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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator – Seraph]
[Proofreader – Draxx]
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Chapter 347
Isabel sat in the cave, her hollow eyes fixated on the screen displaying the images.
The figure before her was slightly different from what I remembered.
It was clearly the appearance of a Coldblood, small in stature, but it seemed as though an image of a woman had been overlaid on top of it.
“Amorph.”
The being, which was a mixture of a Coldblood and a human female, turned its head toward me.
Isabel's strange appearance, and her recognizing me, made it clear that this place was a different space from any world of memories I had seen before.
‘Perhaps this is a world she created to imprison herself.’
The fragmented memories shown on the cave walls were all filled with misfortune: Penelope, who had been injured because of Isabel during their fight with the enemy, Isabel fleeing, and her deception at the hands of Cynthia, leading her to cooperate with her.
In other words, this was a nightmare world designed to instill guilt and force atonement.
The creature that had been staring at me now shifted its gaze behind me.
“…And my sister.”
Turning my head, I saw a strange being. Unlike me, who had only shrunk in size, PS-111 had changed drastically. It had the form of a mutant screamer, with images of Penelope and a human overlay on top of it.
Neither fully human, Coldblood, nor mutant screamer, the being spoke.
“‘Sister.’ Everything is over now. Alshas has been defeated, and all the threats to you have been eliminated.”
“……”
“So you can come out now.”
At PS-111’s words, Isabel shook her head.
“Why didn’t I realize it sooner? That my sister was already dead.”
“I have not died.”
“Maybe I didn’t want to admit it. My sister died because of me, and I tried to avoid taking responsibility.”
“According to confirmed memory data, that was unavoidable.”
“Yet, I still deceived myself, wanting to live even alone.”
“No. You did your best.”
Despite PS-111’s attempts to persuade her, nothing reached Isabel.
‘Looking at the list of memories, it’s clear that Isabel is drowning in guilt.’
Only the most painful and extreme parts of the past, the ones that could inflict the most torment, were being repeated. The very owner of this space was seemingly hoping to self-torture, so it was no surprise that Isabel couldn’t hear PS-111.
As long as the conversation didn’t happen, she wouldn’t hear anything we said.
‘We need to relieve her of this guilt.’
Since we could peer into Isabel’s mind, the reverse should also be possible. If we utilized the memories of PS-111’s original, Penelope, it would be a big help in alleviating her guilt.
‘The problem is that most of PS-111’s memories are gone.’
In the past, it had been severely damaged while fighting the Ice Horror. Thanks to Number 26, its brain had been partially repaired, but most of its memories were lost during that process, and a new personality had formed. Since Penelope’s memories were now nearly gone, I wasn’t sure if they would be enough to persuade Isabel.
‘But…’
I watched PS-111 as it kept trying to persuade Isabel.
It didn’t give up and continued trying to convey what it felt through the memories it saw. It seemed that this was the only means it had to express its emotions.
‘Emotions, huh.’
Suddenly, old memories resurfaced.
My mother was a very cold person. Even before the accident, she had never once said that she loved me.
I had asked my father about it when I was young. He said that there were things that could be conveyed without words. My mother, though clumsy with expressions, surely loved me in her heart.
I believed my father’s words were true. After all, my mother kept paying for the expensive medical bills. However, it took me a long time to understand my mother’s heart.
‘Now that I think about it, the relationship between Adhai and Ham Ort was similar.’
Ham Ort, a wicked black dragon, had chosen to abandon Adhai in order to save her. Because of that, Adhai lived for a long time, resenting her own kin.
Although she eventually learned the truth, the bitterness didn’t easily dissipate. Even knowing that a Gallagon couldn’t lie, it was still hard to understand.
For a long time, the problem had been unresolved, but Number 26 solved it by sharing memories and emotions.
‘What she needs may be her sister's emotions, not words.’
If PS-111’s emotions were directly connected, it would be a huge help in restoring Isabel.
