Chapter 657: World of Illusions-II

With them being someone different than themselves, it was safe to assume they had stepped into an illusion which Ernest had casted. She didn't know what kind of illusion that Ernest had done and what he was planning to do by doing so but being careful was the best option. 

"I apologize," the boy said then while rubbing his nose, "My brother has to work to pay the debt he owes to you. It would take time."

Debt? Elise questioned. "Are we perhaps a loan shark?" She asked Ian in a whisper. Was this a game Ernest started yet again?

"Seems so," responded Ian and he continued looking around to see how despite the inside of the house looking beautiful and well furnished, in fact at a closer look it can be seen the cracks the furnitures tried to hide and how dirty it was even though the floor appeared clean. The furnitures was also outdated. The house may seem beautiful but it was hiding itself from the impending ruin as the household was lacking money. 

"What's your brother's name again?" Ian asked the boy who offered a smile, "His name is Edgar."

The name didn't ring any bell to Elise. She didn't know who the person Edgar is. She guessed the illusion Ernest showed was something related to him or Apollyon. But Edgar? It wasn't anyone whom they know. As they sat down, they heard ruckus from the second floor and a startling crash that sounded almost similar to a blast. 

While Elise was taken aback with the startling noise, she saw how the younger boy flinched. His expression that was once filled with smiles had immediately turned into an extreme frightened look as if the monster that had been hiding in the dark found its own method to crawl back from the darkness.

"Where are my drinks?!"The howl-like scream came from the floor above them.

The boy who was nervous didn't know what to do.

Ian looked at the boy, "Your father?"

"Foster father," the boy answered. "Please do not mind him and I apologize for the noises. He would calm down soon." 

Elise who had been keenly watching the boy's eyes noticed how the boy's expression who looked at the floor above him suddenly went still, a frightening stillness on his face revealed a small cold glare he gave to his father who was on the second floor. As Elise was about to point that out to Ian, the door of the house was knocked by another guest. The boy's expression once again filled itself with brightness when he heard the sound. He pushed himself from the couch, making his way to the entrance in a hurry.

Although he cannot see, the boy seemed to have remembered the path he needed to take toward the entrance by heart as he had rushed forward without fear of what's in front of him. However, not all objects remained at the same spot he recalled as he stumbled over the leg of the table and almost fell forward to the vase. Elise can't help but to quickly stop the boy from falling with the help of Jett. 

The boy was startled of someone's touched. As he cannot see, he didn't know the person helping him was in fact a mass of shadow, "Thank you," he politely uttered. 

"Be careful," Ian said to the boy without moving from his seat, "There are many things that easily breaks, starting from glass, heart, and then life. You should grasp your surrounding better."

The boy nodded as though he understood even though the discussion should be heavy to the children of his age. When the boy finally made it to the door, Elise took the opportunity to speak leisurely, "That boy is a bit strange."

"I wouldn't say he is only strange," Ian answered. He had not missed to noticed the bruises hidden underneath the boy's neat clothing. "He is abused here by the one and only his father from the second floor."

"I don't see Ernest here. What is he trying to show by putting an illusion?" Elise couldn't grasp the reasoning behind Ernest's action for letting them see someone else's past. 

Ian chuckled, "Maybe he wanted to ask us to understand him better. This is what they call the last bark before death, Elise. That blind boy—"

"I am very sorry to have make you waited here," a voice came behind them before Ian had completed his words. "How much do I owe you for my father's debt, sirs?"

Ian tapped his fingers with a grin, "Let's play along then," he said to Elise before standing up to look at the young man who was named Edgar, "Your father's debt," the man sighed. "I don't know how to say this to you, young man. But the amount of his debt had bloomed faster than any flowers in this world that the only way for you to pay the debt is to either sell this house or…" Ian drawled and waited.

"Or?" Edgar appeared shocked and stunned. It had taken him minutes to ask the question aloud. 

"Or we can chop your father's limbs to be fed to the pigs. That's how us, the loan sharks work," Ian filled them in, appearing to be a convincing loan shark to Elise's eyes. He then turned and whispered, "I have always met these loan shark. It's my forte to act as them. So?" His last question was once again directed to Edgar. 

Elise saw how miserable Edgar's face turned as he went pallid at the news. 

"I… cannot sell this house."

"Then it's decided!" Ian clapped his hands and looked at Elise, "Now would you bring me that noisy man from above so we can chop them?"

"No!" The young man, Edgar shouted to interrupt Elise from moving a single step away. "I understand, but would you please give me a week? No, just four days. I will try to do anything I could to pay back the debt."

"It's a debt that could cost you this entire house and you are telling me you can pay them soon?" Ian questioned with a raised eyebrow. Edgar gulped but he nodded his head vigorously. "Great. Then we should take our leave soon. Remember I will come back in three days." 

Ian tipped his chin, cuing Elise that it was time for them to retire. As she followed Ian to leave the house, she was confused by how easily they could stepped out of the house. Wasn't Ernest's plan was to trap them here? But Elise didn't forget Lady Caroline's words. Every time they took a step forward, Apollyon had made sure to guess five steps of their future. Which also mean, there's more than what's meet the eye in this situation. 

Seeing the blind boy, Ian raised his hand and placed it carefully on his shoulders, "Take care."

When the door of the house was opened, Elise doubted they could leave but taking one step forward, she had successfully left the house. Elise was still at lost at how things were progressing. "Did we come to the wrong house?"

"No, Elise. This was truly our destination," Ian replied to her dutifully. "In any case, what do you think about Edgar who promised to pay off his debt? Do you think he could truly repay the debt in a count of four days?"

Elise's mind was occupied with the confusion of not finding Ernest when she was asked this. She shook her head in reply, "I don't think it's possible."

"True," Ian hummed. 

"Why had you agreed to his promise then?" Elise questioned him.

"Because that young man had never planned to pay off any debt. Follow me Elise," Ian reached out his hand on the house's door again and pulled it open. Elise who was with a frown saw from the floor, red liquid pooled under her shoes.