Chapter 116. Subscribe!!
"Do you take me for a fool? If I hadn't intervened, you would have been dead by now. And you call it a minor trifle?" Elizabeth lashed out.
Her biting remarks left Charles and Richard speechless.
Breaking the silence, Finn approached them and said, "Mr. Charles, I thought of a way that might end the scuffle between you two."
As Charles and Elizabeth turned their gazes on him, Finn continued. "I can concoct two potions. Each will cause one of you to disappear. You just have to randomly pick one and drink it. The problem will be solved then."
"Russian roulette, huh? Why should I gamble my existence with that guy? This body belongs to me in the first place!"
"Bro, let's just take both potions first and get out of this cursed seascape. Maybe the psychiatrists up there have a solution to merge us. Then none of us will have to die, right?" Richard hurriedly intervened with a tinge of urgency in his voice.
"Hah. Your words greatly differ from your previous actions," Charles spat out in rage.
"Fine, I am a shameless hypocrite, alright? But do we have to bicker in front of our lady? Answer this: do you want to return to the surface? Or do you want to waste time over this and bring it all to a standstill?"
Charles turned and saw Elizabeth's expression of worry. He momentarily suppressed the wrath in his heart.
Sensing Charles' compromise, Richard hurriedly instructed, "Make those potions. as fast as you can."
Finn got to work immediately upon hearing Richard's words. He was indifferent to the fate of either personality; his main interest was securing that additional 5% stake.
As an unfamiliar incantation left Finn's lips, Finn started rhythmically moving his hands in the air. The various bottles and jars nearby started moving on their own. Liquids of various hues flowed and merged within interconnected glass vials. It was an oddly aesthetic sight.
At this point, Charles had struggled out of Finn's influence and landed on the ground. With a stoic expression, he walked to the nearby revolver and bent down to pick it up.
"Bro, something's amiss. You're not one to give up so easily, so why were you so impulsive just now?" Richard questioned.
"Shut up!"
"Fine, fine, fine! I'll shut my mouth. You're the boss now."
With an icy look, Charles walked next to Elizabeth and watched as Finn mixed his potions.
After a few seconds, Charles wordlessly stripped the clown mask from the writhing individual close by. He swiftly drew the Dark Blade from his boot and used the figure's coat to envelop the mask.
Simultaneously, a bronze-hued liquid shimmered in the ceremonial bowl. Finn took out a golden piece of paper from his pocket. From which, a white magic matrix materialized and hovered gracefully over the bowl.
Finn's incantation deepened in tone, and the white magic matrix swiftly encased the liquid within the bowl. A piercing noise echoed, and the bowl contorted into a glass bottle, reminiscent of the previous one that had shattered.
Stowing the two identical potion vials that levitated toward him into his pocket, Charles turned and left without uttering a single word.
After they disembarked from the purple-hued colossal ship, Elizabeth trailed behind Charles in silence.
The silence was stifling.
Staring at the broad silhouette in front of her, Elizabeth hesitated briefly before she parted her lips, "Who has been the one that I have been talking to?"
"It has always been me. The other guy is just a counterfeit produced by a relic," Charles replied.
"Then how do I distinguish between the both of you?" Elizabeth continued probing.
"You don't have to. This doesn't concern you. I'm surely the one who will survive this ordeal," Charles answered curtly. For once, Richard didn't add his piece.
Charles and Elizabeth continued their stroll on the dimly lit pier. Just as they were nearing the exit, Charles questioned, "When will you and Finn depart for that island?"
"Tomorrow. We've planned to set sail earlier, but your other personality requested for us to wait."
"Once you’ve succeeded, try to relocate as many refugees from Shadow Island there as possible."
Elizabeth was momentarily stunned by Charles' words.
How was that even related to what just happened?
"Bon voyage. Bye," Charles bade his goodbyes before propelling himself up with a strong push against a wall and onto a rooftop. Stepping from roof to roof, he made his way back to the Bat Tavern.
For the following days, Charles continued his usual mundane routine ashore. However, the shift in the atmosphere was so evident that even Lily, who had no idea what happened, could sense it.
The recent betrayal had set the two personalities starkly against each other. While they once held mutual contempt due to their differing natures, they had now become sworn adversaries despite residing in the same body.
Perhaps out of guilt, Richard rarely appeared. True to his words, he seemed intent on compensating Charles for his losses.
However, Charles had other thoughts. Apart from the ultimate goal of returning home, he now had another one: to eradicate his alter ego and regain complete control of his body.
The recent incident could be regarded as a major event, and Charles believed it would take him a considerable amount of time to truly comprehend its impact on him.
However, the arrival of another event soon distracted him from the betrayal.
Kord had returned.
The once affable elder appeared rather haggard. His dark circles were hanging so low that not even his reading glasses could mask them. His eyes flashed with obsession.
Staring at the nautical chart on the table, Kord seemed thrilled. He glided his trembling hands over the parchment. Suddenly, he lifted his gaze to meet Charles. "Is... Is this real? Is this island the one that housed the stairway to the Land of Light where our Divine Light God resides?"
"There's a ninety percent chance that it is real," Charles remarked.
Hearing Charles' proclamation, Kord suddenly burst into tears like a child. He reached out both hands and clutched the nautical chart close to his chest
Charles could comprehend Kord's response, but he couldn't help but grimace in disgust when the latter rubbed his snot all over the nautical chart.
"Alright, stop crying. We need an exploration ship to explore the resupply island first. Should your men go, or I?"
"No... We have to go together this time. Strength lies in numbers. We'll set sail directly from here," Kord commented as he tapped a finger on the marked location of the resupply island.
"Are you sure?" Charles raised an eyebrow in doubt. "It's highly likely that the pirates of Sottom resupply at this very island. Rushing in could spell deep trouble for us."
Kord's features contorted in frustration, and he pounded a fist on the nautical chart. "I have no other choice! The Archbishop in the Western Seas has noticed the anomalies here.
”I suspect that he has already sent ships over to investigate. If he finds out what I did to the base in the Coral Archipelago, I'm as good as dead!!"
"Calm down. Don't let paranoia consume you." Charles frowned as he stared at the crazed lunatic before him.
Hardly taking Charles' words in, Kord lunged at Charles and grabbed him by the collar.
"You think you'll fare any better if I die? The Archbishops show no mercy to their enemies, even if they do show a modicum to their allies. If they get their hands on you, remorse will be a luxury you can't afford!"
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