"Come again?" asked Stellan with both eyebrows raised.

  The pale man placed his tea on his lap. The instability of the glassware was nonexistent as it sat neatly on the black cloth. "The Homeowner? Did you not encounter him when you were thrown in the middle of the trial?"

  "I don't follow. I don't know anyone who has that name."

  "Oh please," Ryn interrupted, twirling her eyes. Which collected distaste from the white-haired man's lips. "The man who you first saw when you arrived. What was his name?"

  Stellan gulped with a slight hint of guilt. His complexion showed that he did not want to answer. Catching this the white-haired man confronted him first. "Do not worry. We will make sure that whatever it is you want to say will be dealt with utmost secrecy," he stated, returning his tea to his hands before taking another sip, the motion practiced and deliberate.

  "You mean Terry? He's my coworker."

  The two uninvited guests exchanged glances. Before the pale man continued the questioning.

  "Yes, this Terry… Can you describe him?"

  Stellan hesitated at first. But with all the things that happened, and what he just recently saw, these two figures that were readily listening to him were the closest people who related to what he had experienced. At least that's how he saw it.

  "He was a typical guy. I've worked with him for years. Three years to be exact," he postured down. Elbows on his thighs as he relaxed his sitting, then he proceeded. "He wasn't really open with his private life. But we usually go out for drinks on Fridays. He was a light drinker."

  "Yeah yeah, enough about the backstory. What we need is information that's useful," Ryn interjected again with displeasure. Halted by a short cough and an unpleasant glare that warned her once again.

  "What Ms. Ryn is pertaining to is, what was he like outside of work," questioned the white-haired man. Subtly threatening his colleague with piercing stares.

  "I didn't know… He never really shared anything."

  "And what can you tell us about his… manners when you met him recently?"

  "You mean…" Stellan stuttered, wavering from the words he was about to say. "Inside that world?"

  "Finally," the red-haired woman coughed. Making the pale-faced man twitch from irritation that went too far.

  "So it was real?" Stellan questioned, his eyes grew weary.

  The white-haired man responded with a firm tone. "Yes. Everything you have seen or heard… even what you have done… was real." He sipped once more on his tea, the movement fluid and graceful. Similar to what aristocrats do from a much simpler time, a time where Stellan could only relate to novels and movies.

  Once more, the realization dawned on him. Cementing his doubts with just a flicker of words before the guilt pounced on Castellan's vulnerability. He already knew what it meant. But in his mind, he still wanted to reject the consequences of his actions. That somehow, since he returned back to this world, everyone he had encountered would reawaken just like him.

  The shouting woman, the pleading pitiful man. The raider that he shot point-blank. Even the pursuers who he somehow managed to survive from.

  Even Terry, with his actions, Stellan wished that somehow, he would just awaken somewhere in the middle of an island. That one day their paths would cross again. And that they'd laugh thinking that the jokes went too far. That they would exchange drinks and cry the pain away.

  But now those thoughts provided no value. Making his very soul break down to a fault.

  "What happens to the others?" he asked, head hunkered down from dreadful emotions.

  "If they were still alive right before the trial ended… Then they would be returned to their original state," the white-haired man confirmed. His eyes observed the ripples on his tea. "For those who have lost their lives..."

  A dreaded silence occurred first. Before he continued with his answer. "They are erased."

  Stellan lifted his head. The word didn't make sense and it had no reason to be. "Erased? W-What do you mean by that?"

  Ryn answered for her already irritated coworker. "It means they're gone. Poof, nada."

  "What do you mean?"

  "What my colleague means to imply is that…" The pale-faced man grumbled. Nerves pulsing on his temple that signified the fuse of his patience. "Their existence turns to null."

  Stellan's hands shook, his nerves besting him. "W-What?"

  "Any candidates that had perished during the trial… Will have their lingering connections here in our world be forcefully severed," the pale man answered. Exhaling to ease himself. "Starting from their memories up until their blood ties. Only fellow candidates will retain their knowledge of them. It is a rule we of that world which we cannot amend."

  "I don't understand. You mean? He'll be forgotten?"

  "Yes…"

  "That doesn't make any sense. How is that even possible?"

  The white-haired man finished easing his nerves. Gesturing to Ryn to go outside which was met with resistance first. But soon complied after she felt danger from the unspoken irritation that was clear in his expression.

  Ryn clicked her tongue once more. Then her eyes strayed to the bewildered Stellan who was struggling to process everything he had heard. She grew a sense of distaste with these introductions. But the pity she had never left even with all the years she worked.

  Stellan couldn't even hear the door closing when it happened. But soon enough, his mind went back to the conversation. Where the pale-faced man was occupied with something else.

  He appeared to be reading a book. But upon closer inspection, Stellan realized that it was an album. From his high school days, where he had hidden it somewhere he had forgotten. Only to be found now.

  This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  "Your eyesight got better?" the pale-faced man asked. Shuffling from one page to another with a bit of a smirk.

  Stellan couldn't draft a proper response. He had no idea how to in the first place since neither line connected. "I use contacts now."

  "Ah, yes contacts. Marvelous," the man commented. Closing the album shut before making it levitate in his command. Placing it on top of the wooden condiment shelf, back to where Stellan had forgotten.

  "My name is Viktor. I am what you call an Adjudicator. We are responsible for keeping the balance of the two worlds. Hoping that our actions would prevent one from tilting," the pale man said, extending a cold hand that was met briefly by Stellan's warmer one.

  Stellan felt the sensation of the man's skin. It was cold, freezing even, like it belonged to someone lifeless. Although he didn't bother to expand the topic since he himself couldn't even sort his mind. "Castellan. I’d go with Stellan."

  "Far from a common name in this country. North Luxia ?"

