Ch.347Nightmare (2)

Isabelle sits in the cave, watching the video with empty eyes.

Its appearance was slightly different from my memory.

Over the small-statured Coldblood’s form, the image of some woman was superimposed.

“AMorph.”

The creature, with its mixed appearance of Coldblood and human woman, turns its head toward me.

Isabelle’s strange appearance, and even recognizing me. This place was a different space from the memory worlds I had seen so far.

‘Perhaps it’s a world she created to imprison herself.’

Penelope, who got hurt because of herself while fighting enemies. Herself, who ran away leaving her sister behind. And being deceived by Cynthia to cooperate with her. The fragments of memories playing on the cave walls were all uniformly unhappy memories.

In other words, this is a nightmare world that injects guilt and forces atonement.

The creature’s gaze, which had been looking at me, shifts behind me.

“…and sister.”

When I turned my head, there was a strange being. Unlike me, who had only shrunk in size, PS-111 had changed a lot. The appearance of a Mutant Screamer and the image of human Penelope were mixed together.

The being that was neither human, nor Coldblood, nor even a Mutant Screamer, opened its mouth.

“‘Little sister.’ Everything is over. Alshas has been defeated, and all elements that could harm you have been eliminated.”

“……”

“So you can come out now.”

At PS-111’s words, Isabelle shook her head.

“Why didn’t I realize it sooner. That my sister was already dead.”

“I am not dead.”

“Maybe I didn’t want to admit it. That my sister died because of me, and I was trying to avoid responsibility.”

“According to memory information, that was beyond your control.”

“Yet I lied to myself because I wanted to survive alone.”

“No. You did your best.”

PS-111 continued to try to persuade her, but it didn’t reach her.

‘Judging by the displayed memories, Isabelle is consumed by guilt.’

Among countless past events, only the extreme parts that could cause her pain are being repeated. Since the owner of this space wants to abuse herself, it makes sense that she can’t hear PS-111’s words.

As long as communication itself doesn’t work, she won’t listen to anything we say.

‘I need to resolve her guilt.’

Since we were able to peek into Isabelle’s mind, the reverse should also be possible. Using the memories of PS-111’s original, Penelope, would greatly help eliminate her guilt.

‘The problem is that PS-111’s memories are almost lost.’

In the past, it was severely damaged while fighting an Ice Horror. Thanks to No. 26, its brain was barely restored, but in the process, most of its memories were lost and a new personality took root. Since there aren’t many of Penelope’s memories left, I’m not sure if they can be used to persuade Isabelle.

‘However…’

I looked at PS-111, who was earnestly trying to persuade Isabelle.

It was trying hard to convey what it felt and saw in Isabelle’s memories, as if that was the only way to express its feelings.

‘Feelings, huh.’

Suddenly, I’m reminded of the past.

My mother was a very cold person. Even before my accident, my mother never once said she loved me.

When I was young, I asked my father about this. At that time, father said that some things can be conveyed without being expressed in words. That my mother was just not good at expressing herself, but she loved me inside.

I think it’s true that my mother cared for me, as father said. She continued to pay for expensive hospital bills. However, it took quite a long time for me to understand my mother’s heart.

‘Come to think of it, Adhigh Orr and Ham Oort’s relationship was like that too.’

Ham Oort chose to abandon Adhigh deliberately to save him from the evil black dragon. Because of that, Adhigh lived for a long time resenting his own kind.

He eventually heard the truth, but the resentment wasn’t easily resolved. Even considering that Gallergorn is a being that cannot lie, it’s not an easy thing to understand.

No. 26 solved this problem, which would have taken a long time to resolve, by sharing memories and feelings.

‘What it needs might be the sister’s emotions rather than words.’

If PS-111’s emotions could be directly connected, it would greatly help in recovering Isabelle.

I called out to PS-111.

“Isabelle won’t listen to anyone’s words. So let’s try a different approach.”

“I cannot give up on my little sister. I don’t want her to suffer. To wake her up, we must continue talking.”

PS-111, who was always coldly mechanical, was not like that now. It was anxious.

“I never said we should give up. I said let’s try a different approach.”

“What kind of approach?”

“Like what No. 26 did, you need to directly convey your feelings to her.”

“I am a Mutant Screamer. My emotions are merely products of various complex elements and chemical reactions. I cannot fulfill my little sister’s expectations at all.”

I know without being told.

It has taken a much more confused form than Isabelle. Being created through a complex process, various selves are mixed within it.

‘That’s why this is an opportunity.’

Among the mixed self-images, there is also Penelope’s latent consciousness. Since these selves are influencing its thinking, it should be easier to convey feelings to Isabelle.

“Besides, I am a being synthesized from machine and organic material. Most of my thinking is led by AI. The same goes for emotions.”

“Well, we’ll find out if we try.”

“It’s a meaningless act.”

“It doesn’t take much time anyway, so there’s no reason not to try.”

“That’s true.”

PS-111 eventually nodded.

“How should I proceed?”

“Let’s try like we did outside. Put your foreheads together.”

PS-111 approached its sister and brought its head close. Despite the faint afterimage of Penelope being visible, no emotion appeared on Isabelle’s face.

When their foreheads touched, the images superimposed on their bodies rippled like water droplets falling on a surface.

“……”

Isabelle still showed no reaction.

Instead, the cave walls reacted. The memories that had been repeatedly projected on the walls became noisy and gradually began to change into something else.

