“Frankly, given what little we knew, I believed Tina might have been covering for him or even worse, working for him but now… they had double-crossed the cult. Bollocks, I'm getting a headache trying to wrap my head around this. Why was Ezekiel missing!? (Well at least this confirms that Ezekiel and Mr. Bentley had earned the cult's ire and used us to get rid of their mess.)”
“That's right, Tina! How's she holding up?”
“I believed she was only observing your condition for fear you'd contradict her story but… (after what happened that night, I can see why her main focus was only on Tibaut. It wasn't fear but guilt that had her stay next to his bed every day and make him a meal in hopes he awoke. How could I have ever thought she wanted to kill him!?) I can tell that's no longer the case. She was concerned for you the entire time but after hearing what you said, it somewhat recontextualizes the way she reacted. After that night, she'd keep avoiding any mention of him and keep tight-lipped when we spoke of him. I thought it was to avoid saying anything unnecessary and reveal his current condition but, it was probably just embarrassment.” She said as she shook her head.
“No crying or anything like that?”
“No. Honestly, that's what made me the most suspicious…” She got up from the bed with a hand covering her face. “Argh! (Those bastards, we got rid of them yet they've still managed to leave me frustrated.)” She groaned.
“But what do you mean by someone else, Tibaut, is there someone that he killed?” Elizabeth offhandedly asked. It was more to distract herself from her blunder than any sort of sleuthing.
“...” Tibaut looked like he was caught off guard and remained silent for a few more moments.
“Hmm? (What's with that reaction? Was there really someone else that armoured man targeted?)”
Given what he had been through, Elizabeth decided to save that question until he was healthier.
“But Mr. Bentley, I don't think any of us would have been able to guess him of all people.” She said as she pinched on Tina's cheek. Other than the discomfort on her face she didn't budge.
“Get a good look at her, Tibaut. She'll never admit it, but (I know for certain) she tired herself worrying about you day and night. She's so tired she probably won't wake up until tonight.”
“What, are you trying to make the guy who woke up feel bad?” He asked.
“No, I'm just reminding you that dying would leave her in a lot worse shape.”
He cringed at her comment and clicked his tongue. “Elizabeth?”
This novel's true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.
The relief of his recovery had quickly worn off for her.
“I think after hearing what you did that night, I'm convinced you need someone responsible around you at all times. I don't care about doing it subtly anymore.”
She grabbed him by his collar and lifted him up. “You absolute buffoon!” She snared at him. “What the hell were you thinking trying to take him on after fighting Ezekiel!? Much less with an injured arm!? Do you want to die!? Is that it? Would you be so pleased with yourself if you just dropped dead one day!?”
“Easy-”
“Easy my foot, you wanker, do you know how much worse this would have been if we didn't have your word? I can forgive being overpowered by the Bishop, but you nearly left us without a single idea of what happened to you thanks to your utter and shameless stupidity!” She shouted.
“I'm sorry, okay, after hearing what he had to say, I wasn't going to let him escape like that…”
The more he spoke the more her face slowly transfigured into a demon’s. First an imp’s, then an oni’s, morphing further to a gargoyle until it slowly resembled the devil itself.
Before Tibaut could realise his mistake, it was already too late.
----------------------------------------
After receiving a chewing out spanning 2 hours and his self-worth comfortably shattered, Elizabeth finally managed to calm herself down.
“I don't want you to leave this house without myself or any of the others present, do you understand?” Elizabeth firmly stated. “Otherwise, I'll just break your arms and legs if I have to.” She said before turning to him. He was nothing but a sad puddle of man strewn across his bed.
“Don't worry, I don't think I'll be leaving for a while.” He responded.
“Really? You seemed quite ready after I mentioned Ezekiel.” She coldly stated.
He turned away from her. “Okay, I get what you're saying but... Honestly, after that fight with Mr. Bentley, I think I'm gonna need a break for a while. I'm sick of fighting if you don't mind me saying.”
She whipped her head in his direction and read his face.
(“Given the state he left that fight and the way he described how his body after the ki ran its course, I don't blame him. Honestly, with such a risk I can see why it isn't more widespread. But then… Why did she choose such a dangerous art? She has our magic, it just doesn't…”)
“You don't believe me?” He asked.
“No, I do. I assume you have no issue if we suspend trying to draw out your ki? Given what you said, I'd like you to visit an expert for consultation before you use it again.”
“...(Fuck no, I don't want to use that shit again!)” Is what he wanted to say to her.
(“But can you really defeat that man without it?”) Satan asked.
Even now the sweet taste of Ash's flesh lingered in his mouth. He could never forget the sin he committed that night to survive. Yet he also could not deny it was an ambrosia and the very reason he was alive. He felt disgusted imagining himself doing it to any other person.
But as he remembered the face of Ash as he bit away at him, a part of himself couldn't help but imagine doing the same thing to the Bishop. How much sweeter would that ambrosia taste? How serene would his screams sound as he begged him to stop?