'Could it really be just an illusion?'
'Wait!'
He suddenly froze, having grasped the source of that sense of anomaly.
"Who are you?"
"Hmm?"
The girl in front tilted her small head, her gaze seemingly innocent and puzzled, "What's Onii-chan talking about? Mutsumi doesn't understand~"
"You're not Mutsumi," Kaito furrowed his brows tightly, but didn't act immediately.
He initially thought some reckless evil spirit had possessed Mutsumi's body... but even after sweeping through countless times with his divine sense, he couldn't detect any presence of an outsider.
Though he was not at his peak, he still had the vision of a Nascent Soul.
Moreover, this world was already in a Dharma-ending era, with strict power limits.
An evil spirit capable of hiding inside Mutsumi under his nose without leaving any trace would at least be on his level, highly unlikely.
Since it's not external interference...
'Then it must be internal?'
'Something wrong with Mutsumi herself?'
This kind of thing wasn't rare. Even cultivators have what's called a "heart demon", once it takes over, even the closest sect companions can turn on each other mercilessly.
But Mutsumi wasn't a cultivator, and had not the slightest demonic energy on her. So this could also be ruled out.
"Geez, Onii-chan, seriously," The light green-haired girl sighed as if troubled, her pretty face looking a bit helpless, "I thought I could enjoy being happy a little longer, didn't expect to be found out so soon..."
As she spoke, she glanced at her friend nearby and pouted pitifully, "Soyo, is my acting still not good enough?"
Nagasaki Soyo didn't answer, only instinctively clutched her boyfriend's sleeve tighter, her throat trembling slightly, "Mutsumi... where is she?"
"That question... let me think, how should I answer it better?", Mortis raised her hand and gently tapped her lips, as if considering her wording.
But she quickly smiled, spreading her arms open, revealing a radiant yet mischievous grin that gave off the vibe of a "bratty little devil."
"Mutsumi, you see, is actually right here, using these eyes, looking straight at you~ Soyo~"
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Chapter 157: Too Great, Soyo
'Mutsumi... is right there?'
A chill surged from her spine to her crown, Soyo's limbs turned colder, as if plunging into an ice cave.
Seeing her looking as terrified as if she had seen a ghost in broad daylight, Kaito shook his head and finally stopped watching from the sidelines.
Flick!
A knuckle flick lightly landed on Mortis's forehead, "No more playing mysterious."
"Ugh", The light green-haired girl held her little head, puffing up angrily, "Onii-chan, that's mean!"
"There's worse coming," Kaito bent his index finger slightly, pretending to flick again, "Want to try?"
Regarding Mutsumi's current state, he already had some guesses in mind. Plus, he hadn't sensed any malice from Mortis, so his attitude toward her wasn't too harsh.
'Mutsumi, see that?'
Mortis puffed up her cheeks and placed her hands on her waist, like an angry green pufferfish.
'So-called 'little sister' has such a powerless position in front of a girlfriend.'
Wakaba Mutsumi: "..."
The cucumber sword maiden hesitated for a moment, but couldn't hold back and softly thought, ["So, should I take over instead?"]
Perhaps it stemmed from some sixth sense, or perhaps it was the instinct of the soul.
The girl couldn't help but feel that the second personality born from her wasn't as reliable as she imagined?
'Don't worry, just watch my operation, guaranteed carry.'
Seeing that Mutsumi seemed to be losing trust in her and vaguely planned to take back control, Mortis quickly patted her chest in reassurance.
Finally getting a chance to show her face, and not yet having had the chance to shine, she certainly didn't want to bow out so soon.
However, before that...
"Let me introduce myself properly first," The girl gently lifted the hem of her skirt and gave a graceful lady's curtsy, then smiled slightly, "My name is Wakaba Mutsumi. Wakaba as in young leaf, and Mutsumi as in Mutsumi."
"Of course," she then playfully winked, "You can also call me by my other name"
"Mortis."
"So that means", Nagasaki Soyo lifted her head and looked at the all-too-familiar face of her friend, her tone hesitant, "You are actually a second personality born from Mutsumi?"