The past memories, which had been as sharp as razor blades, became hazy like fog. Light clusters of various colors fill the emptied space.

The cave, which had been pitch dark, was soon dyed with beautiful colors. Her gaze slowly moved following the brilliant light.

The light filling the walls was not fixed but constantly moving. Like fog or a mosaic, nothing could be seen clearly, but strangely, what it was trying to convey was well felt.

It was ‘gratitude.’

Thanks for not giving up and living on.

Tribute for her efforts to protect the legacy her sister left behind.

Finally, praise for believing and waiting for family that would surely return someday.

The numerous mosaics drawn on the wall were conveying a single message. It was completely opposite to the past that had been torturing her until now.

And it was what Isabelle needed most.

“……”

A tear rolls down the expressionless face of the doll-like creature. As expected, connecting with PS-111’s emotions had an effect.

“I, I, everything…”

The creature, who had been quietly shedding tears, opened its mouth.

“If only I had noticed a little sooner, if I had been stronger…”

As the words continued, the space twisted again. Shadows fall on the beautiful light dance. What looked like mosaics become clearer and try to return to the dark past.

Her guilt and PS-111’s emotions are colliding.

“I could have prevented my sister from suffering…”

No, rather, the guilt is swallowing PS-111’s message.

Seeing her reaction now, if we’re not careful, PS-111 becoming a Mutant Screamer might be added to the bad memories she experienced.

‘This is annoying.’

If this continues, Isabelle will be completely buried in a mental prison made of guilt.

The problem is that PS-111 has no more means to pressure Isabelle.

‘A stronger shock is needed.’

While PS-111 buys time, I need to shatter the prison.

I approached the twins who were touching foreheads.

“Isabelle.”

“It was always me who was the problem. Because I wasn’t as good as my sister…”

“You’re right.”

When I affirmed her self-loathing, the memories playing on the wall became even clearer. PS-111 also flinched in surprise.

‘There’s no turning back now.’

“If you had prepared more, you might not have lost PS, no, Penelope.”

“!”

“But you can’t change the past now. Your sister has become a mechanical organism, and you’ve become something similar. Cynthia, who deceived you, is already dead.”

When Isabelle closed her mouth, the atmosphere in the cave rapidly sank. Pitch-black darkness was covering her mental world.

“But you know what? The ones who turned Penelope into a Screamer are still alive and well. They’re probably rejoicing at their successful research results. How happy must they be to have gotten a good sample?”

“……”

I don’t know what the Star Union’s Grand Commander and Megacorp House Garmelda’s head, who were involved in creating PS-111, are actually thinking.

But that’s not important here.

“While you’re dawdling here, they’ll try to recover PS-111. I don’t want to lose it, but you never know what might happen. What will you do if they take your sister away?”

“…Stop.”

“Outside, the root cause that pushed you sisters into hell still remains. Are you still going to stay here? Will you just regret it even if they dissect and torture your sister?”

“Stop it!”

Unable to bear it any longer, Isabelle shouts. Every time her scream echoed in the cave, cracks appeared in the memories submerged in darkness.

“Why are you trying to give up here? Is it because PS-111 isn’t the sister you want? If not that, then why aren’t you trying to protect your family?”

“You damn morph! What do you know…!”

“The only thing I know, Isabelle, is that you deserve to be happy.”

“What?”

“Eliminate everyone who interferes with you and your sister’s happiness. Those who torment your sister, those who insulted you, all of them. Enjoy happiness on top of their corpses.”

“My, my happiness…”

“You’ve been trying all this time. Don’t give up here.”

As soon as my words ended, the memories on the wall shattered like breaking glass. At the same time, the entire cave we were standing in shook violently.

“…AMorph is right. I have things to do.”

“Little sister?”

“Sister, in reality, in this world, and here too…”

Isabelle, whose eyes now had light in them, looks at us.

“Thank you for loving me.”

With those words, the nightmare prison collapsed.

Consciousness returns like slowly waking from a deep sleep. My consciousness transfers to AMorph’s body, and my body’s carapace gradually revives.

‘When I linked with the nest and released, sensation returned quickly, but not this time.’

Whether it’s because my size has increased, or because my entire consciousness entered another being’s body, recovery was slow.

When I was finally able to move the central head, I opened my eyes.

I thought I would see No. 26 and Adhigh Orr as always, but I was wrong. The first sight I saw as sensation returned was something I never expected.

“Pinche puta! Where did you hide my gun!”

“Ke, keh! I, I don’t…”

A Screamer with a centipede body and a human woman’s face was grabbing a Cult without arms and legs. Isabelle, who had obtained a beautiful new body, was strangling Alshas with several arms.

“Little sister, physical coordination is not yet complete, so please refrain from violent movements.”

｢Friend’s family strong!｣

｢Is it｣｢painful?｣｢Suddenly｣｢became healthy｣

PS-111, who had just woken up like me, was trying to restrain its new sister who was writhing with its long body. Behind them, No. 26 and Adhigh Orr were watching curiously.

｢AMorph, what exactly did you do?｣

Sky Mother was gaping her beak, looking at Isabelle who was causing a commotion as soon as she woke up.

To her question, I answered briefly.

[Zzzzzzz zzzzz zzzzzz(I told her not to give up as you asked)]

｢It doesn’t seem like that’s all you said, no matter how I look at it.｣

I didn’t say anything particularly special besides that.

I just reminded her that there were things left to do. She will stay with us until she fulfills that duty.

The duty of revenge, that is.