Just thirty minutes ago you had one foot slammed onto the ground with a strong and firm gaze along with the confidence to take on the world. Now? One mildly passionate gust of wind was enough to send you spiralling into a nervous mess.

You stood before the chairman's office, confronted by a pair of imposing doors. Just a pair of doors! Something you could break down if you tried really hard, something you would pull or push without a thought––these inanimate objects were the second most intimidating thing right now. They were the only thing standing in your way to meeting the most important man in the entire city.

You've been in the chairman's office when you played the game as Amias. You know, behind a screen? Where you could do backflips (not like you had the physical capability back then) and the chairman would not bat an eye? Now you felt like if you blinked wrong he'd notice and blow you up for it.

"Are you nervous?" Eve asked. "There's nothing to worry about. He's a little stiff, but crack a joke or two and he'll loosen right up!"

Crack a JOKE?

"... Thanks for the advice."

You would NOT be following it.

"Of course! I'm glad I can help. Now, I'll leave you––"

"Wait!"

Whoops. Uh. You said that out of instinct. And also acted out of instinct seeing as you grabbed onto the edge of Eve's lab coat. They didn't seem annoyed, thankfully. Eve tilted their head to the side, curious.

"Uhm... Good luck with your work," you said, slowly letting go.

Eve beamed. Playfully, they tapped your forehead, their laughter ringing softly as endearment sparkled in their eyes. You blinked in surprise at the gesture, the memory of their forehead gently pressed against yours earlier flooding back.

"Thanks! I'll work even harder now. I can even film parts of it––what's it called... Vlogging? Yes! Vlogging. Wouldn't it be fun to show you some of my work? We'll feel closer that way, right? Not physically, unfortunately—I wonder if I should give you access to the labs..."

Their rambling continued. You made no efforts to stop them. Anything to procrastinate in seeing the chairman.

"Oh! Looks like I rambled again." Eve laughed. "Feel free to cut me off! I can go on for ages."

No, I was intentionally––

"I'll be off now! Make sure to text me how it goes!"

No, Eve. Please come back––

Anddd, they left. Man.

You took another couple of minutes to prepare yourself. Breathing exercises, predicting what kind of questions the chairman might ask, wondering what kind of music you should request for your funeral––yeah, you took a while.

I'm not any more prepared, but I can't keep stalling.

Shakily, you knocked on the door. Somehow, the stutter that would've been in your words had translated to your knocking.

"Come in."

Alright. You took a deep breath. We're doing this.

You opened the door and there he was. Woah. You almost forgot how huge the man was. How does he manage to maintain such a physique at an old age? And, you had to admit, he had one majestic beard. The chairman was in the middle of doing paperwork. The scribbles from his expensive pen and his focused gaze exuded an air of intimidation and authority.

His office was minimalistic and clean. You felt like you were interrupting the professionalism of this space by existing.

"No need to be so tense," he said. "Take a seat."

You meekly nodded and did as he instructed.

"We've never had a formal conversation, have we?" The chairman settled down his pen and focused his attention on you. "I'd like to get to know you first."

It took the power of ten million soldiers to not shy away from the chairman's eye contact. Somehow, the soft shade of pink in his eyes looked far bolder than red. And what did he say? He wanted to get to know you? The fact that he wasn't getting to the point was only increasing your anxiety.

"What would you like to know?"

The chairman was quiet for a moment. "What is your impression of me?"

... This one question was more dangerous than the millions of apparition possessions you encountered over these months.

"..."

"..."

Just as you were about to speak up, you heard a quiet chuckle. Wait, you heard a what. Did the chairman just––was he capable of making such a sound????? You were flabbergasted, too afraid and stunned to even blink.

Silently, the chairman pulled open a drawer from beneath his desk. You held your breath, expecting him to––uh, maybe pull out a punch to your face or something. However, betraying your (totally not extreme) expectations, the chairman placed a thick book on the table. You looked at the item with a mix of curiosity and a healthy sprinkle of apprehension.

