Chapter 134 – Revolted From Rings (1)
There was a time where Hir had passed out when they had taken an excursion to the lake. How Hir responded when he saw Lacias’s ring right after he regained his consciousness, corresponded to how the Senior had responded to her ring a moment ago. Both Hir and Senior reacted in the same manner.
Of course, it could have only been a coincidence as the symptoms they had shown were nothing exceptional. However, Lila’s intuition begged to differ.
It was the ring’s presence that had caused her nauseousness, not my own. This could mean that Hir’s symptoms were caused by the presence of Lacias’s eing….
But there was something which just didn’t quite add up as it was only Lacias, Hir, and herself at the lake that time, without another soul in sight. More so, they were on a boat so it was really unlikely for an intruder to attack them. So what possibly could have caused that incident?
Too many unresolved questions were popping up in Lila’s head, but she didn’t feel entirely hopeless as she believed that the similarities in the incidents between the two would eventually surface with time by contrasting them.
“Senior, I know this could be hard for you at the moment but I have some questions to ask. Will that be alright with you?” Lila was determined to have a thorough look at Senior’s condition for the sake of Hir.
“Yes, Yes … Of course. If I could be of any help,” said Senior exasperatedly while stroking down her chest. She was yet to get over her nauseousness.
“If you don’t mind of course, would it be alright for me to summon Lacias back in? I think it would be better to have him examine your condition.”
“I don’t mind at all.” Her eyes were tired but she seemed to agree.
Upon Senior’s permission, Lila nodded and whirled around to call Lacias, who she had left waiting outside the room. Yet when she got to the door she noticed that it was opened slightly more than before.
He must have been listening to us all this time.
Then she saw Lacias’s face peep through the opened door, somehow reminding her of a large puppy, waiting for its master’s command to come in.
It was only with Lila’s affirmation that he entered the room with a victorious grin.
Keeping his distance from Senior, Lacias leaned against the wall in a corner with his arms crossed. With him ready to listen, Lila turned back to Senior.
“I want to know what had happened before you passed out.”
She scratched her head while murmuring the answer. “Before I passed out … umm, I’m still a little confused, to be honest. Give me some time to gather my memories, so what happened was….”
“Umm, yes, that’s what happened.”
Senior, who had been betraying her anxiousness by chewing on the knuckle of her index finger, rested her hands on her lap once she was done sorting out her thoughts.
“It all happened so quickly.”
“So quick?” Lila confirmed.
“Yes, and I think it all happened right after you and Miss Edith left the party hall. It was as if I was bewitched all of sudden. Ah, yes, there was something on the ground, something shiny if I recall correctly … but I can’t remember what it was exactly. God, why can’t I remember it?”
“Telling me what you can remember will be more than enough. So don’t be hard on yourself.”
“Ah… alright.”
Senior continued after a few sluggish rubs against her clammy forehead. “Anyhow, I was filled with an overwhelming urge to pick the ‘thing’ up from the ground. And when I got hold of it, I was overcome by drowsiness as if I was intoxicated with drugs.”
Overcome by drowsiness. That’s what he said.
So just as Lila suspected, Senior’s symptoms were identical to Hir’s, they both had the same look on their faces with distracted focus.
Could it be that Hir had accidentally got a hold on something that was floating on the surface of the lake as he played with the water on the boat? More possibilities began to arise.
“My first thought was that I should get myself together and go back. But I couldn’t risk being seen in such a state by the guests, so I hurried myself to this secret room as it was nearest to me from the hall. Then I passed out before I came around not long ago … and that’s the last thing I can remember for the time being.”
Lila remained silent even when Senior finished as she was deeply lost in her thoughts. Her mind was occupied with recalling every detail of Hir’s condition on the day of the incident. However, Senior interpreted the silence wrong and began frantically apologizing.
“I’m truly sorry for not being of much help to you. How pathetic is it for a host to pass out in such a place leaving all their guests unattended? I must head back to the party this instant. Has my absence troubled you anyhow?”
Lila woke up from her thought train and quickly tried to calm her back down. “No, it’s nothing like that, don’t worry.”
Senior was not even aware that the party had already come to an end. Her response indicated that she had passed out for quite some time.
“Senior, the party is already over.”
“Wha- What?! I was out for that long? I should’ve known better, it’s only Hiln who knows about the presence of this parlor. So having you come all the way here to find me must mean that … Ahh! I have ruined the whole party!”
“No, that’s not what it is. Please calm down, I’ll explain.”
After calming her down, Lila told Senior everything that happened while she was unconscious. Although she looked as if she was having trouble comprehending the whole situation, it didn’t seem like she was doubting Lila either.
“Then, does that mean I was made insensible on purpose by someone responsible for the commotion at the party?” Asked Senior. “And that someone is Dawson Hiln?
“Yes.” Confirmed Lila before explaining. “Dawson Hiln is definitely the mastermind behind the entire plot. But the problem is, we have no concrete evidence against him.”
Senior rubbed her chin carefully, acting like she understood the situation. “I see… Well, what are we supposed to do?
“There is a witness which I nearly got my hands on, he can act as our evidence,” said Lila as she thought of the boy from the garden. Everything would be resolved if she could win the boy over to her side. But she knew that the persuasion part wouldn’t go as smoothly as she wished.
“Anyway, the party’s over, what’s left is to find out what caused you to pass out in the first place,” said Lila as she glanced over to the man in the corner.