I called out to PS-111.
“Isabel won’t listen to anyone. Let’s change our approach.”
“I cannot give up on my sister. I do not want her to suffer. To awaken her, I must continue speaking with her.”
PS-111, usually cold and mechanical, was not like that now. It seemed anxious.
I calmly reassured it.
“I didn’t say I’d give up. I said we should try a different approach.”
“A different approach? What do you mean?”
“Just like what Number 26 did, you need to convey your emotions directly to her.”
“I am a mutant screamer. My emotions are merely the product of complex chemical reactions and various factors. I cannot fulfill the expectations you have for me.”
I knew without it being said.
It was in a much more confused state than Isabel. Created through a complex process, it harbored many conflicting personalities.
‘That’s why now is the opportunity.’
Among the mixed identities was the dormant consciousness of Penelope. Since these identities influenced its thoughts, it would be easier for PS-111 to convey its feelings to Isabel.
“Besides, I am a being synthesized from both organic and mechanical components. Most of my thoughts are led by AI. My emotions are the same.”
“Well, I guess we’ll find out if we try it directly.”
“It would be a meaningless act.”
“It’s not something that requires a long time, so there’s no reason not to try.”
“That is true, but…”
Since I didn’t back down, PS-111 finally nodded.
“How should I proceed?”
“Try it the way you did outside. Press your forehead against hers.”
PS-111 moved toward Isabel and brought its forehead close to hers. Even with Penelope's lingering image faintly visible, there was no emotion on Isabel’s face.
As their foreheads met, the image overlaying PS-111’s body rippled like raindrops falling on water.
“……”
Still, Isabel showed no reaction.
Instead, the walls of the cave reacted. The memories being projected on the walls began to distort with noise and slowly change into something else.
The sharp memories from the past, once as clear as a razor blade, now blurred like mist. A swarm of multicolored lights filled the empty space.
Reflecting PS-111’s mental state, the cave, once pitch black, quickly became colored with beautiful hues. Its gaze moved slowly, following the brilliant light.
The lights on the walls were not fixed. They constantly shifted, like fog or a mosaic, nothing visible in its entirety, but strangely, the intended message was clear.
It was ‘gratitude’.
Gratitude for not giving up and continuing to live.
A tribute to the effort put into protecting the legacy left behind by her sister.
Finally, a tribute to the faith and patience that she would one day reunite with her family.
The many mosaics painted on the wall conveyed a single message. It was in complete contrast to the painful past that had tormented her until now.
And it was exactly what Isabel needed.
“……”
A single tear rolled down Isabel’s face, her expression still as blank as a doll. As expected, the emotional connection with PS-111 had a profound effect.
“I, I… everything...”
The one who had been quietly shedding tears opened its mouth.
“If only I had noticed sooner, if I had been stronger…”
As it spoke, the space around us twisted again. The ballroom of beautiful light was now tainted with shadows. Things that had appeared as mosaics became clearer, and it seemed as though we were returning to a dark past.
Its guilt and PS-111’s emotions were clashing.
“If I could have spared my sister from suffering…”
No, in fact, the guilt was swallowing PS-111’s message.
Seeing its reaction now, there was a chance that PS-111’s transformation into a Mutant Screamer could be added to the bad memories it had experienced.
‘This is troublesome.’
At this rate, Isabel would become completely trapped in a mental prison riddled with guilt.
The problem was that PS-111 no longer had any means to pressure Isabel.
‘I need to convince it now.’
While PS-111 bought time, I had to break down the prison of its mind.
I approached the twins, whose foreheads were touching.
“Isabel.”
“It’s always been my fault. I wasn’t good enough, not better than your sister…”
“You’re right.”
As I affirmed its self-flagellation, the memories playing out on the walls became even clearer. PS-111 also flinched in surprise, its body shaking.
‘I can’t back down now.’
“If you had prepared more, you wouldn’t have lost Penelope, or rather, you wouldn’t have lost her to PS…”
“!”
