Chapter 226 - The Original Seri Pt. 6

[Disclaimer: This chapter includes scenes of self harm and violence that some readers may find uncomfortable.]

Seri sobbed in her room as she stared at her face. She hated every feature. She hated her eyes. She hated her hair. She hated how worthless she was. Why would she ever think that she had a chance with Mary? There was no way they could work out. They were both girls and Mary didn't even like her. She should just give up...

"I really am worthless... Aren't I?"

No one answered her.

She undid the makeshift bandage on her hand and looked at the bright red cut on her hand. She stared at it closely without expression. As if bewitched, she slowly took her other hand and pressed down on the cut with her thumb. She winced as the cut reopened and pulsed in pain. She watched numbly as the blood slowly trailed off her hand and dripped down.

This pain didn't matter to her. Instead, she preferred this pain to the stabbing feeling in her chest. Her gaze turned and fixated on a letter opener. She silently picked it up and stared at it with apathetic eyes. She turned it to her wrist.

She wanted to feel more.

She wanted to feel less.

I helplessly watched the scene, desperate to help. However, there was nothing I could do. This was just a memory. The original Seri was not interested in the scene before her, but instead she was watching me. The scene abruptly stopped. Her voice seemed a bit somber, "I shouldn't have shown you this. I'm sorry. I won't show you it anymore."

"No. You should never apologize for that. I am happy that you trusted me enough to tell me." I sighed, "I just wish I could have done something to help. Although I couldn't help you then, I can help you by listening to you now."

She watched me for a moment before speaking in a low voice, "I always felt so alone... All I had ever wanted was someone who would stay by my side... When Mary started talking to me, I felt like I was being seen for the first time. It was terrifying, but exciting. I didn't want it to end. Even if I only had Mary, I was okay with it. However, when I saw her dancing with William I realized that I would never have her. Eventually she would leave me and there was nothing I could do about it."

"But you didn't just have her. From what I've seen, William and Artie were nice to you. You seemed to be friends."

"Perhaps... However, I didn't see that at the time. I only thought that I was truly alone. I thought my mother had always been right. I was just a worthless meaningless existence."

When I read the original novel, I never felt pity for her character. I found her annoying and actually celebrated her death. Now that I know her story, I feel a bit ashamed that I hated her so strongly. In the end, she was just a person begging for help...

However, no help would ever find her.

She continued, "After that, I started avoiding Mary. I couldn't come to terms with my feelings and I couldn't face her either. Then..."

The scene changed to the flower garden. The memory progressed exactly as I had seen. Mary approached Seri to give her food as she was tending her garden. The two munched on the food before Mary asked her what was wrong. This time I was able to see Mary's face while Seri talked about the one that she loved. As I looked closer, I saw that Mary's smile seemed rather... Stiff.

This added proof to my earlier assumption.

However, before I could tell the original Seri about it, she was already running through the woods. We watched as Seri collapsed to the ground hyperventilating. The original Seri stood over herself with a grim aura, "This is the part I wanted you to see... However, you left before I could show you."

As Seri felt her world come crashing down, a shadowy figure stepped out with a crazed grin, "You're... Mine..."

Seri sat up abruptly at the sound of the voice, but the figure was already on top of her pinning her to the ground. Deranged laughter echoed off the trees as Seri struggled to push the attacker off of her. Seri shouted, "G-Get off of me!"

Seri didn't know if it was because she was too weak or if the attacker was too strong. Either way, she could only thrash in a failed attempt to get the person off of her. She felt something sharp enter her neck, "Ugh.."

The attacker injected her with a needle while laughing, "Calm down! It's okay! I am here with you... Don't worry... We won't be separate for much longer... Hehe~"

Seri tried to fight her off, but felt her body growing fuzzier and fuzzier. Soon she wasn't able to move much. She muttered, "What... Was... That..."

The attacker grinned at her, "It was my own creation. It makes you unable to move, but you'll be conscious the entire time. Now this one-" She produced another needle, "This one makes you forget."

She leaned down to kiss Seri on the cheek, "Don't worry... You won't remember a thing..."

As she was injected with another needle, Seri whimpered out, "W-Why..."

