"Sigh..."
I sat on a bench in the shopping district dazed, completely ignorant of the person approaching me.
"... I lost again, didn't I"
It took some time to sink in after parting ways with Sara but I guess I'm really taking this hard.
I feel like pulling out every last hair on my head in a fit of rage, but I'm aware that won't solve anything— besides, I'd rather not be bald.
I feel like throwing the biggest temper tantrum of the century, but my heart can't handle the embarrassment of doing such a thing in public.
I want to relieve this pent up stress but there's nothing I can do. I want to do something but nothing comes to mind, I want to....
"Shit, I can't even finish my internal monologue. This feeling sucks, it's like I was playing checkers while she was playing 8D Chess"
Earning the right to set the rules of a malefis— simple as it sounds, it's logically impossible to achieve unless you're a witch, however she managed to create a situation where that became certainty— breaking down the problem into numerous, difficult to clear conditions and tackling them one strategy at a time; each strategy achieving multiple different goals while also serving as camouflage and misdirection to manipulate me— the main pawn in her plan, into falling into the next one.
With the library and music room incident, she established a relationship between us beyond mere acquaintances, making her offer to go on a "date" more credible, got rid of a bad influence on her friend, wrecked my relationship with library girl which served as misdirection later and prepped me for the final game at the grand casino.
With the grand casino incident, she obtained the witch of greed's spellbook which she used for setting up all the shit in haunted hotel, manipulated me into figuring out her scheme with the music room and baited me into joining the occult research club, setting me up for the next act while making me believe the show was already over.
She even turned the uncertainty of the Chameleon into a positive, using it to make me owe her a favor and using said favor to not just make me swear to keep a future rival in check, but have my interactions with said rival camouflage the true intentions behind the haunted hotel while also manipulating me to think and do exactly the way she wanted me to.
"I'm going to have to start interacting with Michelle more, huh? Sighhhh... What a drag!"
Her aim with the haunted hotel was for me to meet Eleanor Clarke— plain and simple. All the other hostages and the crappy horror movie games were merely camouflage to keep me from realizing that.
Furthermore, with my desire to stop her burning exactly as she intended, she anticipated I'd try to sell out the witch of sloth in exchange for Michelle's safety. She also anticipated the news lady would see through me and use me to hunt the "witch"....
"Hmm... anticipated, more like manipulated, aside from making me incorrectly deduce she was the witch, her information gatekeeping was for the very purpose of getting Eleanor to see right through me, since I didn't have enough information on witches, it was—"
"What are mumbling to yourself over there? You'll get an aneurysm if you dwell on it too much"
Liz said, handing me one of the two drinks she bought at the vending machine. Instinctively, I checked my pocket to make sure my wallet was still there.
"I bought it with my own money, stupid"
She retorted, a little salty. Still though, Liz ACTUALLY BUYING ME A DRINK?! This is Liz we're talking about
"You're thinking something rude, aren't you?"
"No, not exactly"
I said, grabbing the drink while trying to salvage her mood.
"Still though, for you to buy me a drink, I must look really pathetic right now"
"I wouldn't say that..." She began as she sat beside me "..... But then again, if I made a deduction as ridiculous as Sara being a witch, I'd probably die of embarrassment. Hell, I'll probably lock myself in my room and never come out"
"Way to kick a man while he's dow—"
"—But this time around, you couldn't help it. You were up against Sara after all, if you thought she was a witch, it's because that's what she wanted you to think, and she probably pulled a whole lot of strings to make it seem credible. That's just how she is, and it's one of the reasons I told you not to underestimate her"
"Yeah, sorry. And even after you put in so much effort"
"Don't apologize, you ended up in this mess because of me in the first place, it's the least you can do. Besides, look on the bright side, you achieved your goal so it's not really a loss"
She is right. My objective was to keep Michelle from facing Sara's wrath while also protecting Rachel from the resulting fallout. Now, as long as I keep and eye on Michelle and make sure she doesn't pose a threat to the occult research club, Sara won't touch her.
"Still though, being manipulated sucks"
"Can't argue there"
Sigh.... Hmmm..... Huh?
"Hey, can I ask you something?"
"What is it?"
"Actually, never mind"
"You already started talking so spit it out"
"No really, it's nothing"
I'll find out in a few days anyway. Wouldn't want to make two embarrassing deductions in a row.
"Well.... If you say so. I'm long overdue for some sleep so I'll see you later, perv"
"Yeah, thanks Liz..... Hey! Don't just slip that name in casually!"
