Late at night, Bronya was already fast asleep, exhausted. Seele got out of bed and stood by Bronya's bedside, watching her, a multitude of thoughts filling her mind.
"I can't believe Sister Bronya still remembers... that time Seele called her a demon.
Back then... for my sake, Sister Bronya promised she would never hurt anyone again..."
"Heh heh, what a pity. Your dear Sister Bronya has no idea that when you saw her covered in blood, what surged in your heart wasn't fear, but excitement...
From that moment on, I, the true you, began to awaken..." A pitch-black figure emerged from the darkness. She embraced Seele from behind, like a demon from the abyss, whispering ceaselessly into Seele's heart...
"No... that's not it... it's not!" Seele covered her ears, but the demon's whispers still echoed in her heart.
The dark figure pointed to a calendar on the wall. A date on it had been circled with a small red heart, making it particularly conspicuous.
"Originally, next week... was the day you were so looking forward to, going to the beach with Sister Bronya. But now...
It's all because Sin Mal hurt your Sister Bronya's leg. Now there's no way she can go."
The shadow embraced Seele once more, its hands slowly caressing her as a strange arc formed on its lips.
"Tell me, Seele... don't you want to get revenge for her? If you don't, Sister Bronya will only get hurt more in the future. Hurt by that Sin Mal creature."
An image of Sin Mal's cruel smile surfaced in Seele's mind. Her eyes went blank as she said, "That's right... I have to protect Sister Bronya..."
At that moment, Sin Mal was standing in the corridor outside her own room. In her hand was the notice for the X-10 experiment, signed with both her and Bronya's names. Unlike her arrogant demeanor during the day, she was now looking at her and Bronya's information on the notice, trembling with fear.
"Dammit, the experiment is so soon, I'm still so scared... But I refuse to lose to Bronya even more."
Though that's what Sin Mal said, in her heart, she was relieved that she had injured Bronya's leg. This way, Bronya wouldn't have to undergo the experiment, and she could bear it all herself... How cool of me... but I'm still so scared...
"Sin Mal."
Suddenly, someone called her name from behind. The abrupt call startled Sin, her eyes widened and she broke out in a cold sweat...
Sin spun around and saw Seele. The usual Seele would only dare to hide behind Bronya, but now she was looking at Sin as if she had made a firm decision.
"Tch, I was wondering who it was. It's you, the crybaby... Get lost. I'm in a terrible mood today."
Sin was happy that Seele had come looking for her, but she was in no mood to deal with her.
"No... Seele won't leave... Seele saw you push Sister Bronya down the stairs!
If you don't want Mama Cocolia to find out, then stop hurting Sister Bronya!"
This was the first time Seele had ever spoken so loudly and said so much. Her face was flushed, and she was panting. Seele thought Sin would back down, but Sin only revealed her shark-like teeth and looked at her with a cold smile.
"'Sister Bronya' this, 'Sister Bronya' that. You two are really close, aren't you... A pair of orphans who don't even know who their parents are, playing this touching sisterly drama.
It's... disgusting."
She really liked Bronya and Seele, but they didn't like her, and now they were doting on each other right in front of her. If she couldn't have them, she would destroy them.
With a thud, Sin tackled Seele to the ground, pinning her hands down tightly so she couldn't move.
"Just looking at your face pisses me off. Always putting on that frail act, are you trying to escape that experiment?
In that case, I might as well just break you too. Consider it a souvenir to take with me to hell!"
Sin licked her lips and tore open Seele's collar, revealing the second-largest chest in the entire orphanage. (The largest belongs to Cocolia, cue the laugh track.)
"Huh, what the hell is this... a birthmark? How come I never noticed it before..." Sin had been focused on Seele's face, enjoying her struggle. Now, looking down, she saw a strange red tattoo on Seele's chest. It was Seele's Stigmata, a power that had awakened two years ago.
[Image]
"A red birthmark? It's like a witch's brand.
No wonder your parents abandoned you, having something so terrifying on you."
Sin continued to stroke Seele's body, listening to her cry and plead for her to stop.
But in the next moment, a pitch-black shadow suddenly appeared and bound Sin, immobilizing her completely.
"You really are a crybaby... You talk about protecting Sister Bronya, but you can't do a single thing.
Look at you, every cell in your body is contorted with fear. Well... whatever.
I guess I'll have to help you out!"
Seele climbed up from the floor, her eyes no longer the sea-like blue they were before, but a bloody red. Honkai energy so dense it was tangible manifested as dark shadows around her.
She grabbed the struggling Sin by the hair, forcing her to look up.