Kude held up a torn-out book frontispiece in front of Gerard.
It was an ordinary, academic-type book, and because it was a torn-out frontispiece, the title was incomplete—only "tal Prosthetics Automation" could be discerned.
But the title was clearly not the focus. The focus was on the painting on the frontispiece.
Emblazoned on it was a colossal being, whose body was interwoven from tal and Holy Light, fashioned like a classical and sacred piece of art.
But Gerard knew this was no artwork.
This was... It.
Yes, this was Lyra itself.
"Do you recall anything?" Kude said, "I tore this from one of my father's books, a remnant from all the books he owns from twelve years ago, mandatory in all official publications."
"I know," Gerard said solemnly, "Ten years ago, Night Star would pray to this painting every ti before entering the Polluted Land, because..."
"Because It is Lyra," Kude softly expressed. "Our god, but sohow, we have forgotten It. After returning from my father's place, I searched long in the Skeleton Corps' office, unable to find any book with Its image, nowhere to be seen. Yet in my mory, I took an oath in front of It before joining the Skeleton Corps, but now I can find nothing. It's as if It disappeared all of a sudden."
This was indeed a disturbing matter.
For the past ten years, Gerard had been searching relentlessly for Affairs Officer 44 and the truth of that ti, yet unaware that even the god of Lyra had vanished from his mory.
And he could understand why Kude so recklessly sought collaboration with him.
Gerard looked at Kude and said, "I think you have not shared this matter with anyone yet."
"Yes," Kude nodded. "You're the first. I didn't even tell my father. He's still unaware of what's happened and was furious that I tore up his book... because he still venerates Lyra, just as he did twelve years ago."
"Because he's not within Lyra City, so he wasn't affected?"
"That's likely," Kude continued, "Apart from my father, I asked others in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and their reactions were similar to my father's, as if living twelve years in the past. They also share a common trait."
"What?"
"Over these years, they have scarcely returned to Lyra City, always staying in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs," Kude stated. "Those who returned to Lyra City more frequently quit the Ministry shortly after and never returned. This has led to a rapid decrease in the Ministry's personnel, now only a handful remain."
"This ans the cause is indeed Lyra City," Gerard stated gravely. "Everyone has been influenced by Lyra City."
"Yes, Lyra City now feels to like a gear train," Kude gently said. "It has been accelerating over these ten years, each year quicker than the last, yet the people on the gear train feel nothing. Only those outside the gear train can see how crazily fast the gear train has beco, even vastly exceeding its limits, verging on a collapse at any mont. But... those on the train can't feel it, and those outside can't warn them."
Kude's description left Gerard silent for a long while, then he slowly nodded. "Your analogy... it's vivid."
"But luckily, we are still the people on the train," Kude pointed at himself and Gerard and spoke deliberately. "We still have the chance to bring it to a halt before it completely goes off the rails."
Kude's words left Gerard feeling sowhat dazed.
For the past ten years, he had always been alone.
No one understood him, no one helped him; everyone treated him as a lunatic, like he was the only sane person on that gear train, trying to warn everyone when he realized sothing was off, only to be t with cold looks, regarded as a senile old madman.
But now, finally, a young man had co forward, speaking the sa words as him.
From "I" to "we," it was not an easy transition.
But Gerard wasn't blindly elated. He was fully aware that what they faced could not be conquered with sheer enthusiasm. He had been stuck in place for ten years while the enemy had been in motion for a decade, even erasing their god... yet they still knew nothing about what they were truly up against.
So Gerard simply looked calmly at Kude and asked, "Do you have any other ideas?"
"Yes," Kude quickly replied. "Before coming over, I had thought it through carefully. The tipping point for all these changes must be the 'Night Star' incident from ten years ago, linked to you, so my ideas are all centered around you, but—"
He paused.
"Before I lay out my ideas, I hope you can provide more information, Gerard," Kude looked into Gerard's eyes and spoke deliberately. "I want to know what Night Star was truly seeking in the Polluted Land ten years ago, and whether you brought anything out from there?"
"I know you don't have definite answers to these questions now because you've lost your mory, so I won't demand everything."
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