Chapter 14: Empath

There was once an introverted child who never made friends… or even relied on people for help.

Living his life alone, even while he wasn't.

"Bro…" His older sibling looked worried, but the child who grew up too early didn't understand it.

He tried to deny that love existed, but the warmth his brother showed was proof that denied his pride.

Sappy stuff like 'Dreams' and 'Hopes' really existed. 'Love' was especially real in his eyes.

…But he couldn't accept it.

"What's wrong?" Adam neither smiled to comfort his brother's worries, nor did he speak falsehoods.

There was no way he'd ever lie to his older brother.

"You… are you feeling okay?" Gilbert tried to find what was wrong, but couldn't find anything off.

At first, the older brother found him cute… but time slowly revealed the nature of his heartlessness.

"Yeah…" He nodded, then left the room before Gil could say anything that'd make things awkward.

Ending the conversation abruptly.

This had always been his way of avoiding any issue. After all, some things blended in over time.

But…

What was he doing wrong?

It was impossible for two people to understand each other anyway. To feel what another felt.

Maybe that's why he always had an empty heart.

Recently, however, he had gone too deep into the emotions of others. Things he never knew existed.

And it was driving him insane…

The deep 'Perspective Shift' was cut off, and Adam found himself inwardly reeling from the backlash.

Her feelings were too strong…

Well, that was the point of this whole nonsense anyway. To break her innocent trust in that person.

Thus, erasing the stubborn brainwashing.

Adam knew that Clarissa was watching from afar while biting her lip. Stopping herself from acting.

Any interference would break the illusion of terror that was being inflicted. The nightmare in reality.

Since he had seen Sidmund's own 'Perspective' himself, his subtle actions were all fully replicated.

Copied over to full effect.

He looked at the way her face deformed after realising she had been stabbed. Blood seeped out of her wound, and her eyes were shaking. Tears that had been held back now flooding her face.

"I-I'm sorry…" Abigail wept: "I must have wrong you somehow… someway. I… I'll make it up to you. I'll-"

*Smack*

He smacked her away, but she seemed to not get the memo. Still trying to win his favour at this point.

Perhaps because he'd lived in other people perspective for so long, her feelings became vivid.

Even though 'Perspective Shift' had been turned off, Adam now started to understand true empathy.

To feel the raw pain and emotions of another.

The more she squirmed around, the more he felt guilty for his actions… Regretful. Which was a first. 

Maybe he shouldn't have tried delving into her mind to see if his plans were working out just fine.

He'd used 'Narration' too complacently.

Abigail must have felt like she had gotten through to him when he stopped momentarily to breath.

Trying to kill his emotions.

"I-I'm sorry." She held the shallow wound on her stomach. Her hand stretched out to grab his pant.

Pinching on it firmly.

It made his transfigured expression look down menacingly at her. Trying to hold in what he'd felt.

But sometimes, things could go as desired.

Adam knelt down to face her eyes head-on.

He accepted her feelings, and that they were all fully 'real'. More genuine than his own broken self.

His hand stroked her face while looking at the heart behind the skin, bone, and flesh. The person…

Finally, he 'looked' at person other than his family.

"You did nothing wrong." He didn't know why, but he wanted to make that clear to her at this point.

None of this was her fault whatsoever.

"Please… Don't hurt me anymore. I-I've done nothing wrong. W-Why …? S-stop…!" These words were spoken in a disjointed manner, but they were much more sincere than anything eloquent.

She held her bleeding wound.

Her appeal started to make him waver. Unable to continue his assault. However… it wouldn't end yet.

Whether what he did was good or evil, it was true that only those who acted could change anything.

And so… he would change her himself.

Adam realised that ever since a certain point, he hadn't been 'himself'. His mind was too broad.

Unable to think subjectively anymore.

Thus, he initiated a 'Deep Dive' Perspective Shift that would safely get his thoughts back on track.

The deep dive into 'Adam Graham' character.

…..

….

…

..

.

FUCK.

Fuck…

What am I doing right now?

And for what exactly?

…Oh yeah. I gotta traumatise this brainwashed woman so that her sister helps protect my family.

It sounded sane in my head a few moments ago.

Damn, why did I have to use Narration like an idiot.