"Because you belong to me. And only me. I've been watching you for so long... I can't stop myself anymore..." She embraced Seri who was unable to push her off, "I just need to touch you once... Maybe play with you a bit... Don't worry... You won't remember a thing..."

The scene went dark.

I turned to the original Seri with a horrified look, "It can't be..."

She nodded, "It is."

The next memory appeared. Seri woke up and looked around. She was chained to the wall while laying on a soft bed. There were several tools that would make someone's blood run cold. As she looked more, she saw flower petals and scented candles scattered around trying to give it a romantic feeling. However, it just made the situation that much more horrifying. She tried to move her hands, but she found the chains wouldn't allow it.

She heard footsteps and looked over with a horrified expression. Millie skipped over to her with a large smile. She reached out to caress Seri's face, "I've been waiting so long... So long..."

"P-Please let me go..."

"Why would I do that? We are finally together."

"P-People will k-know I'm missing."

Millie broke out into haunting laughter, "Who will notice you missing?! Your family doesn't care about you. Not even the teachers care enough to report you missing. There's not a single person who will notice you gone."

Seri bit her lip. She knew Millie was right. She had always had zero presence. There really was no one who would notice her missing... Her face lit up from a sudden realization, "M-Mary will!"

Even if she had kissed Mary, there's no way Mary would find it normal for Seri just to disappear... Right?

Millie's smile immediately disappeared and was replaced by a look of pure hatred. Millie clenched her jaw, "Mary... That d*mned Mary... She is always getting in my way... Before you were beautiful. Untouched and all alone. Then that stupid girl just had to befriend you. That lonesome expression you had suddenly disappeared..." Millie broke out into insane laughter, "It's not enough for you to just disappear... It seems I really must... Kill. Mary."

Seri's eyes widened in fear, "No! You can't!"

Millie reached out to pick up a scalpel, "I'm sorry Seri. However, I'm in a very bad mood now."

I could only watch on in horror as Millie tortured the poor Seri. She subjected Seri to inhumane conditions. Forcing her to use the bathroom in front of her. Injecting her with needles filled with concoctions that made her feel absolutely nothing or made her feel immense pain. She was torturing her both physically and mentally all while telling Seri that she belonged to her and only her.

All this lasted for over a week. Then, for some reason, Millie rushed to her and began unchaining Seri while muttering in annoyance. Seri was heavily drugged and could barely even form an intelligible thought. Millie dragged her body to the surface and was transporting her when she heard shouting. She clicked her tongue and placed the drugged Seri leaning against a tree.

She bent down and kissed Seri on the cheek. Then she whispered, "I WILL kill Mary... Unless... Unless you completely avoid her and cut off all ties with her."

Seri gurgled back, "I... will..."

She patted Seri's face, "Good girl." Then she disappeared into the night.

William stepped out and saw Seri leaned against the tree with a dazed expression. He rushed over to her and noticed her bonnet was off, revealing her blank face. She wore a ripped dress which was covered in blood. William's eyes widened when he noticed cuts that were stitched shut and bruises that covered her skin.

"What happened to you?!"

Her head slowly turned to look at him, "I... Don't... Know..."

William brought the battered Seri back to the Imperial Palace for medical care. It was only then that he learned it was much worse than what he had seen. The doctor told him that she was injected with needles repeatedly and had to have suffered greatly during her disappearance. What was even worse was that the twisted individual actually took out one of her ribs.

Millie had prepared for everything. Seri could not remember who had kidnapped her or what exactly had happened. William wanted to track down the person who kidnapped her, but Seri begged him not to. She didn't want people to know what happened to her. She just wanted to forget it. Thus, he reluctantly agreed and allowed her to return back to her dorm once she was healed.

Seri may have had amnesia, but her dreams did not. Each time she closed her eyes she would be tortured over again. Once she woke up, she couldn't remember what she dreamed about, but she could feel the pain in her body. There was one thing she remembered.

If she didn't avoid Mary, then Mary would die.

Seri began to blatantly ignore her. She ran away from her. She was doing a good job at avoiding too. Until... The library scene.

In the original novel, I recalled it mentioning that Seri who had always spoken to Mary suddenly stopped. However, it never explained why. One only thought that it was because Seri was in love with William and was overcome by jealousy. Now I understand that it was because of one person...

Millie.

