Chapter 48: Receiving or not?

Ian's attention immediately centers on the flask with a cylinder shape. A bubble floats on the top of the closed flask that contained the strange green metallic fluid. The warm light that enters through the windows from the street lanterns shines the floating particles visibly inside. The fluid slowly rotated around the container.

Ian releases his tightened fist and slowly reaches towards the flask, but Nate's hand catches his hand just before he grasps it. Their eyes meet. The silence between them intensified along with their breaths, their hearts beating intensely and their ears focusing and sharpening the noise around them. That moment is when they noticed the sound of footsteps that came to a stop. They look towards the direction where the staircase connects to the lounge area. Their eyes meet with two figures; one was carrying another in her arms.

Imogen stands a few steps away from the staircase, locking her eyes with the object sitting on the table. Ian feels his breath slowly shortening. He searches with his eyes at Imogen's back while holding his breath.

Kyrie is not there.

He releases the air that he held with a strange relief that Imogen was the one who caught onto their act. Nate shakes slightly from the nerves when he catches Imogen's staring sternly at the flask. Nate is sure that not a lot of people know about the existence of such a potion, but seeing the reaction when Imogen saw the portion. He is not sure anymore. Nate is aware that Imogen does not know that he has not told the side effects of the potion to Ian. Since the potion deals with magic that helps draw the memories out of the person who drinks it by force, the side effect has to do with the memories that are getting drawn out.

So far, Nate is aware that Imogen is closed to Kyrie the most out of their misfit team - a misfit team that is oddly composed of a cursed prince, a paladin, a saintess, a merchant guard, and a collector. Despite the fact that he knows how much Kyrie and Imogen fight, Imogen takes only two people seriously, and one of them is Kyrie. Nate gulps quietly and tries to prepare a way to escape such a dangerous character in their team. He gets ready to put his hand on his spatial ring to take out something that aid his escape. There is no way that Imogen would let Nate off after knowing that he has given her precious friend's boyfriend such an item. Nate looks at Ian nervously but sees that Ian is increasingly calmer by the second. It is almost as if Imogen discovering their secret transaction has given Ian more relief than nerves.

Although Ian feels the uneasiness from Imogen's face, he turns his head around to look at Nate's hand, still tightly grasping his wrist. He takes a quick stare at Nate, who seems to be almost choking on his nerves. He breaks off from Nate's weakening grasp and takes the flask firmly. Unlike how both of them anticipated, Imogen does not say or do anything and takes Laurel back to her room. However, on her face, both of them can see her eyes darkening and her face turning stony. Then, from the corridor, Imogen's bedroom door soundly slams shut. Nate is sure that Imogen is burning in anger. Her eyes say it all. However, he is surprised that she did not do anything to them - not even the slightest protest.

"She must be waiting to see what Ian will decide..." Nate thinks as he looks at Ian gazing pensively at the potion in his hand, "Interesting that she is not trying to prevent this from happening, but stays back to observe. It is almost as if she has placed a test to her own expectations."

Nate stands up like his duty is done. Ian is swimming inside his thoughts so deeply that he is not aware that Nate has stood up from his chair. He could not even hear the scratching sound of the chair scraping against the floor. So, Nate leaves Ian behind to think alone. He has already accomplished what he was aiming for.

Unlike how it seems, he is not so generous as to be giving away a potion as valuable as the potion of truth without a motive. He is well known for a reason despite there are so many collectors in the same business. His influence is enough for him to take away an entire profession's name to himself.

After the sky has completely swallowed by darkness, Kyrie drags himself up the stairs in the dark inn with complete exhaustion. The day is ending soon, so the ghouls that are striving to survive ended up attacking him on his way back. Although he does not have to take care of those ghouls in hordes, he is not so thrilled to get surprise attacks when he is exhausted.

[Seems like the potions around the town are getting out of stock... Tonight, I might need to guard the inn and see if Imogen would take up the task as well...]

He arrives on the second floor of the inn and looks at Ian, looking out the window while facing away from him. The lights from the streets are casting an extending shadow to Ian's sitting figure.

[Was he waiting?]

Kyrie goes closer but notices that Ian is dazed to his thoughts again. Ian holds his empty cup with both of his hands while sitting at a wooden chair next to a round table. His dark hair is down while his eyes reflecting the light from the outside.

[What is he thinking so deeply about?]

Even after Kyrie is already standing near Ian's back, Ian is still preoccupied with his mind.

[His guards are so down... This can be dangerous...]

Kyrie wraps around Ian's neck with the attempt to whisper to Ian's ears to ask him whether he was waiting; however, Ian reflexively reacts and elbows Kyrie's side abdomen. Kyrie sags down in pain and stays crouched from the lack of energy. His head sits on top of his bent knees. Ian turns around.

"Kyrie? Kyrie!"

Ian turns around, shocked. He moves his chair away and kneels down to see if Kyrie is okay.

"Sorry... I did not see you coming..."