AUTHOR'S NOTE : This is the updated 2022 version of Chapter 05. If you are re-reading this part, you may observe some changes from the previous version.
CONTENT AND TRIGGER WARNING : This chapter contains depictions of and references to death and gore that may be upsetting for some readers. Please be mindful of these sensitive themes and other possible triggers. Remember to practice self-care before, during and after reading.
LORELEI
I GAVE my decision a lot of thought. The whole night and until morning, my mind was occupied with nothing else. I couldn't even concentrate on reading my notes or accomplishing our assignments. When the school bell rang and the morning period was dismissed, I went up to the third floor where Loki's clubroom was located, Room 315.
My mind was finally made up. I would join the QED Club.
Just to clarify: I wasn't joining because I was afraid of what he might do with that unflattering photo he had of me. He was right about one thing, I hated breaking promises, and I hated going back on my word. My conscience couldn't bear the weight of it. I was doing this for myself, not for him. For the sake of my peace of mind, I would grant the favor he was asking for.
I took a deep breath before knocking and opening the door. I expected to find him inside, seated with his elbows resting on the table and his fingers steepled together as he watched the sand in the upper bulb of an hourglass slowly run out. Instead, when I stepped in, all I saw were papers scattered on the table and his laptop left open.
I glanced around every corner of the clubroom, even under the table and along the bookshelf. For all I knew, he might have come up with another prank for me. He would either surprise or scare me with whatever trick was up his sleeves. It's a good thing I didn't see any trace of him here. I was safe from any surprises that he might have in store.
While waiting for him to return, I sat on the monobloc chair closest to his. Did he forget that he was expecting an applicant this lunchtime? Or maybe someone had asked for his help, which was why he wasn't here?
That seemed unlikely. If he had somewhere important to be, he wouldn't have left his laptop here, and he definitely wouldn't have left the clubroom door unlocked. Somebody could easily steal his gadget if he left it unattended.
Speaking of the laptop, I became curious about what was displayed on its screen. At first, I only stole quick glances. Remember? I got mad at him for peeking at my messages. I didn't want to do the same thing to him.
But I couldn't resist. I eventually checked what was flashed on the screen. Maybe I'd learn something about my mysterious roommate and soon-to-be clubmate.
He was obviously in the middle of typing an email before he left the room. The message was addressed to someone named "Rhea." He had already written quite a lot, and it looked ready to be sent.
I quickly skimmed through its contents. He might return any second and catch me snooping around his business.
To: Rhea ([email protected]) Subject: Just checking on you
Message:
How are you doing?
It's been three weeks since I sent my last e-mail to you. You haven't got back to me yet. It's either you're too busy to check or you don't open your e-mail as regularly as I do.
In any case, I'm writing to express how the status quo bores me. Without you, this world lacks the colors it once had when you were around. It's become dull and monotonous. I wonder how long I can endure the mundane.
Of all the people who know me, you have the most awareness of how much I abhor the dismal routine of existence. Everything's so ordinary, everyone's so boring, everything's so gray. I've been looking for an added tinge of color in my life, but it has always escaped my grasp ever since you left.
You'll surely agree with me if I say that I need to find a distraction, an escape from this repetitive and depressing reality. If you were only here, it would still be a lotta fun and challenging. I always find your opposition to my views thought-provoking.
Now, I'm in constant pursuit of diversion to keep my mind stimulated and my monsters at bay. It may be an endless chase—and I don't know if it's a worthwhile quest—but this is the best alternative I've got so far.
I look forward to hearing your stories. Please get back to me as soon as you can.
I frowned after finishing it. Reading the email disproved the idea that he was friendless. All along, I thought he truly stood by his "friends are excess baggage" perspective. Whoever this Rhea was, she seemed important to Loki based on the tone of his message. I sensed a kind of yearning in his choice of words. The two of them must be quite close.
"Your curiosity will have you killed."
I nearly jumped out of my seat when he whispered from behind me. I had been so focused on the laptop that I didn't hear his footsteps or the door creak open. Or maybe he had supernatural powers and could teleport or walk through walls.