"I've heard many things about you from my grandkids."

Elias and Sara? You knew a bit of their relationship with the chairman. For instance, during the game, Elias would open up to Amias about his feelings towards the chairman if the player reached a high enough intimacy level (and, of course, you did). The scene went a little like:

At last, you were at the character development stage where Elias loosened up and finally decided to take some well-deserved time off for himself. It was cute seeing him asking the SF members about their hobbies and testing it out for himself (yes, he even tried out a bar with Cecil).

Currently, he and Amias were doing some embroidery.

"This is relaxing," Elias said. "Something well needed after Cecil's company. I wonder how he manages that lifestyle on top of all his work."

Amias chuckled softly. "He told me that he gets energy from socialising."

Elias sighed, shaking his head. "I can never imagine something like that."

There was silence for a few more minutes before Amias asked Elias,

"Does the chairman give you a lot of work?"

Elias paused for a moment, his expression thoughtful. "The chairman trusts me with important administrative work. The reason why I'm always up all night is because of the additional responsibilities I have due to my parents."

The brunet stopped for a moment and looked at Amias.

"Do you think the chairman is a bad person?"

"I... I can't really say," Amias replied.

Elias nodded. "Personally, I can't confidently say he is a good person. However... he's not a bad family figure."

When it came to Sara, you remember being over the moon when you managed to raise her affection level high enough since you had kept messing up and missing out on the time windows to hangout with her.

Amias was helping Sara organise her coupons according to their expiration date. There was a lot. Amias didn't even want to think about her online ones.

"I'm amazed at how many you can collect," Amias said, glancing at a coupon for... polymer bear cups?

"It's called having a keen eye and no shame." The brunette smiled proudly, picking up a coupon. It was a discount for gardening supplies. "Oh, my grandfather would like this one."

"The chairman?"

"Ah––sorry. It was on instinct. I know he's in a pretty bad position considering everything that has happened with Rose."

Sara was silent for a few moments.

"There are many reasons to distrust the chairman," she said. "It all makes sense, and I feel guilty because I can't bring myself to hate him."

Amias showed an understanding smile. "It's alright. He's your family. I can't imagine how conflicted you must be feeling right now."

"He was one of the few people who acknowledged me for who I am. Even my parents just saw me as Elias' younger sister." Sara chuckled quietly. "I remember being so happy as a child when he let me be his assistant for a day. Granted, I probably didn't help at all, but I felt seen."

Yeah, the chairman had a soft spot for his grandchildren it seemed.

"Elias and Sara talked about me?" You then mumbled, "Hope they're good things."

"They are, I assure you." The chairman opened the book. It was a photo album. "Would you like to see their childhood photos?"

This was not the direction you expected this conversation to go. You could tell this photo album was from a long time ago. Yet, it was kept in very good condition.

"I'd like to."

At this point, you would feel more at ease if the chairman threatened you at gunpoint.

Each page held two to three photos, each marked with a date and accompanied by brief notes that were no more than a few sentences. The chairman stopped at a particular page.

"Ah, this day."

When you saw a hint of a fond smile on the chairman's expression, you almost questioned the reality you were in.

"I had fallen sick and Elias decided to make something for me to eat. He was eleven around then," the chairman explained. "There were no aprons that fit him, so he used his mother's."

There was a picture of Elias wearing an oversized pink apron with heart patterns. He had an expression that was way too serious for the task at hand. Oh my god. If this was a game CG, you'd be furiously screenshotting before setting the image as your wallpaper (Temporarily. Kein will always be your main wallpaper).

"You can take a photo of it if you like," the chairman said. "What's the word Sara would say... Ah, blackmail material? Maybe use it to convince him to take a break from work every now and then."

????????????

In front of you was the image of a doting grandfather who was trying to be hip with the kids, not an all powerful figure in all of Anomalous that could ruin your life with less effort than grabbing a glass of water. There was only one explanation. When you stepped foot in the chairman's office, you passed out from intimidation and slipped into an alternate universe. One hundred percent.