  "Almost…" Stellan pondered. "My grandma immigrated here with her sisters. Bringing my mom with her. But my dad's a local."

  "Ah, so it is you say. Nice to finally meet you Stellan."

  Stellan shared a brief nod. There was a refreshing mood that swept them. A sort of reset that made his mind clearer for the moment.

  "Is it okay if I continue my questions earlier?" Viktor asked. Teacup on his lap which didn't make any sense since it wasn't there when he was reading the album earlier.

  Stellan paused first. Then gave a welcoming nod.

  "This coworker of yours, Terry? Correct? Do you know who he is?"

  "Nothing outside of work, no…"

  Viktor then observed for a while. Concluding that Stellan was telling the truth he then continued. "Your coworker is a blacklisted criminal. Killing over hundreds of candidates during his time."

  Stellan twitched from the words but he already knew them. Which was quickly caught on by Viktor from the lack of reaction. "You seem to have knowledge of this," he implied.

  "I had my doubts."

  "Will you explain?"

  Stellan clasped his hands together. The anxiousness was starting to build up once more. "He just… seemed different. Like he changed."

  "Well it is one of the events that every candidate experiences."

  "He shot someone in the head. Like it was… like it was just normal for him," Stellan vented.

  "Yes, and were you an associate or an observer?" Viktor commented. Turning the conversation sour. Most would be angry with the accusation. But Stellan grew to be faint of heart. He didn't have any hardships that proposed a different path, so his guilt hurriedly consumed him, weighing down on his shoulders like a physical burden.

  "I… I didn't condone it. But at the time, I… couldn’t do anything."

  Viktor breathed in. It wasn't the words he was expecting to hear but procedures are procedures so he continued. "How many lives have you taken?"

  "Two."

  "And is this number? With your consent?"

  "One is…"

  "Can you enlighten me?" Viktor barraged his questions while Stellan was less than willing to comply.

  "We… There were raiders that shot at us. Three of them were chasing me."

  "And you killed these said 'raiders'?"

  "No!" Stellan rejected the implication. When he realized that there was no need for any unwarranted emotions, he returned to his seat and continued the confession. "I mean… I killed one of them."

  "How?" Viktor coldly asked. His eyes shone with a chill, while the gray pupils continued to scan Stellan's demeanor.

  "I shot him."

  "You had a weapon?"

  "I did."

  "How did you procure one?"

  "Terry gave one to me…"

  “The Homeowner did?”

  “Yeah, the Homeowner or whatever you people call him…”

  "This weapon, did it influence your actions without your consent? Can you describe it to me?"

  "No, I like to think not. It was a revolver you usually see in Cowboy movies."

  "And you used this to fire at the raiders?"

  "NO! I… I was surprised. I was only planning to take one hostage but…"

  "But?"

  "But he startled me, and the gun went off. I didn't even know there was a bullet in the chamber."

  Viktor continued his assessment. There was no hint of lying in Stellan's story so he recorded his statement in his mind. Hoping that this would defend him in his case.

  "And this, eventually killed? Said raider?"

  "Yes. It did."

  "You said that there were three raiders. But you only killed one out of the two. What about the others? Did you leave them… incapacitated?"

  "No… I tried to survive and everything happened so fast."

  "No rush Castellan. I am more than willing to wait."

  The silence was dragged yet again. But Castellan knew that he needed to tell his side before Viktor started to harbor doubts.

  Hence he expanded his explanation.

  "So in the encounter, you managed to take the upper hand against two opponents with guns in their hands?" Viktor repeated the statement. "And when your opponent turned into a monstrous being, this coworker of yours… Terry, saved you in your last moments?"

  Stellan heard the absurdity of the truth. But it was the truth nonetheless so he nodded which Viktor accepted.

  "You also said that your memory is hazy when your coworker, the very same one who saved you, shot you in the knee?" Viktor questioned.

  "Yeah, he did…"

  "Why do you think he did it so?"

  "He… he admitted that he was planning to kill me all along. That and he found the map fragments that would end the trial."

  Gray pupils continued to follow the uneasy movements in Stellan's face. "Our records match with your words. He was named as the winner of The Grand Royale," Viktor said. Still observing for flaws. "Which opens the question, what happened after?"

  "I…"

  Stellan prolonged his response. Long enough that made his hesitation visible. "I killed him," he declared. Swept by guilt.

  Viktor's expression stayed the same. His eyes continued to watch while his instincts told him that every word he had heard held truth.

  But it was a worrying account. Which prompted him to doubt despite his very being telling him not to.

  "Stellan, although I don't doubt your words. Your claim will be hard to accept in court if these are the words you testify," Viktor projected. Facing the nervous gaze of the man in front of him. "Is there any other method that you can say that aligns with your… skills?"

  "I…"

  Stellan closed his eyes. His memory was clear as day. But something told him to manipulate his words. At least for now…

  "That the last thing I saw was him falling on the ground… He had a hole in his chest. Although I don't know if that came from me or somebody else," Stellan explained. "I lost too much blood then. That was the last thing I had seen, before I lost vision in my eyes."

  "So it might have been an ambush from outside forces? Is that what you are telling me?"

  "I can’t tell…"

  Viktor sighed. But he didn't press the subject. His eyes were still tracing.

  "You told me that you had killed two candidates in the trial. Yet I had only heard one. Are you certain with your statements?"

  The conversation went to a standstill. Stellan was unsure whether or not he should rescind his statement. His mind jumbled. It wasn't too late for him to correct his story.

  "Stellan, I will have to alter some sections of your testimony to ensure your safety," Viktor assured. Instilling confidence where it was needed. "But you have to be honest. Was it truly you that killed the 'Homeowner'?"

  He clenched his fist. There were no hints given. It was either he told the truth or buried it with him. So he chose what he deemed was suitable given with his situation.

  "Yes…"