"Okay, Blackie, now you can tell me," Aziel said.
He wasn't sure what he expected, but the blank space where his memories should be felt vast and unsettling.
Blackie was quiet for a moment, as if sorting through a large library of information.
"Hmm… where should I start?" the ring mused aloud. "Maybe I should begin with the social structure of humans on this continent. During your time here in Glenwood, have you heard anything about social classes?"
Aziel frowned, thinking back to conversations overheard at the inn, snippets of gossip, and the way people sometimes referred to each other.
"Castes? You mean like… commonfolk… lowborn, those kinds of words?"
"Yes, exactly," Blackie confirmed.
"I've heard those terms used sometimes," Aziel admitted. "But maybe you can explain it more clearly?"
"Alright. On this continent — the Human Continent — there's primarily one kingdom that controls almost all the land; The Radiant Kingdom. This kingdom operates on a caste system, which divides people into four main social classes. They are the Highborn, the Commonfolk, the Lowborn, and The Wretched — also sometimes called The Outcast or The Forsaken."
Aziel listened intently, absorbing the new information.
"The Highborn are the highest caste," Blackie continued. "This class consists of royalty and the nobility. Below them are the Commonfolk, who make up the middle class. This group is diverse, including merchants, skilled magic users, soldiers, artisans, and others with specialized professions. Then come the Lowborn. These are the peasants — people like fishermen, farmers, basic laborers, and so on. And finally, at the very bottom, are The Wretched — or The Outcast, or The Forsaken. This is the lowest social class, made up of slaves, criminals, beggars, and anyone else pushed to the absolute fringes of society."
"Oh, I see," Aziel said, processing the information. "I've mostly just heard people mention Commonfolk and Lowborn. Maybe because, looking around Glenwood, that's mostly who lives here?"
"Yes, that's correct. The Highborn usually reside within their own territories and rarely visit villages like Glenwood. As for The Wretched... well, they're practically nonexistent here, at least on the surface."
Aziel shifted slightly on his bed.
"Hmm... so before I lost my memory, which caste was I in? Don't tell me I was a criminal or something..."
"Don't worry, you weren't one of The Wretched," Blackie assured him. "Instead, you were actually Highborn. You come from a noble family!"
Aziel's eyes widened slightly. A noble? That was unexpected.
"You were born into the House of Aldebaran. A noble family holding the rank of Marquis. The House of Aldebaran specializes in trade, and your family is one of the wealthiest on this continent, second only to the House of Sol, the royal family."
Aziel sat silently, trying to absorb the weight of this revelation.
A Marquis? From one of the richest families?
It felt surreal, completely disconnected from the simple life he was living now as 'Elias', the clinic assistant.
He tried to picture himself living a life of luxury and status, but his mind drew a blank. The information felt foreign, like reading about a character in a book rather than learning about his own past.
"Okay, let's focus back on your life story," Blackie said. "Born into the House of Aldebaran, your life growing up was filled with more luxury than you could imagine. Anything you wanted, you got. The Marquis and Marchioness, your parents, spoiled you from a young age."
Aziel remained quiet, his hands resting loosely on his lap.
"Well..." Blackie continued, a subtle shift in its tone, "that lasted until you were ten years old."
The ring paused, letting the statement hang in the air.
"What happened when I was ten?" Aziel asked.
"When you were ten, while you and your family was travelling back to your family's mansion, you were attacked by a Beast."
Aziel's posture straightened slightly.
"The attack was sudden, unexpected. And the Beast... it was incredibly strong. Your entire family... they were killed in that incident."
A flicker of unease crossed Aziel's face, his jaw tightening almost imperceptibly before relaxing again. He didn't remember them, not a single face or voice, yet the idea of losing a family resonated with a hollow ache.
"But, by some miracle, you survived." Blackie continued. "Even though you survived, you suffered a serious head injury. There was significant bleeding... and it caused you to lose your memory."
"Lost my memories again? How often have I lost them now?" Aziel frowned.
"Yeah, I wonder why you keep getting amnesia? I mean, technically you've lost your memory twice. This case's the first, but it was out of your control, because it was from your head injury. And the second time was when you wiped your memories to get rid of the curse. In that case, even though you decided to erase your own memories, that was the best choice you could've made. Who knows, maybe you should get ready for the day you lose your memories for a third time."
"Ugh… what rotten luck. So after I survived and lost my memory then, what happened?"
"You were later found by a beautiful woman," Blackie explained. "She took you under her wing. This woman, who was not only beautiful but also kind-hearted, took care of you and raised you from then on."
"Who is this beautiful and kind-hearted woman?"
"Basically, you can think of her as your guardian and teacher. But sorry, I think I can only tell you up to that point for now. The scar on your chest hasn't faded completely yet."
"Arghh, you pick a time like this for a cliffhanger? Is that really all I get to know for now!"
"Haha, be patient. As the saying goes, patience is the key to achieving results greater than what we expect. Where are you rushing off to anyway?" Blackie simply brushed off Aziel's frustration.
Blackie continued. "By the way, next time, maybe I won't tell you about your past memories anymore. Because the next memories, you need to experience yourself."
Aziel's eyebrows went up slightly. "Experience them myself? What do you mean?"
"You need to retrieve the fragments of your memory that you saved and kept at specific places."