Writhing with a severe headache, he clutched his temples with one hand while the other unconsciously gripped the tablecloth, creating deep wrinkles in the fabric.

"Finally, I've regained consciousness." said the man in a deep, powerful tone.

"I'm hearing those familiar, disturbing voices in my head again. Am I losing my mind?" he wondered. Yet this experience felt notably different from the previous ones.

"No, you're definitely not crazy. I'm real, just as real as you are." said the voice confidently.

The man scanned the room in confusion and unease while Zeta continued eating his meal calmly, as if nothing extraordinary was happening.

"Are you really inside my head?" he asked, his voice carrying both curiosity and concern.

"I wouldn't say I'm exactly inside your head. But we share the same body. I can perceive every emotion and sensation of yours as if they were my own."

"Then who are you?" he asked, as if already anticipating the answer.

"My name is Geminga, as the man before you just mentioned." the voice responded confidently.

"Wait a minute... So you're really the person they used to create my brain?"

"I don't think there's any other logical explanation for why we're sharing the same body right now."

"What about your memory, is it also—" the man couldn't finish his sentence before Geminga's powerful voice echoed in his mind.

"You were going to ask if my memory was erased too, weren't you? Yes, it was. But now isn't the time to discuss these things. First, eat something. We're both exhausted from hunger."

"You've taken this situation much more calmly than I expected. After your reaction yesterday, I honestly didn't expect you to be so understanding." said Zeta, wiping his mouth with a napkin after finishing his meal. "Now I can explain your mission: You need to go to Hatrugar and retrieve Cintara's Crown."

"Where is Hatrugar?"

"It's located on the border of Lotiana. A city shrouded in mist, and dangerous."

"Dangerous?"

"Hatrugar is more of a survival zone than a city. A half-ruined metropolis—a place where advanced technology and ancient magic remnants intertwine. High-rise buildings lost in the mist, decaying streets, and creatures living in the shadows. It's a dangerous city where no one trusts anyone, home to all sorts, from ghost engineers to magic merchants."

"I see... But why do I need to go there and bring back a crown?"

"This is quite a sensitive political matter, my friend."

"So you're asking me to go to this place and steal a crown?"

"If it were that simple, I wouldn't be bothering the most valuable person in Nivara right after he wake up. You're the only one who can find the crown's location."

With a deep sigh, he said, "Tell me from the beginning."

"This crown contains the remnants of Cintara's magical powers—the most powerful sorcerer in the entire universe. According to legend, the crown belonged to her and even caused her death. After Cintara's death, the crown passed to one of her daughters, then to her daughter. Centuries later, it was stolen from Cintara's living granddaughter, Eridani Beid. If it's not returned soon, we fear Eridani will lose her life."

"Why would she die?"

"One of the spells contained in the crown grants immortality. The wearer becomes immortal, but the aging process continues. When the crown is removed, the person's true age suddenly manifests, usually resulting in death from sudden aging. In our case, we're relatively fortunate—Eridani is only one hundred and twenty-seven years old." Nodding toward the magnificent castle in the city center, he continued. "Right now, she's there, trying to hold onto life under the care of the kingdom's most skilled doctors. But she's very old, and no one knows how long she can last."

"Can't immortality be granted through another spell?"

"Every person blessed with immortality has met a tragic fate. It will continue to be so. This is actually a curse. No spell except Cintara's Crown can save her."

"How was the crown stolen?"

"Two weeks ago, a diplomat from Hatrugar came for a political meeting with royal guards. Somehow they managed to remove the crown from Eridani's head—though no one understands how. The crown normally locks onto its owner's head with a magical bond, making it physically impossible to remove. They must have used a special spell or technological device."

"Didn't she have any protection? After all, she must be an important figure."

"She is the Queen of Gradia. Of course, she was protected by the highest level of security measures, in a specially designed secure room. That's where the main problem begins. All security systems were disabled, the guards were neutralized. The thief simply vanished."

"Is there no information about the identity of the person who stole the crown?"

"Unfortunately, their name is unknown. They came with a fake identity. We suspect they might be there since they came from Hatrugar."

