I Know The Secret To Surpass Level 100

Elliot paused for a moment. It felt like his world had stopped by what Gaston just said. He indeed killed Connor's previous abusive guild, but he had a reason. It wasn't just for his own selfish desires.

"I had to protect my friend then," Elliot said. "You don't know how hard it was for me to make that decision."

"Killing is killing," Gaston laughed hysterically. "You killed more people than me, so stop acting innocent."

"We're not the same," Elliot glared at the man. "And I will never be the same as you."

"Oh, you won't," Gaston chuckled. He raised his hands beside him, shifting the distortions of the room they were in. "Because you already stood lower than me."

With a flick of his finger, Gaston vanished into thin air. The room returned to its normal shape, the bright lights shining over the lobby and the others sitting on the tables.

"Elliot?" Ed was the first to notice. "Where were you?"

"I was out," Elliot replied. He walked over to the chair and sat there, sighing as he continued to take deep breaths.

Gaston was right. He had killed before. He killed people, and dragons. The blood of his victims are in his hands, tainting them from their purity. 

"And Marrietta?" Lance tilted his head and walked over to Elliot. "You were with her?"

"She came after me when a Fallen Angel tried to trap me," Elliot said. "I know I'm in distress, but I just need time to think about things. I'll be in my room."

Without waiting for their response, Elliot walked upstairs and slammed his bedroom door. He fell on the floor, eyes about to bulge from their sockets.

"I'm a murderer."

–

"What in the hell happened to him?" Lance yelled at Marrietta. He knew his voice was higher than he anticipated, so he apologized right after. "I'm sorry. I just– Elliot being like this is dangerous. He can't control his emotions well, and if his thoughts swallow him, it will be a dangerous position for us."

"Gaston, the Fallen Angel, told him that he killed people before," Marrietta said. "I don't know if it's true or not, but based on his reaction–"

"It's true," Elliot's friends chorused. They all cupped their heads, feeling the stress that the Fallen Angel had brought upon them.

"H-He did?" Marrietta gulped. "That gentle boy killed a man before?"

"He's far from gentle," Lance muttered. "Elliot is a man who lacks complete control over his feelings and it's what makes him dangerous. He easily gets egged on, and the power he exudes when he loses control is terrifying."

"We need to leave him with his thoughts," Midnight said. "He needs to have this time for himself. Even I don't know what happened, but Lance told me he had to do it. Let's let Elliot breathe for now."

Elliot's party was convinced, but Marrietta wasn't. In her mind, Elliot needed a hand to reach out to. He needed someone who could lend him a shoulder to cry on, and let all his frustrations out.

"I'll try to talk to him," Marrietta said and was about to walk upstairs when Lance held her wrist.

"No," Lance said fiercely. There was only pure dominance in his voice, making Marrietta shiver in fear. "Let him be. What good can you do?"

"Let me just talk to him," the Demon said. "Maybe I can do something about him. Please, Prince Lance."

Lance widened his eyes and looked around, making sure the inn keeper didn't hear her. "What are you doing? You're blowing my cover."

"The point is that I need to talk to Elliot," Marrietta forced. "I'm gonna go upstairs and talk to him."

"I'll do it," Lance loosened his grip on her wrist and walked upstairs. It felt like his throat was being constricted. The thick threatening atmosphere around Elliot's room was suffocating him. He had to use his mana to stop fully being choked by it.

Lance got in front of Elliot's door and knocked three times, "Elliot?"

"I need some time alone, Lance," Elliot muttered in a whispered voice. Lance was taken aback when he heard his raspy voice and an echo-like sharper voice talk.

"You need help, Elliot," Lance said. "Come on. Let's talk this out."

"I'm a murderer, Lance," Elliot whispered, his voice was breaking. "I killed people. I ended their lives. And it's not just one person, I killed a lot."

"You may have killed them, but they deserved that," Lance said. "Let me in just this second, please."

Lance felt a pair of heels walking towards him. He didn't have to tell who it was when he already know that it was Midnight, a mug of coffee in his hand.

"Elliot?" Midnight knocked twice. "I have coffee for you. Let Lance talk to you about this. Please, Elliot."

"I'm a monster, Midnight," Elliot cried. "I'm a murderer and a monster. I don't deserve to live anymore."

"Something is corrupting your thoughts, Elliot," Midnight said. "I should know. I draw power from the Abyss, meaning I suffer from different corruption attempts from all the creatures that lies there. I don't usually talk with this to other people, but I have a dark past and that past had always held me back."

"How do you stay on your guard then?" Elliot asked. This time, they heard him stand up and kneel on the door, his hands cluthing the doorknob like his life depe depended on it.

"I try to let other people in my thoughts," Midnight said. "I let them lit up my path that had been void with light. Elliot, let Lance talk to you and you'll feel so much better."

There was a pause for a few seconds before Elliot whispered his reply, "Will I?" 

"Most definitely," Midnight said with a smile, even when he knows Elliot couldn't see it. "I'll give him the coffee and I'll stall the other guys. Let all your feelings out. It's so much healthier than keeping it in."

The door of his room creaked open and Elliot took a peek on the gap. There, he saw Lance alone with a coffee in his hand. "Want to let me in?"

With a deep breath, Elliot nodded. "Yeah, let's go inside."

Lance smiled at this and proceeded to get inside Elliot's room. It was filled with darkness, the lamps weren't lit and the moon was covered with a thick layer of clouds, not letting the moon pass through.

Elliot received the mug from Lance and walked to his bed. He sat on the edge and took a sip from the coffee. His previous aura was now dissipating slowly. Lance knew this was a good sign, so he let Elliot with his silence first.

"Lance," Elliot muttered. "Do you think I'm a murderer?"