They had heard Silas' complains, but they ignored it.
After all, it was rare for youngsters to accept political marriages so easily.
Silas married Quella after a few months.
The start of relationship was rocky.
Silas and Quella barely knew anything about each other.
Although it was a marriage born of out their villages' needs, they fell in love with each other as time passed.
Slowly, Silas came to love Quella for more than just her beauty.
Their son was born five years after the marriage.
Silas, the current village head, named his son 'Ron' after his late uncle.
He was happy with his life.
Just when he thought his life could not get any better, Quella gave birth to twins, Iris and Isla.
Watching his children grow, Silas realized his ambitions.
He wanted to develop his village to make sure his children had no lack of resources.
As time passed, so did Silas' fame.
The village slowly became a town.
Silas gathered talented people from around the place to help him govern his growing town.
Quella continued to assist Silas in the administration and other areas.
Over the years, she gave birth to two more children.
Silas' love for her only increased.
He never took another wife and treated Quella with same care as when they first met.
Time continued to pass.
Silas reached eighty, and he was on his deathbed.
"Quella... a-are you there?"
"I'm here," she whispered softly.
Quella took his trembling hand in hers gently.
Tears streamed down her face as she watched Silas weakly reach out, struggling to grasp her hand.
Their children were gathered around.
"Que-Quella, are you there….? I can't see you."
"I'm here. I will a-always be here."
She took out a silver cube she always carried with her and placed it between her and Silas' hand.
"Silly, this was your first anniversary gift to me."
She smiled, recalling how Silas had forgotten their anniversary back then.
He gave her the cube to make it look like he prepared the gift beforehand.
She had carried it with her since then.
She knew the cube was something Silas kept close to himself since his childhood.
"H-how many years ago was this?" Silas asked.
Quella continued to talk to make sure Silas did not feel lonely.
Before long, Silas stopped breathing.
Her tears did not stop.
He was back in the hall with Sphinx.
Disoriented, he looked around.
Tears streamed down his cheeks.
"How was the vision, Inheritor of Death? Did you learn something after eighty years?"
Neo threw away the table with a snap of his wrist.
He grabbed the Sphinx by its collar and raised it in the air.
"Send me back to my family! Send me back to my world! My wife, my children are waiting for me—"
"That was a fake life. It was a mere fragment of the past."
He understood the Sphinx's words in his head.
Countless emotions crushed his heart.
Anger, Longing, Loss, Despair.
Emotions that weren't his own.
Emotions that belonged to 'Silas'.
"Is the weight of eighty years heavier than that truth you've lived for nearly two decades?" the Sphinx questioned.
Neo could not stop crying.
He wanted to go back.
To Ron, Iris, Isla, Brian, and Ezekiel.
'That's not me. That's Silas. I can't lose myself to fake memories.' He tried to tell himself.
He kept his head down and he felt emptiness growing in his heart.
"Inheritor of Death, it's time I asked my question."
The Sphinx, despite being faceless, seemed to be smiling.
"If I were to send you to the past and let you meet Quella, would she treat you as her husband or Silas?"
Neo felt something snap.
He had already drawn Obitus, removed the debuff and activated the blessing, before he could think.
The Aura blade passed harmlessly through the Sphinx.
"What about Silas and Quellas' children? Would they call you father?
"Or would they treat you as a stranger?"
Neo lunged at Sphinx.
The Aura Slashes left deep marks on the ground.
They did not do anything to the Sphinx.
"Why are you angry, Inheritor of Death?
"I did not harm you or say anything offensive. It was a simple question with a simple answer.
"Quella or her children will not recognize you as their family."
The words cut deeper than any wound.
He sat back on the chair.
"What is your answer?"
"Silence, is it? That's fine too. It's an answer in and itself."
The eighty years Neo spent as Silas overwhelmed him.
"Start the next vision."
The next vision would not be easier.
But it would overwrite the memories of Silas.
Neo wanted to erase them, even if it meant facing something far more agonizing in return.
Neo stitched the wound.
He patted the crying patient's shoulder.
"It will be fine now."
"I w-will live, right? Doctor, please save me."
"You don't need to worry. Your wounds have been treated and they will heal with time."
The soldier started to cry while thanking him.
Neo, now Orcus, moved to the next patient.
He continued to treat them to the best of his ability.
However, he could not save all of them.
He left the medical tent late in the night.
"Yeah." Orcus nodded. "Good night, Lucy, and be on time tomorrow."
He returned to his home quite late.
An old woman was waiting for him.
She took his briefcase and the overcoat.
"You are late again."
The old woman, Anna, looked at him with worry.
"Why don't you ask the Emperor to increase the number of doctors in your ward?"
"There are doctors are in need everywhere, Anna. The Emperor can't send them to us if there is no one to send."
"Tsk, that stingy Emperor. He should take better care of the best surgeon in his kingdom."
"It's the war's fault, Anna, not the Emperor's.
"And I'm nowhere near as good as the best surgeon. Even the old man Dazai is better than me."
"Dazai will kick the bucket soon. You'll be best in due time."