Anomaly
Chapter 181 – The Burden of Remembering [1]

(I’m almost certain that’s what she meant...) Emily thought as she let out a long sigh, heavy with exhaustion and resignation. For a brief moment, she let her gaze drift into the void, as if searching for the strength to face what was coming next.

To be honest, Emily hadn’t slept in two days. Ever since things got out of control, she’d been desperately trying to get everything back on track, but from her point of view, it seemed simply impossible.

If there really was an outside force at work — something beyond any logical or scientific explanation — what could she, just a simple scientist, do to fix the situation? Even though, for now, the chaos was limited to a few cities near the base, Emily knew it wouldn’t be long before the news spread.

With the way information travels these days, it was only a matter of time. In less than a week, the whole world would be talking about the anomalies... and when that happened, containing the panic would be another lost battle.

Lost in her own thoughts, staring at some random spot on the floor, Laura, who had been almost uncomfortably silent until then, finally spoke hesitantly: “What about the higher-ups?” she asked, looking back at Emily with a worried expression barely held back: “Did they say anything about the situation?”

At Laura’s question, Emily gave a sarcastic smile — the kind that comes more from exhaustion than genuine humor. Without hiding her mocking tone, she replied with a voice dripping irony: “What could those people do besides give us orders, like we could just snap our fingers and fix everything like magic?”

She paused briefly, sighing deeply as her fingers brushed her temple, as if trying to ease the growing headache threatening to settle in: “Actually...” she continued, shaking her head with a dry laugh: “I don’t even know if you can call it an order. If I had to sum up all the crap they said... it was basically a “figure it out yourselves” disguised as a motivational speech. They just told us to hurry up and find a way to get everything back on track”

Emily still vividly remembered, with uncomfortable clarity, the conversation she’d had with the higher-ups. If it weren’t for the almost superhuman patience she’d developed over the years in this field, she definitely would have lost her cool.

Dealing with those arrogant figures — experts at giving orders but completely out of touch with what was really happening on the ground — required more than just self-control; it demanded cold blood and a nearly surgical skill not to show her irritation. Every sentence she heard felt like a test of endurance, as if her sanity was being challenged with each disconnected instruction.

Laura, standing next to Emily, furrowed her brow, her growing worry clearly showing. Her thoughts, restless and confused, seemed to echo through the room like tangible tension: “So... what do we do now?” she thought, biting her lower lip lightly.

“For starters... how did we even end up in this mess?” Her gaze wandered for a moment, as if searching for some invisible answer: “If we just stand still, the whole world will find out about the anomalies... and then what?”

Hearing Laura’s words, Emily looked away, reflecting briefly. No matter how you looked at it, Laura’s expression made it clear how worried she was about the current situation. There was obvious tension in her eyes, her shoulders stiff, and her breathing slightly quickened.

Emily thought Laura might break down right then and there, overwhelmed by stress. Still, despite recognizing her friend’s fragile state, Emily knew her own mind was occupied with other plans. In fact — if she was completely honest with herself — she wasn’t as worried as she seemed.

It was as if a part of her was detached, calculating the next move, cold and rational. With that thought, Emily turned to Laura and, with a subtle smile softening her features, spoke in a calm, almost comforting tone, as if to at least temporarily ease the tension between them.

“Is this outcome really that bad?” Emily asked, tilting her head slightly, her voice carrying a mysterious softness, as if hiding a second meaning behind the words.

Hearing the boss’s words, Laura furrowed her brow slightly and looked at Emily, her face a mix of confusion and curiosity. Her voice came out hesitant but filled with anticipation: “What exactly do you mean by that, boss?”

Emily didn’t answer immediately. Instead, her fingers hovered gently over her lips, as if trying to organize her thoughts before letting them escape. Her expression blended unusual serenity with a subtle underlying unease, as if carrying an old, familiar burden.

Finally, her voice was low but firm: “Laura, be honest with me...” she paused briefly, eyes locked on her friend with a soft yet inescapable intensity: “Do you really like the idea of keeping all this a complete secret? That no ordinary person would even imagine there are beings capable of just... making them disappear?”

Upon hearing Emily’s words, Laura sank into deep contemplation. Each syllable seemed to echo in her mind, making her seriously reflect on what was said. If she had to answer that question, it would definitely be a “no” In fact, Laura hated the bitter feeling of not being able to honestly tell the people she cared about what was really happening.

She carried with her a silent anguish, born from the countless tragedies she had witnessed — so many lives taken by unknown anomalies, people who, unaware of the existence of these threats, ended up victims of terrible and irreversible accidents. That fear of losing those she loved was like a constant shadow, preventing her from fully opening up.

Still, Laura understood one undeniable truth: if the world found out about the anomalies, chaos would break out immediately. Fear of the unknown, distrust, and mass panic would be inevitable. Yet, she knew humans were, above all, extraordinarily adaptable creatures.