"I understand. Where should I start?"

"I'm not the detective, you are. But if I were to give advice, I'd suggest you start by investigating the 'Mist Thieves'. '" said Zeta, checking his watch as he rose from the table. "When you finish your meal, go to the plaza entrance. Someone will be waiting for you there. They'll recognize you by your uniform."

"What's this uniform and badge business? Everyone acts like they know me."

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"Actually, they don't know you—they know your uniform. You hold one of the highest ranks within the royalty. Understanding the royal hierarchy might take some time, but you'll learn eventually. The badge is just a special key for accessing the secret base."

"Wait a minute! How will I get to Hatrugar? Let's say I find the crown, but how will I catch someone who managed to evade the queen's guards? What if a conflict breaks out between us?"

Countless questions spun through his mind. Being good at mathematical calculations alone wouldn't give him any advantage in a physical confrontation.

"You have fighting skills, don't worry. You can protect yourself." said Zeta and left the room.

"The only thing left in my memory is standard procedures. If I really am a detective as he says, I might be rusty, but let's do what he says. However, I have one condition for helping you." said Geminga firmly.

"Condition? What do you mean?"

"If I'm going to help you, you'll ask the questions I determine. It's very important for me to learn who I am."

"Wait a second. What about me? I have a lot to learn too. They're definitely hiding more information from me. I don't think Zeta will answer more than one question. He'll want to keep us under his control longer. The more questions we have, the more we'll have to work for him. I'm sorry, but I'll ask my own questions."

"Then I won't help you. You can fend for yourself."

"What do you think you are, a little child?" he snapped, then fell into thought. "Okay, the first question will be mine, the next question yours."

"We don't know how long these missions will take. The sooner I learn, the better it is for me AND you. As I said, if you ask my questions first, I'll help you."

"You can put yourself back into my brain if you want. I'll handle this on my own."

"Let me know if you change your mind." said Geminga and fell silent.

He hadn't eaten since he woke up. Before him were interesting foods resembling the bread Zeta had eaten, with an exotic purple sauce poured over them. Following Zeta's example, he poured the sauce over the bread and tasted it. The bread was still warm, and when combined with the sauce, it created a sweet-like flavor. It was a unique taste he had never experienced before. The sauce wasn't overly sweet, perfectly balancing the food's taste.

After finishing his meal, he stood up and went outside. The two young guards were still faithfully waiting at the door.

"Take me to the plaza entrance." he said firmly. The two guards respectfully saluted and began walking ahead.

When he arrived at the Plaza entrance, he froze at the sight before him. Thousands waited patiently in line at the magnificent entrance—but this was no ordinary crowd. Extraordinary beings, different from humans, stood out among them.

Lost in his wonderment, he was approached by a young woman who appeared to be in her early twenties. She ran up breathlessly, elegantly sweeping back her ocean-deep blue hair as she fixed him with warm orange eyes and a sincere smile.

"I'm Eridanus Ran! It's a great honor to meet you, sir!" she said, extending her hand politely.

She was like a sea creature given human form. Though mostly humanoid, she possessed features of magnificent marine life: hands adorned with shimmering fins, delicate gills along her neck, pearl-like scales covering her body, ears that resembled ocean waves, and an elegantly extending tail—creating a mesmerizing sight.

The man extended his hand with slight hesitation. The touch of Ran's wet, scaly hands gave him a strange sensation he'd never experienced before. It was his first time shaking hands with a sea person. Looking more carefully around him, he was amazed: people with magnificent bird wings, others with lion manes and fur, some with shark-like grace, and yet others adorned with colorful insect features. It was as if all of nature's magnificent creatures had taken human form. Most surprising was how ordinary humans accepted this extraordinary sight as perfectly natural.

"Are you the person I'm supposed to meet?" the man asked, unable to hide his curiosity.

"Yes sir, that's me! Thanks to my success in the exam, I earned the honor of working with you. With your permission, may I learn your name?"