"That's right~", Mortis sat on the sofa, cheerfully swinging her feet in white ankle socks.
Nagasaki Soyo bit her lip, hesitating to speak.
She had only seen settings like dual personalities in novels or movies before.
But now it had suddenly happened to her own friend No matter how you looked at it, it was too unbelievable.
Kaito, on the other hand, accepted this setting quite quickly. He had already had similar suspicions, and now it was just confirmed by the person involved.
'It's just'
"Why are you calling me 'Onii-chan' too?"
Since she was just a newly born second personality, and this was their first meeting, there was no reason for her to be this intimate, right?
"Hmm?", Mortis tilted her head and said as if it were natural, "Mutsumi and I are one. Mutsumi's Onii-chan is also my Onii-chan. Or are you saying, Onii-chan hates me? Doesn't want me to call you that?"
By the end, her tone was already full of grievance, looking over pitifully like a little beast afraid of being abandoned by its owner.
"...It's not like that," Kaito felt a bit complicated. His originally well-behaved and sensible little sister had suddenly split into two completely different individuals. This feeling was rather strange.
Compared to the quiet and reserved Mutsumi, the Mortis before him was obviously more lively and outgoing, and had all sorts of tactics for acting cute and pitiful at her fingertips.
However, her affection for him was clearly the same as Mutsumi's.
Staring at the just-Google-searched encyclopedia entry on her phone screen, Nagasaki Soyo was silent for a long time.
The birth of a dual personality usually results from a person experiencing immense grief or pain, leading to severe psychological trauma, thus triggering a natural defensive mechanism of the human psyche.
Just a few days ago, Mutsumi had still been normal. Although she didn't talk much, her mental state had been relatively stable.
'What exactly happened that severely stimulated her and even led to the birth of a new personality?'
'There hasn't been anything strange happening recently Wait.'
Soyo suddenly remembered something she had said to her friend.
("Mutsumi, you wouldn't understand, right?")
'Could it be because of that?'
Even if Mutsumi didn't understand what she meant at the time, since she always lived with Kaito, she would definitely find out from his words that the two of them had started dating.
So, was it because of her unintentional showing off that caused Mutsumi to feel fear of being abandoned by her Onii-chan? And in the extreme anxiety and fear, the second personality was born?
No wonder she would think that.
A young girl in her first bloom of love, only to have her crush snatched away by a friend.
Such a blow could severely damage a normal person.
After not seeing her friend for a few days and realizing her mental state had changed, and then realizing the culprit was herself?
Nagasaki Soyo felt at a complete loss, even a little afraid to look at Mortis in front of her.
Even though, by timing, she had been the first one there, the guilt still lingered in her heart and wouldn't go away.
After hesitating, she grabbed Kaito's hand, "Kaito-kun, can we go to your room for a bit? I have something to talk to you about."
"Sure," Seeing his girlfriend's heavy-hearted appearance, Kaito nodded slightly and didn't say more.
"Eh?", Mortis tugged at his sleeve, softly acting spoiled, "Can't you say it here? Mutsumi and I are very curious too~"
"Nope~", Soyo crossed her fingers, forcing a gentle smile, "Mortis-chan, please just wait quietly in the living room for a while. We'll be back very soon."
"Alright then."
Mortis looked a bit disappointed but didn't push further. She obediently sat back on the sofa, placed her hands on her knees, and straightened her back, sitting like a model elementary school student.
Soyo and Kaito entered the bedroom together and locked the door behind them.
Before Kaito could speak, the brown-haired girl took a deep breath and said in a low voice, "Sorry. It's all because of me that Mutsumi became like this."
She didn't beat around the bush and spilled everything she had done like pouring out beans, then lowered her eyes like a criminal awaiting trial.
'Kaito-kun must be really mad, right?'
After all, a bad woman like her, even she couldn't forgive herself, how could she expect forgiveness from someone else?
The dim room wasn't lit, and in the silence, they could only hear each other's breathing.
Then, someone flicked her on the forehead.
"Overthinking again," After listening to Soyo's self-blame, Kaito didn't take it too seriously.
'No matter what, Mutsumi won't be fragile enough to be severely traumatized just because her Onii-chan got a girlfriend, right?'
