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"...This voice..."
Fang Li turned his head and looked towards the source of the sound.
Not far from Fang Li's line of sight, in a backyard with trees, two people were sitting on the grass, seemingly engaged in a conversation.
The familiar voice Fang Li heard came from one of them.
It was Tohno Shiki.
However, Fang Li's attention was immediately drawn to the other person.
This person, like Tohno Shiki, was also wearing a student uniform but was a girl who seemed a bit older than Tohno Shiki. She had shoulder-length blue hair, wore glasses, and looked very intellectual.
Given her age and uniform, anyone would immediately think of her as Tohno Shiki's senpai at school.
At this moment, Tohno Shiki was sitting on the grass with this intellectual senpai, and they were talking about something in an atmosphere that made one subconsciously hesitant to intrude.
Only, as Fang Li observed the senpai, his eyes narrowed slightly.
The next second, Fang Li silently stepped on the ground, lightly pushed off, and gracefully climbed up a nearby tree. Using the same noiseless movement, he moved to a tree not far from the grass.
It was only then that the content of their conversation clearly reached Fang Li's ears.
The senpai seemed somewhat concerned as she spoke to Tohno Shiki.
"Tohno Kun, are you troubled by something?"
Hearing this direct question hit right at Tohno Shiki's heart.
Faced with such a direct query, Tohno Shiki seemed a bit at a loss.
After reacting, Tohno Shiki forced a smile.
"Why do you say that?" Tohno Shiki asked calmly, "Could it be that Ciel Senpai is just joking with me again?"
Upon hearing this, the senpai, named Ciel by Tohno Shiki, frowned and her expression became serious.
"You make it sound like I frequently joke with you, Tohno Kun. You're being quite rude." Ciel said reproachfully, "How can you brush off someone who is genuinely concerned about you?"
"Eh?" Tohno Shiki was slightly taken aback. After a moment of hesitation, he cautiously said, "So, in other words, Senpai is worried about me?"
"Of course," Ciel said with a naturally charming smile, despite wearing glasses. She said to Tohno Shiki, "After all, seeing a kouhai with a bitter expression, as if troubled by something, a senpai can't just ignore it, right?"
"Senpai, you really do worry a lot," Tohno Shiki said helplessly. "Hasn't anyone told you that you're a bit of a busybody?"
"Not at all. The only person I know to be so rude is you, Tohno Kun." Ciel's smile remained unchanged, but her concern was still evident. She continued, "Anyway, if you have any worries, you can always talk to me."
Ciel's words made Tohno Shiki open his mouth as if he wanted to refuse, but then he seemed to think of something and fell silent.
After a while, Tohno Shiki gathered his courage and spoke softly.
"Well then, Senpai, have you ever considered the possibility of becoming a completely different person and being unable to control it?"
When Tohno Shiki's words were spoken, Ciel's smile momentarily stiffened.
However, it was only for a split second.
After that brief moment, Ciel's expression returned to normal, and she adjusted her glasses.
"Tohno Kun, that assumption of yours is a bit strange," Ciel replied seriously. "It's like you're saying you've had an uncontrollable experience of becoming someone else."
"I…"
'I certainly have had that kind of experience.' Tohno Shiki really wanted to say this. However, he remained silent.
After all, it wasn't something that could be casually shared with others.
While Tohno Shiki was silently thinking this, Ciel suddenly changed the topic.
"Then, let's assume Tohno Kun's hypothesis is correct," Ciel said. "Even if Tohno Kun were unable to control yourself and became a completely different person, what would you think about that?"
"What would I think?" Tohno Shiki almost blurted out, "That would be terrifying, of course."
To be completely unable to control oneself, to unknowingly become someone entirely different, and to act against one's own will, doing things one doesn't want to see or do.
Isn't that scary?
"...Perhaps it is indeed scary," Ciel said after a moment of silence, then smiled slightly and added, "But I believe Tohno Kun won't have any issues."
"Why?" Tohno Shiki was stunned and asked without thinking, "Why do you say that?"
"It's just my belief," Ciel said, raising a finger and speaking in a reassuring tone. "Tohno Kun should trust yourself more. If you keep fearing yourself, eventually even solvable problems will become unsolvable."
Hearing these words, Tohno Shiki pondered.
"Solvable problems becoming unsolvable...?"
Then, how should he solve this issue?
As Tohno Shiki was contemplating, Ciel, as if seeing through his thoughts, offered an understanding smile and said:
"No matter what, you should first do what you believe is right. That's how you'll find the answer."
These profound words made Tohno Shiki start to think deeply.
At that moment, the class ringtone rang.
"Ah..." Tohno Shiki then realized and quickly said to Ciel, "I need to go back to the classroom. Senpai, please hurry back as well."
"Understood." Ciel smiled and nodded.
Then, Tohno Shiki quickly got up and ran toward the classroom.
Ciel watched this scene until Tohno Shiki's figure was out of sight. Her face, which had been full of intellectual charm, suddenly changed.
It became mechanical, cold, and merciless.
Then, Ciel turned her head and cast a sharp, blade-like gaze at a nearby tree.
The tree, neither too big nor too small, stood there like it had for a century, swaying gently in the breeze.
Seeing this, Ciel muttered to herself.
"Is it an illusion?"
After speaking, Ciel also got up and left the scene.
It wasn't until some time later that Fang Li slowly emerged from behind the tree trunk, appearing on the branch.
Looking at the receding figure of Ciel, Fang Li smirked.
"Seems I'm not the only one with a connection here..."
...