The man gave a heartfelt thank you to the young guards who had escorted them and told them they could leave. After they departed, just as he was about to say "I don't know my name." Geminga interrupted. "Repeat what I say." he instructed.

"Due to the sensitive nature of our mission, I need to use a secret identity. You may respectfully address me as Geminga..." he said, trying to mask his uncertainty.

"Perhaps she knows something about me. Besides, this way you won't have to lie about your missing memory." said Geminga and fell silent.

"Geminga... Master Geminga... What an impressive choice, sir! If you'll permit me, could I take the name Ain?"

"Who's Ain?"

"Why, the loyal assistant of the greatest detective in history, of course!"

"Ah... I think you'd better stay as Ran. But I have something to ask you. These beings—these half-humans—what exactly are they?" he asked, gesturing to the unusual crowd.

"Humans." Ran replied simply.

"No, I mean the ones with animal features."

"Sir, this is quite a sensitive matter. Such terminology might not be appropriate."

"I'm sorry! I'm only asking because I don't know. I've never encountered anything like this before."

"Different races coexist in every corner of Equina. Lotiana, in particular, is a safe haven for communities seeking protection from discrimination. Here, we're all seen as equal individuals, just like you. Some call us 'half-humans,' a term I really dislike, sir."

"I truly meant no offense. Where I'm from—at least according to my memory—we didn't have such remarkable diversity.""

"Don't worry, sir! I'd love to provide you with detailed information about our society during our time together! Now, where would you like to begin our investigation?" She put on her gloves and carefully took out a notebook and pen from her backpack.

"Well, look at that, trying to get detective lessons from you. Alright then, detective, we're listening." said Geminga, with obvious sarcasm.

"Hmm..." he mumbled thoughtfully.

"I'm afraid I don't have a computer chip or note tablet on me, sir. I prefer traditional methods." said Ran, noticing his puzzled looks.

"No, no, that's fine. Work however you like. We can handle this without technological tools..." he said hesitantly. It was clear he was trying to buy time to think. Then suddenly, he added in a decisive voice: "We're going to Hatrugar!"

"Brilliant idea!" Ran exclaimed enthusiastically.

"Ran... I'm actually unfamiliar with this area. How can we get to Hatrugar?"

"I can offer you several options: We can rent a car, take the Hyper Train, or use the fastest option, the SPA."

"The SPA?"

"Space-Powered Aircraft. It's incredibly fast—we'll be at our destination in minutes."

As he considered the options, he realized a serious limitation: he didn't have a single coin in his pocket. He didn't even know the currency used in this world, though he could guess none of these transportation options would be free.

"Ran, I'm sorry but I don't have any money."

"Do you know anyone who could help us?"

"Unfortunately not."

"No problem sir, I have some money with me. We could rent a car if you'd like."

He was grateful his memory at least recognized the word 'car.'

"Do you need anything special to drive a car?"

"Yes, a license is required."

"Do you have a license?"

"No, unfortunately. But we could take the bus if you'd like? The journey takes two days, but we can use that time to get to know you better!"

"Then let's take the bus. I'll repay you at the first opportunity." he said, following her.

"Please don't worry about it, sir! I'm not worried at all."

Together, they walked through lively streets filled with humans and different races. He couldn't tell if this extraordinary crowd was normal or if they had happened upon a special occasion. The only thing he could discern was that everyone seemed at peace. Yet this peaceful scene stirred an inexplicable sadness within him.

"Why are they gone?" echoed a melancholic voice in his mind.

"Who's that?" asked Geminga uneasily, hearing the voice.

"I don't know. I hear these voices occasionally. Always lamenting about someone's absence. Probably another presence forcibly planted in my mind, like you."

After an hour's walk—during which Ran talked constantly, though he couldn't properly listen as he tried to suppress the voices in his mind—they reached the bus station. They boarded after tasting an exotic ice cream-like snack Ran offered.

During the two-day journey, Ran continuously tried to make conversation and ask questions. However, he avoided talking by claiming fatigue, as he couldn't comprehend most of what she was telling him. Despite numerous stops during this long journey, they finally arrived at Hatrugar.