A Memoir of a Knight
Weapon or shield,
Don't know which one I yield.
For a shield is supposed to Protect,
Yet I Harm.
And a weapon is supposed to Harm,
Yet I Protect.
Guilt,
Yet none at all.
They shut the door, leaving behind the past, one that was indeed best left buried. Emile pulled Eleanor to the side, while Ansel gathered any of the useful stuff he could use for a new beginning.
"Miss, I apologise if I'm being rude, but I'm a curious person. Could you please answer some of my questions about.. the events that occured? Your brother wasn't very eager to answer. "
Eleanor nodded. She related to him in a manner, so she had no qualms in answering. But she was feeling petty after having her own curiosity left unsatisfied. So she decided to give him a single drop of the entire ocean that he craved, just as he had done to her.
He was happy at her acceptance. If she hadn't agreed, he would've taken the answers as the payment for her revival. "Alright, first of all, why not revive that man? Is he evil or do you just not like him?"
"Though I doubt anyone would answer truthfully...", he broke into his, at this point, usual mumbles.
"Well you'll just have to trust me. I'd say the answer is both. He killed me. He's been after us for a while now, for breaking a contract that we didn't even sign. So I'm pretty sure he's evil."
He nodded, "Ah that answers the question of how you died. So he killed you for not following the contract's details? And what contract is it that you're mentioning?"
"Yes. As for the contract itself.. I can't tell you. But I assure you it's not a legal one."
"That's too bad. I guess I'll just have to make a truth potion to find out. And I assure you that I will find out."
"You'll see that I'm telling the truth. You won't regret not reviving him then."
Emile shook his head, a bit surprised, "No. It's not about not reviving him that I fear I'll be regretful of, but rather not learning the truth. I didn't want to revive anyone, even you in the first place, you know? Death is only natural," He murmured, "And I'd rather not have a prototype backfire on me..."
What a strange man indeed. His morals annoyed Eleanor a little. But she was thankful to know that that man would forever remain in hell and never come back to life.
"Why even make a 'cure' for death then?"
"It's for the same reason as why you check the answer to a simple thing such as the square of 13, which you know is 169, but you just have to be sure if it's true. I just wanted to see if it was possible to revive someone. ....But maybe that's not the best analogy.
But forget about that, I have one last question. How did he die? Your killer, I mean."
He was deflecting, Eleanor thought. Her simple annoyance was turning into frustration. Yet she couldn't blame him, he didn't even know her. From his side, it must be a big risk telling her about a 'cure for death'. She could leak it or do something with it that had terrible consequences. But his question was one she herself wanted an answer of.
"I don't know actually. It must've happened after my death. Maybe Ansel knows."
Emile nodded, and as if on time, Ansel arrived, dragging a heavy sag behind him. Eleanor took a hold of it seeing his struggle.
"Hey kid, how did the man die?" Emile asked rather bluntly.
Ansel himself was surprised and understandably offended, "What are you insinuating!? I.. don't know, okay? I was too scared to face him myself. So I went looking for help. At first, I didn't find any so I returned to see if he had left and treat my sister, just to find him as well as my sister dead. Then I found you with a scroll about a revival potion in your hands. So I begged you to come."
Eleanor wondered why he would have a scroll like that open in his hand in a public area. But she guessed that no one would've thought that it was about a real thing except for Ansel, so Emile must've felt no need to hide it.
Meanwhile, Emile squinted his eyes. "Is that so? I guess I'll have to work even harder on that truth potion. Till then, I guess I'll leave you to find a new home, I'll locate you when I make that potion."
Did this guy have a locating potion too? Perhaps he was a magician of some kind? No, those didn't even exist. A doctor or maybe a medic? Was there even a difference between those two? No, he was probably an alchemist or something. That suited his eccentric personality more.
"No! take us with you. You are educated, right? All these Cures you make, only someone educated would know how to. We want a new beginning. Please teach me as well. I'll repay you, I promise. Then you won't have to waste your time locating us either, will you? So please.."
It was Ansel, displaying more unusual behavior. This time it was.. earnestness?