“Honestly, as long as you're alright, the questions can wait… As long as we haven't missed anything important.” Elizabeth remarked as she turned to Tina. Her eyes were cold, though she didn't show disdain for what caught her sight.

“No it's fine, I can talk, but, uh, I don't like the way you're looking at her.”

“Right, Tibaut!” Yuri interjected. “Pri- Elizabeth don't you think suspecting a friend is a step much? I know you're green to this but-”

“Green!? I've been working as an adventurer for over four years don't treat me as some rookie!”

The Saint, who likely could kill everyone in the room with a single swipe of his weapon, quickly backed down. “I know, I know but… I've seen enough people across the world to know a good one when I see one.”

“What's going on here?” Tibaut quickly asked. The atmosphere was quickly deteriorating over a simple observation he made.

“Tibaut, just tell us what happened and we'll go from there.” She bitterly stated. For Tina's own sake, he decided he'd better do this quickly.

----------------------------------------

He soon explained what happened, making sure to go in as much detail as possible, including the story Mr. Bentley told him before the battle as best as he could remember (Excluding his cannibalism against the man).

Elizabeth breathed an almost comical sigh and laid her back down on his bed, her feet hanging off.

“So that's what happened.” She mumbled.

“Wait, that old guy and that guy you were with was the same person? Ugh, I hate stuff like that. (The youth potion sounds especially serious, and given his involvement with the cult, it's likely they gifted it to him. Damn, and if it's made with those crystals they collect… if this ever gets out to the public or even those in higher society!)” As Yuri thought about the consequences of such a thing becoming common knowledge, he quickly got up and headed for the door.

“Elizabeth, give me a day or two. I have an urgent message to deliver.” He said before running outside. Before she could stop him he was already seen going outside through the room's window, running into the forest.

“(Yup that's definitely the guy that saved me.)”

Tibaut watched as Yuri disappeared from his sight in the forest and soon turned around. He was at a minimum 5x faster than Tibaut.

Her hand was still held up and she simply sighed as she got up. She got up and walked over to the still-sleeping Tina.

She wrapped her arms around her and gave her a gentle hug. “I'm sorry for doubting you.” She whispered in her ear, before moving away from her and back to Tibaut.

This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

“Anything unusual happens?” Tibaut asked. “Also kinda fucked up to suspect her, don't you think? We lost the old man but we still have Ezekiel right? Wait you don't think she'd try to break him out or so-”

Elizabeth raised her hand and placed a finger on his lip. “Instead of listing off your own theories, why don't you wait for me to fill in your blanks.” She grumbled before pinching his side.

“Ow.”

“Now for starters, Ezekiel isn't in a cell or being interrogated anywhere.”

“Then where is he?”

“Well, Tina told me he was… just to confirm, the man in black armour wasn't Bentley's ally?”

Tibaut wore a grimace before spitting out his words.

“Honestly he probably wanted him dead as much as me.”

(“He did? Hmm, that doesn't seem right. I thought Tina said he left her alive and targeted Ezekiel specifically. Maybe we're not out of the woods yet.”) She noted.

“The only reason I think he kept him alive was the whole de-ageing thing.” Tibaut continued.

“Gah, that last sentence is the problem.” She said with both hands on her head.

Tibaut looked to her for some clarification and she looked around the room before lowering her voice, to a pitch above a whisper.

“And you're positive he would have killed him otherwise?”

“Elizabeth, we were both ready to kill each other but as soon as he showed up, Ash immediately readied himself to team up with me. The same guy that cut his arm off. (She doesn't need to know what I did to his arm.)”

“Damn it all, then what happened to Ezekiel then!?” She murmured in frustration. She seemed ready to pull her hair out but stopped herself when she noticed the building confusion on Tibaut’s face.

“Just tell me what happened to him, did he escape!? And how did do it, he had Tina watching him, right?”

“Ezekiel is one of two things right now. He is either dead or he's alive.”

“Dead!? Why would he be dead, he still seemed somewhat-”

Elizabeth interrupted and told him Tina's side of what happened that night after Tibaut got tangled up with Mr. Bentley.

Tibaut slammed his fist on the bed after hearing what happened, his eyes now bloodshot.

“Easy there, Tibaut. I'm not finished explaining what happened.”

“He killed him didn't he!?” He said, trying to stifle his rage. “He took someone else from me like it was nothing!” He shouted.

He was teeming with rage, his body literally shaking as he thought back to that man. He got up with no destination in mind and headed for the door.

She dragged Tibaut down by shirt collar straight to her face, “Calm down, little boy and let me finish!” She shouted, seemingly infuriated by the situation as well. “That's what Tina said but…”

“But what?”

“But we couldn't find him.” She said with a bitter expression. “He wasn't anywhere near the Regional Guild branch. We found some blood on a nearby street but it wasn't anywhere near enough for us to know if he truly died or not.”

“What? But, he's dead, isn't he? What would they want with him!?”