Chapter 208: An Offer.

Chapter 208: 208: An Offer.


"What do you mean?" Eden stared at him.


"My illness. You know about it, and you used some sort of power on me. Right?"


"Sure," Eden said. "I found you pathetic and so I decided to help you out. What about it?"


Adrian hesitated. "So it was really your doing."


Adrian added, "Then is it something you can heal with your powers? Is my illness something you can heal completely?"


Eden stared at him. He could tell Adrian was feeling hopeful about his pathetic state. He was one who had already embraced the knowledge of his death while waiting for his time.


But having seen a glimpse of hope, he figured that he might actually have some hope. And Eden could tell he was getting anxious for it.


He smiled. "Your illness is pretty critical. So it’s hard to assess if it can fully be treated."


Adrian hesitated. "But you were able to suppress its effect and expand my lifeline." Adrian didn’t bother telling him all the physician had told him. "So at least you have the potential to extend my life if not completely heal it."


Eden stared at him. "Probably. I guess I have the ability to do that. Why?" He asked, even though he knew that Adrian was at least hopeful about being able to prolong his life.


"Nothing. I just find it interesting," Adrian said.


Eden smiled. He was almost done with the soup. "You know it’s okay to be vulnerable and honest, right?"


Adrian said nothing.


"It’s okay to say that you desperately want to live and at least want me to help you achieve that. To at least help you prolong your life. It’s okay to say that," He smiled.


Adrian said nothing again. His arms were folded and his eyes on him.


"And maybe if you had spoken up about your situation in the first place, it would have been much better by now," He added. "I mean, the whole time you were busy trying to have me killed, you could have actually asked for help. It’s okay to do that."


The room was silent for a while and Eden only stared at Adrian, who didn’t seem like he had any words to present. He only stared.


Eden smiled. "I understand. You must be scared. Growing up like that... You must certainly be scared of everything and everyone. I understand. You certainly wanted to make sure you settled everything even before you died. And that’s why you probably wanted my head to start with..."


He hesitated. "But I think you should also consider yourself for once. Okay?"


Eden smiled. "And I also want to make a deal with you on it."


Adrian furrowed his eyebrows. "What deal?" He asked after a pause.


He smiled. "It’s easy. You should stop trying to kill me and I’ll keep you alive."


Their eyes were locked while they sat down. Adrian resting his cold and uncertain eyes on Eden, who was casually smiling with bliss.


"And why would I agree to that...?"


"Because it’s a win-win for the both of us. You get to live and I also get to live. Isn’t that wonderful?"


Adrian hesitated as he stretched out his neck. "I’m busy. So you should get some more rest," He said as he got up to his feet.


Eden blinked in shock, watching him get up. "Huh? Where are you going...?! Shouldn’t you agree to it?"


"I’m busy." Adrian was already heading for the door.


"But it’s an important deal for both of us... you should accept," Eden said.


But Adrian didn’t bother talking about it. He made his way out of the room.


With Adrian gone, Eden sat there. He had his mouth halfway open while staring at the door in shock.


"How could he...? I mean he should be grateful about the offer. He gets to live at least. What’s wrong with him? So ungrateful," He muttered, biting his lower lip.


---


Adrian walked out of the room. He was now standing in front of the entrance while he took a deep breath in and out.


He hesitated, looking around while he placed a hand over his chest as though he was gauging something.


Then he tilted his head. "What the hell was that...? Why was my heart.. why was I...?"


He hesitated and then ran a hand through his chest some more.


Adrian shook his head as though shivers ran through his body. And then he took a deep breath in and out. "I can’t be that dumb. I can’t let myself go like that..."


He said as he walked off as though he had something urgent to attend to.


---


Evening soon arrived and Eden had found his way out of the chamber he was in.


He wasn’t all that better but at least he was okay to move around. And so he did.


He strolled around the place for the first time, searching through the place to admire it.


The first time he was here, he didn’t get the opportunity to do that since he was struggling to run for his dear life.


But this time, he was surveying the place critically. Admiring the building, the architecture, the paintings and the aesthetics of it.


He had soon found himself in a huge room that was filled with different types of stuff. Paintings, weapons and so on.


Eden walked through it while running his hands over the paintings and weapons. He couldn’t help but admire the numerous weapons Adrian had acquired.


They were all ones of honour given to him for his position as the Grand Marquis. Some he had obtained from the emperor and some from the King.


At his age, he had truly achieved wonders while Eden would probably still be working at the gay bar at his age if he didn’t transmigrate.


"You shouldn’t be in here."


Eden turned as soon as he heard someone speak. Adrian had walked into the room as well, both hands behind him.


"If the maids hadn’t told me that someone was sneaking around in my house, I wouldn’t have known what you were up to, dear wizard of EL."