Chapter 210: Ch 210: Do you truly know? - Part 2

Noah’s body felt sluggish as he tried to move his limbs. But they felt heavier today, making it hard for him to be able to move.

He was sure he was not supposed to be in the labs. Hadn’t he been outside all this time? But his head was throbbing too much, and it was hard to remember what happened...

"Ah, I will recall it later. I need to get started on the experiments for now."

Noah stood in front of a large glass container, watching the liquid inside slowly circulate around the sleeping esper. His hands moved almost automatically as he adjusted the settings on the machine, checking the readings before recording them on the tablet in his hand.

It was his first time operating this machine, but he knew where everything was and understood what each machine did.

He could even recognise the purpose of the experiments being conducted around him without needing anyone to explain them. It was almost as if he had spent years working in this place.

Wait, but he had. Why was he thinking that he had not?

"You are getting better at this."

The head researcher’s voice came from behind him, and Noah turned around with a small smile.

"Thank you. I have been trying to understand the newer experiments, but there are still a few things I do not understand."

"That is perfectly normal. You have only recently started assisting me directly."

Noah nodded and turned back towards the glass container.

He felt strangely proud of being able to do this. But he also felt hollow at the same time, almost as if he had lost something.

It was not strong enough to make him panic, but it was always there, quietly telling him that something was wrong.

Noah frowned as he stared at the esper inside the container.

"What is it?"

The head researcher asked.

"I am not sure."

Noah placed a hand against his forehead and tried to think.

There was something he had forgotten. But whenever he tried to reach for that memory, his thoughts became tangled, and his head began to ache.

’What am I forgetting?’

He tried harder and recalled a small cottage. He felt like he had left something important there that he needed to get back.

[Unnecessary memories are interfering. Clean-up will progress now.]

Noah’s expression changed for a moment, but the image disappeared before he could grasp it.

"Are you alright?"

The head researcher asked, and Noah immediately looked at him.

"Yes. I am fine."

He gave him a smile, but the head researcher continued watching him.

"You have been overworking yourself. You should take a break."

"I can do that after I finish this."

"Noah. Go and take a rest. Do not make me repeat myself."

The gentle warning in his voice made Noah stop. There was just enough of a hint of danger to make him flinch and follow that command.

He looked at the head researcher before reluctantly putting the tablet down.

"Alright."

The head researcher smiled, his gentleness returning.

"Good. You have always been obedient when you listen to reason."

Something about those words made Noah uncomfortable. He felt unsettled and disgusted as he looked at the head researcher.

As he followed the head researcher through the laboratory, Noah glanced towards the various rooms surrounding them. Some contained children sleeping inside glass containers, while others were filled with machines he could not understand.

It was a disturbing sight, but Noah felt numb watching all this.

’Have I really worked here for this long?’

The question appeared in his mind, but before he could think about it any further, another thought replaced it.

’This is my home.’

Noah stopped walking, and for a brief moment, his whole body felt cold. It was as if he had forgotten who he was and had now fully accepted this new version of himself.

He had never liked to see kids inside cages, but this was important research for the future. He needed to make sure this was all completed on time...

But his head hurt a lot more than before, and he clutched it to try and rub it.

"Hmm, it seems like you are truly out of it today. It can start affecting your work soon, so you should head back to your room and rest."

Noah nodded as he looked at the head researcher.

He felt fear, disgust, affection, annoyance, and a lot more emotions when he looked at the man. But in the end, he was the only family Noah had been left with after being abandoned by Daniel and Alan.

Even Ethan had tried to kill him.

The one person who had never betrayed him was Erin, but he had died now. And the only one who could help Noah bring him back was the head researcher in front of him.

Noah felt grateful towards him, and that was why he needed to work hard and repay that trust. But why did it feel like this was a mistake?

Something was missing from Noah’s memories; he was sure of this. It was as if a huge chunk of them had been taken away to somewhere else...

The head researcher sighed and came over to Noah and ruffled his hair.

"Don’t think about it too much. If you are tired, then go and rest. There is no need to push yourself so much."

The man told Noah, and he felt grateful. The hesitation and resistance he felt in his mind suddenly went away, making him sigh in peace.

’Right, what am I so worried about anyway? The head researcher is someone on my side. He won’t harm me or cause me trouble. I have no reason to suspect him of anything anyway.’

Noah slowly walked back towards his room, trying to ignore the strange heaviness in his chest.

He knew he should rest, and perhaps after sleeping for a while, his memories would become clearer. But as he reached his door, he suddenly stopped.

Was he...truely in the right here?