"Well?"

Ah. Right. You still had to answer the chairman.

You swallowed. "... Can I take a photo?"

Look. You would be stupid to pass up this opportunity.

The chairman gently pushed the book in your direction. "Be my guest."

And so, you've acquired a photo of Elias that you would definitely be using as blackmail.

The chairman continued to walk you through the photo album. It was hard to pay attention to his words given how stiff you were. Your posture was straight and you made quick comments. Slowly, however, that tension faded. You even began to speak without him prompting you to. You expected the chairman to display fondness towards his grandchildren, but this was seriously a different level.

When the chairman flipped to a new page, you saw a child with very familiar orange eyes and dark brown hair, a hair colour that was shades darker than the siblings accompanying him. Finn, Elias, and Sara as children. They were gardening together with dirty clothes and bright smiles.

Finn looked so blissfully innocent. There was a sheepish smile on his lips as he used a handkerchief to brush dirt from Elias's face. There was another photo where he lifted Sara up so she could reach for a flower pot on a high shelf.

The chairman noticed your contemplative expression.

"I briefly heard about what happened between you and Finn."

You didn't respond, words fell void on your tongue.

The chairman continued. "If you have any questions, I'd be happy to answer."

It was strange. In the conversations you had with the chairman as Amias, the chairman always made sure he was in control of the discussion. He also left no room for you to question him.

I'm still nervous but...

You weren't going to get anywhere being afraid.

"How did you meet Finn?" you asked. "And why did you take him in?"

"I encountered a particular town during my trip out of the city. That was where I met Finn. There was a fire in his eyes that was a waste to leave there."

"Him, Elias, and Sara are childhood friends... Did they never ask where he came from?"

It would make sense if the chairman took his time answering your questions. However, he answered without even taking a breath.

"I kept his past vague."

You furrowed your eyebrows. "They never questioned it?"

"I can't speak for how they felt, but yes. They've never questioned me."

Hm. This was something you should ask Elias and Sara themselves.

The chairman continued. "I took in Eve as well at the same time."

Wait, huh. At the same time?

"Finn and Eve knew each other?" you asked, bewildered.

"They grew up in the same neighbourhood. Eve didn't have an interest in making friends, so I didn't push them to." The chairman glanced at the photos. "It's a shame. The four of them could've gotten along."

An alternate universe where Eve was also childhood friends with the main cast... That was a wild thought you would be dwelling on tonight.

"What kind of environment was Eve raised in?"

"A lonely one, but they never realised that."

You mulled over his response. Despite knowing little about Eve, you knew there was no way their upbringing under the chairman's care was normal. The thought of a regular childhood being taken away from them angered you.

"Did you raise Eve with the intention to use their abilities to fulfil your goals?"

"I did."

The chairman didn't even spare a moment to even think about your words or attempt to sugarcoat things. You weren't sure if that vexed you or if you respected the straightforwardness.

You narrowed your eyes. Under the table, your hands balled into fists. "You used them as a weapon."

You searched the chairman's expression for any hint of emotion, but his face remained as inscrutable as ever. Nothing could be discerned behind his sagacious eyes as he gave you a firm nod.

"Hah." You shook your head. "You're a terrible person. It makes me sick."

A fleeting shadow of irritation passed over the chairman's stern countenance. His eyes bore into yours, but you refused to let your gaze waver under the weight of his authoritative stare.

One minute. Only a minute had passed until he spoke, but it felt far longer.

"Under normal circumstances, I'd make a point of the hypocrisy in your words through... certain means. I've had people criticise me, yet they benefited greatly from my inventions that they call immoral," the chairman said. "However, you're unlike my usual critics. I'll let this act of disrespect slide."

You suppressed the urge to exhale a sigh of relief, not wanting to expose how intimidated you were. While it was good you stood your ground, you needed to remind yourself that the chairman was still your boss.