Fuck…

Is there a way to back out of this?

Nah… Clarissa was still watching and things would only get harder if I chose not to do this to her.

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Moreover, I couldn't just say 'It was a prank, bro!' after stabbing someone. That just wouldn't work.

It PROBABLY wouldn't work.

…Should I try it just in case?

My eyes squinted while looking at the face of Abigail Pine, who I knew way too much about.

She was a little silly, but had a clean heart.

Not someone who deserved what was happening to her at this moment, and definitely not my enemy.

But I still had to beat up this nice girl.

I should detach myself just as usual. This wasn't personal at all. It's something done for both of us.

But why…? Why couldn't I act as per usual now?

My hands held her face without strength.

Eyes locking with her own, and intimately aware of every thought she must be thinking at this point.

I should stop looking. Stop trying to understand her. Close my eyes and become less sensitive.

So why was this so hard to do?

I'm empty.., It's been that way since the beginning of my life. The only ones that matter are my family.

"Are you crying for me?" Suddenly, Abigail's voice made me realise that tears were leaking from me.

Were my eyes too dry?

Yeah, that must be it.

She just misunderstood my responses, is all…

This was a one-way understanding between us.

It was a fool for me to use.  Yeah… That was all there was to it. She was a fool for falling got my tricks. I was just good at understanding emotions and replicating them, so I didn't have to care at all.

This was probably the struggle of an 'Empath'.

Yeah…

"Don't cry." Abigail let go of her wound and wiped the tears off my face. Smudging blood on me too.

Only to notice her mistake and try to use piece of cloth from her pocket. Trying to wipe that smudge.

Her handkerchief should've been used on her wound. Why did she have to act so stupid?

It's dumb…

Yeah…

It was so clumsy… To the point of being a joke.

But I couldn't laugh.

The boundary between right and wrong, which I'd believed was murky, now looked completely clear.

Damn…

It hurts… I'm supposed to be the one hurting someone else, so why was a feeling like shit?

Was this feeling just… 'sympathy'?

I should just stop.

There should be another way. Even if I'm trying to save her future, shouldn't I consider her feelings?

Did I really HAVE TO do this to her…?

Suddenly, the heart I thought was dead from the beginning started stirring. Making me speak up:

"If you had to pick between a short; unhappy life of a wanted criminal… and a long; unhappy life of an unloved sinner, which would you choose?" I asked out of curiosity. A strange question unbefitting him.

Sidmund Tailor would never ask such a thing.

Regardless, Abigail didn't doubt my identity in the slightest. Instead trying her best to understand me.

With that limited scope of her vision…

"I'd do anything for you. Even if means becoming a sinner." Abigail rested her forehead on my chest.

This answer was like a bucket of cold water on me.

She was willing to give away her entire existence for a stranger, but I couldn't do it for my family?

Why did I feel… horrible?

That compassion that had restricted me became hatred. My hands lowered down from her cheeks.

Grabbing her by the neck.

"Sid…?" Abigail looked at me.

Only to squint her eyes and redden when my two hands increased their pressure on her frail neck.

"S-stop…!" She tried to push me, but I continued to strangle her with eyes that had lost their sympathy.

The only thing left was reckless resolve.

"No… No…! AAAAAARGH!" She wailed like a madwoman. Hitting me with all her might.

But eventually, all her struggles had ended.

The dim pink light in her eyes had vanished, and she eventually fell unconscious from my violence.

It was at that point I had let go of her.

Killing her wasn't my intention from the start.

When the job was done, Clarissa came walking in to be by her sister's side. She glanced at me.

It was obvious she found out about my ability.

I wasn't showing any intention to hide it anyway.

"Was that a wish, or…?" Clarissa tried to get a better picture, but I just pointed at her sister.

We had no time for this right now.

None of us couldn't heal her easily.

Which was why I changed her without permission.

Using the ability of my Toxic Blade.

Abigail had become Succubus just like her older sister, but this was just a temporary transformation.

I wasn't going to do anything without asking first.

It's the least I could do for her.

Unlike that cab driver I'd let loose earlier. It made me wonder if the test for my plan was going well.

I wondered how he was doing right now, but decided not to use my ability to check it out.

It was better to take a look for ourselves.

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