By Zephyria 
Nasser, full of curiosity, continued to ask questions. Kyle answered each one with sincerity, many of which contained knowledge that could only be obtained through research.
He mentioned the molting season, and that the longest feather in the tail should never be broken or plucked. He also emphasized minimizing environmental changes and always being attentive, especially since they were sensitive. Along with Nasser, Nadia listened intently to Kyle’s words, interjecting with questions from time to time.
Mahir still stared silently at Kyle.
“What’s its name?”
At Nasser’s question, Kyle shrugged.
“I don’t know. It’s your bird now, so you should name it.”
“Me?”
Nasser hesitated for a moment, seemingly unsure, before speaking.
“Could my uncle perhaps name it?”
“What?”
“Since it’s a gift from you, Uncle, please give it a name too. Something cute, pretty, cool, and that sounds like the strongest in the world. Something that evokes a mysterious feeling just by hearing it!”
It was truly an absurd and unreasonable request. Where in the world could such a name be found? Kyle would surely be taken aback or flatly refuse, but his expression didn’t suggest that.
He certainly looked troubled, but not displeased. Kyle moved his lips, seeming to speak but hesitating for a long time, before muttering softly to himself.
“Agnes.”
Nasser, who had requested a name that was cute, pretty, cool, the strongest in the world, and evoked a mysterious feeling, smiled brightly, pleased with the name.
“I love it!”
At those words, Kyle’s rigid expression relaxed.
¸.•¨•¸.•¨•¸.•¨•¸
By the time they finished dinner together, it was already dark. Nadia returned first with a sleepy Nasser. Once they were alone, Mahir asked as if he had been waiting for the opportunity.
“How is your injury?”
“All healed. That’s why I couldn’t contact you. I was somewhere near the World Boundary.”
“I had a feeling that was the case.”
Kyle poured two glasses of fruit wine, handing one to Mahir. He glanced at me as he brought over the remaining glass.
“You don’t drink.”
“Why?”
“Why, you ask? Anyway, absolutely don’t drink.”
Seeing the look in his eyes that said he wouldn’t let me get away with it, Mahir tilted his head.
“It’s not very strong, so one glass should be fine.”
“Absolutely not. She gets completely wasted after just one sip.”
“Ah… If you’re weak to alcohol, it’s best not to drink. There’s no health benefit to drinking anyway. Should I ask for some juice?”
“It’s alright.”
It felt strange to be the only one drinking juice while everyone else was having alcohol.
“Anyway, I went to the Primeval Forest, which is near the World Boundary. I met a Forgotten Race called Ophelia there…”
Kyle began to explain everything that had happened in great detail. I stared silently at the dark red fruit wine in the glass. What did it taste like? Could I just touch my tongue to it lightly?
I shook my head, lost in such thoughts without realizing it. As Kyle said, my alcohol tolerance was so terrible that something was bound to happen. It had been a long time since I’d come, and it would be more troublesome for Kyle than for me if I caused trouble for no reason.
Of course, I was all grown up now, so I might not act like a crazy clown like I did when I was young, but…
I stopped, remembering laughing and crying, clinging to Kyle, and splashing in the fountain.
“You’re inheriting memories?”
“So, if we assume Aska is a piece of cloth, right now it’s just a single, independent piece of cloth. Just one piece. The Succession Ritual is like sewing that piece of cloth onto the end of a long string. That string is made up of pieces of cloth that existed independently like Aska, sewn together to form a long line.”
“Does that mean one entity is being incorporated into a larger one?”
“That’s right.”
Suddenly, Mahir and Kyle both looked at me at the same time. But I had no time to worry about that.
Right now, my head was filled with the scene of me, drunk, acting out towards Kyle when I was young.
‘You can’t get mad at me even if I do something wrong…’
Crying and whining, making absurd demands.
‘Water… Water got in my mouth. Hahaha. I went ‘glub glub’.’
Crying, then suddenly laughing like crazy.
‘Someone gave you work and didn’t pay you? The charcoal shop owner?’
‘Yeah, he’s bald… Has blue eyes and always wears gray clothes… And he’s fat…’
‘Where’s the shop?’
‘Next to the Labori Crow Well…’
Forgotten memories began to surface vividly. The warmth and sensation of a large hand wiping away tears from my wet eyes, the gentle voice…
‘Okay, I’ll scold him next time I see him.’
Even the whispered promise.
“If you’re incorporated like that, all the memories of the predecessors get mixed in. So I decided not to do the Succession Ritual.”
“There are no disadvantages?”
“I don’t know. There might be, there might not be. Even if there are, I don’t want to do it. Right?”
Kyle asked, looking at me, who was lost in thought. I nodded with a dazed expression. Then Kyle’s eyes narrowed.
And like that day when I was drunk, Kyle gently stroked my forehead and eyes with his hand and asked.
“Are you sleepy? Why have you been so out of it since a while ago? Are you sulking because I won’t let you drink?”
“No.”
“Maybe some juice after all…”
Mahir was about to call a Servant, so I quickly shook my head.
“I’m fine. Anyway, as Kyle said, I’ve decided not to do the Succession Ritual. If my ego disappears, it’s no different from dying anyway.”
Kyle nodded at my words.
“The symbol of endless death ultimately refers to the memories being inherited. Even if the body dies, if the memories continue, you live forever. Ophelia said that if Aska dies, she’ll be re-impregnated in the most suitable host nearby.”
Mahir’s eyes widened at those words.
“Aska will?”
“If you don’t inherit the memories, the newly born one will be a completely different individual. Aska isn’t going to be incorporated into that long string.”
“Then what exactly is Aska’s current state? If she’s not that Seamstress you mentioned, and not a Magical creature…”
Mahir trailed off, looking back and forth between me and Kyle. I couldn’t define what I was either, so I couldn’t answer.
Then Kyle opened his mouth.
“Right now, you can just say she’s a rare species that exists only in this world. Ophelia said so too. A new species that arose naturally.”
“A new species… I see.”
“And the Queen Consort of Actan, and my beloved wife.”
“…”
Mahir’s brow furrowed for a moment at the sudden statement. His expression was somewhat awkward, which made me feel awkward too.
“No, now that I think about it, it’s not a rare species that exists only as one, but as two.”
Mahir tilted his head at those words. I realized what Kyle was about to say in an instant. No, like this all of a sudden? I thought he would tell Mahir someday, but I didn’t expect him to do it so suddenly.
Kyle pointed to himself with his finger, looking at the puzzled Mahir.
“Me.”
“What?”
“I ended up becoming like that too. So I’m not human now.”
“…”
Mahir didn’t seem to fully understand the meaning of the sentence at the shocking statement. He stared blankly at Kyle for a long time before turning his gaze to me.
Suddenly feeling ashamed, I couldn’t help but lower my gaze. Without realizing it, I neatly gathered my hands on my lap and straightened my back.
Because I was the culprit who made his only brother not human.
“Human…”
“I’m not.”
“Then, then…”
“A rare species that exists only as two in the world. The Prince of Actan. And Aska’s beloved groom.”
“…”
Oblivious to Mahir’s feelings, Kyle said proudly, as if he was proud of himself. Mahir’s face, which had been turning to shock, turned pale, and he finally grabbed the back of his neck.
“My wounds heal quickly now. Do you want to see?”
Kyle got up from his seat with a sly smile. Mahir groaned and muttered lowly.
“Sit down.”
At the low voice, Kyle quickly sat back down on the sofa. The smile still hadn’t disappeared from his face.
“Anyway, I’m fine now. I won’t die before I become an adult. Although I’ve already passed it a long time ago.”