The scene changed to the library. Seri reached out and picked up a book from the bookshelf. Mary entered the library and caught sight of her. Mary rushed over to her side and whispered, "Seri!"

Seri flinched and abruptly walked away to another bookshelf. However, Mary wasn't giving up. "Seri. Please talk to me. I have something to say to you."

"Not interested."

Mary continued to follow her around the library as Seri tried to ignore her. Mary spoke, "I have to talk to you about what happened in the flower garden."

Seri's hand paused at a book before continuing. She whispered back, "Just forget that ever happened. It was a mistake."

"No! I won't forget it and I won't let you tell me it was a mistake!"

"Mary.. Please.. Please just stop talking to me!" Seri attempted to run away again.

Mary followed, "I won't!"

A new wave of panic overcame Seri. Although she couldn't remember who had attacked her, she remembered the message. She immediately began to look around the room nervously while hoping the person wasn't watching.

Mary grabbed her hand to stop her from leaving, "Seri! I have to tell you. After you kissed me, I was surprised. Then you ran off before I could say anything."

"M-Mary... Please.... Don't say another word..."

"I have to. Seri... I feel the same way about you."

Seri froze as she listened to Mary continue, "When you kissed me, I didn't know what to say or do. However, I soon realized that I didn't hate it and I wanted more. I want to always be by your side Seri. Please don't run away from me..."

Her words echoed in Seri's ears, "I love you."

Those words sent electricity through Seri's body. She should be happy to hear that... However... She only felt extremely panicked.

"No... Stop..." Seri pulled her hand away, "Mary, you shouldn't feel that way about me. It's best if you just forget me."

"But I can't! I love you Seri!"

"You shouldn't! The two of us... It would be impossible."

"Who said it would be impossible?! Even if we can't marry, we can still live with each other. I-I-I can become your maid! We can live with each other without fear of being found out!"

Seri wavered while she considered the offer. She felt a strange sense that someone was watching her so she quickly spoke, "Please Mary... For your own good... Just leave me alone..."

Mary was firm, "I won't. Even if you always push me away, I will always stay by your side. You can never get rid of me."

Before Seri could say anything else, she caught sight of Millie on the other side of the bookcase. Seeing that crazed expression, she recognized it at once. Millie was so furious, she intended to kill Mary. She bumped the bookcase, causing it to fall down towards Mary.

"MARY!"

Seri pushed Mary out of the way quickly, the two fell just out of reach of the collapsed bookcase. However, Seri didn't remain unscathed unlike Mary. Several books had fallen on her and caused her wound to reopen. She winced as she held the bloody spot where her rib used to be. Her bonnet rolled on the ground out of reach revealing her painful expression.

Before she could ask Mary if she was alright, a scream rang out, "Seri pushed a bookcase on Mary!"

Mary was in shock from barely avoiding death that she couldn't even speak.

Seri looked up at the crowd gathered in a panic, "N-No!"

Everyone pointed at her shouting.

"Seri tried to kill Mary!"

Seri shook her head madly, "I didn't!"

"Seri is a murderer!"

Seri was frozen in fear as everyone pointed and denounced her. It was as if her worse fear was becoming imagined. Dante suddenly appeared and stomped towards Seri with a frightening expression. His eyes were cold. Lifeless. His expression revealed just what he thought of her.

A worthless bug.

She gulped as his footsteps echoed in her ears. He unsheathed his sword and Seri felt her blood turn cold as she saw her frightened appearance reflected in the blade. She put out a hand protectively, "Wait! That's not it! It's a misunder-"

*SWING*

The sword was swung with such a force, it cut through her fingers before connecting with her neck. The room was silent as a plopping sound echoed off the walls. Something rolled towards Mary's feet before slowly coming to a stop. Mary looked down at it in horror.

Her eyes met with a pair of peach colored eyes.

She shrieked at the top of her lungs.

The original Seri who stood next to me had disappeared. She reappeared next to her headless corpse, no longer wearing her bonnet. Her face looked confused as she patted her body, before slowly reaching up to touch her neck. Then she paused and turned to look at her own corpse.

Dante calmly walked over to Mary and picked her up. She continued to scream as she kicked and hit him. He ignored her as he carried her out of the room. The original Seri noticed Mary and stepped over her body.

She followed Mary and Dante with a blank expression.