"Can I ask a question?"

The chairman responded, "What is it?"

"Your contribution to the city is undeniable. Your work ethic is high, you don't cut corners, and you uphold strict standards." Pausing briefly to gather your thoughts, you continued, "yet, you chose to let the silver apparition go."

Shen's breakout from the labs at the start of Anomalous always struck you and the entire fanbase as odd. Sure, maybe his sudden surge of power to escape the labs would have caught the chairman off guard. But the chairman knew how to get things done. Yet, the effort exerted to recapture Shen wasn't really there. Plus, Shen was an apparition cultivated for so many years, yet the chairman just allowed him to wander the city?

"I was so distracted by you that I let the apparition get away." Eve shrugged. "Whoops, but the chairman wasn't too mad since I had recently made a breakthrough in creating the weapons. Lucky me!"

Even Eve's words confirmed your suspicions.

"Your eyes search farther than I thought. To answer your question, I believe his potential would grow faster outside the confines of a lab. And..." The chairman looked thoughtful for a moment. "I admit, as he was someone I used to work with, I had a rare moment where my emotions played a role in my decision making. When the time is right, I will personally bring him back myself and use him well."

Gosh. Just... What was driving the chairman? What was motivating him to run the city like this?

"You can display as much animosity as you want; however, you can not deny that I've been successful."

He was right. If it weren't for the chairman, the AEI wouldn't have been established. If it weren't for the chairman, the ocean of information on apparitions would've taken decades longer to uncover. If it weren't for the chairman, academies dedicated to exorcists wouldn't have been created. Honestly, despite any criticism you may have, you had to acknowledge that it was amazing how much one man accomplished.

"And now," the chairman continued. "I'm securing the city's future."

The weapons. The chairman's next biggest project, one that would definitely reduce casualties and incidents. With apparition rates on the rise and their strength increasing, it was a critical initiative to protect the city. However, the expense of such a plan was simply horrible.

"The signs were always there," you said. "The reason why you accept support members even if they are not entirely qualified, the reason why you don't bat an eye to danger to your exorcists is so that when they die––"

"I can use them to experiment with weapon creation."

Finally, this was confirmed. And it infuriated you more than you thought. Sure, the chairman's motives were for an understandable reason. You didn't doubt that it would work. It would save lives, bring more order and protection to the city. The weapons would allow ordinary citizens to defend themselves either entirely or stall for long enough for help to arrive. It could even help current exorcists to not overexert themselves. For a small percentage of sacrifices, that could be accomplished. From a utilitarian point of view, it made sense.

However... Just how far would these sacrifices go?

"I must applaud your intuition. I do wonder why you chose to make yourself known so late. Were you waiting for the right moment?"

You didn't respond and the chairman didn't press for answers.

"You're either a threat," he continued. "Or someone who would be very beneficial to my plans."

"You can scratch off the latter."

"..."

The chairman then rose from his seat, his imposing physique casting a shadow over the table as he leaned in closer with one hand on the table. The window behind him showed the entire city, the buildings appeared minuscule in comparison to his towering form.

"(Y/n), I'd like to make this clear. I've been working for decades. Research, sacrifices, leveraging others––do you truly believe your naive approach can contend with mine?" His eyes looked down at you. "Have you considered that you're being too overconfident?"

Your head went blank for a moment. No wonder this man has such a tenacious grip on the city. A part of you wanted to sink in your seat and disappear for a quick time-out. You could physically feel each heartbeat in anticipation. However, you managed to keep your gaze on him.

"I'm the person whose ability centres around the very thing you seek to eliminate from this society," you began. "Isn't it odd that an anomaly like myself showed up out of nowhere? I think there are a few things about me you should be wary about."

You were trembling. You swear you were trembling, but your voice came out steady enough.

Your plan to save the entire city of Anomalous? It was vague. However, even if you didn't have a clear picture, your emotions were more than clear. For half a year you've been actively setting things up to intercept the chairman's plan. Today was the day you finally declared war on him. You will be bringing down the chairman. You will do everything in your power to save the world you grew to care about so much.

