Threats There, Threats Everywhere

Thinking that the current situation didn't leave her much room to contemplate, Eli let Venus take over to deal with Wes.

"I'll give you five seconds to call off any bluff. If the antidote did not work on him, or if it just made things worse, I won't let you get away unscathed," the Empress taunted, which only made him blink at her in flummox.

"You're... not her, are you?" he asked as a glimpse of enlightenment eventually dawned on his face, eyes as wide as an owl's.

"I thought we're not going to tell anything about each other?"

"Well... Truce."

At this, Venus swerved around and paced towards Noah, expression aloof. Upon seeing his debilitated state, she just furrowed her eyebrows and clicked her tongue in miff. She then kneeled to his level before slightly lifting his head and making him drink the potion, cautiously glancing at Wes from time to time. The cure seemed to take effect almost instantly as the blonde finally calmed his breathing. His fever was slowly going down as well. All the while, Wes just watched the two in silence, gears turning in his head as he scrutinized her.

He noticed how Angelica Claes was acting way too different from earlier, which only added proof to his previous claim. Going by how she gently caressed Noah's head while checking his temperature, delicate fingers as light as feathers, he could tell that she suddenly became intimate with him. That soft and caring touch, deep emotional gaze, affection veiled by her tranquil face - no doubt, they're all that of a mother.

"I see... So, you're sunshine boy's mom, huh?" Wes mused out loud while Venus only stared at him enigmatically.

"These Champions really reek. They'd always parade a seemingly innocent front. No one would ever wonder they're fictional, nor even guess that this kind of twisted magic actually happens. It's surprising, indeed, especially the fact that they're hiding a summoned creature inside a girl's body all along."

"You have quite an apparel yourself, though. A normal student working with a summoned creature..." Venus muttered with an apathetic expression, unappalled by his sneer.

"...Say, what if I decided not to follow your condition, after all? I already have the antidotes, anyway."

At this, Wes only smirked knowingly. He already expected that she'd catch up this quickly. Then again, the deal was obviously unbalanced to begin with. He had already fulfilled his part but she could still withdraw from hers. Now that she also knew about his affiliation with a summoned creature, she could tell on him and have the Champions hunt him down.

"Listen, I didn't come here as an enemy or ally. I'm neither, got it? But if staying away from Cosette was something so difficult that you chose to break the deal, then I have no choice but to play dirty," Wes threatened with a scornful expression.

"Leah Spencer - eight grade, age fourteen, daughter of famous actress, Estrelle Spencer... Keep the deal, zip your mouth, don't tell the Champions about this incident and my existence, and I promise I'll spare her. Otherwise, she'll be the next victim."

Venus then glared at him in miff, utterly peeved at his cunningness. She knew Leah Spencer all too well. From Eli's memories, she was the only companion she had throughout freshman year and someone she considered a friend but couldn't call as one for various reasons. Her vessel would surely be horrified at the thought that she'd put her life in peril.

"Oh, by the way, if you're thinking of finishing me off this instant, I recommend you shouldn't. Once my comrades find out, they'll be the ones to deliver the poison in my place," Wes continued, riling her up even more.

"Well, I did think about it but I remember I can't, so be grateful. That said, there's no use doing this anymore," Venus replied before making her glass shards vanish, letting him sit upright again.

"Because your other self did not want to see a corpse around here, right...? Two opposites in one body. You make quite a pair, I see."

"Mind your own business, cat boy."

"And I'd like to say the same to you, bipolar lady."

Then, with that, Wes finally stood up and swerved around to the door, preparing to leave. That's until the doorknob moved all of the sudden, making him halt on his tracks. Since he locked it earlier, it just kept twisting desperately. When Venus noticed this and tried to speak, he instantly ran towards her and covered her mouth, expression suddenly contorted into a burdened one. Venus tried to squirm away from his hold but to no avail, their faces now a few inches away from each other.

"Don't make a noise. Leave it be and don't ask anything," he hissed, much to her surprise and bafflement.

Venus was expecting it would be Hal or one of the other Champions, but then, the person outside didn't call her or even knock. They just continued scuffling the doorknob persistently, as if wanting to barge in unannounced. Going by how Wes looked right now, he seemed to have an idea of whoever it was behind the door. It took a few minutes longer before the person finally stopped and walked away. As soon as the clacking of pointed heels eventually descended, he retrieved his hand from her mouth and stepped back.

"Your guts are really making me wanna murder you. How dare you put your filthy hand on my face?" Venus scoffed, clearly displeased.

"With your loud mouth, I have no choice."

"You punk..."

Wes just shrugged nonchalantly and stuck his tongue out at her, annoying her even more than she already was. But then, Venus chose to hold back her retort as a realization dawned on her. She then watched him pace towards the door, eyebrows forming thin lines and lips curling into a frown. When he's about to reach for the doorknob, she finally decided to shoot out her last question.

"You already have a threat reserved all along. Why make a deal regarding the antidote if you could just bring up the matter with Leah? That way, you didn't have to bear with my skepticism in the first place."

At this, Wes halted and turned to face her again, expression indifferent as always. Venus just couldn't help but think that he still has something up his sleeves. The two then exchanged looks for a few seconds. Momentary silence prevailed, and tension built up. That's until he showed a ghost of a smile all of the sudden.

"Didn't I tell you? I'm neither your ally nor enemy. If anything, I only want to mess up someone's plan just for the heck of it. I also don't want to see a corpse, to be honest..." he remarked, catching her off guard.

"Anyway, just stop asking already. You should be better off giving that second bottle of antidote to your friends over there. They're probably in a pinch right now."

Dropping his last words, Wes then finally took his leave. Venus just remained standing there in silence, pondering heavily. That's until she crossed her arms and clicked her tongue once again, feeling unsatisfied and disappointed for some reason.

"Damn shady guy can't play a villain right..."