The chirping of insects and the hooting of owls reverberated along the path back to the small town.
Looking ahead, Azik said, "Even though I'm not entirely sure what happened to me, I do have a rough idea.
Perhaps I'm someone who has lived for a very long time.
This wilderness, this silence, often makes one weak... I should've paid some sort of price in exchange for living since the end of the Fourth Epoch.
I don't remember the past. I've forgotten about the people and things that I've sworn to remember..."
"Mr. Azik, I have a theory regarding your situation." Klein said.
"What theory?" Azik asked.
"I think that there's a cycle to your memory loss. Perhaps you 'die' once every few decades, and your memories of the events before that vanish. Then, after some time, you wake up from the darkness of your slumber and begin on a new phase of life. This way, we can explain why you would have such varied dreams. Those are events that you came across over your several lives," Klein described.
Azik slowed down his pace. "That is consistent with the memories that were reawakened just now."
Klein said, "But you might not have to leave Tingen to search for your lost past."
"Why?" Azik asked.
Klein explained, "Your memories aren't completely gone. The parts of your memory that surfaced just now are proof of that.
Furthermore, do you remember the moment you woke up in Backlund and discovered that you had forgotten all about the past?"
Azik nodded. "That's a nightmare that bothers me to this day."
Klein continued, "Before today, I didn't think that there was a problem with that, but your description just now, together with my own conjecture, makes it feel a little strange.
You had a document of identification and enough money when you woke up from your dream. You also appeared in a way that didn't startle anyone. The you from the past may have regained his memories and prepared everything for you, trying his best to not let you attract suspicion from anyone else."
"Perhaps the 'parents' that I've been searching for were the past me all along..." Azik sighed. "Perhaps I'll only fully regain my memory when this life is nearing its end.
I don't want to wait that long. I have to be more proactive in searching for my past. Waiting would only make me repeat the cycle."
"Indeed that's a good approach." Klein said. "Mr. Azik, may I ask for your help in something trivial, other than finding the criminal that took the skull of your child and made my fate disharmonious?"
Azik nodded slightly. "What do you need me to do?"
Klein said, "I hope that you can head to a town between two and five hours away from Tingen by carriage next week, or the week after, and cause a paranormal incident, something that wouldn't harm anyone.
Judging from how you tried to search for the criminal using your bloodline's connection, I would think that you are fairly adept in the field of dead souls."
"No problem," Azik said.
Klein added, "Also, you can only choose a follower of the Evernight Goddess when you are picking a target, and don't leave any clues behind.
I will tell you the name of the town and the estimated time beforehand so you can prepare yourself."
...
At half past eleven that night, Klein returned to 2 Daffodil Street.
Klein opened the door.
Benson, who sat on the sofa, yawned again before shutting his book. "I need sleep. Ever since I began studying and reading classical literature, the quality of my sleep has become especially good."
Klein, recalling what Miss Justice had mentioned, said, "Benson, you know that my company has connections with the Awwa County Police. I recently heard news from Backlund that they want to push for a reform and select talents to take on positions in the government based on an open examination, just like the entrance examinations of universities."
Benson asked, "An open examination?"
"Yes. As long as you pass the examination, you could become a civil servant in one of the branches of the government. My guess is that the contents of the examination will be modeled after the entrance exams of the universities: literature, the classics, math and logic, as well as a basic understanding of the law..." Klein continued, "Benson, this must be kept confidential, and don't put too much hope on this. No one knows if this will be passed by the House of Lords and House of Commons or not."
"I'll keep it in mind. I understand that all I need to do is study hard." Benson smiled, then said, "I'd study hard whether this change happens or not. I'll try my best to free myself from my current circumstance and find a better job. Learning—that's the greatest difference between a human and a curly-haired baboon."