Chapter 8: The Unconscious

‘So she does care about me after all.’

A hint of warmth appeared in Violet’s eyes, and she raised the corners of her lips slightly.

“Then it would be rude to refuse~” her tone became light and cheerful.

Violet poured a little powder from the medicine bottle and gently applied it to the wound on Dounia’s shoulder with a cotton ball.

Dounia bit her lip slightly, a pained expression on her face, but she tried hard to hold back her voice.

‘What a strong girl…’

A new trace of admiration entered Violet’s gaze as she looked at Dounia.

She dabbed some alcohol and wiped the wound Dounia had bitten on her own arm with the cotton ball—the wound she had forcefully made to treat her illness.

“Hiss…” Dounia couldn’t help but suck in a sharp breath.

“Ah, sorry. Did I hurt you?” Violet, her face full of apology, leaned close to the wound and blew on it lightly with her eyes closed.

“Hoo—”

“Pain, pain, go away,” Violet said in a tone used to soothe a child.

As soon as she finished speaking, a blush leaped onto her cheeks, as if she were embarrassed by her own childish behavior.

The feeling of pain slowly subsided, but Dounia quite enjoyed the beautiful girl’s care.

“This is a healing ointment, and it also prevents scarring,” Violet carefully applied the cool, milky-white ointment to the wound, her fingers moving in gentle circles.

Compared to Fia’s mockery and coercion, while a forcefully picked melon might quench one’s thirst, it was far from the sense of comfort brought by genuine care.

At this moment, Dounia could barely feel any unbearable pain.

“Th—”
Just as Dounia was about to thank her, she saw Violet’s face draw near, and her pupils contracted in shock.

But Violet seemed completely unaware, simply turning her head and applying the ointment with her finger to her reddened collarbone.

They were all marks and wounds left by Fia.

“Really, Sister…”

Violet pouted, her expression turning quite angry.

“Always has to control me, and she even does this to such a small, delicate girl… when I haven’t even yet,” she muttered under her breath while concentrating on applying the ointment.

Violet subconsciously covered her lips, her ears turning visibly red.

“You… you didn’t hear that, did you?”

Dounia blinked rapidly twice.

‘Does she unconsciously reveal her inner thoughts? Is this one of the symptoms of Soul-Loss?’

[Violet Mutation Level: 20%]

“What did you say?”

“Ah, it’s nothing,” Violet’s face was like a ripe apple, and her cool fingers made Dounia tremble slightly with each touch. “I was saying, Dounia’s skin is so nice… so fair, I really want to take a bite… aah?”

Violet covered her mouth as if in shock, a look of terror in her eyes.

“I… what did I just say?”

“I-I didn’t mean it like that, please don’t hate me…” Violet covered her face with her hands, her voice urgent. “I… I just don’t want to be like my sister. I would never hurt Dounia senselessly like she does.”

She urgently reached out her hand, trying to stop Dounia from fleeing her side, her voice tinged with a sob.

[Violet Mutation Level: 30%]

The blood-red number made Dounia’s heart pound in fear.

Swish.

A black afterimage appeared from behind Violet.

It was a chain made of shadows.
It turned like a snake’s head and suddenly struck out toward Dounia’s position.

‘This is Violet’s extraordinary ability? Her powers going out of control due to Soul-Loss!?’

Dounia’s eyes widened.
The approaching chain wrapped directly around her back, entangling half of her body.

“Stop… stop—!” Violet stretched out her hands, concentrating her mental energy to try and control it, but the chain completely ignored her, wrapping around Dounia’s body once more.

Clank, clank.

The sound of iron chains shaking and colliding rose and fell.
Two thick shadow chains wrapped around Dounia’s hands, binding her firmly to the headboard in an X-shape.

“I… I’ll go get my sister to save you!”

The shadow chains tightened even faster, leaving red marks on Dounia’s fair, smooth thighs.

No matter how she struggled, the shadow chains didn’t move an inch.

