Many things annoyed me from time to time. A person being late to a meeting. Nosy underclassmen poking her head into my business. Bad writing filled with whatever otaku craze was going on.

The normal things.

It was only human nature to be annoyed, after all. To not be annoyed at all would mean that you've achieved a sense of peace that exceeded that of humanity. No one, and I mean absolutely no one, would be able to live life without being annoyed once.

Even the staunchest, most patient of individuals get annoyed. The only difference between them and a normal person is that normal people will express it out loud. The patient will keep it to themselves.

I was not a patient person.

I never claimed to be such. I voiced my annoyances at Zaimokuza, at Yukinoshita, at Isshiki. I was not afraid of having my opinions be broadcasted like that.

If I didn't hold back then, then why would I hold back now?

"Natsuki, just shut the fuck up."

"Hikigaya, come on! You know Crusch, right?"

"No, no I don't. As I've said multiple times, I have no idea who or what Crusch is."

Currently, we were in the dining room. We've been having this conversation for a while now, and it was getting more and more annoying by the second. Natsuki caught up to me just as I was about to leave. I admit, my curiosity got the better of me when I stopped to listen to him.

I regret that now. He went on to talk about how we could help this Crusch Karsten in fighting the White Whale, talking about how he could get Mathers to part with a few more tomes from the main mansion - which, by the way, I didn't even realize that this mansion wasn't the margrave's main one.

Still, Natsuki hadn't stopped talking, and I'll admit that the curiosity that plagued me still held a firm grip on me. I've observed Natsuki for a while now, and I can say that he really believed what he was saying.

Not that it would have mattered.

"Look, no matter what you say, I'm not going to go out and 'help' a person I don't even know. Not against the damn White Whale."

"But you do know her! Felix told me how they keep buying weapons from you!"

"Natsuki, I am telling you right now, for the final time, I have no idea who you're talking about."

Natsuki looked terrible. Eyes like pinpricks, fists clenched. Was this how I looked like when I was angry? It was horrible to look at, to be honest.

Then, all at once, the anger faded. It was replaced by utter confusion.

"You're…you're serious? You don't know who Crusch is? Felix? Wilhelm?"

"No, no I don't." Finally, I was getting through to him. Seriously, it took him this long to understand that no, I've never met these people? Did I underestimate his intelligence or something, or was I not being clear enough?

"Rein, you're friends with Rein." Acquaintances, but sure, I'll nod for now. Not like Natsuki noticed, "Then you gotta know that Wilhelm is Rein's grandfather, and is a butler to Crusch Karsten, right?"

"Astrea doesn't have a grandfather." I scoffed. I had taken the liberty of looking into Astrea's history, just to see if there were any toes I needed to avoid stepping on. There was at least one, Astrea's own father, Heinkel. Other than that, I didn't find any other active members of the family.

"That's wrong." Natsuki was shaking his head repeatedly, "That's wrong. That's wrong." He started muttering to himself, pacing around the room. His eyes darted around at random angles, and his hands started wringing around his wrists.

My curiosity was turning into concern. Look, as much as I like to portray myself as a heartless bastard, I'm still only human. Watching someone start what looks to be a nervous breakdown right in front of me would do that.

"You alright, kid?"

Natsuki spun around and walked up to me, a wild look in his eye. He practically yelled his next question, "Felix Argyle! Catboy, always has that -nya thing! Do you know him?!"

"I think I would remember someone like that." I carefully pushed the near catatonic kid away, "Look, you're obviously not well, so why-"

The door opened. A head of white hair poked in with an air of concern. Emilia stared at Natsuki for a moment, "I heard yelling. Is everything alright?"

"No. Look, can you get him to calm down? He's been havin-" For the second time, I was interrupted. By Natsuki this time, as he practically sprinted to Emilia.

"Emilia-tan! Please, please tell me you know Crusch Karsten!" Natsuki was practically sobbing now, tears pouring from his eyes to the worry of Emilia.

"Subaru, I'm sorry, but I don't know who that is."

"That can't be true!" Natsuki roared as he gripped his hair in frustration, "She's a Royal Candidate! In fact, you and Roswaal were the ones to tell me that!"

"Subaru…"

There was no reasoning with him anymore. I haven't much real world experience with breakdowns, but from the light novels that I've read before coming here, I knew that people wouldn't respond well to any form of reason. Not when they're like this.

"Take him to his room. Let him get some sleep." I opened a portal going in front of Natsuki's room. Emilia was in the process of nodding when Natsuki shot up and grabbed me by the arm.