'There are many reasons why a second personality might form, you can't jump to conclusions so easily.'
'More important than taking the blame right now is figuring out how to deal with Mortis.'
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Chapter 158: Currently Committing
How should Mortis be dealt with?
This was indeed the most important issue at hand. Nagasaki Soyo didn't have time to dwell on self-blame. She pulled out her phone, originally intending to book an appointment with a psychiatrist, but just before dialing, she hesitated.
This method might be effective, but it would clearly be a long process.
After all, dissociative identity disorder isn't like having a cold or fever, one shot and it's cured instantly.
If the condition worsens and even the doctor doesn't dare guarantee a cure, then what?
After all, she was just an ordinary female college student, pampered by her mother since childhood. Suddenly encountering something like this, it was inevitable she'd feel panicked and at a loss, subconsciously casting her plea for help to the one person in her heart she could rely on most.
"Don't worry."
Kaito did not disappoint her.
Wanting to resolve Mutsumi's alternate personality issue was not a hassle for him.
The most straightforward method would be for him to take action personally and directly erase the consciousness belonging to "Mortis," thereby resolving the problem at its root.
The downside was that this method was too crude and also inhumane.
After all, from the moment she was born, Mortis already possessed the full range of human emotions.
Although she was only a part of Mutsumi, not an entirely separate individual, she still had her own joys, angers, sorrows, and happiness.
Moreover...
Wakaba Mutsumi and Mortis, who says this is a single-choice question?
Only children make choices, mature Heavenly Lords take them all.
As a dignified cultivator, even though he was still seriously injured and not yet healed, molding a body that could house a mortal's consciousness wasn't difficult.
Using this method, Mortis could also be separated from the host personality's physical body and exist independently in this world.
Of course, there were still downsides.
At the very least, it might not be so good for Mori Minami's heart. When that famous actress finally finished her schedule, squeezed out some time in her busyness to pick up her daughter, and discovered that after a few months apart, her daughter had turned into a buy-one-get-one-free deal...
Should it be called a surprise, or a fright?
Just imagining that amusing scene eased Soyo's originally anxious heart quite a bit, and she couldn't help but laugh.
But she was still a bit worried. She hesitated for a moment and couldn't help asking, "Would this... cause Mutsumi any harm? Are there any side effects?"
'Separating the alternate personality from the main body, that must be painful, right?'
"Of course not," Kaito shook his head slightly.
In essence, this was not much different from refining a magical treasure. In fact, it was even simpler.
After all, refined treasures need functions for protection or combat, but the vessel to house Mortis' consciousness didn't need to be so complicated.
The only problem at the moment, on the contrary, was where to get the materials.
If it was just replicating a mortal's body, that would be easy.
But since they were doing it, they might as well do it as best as possible.
"Starting tomorrow, let's gather some essence of the sun and moon," Kaito looked out the window at the night sky and quickly made a decision.
"Eh?"
Returning to the living room with Soyo and explaining this plan to Mortis, the girl was stunned, pointing at herself with disbelief.
"I can... also have my own body?"
As Wakaba Mutsumi's alternate personality, the purpose of her birth was to help Mutsumi obtain happiness.
Mortis didn't reject this mission. Even if Mutsumi's happiness came at the cost of her own disappearance.
But now
Onii-chan was telling her: You still have another path you can walk.
A path that could let Mutsumi find happiness, while also preserving her own consciousness completely, even giving her a human body.
"If you're willing," Kaito looked straight into her eyes and saw nervousness, anxiety, anticipation, and joy in those amber pupils.
The light-green-haired girl threw herself into his arms, and after a long while, a muffled voice emerged.
"Onii-chan, thank you."
"Since you call me onii-chan just like Mutsumi, there's no need to be so polite."
Protecting one's own was a fine tradition in the cultivation world. Kaito patted her head, "But, for now, we still need some time to prepare the materials. So for the time being, you'll still need to share one body with Mutsumi."
"That kind of thing doesn't matter at all."
Mortis lifted her head, her golden eyes sparkling, "I believe in onii-chan!"
