Yes, I continued by saying:
"Okay, I accept."
Having no choice, the lady and her partner had already set an almost perfect trap for me. She then said, sitting back down on the couch, this time crossing her feet and looking at me:
"I want you to do a little job for me, if you're interested."
I said:
"What do you mean, a little job for you, ma'am?"
She answered:
"In a bit... I'll explain."
I said:
"No, I have enough mysteries in my head already. I don't want more. Tell me everything, ma'am."
She stared at me, then said:
"How arrogant you are! OK, what I want you to do for me is throw someone out of the bar. So, you throw out a bad customer who spends his time hurting our business here at the bar. If you succeed, we're even."
Still overwhelmed, I didn't understand this proposal, and what connection I had with this person they wanted me to throw out of the restaurant — or tavern, depending on what you wanted to call it. Then silence fell. I saw this lying servant look at me with a sad expression. Then I understood: surely, this man they're trying to throw out is the one who made that mark on this lady.
I continued, looking at the lady making this deal:
"Why do you think I can complete this mission? Because, not even knowing my own name, how do you expect me to have the strength to fight people to throw certain people out of your bar?"
The lady said:
"Ah, let's see! Apparently, you were found alone near a very dangerous city in general, whose name I wouldn't want to say, God preserve me. Because really, if you managed to be there, God only knows how long, it means you're much more than what you want to believe."
Without knowing it, the lady had just given me more information than the Messiah refused to give me. I asked the lady:
"What? What do you mean, and why do you say I was found near that place? Can you give me more details?"
The atmosphere was broken, because the lady realized I was searching for the truth, and she'd talked a bit too much, it seemed. Then I insisted:
"Tell me everything please, what do you mean?"
Sitting on the couch, I said:
"Help me remember, tell me what you know, maybe it would help me recall. Tell me!"
I said this to the lady, almost begging on my knees for her to tell me the truth about this famous night she described. The lady felt like someone who'd talked too much. Gripped by fear, she stood up saying:
"No, nothing. Just forget I said anything. I know absolutely nothing!"
She said, panicking.
"We know absolutely nothing, sorry!"
Then she grabbed her servant and pushed her, telling her to leave quickly. I said:
"What do you mean, you don't know anything?"
She turned around, rushed, saying:
"I told you I don't know anything, leave me alone! And besides, this favor for your debt, it's canceled. You have no more commitment to me. But please, don't ask me about this subject again!"
She said, running out, slamming the door hard behind her.
Once again, the atmosphere was loaded with air too icy to breathe. I was stunned by what I'd just heard. Everything really seemed to be a puzzle coming together and, at that exact moment, separating again in confusion. I felt the ground moving under my feet, as if I was a receiver of mental waves. I didn't understand what it meant. I didn't understand what this world meant. I was lost, troubled. I even felt like everything was getting worse and worse. Not knowing what to say anymore, what to do, looking at every detail of the house, as if searching for a mystery, a solution, or a cure. The air had become thick, the movement of water was more than the wave itself. I stayed frozen, seated, searching for answers.
For me now, this house had become a house of lies or a puzzle I had to solve. I stood up then and went back to the bathroom, trying to see if I could continue that memory which had just left me after the interruption by this young lady. I went all around the bathroom, checking every spot, touching every object, trying to study every mirror, every object, every scent to be able to put together this puzzle I needed to understand so I wouldn't lose my mind. Because this memory was so strong that I really needed to keep living with it.
After more than ten minutes of unsuccessful searching in this bathroom, I came out and stood in the living room. Then I sat down again on the couch, the air troubled again, this time searching even harder for answers, more answers but not finding them. Then I stood up again, going into the dining room, opening every drawer to see if there was a code somewhere, a clue that could help me. But nothing.
I then took two boxes of cereal that were placed with a breakable bowl and a spoon. The dining room was really like all the rest of the house: a quite modest but livable place, peaceful and clean, well lit. I took my bowl of cereal and went to sit at the table to enjoy this meal, looking at each piece of furniture as if trying to find the guilty party for this frustration. I accused every object, but they all pleaded not guilty to my accusations.
Tired of suspecting them, I ate my breakfast. After, I got up to go to the bedroom to rest. I lay down then, I lay down, but sleep didn't come to me because too many things had happened in a single day. Those memories in the cave, the announcement about General Thalif's headquarters, and many other reveals. This companion employee who used my emotions or my weakness to trap me. This lady who chose silence instead of 1,500 gold coins... instead of the 1,500 silver coins she was demanding.
All of this seemed now more than ever quite murky to me. I felt there was something wrong, but not knowing what to answer or what mystery to solve. I lay down again, staying in bed and looking everywhere. And then sleep came. But suddenly, the next morning, I was woken by strange noises coming from the living room. So I got up quickly. When I opened the door, I saw...