In other words, although the revelation would cause an overwhelming shock at first, over time, people would get used to the presence of anomalies. Gradually, they would stop being seen as threats or scary mysteries and would become part of everyday reality.

After a few seconds of silence while organizing her thoughts, Laura finally answered Emily’s question, her tone full of sincerity and a slight touch of sadness.

“Of course I don’t like this...” she began, her voice slightly trembling: “Whenever I see people dying because of anomalous phenomena or beings, I can’t help but feel a deep guilt. It’s like each of those lost lives weighs heavily on my heart. I keep thinking that all of this could have been avoided, if only they had known what was going on... Maybe, if this information hadn’t been kept secret, measures could have been taken to prevent more accidental deaths. I can never let go of that thought — and that responsibility”

Hearing Laura’s words, Emily gave a subtle smile at the corner of her lips. Like Laura, she had always shared that thought: instead of keeping anomalies a secret, which often resulted in silent deaths, proactive measures could be taken to contain their effects. Emily carried with her an understanding that had arisen a long time ago — the total eradication of anomalies was, unfortunately, impossible.

Even if, somehow, the organization managed to wipe out most of the anomalies, that would probably only apply to classifications ranging from Luminis to Aetheris. Above that level, there were anomalies which, from Emily’s point of view, would be impossible to kill or even seriously injure.

After all, “divine” beings like those could never be defeated by ordinary humans — Emily was absolutely convinced of that. It was like trying to put out an eternal flame with your bare hands: a task doomed to fail from the start.

***

(POV – Protagonist)

The first time I left my room to investigate what was going on, I admit I didn’t really know what to expect. There was a tension in the air, something different and unsettling that immediately caught my attention. However, nothing prepared me for the severity of the situation I found.

The scene was much worse than I could have imagined. To sum up what I discovered, the anomaly — the one usually used to erase memories — apparently didn’t work as it should this time. On the contrary, its effect was totally opposite to what was expected, causing unforeseen consequences that no one had predicted.

Instead of erasing memories, the exact opposite happened: everyone’s memories seemed to be coming back with surprising clarity. For the first time, I was able to fully understand why Emily and Laura had disappeared so suddenly.

Actually, they didn’t have time — nor even room in their concerns — to focus on me or my sisters. On the contrary, their days were filled with much bigger and more urgent problems.

Anyway, the moment I realized the anomaly had simply worked — though in an unexpected, reversed way — I instinctively felt the cause of all this was connected to us: me and my sisters.

I wasn’t absolutely sure, just a strong gut feeling pounding inside me. Something told me that, even unintentionally, we were responsible for what happened, as if our actions had inadvertently triggered that unexpected reaction.

That’s why, when I returned to my room after the investigation, my eyes automatically searched for Nyara, as if there was something unspoken hanging between us. There was a strange sensation on the tip of my tongue, a word or thought that insisted on coming out, but in the end, everything stayed trapped inside me.

While I hesitated, the other three, upon seeing me come back, immediately approached, their warm and curious expressions wrapping me in a spontaneous and almost comforting embrace.

“Sis... can you... shake my head again?” Nekra asked, in her usual tired tone, her voice dragging and words coming out in slow pauses, as if each syllable took effort. Her half-closed eyes sought comfort.

For a moment, my gaze was completely fixed on Nekra. She was the first of the Virtues I managed to identify and interact with. I confess that, at first, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect living with her. But, contrary to my initial impressions, Nekra turned out to be very different from what I imagined.

At first glance, she seemed like a melancholy person, wrapped in an aura of mystery and introspection. But, in truth, she was deeply curious, always attentive to the slightest stimuli around her, as if relentlessly searching for answers or new sensations.

Also, although she didn’t always show it, Nekra was extremely needy. She isolated herself easily, spending long periods alone. That’s why, whenever I can, I make a point of offering my affection and attention — small gestures that seem to warm that vulnerable side of hers and make her feel less alone.

“Sis! Sis! I behaved so well while you were gone, spoil me! Spoil me!” Althea exclaimed, her eyes shining intensely, full of a vibrant energy that contrasted with her usual spoiled yet irresistibly charming manner. She bounced from one foot to the other like an eager child, and her mischievous smile gave away that she expected to be rewarded — and quickly.

As soon as I heard her words, my gaze immediately turned to Althea. She was the second Virtue I had the privilege to meet. Despite her thoughts sometimes seeming strange and unconventional, there was a deep seriousness and rare understanding in her.

Perhaps because she was literally the personification of life, Althea possessed a sharp and advanced perception of the many meanings and nuances of the world. If you put her face to face with a philosopher, she would surely make him question everything he believed, to the point of driving him nearly mad in seconds.

Her wisdom wasn’t just vast, but also unsettling, like a riddle that challenges any prepared mind. In the end, almost without realizing it, my gaze naturally drifted toward the last member.