Henry and Edward's carriage passed through a large gate, revealing a path of dark gravel, lightly dusted with snow, running through the vast lands of the Ashford family. The road was divided into two lanes, each wide enough for two carriages to pass, and in the middle were neatly trimmed short shrubs interspersed with elegant lampposts, spaced five meters apart. On either side of the path, low shrubs separated the road from the palace's expansive garden, which featured carefully pruned bushes and a variety of trees, including seasonal ones that had lost their leaves, while the pale grass covered everything, lightly capped by a thin layer of snow as if protecting the ground from being forgotten.
As the carriage slowly made its way toward the palace, the path gradually rose, revealing the end of the long, straight road, which then branched into two circular lanes meeting in front of the palace stairs, with a gray marble fountain shining faintly in the early light.
The carriage stopped at the steps. The palace was immense, with numerous, meticulously arranged windows, topped by pointed towers in classic design. Several balconies adorned the building, including one above the main entrance. The palace had four floors, and it was clearly more like a masterfully crafted architectural masterpiece, bearing a grand Victorian aesthetic.
Henry was the first to step down, followed by Edward. They slowly ascended the stairs toward the entrance, which consisted of two dark brown doors, decorated with gold and fitted with sturdy brass handles for knocking.
Edward grasped the door handle and knocked three times in quick succession, then paused, waiting, hearing no response. He knocked again, but still there was no answer, so he continued knocking repeatedly until a voice came from inside:
"I'm coming… I'm coming."
The sound of a key turning in the lock followed, and the door opened to reveal a man in his late thirties, wearing a long black coat reaching his thighs, a classic white shirt, a black vest underneath, matching dark trousers, shiny black shoes, and clean white gloves. This was Sebas, the head servant of the Ashford household.
Sebas scrutinized them with eyes full of suspicion and spoke calmly:
"Mr. Henry, Mr. Edward… what brings you here at this hour?"
Edward replied:
"Sir, the Professor is injured and is currently at Dr. Lawrence's clinic!"
Henry stared at Sebas, as if something about it had caught his attention.
Sebas, visibly anxious, asked:
"What!? What do you mean by injured?"
"What happened to him?"
Edward explained:
"We don't know, sir… we found him beside the Rusted Lantern Tavern."
"He was in an alley, injured in the chest, and it seems he has lost his memory."
Sebas's face tensed further, and he paused for a moment in silence before asking:
"What do you mean by memory loss!?"
Edward clarified:
"As I said, sir, he does not remember anything about his life."
"Dr. Lawrence asked us to tell you to come in the morning, as the Professor needs rest."
Sebas thought for a moment and said:
"Very well, go back and tell the doctor to take care of him until I arrive in the morning."
Edward nodded:
"Understood, sir."
Sebas closed the door while Edward and Henry headed back to the carriage. Henry appeared lost in thought, his worry evident, which Edward noticed but did not comment on.
Once they reached the carriage, Edward said to Henry:
"Let me drive on the way back."
Henry asked:
"Are you sure?"
Edward replied with a suppressed laugh:
"Don't worry, I won't get lost this time."
They got in, and the carriage set off toward the exit.
Edward observed that Henry's worry was still visible on his face and said:
"You're worried about the Professor, aren't you?"
Henry, flustered, replied:
"What?"
Edward continued:
"You seem preoccupied with thoughts about the Professor."
"Don't worry, the Professor will be fine."
Henry responded:
"No, that's not what's occupying my mind."
Edward asked:
"Then what is?"
Henry said:
"No, don't worry, it's nothing important."
Edward, surprised, asked:
"Nothing important? What do you mean by that?"
Henry replied:
"It's something not worth talking about."
Edward said:
"If you say so, very well."
Henry then said:
"Take us back to the Rusted Lantern Tavern."
Edward asked:
"Why do you want to go back there?"
Henry calmly said:
"To retrieve our father's watch."
"We didn't bring it because we brought the Professor to the doctor."
---
Meanwhile, at Dr. Lawrence's clinic, Elric opened his book and was startled by what he saw at the beginning.
The powers of the thirteen gods were recorded at the start, with each god's symbol beside them:
"God of Protection"
"God of Dreams"
"God of the Stars"
"God of the Sacred Light"
"God of Medicine and Healing"
"God of Industry and Craft"
"God of Wisdom and Knowledge"
"God of Profit and Trade"
"God of Hunting and Archery"
"God of Justice and Order"
"God of Agriculture and Harvest"
"God of Storms and Seas"
"God of War and Honor"
Elric understood the doctor's intentions and said:
"So, you want to show me the gods?"