"I don't remember giving you permission to read my personal correspondence." He shut his laptop before pulling out a sheet of paper tucked inside a book on the bookshelf. "That's a clear invasion of privacy."
"Yeah, right." I recalled something he had said before. "That's a bit rich coming from someone who peeked at my messages while I was reading them and went into my room to take a photo of me without my express permission."
He didn't answer my jab. He had no rebuttal. Instead, he handed me the club membership application form. "I gather that you've come all the way here to be part of my club, so you may now fill out that form."
I stared at the paper for a few seconds. Once I accomplished this and handed it back to him, there would be no more takebacks. I'd be tied to him and to his club. I closed my eyes briefly and took a deep breath. When I opened them again, I pulled out my pen and began filling it out.
Like any other form, it asked for the usual details: name, grade and section, age, complete address, contact details, et cetera. There were also two questions at the bottom half of the page: "Why do you want to join the club?" and "What can you contribute to the club?" There were also two pages of terms and conditions that I didn't bother reading thoroughly.
"Now that I'm a member of the QED Club, I don't owe you anything anymore," I said after handing him the filled-out form. I felt like I could finally breathe a little easier. But this was only the beginning of my commitment.
"Consider us even." After taking and putting away the form, he showed me his phone, the photo of me sleeping displayed on the screen. "As an incentive, I'll delete this photo. A sign of goodwill, you may call it. No other copies were made. You have my word."
It wasn't really a big deal to me whether he kept it or spread it on social media. It didn't work when he tried to blackmail me with it, right? But I supposed I had to appreciate what he did. At least he wouldn't have anything to use against me the next time he wanted to ask for another favor.
"So… what should I do now?" I asked.
"Quick orientation. As club president, I'm mandated to do this for every new member," he said as he sat down on the swivel chair. "The QED Club is the one and only detective club in Clark High. Its name is derived from the Latin phrase quod erat demonstrandum, which, in English, means whichwas to be demonstrated. It's traditionally placed at the end of mathematical proofs and philosophical arguments to show that you've proven what you set out to prove."
Thanks for the brief lecture about initialism. Ever since I first heard the name of this club, I had been wondering what those three letters stood for and why he chose them. Now I more or less understood the connection between QED and his detective club.
"As for what you're supposed to do, it's pretty simple." He opened his laptop again and started typing. "Once we receive a request from a client, you're free to give your insights. But I want you to observe more and take note of the case details. Once it's solved, you'll write about it and post it on your blog."
My eyes narrowed. "You want me to be the club's chronicler?"
"You may see it that way." He briefly lifted his gaze to me. "The QED Club isn't that famous yet, especially among freshmen and transferees. You must've heard about it from your classmate. Am I right? See? Your blog entries will serve as testimonials to how good we are at solving cases. We can use them to advertise our club, boost our popularity, and attract more clients. As the vice president, you'll be in charge of media and public relations."
Wait, wait! When did I become the club's vice president? That was not what I signed up for.
"As the second member, by default, you're hereby appointed as my right-hand man. Woman, in your case," he explained, even though I hadn't voiced out my protest. "For now, we'll wait for a client to come and tell us their story. Or if you don't have the patience to wait, you may leave now. I'll message you once we have a case. Your contact number is in the form anyway."
Rather than stay in the clubroom alone with him, I told Loki I'd go eat lunch first and just come back when I had free time. My stomach happened to growl at the perfect moment, so I had no choice but to head down to the cafeteria to eat. Rosetta had also sent me a message, asking where I was and whether I was going to have lunch with her.
I hoped I had done the right thing by signing up for his club.
I DIDN'T realize it was already one o'clock after finishing my favorite pasta—my go-to food whenever I couldn't decide from the cafeteria choices. Maybe the school bell was broken because it didn't ring during lunch break. That was usually my signal that it was time to head upstairs. Even the other students in the cafeteria were still chilling as if they didn't have afternoon classes.
I hurried back to the high school building. Our first subject for the afternoon period was Earth and Life Science. I was just about to head up the stairs when I ran into Rosetta and some of our classmates. We were on our way to the Science Laboratory. Apparently, that was where our teacher would be holding the lecture.
