Chapter 34: Stripping
Silence enveloped the third floor. Philip and Maris were both looking at each other for a long time. While it was unknown what Maris was feeling, Philip's heart was thumping extremely fast from apprehension.
'What to do?' He mulled while his gaze remained fixed on Maris. Never did he expect her to wait at his doorway. He was lost on what to do.
'Should I just upgrade my uniqueness? No, it is too late. She has already seen me.'
Philip immediately thought of his next course of action. He did not want to remain in this inn any longer and decided to leave once his uniqueness reset at midnight.
'She's only a child. One will only say she's hallucinating once she notified someone about me,' Philip pondered optimistically. He could only rely on an adult's mind to not believe any nonsense from a child.
It was 10 in the evening, meaning he had to pack his things and stall for two hours. Philip had no choice but to make it work as he could not function well with his disabled body.
Upon making this decision, Philip stood up with his right leg and picked up the oversized clothes scattered on the ground. He covered his bare body and hopped towards the door.
Maris' dumbfounded eyes remained on Philip. While she might have seen Philip's transformation, her brain refused to believe it. This occurrence was too new, especially to her who was only a child.
Her intense gaze continued until Philip reached the door and rummaged through his clothes for door keys. She only reacted when she saw Philip standing with one foot near her.
"What are you?" she asked. While she was initially surprised, her eyes had no hint of vigilance and anxiety. Instead, she was only showing curiosity for her age.
Philip didn't reply to her. He was too busy looking for his key. With his right hand being unusable, he had more difficulty digging through his pocket.
Maris waited until Philip finally unlocked the door and entered. However, when he was about to close the door, Maris quickly entered after him. Her eyes were still fixed on him curiously.
While Philip acted as though it was none of his concern, deep inside he was burdened by her presence. How could he not be? She knew his secret and besides, he was planning on escaping. If she kept on bothering him, how could he do it?
Philip couldn't hold back anymore and asked, "Are you not leaving?"
He held the door wide open, intended for Maris to go out on her own.
However, maybe because she was a child, she remained clueless about his intention. And when she felt bored staring at Philip, she then wandered around his room.
A little while later, upon seeing a crate of milk beside the side table, her eyes immediately beamed in joy as he glanced at Philip with a smiling face.
"So you are really a child! How did you do it? Will you teach me how to turn into an adult?"
Philip was bombarded with numerous childish questions and could not help but be irritated. He was not angry at Maris but at himself.
'If only I was careful, none of this would have happened,' Philip sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose as if trying to dispel a headache.
Maris continued asking and roaming around him. When it finally dawned on him that he could not make her leave, he closed the door after awkwardly dragging the briefcase to his room.
Shortly, he leaped to his suitcase and took a set of children's clothes to dress himself up.
Since he was only using one arm, it was difficult for him to cover his bare body. The oversized clothes dropped to the floor, and a shriek echoed behind him.
"Kyaaah!"
Maris quickly covered her eyes with her small hands. But her fingers were distant from each other, making her eyes still openly goggling at him.
While Philip might have an adult mind, he was still embarrassed by the little girl's shamelessness.
"Can you turn around!" Philip cried, his voice had a hint of shyness within.
Maris giggled and turned around. She whispered in a voice loud enough for Philip to hear, "You're really a child! Your pipi is small."
Hearing this, Philip's face became red as a tomato. Regardless of age, no man wanted a girl to judge his bottom part.
"Shut up!" He shouted.
Maris quickly zipped her mouth and waited for Philip to finish.
Later, Philip sighed and drank a bottle of milk. A lot had happened today and he felt thirsty. Moreover, facing this tough situation, he could not help but be stressed out.
"What do you want?" Philip asked like a street bully kid. He wanted to portray to the little girl he wasn't easy to bully.
It was then Maris remembered her circumstance and quickly pulled Philip's sleeve.
