As the limb connector's words entered her ears, Tiya stood dumbfounded on the spot.
Her brain seemed to have crashed at that moment.
The words were clearly in Saint Laurent's common language, and she could understand every syllable.
Yet for some reason, when strung together into a complete sentence, they caused her an unprecedented confusion.
What, what was he saying?
Wasn't that guy a limb connector?
Tiya, in a daze, lowered her head to look at the black-haired boy lying in a pool of blood.
The boy who had been speaking with her just moments before now lay on the ground like a cold corpse, his body curled up, as if in the last second before his consciousness dissipated he was still feeling the merciless coldness of the world.
Those glowing blue eyes had been staring at her until the very last second before death.
But because of that inexplicable emotion in her heart, coupled with their mistaken relationship, Tiya had never taken a close look at the boy before her.
It was not that she was unwilling, but that she dared not.
She feared that whatever reproach hid in those eyes would become shackles, imprisoning her tightly, causing her to toss and turn every night, guilt-ridden and sleepless.
But at this moment, Tiya could no longer care about that and bowed her head to look.
The boy's eyes were as beautiful as sea-blue gems, only now dim and lifeless.
However, the next second, Tiya suddenly froze.
She had assumed that the boy would have held an unprecedented grudge before his death.
But the reality was totally beyond her expectation.
There was not the slightest trace of resentment or hatred in his eyes.
It was the same gentle and accommodating attitude he had always shown her, as if even in the last moment before leaving this world, the boy had never held any malice towards anything.
His only regret, perhaps, was that he had not had a proper conversation with her.
Then Tiya raised her head and glanced at the disgusting monster perched on the ceiling, a ridiculous and surreal feeling overwhelming her.
He looked so clean, so handsome, how could he possibly be related to the dirty, ugly limb connectors?
Why... did I believe so firmly that he was a limb connector?
What exactly is wrong with this world?
Tiya stood still, in a daze.
It wasn't until the limb connector's words, "The only one who really wanted to do something was killed because of your infighting," reached her ears that the delicate balance of emotions in her mind was shattered.
The words, like the last straw that broke the camel's back, mercilessly tore through her final guise.
As if mocking her stupidity, while also mourning for the boy before her.
It was not until this moment that an intense pain and ripping sensation belatedly surged into her heart, causing Tiya's fair and clean little face to instantly lose all color.
The pain was so turbulent that she almost fainted.
They had just met not long ago.
Apart from arguing and hurting each other, she had brought him nothing.
She already owed him so much.
Why had things turned out ?
"What... what have I done?"
Tiya closed her eyes subconsciously, emitting a pained wail.
Even if the boy's last look at her had been filled with more hatred, she felt she wouldn't have collapsed .
But that wasn't the case.
At this moment, Tiya clutched the fabric of her chest, like a drowning person gasping for air, yet unable to suppress the sorrow in her heart.
Such intense emotional feedback was extremely rare in her short life.
So rare that it had never happened before.
Perhaps it was because she had suppressed her feelings too much on regular days that when faced with such a situation, she exploded all those emotions that had been accumulating in her heart at once.
Finally, Tiya could no longer restrain her urge and staggered forward, running.
The clean-loving Silent Saintess of the past was nowhere to be seen; even as her gown and knees became stained with dust and blood, she seemed oblivious, kneeling by the boy's side.
Although it was much too late, she still stretched out her hand forcefully to press against the grim wound on his chest.
At this moment, Tiya's face was pale, engaging in futile actions.
Louise, who was standing by, wore a look of shock.
"Tiya, you actually... with a man..."
According to common sense, she, blessed by the Goddess, should have felt a strong aversion to any man.
But seeing the Silent Saintess now, disregarding her clean dress as it became tainted with blood, holding the boy's body clumsily in her arms, this scene struck her with an extremely strong sense of shock.
It was as if a gem, originally pure and flawless, had been dusted with dirt.
However, Tiya was unaware of Louise's thoughts at the moment.
She just kept pressing his wound with her trembling little hands, trying to awaken the unconscious boy.
"I'm sorry... it's all my fault..."
"Please... don't die."
Elsewhere, as the limb connector's arrogant proclamation slowly fell, everyone's eyes revealed an unavoidable horror.
At this moment, the entire abandoned factory was shrouded in darkness.
Sounds from the outside that were faintly audible before had all but disappeared, replaced by an unprecedented silence.
Silence so eerie it chilled the bones.
Only the faint sound of fingernails scratching at the wall was audible, sending shivers down the spine.