The long-standing conspiracy

"Here's your three orders of strawberry mango parfait, two raspberry smoothies, and one order of this cafes specialty, Everfreeze," As per what happened when these three companions left the academy grounds Neon suggested they chat in his ideal meeting spot

"Dude all those food are for you? Just seeing that shit makes me wonder if you contracted diabetes. It's too unhealthy im gonna throw just thinking of eating that amount," Eins was deeply concerned with his health which he never realize until Henry mentioned the place Neon chose as their meeting ground

"Neon... what part of secrecy don't you understand? I thought you of all people would know the danger if your former allies came to know. Regardless, you still have the nerve to be so irresponsible, how are you even calm?" Henry irritatingly and any one of the two could see his anger was reflected by the veins popping from his body

(My liege... now is not the time for this!!!)

Even his underlings reminded him of their situation and the composed homunculus halted in his feast. "First of the whole place is rented I know you can guess who would the person be. Second I just came back from the examination, I need to relax even for a little bit, so im eating my favorite desserts. Third and most important, I didn't expect some company, since I've been notified of Henry joining I predicted he'll ask Eins,"

One Neon reinforced his standing the two had nothing to force him in hastening his meal and the impatient Eins wandered. Henry stayed close to his indifferent companion and the thief was left bored and took the time for a light stroll. In his pointless wander, he stumbled upon a picture board, the contents were normal until one portrait made him snap

"Neon!!!" The two turned their heads at the location of their screaming friend as Eins rush back with a killing gaze aimed at Neon

"Care to explain?" He showed a portrait of Gwendolyn with her shoulders held by Neon and her face flush

"What the hell is this???" Henry roared and pull his shirt while they acted with hostility as if their life was faced with an imminent threat

"Oh my are you perhaps the little girl's relatives?" The timing couldn't be any worse as the shop owner came and their focus shifted to questioning the lady in their front

(What's happening?)

'What do you think? I'm stuck in what you call a stupid and worthless misunderstanding. Just when I thought Alex was living a life of a generic anime this shit happens to me. I've been to this sort of misunderstanding before and the logical way. I just have to sit back and do quiet possibly nothing until they ask for my side of the story,'

After some explaining and whacking the noggins of these dunderheads Neon went back and enjoy his meal. "Oh, so it was a reunion! That explains it. There's no freaking way my niece would like a Playboy like you. Good lord, I worry for nothing,"

Eins added to Henry's statement. "Right? I thought it was the end of the world for a second there. Whew, glad that's all figured out, as heroic as Neon is this guy is a menace! It's not an exaggeration to call him the human race's number one manwhore,"

As the two ride their own created delusion far from reality Neon takes this moment to clear his mind and take a sip of his tea. 'At least there's something that hasn't changed even in the long run. Damn, I can't believe these two are that resistant to change, if I weren't their friend I deem it impossible. I guess they haven't changed, half the decade they thought him dead I expected so much,'

(What are they lacking?)

'What else, a brain cell? Even if they're not a hundred percent right, theirs still some truths in what the owner said. I can't even imagine it myself, so these kinds of reactions are their form of withdrawal,'

(I thought she was wrong?)

'Vestal the only thing she got wrong was the part that our lunch was even considered a date, but for the most part, she's right. I can't believe it, but it kinda makes sense now that I revisit my memories. No doubt about it, it's all my fault, I can't believe this was all due to my oblivious self from the past,'

(Master we get it already! You have something you did wrong, you don't want any of us finding out. I think it's clear, don't you think? Glutton and I can tell, you're stalling for time, finding the right time to switch to a different topic at hand-)

'Gwendolyn is in love with me,'

(... oh dear! Really?)

'Yes really! Do you think I'll lie? My past self was too perfect, he was kind, charming, and good with children and might I add a looker? Apart from her father, I was the closest nonrelative male figure in her life, and saving her made it worst. Every love starts with attraction via physical appearance, then admiration, longing, and lastly intimacy,'

(I thought you said there wasn't anything)

'I did! But the more I got curious and due to having Alex kicked out of my apartment, I was rather yearning to waste my time. Because of that, it made me want to learn more about my apprentice and that's when it hit me, the moment I saw. I couldn't forget, her public image was cold, uninterested, and confident, she was the opposition to what I met,'

(What's wrong with that my liege?)

'What's wrong is that she trusts me, that much... she's a clever girl, I think already got a hint, so it'll be awkward. The worst part is that she's rather pure, this is a disaster! I can't imagine facing her. I'm currently preoccupied so I might make a plan when the time comes, for now, my focus is needed for this,'

"Ahem," When every one of them cools off and their atmosphere seemingly grew cold the moment he caught their attention

"Since Henry chose to be a homunculus and well, this fucker came along,"

"Hey!" Eins was deeply offended when he was classified as a tag-along instead of a team

"As I was saying you two must have guessed, im out for blood, and I came here to find our trustworthy ally, Merona Blight. The diviner who said it herself in front of me, that I'll kick the bucket, and just as she said I died a horrible death. Poison, crushed, sliced, or even have my soul shattered, far worse, betrayal from the people I trust," He paused for a moment and place a notepad full of the information he extracted and uncovered in his search for the terrorist

"Vermilion Circle? I thought they disbanded?" Henry was flabbergasted upon seeing the topic of the notes leading to their fallen enemy the Russians

"I thought so as well, but these fuckers appeared at the same time I came here coincidence? I think not, this has something to do with what I heard before when I recently ranked up, the end of the world. I thought we made a difference but even after our sacrifices, it's not enough. Those Russians are up to something,"

Henry intervened and said. "How are you so sure about that? All I could see are random attacks. The city council, national museum, and now the academy?"

Neon replied. "All of those places are managed by the oracle, Merona Blight. No one knows who is the current oracle, even the people I ask don't know, they're too secretive it's pissing me off. I just came here to know who killed me, she warned me, she must have foreseen my death as Ernest, she can tell me as Neon,"

"Wow, now that's sure is a life hack! Prophets can't tell the person how they die and only give them hints. Once they die the prophet can now leak the cause of their death to a third party since it's been settled. If we find her then your revenge has a direction instead of piecing it together," Eins caught on along with Henry coming after and they now realize the severity of his connection with the terrorist

(Master...)

'It's fine, no worries. I'll be fine,'

"We all know how Merona can be a little pissy when we don't listen to her. I can't just barge into her office and ask her or the new oracle the question. I made a fool out of her, plus this whole thing is deeply rooted in me, Merona sealed my memories. The memories of what happened in the past, everything blurry, even the catastrophic beast only did was alert me of the seal,"

They patted his back and reassures him there on his side along with Henry's unexpected words of advice. "You're no longer the hero Ernest Quelt, but the villain Neon, right? First things first you need to know that villains gang up on the good guys. Just because you have the catastrophic beast means you can forget about us. We're here for you, buddy,"

At that moment for the first time in his life he genuinely smiled not of his own doing and shed a tear he said with a smile. "Oh, now you up and done it! Here come the waterworks, but seriously, let's murder Ragnir? That little brat has to pay for everything he's done! Once the interrogation is over I need to make him cry, villains are incredibly vengeful, right?"