"We're planning to go ghost hunting next week at the abandoned school building on campus!" Rosetta shared as we climbed the stairs. I could hear the excitement in her voice. She could barely wait. "Do you want to come with us, Lori?"
I shook my head. "Sorry, but I'm not really into paranormal stuff." Besides, the fake paranormal encounters in the apartment yesterday were more than enough for me. I didn't need to actually feel the presence of ghosts.
"Too bad." A hint of disappointment crossed her face. Until now, I still couldn't believe she was into ghosts and otherworldly elements. "If you change your mind and decide to come, just tell me, okay? I promise you, it's going to be fun and thrilling!"
Our class gathered outside the Science Lab on the third floor. It was located in the east wing, while the QED clubroom was at the far end of the west wing. Nearby were other science-related labs, such as the Chemistry and Physics laboratories. Another class was also waiting outside the Chemistry Lab. Rosetta whispered to me that they were STEM students.
We waited for Ma'am Althea Vasco, our Earth and Life Science instructor and the one who had the key. She had messaged our class president saying she would be late and that we should stand by outside the lab for the meantime.
While we were waiting, the female teacher of the other class arrived.
"Good afternoon, class!" she greeted before inserting the key into the door. Once it was unlocked, the students quickly straightened up and moved. I watched them as they excitedly entered the lab. Chemistry seemed like a fun subject. Sadly, it wasn't part of the HUMSS curriculum, so I'd never get to experience mixing chemicals.
Everyone who went in first suddenly froze for a second or two upon seeing something inside. Then, almost at once, they rushed back out, screaming as if they had just stepped into a horror house.
Driven by curiosity, I peeked inside. Someone was lying on the floor, unresponsive and bathing in his own blood. I immediately looked away.
"Call the guard!" the teacher ordered her male students. She couldn't stay still, she paced back and forth outside, biting her nails. Some of her students rushed to the comfort room, nearly throwing up from what they had seen.
Me? I almost gagged on the spot. I couldn't bring myself to look again at the unmoving body of the man. That was not a sight you should see, especially right after eating lunch.
"I've already informed the campus police," said the male student who was the last to come out of the lab. "They're on their way here. By the way, the guy's already dead."
My eyes widened when I recognized the face. Not just the face, even the voice was familiar to me.
That was Loki.
The teacher tried to calm her students, while Loki's gaze shifted in my direction. His eyes narrowed at me for a brief moment.
"Oh, you're here too?" he greeted. "What a coincidence."
"We were supposed to have class next door," I replied, pointing at the adjacent lab. "What are you doing here? Did you know something bad was going to happen in the chem lab, that's why you're already here?"
"What are you talking about? I have a Chemistry class here. I'm also a student like you, in case you've forgotten."
Right. Loki was a STEM student. I'd assumed he only cared about club activities. Apparently, he actually studied too.
"Inspector Estrada of the campus police asked me to stay so I can give him my inputs," he added. "This is way better than mixing sodium metabisulfite, ethanol, sulfuric acid, and potassium iodate."
"Why would the police ask for the opinion of a high school student like you?" I asked.
"Oh, haven't I told you during the orientation that I—and by extension, the club—work as consultants for the campus police? The inspector is a good acquaintance of mine. I've helped him out with a couple of other baffling cases on campus."
He must've forgotten to mention that earlier. I didn't know he was involved in solving bloody cases too. I knew he was capable of solving problems, I had witnessed that firsthand. But I didn't expect the police to actually trust him.
A few minutes later, officers from the campus police arrived. As it turned out, Clark High had its own law enforcement unit. They first spoke with the Chemistry teacher of the STEM class and asked what had happened before they entered the laboratory.
I noticed their boss, a large-built man with a thick mustache and a few strands of gray hair.
"Since you're eager to start as a member of the QED Club, consider this our first official case together," he said.
He emphasized the word together as if we were really partners. Since when did we become a crime-solving duo?
He turned and walked inside. When he noticed I wasn't following, he looked back at me. "Why are you just standing there? The case won't solve itself. Come in and I'll introduce you to the inspector. If you were a mystery enthusiast like me, this is going to be fun."
Fun?
