Gen

I was born a Lightning elemental. My body, itself, was made of electricity, coated with a layer of translucent mana.

My mother was an Air elemental. My father was an Earth elemental. My brother, three years older than I, was also an Air elemental.

If you asked, I couldn’t tell you their names.

Why? Because I haven’t seen them since my birth. I’m no orphan, nor have they died.

I’m being held captive -by choice- by a water elemental girl. The reason? I’m a pervert.

Yes, yes, I know the thought that comes when you hear those words. However, let me explain.

When I see girls, I’m sorry to say that I black out. So, all I know is from witness reports and the victim themselves.

“A violation of personal space. Crime repeated on multiple occasions. Victim always says it’s strange that nothing happens until you look them in the eye.”

I silently listen to her speak, the blindfold keeping her out of my vision.

“But, to think that you’d say something like ‘it’s out of your control.’ Are you really that desperate to not be punished?” She scoffed.

Sadistic Himedere? The Empress type, I suppose.

“And if I was telling the truth? If, whenever my eyes meet a girl’s, I do things unconsciously?”

“Then, I suppose it would be considered an ‘affliction’ instead of a ‘crime’. Either way, you’d be put into an area without anyone else. If it’s an affliction, then you’d probably be put into a church to purge your inherently evil soul, as committing crimes without conscious desire to is the sign of a black soul.”

So, either way I’m totally screwed.

How to get out of this situation… I can’t prove myself, as it can probably be called out for ‘holding back’ even though it isn't…

I don’t have a way to save myself. Is there somebody I could call out to help me?

...No…

“But I guess we should find out if it’s an affliction. I might be able to cure you, since I’m a priestess myself.”

I feel footsteps coming closer through vibrations in the ground, but I find it strange that I can’t hear them.

My blindfold is suddenly removed, and a water elemental is standing there in front of me.

I was prepared to lose consciousness, but instead, nothing happened.

“Huh? I’m sane?” I looked down at my hands, before standing up from my seiza position.

I looked her in the eyes, for the first time.

“You have some pretty eyes. It’s nice that I can see them. But still… Are you actually a boy, or something?” I asked.

I remembered blacking out before, when I looked into her eyes, so I wondered why it wasn’t happening this time.

“No, this is a doll. I was wondering if that affliction really only affected girls, or simply things that look nice.”

I realized that she called it an affliction for the first time.

“Oh, I see. Well, at least now we know?” I wasn’t really sure what to say, now that I knew that I was talking to a doll.

“Well, let’s have a seat. Do you like tea?” She waved over to the luxurious couches that sat a few feet to my right.

The whole place was Mansion-esque. Lavish, posh and unbearably comfortable.

“Say, remind me again. You’re rich, right?”

“Do you really feel the need to ask this every time you take a second to observe your surroundings?” The doll asked.

I’d taken to calling her Empress. She didn’t complain, so it stuck.

“Well, not really, but it’s the only conversation starter I have. Knowing that you look the same as this doll in front of me makes me self conscious and I have the same thoughts as I do just before blacking out from my affliction.”

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

“Should I be embarrassed? Pointless flattery will get you nowhere.”

You say that, but that slight quiver in your voice betrays you. We may get along better than you think we would, Empress.

“So, what do we do, for this affliction of mine?”

“Well, I was thinking of purifying your soul, but viewing it each time has failed, and if you are somehow pure already, it’ll kill me from the backfire. I’d rather make sure, in case it really is as you say.”

“Well, I haven’t lied to you yet and I’d be at a loss if you managed to die, so I advise against purifying me. I can’t help you with seeing my soul, though. There’s probably too little to look at.”

“What are you trying to get at here?”

The fact that I’m not whole. I’m only able to keep my sanity because I’m talking to a doll, and even then I can’t stop these thoughts about you.

“Just a thought.”

Of course, I can’t say that while I’m still sane.

“Hmm… Knowing you, that’s untrue, but I don’t really have the right to pry.”

“I’ve pried into your life more than once. I think you can get away with it. In fact, please do. Karma may build up to the point of death if you decide not to.”

That, and the fact that I have an odd liking to answering questions. It’s one of the few things that makes me feel good about myself. Call it an errant sense of pride.

“Then, I’d like to ask you this. How many lives have you lived?” Her words were sharp. They cut deep into me, and made me question my very thoughts.

“Only two. A captive, and a criminal.” I added the second part after a moment’s worth of hesitation.

I’ve answered your question. If you manage to reveal my secret, then I applaud you. When people ask questions that get too personal, I never lie. I simply answer them, then divert the answer to something that’s not true.