"Good."

You blinked, confused.

"... Good?"

The chairman sat back in his seat.

"Making sacrifices, counting the casualties to my name like words on a document? While I am less hesitant about such things compared to the past, it is never an option I find pleasing. I do not mind being the one to bear the burden of blood on my hands, of becoming someone unforgivable, as long as it means I can protect this city."

Despite his resolve, you couldn't shake the feeling that there lurked a hint of regret underneath the chairman's steadfast demeanour. Maybe it was just your usual 'naive' nature Lyle hated so much. You weren't sure.

"Prove that your methods are superior to mine," he said.

Your eyes widened in surprise at that.

"I do not care about the glory that comes with being someone in my position. All I care about is making sure this city does not fall. If your methods triumph over mine, I will accept defeat and accept any punishment," he explained. "I'll be giving it my all, so I expect you to do the same."



===



"Holy FUCK."

That felt very cathartic to finally say. You were at the rooftop; the cold and peaceful air was perfect to cool you down after the conversation you had minutes ago with the chairman.

"I've really done it now," you chuckled. "Me against the chairman? Someone who was just some random university student half a year ago?"

You supposed it was somewhat of a flex that the chairman saw you as a threat, but the pressure was not fun. And to top things off, it suddenly began to rain. Well, you supposed you'll continue spiralling in your room instead––

[ Do you have a moment? ]

Given the abrupt appearance of the holographic screen, you were shocked that you didn't yell in surprise. Now, you'd love to seek shelter from the rain, but the system rarely appeared. You weren't going to risk it disappearing on you before you could get sufficient information.

"Whenever you show up, things get complicated."

[ After hearing your conversation with the chairman, I felt it was appropriate for me to make an appearance ]

[ Do you remember what I said to you in the past? The reason why you were brought here? ]

The system was telling you to look THAT far back into your memories? You narrowed your eyes at the screen, but the text stubbornly didn't change. With a frustrated groan, you dug through your memories and tried to recall the times the system showed up.

It showed up when you needed to help Amias during the SF trial, one when they told you to stfu when you were gonna expose that Anomalous was a game––oh! It was the time you first encountered the system, during Shen's breakout.

[ Bringing you here was a mistake ]

Your eyes widened at the implication and you set aside the odd shift in the topic.

"So, you were the one who brought me here?"

[ That isn't important ]

"Well, it is to me! I can finally get some answers!" you exclaimed. "What did you expect when bringing me here? What exactly is my purpose?"

[You were an author. That's what I needed you to do, to be an author]

Right. The fact that your abilities had a book and a pen was a little on the nose as well.

"You wanted me to be an author with barely any context and disappeared on me."

[ What does an author do? ]

Reminding you of english class with how VAGUE the system was being.

"Personally, I believe an author writes narratives because they want to share a piece of their heart with the world. They take great care in their craft because they love the world and the characters."

[ And you've been doing that well ]

It felt weird to be praised by the system.

[ Remember, your role is an author here. You are not a character ]

[ I've established that from the start ]

Your eyes narrowed. "... What are you implying?"

[ When a story ends, there is no more need for an author ]

[ Prepare your heart for that ]

... Oh.

For some reason, this didn't come off as a shock to you. There was always this feeling that you didn't truly belong here, that you wouldn't be able to stay here forever. And the system just reaffirmed that.

[ Don't worry ]

[ So long as you fulfil your role, this city will have the foundations to be saved. You can leave knowing the world you care about and the people you love won't meet an unfortunate end ]

While that notion did reassure you, you couldn't help but still feel bitter.

"I won't be here at the end of it?"

[ Does that upset you? ]

You almost laughed. The fuck kind of question was that?

"Obviously? Sure my time here was short, but I've experienced so much, made so many friends, I've cried, laughed, smiled; I felt so fulfilled here and you're telling me––"

You stopped yourself and took a steady breath. A river of emotional words threatened to tumble out of your lips, but you doubted the system cared.

