memories…” 

 

“Ha? How come?” I was done with his stupidity. 

“Well, you remember your name…”

“I could just as easily lie about it, you know…” This person had a screw loose. 

 

“Well, yes… I suppose that would be it.”

“Finally.”

“You are lying.” He smirked.

“Ha? At this point you are just making a mockery out of me…” I muttered and gave up.

 

I wasn’t really that motivated to do this kind of thing, but I saw it as not having another choice. I mean, I needed a way to get a stable life, or just a chance at life in this new place. Although to me it was still unclear if it was an actual world or just a piece of my subconscious. 

 

“So, what am I doing here if the questions aren’t leading anywhere?” 

The old man looked at me in the eyes and smiled at me. “You pass the test.”

“What?”

 

“I was just testing your patience, which is way higher than a lot of the ani⁠— people here, also I needed to test if you were hostile or not.” 

 

“Ha, do I look like some sort of animal to you?” I asked in disbelief, he did not answer and only stared at me, then I realized as I touched my ears. “Forget it…” 

 

“Well, anyway, girly, it’s time for your actual test.” He looked a bit curious. 

“Okay... Sooo, what’s the test?” I asked in tiredness, I just wanted to go. 

 

“Just wait.” He left the room and said a few things to the person outside. I sat there, inside the warm and cozy room, with boring and bland walls, just a single table with a pair of chairs, akin to an interrogation room; it was an interrogation room. Nothing fun about sitting there. 

 

I heard a creak and the old man walked in once again, this time followed by the guards from before, they had spears this time around. I couldn’t help but be confused, I mean, it just kind of… Well, it felt unnecessary, what other way to put it. It was just overkill for no particular reason. 

 

And of course, I voiced it out. “Isn’t this overkill?”

“Sorry Leah, it’s just procedure.” Well then. 

 "The spears are procedure as well?" He nodded. Ha... 

The old man sat back in the chair in front of me with a stern look and looking at me with piercing daggers, it kind of felt odd, but whatever. It was just weird, I could tell since the start that he hated something about me, although I did not notice what it was until a few moments ago. 

 

He placed a stone tablet in front of me with a slight sharp nib poking out on its surface. 

 

“So here is how it goes, you place the finger on the spike, the tablet will soak your blood and essence to reveal things about you. Then we review that information and that’s about it, of course, you get to see your own information first.” He turned unfriendly and monotone all the sudden, well, I didn’t particularly care. 

 

“Okay,” I took the board and placed it in front of me as if I was looking at a digital tablet. It was surprisingly reflective. I got to see myself, I was cute with blue eyes—puffy cheeks—everything. “Ohh…” I touched my cheek in wonder, it was soft and bouncy!

 

“Can you not mess around, please?” Ah right. I steeled myself and placed my finger on the board, it was a hard press and sharp pain shot through it, but at last, it became warm. Thing is, the “blood” was black.

 

“Waa…”

“Something is wrong?”

“No, nothing…” I hurriedly wiped it with my arm, effectively just rubbing it even more, I kept wiping it trying to be inconspicuous, until it dried and at last got rubbed off. 

“Well, looks like you already got your results.” He took the tablet from me.

“W-Wait, I didn’t see them!” This was unfair. 

“Well, too bad. Now onto the results.” 

 

He sat in front of me once again. “I am feeling kind today so I will read them out loud.”  

“Okay…” 

 

“Marked Name: Leah, Name: Unavailable…” What? “I guess you really are an animal, after all, to not even be born with a name!” He started laughing, the guards stood there, one looked at me with pity and the other one was indifferent. 

 

“Well moving on, Status: Degraded. Well then, I think you know what that means.” I nodded. His lip curled. “Hmph! You are degraded, there is no point in reading more. Although from a quick glance the number of titles seems below average.” Ha… “Here, you can look at it all you want now.” 

 

He handed it to me, I received it with a bit of a struggle. 

 

Turned it to look. 

[Branded: Leah   Name: UNAVAILABLE

Status: Degraded   

SK: Core Sense. 

