Chapter 19: A Mysterious Turn of Events

"Are you scared, Bro?" Luna looked at Elias's pale face, laughing softly to comfort him. 

"Didn't I tell you before? Just drink this potion, sleep quietly, and everything will be over! You won't feel a thing, Bro, don't be scared, it'll be over soon~"

Elias looked at her speechlessly, not out of fear of pain, but at the prospect of waking up as a mere torso. "How can I not be afraid... After this, I'll never use my limbs again. Am I like you? Can my limbs grow back if they're cut off?"

 Luna appeared puzzled. "But... isn't this good?" She seemed lost in thought. 

"If you can't move anymore, you won't be able to attract other girls. And even if you're handsome, no girl will like you if you're like that."

 Her excitement grew with each passing moment. "Wait, wait a minute! Put down that knife!!!"

 Elias, realizing arguing with a mentally deranged person was futile, almost laughed at the absurdity of the situation and rolled his eyes at Luna. "Just treat me as having pre-surgery anxiety..."

"I'll chat with bro for a while, then we'll delve into your messed up surgery! By then, you can play around with my body however you want."

Luna seemed to find this request reasonable and, smiling, placed the potion and the knife back on the table. "You're so funny, Bro. I love talking to you~"

 She fetched a small chair and sat down in front of Elias. "What would you like to talk about, Bro?"

 "Oh, and what's that pre-surgery anxiety thing you mentioned?"

 Elias glanced at her. "It's part of psychology. Don't worry about it, your era probably doesn't have it."

 "Psychology? What's that?" Luna asked, her eyes wide with curiosity.

 "Psychology..." Elias decided to launch into a lengthy explanation to buy time. "It's a discipline that studies human psychological phenomena and their impact on behavior, involving cognition, emotions, thinking, personality, behavior patterns... It's a profound study of the human soul."

 "Ah..."

 Luna listened intently. "You know so much, Bro."

 "Of course."

 Then, getting more curious, Luna asked, "Since it's a study of the human soul, what can you see in mine, Bro?"

 Elias's gaze intensified on her. Luna shifted uncomfortably under his stare. "Well? What do you see, Bro?"

 "I see it," Elias nodded. "Sensitivity, insecurity, bipolar disorder with manic and depressive episodes, borderline personality traits. You should undergo long-term psychiatric treatment."

 "Ah?" Luna asked nervously, "Is it that serious, Bro?"

 Elias nodded, knowing that her current state wasn't solely due to supernatural contamination but also psychological issues.

Every lunatic behaves differently, exhibiting various forms of insanity. 

Luna's condition, largely a product of her traumatic upbringing, intensified when Elias, like a beacon of light, entered her life. 

Her obsessive attachment was a distorted form of salvation. Of course, Elias's actions had also played a part in her descent.

 Her insecurities flared when other 'superior' women approached him, leading to anxiety and ultimately her current deranged state. 

Initially, Elias, focused on completing his game, hadn't delved into Luna's psyche. It took multiple deaths for him to understand her deeply, like a psychotherapist would.

 When he spoke his mind, Luna became transfixed, muttering to herself in disbelief, "I'm sick... I really am sick..."

 Elias nodded solemnly in agreement – yes, she was seriously ill.

 "But... but if I don't do this... He will be taken away... No, I must do this... No, I'm sick, You said I'm sick... I shouldn't be doing this..."

 She held her head, trembling, her expression fluctuating between excitement and agony.

Elias watched her, recognizing the signs of self-doubt.

The cooldown on his skill was still ticking down, with just over ten minutes left. He was running out of time...

In the dim basement, Luna continued her frantic monologue, her face twisting with emotion.

"You're lying to me! You don't want to be with me! You're just saying that!!"

 Her sudden accusation startled Elias. She grabbed the serrated knife and approached him, her eyes bloodshot with rage.

 "Luna, listen to me..."

 "I won't listen! Stop talking! I won't!!"

 Elias watched helplessly as Luna, trembling all over, prepared to force-feed him the anesthetic. He clenched his jaws shut, refusing to drink.

 Luna's frustration grew; she grabbed his chin forcefully, trying to pour the potion into his mouth. "Drink it! Drink it now!!"

 Her fury intensified, but Elias remained defiant. Finally, in a fit of rage, she threw the potion to the floor.

 "Fine! If you won't drink, then don't blame me!"

 She raised the cold, gleaming knife, ready to start the amputation.

 But suddenly, a strange noise echoed through the room, causing both Elias and Luna to look towards the dark corner where Isabella's body lay.

 To their shock, they saw the body trembling violently. Then, amidst a cacophony of eerie sounds, it abruptly sat upright.

 Elias's eyes widened in disbelief. "Is she... coming back to life?!"