Chapter 245: Abduction (3)
Chapter 245: Abduction (3)
Rise’s eyelids moved as he slowly opened them. His eyes felt particularly heavy, and his throat bobbed. His brows furrowed. His throat was so dry and so uncomfortable to swallow.
What the heck. Rise’s memories of what happened soon return to him. Despite his weakness and the heavy feeling in his head, Rise tried to get up.
He did not even have the time to observe the room that he was in. Rise put more strength into his body and could not help but wince. Huh? Why was he so weak? Was the poison still in his body?
Or... How many days have passed since he fell unconscious? Rise bit his lips and tried again, but he could not even lift his arms. He swallowed despite the difficulty and opened his mouth to attract attention.
As for silently leaving, there was no way he could do that in his state. Rise let out a groan and coughed, wanting to clear his throat.
Yet, Rise could only grimace once more as it only increased the uncomfortable feeling in his throat.
Darn it. I’ll seriously kill you, Mitchel. I feel so uncomfortable because of you.
Rise grumbled inwardly. He could only let out a few groans for now. He wanted to relax first and maybe drink some water. However, he could not move much, and so he could only wait for someone to discover he was already awake.
Considering he was abducted by Mitchel, there were mostly espers guarding here. Their hearing was good.
Rise stared at the ceiling helplessly, accepting his fate for now. Damn him for being careless and trusting Mitchel so much. The room he was in seemed luxurious at a glance, but his emotions were not stirred in the slightest.
What was the use of such a luxurious place if it was just his prison? If it was Kamille who did this, then that was another story.
Rise took a deep breath. Seriously, he even had time for this.
Kamille...
Rise bit his lips, thinking of Kamille. He was getting worried about him. For sure, the other was now looking for him. Rise could only hope that the world did not change much because of his disappearance.
"Huh? You’re awake?" A man’s voice resounded, stunned. When Rise turned to him, he was greeted by an unfamiliar face.
Meeting each other’s gaze, the other man snapped out of it and shouted. "Guild Leader, Rise’s awake." He turned around and left the room.
Rise rolled his eyes at him but kept watch at the door. Soon, the same familiar face arrived. His expression showed shock and, even more, happiness.
Rise narrowed his eyes. What are you even happy about? You did this to me, traitor.
His glaring eyes met Mitchel’s, who paused, and the smile faltered slightly, but he then continued to approach Rise’s bed. There was a warm expression on his face.
If he did not know better, he would think this person was a benefactor who saved him, just like in those novels. Well, come to think of it. They were really in a fucked-up novel, right?
"Do you need something, Rise?" Mitchel’s voice, which was already annoying, became more irritating for Rise.
Still, as he needed the other, he could only endure for now. And not like he could hurt the other party with his state. He nodded slightly and mouthed instead.
’Water’
Mitchel nodded and went to the side to get a glass of water. Returning to Rise’s side, he put down the glass at the bedside cabinet and helped Rise to get up.
Tsk. Acting so gentle, huh?
Rise glared at Mitchel, who completely ignored it and helped him drink the water. He gave him another piercing glare before he concentrated on drinking water.
His parched throat felt as though it had been finally blessed by water for so long as he greedily drank from the glass. Some even trickled down his jaw; he felt a hand wanting to wipe them, but he knitted his brows and moved his face away.
Rise looked at Mitchel and swallowed.
"One more." His voice was hoarse, and he still found it difficult to speak, but since he already could, he did not mouth the words anymore.
Mitchel nodded and fetched one more glass and helped Rise drink it. After he finished that, Rise savored the moisture in his throat first and leaned on the headboard, not saying anything.
Mitchel was the same. He was only sitting beside the bed. There were inexplicable emotions that flickered in his eyes, but Rise had no time to worry about his abductor.
Especially so, a traitor.
Rise had to treat him as part of the enemy camp, the author’s and Epsilon’s.
The two stared at each other. Rise openly displays his hostility in his gaze. If he could use his ability, Mitchel might have already been kissing the ground by now. Unfortunately, he could not even move his body.
"How long have I been unconscious?" There were some pauses in between his words, but Rise managed to finish his words clearly, despite the hoarseness.
Rise noticed something unusual about his weakness. It was as if... He had been unconscious for a while. But... How could it be, right?
Yet, his expression dropped when Mitchel answered him.
"One week. You’ve been unconscious for one week."
Rise blinked at him. Mitchel just said one week. He was not hallucinating... right? His expression darkened, and he could not help the trails of curses that came out of his mouth.
Mitchel only received them with a straight face, seemingly aware that he deserved it. Rise only stopped when he was breathless, and he caught his breath.
Every curse word there was, he already poured it on this man. He was not even feeling bad.
"You...!" Rise calmed himself and took a deep breath. He could not provoke this traitor any further. At least, pretend to cooperate for now.
"Why? Why did you poison me? Did we have a grudge?" Rise did not think that what happened last time would warrant this kind of betrayal.
Unexpectedly, Mitchel shook his head.
"Of course not."
Rise frowned. "Then, why?"
He was not answering this damn question.
Mitchel gave a small smile as he spoke in a righteous tone; Rise almost punched him if he could.
"I’m doing this for your own good."
Rise was once more dumbfounded. His head tilted slightly.
"What do you mean?"
His temple throbbed. His temper was about to burst.
Mitchel seemed not to expect Rise to understand.
"I’m saving you from him. He will harm you, and I won’t ever let you be in danger."
Hah. Such a hypocrite. Coming from someone who poisoned him. But Rise could not focus on that point much.
"Saving me? From who?" He paused, and Rise’s expression turned incredulous. "From Kamille?"
Mitchel’s expression turned dark for the first time.
"Yes. I’m protecting you from him."
"Are you fucking crazy?"
"She’s right," Mitchel nodded and muttered instead of answering.
"What the hell are you talking about? Who’s right? And can you tell me why you need to save me from my esper?" Rise had blurted them out without knowing, and he had no intention of retracting them even if he realized.
Mitchel’s jaw tightened.
"She’s right. You’ve been bewitched by that noble."
Rise was about to question him again, but then he suddenly paused. His expression changed. Not because of the information itself, but that was how Mitchel knew.
Mitchel took it as he was surprised by the information.
"That’s right. Kamille’s a noble." His expression turned darker. "And he’s deceiving you and will use you, Rise."
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