At the same time—The white space closed in around Zekai.
The white space felt tighter than before, even though nothing visible had changed. His breathing shortened automatically, as if the space itself was limiting how much air he was allowed to use.
The figure stood in front of Zekai, unmoving.
Then it spoke.
"Hey. Don't worry," the figure said.
"You won't be hurt."
"Not yet."
Zekai fingers pressed lightly against the white surface beneath him, searching for something solid. There was nothing. That bothered him more than the figure's words.
"Get out of my head," Zekai snapped. "And stay away from me."
The figure sighed.
"First rule," he said. "Don't call me that."
A faint smile formed.
"I'm Zero. Call me Zero."
The name settled strangely in Zekai's mind. Like he had heard it before. Like it had always been there.
Zekai narrowed his eyes.
"What... are you?"
Zero tilted his head slightly, as if considering the question.
"A beginning. A mistake. A doorway."
That wasn't an answer at all.
"You call us Arcana."
"That's not what we are."
In the distance, the statues shifted. Not by moving—but by aligning.
Zekai didn't look at them. 'So… was the one who wrote those rules on the card an Arcana like him?'
"Let me ask you something."
Zero waited.
"…You're the one behind that voice, right? Why did you summon me?"
Zero blinked once. "I didn't."
"Then who did?"
"It was you." Zero said.
Zekai frowned. "That doesn't make any sense."
Zero smiled faintly.
"It doesn't have to make sense to you," he said.
"It only has to be true."
Truth doesn't wait for understanding.
A pause.
"You're not confused, Zekai."
Zero's eyes held Zekai's gaze—steady.
"You just don't like the answer."
Zero wasn't explaining. He was redirecting.
The word "summoned" bothered Zekai. It implied intention—preparation.
He had done neither.
It brought him here… and now it was saying "I summoned myself?" It felt like Zekai's thoughts were being torn apart from the inside.
'If that's the case… I need to be careful.'
"It's your mind," Zero said.
"Whatever you're trying to resist… you're the one who brought yourself here."
Zekai paused.
"How did I bring myself here?"
The rules and the ritual instructions flashed into his mind.
Maybe… Zekai's mind believed those rules without him even realizing it.
"…I'm an idiot."
No—just late. The irritation came first. Not fear.
"But you're the one who used those rules to bring me here."
"I didn't tell you any rules," Zero added.
Zekai's instincts kept telling him something was wrong with Zero.
"No. I didn't even believe them."
Zero tilted his head slightly.
"And yet… you still followed them."
A faint pause.
"You always do that."
"Reject first… then act anyway."
Zero's smile returned—thin.
"It's not belief that moves you."
"It's curiosity."
Zekai didn't answer.
'Then—who wrote them?' The thought came naturally. 'Maybe Marcus Grandpa wrote them… it was his coat, after all.'
'From the beginning, nothing about this made sense.'
Zero studied him for a moment.
"Is that enough of an answer?"
No… what Zero said was still stuck in Zekai's mind.
He exhaled slowly.
"There was no special reason. I just wanted to test it."
Zero clasped his hands behind his back and began walking around Zekai slowly.
The space didn't bend. It adjusted to where he already was. Not visibly—but enough that Zekai felt it. Like the distance between them kept changing—without either of them moving.
Zekai tracked him from the corner of his eye but didn't turn fully.
'If he wanted to circle me, I'd let him.'
"So," Zero asked casually, "what do you want?"
Like the answer already existed. The question sounded simple. But it wasn't.
'What do I want? No one had ever asked me that before.'
Most of his life had been reaction—adjusting to circumstances, surviving whatever shape the day took. Wanting something had never seemed necessary.
"I want you to stop this. Let me out."
Zero hummed.
"There is no return. No escape."
Zekai jaw tightened.
"Only death allows exit."
Not survival. Replacement. The words settled into the space like a fixed rule.
Zekai remembered the paper.
[ Rule Three - Don't fear. ]
He exhaled slowly.
Fear had never been his problem. But he had always had the opposite issue. He let go too easily.
Accepted things too quickly. The rule wasn't telling him to be brave. It was telling him not to hesitate.
"…fine." He exhaled once. "Then answer this."
Zero stopped.
"What can you give me?"
Zero smiled.
"Anything this world permits."
"Nothing more."
'Allows. Not everything.' That meant limits. Invisible ones.
"Anything?"
Zero nodded. Then added calmly,
"Dead things don't return."
Zekai fingers twitched—just once. His throat tightened. For a brief moment—his parents came to mind.
For a second… he almost said it. The word reached his throat—and stopped.
He shut that thought down immediately. Not like this. Never like this.
'Wealth? Useless.'
'Career? A trap.'
'Love? Temporary.'
"I don't want anything." He paused. "I just want peace. Let me go."
His answer surprised even him.
Zero's smile faded slightly.
"That's not an option."
"Why?"
"One wish," he said calmly. "Only one."
Silence followed. Not empty. Waiting. The space itself felt like it was watching Zekai.
Measuring him. He stood there, thinking. Zero didn't move. He just watched.
"Take your time," Zero said.
'But understand this… even a few seconds of hesitation can cost you things you don't realize you still have.'
Most people notice after it's gone. That didn't sound like advice. It sounded like a warning.
He could feel it now. Not just from Zero—from the place itself.
'How many people had stood here before me?'
Right now, Zekai was trapped in this unknown white space with Zero. But outside... somewhere else… Aron was alone.
Zekai didn't know what condition he's in. So no matter what, he had to find a way to get out of here.
But escaping from this place wouldn't be easy.
Whatever he said next… it might benefit this place.
'I shouldn't give it that chance. If I didn't choose… what would I lose?'
Zekai exhaled slowly.
"…One wish," he said. "If you grant it… what do you gain?"
'Because nothing here moves without cost.'
Zero's expression softened slightly.
"The wish allows me to fulfill mine."
Zekai frowned.
"Then what's your wish?"
Zero didn't answer immediately. Not because he didn't want to. Because for a moment, it felt like he had answered it before.
For the first time—Zero hesitated. It was brief.
But real.
"That is irrelevant." His voice didn't change.
For the first time—his voice felt colder. Then… Zekai sensed something far bigger hidden within Zero.
Zekai nodded slightly.
"Alright."
He blinked. "I'll mind my business."
Silence settled again. He looked down.
If he didn't choose—this wouldn't end. And that wasn't a guess. It felt like this was the moment something decided what he was allowed to become.
The rule surfaced again in his mind—Not as a warning. As a conclusion.
'No escape.' Already applied.
And somewhere outside—someone was still waiting for Zekai to come back.
End of Chapter 12 - White Space II