 

Overall stat mean: 1

Overall stat mean after all bonuses: 3

Archetype: Failed Descendant Core (inheritance ⁠— pending).

 

Title total: 

Titles(s): 9

Unique list: [Chosen by the System] [Helper of the system] [Child of Reil] [...Unavailable…]

Other lists: Unavailable

 

Classification⁠— 

 

“Ha… what’s with these things, I don’t even remember getting that many notifications…” I muttered as I was about to finish reading. “Let’s see, where was I? Class⁠—” 

 

“Ah, right. There is something I need to look at real quick.” He took the tablet away from me. He analyzed it for a few seconds. “There must be some sort of error.” Oh, looks like it was time to go. The tablet did not look right to me either, so, might as well run when I have the chance.

“Well, I am going to go do degraded people things, okay thanks, bye.” I got up from the chair and walked off to the door as if nothing was happening. 

 

“Hmm… No, that’s impossible, it’s not even listed!” Oh god, he started to realize things! I started to move faster. I got to the door and as I was about to open it a pair of spears obstructed my way. 

 

“You are not getting away so easily, you… WHAT ARE YOU?!” The old man roared at me. 

“I-I, don’t know?” What was he so mad about?! 

“Don’t you lie to me, you know I can tell you are not what you try to be, the tablet says it!” Ha, was he going to worship a stone tablet now? 

 

“Well, I honestly have no idea what the tablet says that’s so unusual, I didn’t even finish reading it!” I rightfully fought back.

“You shouldn’t even be able to read, but if you insist so much, just look!” He showed me the tablet pointing at the bottom. It read ‘Classification: Nonexistent’ I thought he was going to mention archetype, that’s the thing that stood out to me anyway. Maybe he just glanced over it?

 

“Ah I see, so…” I had no idea, the old man in front of me was bright red. 

 

He backed for a second. “You, hold her here!” He pointed at friendly guard. “And,you come with me, I am going to do some research!” He almost crossed the door before he paused. “Have this.” The old man gave the tablet to no. 39 (friendly man). The door was slammed. 

 

“What’s with him?” I asked as I relaxed myself. 

“Leah I am going to read this, it’s the procedure.” Ha, okay then. Nothing I can really do anyway… “Well, that stat mean average is nothing I’ve ever seen before…” I figured it was too low… 

 

He read it for a few seconds, I saw his eyes traced back, over and over again, re-reading it endlessly, it was weird. His eyes were shaking,

 

“No, no, no, no..” He definitely saw something amiss, he kept reading it as he kept muttering the same no`s. Until finally, he moved the tablet away from his face.

 

“Are you okay?” 

He did not answer.

"39, are you okay?" I asked out of concern, something was wrong.

"Answer me, pl—

 

BANG! 

 

The tablet got smashed on the ground. He pointed his spear at me with an unsteady hand. His eyes were shaking with a mix of fear and a mix of insecurity. Although I did not know why, I tried extending my hand but he squirmed and lifted the spear up to my neck. His eyes were bloodshot. 

 

“Now listen here… Leah… if I can even call you that, we can either do things the way the procedure states or you get to live, choose…” Eh… “I am not a fan of killing children even if the rules say so, even though I don’t know if I can call you a child. Or a thing even...” 

 

“B-but…” What got into him? “I⁠—”

“Leave or die, simple choices, you foul be⁠—  thing!” Was it the ears?! 

 

I grabbed them in disbelief, they were so fluffy, I already felt so comfortable with them and yet out of the three people I met two of them seemed to blatantly discriminate them, did I do something wrong?

Ah... it’s whatever... really... I did not think anyone would want me, it was nice that he was good to me for a bit though...

 

“I’ll leave… so... move…” He moved away from the door as he still pointed his spear at me, I walked with shame outside, feeling foreign as always. The outside was deserted. 

 

As I took a step out of the door⁠— I rolled on the ground with pain. With a foot mark on my back. 

 

“I don’t want to see you in the city or you will certainly get killed, I will make sure of it.” He coldly said, no trace of kindness left. It was rejection. 

"Just where did I go wrong..." I said as tears welled up on my eyes.