Total Obsession // Venti X Aether

Another one down, another one comes

Odd...I can remember the other sequences very well but I can't remember this one...probably because of the weird stuff that happened back then...

I know I overcame it and so did Aether...wait, was there even a book in the church? I checked in August after Albedo was arrested and Aether left for Liyue and there wasn't...

Does that mean that everything back then didn't happen? Did I just waste time for nothing? Did the thing with Albedo even happen?!

Yes...yes it did...if it really didn't then Jean wouldn't be in distress right now...

Fuck...what do I do?

"You're struggling to remember, aren't you?"

I shuffled in my chair, seriously trying to remember everything that happened in the month July. It's as if it all just ran out of my head.

"The drug Venti, it wasn't a potion that Albedo put in your drink. He put a drug in there to alter your thoughts so that he can have Aether for himself."

"To put it into a more simple context, he was more dangerous that you in this case...but that doesn't make you any less of a murderer."

Jean sighed once again and opened up the file to another page...showing me an image of...someone I knew well...and someone I regretted having to kill off...

Damnit...not this again...

"You knew this person didn't you? You met him ages ago and played a flute to lighten his life...and yet here we are, a good number of years later...and you kill him out of selfishness..."

It wasn't selfishness...it was love! We both fell deeply for him and, none of us could have him together...it wouldn't work.

"Why did...hm...are you okay Venti?"

Putting my hands - which were still in cuffs - up onto the table, I felt something boiling within me...I wasn't sure if it was anger or sadness...but it was happening...fast.

"I didn't...want to..."

"Here we go again with the victim play!"

She stood up, slammed her hands firmly on the table and yelled at me. She didn't care about my feelings at this point...she only cared about that deal we made an hour ago...

Wait...perhaps if I continue to agree with her but at the end I betray that deal...maybe I could get her done and arrested? 

Sheesh...it's a long shot but it's the only way forward at this point...the other way is death but I prefer not to go down that road.

"You don't really care about my thoughts Jean, you only fucking care about whether or not our deal will, actually go through..."