I couldn't see anything fun about a scene with a bloodied body on the floor. But judging by the glint of excitement in his usually dull eyes, he seemed to be enjoying it. His eyes were always lifeless with no sparkle at all. Now, they were different. As if someone had just handed him a gift, even though it wasn't his birthday or Christmas.
I protested at first, but he pulled me inside the laboratory. My classmates were too busy, and some of the students outside were clearly traumatized, so no one noticed me slipping out of their sight.
The chemistry lab was about the size of a regular classroom. The difference was the rows of long steel workstations and lab stools. A whiteboard stood on one side, still covered with notes left behind by the previous class. At the back was a large wooden cabinet filled with various chemicals and equipment used for class activities.
As we walked toward the spot where the lifeless body of a student lay sprawled on the floor, the police cordoned off the entrance of the chemistry lab with barricade tape marked "POLICE LINE DO NOT CROSS." The officers we passed didn't stop us. It seemed they really did know Loki and trusted him.
"Oh, Loki! Sorry, I didn't notice you outside," the campus police chief greeted my companion. He handed him a pair of disposable latex gloves. "Well now, who's that with you? I think this is my first time seeing her."
"Her name's Lorelei Rios," he introduced me. "She's my assistant, so I hope you'll allow her presence here."
"P-Pleasure to meet you, sir," I replied shyly.
"I'm Gareth Estrada, the chief of the campus police," he said. He handed me a pair of gloves, which I immediately put on. "Though I suppose it would've been better if we hadn't met at a crime scene."
Loki sat down beside the officer holding a camera, who was taking photographs of the victim. I averted my gaze before the color of the blood could fully register in my mind. Why did I even agree to let him drag me in here?
And since when did I become his assistant?
"The victim has been identified as Isaac Santino, a Grade 12 STEM student and president of the Chemistry Club," Inspector Estrada said while observing Loki's examination. I stood beside them. He hadn't even briefed me on what I was supposed to do. "His body is still warm, so we estimate it hasn't been an hour since he was killed. It appears he died from blood loss after being stabbed in the side."
"Obviously." Loki stood and circled the victim's body. I tried to avoid looking, but I could still see the bloodied figure in my peripheral vision. "Props to him. He was able to leave a dying message before he passed away."
He pointed at the set of numbers written on the floor in blood.
32101416
Two police officers entered carrying a stretcher. They placed the body on it and covered it with a black sheet. All that remained were the bloodstains and the chalk outline marking the position in which the victim had been found.
Inspector Estrada rubbed his chin while staring at the numbers. "We noticed that too. But if he managed to leave a dying message, why didn't he just write the name of the person who attacked him? That would've helped us more."
"It's possible his murderer would return to the scene and erase what he wrote." Loki's eyes remained fixated on the bloody red digits. "He didn't want to take that risk, so he chose to hide his attacker's name through a code. Do we have any leads on the suspects?"
"I already had Isaac's phone checked," Inspector Estrada replied. "Before he was found dead around one o'clock, he sent the same message to three people. 'I know what you did. Meet me at the Chem Lab during lunchtime if you don't want others to find out,' he wrote."
"Oh?" Loki removed his latex gloves before taking out his phone and typing something on the screen. "So who exactly are they? Give me their names."
Inspector Estrada's eyes narrowed as he read the message sent to him. "Henry Ochoa. Genesis Cabangon. John Bautista."
Just hearing those three names made Loki's flat lips curl into a victorious smirk, as if he had already won the battle before it even began. "I think I know who did it."
What? Was he serious? He hadn't even been in the crime scene for ten minutes, and he already knew who the culprit was. Could it be that he had decoded the dying message? I wouldn't be surprised if he had.
"For now, we need to interview our three suspects," he said, slipping his phone back into his pocket. "Knowing the culprit's name isn't enough. But at least we have a lead."
"Can you tell us who it is?" the inspector asked.
"After the interview. I hope you don't mind if I keep you hanging for a while. It's better if you act naturally in front of him."
While we waited for the suspects to arrive, I sat on a workstation far from the pool of dried blood. Loki, on the other hand, examined the chemicals inside the cabinet as if the answers might be hidden among the bottles and labels.
