"Ana, what are you...?" I was flustered, to say the least.
For one, why was Ana being so aggressive towards me? I only asked the question I did because of our mission, and also because we still had enemies who wanted to bury us.
If I didn't make those inquiries and it turned out the enemy could actually obtain two more Arcanas, it would have made our problems increase.
Besides, having two more of the world-defying cards was something that would only help our cause, not hurt it.
So why...? Why was Ana upset?
I stared into her eyes—so filled with hot tears and bitter rage. This probably had less to do about me and more to do with her grieving. Unfortunately, she completely dragged me into it by the statement she uttered next.
"I utterly despise you, Lewis Griffith!"
The contents of her words were just as shocking to me as the fact that she openly addressed me as my past self.
In a combination of panic and surprise, I looked around me to see Lemi's expression remaining almost the same. If anything, she too was glaring at me.
'Lemi knows too?! Does everyone know, then?' Fortunately, other than Neron and Serah, everyone still seemed ignorant.
They showed surprise, but it wasn't as though Ana was currently a credible source. It wasn't too late for me to change their minds.
'But doing so would paint Ana as a liar to others, and it would also paint me as a liar to Lemi and Ana. Damnit!'
I returned my gaze to Ana's glare. She was gritting her teeth at this point—almost as though she would rip me apart if I let go of her hand.
"Why are you doing this, Ana?" I sighed, letting go of her hand.
My voice was calm, and I expected some degree of sanity between us. Surely, we could both reason together like friends—or perhaps even just humans.
... At least, that was what I hoped.
>WHAP!<
In the end, she still wound up slapping me before walking out on me.
'I could have stopped it, but what's the point? At least this way, she has released some of her grief and frustration on me.'
While I couldn't agree with Ana right now, I understood it was out of the turmoil going on in her heart. Also...
'... As long as I don't directly admit I'm Lewis Griffith, she can't prove it. It would be better if I stayed silent on the topic.'
"Hold on, is it true? You're Lewis Griffith? Like the one who died over five hundred years ago?! My buddy, Lewis?"
Of course, I didn't account for Beruel. How could I have let his existence slip my mind?
The Fairy King drew closer to me, narrowing his gaze as he observed me. I knew I had to do something fast. Else...
"I have no idea what you're—"
"Whoah! It makes sense now that I think about it. You were acting all familiar with me back when we first met, weren't you? And all these things you achieved... it can only be possible if you're not a child. I suppose the most convincing is how you allied the nations and took care of the Demon Army. Lewis Griffith would have done exactly what you did."
Beruel fluttered around me and kept chattering while making his inferences.
At this point, everyone was getting even more curious about whether Ana's statement was indeed more than just an angry rant. I could see it in their eyes.
They wanted the truth.
'Damnit, Beruel. Neron... help?' I glanced in the direction of my mentor, but he gave me a neutral shrug.
In essence, he was telling me "It's your call."
I disliked it when Neron decided to stay out of matters. While I knew I had to make my decisions myself, it was always nice to have guidance.
Especially because I was currently panicking.
'I mean, Maria didn't freak out too much when I told her, right? Maybe it won't be that bad...' I thought to myself.
A major factor I had to consider, however, was that Maria was in love with me—or at least, she professed to be.
And I could tell that she meant it.
'Everyone in this room has varying opinions of me. We're bound together by trust and goodwill. If I admit to hiding something as huge as this, then the results could be catastrophic.
I glanced at Edward, and he was simply looking at me expectantly. I couldn't tell whether he'd be disappointed or not.
What about Ivan? Or Jerry? Ciara seemed like she didn't even care. Maro seemed genuinely stunned.
'Damn it...'
This wasn't the way I thought things would go down. I'm fact, I was currently of the belief that I should just keep the truth hidden.
However, that would only hurt my case—especially if Ana refused to back down.
"Haa... everyone, Ana is correct." I began in a somewhat tired tone.
To be honest, this really was the best course of action. Neron probably knew it but didn't want to impose the choice on me, so he decided to be neutral.
'If I leave this uncertainty hanging around, it'll hurt the team. Looks like you win, Ana.' I glanced at the short girl, and she was still frowning while crossing her arms.
"In my past life, my name was Lewis Griffith—The Great Sage of the Eastern Kingdom."
I saw some jaws drop. It was expected, but... certain faces twisted in anger.
Lemi, for example, seemed angry. I understood why she would, but... this was getting hard for me.
"I got reincarnated in this time, and in this body. Don't ask me how, because I also have no idea. I have my memories of my past life intact, and I have already told a few people about this."
Neron and Serah casually raised their hands in admittance.
"I never openly admitted to this because, ever since I was young, there has been an organization that has been after my life. From the first week of my birth, even till I was barely a teenager, and then at Ainzlark. I believe this organization to be the Nether Cult, and I was going to tell you all after the threat had been extinguished."
I gave a sad smile while staring at their mixed reactions. Who would have thought that everything would come crashing down so easily?
"That's all."
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[A/N]
New book release announcement!!!
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