Call it the guilt of my pride. I give you the truth, but I can’t answer truthfully. So, I do both.

“...I see. Then, another question.”

“Another answer.”

“Would you like some more tea?”

I lifted the cup that was in my hand, peering into the bottom of it. It was empty. The tea she made was actually quite good, even though I remember not liking it in my previous life.

“If you don’t mind, then.” I held out the cup with a smile, and a small bow.

She stood, grabbing my cup on the way up, and head to the small kitchen that was stuffed into the corner of the room that could otherwise be considered a living room.

While she poured the tea, I grabbed a sweet pastry… the name escapes me. I ate it, though. It was quite good, but I held myself back from grabbing another.

Two years old…

Hmm.

“How old do you happen to be? Just a train of thought.”

“Hmm? I’m about two. Mentally, I’m much older, of course. I have quite a bit of mana in my head, after all.”

She walked back over, and once more I marvelled at how silent her steps were. Silently, of course.

“Thank you.” I took the cup when it was offered.

Taking a sip, I relaxed. My nonexistent muscles calmed. My nonexistent stress disappeared. I sank into the puffy couch.

“Good?”

“Quite…”

I felt myself getting drowsy. The teacup was slipping from my fingers, so I let it rest on my lap.

“Tremplat Tea. An exquisite poison.”

The last words I heard before my eyes closed, and I fell asleep.

When I awoke, my senses came back one by one.

“May I open my eyes?” I asked.

“No.” She responded.

Whatever was below my head was much softer than the couch. Whatever was resting over my eyes was must smoother than the blindfold. The voice came from above me, instead of in front, where I remember closing my eyes.

Positions had been changed.

“Is there a reason?”

Obviously there’s a reason you won’t let me open my eyes. My condition… So, are you here in person, Empress?

“I’d like to stay like this for a little longer.”

Empress? What’s wrong? Your voice is shaking all over the place… What should I take from this situation?

“Then I shall sleep once more, for the full effect.”

I calmed my breathing. My heartbeat slowed. And I drifted slowly into a state of semi-consciousness. I was aware of my surroundings, but it would take quite a while for me to react to anything.

The point is, Empress thought I was asleep, while I was actually able to hear and feel anything she did.

“I’m sorry, Gen. I’m just… sorry. All this time. I’ve done so much to you.” I could hear her voice.

Her voice… seemed heartbroken? It was as if her ‘Empress’ exterior fell away, and revealed a frail girl.

“This is… the least I can do, I suppose. I’m a master priest. But I cannot see your soul. There are only two things I cannot see the souls of. Vepha, and beings more devout than I. From our conversations, I feel as if you worship no god.”

Atheism is a crime now?

“But you’re no Vepha. I’ve looked. I’ve searched, and there’s only one Vepha ever recorded to be made of lightning.”

Ah, there was one?

“But you can’t be him. I know I killed him. So you are an anomaly.”

Is that so… You seem distraught… I want to help you.

“More devout. I worship no god. I worship people themselves. The gods rely on the people to live. So, is it not a religion in itself to worship those who support the gods?” I spoke, making the nonexistent religion sound real.

“Instead of worshipping the jewel atop the pillar, you worship the pillar, hmm? I’m not sure if I should call that worthy of respect or simply strange.” I heard a giggle.

“Strange isn’t quite right. Call it fitting for an anomaly.” I smiled up at her. I kept my eyes closed, knowing that if I opened them, I’d end up committing a crime. It’s not a good idea to do such things after telling somebody what I just said.

The years passed by. That incident was somehow settled with just what I said, the explanation taken as the truth.

I didn’t argue with the simple way out, though.

Things, from then on, were quite dull in comparison to that rose-colored scene that turned a deep blue.

But I wouldn’t go to any length to compare them to gray. After having a Rose scene with somebody, it’s impossible to go back to gray under normal circumstances.

So, that in mind, my days from then were quite entertaining.

But they were limited in number. I was four years old when Empress decided to drop this bomb on me;

“So, your father told me to send you to School. I’m having trouble with understanding why he decided to ask me to go as well, but I can’t really defy his orders, with my situation.”

Long story short, both the Empress and I were being sent off to school next year.

Hold up, I wonder if my other pieces are going to school as well?

If that’s the case, I might be alright with going to school. Perhaps one of them has a power to halt my ‘condition’.

I guess that’s something worth finding out.

Now then, to entertain myself for a year, I have a pretty water elemental that has a method of speaking with me through a doll.

I think that’s more than enough.