"You can live here with us after we kill your parents, how about that?"
The parchment that Elwin was holding almost slipped from his hand. He couldn't immediately react to Nolan's words as he froze for a brief moment.
Kill his parents? Them, killing his parents?
"You're…you're actually serious about it?" he mumbled, swallowing a lump in his throat.
He watched Nolan pull the chair and sit. He couldn't understand. Why would he, a noble person, would even think of such? What would he gain from doing it?
But before his brain could have thought of anything else, Nolan responded in a most calm tone.
"For personal gain. I like you, I'll promise you a life completely different from your life right now, in return, you'll be my friend."
Friend.
It was strange how a person who had almost everything could be asking him to be his friend.
"Do we have to kill my parents…?"
Nolan yawned and glanced at Elwin, his eyes flickering up and down, examining his beaten state.
"How old are you?" he queried, looking intently at Elwin's green eyes.
"S-seventeen…" Elwin stammered and looked down on his feet, his meager confidence in himself was being subdued by Nolan's intent gaze on him.
"And you still don't know how to read. They decided to bring you into this world and stripped you of your basic right to live. What type of parents would send their child to work instead of sending him to school? Instead of giving you affection, all they do is beat you up. That kind of negligence should be a crime, and it infuriates me."
Surprised was evident on Elwin's face. He couldn't believe someone would have such noble thoughts.
"Is that why you want them dead?" he posed, his voice laced with innocence and child-like wonders.
Nolan stayed silent for a moment before he asked, "Do you love them?"
At his question, Elwin immediately fell silent and fell into a deep thought.
"I'd tell myself I love them because they are my parents… But, I don't like them, and they make me sick," he muttered, not to Nolan but to himself.
When he heard him, Nolan smiled.
During that night, their friendship began by plotting how to kill Nolan's parents. Nolan couldn't contain his excitement, it'd mean that his hard-learned knowledge of concocting potions would finally be put to the test.
Aside from gaining a friend who, to his surprise, was actually not scared of him, he could finally further his practices of dark magic to actual people. Just the thought of killing his friend's parents sent a thrill through his veins.
Elwin on the other hand, gradually felt a sense of belonging in the presence of Nolan. He had always believed that being a good son would eventually change his parents' treatment of him. That all he ever needed was to comply and be obedient and someday, his parents would see his effort and would suddenly be good to him.
Who would have thought that Nolan's suggestion to kill his parents would validate the injustices he felt from his parents?
The candle on the table was flickering. It only had a tiny bit left.
Elwin stared at the sleeping face of Nolan as he leaned on the table, using his arms as a pillow. He had been sharing his collections and list of potions he had acquired from other people through the Black Market with Elwin and was enthusiastic to tell him everything about it.
They discussed how they would execute their plan to kill his parents, oddly enough, he felt no remorse about the plan and was even excited. He rested his head on the table with parchments and papers scattered on it, his face facing Nolan's.
Nolan had dark, short hair. His eyes, a shade of purple, were closed as he slept soundly and unaware of Elwin's stares.
Elwin stared for a couple of minutes and unconsciously lifted his hand to brush off the bangs that were covering Nolan's eyes.
However, before he could reach and touch him, a hand that was covered in black gloves emerged from the shadows and grabbed his wrist, stopping his hand from advancing toward Nolan's face.
"The Young Master is tired, I'll bring him to his bedroom now."
Elwin straightened his body, his eyes widened in fright to see Atticus carefully scooping Nolan from the chair and carrying him in his arms.
He didn't hear the door open, nor any signs of his arrival.
Nolan's butler stood with impeccable posture, his presence commanding yet composed as he looked down at Elwin. Behind his thin, silver-framed glasses, his piercing gray eyes exuded a detached chill, as if they could dissect Elwin's very soul with a glance.
"Your separate room has been prepared. The servant will guide you to your room," he stated before he turned and proceeded towards the door.
Elwin was left alone, dumbfounded, wondering if it was a good idea to befriend Nolan at all.
*
Elwin's reminiscence was cut off when all of a sudden, Nerys stopped eating and quickly stood up, startling him a little.
"W-why? Do you need something? Water?" Elwin asked in haste, watching as the tall entity walked next to him.
"Danger," Nerys muttered as he raised his arm as if to shield Elwin, "It's coming this way."
Nerys could feel the danger immensely, lingering and getting closer to their location.
Panic immediately invaded Elwin's heart. Could it be the Sanction? Or the occult group he and Nolan were part of?
Suddenly, before he could ask Nerys what it was, Nerys quickly walked out of the kitchen.
Elwin immediately stood up and followed behind, "H-hey, where are you going? Don't leave me alone here, I'm scared! What do you mean there's danger?"
Nerys paused on his track, staring at the door, when suddenly, his pointed long ears twitched. The connection of a summoner to a Chthon activated, and he was certain that along with the dangerous aura that was lingering, his connection to his summoner suddenly sparked.
"Master is here!" Nerys gasped.
A knock on the door almost made Elwin scream in shock if not for the familiar voice that came after.
"Elwin, it's me."