[SCARLETT'S POV - Present Day, After Speaking with Shūmei]
I closed the door to Shūmei's quarters and leaned against the corridor wall, my mother's silver arm ring cold against my skin. That girl was lying through her perfect teeth, but proving it would be like catching smoke with bare hands. The metallic scent of blood still clung to my tactical gear from this morning's crawler patrol—a reminder of the constant violence that had become our reality.
The encounter triggered memories from before the world ended. The way Shūmei calculated every micro-expression reminded me of another time, another place, when I was still learning to see through people's masks...
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[FLASHBACK - March 2057 - Two Months Before the Sunflare Scorch]
4:47 AM - Yamashiro Institute Dormitory, Tokyo
