"She'll go instead."
The woman gestured at Granny Zai.
Feeling the intense stares directed at her, Granny Zai stopped her cleaning mid-way before turning around.
"Hmm?"
She wordlessly asked as she tried to observe Solomon for an explanation as to why they were both deeply staring at her.
Solomon looked at her for a few stubborn seconds, before sighing in surrender.
"Okay, fine. I understand that you have yet to trust me. It's only proper that she would go and Granny Zai knows what it looks like anyway."
Clueless and utterly confused, Granny Zai looked between the woman and Solomon as she tried to figure out what her involvement was.
She truly didn't know what the issue was. She tuned them out when she was cleaning because she felt that she had no involvement in their private conversation. And so, she had no idea what they were talking about at all.
"Excuse this old set of bones, Master, but what was I tasked to do again? It seems like my hearing is not as sharp as the way it once was. It must've been because of my old age."
Granny Zai chuckled apologetically. Solomon chuckled along with her as he explained.
"She needs her things fetched from the place I stored it in."
But as soon as he ended his statement, he immediately casted a telepathy spell.
'Granny Zai, please grab her spatial pouch from her dorms. I'm only saying that vague statement because I think she doesn't remember being a student in the academy nor living in the Lily class. And I fear that she'd be far too confused and distressed when she finds out as well. After all, she most probably had no memory of even setting foot to this academy much less study in it. I'd want her to rest for now so if possible, I'm avoiding any stressors that might burden her mind. Better do the same as well and be cautious about what you say or show to her, Granny Zai.'
Hearing Solomon's voice flow through her mind, she finally figured out the situation at hand. Then, as a sign that she understood his words, she bowed to him as she spoke.
"I will go at once, Master."
After casting a teleportation spell, she bowed briefly at the woman looking at her with cautious eyes. Then, when she felt the barrier around her dissolve as Solomon granted her permission to teleport, Granny Zai soon disappeared in a blink of an eye.
Now, it was just Solomon and the woman who remained inside the quiet room.
"Now that I've answered a few of your questions, would it be okay if I were to ask a few of mine as well?"
The woman furrowed her brows as she mulled it over.
Currently, she didn't have any pressing questions that needed answering.
Well, more like she had too many questions in her mind that she didn't know where to start. It must be because she's currently too on edge to think straight.
Maybe her thoughts would be more organized when she once again feels the comforting weight of her armor securely fitted around her.
Until then, maybe she could gather information from his reactions while he is asking her.
And so, with Solomon's question still hanging onto the air, the woman finally gave him a nod as a reply.
Delighted, Solomon straightened on his seat as he eagerly asked her his first question.
"So, young lady, what's your name?"
The woman raised an eyebrow at the question. She didn't expect such a simple question but then again, she should've seen that one coming. After all, they've been referring to her young lady, my dear, and the like.
But asking for her name... should she lie? Like, make up a fake name perhaps so that they wouldn't be able to track her down once she escapes?
But... what if he looked at her Identification card? And what if he was just asking so as not to be rude to her?
Surely he looked at her card. After all, he was the one who kept her things so there's no use trying to hide her identity now.
"I-Ingrid."
Although knowing Inna's full name, it still wasn't the answer Solomon was expecting.
He hoped she would have a different name. After all, it would prove that they were two different people with two different sets of memories.
But, they had the same name...
Was her case really the same with Favian and Frode?
Not two souls but two minds instead?
Annoyed with all these uncertainties, Solomon decided to ask his next question. He was hoping that the more he asked, the clearer the answer would be to him.
"What was the last thing you remembered? Do you remember the ones name Rod, Nol, Renee, and George?"
Ingrid found the names familiar and suddenly it dawned in her.
"Aren't they that devilish group that double-crosses other adventurers that join them? They tricked far too many adventurers for anyone in Tarnil to fall for their facade. Why do you ask?"
"N-nothing. It's just that they were the only group of adventurers that I knew were currently in Edseria."
Ingrid snorted as she leaned against the door, minutely relaxing.
"They cannot be named as adventurers. With such methods, thieves would be more fitting. The adventurers of Edseria have principles and morals that they all don't have so associating us with them is a grave insult to us."
Solomon couldn't help but agree with her. Those bunch of losers did grow up pickpocketing their way from Anemoly to Edseria.
And so, after confirming that the memory of attacking that Golden Bear wasn't of Ingrid's, he repeated the unanswered half of his question.
"So… what was the last thing you remembered before waking up here in this manor?"
Ingrid furrowed her brows as her face showed a conflicted expression. Then, in a second, she answered him with the vaguest statement she could think of.
"I was… doing a quest with a group of adventurers. Then… I was attacked and I think I fainted soon after."