‘Shit.’ Harz thought.

The direction which the hearing had taken, made even the strongest man shudder.

“Harztone, son of William Jackson. Now, it’s your turn to give the accounts of the events.

Starting from your interaction with Vongotski till today's morning, I expect everything in complete detail, where no information has been withdrawn from me. Which includes everything about Aoyama Aoki.”

Harz massaged his temples, the day had come to a terrible start.

Harz gave quite a detailed account of what had transpired in the last two days, as he faced the coldness of the king’s white eyes, it seemed as if those blank eyes, though couldn’t see anything, they sensed everything on a much deeper level.

Lying to those eyes was futile, they knew everything.

“Very well Harz, I truly would have believed you. But, you still haven’t told me everything have you?”

Harz was confused, he had told him everything.

“My lord I just told you everything, I have nothing to hide.”

“Then explain me one thing, why would you attack your old comrades, for a man you just met a year ago?”

Harz blinked, “My lord, do you have a role model?”

The King chuckled, “Why do you ask Harz, it is completely unrelated to my question.”

Harz scoffed, “My lord, kindly answer the question for that question alone will decide the outcome of this hearing.”

The brief smile disappeared again from King’s face, “I don’t need a role model Harz, I am the King of this Island. However, if I do look up to someone, then it is our late queen and my wife.”

Harz met those White Eyes, “What will you do if you come to know that your Role Model has a fundamental flaw, and if you continue in their footsteps, you too will have the same flaw? What will you do?”

Greg was hearing, that’s what he had done all his life, and might continue to do so.

Life didn’t care that Greg hated listening, for Greg mostly found himself in High Stake Conversations, where he had no take at all. He just heard.

The King was thoughtful for a moment, “Then I will only see the best of them while straying from their worst.”

“I believe you didn’t understand the part about the flaw being fundamental. If you aim to emulate their best, then the flaw will catch up to you. You must stray away from their very essence.”

“Harz this isn’t your classroom. I don’t have time for your rhetorics, can’t you just tell the damn reason you did all this.”

“My lord, this is something you have done, you used to be my role model. A monk with the power of gods, the outcome will always be positive, right?”

Greg was utterly confused by the direction that the conversation had taken, didn’t Harz tell him to respect the King a few minutes ago, the King too shared Greg’s confusion.

Harz continued, “My Lord, I CAN’T tell the reason straight away.”

“Why?” The King shouted, his face was tense, filled with irritation.

“Because My Lord, I ain’t sure if Walls have Ears, but I am damn sure Greg does…”

Greg coughed, he was taken back. Did the Harz think of him as a traitor?

“For what I will tell you concerns State Security.” Harz finished, he had a satisfying smile on his face, the same smile a farmer had after harvesting his crops. But the smile felt a bit sinister.

“Then I must know it. The State isn’t Secure without me.” Greg interjected, his brain was trying to understand to think of possible threats, but none had a connection with a new fisherman.

But the King knew different. “Greg you must leave.” He said.

“But…But, hear me out.”

“Don’t worry Greg, Justice will be Delivered. I will call you back in.”

Greg put his head down in shame, was this a pre-planned way to humiliate him? He wondered.

He gave one last look to the king when he saw Harz tapping his breast pocket.

Greg felt his breast pocket, there was a piece of paper in there.

He didn’t pull it out. The wall doesn’t have ears only, it has eyes too.

He rushed outside the compound to find a secluded spot, for though the King doesn’t have eyes that can’t see, he sure does have eyes that can speak.

Greg took shelter in the woods, and activated his Spirit Technique ‘Snakes in the Wind.’

He began reading the note-

My Friend Greg,

I entrust you with some information, which will be erased from me.

The Island is Evil.

To Clarify, The Island itself isn’t evil, it’s just a place where the Humans and Spirits coexist.

But its foundation is. The fundamental law on which the Island was built is corrupted.

Don’t trust your memories.

Anyone who enters the island will lose the memories they had, their essence will be taken and modified.

They are then given New Memories.

These New People then become the Working Class.

But we aren’t safe either, our Memories are changed too, to accommodate these new people.

How have our Memories changed?

Honestly, I don’t know.

How did I come to this Conclusion?

After Aoyama (The Fisherman) was hit by the meteor, his memories were restored.

He had a life outside the Island and wanted to return it.

He told me all this.

Why do I believe him?

I checked the Documents, aside from a Birth Certificate, a Dojo Card, and his Fishing License, his presence hadn’t been recorded anywhere.

This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

I communed with the Spirits too, they too didn’t know of him.