“But you can’t change the past now. Your sister has become a mechanical creature, and you’ve ended up similarly. Cynthia, who deceived you, is already dead.”
As Isabel closed its mouth, the atmosphere of the cave quickly grew heavy. The black darkness began to engulf its mind.
“By the way, the ones who turned Penelope into a Screamer are still alive. They’re celebrating their successful research results, enjoying it as they look at their ‘successful’ sample. How happy must they be?”
“......”
I don't know what Garmelda Gaju, the Star Union commander involved in the creation of the PS-111, is actually thinking.
But that doesn’t matter here.
“While you’re here, they’ll try to recover PS-111 in one way or another. I don’t want to lose it either, but that’s how the world works. What if they take your sister?”
“Stop.”
“There’s still the mastermind outside, the one who pushed your sisters into hell. Will you stay here? Even if they dissect and torture your sister, will you only regret it?”
“Stop it!”
Unable to bear it any longer, Isabel shouted. Every time its scream echoed through the cave, the memories drowned in darkness cracked.
“Why are you giving up here? Is it because PS-111 isn’t the version of your sister you want? Or is it because you’re not trying to protect your family?”
“Damn it, Amorph! What do you know…!”
“The only thing I know, Isabel, is that you deserve to be happy.”
“What?”
“Erase everyone who stands in the way of you and your sister’s happiness. Those who torment your sister, those who humiliated you erase them. Enjoy happiness over their corpses.”
“I... I deserve happiness...?”
“You’ve tried so hard so far. Don’t give up now.”
The moment I finished speaking, the memories on the wall shattered like broken glass. At the same time, the entire cave shook violently.
“…The Amorph is right. I have something to do.”
“Young sister?”
“Sister, in this reality, in this world, and even here…”
Isabel, whose eyes had regained their light, looked at us.
“Thank you for loving me.”
With those words, the nightmare prison shattered.
Consciousness slowly returned, like awakening from a deep sleep. My awareness shifted to The Amorph’s body, and the exoskeleton of my own body gradually came back to life. The Auxiliary Organs began sensing the scent of blood from the factory, followed by a growing awareness of my massive head and long neck.
‘When I linked with the nest and deactivated, the sensations came back quickly. But this time, it’s different.’
Perhaps it was because I had grown larger, or maybe because my consciousness had fully transferred into the body of another being, but the recovery was slower this time.
Finally, when I could move the central head, I opened my eyes.
As expected, I thought I would see Number 26 and Adhai, but no. The moment my senses returned, the first things I saw were entirely unexpected.
“Pinche puta(Fucking Bitch)! Where the hell did you hide my pistol?!”
PR/N:- “Pinche puta” is Spanish word meaning “Fucking Bitch”
“Ke-keh! I... I don’t know…”
A Screamers with a human woman’s face was holding a cultist, its limbs missing, while Isabel, having gained a new, beautiful body, strangled Alshas with multiple arms.
“Young sister, please refrain from violent movements as your body is still being calibrated.”
｢My friend's family is strong!｣
｢Sick｣｢No?｣｢Suddenly?｣｢Healthy｣
PS-111, who had just awakened like me, wriggled its long body, trying to calm down the new sibling. Behind us, Number 26 and Adhai watched curiously.
｢The Amorph, what the hell did you do?｣
The Mother of the Sky, upon waking up, stared at Isabel, who was causing a ruckus.
To her question, I gave a brief answer.
[ZZZZZ ZZZZ ZZZZZ (I told it not to give up as requested)]
｢It doesn’t seem like you only said that though?｣
There was nothing particularly special I had said.
I had just reminded it of the tasks that still needed to be done. Until those duties were fulfilled, it would remain by our side.
The duty of vengeance.
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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator – Seraph]
[Proofreader – Draxx]
Join our Discord for release updates!
https://discord.com/invite/dbdMDhzWa2
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