Marsh thought that leaving the clam master alone with the raisin people would be alright as he sets his priority to search for Choco. There's no telling what these raisin people can possibly do to outsiders like them, so he looked at all the nook and cranny in every alley he'd pass by.
Soon he saw Choco stepping out of an alley, he ran up to him and called out his name, "CHOCO!" He made it to his side, catching his breath while he holds on to his knees. "Dude, where have you been!? We thought you were napping in that room earlier!"
"Woah, calm down! I was about to go back—" Choco said, "—I thought you'd still be roaming around and chatting with the clam master." He frowns, clearly annoyed with the fact that his friend was hanging out with the clam master.
Seeing his expression got Marsh on the defensive, "What'd you expect? The guy saved my life, Choco. Of course I wanna talk to him!" He reasoned.
"Don't get so worked up, I said nothing wrong."
"But you're face is saying other wise!" Marsh scorned at Choco, "Clam master literally saved my life, Dude. That was the whole point why I ran away from home, I wanted to find anything—or anyone!—that can cure me of that curse of a sickness!"
Choco sighed, he understands what Marsh is going on about, but what he learnt from the raisin people just proved his suspicion of the clam master. "Marsh, just listen... I don't know how to break it to you but don't you think this is just way too good to be true?"
Referring to his conversation with Raisins and her group, he continued to persuade Marsh into believing him. "I've heard a few things that proves the clam master is deceiving us with some kind of sorcery!"
Although Marsh got repulsed that Choco would bring that up on his face, even he felt that the clam master's ability to heal was some sort of an impossible miracle, but he has always been miserable ever since he had the crumbling sickness. He became so desperate to find a cure for himself which made him run away from home, and now that he did, he expected Choco to support and work with him, not... this.
"All I hear is a guy who has trust issues! Why can't you just trust the clam master?!—I'm beginning to doubt if you ever trusted me either." The way Marsh said those words provoked something inside Choco.
The many things that has been bothering him about Marsh; the way he never said anything about himself from the beginning, and the way that he was always careful not slip up. He just had retaliate.
Choco glared at Marsh and pushes him lightly, "Oh yeah? I can't see you any different, you never told me about your sickness until now." He clenches his fists but held back from hitting him, he smiled bitterly as he spoke, "You never cared about looking pitiful, you've always been pitiful—YOU JUST NEVER TRUSTED ME TO BEGIN WITH!"
Taken aback by Choco, Marsh couldn't let that slide and pushed him harder, "That's because you're nothing but a reckless, selfish, self-serving jerk!"
"So that's how you think of me?" Choco sneered, tasting the bitter truth of Marsh's thoughts about him.
Marsh proceeds to jab a finger at Choco, his face painted with pain and built up anger through all the years, "Yeah! You're just like those rich pompous noblemen back at the academy who thinks they can do whatever they want, stomping on people lower than them!"
Both of them froze for a moment, Marsh found himself slipping up the words that's been making him suffer all along. While Choco was dumbfounded, his mouth gaping, by his so-called friend's impression of him.
Marsh wanted to take it back, his hand reaching out to him but Choco averted his gaze. This made him take back the guild and stayed mad at him.
Then soon, they were both found by the raisin servants from the temple, "Sir Marsh and Choco, the clam master awaits the two of you back in the temple for the feast." The old raisin man informs.
"Fine, show us the way gentlemen." Choco said, a hint of sarcasm in his tone.
Then as soon as they arrived at the temple and got seated at the dining room, the argument between the two friends have made the atmosphere suffocating, even the clam master couldn't stand the deafening silence.
"H-Hey guys, don't leave the food hanging. Come on, just take a bite." The clam master tried to get them to eat their meal, but they both stubbornly refused and just sat there to glare at each other.
"I think I dropped my appetite after seeing , I'd like to be excused." Choco requested demandingly which made it difficult for the clam master to refuse.
"A-Alright, lead him to one of the guest rooms please." The clam master ordered one of the raisin servants, and Choco left the room with stomping feet.
Since the clam master was left alone with Marsh, he thought it would be a good opportunity to get closer but Marsh seemed to be more upset after Choco left. He yanked up his seat and spoke, "I don't think I can eat right now, it's been a long day and I'd like to take a rest."
"S-Sure, kindly lead Sir Marsh to a guest room as well." The clam master ordered once again, and Marsh quietly leaves the dining room.
Once he entered his room, the servant shut his door and sat down on the stiff bed. Although he said that he can't eat, he can feel his stomach rumbling after all. "Crumbs, should've taken a bite or two." He regretted not touching the food.
He sighed then lays himself down, deep in his own thoughts. Aside from his anger on Choco, he had this strange feeling where he seemed to have lost a few things in his possession. Trying to remember what he lost, he suddenly felt a sharp pain in his chest, that very familiar feeling when he had the crumbling sickness.
"N-No... it can't be." He slowly lifts his shirt to find the cracks returning, his eyes widened in horror, "It's back!—I gotta talk to the clam master about this!"
Marsh ran to the door and tried to open it, but it was shut tight, making him panic even more. "Hey!... Hey, open this door!" He yelled, and began banging on the door.
The old raisin servant outside his room and kept watch as the clam master ordered. All the servants in the temple were to restrain the clam master's guests in their rooms for the night.
That night, the clam master awaits for Raisins to show up in the temple just as he ordered. He was going to punish Raisins, to show and remind the raisin people to never fail the clam master's orders, as they will face serious consequences for their mistakes.
And as Raisins arrived, the clam master sneered down on her. "You don't look like you're afraid to die." He said.
Raisins wasn't afraid at all, she even smiled back at the clam master, "I take it more of an honor to be killed by the clam master." Her tone had a bit of sarcasm.
The clam master didn't like the smug look on her face, she was confident with the plan she's prepared for years especially since she had this trumph card on her hands.
"Tsk, seize this old hag!" The clam master ordered, his servants drags Raisins to the altar room.
Meanwhile, Choco was put in the same position as Marsh, no matter how much he tried to yell, the door was still kept shut. "Oh no, I gotta get out of here!" He continued to bang on the door, feeling a little panic as he needed to do something.
"Anyone! Hey, open this door!!" If he doesn't get out anytime soon, Raisins might die just before he knows it.