Memories

"First question. You should have a necklace on you, but it's missing now. Do you know where it is?"

"No."

"...Second question. Your memories seem to have been erased. Do you have any idea what happened?"

"No."

"...Third question... never mind. You probably wouldn't know the answer either."

Lin flipped through Xingsu's memories. It was like Xiahou Dun looking at Chlothar-not a thing to be seen with that one eye.

"Then how about I ask the questions instead? After all... I really don't know anything."

"All right. What do you want to know?"

Xingsu was clever. What Lin didn't know was that once they switched who was asking the questions, control passed into Xingsu's hands.

"That necklace... is it important?"

"Yes. That necklace is a token that absorbs and stores memories, essentially backing up each child's memories. I also put an anti-loss mechanism in place to keep it from getting lost. To prevent theft, I lowered its perceptibility threshold to the minimum. Other people wouldn't even notice it unless they stared incredibly hard. In fact, under normal circumstances, unless your brains receive a major shock, you yourselves would barely pay any attention to the necklace... This is the first time I've seen a case like yours."

"If I died before, why was I reborn inside Irminsul?"

"Most likely because of that necklace too. Besides backing up memories, the necklace also works like a generator and a locator. Normally, it transmits your information and memories after you die, but it wasn't on you when you died. And the rules of this place are very unusual... In short, you somehow survived."

"Why did you have to make a separate necklace?"

"I didn't want to either, but for technical reasons, making the necklace part of you would drastically shorten your lifespan. If an accident happened, your entire being could also be destroyed along with your memories, so I separated them according to their different functions."

"Then how do you use that necklace to collect memories?"

"There are hundreds and thousands of different versions of you in the universe. I call you Memokids. I scatter you across the universe to live different lives, then retrieve those precious memories after you die, before sending the pure Memokids to live on different planets. You're the ones actually collecting memories. The necklaces are just backups and transmitters."

"So your main purpose in finding me is to recover the necklace and have me keep collecting all kinds of stories here-in other words, memories?"

Lin smiled in relief. It seemed communication with the lost child was going fairly smoothly. "That's right, good child. That's exactly it. As long as..."

"Why should I help you?"

Lin's smile froze. Oh no. This is the first time I've run into this. What do I do? What do I do? What do I do?

"Ahem, well, wearing the necklace normally won't affect your life."

"But I'd still have to go to all the trouble of finding it, wouldn't I? Besides, whether I find it or not, I don't lose anything."

Lin finally understood.

This brat wanted something in return.

Oh no. It looks like I really don't have anything to threaten him with.

Boo-hoo, making a Memokid is expensive! ˃̣̣̥᷄⌓˂̣̣̥᷅

I can't just leave him alone either.

"How about this? I can grant you the blessing of memories, but you'll have to exchange precious memories for it. What do you think? Don't worry! I'll use copies of your memories. You won't lose those wonderful recollections!"

"I don't believe you. Not unless you give me a little something first."

Hiss, this damn kid...

"...I just gave you the ability to read memories. You can now sense many manifestations of memories, as well as memories that haven't yet dissipated.

"Also, you can now read the memories in other people's minds, but you have to make sure they trust you completely and have no guard up against you."

"All right. I'll keep an eye out."

"Okay, if you want to find me, wait until the sky is full of stars, then call my name to the starry sky."

"Then why can't I find you during the day?"

"Ah... don't you think the starry sky at night is romantic? Ha... ha..."

"...Don't tell me it's because you can't get up during the day, can't sleep at night, and you're a lazy ass too."

"..."

"Hello? Why aren't you saying anything? Did I hit the nail on the head?"

"Intense greetings! Friendly replies!"

"Hey, hey, hey, why are you getting so worked up?"

The rest of the night passed without a word.

Sunlight filtered through the dome of the House of Daena, seeping in as a soft layer of pale golden dawn light.

With his eyes half closed, Xingsu rubbed their aching corners, his gaze drifting unconsciously toward the dome. The sounds of last night's friendly exchange with Lin had vanished like an elusive dream, leaving only the gentle warmth of morning sunlight falling across the open literacy text.

"Hiss, that wasn't a dream, was it? What does 'manifestations of memories' mean...? I should've asked properly last night."

Xingsu stretched his sore arms, raising them high above his head for a long, leisurely stretch.

"Hmm... I should go ask that librarian Nahida mentioned, Katayoun, today. Hopefully I can get the job."

"Eighty thousand Mora a month, two days off a week, meals provided but no accommodation. It isn't an official Akademiya post, though. Most of the work is just cleaning and organizing books, but..." Katayoun looked at Xingsu's still-childish face, feeling that children his age could never sit still in a library. "Are you sure you can stick with it?"

"Yes! Don't worry, I have a great memory. I'll definitely remember where every book goes. I just need a job I can make a living from!"

Looking at the boy's open, earnest face, Katayoun softened a little. For a long time, the people of Sumeru had relied on the Akasha Terminal for everything. Very few young people genuinely wanted to enter the House of Daena and engage with ancient books on paper.

"All right." After a moment's thought, Katayoun gave her answer. "I can give you a trial period first. From now on, come before opening every morning to help organize the shelves and register loans. If you can adapt to the complicated work without making mistakes, I'll report it to the Akademiya's clerical office and officially hire you.

A faint starlight instantly rippled through Xingsu's eyes. With a restrained curve of his lips, he solemnly bowed slightly to Katayoun in thanks.

Then he chose a table relatively close to the entrance and began reading the books Nahida had picked out for him yesterday, where he could also conveniently attend to visitors.

Before long, Xingsu welcomed his first visitor as the librarian's assistant.

The newcomer wore a green forest ranger's uniform, with a pair of fluffy fox ears drooping gently. With steady steps, he led the way, occasionally looking back at the reserved girl behind him.

Xingsu rose to greet them.

"Hello, we'd like to borrow some early-learning literacy books."