“Violet… don’t leave me…” Dounia said urgently.

Violet turned back, looking at Dounia with a dazed expression, at a complete loss.

“But… but…” she clutched her heart, looking painfully at the chain-bound Dounia.

“I need you, and I trust you, not Fia.”

Trembling with fear, Dounia slowly moved her fingers and pinched herself hard, trying to appear calm and peaceful.

She knew well that further agitating Violet’s emotions now would only cause the situation to spiral out of control.

The victims of Soul-Loss were not just the patients themselves, but also the innocent people who died due to the patients losing control.

The most direct manifestation of Soul-Loss was mutation!

And the final result of mutation was transforming from a human into an unrecognizable monster.
And a monster’s shell… meant that the humanity remaining inside had all but vanished.

She didn’t want this girl, who had shown her kindness, to turn into an ugly monster!

“Slowly, walk over here. Don’t startle the chains. Take my hand, okay?”

Dounia coaxed in a gentle tone.

“I… I’m afraid I can’t… I can’t do it…” Violet hugged her head and slowly sat down, her face contorted in pain.

[Violet Mutation Level: 40%]

“She’s going to die… and so are you,” Lilith’s mocking voice sounded in Dounia’s ear.

The chain around her neck was pulling tighter and tighter, but Dounia had no intention of canceling the “Mirror Shift” effect and redirecting it to the shadow chains wrapped around her.

Once Violet perceived her own physical mutation again, her mutation level would definitely skyrocket.

Besides, her mental energy was completely insufficient to support such a delicate operation; she couldn’t disperse it across so many chains!

“It’s okay… Violet, I believe in you.”

Dounia forced a smile.

“Take your time. you still have plenty of time.”

Violet looked at Dounia blankly.

Dounia’s encouraging smile seemed to give her a little bit of strength, like a flame ignited in her heart.

Although compared to the endless, boundless night, this flame was far too small, too insignificant.

But it could also briefly dispel the fear that lingered in Violet’s heart.

The cold ice melted a bit.
Violet took a step forward, breaking free from her constraints, and with difficulty, walked to the bedside, reaching out her hand to Dounia.

But no matter how she reached out, she was always just a little short.

It was always like this… always like this…!

Frustrated tears dripped from the corners of Violet’s eyes.

In her blurry vision, a small hand reached out desperately for two large hands in front of it, but it grasped at empty air and fell hard to the ground, a sharp pain piercing her heart.

“Papa… Mama… don’t leave me…”

The girl’s body lost its balance and was about to fall forward.

Slap—

Dounia, though tightly bound, leaned forward and firmly grabbed Violet’s hand.

She glanced at the mutation level, which had already soared to 49%, and pulled Violet, whose skin was now covered in spreading dark gold patterns, into her arms.
She once again applied “Mirror Shift,” making her surface mutations disappear completely.

Dounia closed her eyes, recalling the book by Jung, The Self and Spontaneity.
A quote gradually lit up in her mind— “The unconscious is an important part of the self.”

And these chains, beyond her control, did they represent her “unconscious”?

To alleviate the loss of control, the “unconscious” must be satisfied!

“It’s alright, it’s alright now.”

Dounia gently stroked Violet’s head, as if speaking in a dream.

“Try to quiet yourself, and listen to the voice of your own heart.”

Violet leaned against Dounia’s chest.
The faint, sweet scent of her body and her warmth allowed Violet to relax.

The mutation level value was still fluctuating rapidly, but it always hovered around 49.5.

“No matter what you want to do to me, I forgive you…”

“Now, do what you want to do.”

Violet’s eyes trembled as she looked at Dounia.
Seeing her smile and nod gently, Violet buried her head in the flat hills of her chest and bit down hard on a red mark.

“Ngh—!”

Dounia bit her lower lip tightly, her pupils dilating slightly.

[Violet Mutation Level: 30%]

“Lilith, it looks like I won this round.”