"Please help my brother!" The curiosity on her face had turned into anxiety. It was evident on her face that she was concerned about her brother.
'So that was why she was waiting outside my room,' Philip frustratedly shook his hair with his fingers. He remembered telling the girl earlier to reach him if she needed help out of politeness.
However, this politeness made him suffer from mental stress instead.
But, seeing the girl trembling, he could not help but soften and no longer wanted to make her difficult.
"Don't worry, your brother is okay. I already helped him," he said.
When Maris heard these words, her face turned into relief as she glanced at Philip with thankful eyes.
When Philip realized that Maris seemed to have forgotten about his transformation, he asked to keep her busy.
"Hey, why are you adamant about keeping this inn? Wouldn't it be better to sell it to keep yourselves safe?"
Maris' face became dejected upon hearing Philip's query. It was evident in her reaction that she knew that selling the building was the perfect solution.
"Before our father died, he told us not to sell the building as it is the family's heritage. We have been keeping and managing the inn ever since the first Davies was born."
"Brother asked why but Father didn't specifically tell us the reason. He only said that only time will tell how important this building is to us."
While Maris was recounting her father's last words, Philip slowly moved his belongings back to his luggage. He only let an inaudible sound to keep her to continue in telling her story.
"I also remember Father saying that the males of Davies were weak to constant psychological pressure. He even reminded brother to always keep his emotions in check,"
Maris became sadder upon being reminded of this. She bowed her head and shared weakly,
"Maybe that's why my father died. He died because he can't handle them…"
"What if my brother also ended up like him…"
Maris' sobs resounded painfully around the room that even Philip could not help but feel sorry.
'Ha. I am really weak to children,' Philip stopped packing his things and told Maris to sit on his bed.
"Don't worry. Your brother is strong. In fact, he faced the men alone downstairs. If you have seen him, you will surely be proud of him," Philip soothed.
He was telling the truth. Based on the gossip, Conrad has been facing Evans' pressure for almost a month without the support of an adult. If he isn't strong, then who is?
When Philip was about to comfort her more, the door suddenly banged open, and an adolescent man entered the room panicky.
"Maris!" Conrad cried, "Why are you here? And where is the man…"
Conrad then caught the sight of another child seated beside Maris. He was confused for a moment before his eyes turned serious.
"Who are you? I remember we don't have a guest like you here."
"..."
Philip was in a stupor. He had been like this since Conrad 'trespassed' his room. He was so stunned by his action that his mind froze and stopped working.
'Where's my privacy? Is it normal for them to enter their guests' room?"
But before Philip could reply, Maris answered him on her behalf.
"Brother! This is the same man who helped me earlier this afternoon. He is the occupant of this room!"
Philip's world crashed by Maris' sudden revelation. He wanted to facepalm himself but forced his hand to stay put on his lap.
He glanced at Conrad, observing his reaction. But upon seeing Conrad acting like it was nothing to him, he furrowed his brows, thinking whether transformation ability was a daily occurrence to everyone.
"So that's why you're so meddlesome. So you are just a child." Conrad said. His face turned sorrowful upon seeing Philip's disabled body.
Philip had no time to care about what Conrad had been saying as his mind broke from their bizarre reaction.
'Why is he more focused on me being a child? Can't they see I can turn into an adult?!'
'Am I the abnormal here? Why are they not shocked or scared?'
But Philip was left in more shock when Conrad suddenly went down on his knees as he expressed his request,
"Please help us!"
***
A couple of minutes later, Philip was in a daze. He no longer knew where he was and what he was doing.
"Do you really need my help?" he asked. His tone was serious but also had a hint of surrender within.
"Yes!" answered Conrad. Maris was also staring at Philip with an expectant look.
Philip went silent for a while and said directly to Conrad,
"Then strip. Take no clothes left behind your body."
The room instantly became silent. While Conrad blushed like a maiden, Maris gave Philip a disappointed and scornful gaze.
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