"Bro~"
Luna offered Elias another slice of steak, eagerly awaiting his reaction.
Initially, Elias was suspicious that Luna might poison the food, but realizing her earnest desire to live undisturbed with him in the old mansion, now resembling a prison, he dismissed the thought.
After all, there would be no point in poisoning him.
Despite this, Elias had little appetite, even though Luna's culinary skills were as good as she claimed. His emotions dulled his taste, making everything bland.
"Is it tasty, bro?" Luna asked, full of hope.
"Um... delicious." Elias managed to chew a few bites before swallowing the steak with difficulty.
"Really tasty..." Luna smiled even brighter, extending a piece of vegetable towards him.
"Try this! You need a balanced diet, can't just eat meat~"
Elias, looking helplessly at the vegetable and then back at Luna's beaming face, replied, "Well... I'm actually not hungry, I've had enough."
What was meant to be a normal response instantly changed the atmosphere in the dining room, which turned several degrees colder.
[Luna]
[Affection: 100]
[Contamination: 72 ↑]
Elias was shocked to see her contamination level increase.
"Bro-bro!"
Luna's face darkened, her lips pursed, and even her arms began to twitch slightly - a sign of impending transformation!
"Don't waste food!" she commanded, looking down the long dining table. "You must! Eat all of it!!"
"Ah?" Elias was startled. Such a strong reaction?
He could only muster a resigned smile. "Okay, okay..."
"Eat, eat, eat!"
Elias, on the verge of tears, picked up a plate and swallowed hard.
How could he possibly eat all this food?
But he knew he had to calm Luna's emotions to avoid a sudden outburst and to prepare for the right moment to control her. So, he reluctantly began eating.
Seeing Elias obediently eating, Luna's expression softened.
[Contamination: 71 ↓]
Dinner continued in silence.
After finishing the steak and bread, Elias felt he could eat no more.
Fortunately, Luna shared the burden. While eating, he sneaked a glance at her.
She had moved her chair next to him, supervising like a warden.
Yet, she ate even faster than Elias, who felt coerced, and cleaned every plate thoroughly.
Elias watched Luna as she eagerly ate, her small frame seemingly hiding a stomach that could fit an entire universe. Each bite was met with a look of immense pleasure.
In the slums The City of Saint Rose, Elias had found her, a frail, starving child, her first words to him a simple plea: "I'm so hungry..."
The child, abandoned by her family as a monster, escaped from the orphanage only to be relentlessly pursued by agents of the special affairs department.
As a result, she often went from one meal without knowing when the next would come, with hunger and cold dominating the first half of her life.
Now, as Elias observed her, his emotions were a complex mix of warmth and pain.
Under different circumstances, this scene — siblings quietly enjoying a meal together — could have been touching. But the harsh reality lingered; his sister was a monster, warped and insane, who had once killed him.
This thought alone extinguished any flicker of sympathy in his heart.
Elias's hand subconsciously reached into his trouser pocket, seeking solace in the hidden object there.
"bro, can't you eat anymore?" Luna's voice broke the silence, her eyes filled with concern.
"Is it not to your taste?" she asked, slightly anxious.
"Not at all," Elias quickly retracted his hand, reaching instead for the borscht. "I just need to slow down a bit. Eating non-stop is quite tiring."
Luna didn't dwell on the subject. She wiped her mouth with a napkin, her gaze on Elias laden with unspoken thoughts.
Elias felt her scrutinizing eyes scan him, sending a shiver down his spine. Had she discovered something?
"Do you dislike living with me, bro?" she asked sweetly, tilting her head.
"How could I?" Elias denied immediately, though inwardly he was bewildered.
Why was Luna bringing this up now?
Did she sense his hidden plan?
"That's good to hear," Luna murmured, her gaze drifting across the empty mansion.
The spacious house felt lonely, inhabited only by them.
She wrapped her arms around herself, her small form seeming even more vulnerable.
"Even with Luna by your side, you must feel lonely, right?" Luna's voice had a hint of melancholy.
"Lonely?" Elias furrowed his brow, unsure of her intentions.
Suddenly, Luna's mouth twisted into a peculiar smile. "You've never said it, but you must miss them, don't you?"
A shiver ran down Elias's spine at her probing question. Last time, it was this very inquiry that led to a violent outburst.
"Them? Who are they?" Elias forced a laugh, feigning ignorance. "Luna, you're all I need."
"Oh?" Luna's smile grew more insidious. "Is that so?"
"Yes, really!" Elias insisted.
"Okay..." Luna stood up, wandering back to the kitchen, seemingly searching for something.
"That's good. I was worried you might miss being surrounded by other girls..." she said teasingly.
"How could I possibly..." Elias chuckled nervously, but his facade crumbled when Luna approached, carrying a dark, heavy object.
Thud!
Luna casually dropped the object on the floor. It rolled towards Elias, releasing an overwhelming smell of blood.
Even with his adept acting skills, Elias couldn't hide his horror when he saw what lay at his feet: a human head, a woman's head, staring at him with fear and defiance.
He recognized her instantly. His female classmate...
"bro, guess what I just did?" Luna's voice was eerily cheerful. "I ran into your classmate while I was out."
"This girl likes you, right?" Luna continued, her tone playful yet sinister. "She even greeted me, probably hoping to get closer to you through me!"
Luna glanced at the severed head with disdain. "Foolish and vile woman, daring to covet my bro!"
Her words turned into a mad rant, her clear eyes now bloodshot with rage. She stomped on the head, causing it to burst open, intensifying the nauseating stench.
After venting her rage, Luna's madness seemed to subside as she turned to face Elias, her touch on his trembling cheek almost affectionate.
"You promised, bro," she whispered, her voice a haunting melody of obsession. "You said you'd stay with me forever... Now, there will be no more interruptions from those women..."
In the dimly lit dining room, the flickering flames cast eerie shadows on Elias's face, making his expression indiscernible.
"bro?" Luna's voice was soft, almost playful, as she noticed Elias's silence and bowed head. "Is there something you want to say, bro?"
Finally, Elias moved. His fists clenched, his body shaking uncontrollably. Overwhelmed by a tumultuous mix of emotions, he faced those terrifying eyes. In his mind, there was only one word that echoed through the chaos.
Monster.