She chuckled softly in response before heading out. Shortly after her departure, the person who was approaching earlier joined me at the bench.
"What? Did you come to kill me?"
I asked sarcastically, to which Eleanor Clarke replied: "I only kill witches and those working for them, so you're off the hook despite betraying me like that" as she sat down.
"So I noticed earlier.... And yet, you had no qualms with killing me a couple of days ago"
"Well, you have this creepy air about you, so it's easy to think you're a probably Witch's slave or something. Ofcourse, now that I know you're not, were good"
"Yeah, Sure"
"That said, while I was wrong, my line of reasoning was still halfway correct— you did sell me out after all"
Shrugging with a mischievous smirk that pissed me off for some reason, she continued
"Ofcourse, you're still just a kid, did you honestly expect to pull one over on a refined adult such as myself?"
"Adult? You're still flatter than an early map of the earth"
"What was that?"
"What was what? I didn't say anything, you probably just imagined it"
I retorted sarcastically, then casually changed the subject
"So, what are you going to do about the 'malefis'?"
"Well, I guess I'll challenge her just as she wanted. Don't know what wish she wanted so badly that she risked her life just to earn the right to set the rules. Gotta commend her effort though"
"You know about that?!"
Just how much does this woman know? How much did I underestimate her?
"Ofcourse I do, how could I not know you were working together? If you wanted to fool me, you should've chosen any girl besides her"
"Working.....together?, what are you talking about?"
"Huh?"
"Huh?"
We both stared at each other, both visibly confused.
"Wait, so you weren't working together?"
"I was an accomplice.... albeit unknowingly"
She grabbed me by the collar with both hands, pulling me closer to her face which had visible lines bulging out.... She was angry for some reason.
"So you're saying you were ACTUALLY going to sell me out? What if she really was a witch, HUH? WHAT IF I DIED, HUH?!"
She yelled, rocking me back and forth. One thing is for sure, she knows nothing about Sara's scheme.
"We've been over this already" I replied, breaking free from her clutches. "What made you think I was, anyway?"
"Huh? You really don't know?"
"Know what? Spit it out already"
She stared at me in disbelief, probing my expressions for a couple seconds, before her expression was replaced with a mischievous grin—Now I see why that grin pissed me off so much, it's Sara's signature expression.
"So you really don't know, huh? I guess I'll keep it to myself"
"Hey!"
"Think of it as punishment for selling me out, tough luck kid"
She retorted, that mischievous grin still plastered on her face. Why is it that the ones whose minds I don't mind reading are the ones I somehow can't read.
Either way, there's no use worrying about it, like Liz said, I'll probably get an aneurysm at this rate.... unlikely as that may be. Speaking of...
"If you're fine with letting her set the rules despite knowing she tricked you, you must be confident in your victory.... Or do you just hand out free wishes to anyone who walks by?"
"Ofcourse I'm confident! I AM an adult, there's no way I'll lose to a kid"
"What about Lizbeth Andrews"
"There's no way I'll lose to a kid who isn't the Stone Valley's Holmes... That girl's a different breed of monster, it's unfair to call her a kid"
Unfortunately, your opponent is far more dangerous. One thing's clear though, not just doesn't she know the extent of Sara's actions so far, just like me, she's grossly underestimating the 17 year old menace known as Sara O'Neil.
Should I warn her? It would be nice to see Sara fall flat on her face for once..... unless, that's exactly what she wants me to do— perhaps she wanted me to warn Eleanor Clarke and unknowingly indirectly manipulate her into falling right into the pit Sara designed. Or perhaps it's the other way around, she wanted me to think this way to keep me from blabbing....
Which one is it?
"As proof, you were no match for me" she said
Yeah, screw it... Watching this news lady fall flat on her face would also be satisfying. Guess I'll just not get involved and let things run it's course.
The main reason she managed to pull one over on me was my gross lack of information. That and I didn't perceive her as a hindrance— I was so focused on Sara I developed tunnel vision....or rather she planned things out in such a way that I was guaranteed to have tunnel vision and let this lady's weak ploy slip by....
What a drag!
"Well, enjoy yourself.... I'm going home"
I said, getting up from the bench
"Wait..... Don't you care if she dies?"
The news lady asked. I see.... So the real reason she came here was to ask me to get Sara to give up on playing a malefis.
Guess underneath it all, she's kinda a softie.
"Sara made the request fully aware of the risks involved, it's not my place to interfere. Besides...."
I turned my head to face her, trying to mimic Sara's signature grin
"....She'll Win"
The news lady stared at me speechless as I walked away in style.