Now imagine, the hundreds of people living here, having their memories erased and becoming a slave to this island.

So, I just freed a man from the tyranny of this island. I apologize for the damage done to you and the Beach Patrol.

Why does this happen?

Again, I don’t know.

What is my plan of action?

If you have this Paper, then I have lost.

I have lost my memories of Aoyama and anything regarding this.

You will too lose the Memories of Aoyama and the Attack on Beach Patrol will be Forgotten.

I am afraid, I don’t know what to do.

I am afraid that my Mind isn’t in my control.

Greg, you must hide this Paper, a place which can’t be spotted, yet a place you will visit.

Thank You

Yours Truly,

Harz

‘What the Fuck!?’ Greg thought as he finished reading the letter. He looked around himself, to see if there was anyone. Even though his Spirit Technique would alert him, he can’t trust anyone anymore now.

‘Thank You Harz for making me paranoid as fuck.’ He thought as he sprinted towards his home, hoping there was no witness. Why did it suddenly feel like, the world was watching Greg?

His mind was racing, “What to do” he murmured. Yes, he had to hide the piece of paper first.

There were many questions in his mind, but the anxiety killed them all.

He quickly shut the door closed all windows and put curtains on the windows.

He thought of all possible places where he could hide the letter, but none seemed safe.

Every place he thought of, felt obvious in hindsight.

He was trained in Combat, not Espionage.

He opened the drawer of his desk and hid the letter beneath the false bottom of the drawer.

There was a knock. Greg’s throat felt dry, he quickly tried to put everything back in place, or at least show that everything was in place.

He looked through the eye hole, it was the King.

“Fuck.” Greg said to himself.

The King knocked again, this time more loudly.

“Stay Calm. Stay Calm.” Greg began to chant to himself, as he wiped the sweat off his face.

And opened the door with a smile, “My lord, I believe the matter has been sorted.”

The King smiled, “Of course I have, you weren’t in the waiting area, so I decided to bless your home with my visit.”

Greg’s eyes frantically searched for any sign of something sinister, something evil emanating from the King, but he found none.

“Thank You, my Lord, please get inside and take a seat.”

The King took slow steps, he didn’t know if they were to add to his anxiety or if it was the King’s old age.

Hell, he wasn’t even sure if the King suspected him or not.

The King made himself comfortable on Greg’s velvet couch, “You look tired Greg, why don’t you have some food and water.”

Yes, Greg was hungry and thirsty, but he wouldn’t follow anything this decrepit old man said.

“Son, I smell some delicious sandwiches on the kitchen platform, can you get some for me too.”

Greg quickly looked at the kitchen platform, those were the leftovers from breakfast. He couldn’t refuse an order from the King, also he had eaten them in the Morning, they were safe.

He served them on a plate, Two for the King, One for him.

He got two glasses of water too so that the King doesn’t suspect anything. ‘Be Normal, Act Calm.’

Greg sat down in front of him and waited for the King to take a bite.

The King first took a sip of water and then turned his face towards Greg.

He looked at Greg with anticipation, “Son don’t feel uncomfortable. This is your house.”

Greg gave a smile, “ My lord don’t worry, I am comfortable, why don’t you have a bite.” His heart began to pound harder.

“It is bad manners to start the meal before the host does.”

Greg stared at those sandwiches, closed his eyes, and took a bite.

“So you know Greg?”

Greg began to cough, the sandwich was stuck in his throat. ‘Shit.’ He thought. He drank some water, to get that morsel down, but it didn’t matter, it was the end for him.

Greg began to take deep breaths, “I know what?”

The King grinned, “That I love Fish Sandwiches. And if they are of Mackerel, pardon my language, but they are fucking amazing.”

Greg opened his mouth and closed it, why was he so worried? But Mackerel, he had heard of that fish somewhere else, but he couldn’t place it.

“My lord, I am sorry but it’s a Tuna Sandwich.”

“Oh. Then take it as a compliment, you see my wife used to cook some of the Mackerel Sandwiches, and this taste reminded me of her cooking.”

Greg thought he had heard of wife of cooking Mackerel before, but again his memory felt hazy.

The King looked at the watch, “Oh My! I am getting late.”

He stood up and began to move out, when Greg interrupted, “My lord, pardon me, but why were you here?”

The King chuckled, “Oh I was here to just check on you, and eat some Tuna Sandwich.”

The King left and Greg sighed, he felt a bit empty inside, maybe it was because the King had left the house, he was such an amiable fellow in the end. Anyone would feel terrible after he left, RIGHT?