15 15: Mortem Innocentium

Defolta's eye widened with disbelief as her mind crumbled with the emotion of anxiety and reluctance being plunged to her very being.

Clutching her head, Defolta felt mental pain as a result of the failed Mind Check, and the consequence that she suffered came in the form of her Mana being damaged by 20.

Mana: 197 / 220.

The other sources of Mana reduction came from the passive decline of simply being here inside the terrors of the dungeon as mentioned more than once by the System in the form the message: "Your Sanity declines with each passing moment."

Fortunately for her, such damage was still considered in the smaller scale of things, and Defolta was still in a good condition overall. But that might as well be no longer the case if she even considered the absurdity of what the half-bodied man Conrad just said.

"I, I must be hearing things. Please tell me that I just heard wrong." Defolta was in denial, her panicked reaction was most likely also the result of her mind failing the attribute check. Because if she truly passed the check, then the way she was going to respond to Conrad's stumping request should be met with an air of calm.

 "No, lass." Conrad answered with regret, "Those kids, they too have suffered under the vile hands of the Witch. They as well deserve their peace."

"Peace?! What the fuck are you rambling about!!??" Defolta had enough of whatever nonsense that was spouted from the crippled man's mouth and this time, did not hold back in insulting the man for even suggesting such an inhumane thing, "In case you are fucking blind, these kids still got their body unlike your crippled useless half-ass!! They still got a 'whole' future ahead of them and I won't succumb to the easy way out."

"Lass, I know how you are feeling, and I completely understand your anger." Instead of feeling offended, a genuine smile graced Conrad's face, "I'm glad that someone as passionate as you chose to venture this place, but regretfully, not every story has a happy ending. These kids… they may look alive physically but deep down, they may as well be dead."

"What do you mean?" Defolta asked for clarification.

"Have you ever heard of the condition known as Dementia, lass?" Conrad asked and Defolta nodded, "Heh, of course you do, you are a Witch, just like her."

Defolta opted to remain quiet instead of correcting him, finding no use in explaining about what she really is to a dying man.

Assuming her silence as a yes, Conrad continued, "For almost every single day since their arrival a year back, they have been constantly experimented on. I once overheard Matilda that she desired nothing more than to learn the secrets of the Blood and one factor that may allow herself to do so had something to do with a person's psyche. I'm no expert at magic, so I am unable to delve further into the more complicated details that I also heard from her. To make this long story short, she basically turned them all into like dolls who she could toy and play with at her perverted behest."

"So you are saying…" Defolta eyed him with a scandalized expression, "She… drained them of their mind until there is nothing left for them to cling for any hope?"

"Precisely." Conrad said, "Essentially, their souls are trapped within their lifeless body, lingering between the line of life and death. Only in the latter, may they be granted the release to finally end their agony."

"No, it can't be!!" Denial was apparent and Defolta refused to believe all of this, "There must be another way!!! Like some kind of healing magic or a way to get rid of their affliction!!! I refuse to stain with the blood of the innocent children in my hands!!!"

"Lass, don't be a fool." Conrad was unimpressed, "It is common knowledge that the final stage of Dementia is a point of no return, their mind completely wiped out. No amount of Healing magic whatsoever can cure their condition. Your kind throughout the years have attempted to seek a cure, but all their efforts were in vain. Please, try to see reason, no matter how cruel it seemed may be to you, but it is the only way."

"Is there really no hope, then?" Defolta's voice was filled with despair.

"None, I'm afraid." Conrad shook his head, "If it's any consolation, I believe that the children would also want this and escape from the darkness that had been plaguing them."

Defolta was truly at a dire predicament this time. To think that she would consider performing the grave sin of killing children with his own two hands. Sure, she's a killer, a true cold-blooded murderer at heart, but only to the ones who deserved it. Throw an irredeemable criminal at her, and she would slaughter them like cattle in a heartbeat. But children, young ones who have not even reached their age of maturity, was off-limits.

But it appeared that she was about to cross the forbidden line first time around right here in this filthy scenario that she got herself into. Yes, Defolta was aware that there was the option of leaving her hands clean of innocent blood and just walk away from all of this. Oh, how easy it was, just exit the door and never look back. Maybe devote herself to find the cure and come back later to heal their sickness.

How pathetically idealistic of her. Defolta knew that such option was a fleeting dream where only the naïve would ever consider. If indeed she took upon herself to find the cure, then what? Is she prepared the shoulder the burden and care for the many children who were suffering from the disease? Their food, their necessities? She was sure that the children will still perish if such needs were not taken care of and bringing them was out of the question. She was in no way qualified to take care of many of them, much more in their crippled state, both emotionally and financially.

Indeed, how Defolta think was certainly pragmatic, but such pragmatism served her well in life.

And it would no doubt serve the children well here as well.

"So, have you come up with your decision?" Conrad inquired.

"Yes." The life of on the Magical Girl's eyes seemingly departed and the coldness of her stoic emotion was all that remained, "I guess I must do what needs to be done."

"Defolta…" Nekowa, who was completely silent during the entire conversation, looked at her with sympathy.

"I'm sorry, Nekowa." Defolta said while bringing out a dagger from her Inventory, "I failed to uphold the idea of what a Magical Girl is supposed to be."

"Please, don't say that." Nekowa replied with pain in her voice, "I know that this is really hard for you, and whatever decision you make, I'll stand beside you, because I know that your intentions are to do the right thing. That's the essence of a Magical Girl, doing what they believe is right for the people, even if they must sacrifice themselves in the process."

"You are a true friend, Nekowa." Defolta smiled and patted the cat's head, "Don't ever change."

When Defolta approached the first child, she gazed at his open eyes, devoid of any semblance of life like hers. Their emotionless expressions as he stared at her stinged her very heart but Defolta remained strong nonetheless, all for the sake for their anguish to finally come to an end.

Before delivering the merciful blow, she opened up her Attributes and allocate her remaining three unspent points to Mind, now having 25, all to prepare herself for the inevitable outcome.

With her eyes closed, Defolta held the boy and quickly pierced her dagger at his throat as she felt his warm blood pouring right in her hand. The boy earned a quick death, no sound, no struggle, just… nothing.

Mind Check (25)

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FAILED

Flaw Unlocked: GUILT-DRIVEN