Chapter 291: The Book of the Middle
Chapter 291: The Book of the Middle
As Madam Locraine and Officer Peter's interaction progressed, the other officers could only clear their throats.
"Captain" the first officer called out. "We still have to throw these two into the dungeons afer we interrogate them."
The female officer sighed and got on the front of the wagon, flipping her hair intentionally at the plump woman and the large man.
"We will go now," Peter said and took Madam Locraine's hand. He placed a peck on it without losing their eye contact. "I will see you again."
Elliot was standing on the side and watched everything unfold on its own. Madam Locraine had a tint of pink blush on her cheeks and the officer did as well.
"I will see you soon, Peter," Madam Locraine said. "Visit me tonight. We'll have a nice dinner in my garden."
"I will," Peter smirked and bowed. He walked back to the wagon with his colleagues, the three having grimaced faces.
"What just happened?" Elliot scrunched his face and looked at Madam Locraine. "What was that?"
The smiling woman's face instantly turned serious. She closed her fan and watched the wagon exit her gates, eyes narrowing at it, "Peter Sullivan, an ally of Polschk and I. He is our eyes inside the Raven Justice's department."
"S-So, you mean he's not your lover?" Elliot asked hesitantly.
Madam Locraine scoffed and shook her head, "Peter is a decade younger than me. And besides, I have my loving husband in another kingdom for business transactions."
Elliot didn't want to hear more about the woman's private life. He took a chance and excused himself, walking back to his inn where he immediately went to his room.
There was no one inside the lobby which was weird, but he brushed it off. He was sure to be protected by Isabelle's gems considering she put hundreds of them. Even a strong person would have a hard time penetrating her shield.
Opening the door to his room, Elliot jolted after seeing the prince in his bed. Jameson was laying on his bed with his arms and legs sprawled open.
"What the hell?" Elliot knit his brows in confusion. He got closer to the man and gently shook his arm, "Jameson, wake up."
"Later," Jameson replied and turned to the other side, facing away from Elliot. "Just tell father I'm not feeling well."
"He must still think he's in his castle," Elliot snorted and shook his head. He decided to delay the absorption of the Twilight Cocoon considering that another person was inside.
He knew about the Twilight Bless, it would not be a surprise if Jameson would identify the cocoon if he see it.
"If you're going to do some weird secret crazy thing, go do it," Jameson uttered from his sleep. "I know you hide something inside that blanket in the corner. I never checked, but I guess it's something like an artifact."
"So nosy," Elliot grunted and forced himself to walk to where the cocoon was. He narrowed his eyes at the half-asleep Jameson before he slightly lifted the curtain he used to cover the cocoon.
He was doing everything he can to hide the cocoon from Jameson's sight. He covered himself with the curtain and took the brew out, letting it closer to the cocoon and letting the item absorb it.
[ Twilight Brew to hatch: 7/10 ]
A sigh of relief escaped Elliot's lips after reading the notification. He was only short of three brews to hatch the cocoon.
And speaking of the prince, Elliot sped walked to his bed and shook the prince violently. "You're in my bed. Get out."
"Your mattress is softer than mine. Let me sleep here for a minute," Jameson grunted. "Just tell me what you need and we'll arrange it."
"Show me the Book of the Middle," Elliot said without hesitation. The prince's eyes immediately opened and his pupils were dilating in shock.
"What?" Jameson gasped and sat up, looking at Elliot in the eyes with a shocked expression. "What do you mean you want to see it?"
"You have it, don't you?" Elliot quirked his brow up. "Show it to me."
"B-But how did you" Jameson trailed off. "No one must know."
"Well, I do," Elliot smirked. "And now you have no other choice but to show it to me."
Jameson deadpannded and rolled his eyes. With a shrug, he stood and walked past the wall. Elliot sat on the floor and waited for the prince to return with the book.
It wasn't long after when Jameson did return, but he was in panick. "Where was the crate I gave you when we first met?!"
Elliot formed an O with his mouth and scrunched his forehead. "I have it"
Like his whole world stopped, Elliot looked at Jameson. "Remember when I dumped a lot of stuff because I think there's too much stuff in here?"
"No," Jameson sighed. "Elliot, what the hell? No!"
"I'm sorry," Elliot crawled to the side where he kept all the items that were not perishable. "But I don't think I actually did it. I bet I have it here somewhere."
"Elliot, I swear to the goddesses and the gods along with the angels, if you lost it, I'll kill you," Jameson growled. "I told you to keep it."
"You didn't take it back," Elliot reasoned. "I have tens of things in here, do you think I could keep up with all of oh, there it is."
Jameson ran to where Elliot was and took the crate. He placed it to the floor and tapped the top, rubbing it with his fingertips. "Open."
There was a lock on the box that clanked open after Jameson spoke the word. He took the lock and opened the crate, sighing in relief after seeing the old book inside safe and sound. "It's in here."
"Let me see," Elliot took a peek and waited for the notification to ring. He stared at the book but nothing happened.
After a few seconds of contemplation, Elliot turned to Jameson. "Can I read the encrypted words on the side?"
Jameson shook his head immediately, "That I can't do."
"But I just"
"No," Jameson repeated with much more conviction this time. "This book is very important. It holds all the records of the current times."
"My book is blank," Elliot said. "How will I able to read if there's no words inside?"
"Only a Sear will be able to decrypt the messages on the pages," Jameson said. "It's common knowledge for the holders of the book. It's been passed on from kings down to kings and their kins."
"But why is the Book of the Beginning in the public library?" Elliot found himself asking.
Jameson turned to him and looked at him in the eye, "Unless there's someone who placed it there for you to find it."
'Quest [ The Book of the Middle ] completed.'