I almost instinctively blasted him with rocks right there and then.

"Hikigaya." There was a firmness in his voice now, "You're going to the capital anyway, right?"

"Natsuki, get some sleep."

"Take me with you. I need to talk to Rein." He acted like he hadn't heard me.

"No." That was by far the worst idea I've heard in a while, barring fighting the White Whale.

"Look, I just need to talk to Rein. He has the ability to tell if I'm lying, so if I'm telling the truth, then something must've happened to your memories!"

"Or you're just delusional." I was familiar with Astrea's abilities, of course. The Divine Protection of Wind Reading. I also knew its weaknesses, or, at least its possible weaknesses. If a person who genuinely believes something were to testify against someone with that Divine Protection, then it doesn't matter if the truth was completely different.

It all depends on the perspective of the individual.

"Dammit man! Fine, even if I'm delusional, then Rein probably has another Divine Protection to help with that, right?!"

That…was probably true.

Fuck's sake. I can't believe I'm even entertaining this.

"I'm not going to let you just do that, Subaru! You're obviously not well right now!" Emilia put her foot down, a frown on her features as she glared at Natsuki.

"Then come with me, Emilia-tan. You and Puck. We can trust Rein, and if it does turn out something's wrong with you guys' or my memory, then he can fix it." The wild look was back.

It's true, what he said. Astrea could probably fix this with his bullshit. The issue was, did I really want to follow through with the words of someone who wasn't thinking straight.

"You know what, fuck it."

I opened a portal straight in front of the knight's barracks. I knew for a fact that Astrea was on the job, but unlike the other knights, he was usually held back from patrols. I stepped through, before casting a glance back at the two dumbfounded faces.

"Well? You coming or not?"

We found Astrea fairly quickly. It was still just after lunch, and the man was mingling around the lounge area, talking to Jukuulius. I had no interest in that conversation, my focus was more on Natsuki rushing to meet with the redhead.

I let myself smirk as I saw that he had inadvertently interrupted Jukuulius.

"Rein, I need your help, right now!"

"Subaru?" Astrea blinked at the tracksuit-wearing kid's appearance, before his attention was turned to myself and Emilia, "You as well, Hikigaya-san, Emilia-sama?"

I nodded towards him, before inclining my head to Natsuki, "Kid apparently has some memory issues. Thinks you could help."

I highly doubt it.

Astrea blinked as he turned to Natsuki who looked to be trying to form the right words, "Of course. I'll try my best. What is it that you need?"

"You have a grandfather." Natsuki blurted out.

"I'm afraid I don't understand?" Astrea looked confused, and so did every other knight within hearing distance.

"You have a grandfather named Wilhelm van Astrea. He, along with a knight named Felix Argyle, serves under Crusch Karsten, a Royal Candidate for the Selection."

"Have you heard of those names, Julius?" Astrea turned to the other knight, who was looking at the scene with a furrowed brow.

"I have not. I'm sure I would've at least remembered the knight."

"Dammit you two! Felix was your guys' best friend! Gah! You know I'm telling the truth!"

"My Divine Protection says it is true…" Astrea looked conflicted, even as the spectators watching all around us hid barely concealed amusement. I did my best to fade into the background. There was no reason to put a beacon on myself.

"How…how do you not remember?!"

"There is a lot of magic that can affect the mind, Subaru." Astrea gently patted Natsuki's shoulder, "I can use my Divine Protection to check you for any irregularities, if you don't mind?"

"Just," I watched as Natsuki centered himself, before a resigned sigh, "Fine. We'll need to make this quick though. Even if my memories were tampered with, the White Whale still needs to be dealt with."

The knights in the room froze.

"Subaru, why did you mention those names in the first place, if you don't mind me asking?" My waning focus suddenly turned sharp. The tone that Astrea used was one that brokered none of the lightness it usually had. Natsuki didn't notice, too busy cupping his head in his hands.

Something was wrong.

"Oh, Roswaal mentioned that they went to fight the White Whale earlier. Can't be sure if that was real though, if someone screwed with my memories…" Natsuki was morose, a stark contrast to the sudden flurry of activity that the barracks had turned into.

The three of us non-knights looked around in bewilderment. Jukuulius had all but spirited away, his voice shouting orders just about the only thing that remained. Astrea stared at us in full seriousness.

"Please, follow me. You need to know something."

Natsuki was right.

Fucking hell. Natsuki was right.

Astrea had led us into a small private room, and had proceeded to tell us just what that was all about. He had explained to us just exactly what the White Whale's abilities truly were.

