Noctis sat down to catch his breath. Silas followed and sat beside him.
"So… you're not like them?" Noctis asked, raising a brow.
"I don't know," Silas replied quietly. "I don't even know what I am anymore."
Noctis stared at him for a moment before speaking again.
"You were strong enough to hold that guy off. So I think you're something similar."
"You're right. Even I'm aware of that much," Silas said. "Sometimes I feel like I'm not myself… like something else is controlling me. And sometimes I get glimpses of memories that feel familiar, yet distant."
"What exactly do you remember?" Noctis asked. "You've been an anomaly in this mansion since the very beginning, you know?"
Silas lowered his gaze.
"I remember… that my name is Silas. Just Silas. I've been in this mansion for more than a year. I know information about this place as if I've explored it myself before. Every day is the same. I'm not allowed to enter the mansion… it's as if I've been programmed to stay out. But I don't remember anything from before that."
Noctis closed his eyes, thinking.
"You never found it strange that you remember nothing about your past?"
"No. It felt… strangely normal."
"Normal, huh?" Noctis muttered. "Then let me ask you the same question I did when we first met. Do you remember writing a diary?"
"A diary…" Silas paused. "I… think I remember writing something. About events that happened before I became like this. Wait— I remember something similar to what's happening right now."
"Is that so?" Noctis leaned forward slightly. "What do you remember?"
"I remember… someone—no… me… running away from something. Then locking myself inside my old room. I picked up a pen in a hurry and started writing. But I can't remember anything after that."
Noctis lowered his head, falling silent.
Silas noticed the gesture and didn't interrupt him.
'Something takes control of him…?' Noctis thought.
'Then that means most of the answers I got from Silas earlier weren't from him at all… but from something else.
Something beyond my understanding.'
"Hah…" Noctis exhaled tiredly. "So what do you think we should do now?"
"I don't know," Silas replied. "But one thing's certain. We can't fight Ian Vexwood."
"And why do you say that?" Noctis asked, frowning.
"Because there was a reason my past self was running. And it wasn't from the servants. Does anything come to your mind?"
Noctis began thinking.
He recalled everything he knew about the mansion.
Every observation.
Every hint.
Then—
Something clicked.
Noctis immediately pulled his phone from his pocket and checked the time.
10:00 PM.
"Silas… I think I have an idea."
"Oh? What is it?"
"There's a long clock in Ian Vexwood's office. It's always stuck at 10:00 PM. I think that's the key to solving our current problem."
Silas frowned slightly.
"Okay… but how?"
"We resume time," Noctis said. "Time never truly stops for anyone. It only moves forward along with everything else. Right now, time is frozen at ten. If we want to fix this… we need to reach that long clock."
Silas stared at him for a moment, clearly unsure whether to believe him.
"…Alright. I'll help you. But not as Silas."
He stood up.
"But as Silas Weasley."
Noctis smirked faintly as he got to his feet as well.
The two exchanged a silent nod.
Then they carefully made their way back toward the mansion.
"Silas," Noctis whispered, "your strength is on the same level as those servants. So we'll avoid direct fights. If they try to stop us, just push them away."
Silas nodded.
Noctis removed his coat, folded up his sleeves, and gripped the gun firmly in his hand.
"Let's go."
***
They slipped inside the mansion cautiously, avoiding the wandering servants.
"So how can you enter the mansion now?" Noctis whispered. "You said you weren't 'allowed' before."
"I don't know," Silas replied. "Every time I tried earlier, it felt like something was pinning me down. But now… it's as if something granted me permission."
"I see…" Noctis muttered. "Let's not overthink that for now."
He peeked around the wall.
"More importantly… look. The servants have gathered near the staircase to the second floor. Right where that disappointment's office is."
"Yeah… I see them," Silas said. "We'll either have to distract them… or brute-force our way through."
Noctis glanced at the ceiling lights.
"Turn them off."
"Huh? Then we won't be able to see either."
"We just need a moment," Noctis replied. "When you turn off the lights, I'll throw this lamp to the right. They'll rush toward the sound. That's when we run."
Silas nodded slowly.
"Oh… I get it. Give me the signal."
He moved toward the switch and looked back at Noctis.
Noctis raised his hand for the countdown.
Three.
Two.
One.
The lights went out.
A sharp crack echoed as the lamp shattered on the floor.
The servants rushed toward the sound.
Noctis instantly pulled out his flashlight.
"Run!"
Both of them sprinted up the stairs as the servants began chasing them.
They turned through corridors, taking sharp corners.
Suddenly, Noctis opened a nearby door and rushed inside.
Silas followed.
Noctis locked the door while Silas shoved a shelf against it.
Both of them exhaled heavily.
"What now?" Silas asked.
"We wait," Noctis replied. "They're like zombies. Since they didn't see us enter, they'll eventually move on."
"I see…" Silas muttered.
Then he looked at Noctis again.
"Do you have any idea what will happen once you resume time?"
"No. Not even a clue," Noctis admitted. "We can only hope it leads us out of here."
"Alright."
Silas looked down at the floor.
Noctis studied him for a moment.
"By the way… have you remembered anything else?"
"Not much," Silas said quietly. "But I remember someone calling my name… gently. With love."
"Your lover?" Noctis smirked.
"No. I don't think so. She seemed… old."
"Then it's probably your mother," Noctis shrugged. "Or you were just into older women."
Silas raised a brow.
"You're seriously joking right now?"
"Doesn't hurt to lighten the mood," Noctis replied with a smug grin.
Silas sighed.
"…Hopeless."
Noctis took out his phone again and checked the time.
Still 10:00 PM.
"This is going to be a long night."