Chapter 173: Even a Clever God Can’t Make Bricks Without Straw
The three girls exchanged glances, a silent understanding passing between them.
Abyss looked at them, his trusted companions, held up seven fingers, then began chanting, his voice gradually increasing in speed.
As he channeled his mana into his skull, creating a field of pure magical energy, his mind was enveloped in a gentle, non-threatening warmth. But its purpose wasn’t as benign as it felt—the mana, like waves crashing against a shore, washed over his brain, creating barriers around his neural pathways, forming new connections, rewriting his memories.
He felt his mind relax, a sense of emptiness washing over him. He knew what was happening. This wasn’t a spell to enhance his focus, but to erase his memories.
If the Lord of Nightmares’ power relied on dreams, why not eliminate the source of those dreams? A person without memories couldn’t dream. Dreams were composed of fragments of memories, distorted and rearranged, but never entirely new.
Why did the Lord of Nightmares rely on their deepest fears to torment them? Because he couldn’t create something truly terrifying, something universally feared. He had revealed this weakness long ago, but Abyss had overlooked it, like a shadow in plain sight.
But Givia’s actions, her defiance of death within the dream, had reminded him of this crucial detail. He would test this theory. There was no time to waste. He would see what secrets the Lord of Nightmares was hiding.
He was gambling, betting that the Lord of Nightmares couldn’t create a false memory of him having amnesia—his illusions had to be based on reality. Unless he had other, more powerful abilities, this would create a contradiction.
Abyss felt his mind emptying, a pleasant sense of relaxation washing over him. A bright white light flashed before his eyes, a ringing sound echoed in his ears, then silence.
…
He exhaled slowly, opening his eyes.
The three girls looked at him, their faces etched with concern.
“Are you alright?” Flora asked softly.
Abyss looked at her, his eyes unfocused, then spoke. “Hello. Your eyes are beautiful. What’s your name?”
Flora blushed. As a Saint, she had been trained to maintain her composure, but Abyss’s presence seemed to disrupt her carefully cultivated poise.
“Allow me to introduce myself… I am…” Abyss said, his signature smile on his face. “I am… What was my name again?”
“You’re ABC,” Leona said, leaning against Flora’s shoulder. “Have you truly forgotten everything?”
“Forgotten what?” Abyss asked, his smile unwavering, his eyes clear and innocent, like a newborn’s. “Have I forgotten something?”
As he spoke, he felt a sharp pain in his arm. He looked down and saw the inscription he had carved earlier.
The magic was still active, the wound bloodless, but the pain was real. He traced the runes with his fingers, reading the words aloud. “My enemy is an Outer God. I stand with mortals. Beware of dreams. Trust the three girls—if they’re still here.”
He paused, then looked up at them.
“Can you tell me what I need to do?” he asked, his expression serious.
“My name is Flora. I will use my Soul Chains to locate our enemies. You must use your magic to erase their memories,” Flora said immediately. “I’ll explain everything later. For now, please trust me.”
“I trust you three completely,” Abyss said, nodding, not needing any further convincing. “Let’s begin.”
“We’ll go find that rake!” Leona exclaimed, and she and Rebecca stood up, leaving the room.
Although he had lost his memories, Abyss hadn’t lost his knowledge. He didn’t remember where his magic came from, or what he had done with it, but he knew its effects, its applications. And he instinctively knew that these three girls relied on his magic for their continued existence.
Flora knew his memory was truly gone. There was no need for further explanations. She closed her eyes, chanting a silent prayer.
Channeling her divine power, she searched for traces of the Lord of Nightmares’ influence, using the same method she had used to locate his followers—and she sensed something amiss within the palace.
The Lord of Nightmares’ presence was strong there, a place they had previously overlooked. She immediately shared her discovery with Leona and Rebecca through their telepathic link.
“Understood!” Leona said, and she and Rebecca set out to find these new followers and the missing rake.
Flora nodded at Abyss. “You can begin now.”
Abyss, trusting her instructions implicitly, wasn’t surprised by the information she had shared. He unleashed his magic, channeling it through Flora’s Soul Chains, targeting the newly discovered followers.
A powerful surge of mana, like a bolt of lightning, coursed through the Soul Chains, striking their minds, instantly erasing their memories.
Two nobles sitting in the audience, a few guards, some maids, several officials, even a Paladin on stage—they all froze, their faces blank, their eyes vacant.
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