Damn, my aura farming is on point!
I headed home, my thoughts playing back my conversation with Sara after I was done bandaging her.
___________
"You've been awfully quiet for a while"
She said, with a hint of surprise in her voice....or rather, should I call it uneasiness
"There's no point in talking if you're going to dodge my questions anyway. Besides, silence is the best way to keep you from pulling something again"
"There you go making me sound like an evil witch again, it really hurts my feelings, y'know"
She retorted, pouting... although, even I could tell it wasn't genuine so I chose to carry on the farce a little longer.
"I'm sure it hurts far less than almost getting killed because some psycho chick wanted to introduce you a witch. What would you have done if we actually died, huh?"
"I had faith you'd pull through"
"Yeah right, if that isn't the height of arrogance, I don't know what is— having blind faith in me just because you did a little background check. I'm not the man I once was, after all....it was a really close shave"
"But you won regardless"
"Not the point! Besides, did you even stop to consider the aftermath? Or how such an experience would affect the psyches of the others?"
"Worried about your new friends, are you?"
"Their not my fr—"
"Well, you shouldn't be concerned. Right after you were all knocked out upon entering the hotel, I instructed Richard to give you all a little potion I developed that'll induce short term amnesia. Unless you're a witch or you've been cursed by one, you won't remember a thing from that night"
" Let me guess, you made it using the spellbook?"
"Yup"
That damn thing is a freaking cheat code! Sigh....
"You've always got some kind of comeback"
"Safety precautions are a given when doing something dangerous"
"Here's a thought...why don't you just avoid the danger"
"Fufu, It needed to be as extreme as possible, if I wanted my message to get across"
"Oh yeah, what message is that—"
Every once in a while, more often than not, I'm reminded of the fact that I can't read her mind, that I'm completely unguarded around her, and that it's quite easy for her to trip me up.
Like now for example, as I turned to face her, her face was right in front of mine, any closer and we'd be touching.
I didn't notice her, I didn't sense her, it was completely unexpected, and probably because I'm used to being aware of the movements of those around me— thanks to my curse, when caught offguard like this, I get startled..
So startled infact that I basically jumped from my seat and accidentally hit the bench, finally ending up falling with my back against the floor.
Now I'm in an even more precarious situation, Sara being right in my face hadn't changed, what did was that she was now on top of me— she fell as well when I hit the bench and ended up right on top me.
Still though, looking at her up close, she really is pretty—
Snap out of it!
"Could you get off me"
"Isn't the first thing you're supposed to ask in this situation if I'm alright, you did cause this accident after all"
"I can see you're alright so there's no need to ask. More importantly, the floor's not doing any favors for my back so I'd appreciate it if you—"
"What if I refuse?"
She retorted, smirking mischievously.
"That would be....a problem, you are quite heavy"
"Fufufu, you've got no tact, do you?"
It would certainly be a problem, but not for that reason.
Big b**bs, thick thighs, a perfect behind.... not to mention her long, mesmerizing, black hair and unparalleled beauty. If not for her evil personality, she'd be a perfect ten— no, she'd definitely break the scale.
And with her mounted on me like this, I'm being forced to accept that fact— personality be damned.... It'll be quite the problem for me if she doesn't get up soon.
Unfortunately for me, the look in her eyes was one that had seen through my bravado—almost as if she could read my very thoughts, but more than that, the evil glint in her eyes confirmed my fears.
She wasn't getting up anytime soon.
"Now then, where was I? Oh, my message"
"Before that could yo—"
She moved her head right next to my ear, faster than I've ever seen her move before— her goods pressing down on me as she whispered softly into my ear
"You are not invincible"
"H-Huh?"
Shit, I'm way too flustered now to think straight.
Relax, Calm down, Calm down.... Huh?
Alright, I think I'm good now... I just have to hold out for a bit.
She pulled back a bit, looking down on me with her condescending smile.
"W-What are you talking about"
"It is true you're nowhere near what you used to be, but the fact you're a genius remains unchanged"
"You give me too much credit"
"Then maybe you're just arrogant—holding back despite the overwhelming odds. It's quite the superiority complex you have"
"What are you talking about?"
"You were an unparalleled genius, unstoppable and undefeated. No matter the opponent, no matter how many accolades they've earned or how much genius they possessed, they'd fall to you the moment you actually started trying. You've seen the look of despair on their faces over and over again in the face of your overwhelming talent, but more importantly, you were angry at how pathetic they were as opponents despite their achievements. They were boring, which is why...."
