Mind Palace: Hidden Truths
A suffocating force poured through Liam's body, overwhelming his senses like a crashing wave. His breath hitched, his mind blurred, yet he remained conscious, holding on with sheer willpower.
Across from him, Ray stood still, arms crossed, trying to appear unaffected. He forced an awkward smile.
"I thought you didn't have sensory perception in the Mind Palace?"
Liam barely managed to form words, his voice unsteady.
"Tele...port... Mem...ory... libra...ry."
The black void surrounding them shattered like glass. In its place, an enormous library materialized—vast, endless, with towering bookshelves stretching beyond sight. The air felt dense, humming with knowledge, a near-perfect replica of the Forbidden Library of the Spirit Queen.
Ray's gaze flickered with unease. "Since when did you have this?"
Liam's expression darkened. "I made that void to prank you and observe my surroundings by activating Sense, you fool."
Before Ray could respond, a sharp whistle cut through the air.
A wooden spear materialized—fast, precise, merciless.
It pierced straight through Ray's stomach, impaling him against one of the towering bookshelves.
Ray blinked at the spear lodged in his torso, then smirked. "Liam, you do realize we can't feel pain in here, right?"
Liam stepped forward, gaze cold. "Ray, do you know that the Mind Palace has improved?"
A single bead of sweat formed on Ray's temple.
Liam flicked his fingers.
A searing agony shot through Ray's body. His wings spasmed violently, a scream ripped from his throat—a scream of pure pain.
It lingered. It twisted.
Until Ray's face shifted. His breath hitched, his body trembled. The pain warped into something else. Pleasure.
Liam's eyes narrowed. "Oh. So you really are a masochist."
Ray exhaled shakily, glaring. "Shut up. I have this thanks to you, sadomasochist."
Liam's frustration faded, replaced by cold amusement. He folded his arms. "Mind Palace, activate."
The space responded instantly.
"What was Cain's intention when he kissed me?"
A pause. Then—
[Mind Palace: No available information. Need to access Ray's memory. Confirm?]
Ray's eyes widened. "I conf—"
Before he could protest, Liam already confirmed the process.
"Hey! That's my memory, you know!" Ray growled.
Liam smirked. "Yeah, and you were the fire starter."
Ray clenched his jaw, falling silent.
[Information acquiring…]
Suddenly, golden ropes appeared.
They snaked around Ray, binding him tightly, pulsing with an unknown force.
Ray's breath hitched as the ropes constricted, burning against his skin.
Liam watched with narrowed eyes, but before he could act—
[Mind Palace intervening…]
The golden ropes flickered.
Liam's gaze sharpened. "What are you doing? Let me punish him!" His voice echoed through the space.
[I don't think you can punish him anyway.]
The words struck like a hammer.
The Mind Palace's voice took on an eerie calm.
[You had a hidden face, like everyone else. You were a Sadomasochist, but your sadistic nature dominated, while your masochistic nature was suppressed.]
Liam stiffened.
[You even surprised your classmates with your pain tolerance, thanks to your suppressed masochism. But your pleasure response was so low, it wasn't even enough to make you smile.]
Memories flickered in Liam's mind—subtle moments, buried reactions, things he had ignored.
[Your mask was perfect. Emotion suppression kept it intact. Your friends unknowingly crossed lines, but you never reacted. Because you had already learned to hide it all.]
Liam's fingers twitched. "So Ray inherited my suppressed masochistic nature… and my mask?"
[Correct. The mask was a personality trait, making it likely to pass to Ray. But the reason for stopping you was something else.]
Liam frowned. "Then why did Cain kiss me?"
The answer came swiftly.
[He didn't do it for pleasure, as you assumed. He did it to unlock Soul Mark.]
Liam's eyes widened. "Soul Mark…?"
Memories rushed back.
His Soul Mark had been locked.
He had forgotten.
His expression shifted to realization. "Ohhh. That's right!" His tone was brighter—far from the cold irritation he had before.
[Not only that, but the Soul Mark also underwent evolution. You should probably thank him.]
Liam clicked his tongue, glancing at Ray awkwardly. "Tch… Thanks, by the way."
Ray groaned. "You could sound a little more genuine, you know."
Liam ignored him. "Mind Palace, how much longer will I be unconscious?"
His patience was wearing thin.
[Seven days.]
Liam's eyes twitched. "Seven more days?!"
[No. Initially seven days. Now… two days.]
Liam blinked. "Wait. It reduced by five days?"
[Yes. Thanks to Ray's sacrifices. The ritual extracted your life force, but Ray's actions filled the required amount. Your body just needs time to recover.]
Liam stared at Ray. "...Wait. Did you actually help me?"
Ray groaned. "I feel like absolute shit, thanks to you."
Liam exhaled. "Mind Palace, deactivate."
Liam turns to Ray and tilted his head. "Ray, how are you feeling? Refreshed?"
Ray glared. "Shut up and let me sleep. I was supposed to be asleep after unlocking the Soul Mark, but thanks to you, I'm still awake."
Liam chuckled. "Okay, okay. Good night, Ray."
Ray sighed, rubbing his face. "Good night, you bastard."
And with that, Everything turned dark.