"I told you to eat less."
"You really don't know when to stop eating..."
Zane waved a hand dismissively, settling into the chair beside the desk with a geography book about human society from the shelf in hand.
"Can't help it—it was too good. Besides, Thiren people naturally have bigger appetites..."
Seth sighed helplessly. Maybe that was what home-cooked food was supposed to taste like. Whatever it was, it was delicious.
Thanks to frequent interactions, Zane had built a solid rapport with the Criminal Investigation Special Response Team, Seth included.
What began as admiration had, over time, become familiarity. Now, Seth regarded Zane in much the same way he did Qingyi—both were formidable Seniors.
Of course, he'd never actually address Zane that way.
"Aren't you going to rest?"
"I'm not tired."
Zane shook his head. He didn't need much rest to begin with, and right now his thoughts were caught up in matters concerning Hollow Zero.
After sending Nineveh off, he hadn't left immediately. Instead, he made his way to the Falkenhayn Mercenary Troupe's camp in Hollow Zero's central sector.
He hadn't forgotten why he came to Hollow Zero in the first place.
What he learned was odd: a significant portion of the test towers investigated by the Falkenhayn squad had been classified as confidential. Even after securing clearance to investigate, there was nothing inside.
It was like opening a classified file, only to find every page blank.
The discovery left Zane uneasy.
Seeing Zane had no intention of sleeping, lost in thought, Seth let the matter drop. He rolled over, leaving space for him, and prepared to sleep.
Just then, a knock sounded at the door.
It was faint, nearly drowned by the sound of rain outside. But for Seth and Zane, it was loud enough.
Seth's ears perked up as he glanced at the door. Zane rose, asked who it was, and frowned slightly when he heard Jane's voice.
Opening the door, he found Jane supporting herself with one arm, looking up at him with a calm expression.
"Can we talk?"
Zane raised an eyebrow. Her earlier explanation clearly hadn't been the truth.
From the bed, Seth saw it was Jane looking for Zane and immediately lost interest. After a mission and a birthday banquet all in one day, exhaustion had claimed him.
Zane closed the door quietly and gestured for Jane to lead the way. A moment later, the two stood before the living room window.
Jane pushed it open, and a rush of wind mixed with icy raindrops swept in. She shut it again almost immediately, catching Zane's frown as she looked away.
"I thought a little cold air might clear my head... forgot what the weather was like today."
Zane almost couldn't believe this was the same woman hailed as one of New Eridu's top criminal psychologists.
But it showed just how distracted she was by whatever weighed on her mind.
"What do you want to talk about?"
Zane wasn't especially close to Jane, and her strange, ambiguous attitude didn't make him want to joke around. He got straight to the point.
He leaned against the side of the sofa. The lights were off, the faint glow of the rainy night seeping in through the window, falling across his figure.
"Honestly... I don't even know."
Jane crossed her arms, tilting her head slightly, eyes flickering as she spoke softly.
"Huh?"
"Don't be surprised."
"I just don't know where to start."
She gave a small explanation, hesitated, then pulled a piece of candy from her pocket instead of speaking her mind directly.
"Want one?"
Zane blinked. Was Jane possessed by Ellen? The way she said it was so out of character.
This wasn't the Jane he remembered at all.
Or was she not the real Jane...?
His gaze shifted subtly, studying her.
But Jane either didn't notice, or simply didn't care. She extended the candy toward him.
Zane accepted it, glanced at her, then looked down at the sweet in his hand.
After a moment's thought, he unwrapped it. In the dim light, the candy gleamed faintly, a translucent pink.
He popped it into his mouth, eyes widening slightly as he murmured,
"Not bad. What kind of candy is this? I really like the flavor..."
Zane had always had a soft spot for sweets. His habit of pestering Ellen for candy wasn't just mischief—it was partly genuine preference.
And Jane's candy suited his taste perfectly.
"You've never had it before..."
But hearing his words, disappointment flickered across Jane's face. It shifted again as he continued.
"It's like eating a flower."
Her eyes lit up instantly, sparkling as they locked on him.
Like eating a flower...
"What is it?"
Zane raised an eyebrow. Jane suddenly smiled, her voice low.
"Zane, when I first heard that name, I thought it was just a coincidence."
"But now... how could there be so many coincidences, and so many similarities? It seems I really have found..."
"Found what?"
Jane didn't explain, leaving Zane thoroughly puzzled. He decided not to drag things out.
"To be frank, this isn't the first time we've met. I can tell you're looking for someone, but from your reaction, that person clearly isn't me."
"Our first encounter was in the Janus District underground black market. I was wearing a mask then—you must remember."
Zane spread one hand. Jane froze, then furrowed her brows.
"That was you?"
Realization dawned, and a flush spread across her cheeks—not from embarrassment, but from anger.
"You were the masked thief with that little bandit sidekick—the one who tried to steal my boots?"
Her voice trembled with disbelief.
"How could you do something like that?!"
Zane only spread his other hand, expression unreadable.
Jane stared at him, at a loss for words. Then, gritting her teeth, she muttered,
"That does sound like something you'd do..."
Her anger ebbed, replaced by thought. She was more certain than ever of what she suspected, though her doubts hadn't diminished—if anything, they had multiplied.
"So young..."
Suddenly, her tail unfurled, brushing lightly against Zane as she sighed, her voice filled with quiet awe.
Clearly, after learning the truth about the underground black market, Jane's view of Zane had shifted drastically.
She withdrew her tail, walked to the sofa, and sat down. Resting her cheek on one hand, she gazed at the rain outside.
Under Zane's watchful eyes, Jane finally spoke again, softly.
"Zane... do you believe in the past?"
"The past—distant, unchangeable."