She stopped smiling
"You started holding back, matching yourself to the level of your opponent just to have a fun battle"
"I have no idea what you're—"
"It was understandable back then, but you're still doing it even now. Even in the face of overwhelming odds, you don't go past the first step— I'm sure there were several times when you questioned my intentions or what I had planned, but chose to dismiss it, am I wrong?"
"..."
"You probably thought it was a drag to think about, you refused to give 100% and now, here you are"
"Quit talking like you know me"
"Sigh..... What I'm saying is... You can be yourself here and still have fun, if you hit me with your hardest, I'll return it two times over and still crush you so quit worrying about your opponent.... You didn't step out of your self isolation just to end up like this, right?"
The look in her eyes were one of concern, but more than that, they felt genuine, like she really wanted to help me, almost made me forget all the things she'd done.
"No one likes a man who's too perfect"
Is it really okay for me to just be myself?
"No one likes a man who's too perfect"
Can I really give it my all and not be criticized?
"No one likes a man who's too perfect"
Can I really....be accepted?
Is it really okay for me to....
"No one likes a man who's too perfect, true. However, even if you give it your all, you're still not perfect, because someone better than you still exists. That person is I, Sara O'Neil"
"And you say I've got a superiority complex"
"Well, Bruce and 'the butler' are also better than you so you're not even second best, fufu"
"Oh yeah? Why don't we test that"
"Huh?"
"Stop covering for this butler guy, tell me who he is—the man who could execute a prison break so perfectly even the police didn't realize till it was too late, the man who masterminded the Chameleon incident— that butler. Tell me who he is and I'll face him with 100% of my ability and prove I'm better"
"Fufufu, nice speech, however.... Just because I think I'm better than you doesn't mean I have a superiority complex"
"Huh?"
"If my body was too much for you, you could've pushed me off long ago but you haven't, why? The answer is simple. You wanted me to get you flustered, you wanted me to feel in control, to feel superior because you thought I would get careless and make a mistake, while the little rat you've got hiding outside records it for you to blackmail me"
Crap, she knew?! How!
"Just who are you calling a rat?"
Liz said, stepping out from the shadows. After the listening devices were broken, Liz rushed here as fast as she could to do it physically— To give me a final fighting chance.
I didn't even know she was coming, but thanks to her arrival right after Sara whispered in my ear, I was able to calm down a bit and attempt to trick her into stating herself that she has a connection to the butler on record, that would be enough for the cops to interrogate her and find out his identity.
But I failed.... again.
*Snap
Just then, Liz took a picture of us
"Tell us who he is or I'll share this online. What'll happen to your reputation in school if they find out you do lewd things to boys like this"
"Hey! That'll affect me too, besides it's not what it looks like" I protested.
However, Sara was calm.
"Did you forget what I said about confirmation bias, Adam? Besides, we all know it's just an empty threat"
Sara said, easily seeing through Liz's bluff.
On one hand, it could damage her reputation, but on another, she could spin the narrative to make it seem like I and Liz worked together to get her in a compromising position, which is why the photo exists.
She is a master of manipulation, and Liz is well aware she can pull it off, which is why she didn't take the shot earlier and tried to settle with the voice recording.
However, after my screw up, she tried grasping at straws to salvage the situation.
"Sigh, fine you win"
Liz said, surrendering completely as Sara got off me.
"That's my girl" Sara laughed as she jumped on Liz, hugging her tightly.
"Oh, Liz.... Can you believe your partner here though I was a witch, how cruel"
"Huuuuhhhh?"
Liz replied with zero energy, staring blankly at me with surprise and disappointment. Even her thoughts were insulting
"Did your brain turn to pudding or something?"
She thought.
"Yeah, Yeah, I know I suck, don't rub it in"
Breaking free from Sara's embrace, Liz rushed behind me, trying to catch her breath
"Well, we'll be leaving now ..."
I said, heading with Liz towards the exit when Sara left me with some parting words.
"I'll be playing the Witch on Saturday so come by and watch, okay?"
"Saturday? The more time you give her, the more likely it is she'll figure out you tricked her, and if that's the case, she may not agree to your wish"
" Huh?"
"You two have to agree for what to wish for beforehand, don't you?".
" Yeah, you're right about that. And said wish cannot be changed unless both parties agree to it."
"My point exactly"
"Don't worry about it, I have a plan"
"Is that so.... I think I'll pass after all"
" You really have no tact"
______________
The smile on her face when she said she had a plan told me all I needed to know.
"She's definitely up to no good....again"