Chapter 53: One Body, Two Souls

“Time’s up.”

Olivia’s voice rang out, and she turned around eagerly.

By then, the two Celias had just finished changing clothes and were adjusting each other’s collars.

The one on the left straightened the crooked collar of the one on the right, while the one on the right smoothed the wrinkled hem of the one on the left.

Olivia’s gaze shifted from left to right, then back again.

But she wasn’t surprised or shocked—it seemed she had anticipated this scene.

“Just as I thought. I guessed correctly.”

Both Celias froze simultaneously.

Olivia walked up to them, her eyes darting between the two.

Then she reached out and gently touched the arm of the Celia on the left.

Warm. Soft.

“This is the first time I’ve seen a physical clone.”

Her voice carried a hint of awe.

“This really is a miracle. Even my mother couldn’t do something like this.”

Celia opened her mouth as if to say something, but Olivia’s eyes sparkled as she stared intently at her.

“Did the System give you this too?”

Celia nodded.

Olivia reached out again, this time lightly pinching the cheek of the Celia on the right.

“Hey!”

Onyxia finally couldn’t hold back anymore.

She rushed over and stood between them.

“What are you doing!”

Olivia blinked innocently and withdrew her hand.

“I was just testing the texture.”

She looked at the two Celias standing behind Onyxia.

“Looks like even with this much force, they don’t disappear?”

The Celia on the right rubbed her pinched cheek and shook her head.

The one on the left shook her head as well.

“Isn’t that practically the same as a real body?”

Olivia marveled.

She raised her hand, and a faint blue magical light flickered at her fingertip.

“Don’t move. Let me check.”

Onyxia tried to stop her, but Celia gently tugged at her sleeve.

“Let her see. I want to know how far the clone the System gave me can go.”

Both Celias spoke at the same time.

Onyxia had no choice but to step aside.

Olivia stepped forward, and the magical light in her hand slowly swept over both Celias—from head to toe, from shoulders to fingertips, missing no detail.

Her expression grew more focused and serious.

Finally, the light faded.

She withdrew her hand and let out a long breath.

“Under my magical perception…”

She looked at the two Celias.

“This is practically another you. Completely identical.”

“I can’t tell which is the original and which is the clone. It’s like another body—a body with blood and flesh, with temperature and a heartbeat.”

Onyxia’s tail wagged excitedly, her eyes sparkling as she looked at them.

Suddenly, she seemed to think of something.

“Oh, right.”

Her expression turned serious.

“When I came in, why didn’t you dismiss the clone? From what I know of Miss Onyxia, she wouldn’t let her love rival know this secret.”

The two Celias exchanged a glance.

The one on the right bit her lip and spoke softly.

“Because… we were too nervous.”

“Couldn’t focus our Mental Power,” the left one added.

“So we couldn’t dismiss it,” the right one finished.

“Are you feeling better now?”

Both Celias nodded simultaneously.

“Not as nervous. Why?”

“Good. Now I want to see you dismiss the clone.”

Both Celias froze.

“Why?” the left one asked, and the right one also spoke at the same time.

“Because I’m curious! Such an amazing ability—I want to know what it looks like when you dismiss it. Does the clone just vanish? Does it return to your body? Or something else?”

Onyxia blocked Olivia, who had nearly lunged at Celia.

“What do you want now?”

“Just a look. Really, just a look. I won’t get handsy. Don’t you want to know too?”

She looked at the two Celias with sincere eyes.

“Is it okay?”

The two Celias exchanged a glance, then both nodded.

“Okay.”

Their voices overlapped.

Onyxia wanted to say something, but Celia had already closed her eyes.

The bedroom fell silent.

Olivia held her breath, staring without blinking.

One second.

Two seconds.

Three seconds.

Then the Celia on the left began to turn transparent, starting from the edges, as if being erased bit by bit by some invisible force.

No light.

No sound.

She just quietly and silently disappeared into the air.

Only one Celia remained.

She opened her eyes, her body swaying slightly as if losing some support.

Onyxia quickly steadied her.

“Are you okay?”

Celia nodded, but her face was pale.

Olivia stood frozen, her eyes wide.

“Di… disappeared?”

Her voice was incredulous.

“No magical fluctuations, no spatial distortion… just… gone?”

She rushed forward, circling the spot where the other Celia had stood, even waving her hand in the air.

“Nothing left at all!”

She spun around to face Celia, her eyes burning with intense curiosity.

“Where did it go?! Where did the clone go?! Can you sense her?!”

Celia leaned against Onyxia’s arms, closed her eyes, and sensed.

“…Yes,” she said softly.

“Where?!”

“System Warehouse.”

“System Ware… warehouse? The place where you keep your stockings?”

Celia nodded.

“So what’s she doing in the warehouse right now? Can she come out? Or…”

Olivia’s questions came like rapid fire.

Celia sensed again, and her expression turned a bit subtle.

“…She might be sleeping.”

“Sleeping?!”

“Forced Slumber,” Celia added, opening her eyes to look at Olivia.

“It seems the System has set it so that after a clone is dismissed, it must slumber for a while before it can be summoned again.”

Olivia blinked.

“How long is a while?”

“I don’t know.”

Celia shook her head.

“Maybe a few hours, maybe a few days, or maybe just a little while. It depends on when she recovers.”

Onyxia’s tail finally relaxed a bit.

“So there’s only one of you now?”

Celia nodded.

Olivia stood there, looking at Celia, silent.

Then a smile spread across her face.

“Interesting,” she murmured.

“Very interesting.”

“Celia, have you ever thought about something?”

“What?”

“The System calls it a clone, but we just saw it with our own eyes—it has a physical body, body temperature, a heartbeat, its own sense of touch, even synchronized reactions when its face was pinched.”

“This isn’t an ordinary illusion or an energy projection. It’s a real, complete, living body.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, what the System created for you isn’t a clone. It’s another you. Two bodies, one Soul.”