The doctor stood and went again to the cabinet, saying:
"Yes, I hadn't remembered all of them, so here they are."
Elric read and asked in astonishment:
"Where are the names of the gods?"
The doctor replied:
"Names? There are no names for the gods from the beginning; it's always been this way."
"No one knows their names."
Elric asked, surprised:
"How can the gods have no names?"
The doctor explained:
"Many have tried to discover the gods' names, and some even tried to name them themselves."
"But each time, something bad happened to them."
"Everyone assumed the gods do not want us to name them."
"So we refer to them by their powers instead."
Elric said in disbelief:
"That's really strange… how can the gods not have names?"
He opened the book he had written before losing his memory and began reading. Soon, a question struck him:
"Why didn't I think of this before? If I've lost my memory, how can I read? How can I understand letters, words, and numbers when I don't even remember what I studied?"
He looked at the doctor and asked:
"Dr. Lawrence, how can I read if I've lost my memory?"
The doctor calmly replied:
"That's normal sometimes. When someone loses their memory, they only forget their personal identity, while their previous knowledge remains intact."
Elric resumed reading, unconvinced by the doctor's answer.
---
Time passed and Dawn crept slowly over the sleeping city. Snow covered the streets in a soft white blanket, hiding the traces of the night, making the place seem untouched for centuries. Mist clung to the buildings, making everything hazy, like a faded white-and-gray painting.
The tall roofs of the brick houses carried soft mounds of snow, faintly glittering with the first streaks of light, while chimneys emitted thin columns of black smoke that mingled with the gray sky. The smell of burning coal spread through the cold air, heavy yet oddly warm.
The first sound to break the silence was the clatter of hooves dragging a wooden carriage covered with straw, leaving a dark trail on the pristine snow with every step. The wooden wheels creaked softly, as if afraid to disturb the stillness.
On the sidewalks, a few footprints of early workers heading to the factories appeared, all moving in the same direction, like lines drawn by a single hand.
As the light grew, a pale orange glow seeped into the sky, reflecting off the snow and turning the street into a mirrored shimmer. The distant bells of the neighborhood church rang softly, announcing the start of a new winter day.
The Ashford family's carriage stopped in front of Dr. Lawrence's clinic. It was a black carriage adorned with gold decorations, red velvet curtains, drawn by two strong black horses.
Sebas, the head servant of the family, carrying clothes for his master, approached the door. He looked at the Sacred Light emblem, his face showing a hint of confusion. He opened the door effortlessly, as if it hadn't been locked, and entered the office.
The doctor came out from the adjacent room and said:
"Good morning, Mr. Sebas."
Sebas replied:
"Good morning, Dr. Lawrence. The door wasn't locked; you should be more careful in the future."
The doctor, smiling sheepishly, said:
"Thank you, Mr. Sebas. The lock is broken; I bought it from a church at a cheap price."
Sebas looked at the door and said:
"That explains the emblem on it."
The doctor chuckled softly:
"I was going to change it, but I completely forgot, just like the lock."
Sebas asked:
"Dr. Lawrence, where is Lord Elric?"
The doctor replied:
"In the next room, awake, reading one of his books."
Sebas asked quietly before entering:
"Has he really lost his memory?"
The doctor answered:
"Unfortunately, yes, but don't worry, it will return soon."
"He just needs to rest, and we will help him remember his past little by little."
Sebas entered the room to find his master sitting on the bed, reading a book.
Sebas said:
"Lord, are you alright? Do you remember me?"
Elric replied:
"I'm sorry, but I don't remember you. I've lost my memory. Do you know me?"
Sebas sat in the chair next to him:
"Lord, I am your servant, Sebas."
Elric said:
"Sorry, I don't remember you either."
Sebas lowered his head, disappointed, then said:
"Don't worry, my lord, Dr. Lawrence told me your memory will return soon."
He looked at the doctor and continued:
"Isn't that right, Dr. Lawrence?"
The doctor said:
"Yes, all you need to do is rest a little, then try to recall things gradually."
"Start with the names of people in the palace, then the university."
"And what he likes and dislikes, his habits, his daily routines, his free time."
"In this way, he might recover his memory before the end of the month."
Sebas smiled:
"Lord, that's good. We will start with the names of the palace servants, then the university as the doctor suggested. By the end of the month, you will remember everything. I also brought you clothes, my lord."