"So you're the new her, huh?"
I turned to my left. Inspector Estrada was standing beside me, having just finished typing on his phone. Who was he referring to by her?
"It's been a while since I last saw Loki with an assistant." He sat on the lab stool next to mine and adjusted his loose necktie. "More than six months, I think—if I'm not mistaken."
Loki had an assistant? That was surprising. I thought he had always been alone in his wannabe detective pursuits. He didn't have any friends, after all.
Well… maybe except for one.
"You can't believe he used to have someone with him, can you? Compared to now, Loki was more approachable back then. Ever since he ended up alone, he's become more serious and colder toward other people. That's why I was surprised to see he has someone with him again."
"What happened to his former assistant, sir?"
The inspector lowered his head, as if debating whether he should answer me. My curiosity itched to know what had happened to her. Maybe it would help me understand my roommate-slash-clubmate a little better.
"How should I put this? Hmm… Let's just say she left Loki."
Well, if that's the kind of attitude your clubmate had, you'd really start wondering whether you should stay or just walk away. Even in the apartment unit, his roommates had left him.
"Where is she now?" I asked.
Before he could answer, a police officer knocked and entered with three male students in tow. "They're here, Chief."
Inspector Estrada and I stood up at once. Too bad I didn't get my answer. Loki also walked over to the workstation where we were positioned.
"Is it true that someone killed Isaac?" the muscular guy asked right away. His hair was styled upward like a fish fin.
"And you are?"
"Genesis Cabangon, treasurer of the Chemistry Club," he replied, then pointed to the two guys with him. "They're officers too, just like me."
The chubby guy standing in the middle raised his hand. He didn't even bother fixing his hair or buttoning his polo properly. "Henry Ochoa, vice president of the Chemistry Club."
"John Bautista, secretary of the Chem Club," introduced the tall, skinny guy. He had thick eyeliner lining his lashes.
Inspector Estrada cleared his throat before addressing the three. "You already know why you've been called here. More than half an hour before the victim was found dead and bleeding here, he sent the same text message to the three of you."
"Are you saying one of us attacked him?!" Henry shouted.
"That's right. One of you is the attacker," Loki replied, his gaze shifting from one to another. "I already have an idea who he is, but I won't say anything until we hear your statements. First, can you tell us your whereabouts between twelve noon and one o'clock?"
Henry answered first, rubbing his large belly. "I was in the restroom around that time. My stomach hasn't been feeling well today, so I took a while doing my business."
"Can someone confirm that?"
He slowly shook his head. "I chose to use the restroom on the fourth floor since not many people go there. I didn't notice anyone else coming in, so—"
"In other words, you don't have an alibi." Loki cut him off before he could finish. He then pointed to the man on the left. "How about you?"
"I had just finished lunch, so I went up to the rooftop to smoke," Genesis replied. I could still smell the cigarette on his breath. I subtly covered my nose. "I was still smoking when I received a call from the police telling me to come here."
"Were you with someone at that time?"
"The rooftop's a restricted area right now because of that drama the other day, so I was alone."
"Still no alibi." Loki then pointed to the man on the right. "And you?"
"I was at the stone benches, reading my algebra notes. We have a quiz, so I needed to review," John answered, showing the thin notebook he was holding.
"Was anyone else with you during your review time?"
He shook his head. Judging by his appearance, he didn't seem like the sociable type. A loner, more like. "I don't like anyone sitting beside me while I'm reviewing because I get distracted. But there were a lot of people at the nearby stone benches. I don't know if they'd still remember seeing me there."
"Weak alibi, but verifiable."
One of them was definitely lying. That person wasn't where he claimed to be. Between twelve noon and one o'clock, he had surely been here inside the Chemistry Laboratory to meet Isaac and talk about whatever terrible thing he had done. After killing the victim, he must have gone somewhere else to pretend he had been in a different place during the time of the crime.
Wait a minute. Why was I thinking like a detective all of a sudden? My job here was to observe the investigation so I'd have something to write on my blog later just like Loki wanted. Besides, he already knew who the culprit was, so there was no need for me to use my brain cells.
Speaking of Loki, his gaze shifted to me, and he stared for a few seconds. Was there something on my face?
