Chapter 165 - Jealousy
Elliot could feel that the mention of the Queen of Hell was bothering Christina. Florencia was also bothering Viper about why they shouldn't trust the new girl so easily.
"For all we know, she might be a Vassal. Yeah. That's right. She could be a Vassal instead of Malice herself," Florencia kept on rambling. She was gathering firewood with Viper in a nearby forest. They decided to camp for the night and continue their travel tomorrow.
Since they were slightly delayed, they're now going to have to travel for three days instead of two and a half. Something Florencia wasn't so happy about.
"Have you even heard that city before?" Florencia asked, picking up a twig. "What was the name of her so-called city again? Something like Bridgeret City?"
"You mean Richtown City?" Viper quirked his brow up. He lifted a couple of larger trunks and grunted at the weight. "This is so bothersome."
"I know, right? That girl is so–"
"No. I'm here collecting firewood, actually finishing a task while my supposed partner keeps on nagging about stupid things," Viper said with one breath. "You're so annoying sometimes, do you know that? I've kept all these to myself before but I had enough. I have my limits too and you just went straight past it."
"V-Vi…" Florencia trailed off, embarrassed by how she was acting. "You felt that way all this time?"
"Whatever, Flo," Viper said. "Go collect some twigs or something. I'm going back to camp."
"Vi–"
"Save it, Flo," Viper cut her off, walking away without looking back.
Florencia was left alone in the forest, guilty about her actions. She realized that Viper was right. It's no use suspecting everyone just because she was insecure.
But why was she insecure? A question that was bothering her as she walked back to their camp.
"Oh, Mr. Elliot, you're so funny," Christina said and chuckled. Elliot was sitting on a log that he chopped off earlier, Christina sitting beside him and Viper was in another log opposite of them. There was a fire in between the two logs that Viper was keeping alive.
"I didn't even say anything," Elliot pursed his lips and chuckled. "You're probably just easy to entertain."
"So I'm told," Christina winked.
A snapping of a branch of a tree made all three of their heads snap to the direction where the sound came from. Florencia stood there, a branch of tree in her hands, broken.
"Is everything alright, Florencia?" Elliot asked. "You seem upset. Viper too."
Viper scoffed and rolled his eyes, "Yeah, Florencia. You seem upset. Why is that?"
"I'm not upset," Florencia said. "I'm just tired."
"Maybe you need some rest. You can sleep first if you want," Elliot said. He was about to stand when Christina pulled himself back down.
"Let's let her sleep on her own, maybe she needs some space," Christina said. "Hey, Flo. Elliot had prepared the sleeping bags there. You can sleep first if you want."
Florencia was silent, walking to the sleeping bag and covering herself with it, hearing the three's voices. They were all laughing and telling each other jokes, one thing she had never seen either Elliot or Viper had done to her before.
"So, maybe this is why I feel odd," Florencia whispered to herself before she forced herself to sleep.
Deeper into the night, Florencia awoke to the sound of whispers. She thought it was just from the three talking but she froze after hearing a familiar voice.
She slowly crept out of her bag, looking around to see that Christina's sleeping bag was empty. Florencia tried to look around but failed to spot her.
Not even in Elliot's bag.
Deeper into the forest, she saw a glowing black light. Using her stealth, she crept into the forest, only for her eyes to widen when Christina was standing in front of a well. The black light was coming from the well, with Christina seem to be talking to it.
"Your mission will be over soon," she heard a dark female voice said. "They'll lead you to him and you have your chance then."
"Yes, your majesty," Christina replied. "It won't be long before we take him to our realm and make him pay for even living."
"This is why I trust you with this mission, you're very loyal," Malice said. "Someone's with you. Eliminate her!"
Florencia cupped her mouth with her hands, holding back her gasp. She took a step back, trying to be as silent as possible but a twig broke, making Christina's head snap to her direction.
"I know you're there," Christina said. "I will get you so be prepared. I'll feast on your guts."
"N-No," Florencia cried. She turned around to run but Christina was already there, standing right in front of her. "You're a traitor."
"I guess, I am?" Christina said with a wide smirk. She raised her hand up to Florencia's face, the girl's sight darkening as the hand got closer.
"No. Please don't kill me!" Florencia sat up, screaming in fear but stopped after she realized that she was in her sleeping bag. "W-What?"
She heard a small rustle on a bag, Christina waking up from the scream. "Is everything alright?"
Florencia felt her throat tighten. It was as though her world stopped spinning for a moment, seeing Christina on her sleeping bag and barely awake.
"Are you okay, Flo?" Viper asked, yawning and rubbing his eyes. "Why did you scream like that?"
"B-But she's…" Florencia trailed off and stood. She took one more look at Christina and grunted, feeling defeated. "I…"
Didn't know what to do next, Florencia decided to run through the forest. She was crying on her way there, feeling defeated about everything. She felt so disgusted of herself, letting her jealousy eat her like that.
"Flotencia!" Elliot yelled but she didn't listen. She kept on running and running, her tears falling from her eyes without her wiping it. "Florencia, there's a beast!"
For the second time that night, her world stopped spinning. Flotencia heard a low grumble coming from a darker side of the forest. A pair of dark green eyes glowing from the darkness.
Slowly backing away, Florencia used her ability to distract the beast, copying herself and running into different directions.
"Florencia, it can see you!" Elliot yelled. "It relies on heat waves, not what it sees!"
The large beast had already reached behind her. She stopped in her tracks, and so did the beast, its long tongue slithering as it made a grunting noise from its belly.
"I-Is this my end?"