Eden was plunged into a memory… that of an abandoned mansion, standing before a masked man walking toward him.
Without meaning to, he felt an aura… dark, yet beautiful. So pure that he couldn’t look away. The man approached and said in a charming tone:
“Good evening, Mr. Eden. Congratulations on your victory. I come from the Order. We would like you and Alya to join us. Your strength, your courage—and Alya’s—will be of great use in the fight against the Calamities.”
Eden, startled and suspicious, thought to himself:
"First of all… how does he know my name? And Alya’s? We’ve done everything to stay off the radar during our missions."
He glanced at Alya, collapsed on the ground, and continued inwardly:
"Something’s off. I need to get us out of here—even if it means… killing a human."
Eden raised his weapon toward the man and declared:
“I don’t even know who you are, or what you really want from us… but I know you’re not telling me everything.”
The man stared at Eden. Through his mask, glowing yellow eyes could be seen. He smiled, raised his own weapon, and said:
“I’m afraid we don’t have time to talk. I’ll answer your questions with this much: I’m from the Order…
Code number Zero. And my name is—”
Time seemed to stop. His voice distorted, then resumed:
“Sero.”
At that moment, Sero’s bullet pierced Eden’s chest. He collapsed with a scream—and woke up gasping, eyes wide:
“...Sero!”
Elsa rushed to his bedside, trembling:
“Are you okay? Eden?”
But he pushed her away with a dark gaze and replied:
“Where’s Alya? We need to leave. Thank you for everything.”
He walked out without looking back. Elsa stared after him and muttered thoughtfully:
“Again… Sero. He’s been haunted by that name ever since we first met...”
She remembered that day and whispered:
“That day, we were alerted to a gathering of Calamities… and another unknown creature ravaging the area.
It was classified as a Gold-tier threat—maybe even higher. All our recon units were slaughtered.
So we moved out, wearing our white coats, bearing the emblem of the Order of Doctors.
I was the Third—Elsa. And Edouard was the Fifth—nicknamed ‘the pervy gentleman’ because of his mischievous grin…
He carried a saber at his hip. When we arrived, there was nothing but ruins.
We saw a man and a feminine-looking Calamity, both collapsed. The man was clutching his chest, as if in pain… but there was no wound.”
Faced with the scene, Elsa stepped forward and said coldly:
“EMISSION OF POISON AND HEALING — PURIFIER: POISON!”
But just as she prepared to finish them off, Edouard stopped her:
“They don’t look like enemies… more like survivors. We should take them back. Who knows, they might be useful.”
Because of his seniority, Elsa couldn’t oppose him—even though they shared the same rank. She simply replied:
“Very well. But you’ll take full responsibility.”
“Of course, my little Elsa,” he said, smirking.
He approached Alya with eager hands—only for her to slap him instantly. Surprised, he drew his saber slightly and muttered:
“Emission of Thread — Laceration.”
Threads bound Alya’s limbs, tearing part of her clothing. Elsa coughed quietly and muttered:
“Pervert…”
He tied them both up, loaded them into a vehicle, and returned to base while the other Doctors were away.
There, Eden and Alya were separated.
When Eden awoke, he was in a dark room, on his knees, shirtless and bound under a blinding spotlight.
He could barely make out the silhouettes watching him. A woman spoke:
“Are you sure, Master?”
A charming male voice answered:
“Yes. The results are conclusive. It’s him.”
“What do you think, Elsa? Edouard?”
Elsa, flustered, muttered:
“Even shirtless, he’s so lean yet muscular… Why do I feel attracted to this kind of guy…?”
The man said gently:
“Elsa… Elsa… Elsa…”
A voice pulled her back to the present.
“Ah! Yes… Whatever your decision, Master, I’ll follow it.”
“Good. And you, Edouard?”
“Same here, Master.”
The man finally opened his eyes—crimson, like a cat’s. Eden glared at him in anger.
“What’s your problem? Where’s Alya? You, staring at me like I’m some beggar—you must be the leader, right?”
The woman beside him screamed:
“Do you even know who you’re talking to, you worthless hunter?!”
“Let it go,” the man said, rising. “I’ll handle this.”
“Handle what? You think I’m just going to sit here and obey?” Eden snapped.
Elsa, blushing again, whispered:
“So cute…”
The man stood face-to-face with Eden and said:
“I’m Kalil. Known as the ‘Master.’ I’m a descendant of the founders of the Order.
This is Kamy, my personal guard. Behind her grumpy face, she bakes the best strawberry cakes in the region.”
“Master…” Kamy said shyly.
“As for the other two, there’s no need to introduce them—you already know their names.”
Kalil locked eyes with Eden and asked:
“Mr. Eden… who are you?”
Eden opened his mouth to answer, but Kalil cut him off:
“Don’t speak. While you were enjoying your little nap, our agents scanned your memories.”
“What?!” Eden cried.
“Well… what little was left of them.
Thanks to the side effects of the weapons you brought that day, your memory was fragmented.
We couldn’t risk lies during your interrogation.”
“So… if I got this right: one day, you woke up in a burning house, amnesiac, next to a Calamity in female form.
You panicked, grabbed a nearby gun, ready to defend yourself… and that’s when she said:
‘Eden…’”
“And you, relieved she didn’t attack, asked for her name.”
“Alya…”
“Since that day, you’ve been fighting together, searching for a way to restore her mind, blah blah blah… That’s it.”
Eden stood speechless.
Kalil added:
“Today’s your lucky day. Because we fight for the same cause.
And… it seems you are, in a way… the Sixth Doctor.”
“The others present are Elsa, the Doctor of Abandonment…
Edouard, the Doctor of Kindness…
And you…”
“…the Doctor of Memory.”