Benny closes the door. He turns around and sees Eli sitting on the chair. "What happened?"
"The Fae made an appearance," Eli tells him. "That's not all."
Eli tells him everything that happened -- the council, the Krauss family, the Fae, Nell's memories and the wounds that appeared on her body.
"The Krauss family." Benny squints his eyes and scratches his chin. "They did have some power in the past. After the disappearance of Zachary Krauss and the death of his father, the family lost the footing. They are doing well in the business world. The daughter of Nathanial Krauss is married to an influential family. Alexandra Krauss isn't a simple person either. I didn't expect that your human would be from that family."
"They don't have any evidence that she belongs to that family." Eli creases his forehead. He doesn't like that family. The old lady had no warmth in her eyes for her supposed granddaughter. He has no words for Valentin Krauss. Nathanial Krauss isn't an honourable person either.
"The wrath of the moon is enough for evidence," Benny replies with a cool voice. "Krauss family won't try to cling to someone who is with a ghoul."
"If it's true, then who is her father?" Eli frowns. Back Joon-Woo wanted to find out the identity of Nell's father. It's not Valentin or Nathanial for sure.
"The second son is still missing." Benny drags a stool toward the shelf. "To the world, Zachary Krauss is dead. But he is alive."
"How do you know?" Eli narrows his eyes on him.
"You never know which information might help you in the future." Benny climbs the stool and reaches for a newspaper stuffed between the books. "Besides, I never forget important things."
Eli rolls his eyes. The overcharging lawyer has a good memory. "Did you find out which Fae made a deal with Baek Joon-Woo or the content of the deal?"
"I talked to the servant of the Fae who made the deal with him. He was quite cautious about the deal. He made sure that his loved ones wouldn't be hurt. He offered a day of his life." Benny takes a deep breath when he pulls the newspaper out. He walks back to the table.
"Tsk! A day of his life just for a piece of information? He was a fool. Anyway, the old Fae did find the information. Someone else was looking for Nell Solomon's father. One day, she told her servant that she was going to sell the deal to another Fae for a rare treasure. However, she was found dead the next day."
Eli inhales sharply. How did Nell end up owing a Fae then? Did Nell make a deal with the Fae for Baek Joon-Woo's life? Then, why did that boy die?
Benny unrolls the newspaper on the table. "I am trying to track down that Fae, but I don't think that it's possible. The traces are completely erased. If he is the same fae who wants to take your human to the Fae realm, then the Fae is connected to Nell's father in some way."
Someone who is connected to Nell's father? Why would they do such a thing to Nell and her friends then? Was it revenge? Eli looks at Benny. "Did that servant reveal who her father is?"
"No, he doesn't know the name." Benny stares at the newspaper. He murmurs, "I am curious about the Fae. I am sure that he's someone powerful. It takes tremendous strength to cast that kind of spell on someone. We still have some time. I will look for a way to stop the spell. Even if memories can't be kept away, there must be a way to stop the pain from appearing again, but I am not making any promises."
He is aware of that. If the Fae wasn't strong, that Fae couldn't have used magic through an apparition. "I will look for a way in my world. I plan to take her to a healer."
Benny gives him a heavy nod. "It would be a good idea. I hope that you can bring her out with an intact body."
He lets out an exasperated sigh. Taking her to his world is a crazy idea. He has to make sure that nobody finds out. The wedding ceremony takes three days to complete in his world. Should he take her to a different world?
"Your marriage will be recognized only if the wedding is done in your world or this world." He hears Benny's low voice. "If you want to deal with that Fae, you better get it done properly. It's going to be a messy battle of law when he comes to claim her -- what is this?"
Eli leans forward. "What is going on?"
"Take a look." Benny points at the newspaper. "You and Nell are on the gossips."
The newspaper is no longer blank. On the front page, Eli could see pictures of him and Nell.
[Nell Solomon, the promiscuous daughter of Zachary Krauss, is marrying a ghoul, Eli Sanguine.]
Promiscuous? The corners of Eli's lips twitch.
[Nine years ago, she and her friends copulated with Satyrs who were in season, causing the discord between the Fae realm and the human world...]
Though it's the truth, the facts are written in a distorted way.
"What is this?" Eli fists his hand and slams on the newspaper. "Why are they speaking lies about her?"
"Calm down. These are gossips. These are not official newspapers." Benny gestures him to sit down. "I thought that there would be some gossip about the wrath of the moon on the Krauss family. There is nothing about it."
Is this…? Eli knits his brows.
"It barely has been a day since they found out that she is related to the Krauss family." Benny snorts. "They managed to avoid embarrassment."
Selling Nell to avoid embarrassment? He needs to kill everyone from that family.
"Don't even think about it." Benny looks at him solemnly. "I don't think that this is their true objective. If Nell Solomon is a child of that family's bloodline, would they leak information like this?"
"Why would they do it then?" Eli glowers at him. "Benny, I need to do it. How dare they mess with my wife? I want to make them beg for mercy."
"She's not your wife." Benny shakes his head when Eli scowls. "It's the truth. Nell Solomon is not your wife. Also, your priority should be Nell at this moment. The Krauss family isn't going anywhere. I will look into this matter. Get married. Once you get married to her, you will be her guardian. Until that moment, the Krauss family is her guardian. There must be a reason why they are doing nothing. I will look into it. Since I already took this case, you do what you are supposed to do and make my life easier."
Of course, he knows that too. Nell's magic is in the awakening state. If the Krauss family exercises the law of guardianship, there are plenty of ways to stop or delay the marriage. "I will leave now. Contact me if you find anything."
Benny folds the newspaper. He opens the drawer and picks up a blue disk. "What would you do without me, Ghoul?"
He rolls his eyes. "I guess I should bring the best alcohol from my world."
"Tea," Benny coughs out.
"I forgot that you get high on tea." Eli chuckles as he walks away. "Since you are working hard, I will bring both alcohol and tea."
"I only want tea," Benny yells after him. "Don't forget serpent tea."
Eli waves his hand. When he walks into the living room, he sees Nell patting the cat quietly. "Wife, were you bored without me?"
"No." Nell grins at him. "Maybe a little."
He smiles at her. "Ready to see my world?"
"Yes." She stands up with the cat in her arms. The cat opens his eyes and takes a glance at him. Then, the cat closes his eyes again. Eli places the disk on the floor and taps it with his index finger once. His action seems ordinary. However, a pinch of his dark magic enters the disk the moments he taps it again. The blue disk turns black and rotates on the spot. Eli pulls Nell closer to him and whispers to her, "Close your eyes."
Without a question, she closes her eyes. A dark vortex appears beneath their feet. Eli wraps his arms around her tightly as the vortex swallows them up.