Chapter 292 - The Problematic Shadow
Elliot looked at Jameson seriously. They were staring at each other for a moment before the latter snorted and laughed, "Why would someone leave someone so important like that?"
A sigh escaped Elliot's lips and shook his head, "You're really something else."
"I'm gonna go now," Jameson stood and stretched his arms. He closed the crate and locked it, carrying it in his arms before he waved his feet at Elliot and passed through the wall without saying anything.
There was a short pause inside the room before Elliot jolted at the sound of his window being tapped. He rushed there and saw Katarina outside.
"What are you doing?!" Elliot yelled and opened the glass window, pulling the girl inside and taking a look outside in case someone saw.
"I'm here after the three hours you told me," Katarina said. "Now, fulfill your words and take this seal from me."
"Okay, fair enough," Elliot nodded, slamming the window shut. "But I need to know where Ed is first. He's the one who will remove that seal."
"It's not going to be you?" Katarina took a step back. "But they'll know my existence if that ever happens. I cannot let that happen."
"Him knowing your existence won't hurt anyone. I trust them," Elliot said and walked to the door. "Stay here and don't–
His eyes lingered to the corner where a thin white curtain covered what currently is his most prized possession, the Twilight Cocoon. "You know what, come with me and I'll introduce you to everyone."
"My identity should be kept secret," Katarina took a step back. "But if my master wants me to face his allies, then I shall obey him."
With a sigh, Elliot rolled his eyes. "Drama queen. Let's go."
The boy led the woman downstairs where George and Ethan were eating their lunch in peace. Elliot approached them, looking arouns the silent room.
"Where is everyone?" Elliot asked.
"Somewhere," Ethan replied with a dead stare on the wall. "I think they left for breakfast."
"And what happened to you?" Elliot scrunched his face after seeing the two. "You two look so odd."
"I feel so useless," Ethan chuckled. "I just don't know if I was the right person for this job. Maybe Nathan could do a better job than I did."
"What?" Elliot walked closer to him and waved his hand in front of his face. "Ethan, you were so good back there. It's no question your enemies were strong. That was a fact. But you remained standing even amidst their strength. Ethan, your performance was amazing."
"At least your fight is over," George grunted. "I still have to wait for mine. Who knows what it'll be? I could face stronger opponents, you know. The ones who are freaky in everything."
The door flung open and the others walked inside. They were all carrying paper bags that had a smell of food in them.
"We found out that Ilwoo, the Kkeuner friend of Elliot, has these wooden containers he sell with his food," Lance placed the paper as on the table and took out the containers.
Ed nodded, "He calls this "to go" as in, "It's ready to go for you to eat"."
"Wait," Connor held out his hand and caught everyone's attention. His right index finger pointed themselves at the girl behind Elliot, "Who is she?"
"A friend," Elliot replied. "She needs Ed's help with something."
"Me again," Ed pursed his lips. "You've been so busy lately that you only call out for me when you have something to nullify."
"Do you want to be in my position instead?" Elliot crossed his arms. "Because if you do, I'm so willing to give it to you."
"So, where is this magic that I need to nullify?" Ed immediately said and walked to Elliot. "She's very pretty. And slim."
"Shut it," Elliot said. He signaled for Katarina to held out her arm and show Ed the mark. "This was from a clan that makes her die in three days. They had a condition for her and she was tied to them like a dog. That wasn't right."
"Definitely not right," Ed sighed.
The man brandished his sword and pointed the tip of the blade in the woman's forearm. "Nullify."
The mark looked like it was splashed with water. The black tattoo-like veins slowly run out of the arm and splattered on the ground with a black gooey texture.
"The mark was potent and the poison has been injected to you," Ed said. "I'm going to need to stab you in the neck and nullify the poison–"
His statement earned him four smacks on the back of his head. Elliot was first, then Lance, Connor and then Hope. They deadpannded, seeing how their friend could act like that in front of the girl.
Ed glared at his friends one by one, pursing his lips and curling it to the side. "I was just kidding."
"I really thought I was going to die," Katarina breathed out. "I still want to do a lot of things in this life and dying would not make me fulfill them."
"Obviously," Ed flattened his lips, earning him another smack from Elliot. "Ouch, sorry."
"But, please do what you have to do," Katarina said and walked closer to Ed. It felt like it was in slow motion when the woman guided his hands to raise his sword up to her stomach, the woman walking closer to Ed, letting the blade pierce her.
"Ed, what have you done?!" Elliot yelled.
This earned them all a sigh from Aquarius. The man walked in front of Katarina and gently pulled the sword out. "Give me a bucket of water. Ed, purify the poison."
"On it," Ed said. He wiped the blood off from his sword with one of the paperbags, and placed his sword on top of Katarina's head. "Nullify."
As he cleansed her blood with the poison, Aquarius had just received the water from Minos. He dipped his hand in the water to make sure it was clean before he waved his hand to heal the wound of the woman's stomach.
"This girl will be a problem," Elliot thought and gulped.