Ceres

115

Poisoned Ghost Body couldn't take the silence anymore as he was afraid Ceres would do something to his precious 'child'.

"Please don't touch her. Just leave her alone. I'd do anything you want. I could even teach you all of my poisons and skills. Just leave my 'child' alone."

Ceres, after hearing what he said, raised both her eyebrows.

What could this flower be that Poisoned Ghost Body would even willingly lower himself just to protect it?

"Spill it and she might even spare your life."

Of course, Gil was only threatening him and Ceres wouldn't really kill Poisoned Ghost Body just because of what happened between them before. That incident only brought Ceres a lot of good things such as meeting the Fay kingdom's royal siblings and getting acquainted with them, meeting two more assassins along the way, and now, getting her hand on these precious stuff for concocting both medicine and poisons. What a bringer of good luck this child is!

Also, she would even gladly set him free and let him gather more herbs and materials for concocting poisons. Then, she would just once again visit him and take whatever she wants. That's her real plan anyway. But no one knew what she was thinking; even Gil was left in the dark about this plan of hers. Gil was only praying that they would soon get out of this place and move on peacefully to their next destination... Without him being a guinea pig once more.

Poisoned Ghost Body knew that these people can kill him if they wanted to. It's just that, he couldn't give up on this 'child' of his. It was the most precious thing in his lair anyway.

Because that thing... Is not really just a rare flower.

It really was his child; his sole child at that.

Poisoned Ghost Body bit his lip as he bitterly recalled his past.

Ceres tiled her head as if she knew that whatever that flower is, it was something that brought Poisoned Ghost Body's bitter past.

Before Poisoned Ghost Body could talk, Ceres beat him at it.

"Gil, let's just take away all of the necessary stuff here and go. I'm not interested in this flower anymore."

Ceres started picking out what she needs from Poisoned Ghost Body's lifetime collection. But, she still left some for Poisoned Ghost Body. She doesn't want to ruin this beautiful collection of his and she could also go and find him if she needs more in the future.

Gil also started helping Ceres. What they got were only herbs and plants that she needs in making medicine and poisons. She didn't even spare a glance at Poisoned Ghost Body's materials like his furnace. What the mysterious man and Old Pang gave her was already beyond what Poisoned Ghost Body has.

Poisoned Ghost Body was shock to the point that he couldn't even close his mouth. He was prepared to tell her about the flower and his past but she brushed it off like it was nothing! He didn't know whether to laugh or cry at what happened. Was it because Ceres wasn't really interested on it or is she just making fun of him?

"You... Don't want to know...?"

When Ceres and Gil finished what they were doing and already packed the things they got, Poisoned Ghost Body suddenly voiced out the question in his heart.

Ceres ignored him and continued walking out of his lair. Gil followed her but before Gil disappears, the rope tying Poisoned Ghost Body suddenly loosened.

Poisoned Ghost Body can now freely move once again.

"If the princess is not interested then, she's not interested. Save yourself from dying and just be thankful about it."

Gil then, immediately followed behind Ceres and both of them disappeared from Poisoned Ghost Body's sight.

"Thankful? About sparing my 'child'?"

Poisoned Ghost Body, in the end, didn't guess it right. Gil was saying that he should be thankful that Ceres wasn't interested anymore and it could spare him from his master's unexplainable jealousy.

Not far from Poisoned Ghost Body's lair, Ceres and Gil were once again on their way towards the north.

Gil didn't mind that Ceres wasn't interested in that flower. He was already thankful that they did not spend a lot of time in that place. Also, he wasn't really interested about that flower and Poisoned Ghost Body's past anyway. All he care about was the mission that his master gave him and of course, his life under Ceres' constant curiosity.

On the other hand, Ceres was carrying her usual poker face but deep inside she was smiling.

A plant that gained consciousness. Heh. Both of them are definitely adorable as father and daughter.

Suddenly, Ceres slightly furrowed her eyebrows.

In her mind, a memory about her distant past suddenly flashed.

A man was sitting on the edge of a rooftop. His back was facing Ceres, who was the most well-known assassin in that time. His long black hair was swaying along with the cold night wind as he seems to ignore everything around him. Suddenly, he turned his face around to look at Ceres. Ceres couldn't clearly see his face because of the night's darkness.

'My child...'