Chapter 195: Demon in the Bottle – 34

Chapter 195: Demon in the Bottle – 34

Ella opened her eyes the next day after noon had passed.

She saw the dimly lit high ceiling.

She realized she was lying in the school auditorium.

Beside her were rows of beds, all filled like hers.

In between, doctors and nurses bustled about, occasionally a person dressed as clergy was seen.

Ella grabbed her throbbing head and sat up.

A passing nurse noticed her rising and went out of the auditorium, then returned with Wonderstein.

Youre awake.

What happened? The reception?

Wonderstein laid her back down to rest and briefly explained what had happened yesterday.

Ellas expression showed disbelief.

The manifestation of an Avatar in the school.

She felt like trouble followed her wherever she went.

Did anyone die or get hurt?

No. Everyone is unharmed, except Professor Pyrene.

She vanished without a trace.

Whether she was eaten, digested, or escaped, no one could tell.

Ella looked around and sighed with relief, nodding her head.

Yeah? Thats a relief.

Her expression, however, wasnt bright.

She buried her head in the pillow, pulled the blanket up to her eyes, and stared at the ceiling.

Wonderstein didnt ask her why.

He had heard enough about what the victims of Cinepecus had gone through while being here.

Ella, lost in thought, gently pulled her arm out from under the blanket and extended it to him.

Hold my hand, please.

Wonderstein smiled and accepted her hand.

Shall we dance, my lady?

He mimicked the words she said at the ball last night.

Ella recalled yesterdays events and chuckled softly.

But it was short-lived.

Soon her expression turned gloomy again.

Still, Wonderstein said nothing, quietly keeping her company.

After a while of lying still, she spoke.

It was the voices of my friends.

It was a statement without context, but Wonderstein understood what she meant.

Was it?

Silence ensued again.

She hesitated for a moment before speaking again.

They cursed me.

She muttered in a melancholic voice.

She wasnt friends with all the kids at school.

But she had never heard such hatred and malice.

Even among the voices, there were those of kids she had been friends with.

They said theyd get revenge theyd kill

Wonderstein could guess the situation roughly.

Perhaps her friends didnt know she followed Wonderstein to save them.

Knowing Ellas personality, she would have endured it alone, without giving them a chance to follow her.

They likely thought of her as a traitor.

Are they there Did I do something wrong?

Fear was visible in her eyes.

In such a situation, she could have lived happily without knowing the truth.

But now, she had glimpsed part of the truth.

And in the most painful form for her.

She would continue to tremble in fear now.

Thinking about what she had lost in memory.

Maybe were you trying to hide memories for my sake? Were you hiding something because I made a mistake or did something wrong?

Wonderstein felt a twinge in his heart.

Even in such a situation, did she trust him?

It was a joyous yet poignant misunderstanding.

No. Ella, youve done nothing wrong.

Really?

The voices you heard are all fake. Tricks of Cinepecus.

Is that so?

Ella chuckled.

But Karen could feel the warm comfort behind her words.

Oh, okay. I-I mean, then as a gesture of apology um can you, um give me a kiss on the cheek?

Mayas eyes widened at her words.

At that moment, Karen realized.

Oh, this time shes really annoyed.

Having heard older brothers and uncles jokingly make such creepy requests, she had blurted out these words learned from observation as a joke.

R-Revoked

Karen awkwardly cleared her throat a few times and avoided eye contact.

Oh, but by the way, wheres my brother?

The one who answered her question was the patient lying on the bed right next to hers.

Always asking so eagerly.

Karen turned her head to look at him.

But she couldnt find the words to say.

Uh Hopps, were you there?

Yeah.

An awkward silence ensued.

At that moment, three people in black trench coats entered the auditorium.

They were members of the Papal Circus.

Maya stood up from her seat.

Im going to check on our Director.

Even as she left, Karen didnt say goodbye.

It was too embarrassing to open her mouth.

Her brother had witnessed her asking Maya to hug her and give her a kiss on the cheek in a ticklish voice.

She felt as embarrassed as when she had bragged to him about her first menstruation.

Hopps chuckled and pulled the covers over her, seeing her return to her usual brashness.

Why not just leave with your friend? Huh? The school uniform youre wearing suits you well.

Karen growled at his teasing.

Youre talking nonsense. Thirty percent of Papals shares are mine. Where am I going?

As she returned to her usual blunt tone, Hopps chuckled again and continued to tease her.

That was the case until the members arrived at the bedside.

Karen could feel that he was forcing himself to appear lively.

She wanted to ask why, but out of consideration for his feelings, she continued to respond with playful banter.

Seeing Maya approach Ella, Arno stood up from his seat.

He had come here to inform Wonderstein of the outcome of this incident.

Wonderstein spoke to him as he left, or rather, as she left.

Someday Id like to see your real face, huhu.

He replied in a cool voice to Wondersteins jovial tone.

Nonsense.

He glanced at Maya, who was greeting him, and then passed by her.

There was no awkwardness in his steps.

The movement of his joints and muscles, the sensation of shifting weight as he walked on the ground, everything was realistic.

Arno.

No one had seen his true face.

In the first place, the face itself was an illusion, so there was no wind blowing it, no reflection inside it.

But people didnt know that not only the face but also his existence itself was a illusion.

Of course, there was a face inside the mask.

It was the idealized image of a man created by Byeonsa.

Byeonsa could see the face of the man inside the mask.

His appearance resembled Maya in some way.

If Maya had had a brother ten years older, this would have been his face.

A beautiful man who suited the word beautiful more than handsome.

But there was something vaguely unpleasant and repulsive about his entire expression.

This was the image of an old colleague that Byeonsa remembered.

Before leaving the auditorium, Arno glanced back once.

There, Maya and Ella were arguing.

She had inherited her appearance from her father and her white hair and red eyes from her mother.

She noticed Mayas gaze repeatedly turning towards Wonderstein.

Was falling for a man with a lame laugh or a playboy-like appearance something she inherited from her mother?

After briefly looking at Wondersteins face, she quickly turned away and left the auditorium.

Arnos mask wavered for a moment before returning to its original state.

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Chapter 194: Demon in the Bottle 33

Chapter 196: Demon in the Bottle 35