"Who even are you?"

[ I created this world, but I coexist with another entity. That one exists besides Amias ]

[ Their purpose is to give him full control of this world no matter the consequences ]

"Why?"

[ He was always intended to be a protagonist. His entire existence revolves around it ]

[ This is a world that was doomed from the very beginning. Even the chairman could not stop its end. Thus, someone like Amias was created. Someone who would have ultimate control to save this city ]

[ Reset. Try again. Reset. Try again. He was given the tools ]

[ However, he became extremely unhappy as a result ]

[ The other entity does not care, but I do ]

[ If you choose to remain here, then that will happen again ]

[ An author and the protagonist are bound to part once a story ends. It's a natural process, don't be sad ]

[ You are someone who cares for this world and have been successful in changing the course of fate. Be proud ]

God. Just before you were talking to the chairman about this city's future. Now you were talking about the universe Anomalous is in.

"And how would I fulfil my role?"

[ You already have the answer ]

The first thing that you thought of was the book that was part of your abilities. It was when you had to empathise with apparitions, write out their stories. Sometimes you failed, sometimes you were successful. It had limited pages. Could it be... Once you finished the book, your purpose here ended? Like how an author finishes writing their novel and moves on?

However, how would that save the city in Anomalous? What was the missing piece?

And...

You whispered, "But I don't want to leave."

[ ... ]

[ I'm sorry, but that is not within my abilities ]

The screen suddenly flashed into a different line of text.

[ I have to cut this short. We will talk later ]

"Wait, huh? What––"

The screen disappeared in a flash.

...

You simply stood there, unsure of how to process everything. You took solace in the cold raindrops that relentlessly poured down from above. It was a reminder that you were still part of this world. Yet, the conversation with the screen made it clear that you never truly belonged here. Unfair. It was so unfair. You wanted to stay with everyone, you've worked so hard and to have it all taken away––

"(Y/n)! I was looking for you––What are you doing in the rain? You'll get a cold!"

You froze. Amias was here. Usually his voice would put a smile on your face and his concerns would make your heart feel warm. However, this was the last person you wanted to see at the moment. His footsteps drew closer.

"(Y/n)? Are you okay?"

You pushed aside your tumultuous thoughts and wore a strained smile. "I was just feeling a little down."

If you said you were fine, Amias wouldn't believe you and grow even more worried.

"That makes sense given everything that's going on." Amias unzipped his jacket and draped it over your head to shelter you from the rain. "Do you need alone time or would you like some company?"

"I... I want to be alone. But, ah. Can you walk me back to my room?"

Amias smiled sweetly and your heart ached. Someone like him deserved the world. You wanted him to be happy. You didn't understand his situation entirely, but if you could help prevent what happened at the end of Anomalous so he could keep smile without blood on his hands, then––

"(Y/n)? You're spacing out. Did you get enough sleep?" Amias frowned, concerned. "You should take a nap, I'll cover for any operations you might have, okay? Maybe some tea can help or even a small snack. What would you like?"

This time, your smile was genuine. "I'm alright, but thanks."

You and Amias left the rooftop. The walk was silent, which you appreciated. It gave you time to dwell in your thoughts.

An author and the protagonist are bound to part someday... Hah. How poetic. You were so emotional that you didn't even think about wether leaving meant you'd somehow return to your original world or if it meant you would just disappear from existence.

However... If your sacrifice would ensure that this world could be protected, that Amias and everyone else would be safe and happy... Was it so terrible? Your conversation with the chairman has strengthened your resolve, and now you had a clearer picture on how you'd accomplish your goal.

"(Y/n)?"

It took you a minute to register the fact that Amias was talking to you.

"Yeah?"

There was a moment of silence.

"On the rooftop, by any chance..." Amias glanced over to you. "Were you talking to anyone?"





A/n: Wow so wholesome !