The memory ring, as if it had been waiting for that very moment, drifted straight toward Tie.

It shimmered with a faint golden light.

Inside it, scenes flickered one after another.

Raul secretly unwrapping candy.

Raul smiling brightly as he put it in his mouth.

Raul and Enzo whispering that they would ask their mother for more later.

Tie unconsciously swallowed.

'So this is... a memory.'

The ring hovered right before her eyes.

It was so close she felt as if she only had to reach out to touch it.

At that instant, a quiet voice echoed in her mind.

[Select the memory you wish to erase.]

Tie flinched.

She almost loosened her grip on Raul’s hand, but managed to hold on.

'Just the candy... only the candy memory!'

The ring pulsed once, as if responding to her will.

The golden light slowly dimmed.

Then—

With a faint, soundless tremor, the ring shattered into countless specks of light and scattered into the air.

At the same time, Raul blinked.

His expression turned blank for a brief second.

Tie’s heart dropped.

'Did it work...?'

She hurriedly let go of his hand and fumbled inside her pocket.

She pulled out the candy.

"Raul... do you know what this is?"

Raul tilted his head.

"...What is that?"

Tie froze.

Bale’s eyes narrowed.

Basto leaned forward slightly.

Raul stared at the object in her hand as if seeing it for the first time in his life.

"It looks like... a rock?"

Enzo frowned.

"That’s not a rock. It’s—"

He paused.

His brows slowly knitted together.

"It’s... wait. What is it?"

Silence fell over the room.

Tie’s mouth slowly fell open.

'It really worked.'

Raul looked confused.

"Is it something edible?"

Tie hesitated.

Her chest tightened for a moment.

Then she forced herself to nod.

"Yes. It’s called candy."

"Candy..."

Raul repeated the unfamiliar word carefully.

As if trying to memorize it for the first time.

Bale let out a low whistle.

"...That’s terrifying."

Basto crossed his arms.

"It erases cleanly."

Nordix, who had been silent the entire time, finally spoke.

"There was no backlash. No magical surge. No resistance."

His gaze sharpened behind his spectacles.

"That is not merely an artifact."

Tie instinctively clutched the bracelet on her wrist.

The Cleansing of Oblivion felt slightly warm.

As if it were alive.

Enzo suddenly looked between Raul and the candy again.

"Wait. I feel like I should know what that is."

Raul nodded slowly.

"Me too. It feels... familiar."

Tie’s heart skipped.

'Is it coming back?'

But after a few seconds, both twins shook {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} their heads.

"No... I can’t remember."

Bale glanced at Tie.

"That’s enough."

Tie quickly withdrew her hand.

Her palm was slightly damp with sweat.

She had erased something.

Completely.

And Raul had not even realized it.

For a moment, guilt pricked her heart again.

But Bale stepped forward and placed a hand on her head.

"You did well."

Tie looked up at him.

"See? If they try to run, we just erase what needs erasing."

He then turned to the twins.

"Now. Let’s talk properly."

Raul and Enzo straightened unconsciously.

"You said you want to join Agavert."

Both nodded firmly.

"Yes."

"We do."

Bale’s expression turned serious.

"Then understand this clearly. Once you enter our squad, you do not leave without permission."

A brief pause.

"And if you betray us—"

His gaze flicked briefly to the bracelet on Tie’s wrist.

"You’ve just seen what happens."

The twins swallowed.

But neither of them stepped back.

Raul spoke first.

"We understand."

Enzo followed.

"We’re not afraid."

Tie blinked.

'They’re not afraid?'

For some reason, that made her feel slightly embarrassed.

Basto let out a short laugh.

"Stubborn brats."

Nordix nodded once.

"Then it is settled."

Bale extended his hand.

"From today onward, you are provisional members of Agavert."

Raul and Enzo clasped his hand one after the other.

Tie watched the scene with wide eyes.

Her squad...

Had grown. 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

And the Cleansing of Oblivion—

Was far more frightening than she had imagined.