Depression Plutus (Curse #4)

CHAPTER 20 Stranger

OTTILIE VIRSES POV 
 
 
Nakakabadtrip talaga si Plutus, ano kayang kababalaghan ang pinagsasabi ng prinsipe na 'yon sa matanda. Mabuti na nga lang at naka-alis na 'yon, payapa ko ng magagawa ang trabaho ko. Pagtapos ko ngang mananghalian ay bumalik na ulit ako sa ginagawa ko. 
 
Makalipas lang ang isang oras, muli na naman akong nagambala nang marinig na naman ang pagtunog ng doorbell. Nagtataka man, lumabas ako sa workshop para silipin ito. Nangunot ang noo ko ng makita ang isang matangkad na binata. 
 
He was dressed in a leather jacket over a black shirt, paired with worn maong jeans and sturdy white shoes. His cap was pulled low over his face, making it difficult to make out any of his features.
 
"Sino po sila?" Tanong ko sa binata. 
 
The man stayed quiet for a moment, then slowly took off his cap.

I froze.

My breath hitched as his face came into view. His hair was pure white, like snow. His lips were deep red, like fresh apples. There were no perfect words for his face.

It was… almost unreal. Like something not meant for this world.

But it wasn’t just how he looked.

It was his presence.
 
When he finally spoke, his voice made me tremble. It was calm and deep, with a slight roughness.
 
"I’m here to fuckin' buy a healing potion."
 
Doon lang ako natauhan ng marealize kung ano ang pakay nito. Seriously, what's the deal with this guy? Ang lutong naman magmura nito.

Okay na sana eh, nagsalita lang.
 
"A healing potion?" Paninigurado ko. "What kind of healing potion do you need?"
 
"A damn potion for a weak heart," he said, his eyes never leaving mine.
 
I understood immediately so I opened the gate and motioned for him to come in. As we walked toward my workshop, I couldn’t help but steal glances at him. His presence was disturbing, yet somehow fascinating. I hadn’t felt this way about a stranger in… well, ever.
 
Para akong nakatagpo ng isang anghel pero bad boy? Ay ewan... ang hirap niyang idescribe.

Once inside, I showed him to a seat at the work table. "You can sit here while I prepare it," I said, still feeling slightly off balance in his presence.
 
I watched him sit down, his movements slow yet smooth, like he believed everything around him belonged to him.

Pinabayaan ko na lang, baka anak mayaman lang. As I gathered my ingredients, I heard him speak again. I turned to see him holding out a small, rounded glass bottle filled with a red liquid.
 
"I want you to fuckin' include this in the potion," he said, his voice as steady as before.
 
Nakasimangot kong tinanggap ang maliit na bote. "Ano laman nito?"
 
He remained silent for a bit too long, and then, his tone shifting as he said, "Don’t ask questions. Just fuckin' do it."
 
A shiver ran down my spine at the sudden change in his attitude, but I wasn’t in a position to argue. I nodded, placing the bottle on the table alongside my ingredients.
 
"Alright, magsisimula na po ako," I said, my voice quieter than before. "Mabilis lang 'to." 
 
As I worked, I could feel his eyes on me, watching every movement I made, as if he were studying me. The weight of his gaze was unsettling, but I focused on my task, following what's written in the book.
 
I slowly poured a cup of moonwater into the beaker and heated it over the fire. The liquid glowed softly as I stirred it, waking up its magic. Then, I added five drops of rosemary essence, and its warm, calming smell filled the room.

Next, I sprinkled in a small pinch of Dragon’s Blood Resin. The potion hissed and turned dark for a moment before glowing softly again. After that, I quietly said the chant:

“Per sanguinem draconum, vires restituantur,
Ad cor infirmum, sana et perdura.”

Then, I mixed in two tablespoons of crushed hawthorn berries and watched the potion turn pale lavender. When I added a quarter teaspoon of Phoenix feather ash, the glow became brighter, showing its healing power.

Carefully, I stirred in a tablespoon of crystallized honey to sweeten the elixir. After that, I added a thin slice of golden apple and let it simmer for a few moments. While waiting for it to boil, I was about to ask him if he wanted anything special added to the potion when he suddenly spoke.
 
"Strange times we live in, don’t you think?" he cut in, voice rough and impatient. “Especially with all the bodies dropping lately.”
 
Doon ako napahinto sa ginagawa ko, mukhang kalat na sa lugar na ito ang patayan na nangyayari sa school. 
 
"Oo nga eh," I replied carefully, not looking in his direction. "Marami na ngang bali-balita."
 
The man shifted slightly in his chair, his red eyes flickering with something dark but not threatening. “Rumors are cheap. They never tell the whole damn story. It’s what people leave out that matters.”
 
I paused, glancing at him. "Anong ibig mong sabihin?"
 
He leaned back, crossing his arms casually, but his eyes never left mine. “These murders aren’t random. There’s a pattern buried in them, and somebody’s trying real hard to keep it hidden.” he said grinning.
 
"Pattern?" I repeated.

He was saying something I had been thinking about, pero paani niya nalaman?
 
“The victims all had traces of the same magic,” his voice lowered, sharp and dangerous. “Old kind. Buried deep. The kind nobody’s supposed to notice.”
 
I swallowed hard, my mind immediately jumping to the magical aura I had sensed on the two victims. Manghuhula kaya ang lalaki na 'to? Shocks! Baka naman kalaban din 'to?
 
Habang napapaisip ako sa sinabi nito, kinuha ko ang ibinigay nitong babasaging bote na may lamang pulang likido. Noong una nag-alinlangan ako kung ihahalo ko ba ito, pero mukhang maalam din ito sa potions kaya ipinagsawalang bahala ko na lang ito. 
 
I put a few drops of it into the beaker. The potion swirled, deepening its color as a faint crimson tint spread through the golden hue.
 
“Well,” I said, trying to stay calm. “I heard the legend about the Red Room. Some people think it’s connected to the murders.” I looked at him carefully. “They say it’s a place where souls are lost and dark deals are made. Doesn’t that sound like part of the legend?”
 

To be continued...