The moment Ram spoke the name "Lillian," he instinctively thought the mask on his face had somehow disappeared.
Yet the mask was still properly worn on his face.
A guess? No—the certainty in Ram's expression, the conviction in her eyes, and the complete lack of doubt in her voice all made it clear that she had already confirmed his identity.
"How… did you recognize me?"
Lillian no longer bothered to disguise his voice. His clear, natural tone rang out as he reached up and removed the mask, revealing his gentle features.
"I thought I had hidden myself pretty well."
Hearing his voice and seeing his face, Ram bit her lip. "You—"
The next moment, she threw a punch at him. There was no real force behind it, so Lillian easily raised his hand and blocked it.
"So this is how you treat the one who saved your life? That's a little hurtful."
As Lillian spoke, Ryuzu—standing nearby—was also greatly surprised upon seeing his true appearance. From his previously rough voice, she had assumed he was a man in his thirties or forties. But now that the disguise was gone, he looked only seventeen or eighteen.
"Why…"
Even though Ram had already been certain in her heart, seeing the face she once believed she would never see again still stirred uncontrollable emotions within her.
"Let's talk outside first."
Lillian sighed. Now that Ram had arrived, there was no way he could return to the dream world. It was somewhat regrettable that he had not been able to see the so-called "play" Echidna had prepared, but for now he needed to deal with Ram's situation first.
The three of them left the tomb and came outside.
The ground outside was full of pits and scars. Seeing the somewhat weakened Ryuzu, Lillian guessed she had just fought Ram here—and was clearly no match for her. Ram had probably also wondered why Ryuzu had obeyed Lillian's order to guard the place.
"First, tell me how you recognized me. I'm curious."
"Why don't you explain first why you pretended to be dead even though you weren't?"
Ram spoke coldly. Lillian looked at her and nodded slightly.
"Alright, I'll go first." He paused. "At the time, I really did die. I just used a method to revive myself."
"Revive?"
"Yes. It sounds unbelievable, but resurrection truly exists in this world."
"…I know."
Ram's quick acceptance surprised Lillian. Even in a world governed by magic, resurrection was extremely rare. The Sword Saint's so-called "Blessing of the Phoenix" allowed revival at the place of death—but such a blessing likely existed only for him.
"Then what about you? How did you recognize me?"
"I can't see through a mask," Ram said coldly. "I simply sensed it. Especially after dying once, my perception became even clearer. The aura carried by magic of that particular color isn't something everyone possesses."
"W-wait."
Lillian's pupils widened as he caught a detail in her words.
"Ram, you just said… 'after dying once'…?"
"Yes. I was killed by Roswaal-sama."
"You—"
"I still remember. It should be thanks to you."
Lillian stared at her in disbelief, meeting Ram's complicated gaze. How could she resist the authority of Return by Death? Impossible. What did she mean by "thanks to you"?
"Though I don't know the exact reason, the magic you infused into my body took effect. I did not forget. And after dying once, the flow of my magic became even stronger—so I was able to confirm your identity."
Ram spoke calmly, but the tightly clenched fists at her sides revealed her true emotions.
"And judging from your expression, you remember as well, don't you? So aside from that golden magic, what else could we possibly have in common? If not because of that, what else could it be? Right?"
Ram had eliminated all impossibilities and arrived at the answer she believed certain. Using that conclusion, she tracked him down and successfully exposed Lillian's identity.
Now, instead, it was Lillian who did not know how to respond.
If Ram had not lost her memories due to Return by Death, it meant she clearly remembered being effortlessly killed by Roswaal. Perhaps such memories would have been better forgotten.
"Are you… alright?"
Lillian asked softly.
Ram's eyes immediately reddened. How could she possibly be alright? The man to whom she had sworn absolute loyalty had killed her so casually, using her merely as a tool to provoke Subaru. No one could endure such a thing without being shaken.
"What's the point of asking that now?"
Ram lowered her head slightly, her pink hair covering her other eye.
"If you understand what happened, telling me the truth would be the greatest comfort you could give."
Seeing her force herself to remain strong made Lillian feel uneasy. Discovering that Roswaal had no memory while she alone remembered must have left her with extremely complicated feelings. After returning, should everything that happened before still be treated as real? Such questions must have weighed heavily on her mind. She wanted someone to confide in—but she could not tell Rem, and she could not make her worry.
"Let's go. We'll find a place to talk," Lillian said. Then he turned to Ryuzu, who still looked completely confused, unable to understand their conversation. "I have things to discuss with you as well."
"…I indeed have many questions," Ryuzu said. "I will take you somewhere quiet where we can talk."
Ryuzu led them deep into the forest to a small wooden house. Inside, they sat around a wooden table. She poured three cups of tea, steam slowly rising from them. After organizing his thoughts, Lillian first addressed Ram.
"Ram, tell me everything you know first. I'll fill in whatever is missing."
"…Alright."
Ram held the teacup in both hands, her eyes lowered.
"I remember that Roswaal-sama used magic to create a heavy snowfall. He said he wanted Emilia-sama to fall into complete despair. Once the residents of the Sanctuary could no longer survive due to the disaster, they would surely vent all their resentment toward Emilia-sama. At that point, helpless, she would have no choice but to rely on Natsuki Subaru. And Subaru would use his power to 'change the world' to alter everything. After that… I was killed."
She raised her gaze to Lillian.
"But I also learned what that so-called 'power to change the world' is… It's the ability to turn time back, isn't it? You already knew."
"…Yes."
Given Ram's intelligence, it was not surprising that she had deduced Subaru's ability. However, Ryuzu—sitting beside them—looked visibly disturbed upon hearing this.
"So Roswaal truly did such a thing?"
"That's right," Lillian nodded, continuing from where Ram left off. "After you… after you died, the Great Rabbit—one of the Three Great Mabeasts—invaded the Sanctuary and completely destroyed it."
Both women were stunned. Lillian continued:
"So now, everything has returned to several hours earlier. Ryuzu, you may be confused because your memories were erased by Subaru's ability. But to prove we are not lying, I can provide evidence that your memories were indeed lost."
"…I would like to hear it."
"It's simple. Earlier at the tomb, you and Garfiel came looking for me. I directly ordered you to guard the entrance of the tomb, didn't I?"
"…"
"You said I am an 'Apostle.' And that was something you yourself told me before you lost your memories," Lillian said while raising his teacup. "You explained what an Apostle is, the matter of you 'replicas,' and how, over the long passage of time… you gradually developed a unique personality of your own."
"For example, your fondness for drinking tea — that's your distinctive trait, isn't it? I'm not wrong, am I?"