The night was silent only the faint hum of the mana generators echoed through the academy's underground power lines.
Inside her room, Celeste sat at her desk, a faint blue light glowing from her communication crystal. Her posture was tense, her movements unusually still like she was afraid even her own voice might be overheard.
Static buzzed before a familiar voice broke through.
"Simni, report."
She exhaled softly, then spoke in a quiet tone, her words slightly distorted through faint system interference.
"Basei… we may have a problem."
A pause. Then Basei's voice turned sharp.
"What kind of problem?"
"Miss Mila… she may have realized who I am."
The other end went silent for a moment. Then-
"…How sure are you?"
Simni rubbed her temples, her eyes flickering between amber and blue as she replayed the scene in her head the way Milly whispered her true name, that brief hesitation before Celeste walked away.
"She said my name. Quietly. Almost as if testing me. I didn't respond… but her tone
her aura it matched her remembering instinct."
Basei sighed, a low metallic growl behind his words. "I told you to stay subtle, Simni. You can't risk exposure, not even to her."
Simni frowned slightly, leaning closer to the crystal. "And what do you suggest I do, Basei? Pretend nothing happened? She's already suspicious."
"That's exactly what you'll do," he replied firmly. "You'll act as if she's mistaken. The moment she gets close to confirming it, pull away. The fewer connections you make, the safer she stays."
Simni's gaze softened, her synthetic voice lowering. "But… she looked at me like she remembered our time together. After all this time… she finally said my name again."
Basei's tone faltered for a second. "Simni… I know how you feel. But until we're sure her memory won't backfire, we keep our distance."
Simni's hands clenched lightly on the table. "You think she'll lose control again?"
"She's a walking storm, Simni. You've seen it every time she remembers something, something wakes up."
For a long moment, neither of them spoke. The low hum of her systems filled the silence.
Finally, Simni leaned back, her expression hidden under the flickering light.
"…Understood," she said quietly. "I'll maintain cover protocol."
"Good," Basei said. "And Simni?"
"Yes?"
"Don't let her see you glitch again. The last time you drank tea, the academy's sensors went wild."
Simni's cheeks puffed slightly, her tone defensive. "That wasn't the tea. That was overheated mana filters."
"…Sure it was."
The line cut with a faint chuckle from Basei, leaving Simni alone in the soft blue glow.
She stared at her reflection in the window at the faint traces of her blue circuitry under her skin.
Her voice was a whisper only she could hear.
"Milly… please don't remember too soon…"