Evelyn walked mostly in silence, lost in her thoughts, as if she didn't care about the trial in the slightest. She quietly followed the group ahead, frowning as she glanced at the orange-tinted sky. Dawn was approaching. She crossed her arms and pouted. Just a few hours ago, she had been sound asleep next to Arthur... She thought for a moment...
*I feel so comfortable by his side. It's so relaxing, and it's easier to fall asleep.* She lowered her head slightly. Those were the only moments when her chaotic mind could fully rest.
The first time she saw him hiding in that bush during the assignment test, she felt drawn to him. His scent was... peculiar. It was refreshing, as if it had never been tainted by dirt or filth. She became deeply interested in him because she could distinguish people by their smell—everyone had a unique scent that set them apart. So far, Arthur's scent gave her the peace she so desperately craved.
She touched her hands. The scent of Leslie and the professor was the same as hers: unpleasant, foul, repugnant. She hated it. But... when Leslie and she got close to Arthur, that putrid smell disappeared, as if Arthur's scent enveloped the two of them. It grew even stronger the closer she got to him.
That was why she had been so reluctant to come along with the others. She wanted to stay by Arthur's side forever... only then would she feel at peace.
Looking at herself... she knew she was beautiful. After all, it was a woman's pride. She had everything—great attributes, a stunning body—but the only problem was that she was too quiet. Or maybe you could say she was too calm. She wished she could be as open as Leslie or the others.
Her fingers intertwined. But she was afraid of hurting someone again... She always tried to keep her emotions in check, to lock her heart away.
Like I said, my mind is chaotic when I'm awake. It feels like it's split in two—one part is me, and the other is... terrifying. I'm afraid of it, a being I can't fully control. We coexist, but it constantly whispers in my ear to burn everything. One day, I saw her in my dreams...
she looked just like me, but behind those eyes was endless madness. She was surrounded by countless white wings, shining as brightly as the sun. But that thing behaves very friendly toward me... always trying to hug me. When she does, my mind goes blank... it terrifies me.
Since I was five, I've had the same nightmare—it's never left me. It always appears in my dreams, but sleep is the easiest way to keep myself sane... It feels like a curse.
Clenching her fists, Evelyn's body trembled slightly as she shut her eyes tightly.
"Evelyn... are you alright?"
Pulled from her thoughts, she slowly opened her eyes. Beside her was Daniela. She knew her; they had been close when they were kids. But ever since the nightmares began, Evelyn had distanced herself out of fear she might accidentally hurt someone.
"Huh... Yeah, I'm fine," she replied, lowering her head in embarrassment. She had this ache in her heart... She wanted to be as close to Daniela as Leslie and Elizabeth were. The three of them had been such good friends... Now, Evelyn didn't know how to act around her; it made her uncomfortable.
"I'm really glad! I thought you were upset for being forced to come with us," Daniela moved closer to Evelyn. "I'm sorry, I know how much you hate this kind of thing." She lowered her head.
Evelyn bit her lip. *Don't apologize... I'm not upset... I'm just scared of myself.* Clenching her fists, she forced a small smile. "It's fine, I'm not angry." The scent coming from Daniela's body was friendly, but for some strange reason, it became aggressive when she was near Arthur...
"That's great!" Daniela's eyes sparkled as she tried to get even closer to Evelyn, but it was as if an invisible wall kept them from getting any nearer. A bit embarrassed, Daniela glanced ahead, noticing the rest of the group was a little farther away. After a few moments of hesitation, she gathered the courage to speak. Daniela had a unique ability... [Compassionate Heart].
It allowed her to see people's emotions. She could clearly sense how sad and regretful Evelyn felt—it was a deep blue color with black tinges, completely painting her soul. But... when Evelyn was around Arthur, that color vanished, replaced by a soft yellowish-white, a color of peace. That confused and frustrated Daniela. The same thing happened with Leslie...
both of them were so strange when it came to their souls. Seeing them directly could drive anyone to madness. Daniela was very discreet about it.
Emotions were a vast and deep field—she knew that well. It was extremely difficult to change the emotional state of someone, especially if that person was filled with emptiness. Looking once more at Evelyn's soul, Daniela shivered. Only a small part of Evelyn's soul felt sadness and regret; most of it was an abyssal black. It was as if she wasn't human.
Daniela couldn't comprehend how someone could have a soul of that color. She had seen countless souls—each one vibrant and full of emotions—but in the case of Leslie, Evelyn, and Professor Emilia… even the imperial princess… their souls were hollow, devoid of emotion. As I said, only a tiny fraction of their souls had any emotional colors. If I had to put it in numbers, I'd say about 5%...
She had tried asking her mother about it, but her mother only shook her head and said, "It's not time yet." That's all she said. Daniela had done everything she could to paint their souls with colors, but it had no effect.
Until a few days ago… when that bastard Arthur showed up… He did it. He managed to fill the hollow souls of those three people with colors. Leslie's soul was now a deep red—she's clearly in love, head over heels. Evelyn's soul had shifted to a yellowish-white, a state of profound peace.
And Professor Emilia's soul had turned a light orange… she seemed angry and frustrated, though for reasons I don't know. But all of this was because of one person...