At the Divine Psychiatric Hospital.
In the spacious and tidy courtyard, Nyx sat in a rocking chair, holding a vase, lost in thought.
A young man in a white coat walked down the corridor, carrying several bottles of medicine, and came to her side.
"You've come to see me, Danados, my child." Nyx turned to Lin Qiye, a smile spreading across her face.
Lin Qiye sat down beside her and nodded. "Time for your medication."
He poured the pills from the bottle, carefully dividing them into small piles, and placed them in Nyx's hand. "Take your medicine first."
Without hesitation, Nyx swallowed the pills and gazed at Lin Qiye with affection in her eyes.
"Danados, it seems like you have something on your mind?"
Lin Qiye was stunned. He hadn't expected Nyx, a mental patient, to read his emotions so easily. After a moment of hesitation, he nodded. "I suppose."
"Is there anything I can help you with?"
"I'm afraid you can't help me with this." Lin Qiye shook his head.
Leaving home and feeling heartbroken—how could anyone else help with that?
Nyx seemed a bit down, then suddenly, as if remembering something, she spoke.
"Since that's the case, Danados, I'll give you a gift."
"A gift?" Lin Qiye blinked in surprise.
"Yes, I'll give you my bracelet. If you keep it with you, it will..." Nyx reached for her wrist, but as her fingers searched, she paused.
"Where is my bracelet...?" she muttered, looking down at her bare wrist.
Lin Qiye: ...
As expected, Nyx wasn't just mentally ill—she was seriously ill!
Nyx tilted her head and frowned, as if trying to remember something.
Just as Lin Qiye was about to get up and leave, Nyx suddenly spoke again. "I remember now."
"You remember what?"
"My bracelet... someone won it from me."
"Won it from you?" Lin Qiye blinked in confusion. "What do you mean, won it? Who took it?"
"It wasn't a god," Nyx shook her head, pointing at Lin Qiye. "She was like you."
"Like me... another one of your children?" Lin Qiye tried to think like Nyx.
"No, she was like you, wearing the same white clothes."
Lin Qiye's pupils shrank, his brow furrowing.
"You mean, before me, someone else wearing this outfit came into your room and won your bracelet?"
Nyx nodded.
Lin Qiye's expression grew more serious.
Without realizing it, he had gathered such important information from Nyx's words.
From her description, it seemed that someone had come to the hospital and opened Nyx's door before Lin Qiye had.
Could it be... he wasn't the only master of this place?
But this hospital was clearly in his mind—how could someone else have entered?
Lin Qiye suddenly recalled that the first time he dreamt about the psychiatric hospital was five years ago...
Five years ago, it had mysteriously and abruptly appeared in his dream.
Could it be that before he had dreamed about the hospital five years ago, someone else had existed here?
Thinking of this, Lin Qiye immediately sat back down and spoke seriously: "How did she win your bracelet?"
Nyx thought for a moment before replying, "She said she wanted to have a contest with me. If I won, she would return my child. If I lost, I'd have to give her my bracelet."
"You competed in what?" Lin Qiye asked, his surprise growing.
"Creation." Nyx's voice was soft, but her words held weight.
"Creation? You lost in creation?" Lin Qiye's eyes widened in disbelief. "But you're the Goddess of Night, one of the five gods of creation. How could you possibly lose?"
"I don't know, but I did lose." Nyx shook her head.
"Do you remember what she looked like?"
"I remember. She seemed to be about twelve or thirteen, with long black hair. She was very beautiful, and there was a strange pattern here." Nyx pointed to the back of her hand.
"A twelve or thirteen-year-old girl beat you in creation?" Lin Qiye's eyes almost bulged out of his head. "Even if your divine powers have been weakened, that shouldn't be possible!"
Nyx sat there, lost in thought again.
Lin Qiye took a deep breath to calm himself, then asked, "Do you remember anything else about her? Her name?"
"I don't know... I just know her last name might be... Ji?" Nyx said, a little uncertain.
"Ji..." Lin Qiye repeated the name thoughtfully.
"Finally, before I returned to my room, she walked off in that direction." Nyx paused, then pointed to a room on the third floor.
"I see. You rest now." Lin Qiye stood, gave Nyx a reassuring look, and turned to walk down the hallway.
Moments later, Lin Qiye arrived in front of the room Nyx had indicated.
On the doorplate were three large characters:
— Director's Office.
Lin Qiye furrowed his brow and pushed the door open.
Behind the door was a small office, somewhat disorganized, with scattered papers and items. He had been in this room before, and it was where he had taken the white coat. But when he had entered earlier, he hadn't noticed anything unusual.
Since Nyx had said that the girl had entered this room, it was likely that she had left some important clues behind.
This time, Lin Qiye wasn't going to rummage through drawers. Instead, he sat down, closed his eyes, and focused.
With the Divine Ruins granted by the Seraphim, he could easily sense everything in the room, far more efficiently than searching through cabinets.
After a few seconds, his eyes shot open.
He stood up and walked to the desk, reaching into the last drawer. He felt around in the compartment and pulled out a slightly yellowed letter.
He found something!
Lin Qiye quickly tore open the envelope, pulling out the letter. His expression shifted slightly as he looked at the handwriting.
Hiss... this handwriting looks a bit... ugly.
It was crooked, almost like something written by a child just learning to write.
The letter read:
"To someone:
I don't know who you are, but I know you're the true master here.
By the time you find this letter, it should have been years. Don't laugh at my handwriting; I'm still young, but when I grow up, it'll be better.
Sorry for holding your hospital hostage for a while. But since everything's back where it belongs, I hope you won't be mad at me! (Tongue out, doodle)
Also, I borrowed some things from your patients. Don't worry, I'll return them when I find you again.
Lastly, just a reminder—under this office, there's a secret place.
When I grow up, I'll come find you, stranger. After all, you're my hope for going home.
Goodbye~"