Depression Plutus (Curse #4)

CHAPTER 18 Plutus Coffee

OTTILIE VIRSES POV 
 
 
After class, I decided to head straight to the city. I needed some fresh herbs and seeds to grow my own plants for potion making. It had been a while since I brewed any healing potions, and I wanted to get back into it.
 
Kung si Elena nakafocus sa paghasa sa gift nito para makapanggamot, iba naman ang sa'kin. Hinahasa ko ang gift ko para makapagproduced ng mga high-quality healing potions. May mga karamdaman kasi na hindi na kayang gamitan ng gift ni Elena, kaya madaming umaasa sa traditional na pag in take ng mga healing potions. 
 
And I think I bought a lot of herbs today, probably more than I should have, but I was excited to start again. By the time I got home, it was already 9 in the evening. I quietly opened the door, hoping to slip inside unnoticed, but the moment I stepped into the living room, I froze. 
 
Plutus was sitting on the couch, his brows furrowed, arms crossed tightly over his chest. He was glaring at me, looking... furious that made me pause.
 
"Where the hell have you been?" Plutus growled. "It’s late, and it’s not very ladylike to be out at this hour."
 
Startled, I raised the large eco bag I was carrying, showing him the herbs and seeds inside. "I went to the city to buy some herbs and seeds for potion making," I explained, trying to sound casual, but deep inside, I was so nervous. 
 
Plutus raised an eyebrow, clearly not happy with my explanation. "This is the last time you’ll go anywhere without telling me," he snapped. "There's a series of murders out there, and you're casually going home late at night like you're on some kind of field trip."
 
Napakurap-kurap ako sa mahabang litanya nito. "You sound like my father, really."
 
His face darkened, and that made me immediately regretted my words. Plutus stood up, his hands now shoved into his pockets, as he slowly walked towards me. I gulped, feeling a nervous knot form in my stomach. His expression was dangerous, his eyes cold as he leaned in slightly.
 
"I’m not your father, but don’t forget we share living arrangements. And there’s someone waiting for you to come home," he whispered.
 
His tone sent a shiver down my spine. The seriousness in his gaze made my nerves jump. Mas nakakatakot pa si Plutus kumpara sa lolo ko na super strict noon bago ito mamatay.
 
I didn’t quite understand why he was so mad, but I nodded quickly, feeling a little rattled. "I-I won’t do it again. I promise," I stammered.
 
Baka mamaya maisipan pa nitong ipakain ang mga laman-loob ko sa demons na sinasabi niya. Plutus seemed to calm down after that, his intense expression softening just a little. He turned towards the stairs, climbing them as if the conversation was already over.
 
"Reheat the food if you want to eat," he reminded me without looking back.
 
As I stood there clutching my bag of herbs, I realized something had shifted. Plutus was always a little overbearing, but this time it felt different—like something had changed between us, something I couldn’t quite name yet.

 
~~~
 

 
Kinabukasan, madilim pa lang ang kalangitan ay bumangon na ako. Sabado ngayon at walang pasok kaya mauumpisahan ko na ang pagtatanim ko ng mga herbs. Sa backyard ko na muna sila itatanim at kapag sumibol na sila, saka ko naman sila ililipat sa mas maayos na lalagyan. 
 
Once I was done, I wiped my hands clean and headed towards the corner of the front yard where the greenhouse stood. This place had become my sanctuary, a space where I could practice potion-making and alchemy in peace. It was no longer just a regular greenhouse, it was filled with equipment, glass vials, flasks, and shelves of potions I had already made. 
 
May mangilan-ngila ding mga libro ang maayos na naka-pile. Sa gitnang bahagi naman makikita ang medyo may kalakihan na lamesa, nakapatong dito ang iba sa mga laboratory equipments na ginagamit ko sa paggawa ng potions. Everything was organized, just the way I liked it.
 
I'm really thankful na halos lahat sa mga gamit ni daddy ay maaayos pa kaya hindi na ako bumili ng mga bagong kagamitan at ito na lang ang ginamit.
 
Nag unat-unat na muna ako bago ako umupo sa working space ko at binasa ang librong may laman na instruction sa paggawa ng potion. Naisipan kong gumawa ngayong araw ng detection potion, nabanggit ko naman noong nakaraan na may nararamdaman akong traces ng isang magic aura sa dalawang bangkay na nakita ko. 
 
Aalamin ko kung anong klaseng magic ito, and hopefully, ma-track ko kung kaninong magic ito. 
 
I was just about to begin working on it when the door to the greenhouse creaked open. The familiar fruit-sweet scent surrounded me, but what caught my attention was the sight of Plutus stepping inside, holding two cups of coffee and a plate with a sandwich.
 
"You always start your mornings with an empty stomach, aren't you?" he asked as he set the cups down on the worktable.

"No breakfast, just diving straight into some witchy business?"
 
"Uy, kape!" I beamed.
 
"Don’t get too excited. I didn’t make it. Just grabbed it from the kitchen," he said, sounding as if he were doing me a huge favor. "Thought you'd be hungry or something."
 
I smiled despite myself, appreciating the gesture even if it came with his usual attitude. "Thanks," I muttered, pushing aside some ingredients to make space for the coffee. "Though I thought you’d be sleeping in on a Saturday."
 
He shrugged, taking a sip of his own drink. "Got bored. Figured I’d see what you’re up to." His eyes swept over the beaker and my equipments. "What's this? Another one of your secret projects? Or it's about working on undoing the curse you cast on me?" 
 
"Er, uhm... pinag-aaralan ko na 'yong case mo, but right now," I said, and then I pointed the mess in the table. "I’m making a detection spell. Something that will help me see magical auras."
 
He raised an eyebrow. "Why?"
 
I hesitated. I couldn’t tell him about the magical aura I’d sensed around the victims, not yet. Instead, I gave a half truth. "Just something I’ve been meaning to try for a while. You know, for practice."
 
He leaned back against the table, his eyes narrowing slightly as they tracked my every move. His gaze was intense, and I could feel it on me, like a weight. It made me feel strangely self-conscious, awkward even, but I tried my best to ignore it.
 
Wala na namang magawa sa buhay niya ang prinsipe.
 
I gathered the ingredients I needed—phoenix ash, moonstone dust, and a few drops of manticore venom. Once I gathered it all, I began mixing them into the beaker.

Plutus still hadn’t said anything, but I could sense him watching. His eyes never left me, following each precise motion of my hands, every stir of the spoon, and every sprinkle of powder.
 
My fingers trembled slightly as I reached for the next ingredient. I wasn't used to being watched like this, at least not by him. And the way he did it, with such focus, as if he were studying me, made me want to both squirm and roll my eyes.
 
"Wala ka bang magawa sa buhay mo at nandito ka?" Inis kong tanong sa kan'ya. 
 
Plutus didn’t flinch, those sapphire eyes never tore its gaze from mine. "Just curious," he shrugged. "I have a band practice at noon, though." 
 
I shot him a look, raising an eyebrow. "Sabihin mo lang kung in-love kana sakin para mabusted agad kita." 

To be continued...