BXBX NOVEL Chapter 103 - There's This Person
Teren has yet to tell her anything and he doesn't intend to or the worst-case scenario might spark, leaving him dead or her with no other options. That's what he fears the most.
'The Great Spirit of Mind-Altering is weakening. She should be the most affected of all. She dispelled my second, though weaker, alteration. It's only a matter of time before she learned about her past...'
While thinking so, Teren found a problem. He didn't notice is earlier maybe because he was flustered or because it felt natural. But it shouldn't.
"Say..." Teren looked at Iesa with a serious expression, different from the bashful look he had earlier.
"Hm?"
"Why are you not confused when I spoke about Spirits?" Teren asked.
Although Iesa had met Clade and knew the existence of Spirits, why was she not questioning the Great Spirit of Mind-Altering? It was as if she already knew it. She shouldn't think that Teren erased her memories in the first place.
"..."
Iesa stayed silent, unable to answer his question. She clearly knew where he's getting at. It's because she wouldn't know all of this if not for Seres, Teren's so-called 'little sister'
Maybe, just like Teren, she was flustered as well or devastated when Teren said she shouldn't talk to him or both and that's why she was not careful enough. Now, Teren caught on to it and she have no idea how to respond.
Teren saw her hesitation but there was no hint of confusion. In other words, she knows what he's talking about but she's just not answering.
His face became cold with malice. It was not an act.
"Who told you?"
He easily pinpointed. He didn't start with 'how did you know?' but instead with this question. If there was no one behind Iesa's knowledge, she should say it, right? Teren trusts her that much. However, she's hiding something and that made him want to remove that 'someone' who's causing this.
"..."
But Iesa was still not willing to answer. She was considering it but the mystery of what will happen if she does stopped her.
She had yet to know if Seres is trustworthy or not. However, she does know that Seres was helping her, at least that's what she was seeing. Iesa clearly knew what happens to Teren's enemies and if Seres is only thinking for what's good, then she doesn't want the so-called little sister to be in danger.
Let's face it, Teren is the bad guy here. Iesa thought. But that's why I love him, she continued.
And that doesn't mean that she has no compassion, guilt, or remorse. If something does happen to Seres while being innocent, Iesa would blame herself.
'But... can I really keep it from Teren?'
After all that conflictions, Iesa could only think of one thing.
I want him to know everything about me...
Ridiculous, yes.
Crazy, yes.
Stupid, yes.
But Iesa couldn't help but feel that way and that's why-
"C-can you promise me one thing?"
Teren stayed silent. But even then Iesa continued.
"T-there's this one person. Don't worry! She's a she! I'm not cheating!" she unnecessarily added though that actually made Teren's expression milder, "She's telling me all this because she said you're dangerous and that umm, you will kill me. She's kind of helping me."
At this point, Iesa realized that she was at the point of no return.
"Because of her, I remembered a lot of things. She also taught me about Spirits, gangs, and Spirit Wars... But the thing is, I don't fully trust her yet. I don't know the whole story. I do think she's a good person but not with a hundred percent certainty. Until you say that you will not do anything to her, yet, I will not tell you who she is. But! If she's actually a liar and something like that then I won't stop you, is that a deal?"
Teren listened attentively and understand what Iesa's trying to say even though she said it vaguely.
"Okay. That's a deal."
Iesa smiled, "Okay!" which made Teren smile too. Then she continued, "She calls herself as Seres and she said you're her little sister...?"
Iesa observed Teren's reaction. When she said the name, Teren was a bit shock and when she continued, he fell into pondering.
"... you're not that surprised..."
She commented.
"Yeah, it's because we already met her once, remember?" Teren casually replied while still pondering.
"Huh?"
Iesa wasn't able to keep up. She will agree if Teren said he met Seres once but the two of them?
"The girl in the raincoat... the one who shot me."
"Eh!? Wait! The one who vanished after getting struck by a bolt of lightning!?"
"Yeah, that's her."
"Wait, so she's a bad person, then!?"
Teren slowly shook his head which left Iesa dumbfounded.
"What, why?"
"Do you remember when I told you she's strange?"
Iesa nodded.
"It's because even though she shot me, she means no harm."
"???" Iesa confusedly tilted her head, "She shot you with a handgun, putting a bullet in you and she means no harm?"
Is Teren not only a psychopath but also stupid?
Clearly reading plastered on her face, Teren lightly laughed pinched her cheeks, thinking she's too cute to exist.
"O-ouch..." Iesa muttered but her expression said that she doesn't hate it.
Teren stopped and answered the question Iesa asked and didn't ask.
"I have a Spirit of Sensitivity. There are a lot of types of this kind of Spirit but what I have helps me detect malice from other people. If they hold malice towards me, they could mean harm to me. Although they can hurt me if it's an accident and I will not be able to tell."
Iesa nodded, trying to understand Teren's explanation.
"But when Seres pointed her gun at me, I was caught off-guard because-"
"She doesn't have any malice towards you."