Dolce of Blood (血のドルチェ, Chi no Doruche) is a fatal ailment resulted from ingesting the blood of Horrors. The phenomenon first appeared in ZERO: Black Blood.
Overview
When a person is tainted in Horror's blood on skin contact, the cursed blood is absorbed and the person will have about 100 days of life left before they suffer from a form of sepsis and die. In the remaining time they have left to live, the cursed blood will emit a scent only detectable through Horrors only. A blood-tainted person(s) is delectable to Horrors and will draw them out to feast upon the victim. Symptoms of the taint is not obvious until nearing the final days, where the person will begin to experience weakness and severe pain. The condition is curable by ingesting the Barankas Fruit; the cure is so difficult to procure that the Makai Order encouraged the Makai Knights to slay the tainted rather than save them. Dolce of blood is a similar phenomenon but with different results.
Dolce of blood is a form of necrosis due to being tainted by the blood of a Horror inside their body. Instead of skin contact, the person ingested the blood and begins the necrosis process within days. Symptoms include loss in pigment, turning to grayish-white skin. The body starts to rot, the person will experience muscular pain, and a bloody slime will appear on their skin, making the person's flesh more palatable to a Horror. From a Horror's point of view, this is a form of meal-prep before dining. Unlike getting tainted by skin contact, this condition is incurable and the person is doomed to die a terrible death.
White Horror Ring established a community where Horrors and humans coexisted. Ring exploits people who are desperate to hide from society, such as wanted criminals or outcasts seeking refuge. In exchange to be part of his protected community, he expects a sacrifice in the form of a periodic lottery as means to keep his Horror followers satiated and in line. The lottery involves giving each person a pill where one of the pills is filled with Horror's blood. Those who displays symptoms of blood dolce are the chosen sacrifice and will be devoured by Horrors within the community.
History
Background
Makai Order became familiar with the phenomenon of Dolce of Blood sometime in its early days since every Madōgu its priests developed has information pertaining such ailment, though it's ambiguous whether the Order did through witnessing its members ingesting Horror blood by mistake or learning about innocent people unwillingly ingest the blood by their Horror killers.
ZERO: Black Blood
Gallery
Trivia
- The fact that Dolce of Blood is incurable and death being the only salvation dismayed Rei, which is quite understandable as he finds such situation contrasted his friend Kaoru's own who fared better since her exposure to Horror blood was through skin contact and therefore can be saved through Barankas Fruits. The Silver Fanged Knight even remarks that it will be merciful if the victim of Dolce of Blood being comforted by their loved ones before being put out of their misery instead of devoured by Horrors.