It was a well kept secret. Passed only through word of mouth among the higher echelons of society, as writing it down bore the risk of it being leaked. Those high enough wouldn't dare to speak it to someone else, lest panic erupt everywhere.

All the abilities of the White Whale were very much true. Magic resistance, mist. All of those were real. What was hidden were its more esoteric abilities.

The ability to wipe people from reality itself.

Should a person be blasted by its mist, that person would disappear. Not just die, but altogether disappear. Their records, their accomplishments, everything.

Even memories of that person. Up until the very fabric of reality would be rewritten, events changed so that it would make it look like they were never there.

The only reason anyone knew about it was that there were rare cases of individuals remembering those that had been erased.

Cases like Natsuki.

He was telling the truth.

And he was right.

So here we were, sitting in my workshop, pondering on what we had just learned. Far from looking vindicated, Natsuki looked horrified. Felt, Rom and Emilia were sitting around with him, all of them with the same look of horror. Rom was already on his third casket of alcohol.

I couldn't blame him.

Then, a set of knocks on the door. Then another set. Then another.

"We're closed, can't you read the damn sign?" I called out after they knocked for a fourth time. I was normally by this point, but I was still reeling from the revelation that a creature could just manipulate my memories like that.

The more I learn about the state of this world, the secrets I become privy to, the more I hope that I just live to see home again.

"What insolence is this? You dare to close your pitiful shop before I, Regulus Corneas, have finished my business? Do you not know who I am? I am a man of status, of influence, of power! You should be grateful for the privilege of serving me, and yet you have the audacity to lock your doors in my face. You think your sorry excuse for an establishment can simply shut down at your whim, as if it were beneath you to cater to someone of my stature? This is an insult, a grievous affront to my very being! I demand satisfaction!"

All hell broke loose. The door was torn from its hinges.

I reacted instinctively, strengthening my body with what I could as I dove out of the way. In the doorway stood a white-haired man, his face a mask of seething rage. Before I could say anything, he continued to shout out loud.

"To think that my Gospel would lead me to such a hovel. A disgrace to my benevolence! You, who refused entry despite my magnanimity!"

"Whoever the hell you are, get the fuck out of my shop."

"You impudent wretch! How dare you speak to me in such a manner? You have sealed your own fate, insolent fool!"

I saw the arm come down. He was nowhere close to me.

I still felt the full brunt of it.

A gust of air, far more powerful than what it should've been, tore through my shop. Tools, ingots and blades flew all over the place.

Despite my strengthening I felt my torso get caved in. I couldn't cry out. I don't think I had lungs to do that anymore.

It hurt.

FUCK. IT HURT.

I tried to breathe. Painful.

Too much.

The white haired man roared at me even as I lay there dying, "Know that your pitiful existence was given purpose by my hand! By the hand of Regulus Corneas, Archbishop of Greed!"

Ears hurt. Hard to think.

Natsuki rushed Corneas. Futile.

Head in hand. Crushed. Blood. Chucks. Eyeball.

Hurt.

Pain.

Screaming.

Foot approached.

Above me.

Darkness.

No more pain.

I watched as Natsuki coughed wildly in the middle of a conversation with the elf. Even Emilia and Puck were caught off guard by the suddenness of it. I watched as he gripped his head, touching his eyelids and nose.

"Subaru," Emilia started patting his back in worry, "Are you okay?"

"Y-Yeah, yeah, I'm fine." Natsuki stuttered as he settled down and gave a smile, "Spit went down the wrong hole there."

"That is sooo gross!" Emilia laughed, Puck laughing with her.

"Lia, I think you should find a better friend than someone who chokes on nothing!" Puck continued to tease the younger male.

"What was that?!" Natsuki reached up and started tickling the Spirit, "C'mere!"

But, even as they laughed, even as they spoke easily enough to one another, I could see something that didn't make any sense.

It was subtle, almost invisible, but Natsuki was trembling.

What the hell happened there?

I suppose it doesn't matter for now. I still need to think about how I'll convince Mathers to let me access his library once we arrive at their mansion.

A/N: To those that prefer SpaceBattles, I've started crossposting over there! While ffnet is still ahead by quite a bit, if you prefer to read there, my story chapters will eventually be posted at the same time here and on SB.

Partly, this decision was made by ffnet's still ongoing problems of not informing me of any reviews/messages through email. It's getting really annoying now.

If you like what I do and want to support me, check out my P-atreon at P-atreon•com(slash)Almistyor.

And a special thanks to: Oliver vazquez, brutalcrab and Tassimo.