"Any thoughts on how we can identify the murderer among them?" he asked.
"I'm here to observe, remember?" I whispered. "So why are you asking for my opinion?"
"You need to earn the trust of the campus police if you don't want them to bar you from entering crime scenes. We'll be doing a lot of this in the future."
"What? It's not like I wanted to come in here in the first place—"
The pressure doubled when the inspector turned to me, waiting for my answer. Wait! I wasn't a detective, so it was impossible for me to come up with some brilliant deduction that could help solve this case.
I looked down at the floor, my eyes narrowing slightly. How could we prove that one of them was lying? Was there a question we could ask, something only the murderer wouldn't be able to answer correctly? That was how it usually worked in the detective series I'd watched.
Then a striking idea came to mind.
If that person had been busy killing the victim, he probably wouldn't have noticed that. . .
Like the inspector earlier, I forced a cough to get everyone's attention. I just hoped this would work. Otherwise, I'd embarrass myself, not only in front of Loki, but also in front of the suspects and the campus police.
"If you were really where you said you were earlier, who among you heard the sound of the school bell at lunchtime?"
I honestly thought the chances of that question exposing the murderer were slim. It felt like I had thrown a dart at a board while blindfolded.
But I was surprised when one of them raised his hand.
"I told you, I was just smoking on the rooftop, so it's impossible that I didn't hear the—"
Genesis stopped mid-sentence when he looked to his left and right and realized he was the only one with his hand raised.
"You didn't hear the school bell earlier?" he asked Henry and John before turning to the inspector. "That means the murderer is one of the two of them!"
"Actually, it's the opposite of what you said," I replied. I fought the urge to smile in case my method was wrong. Loki showed no reaction, which probably meant I was on the right track. "Whoever heard the school bell is most likely the one who killed Isaac."
"W-What do you mean?"
"You must've been too busy meeting him, and killing him, that you didn't realize the school bell didn't ring earlier." I was really starting to sound like a detective. "The bell rings exactly at one o'clock every day, so you assumed it rang today as well. But it's apparently broken right now, so it didn't ring at all. How could you have heard something that never sounded?"
Sweat formed on Genesis's forehead, and he began to stutter. "I-I must've misspoken earlier. It was an honest mistake!"
"No, you killed Isaac."
Finally, Loki decided to step in. For a moment, I thought he had lost his voice.
"Before the victim died, he revealed the name of his murderer through a dying message." He showed the series of numbers he had photographed earlier on his phone. "Cracking the code your president left behind should be easy."
Henry and John's eyes widened, their mouths falling open, while Genesis kept shaking his head over and over after seeing the set of numbers: 32101416.
"What code did the victim use?" Inspector Estrada asked in confusion. "Why do his fellow officers seem to understand it?"
"If you pair those numbers correctly, you'll get 32–10–14–16. In sequence, those are the atomic numbers of Germanium, Neon, Silicon, and Sulfur. If you combine their chemical symbols, you'll get Ge–Ne–Si–S—Genesis," Loki explained before turning to our primary suspect. "As officers of the Chemistry Club, they know most, if not all, of the elements in the periodic table."
"W-Wait! Just because Isaac wrote my name in code doesn't mean I killed him!" Genesis protested. "Maybe he misunderstood something! Maybe one of them framed me!"
"Explain that at the station," Inspector Estrada told him. He signaled the two police officers on standby to escort the suspect out of the laboratory. "We'll also need your statements, so you might as well come with us."
The inspector thanked Loki and me before joining his men.
"Do you know Genesis's motive for killing Isaac?" I asked Loki. We both watched as the police escorted the culprit away. Henry and John followed them, leaving just the two of us inside the lab.
"Earlier, I checked the cabinet over there and noticed that some bottles of chemical compounds were missing." Loki jerked his thumb over his shoulder. "Isaac probably discovered that someone in his club—someone with access to this lab—was stealing those chemicals. He tried to lure the culprit out by sending the same threatening message to his three suspects. Fortunately, the culprit took the bait and met him. Unfortunately, Isaac was killed in the process."
I wondered how Loki was able to get that far into this case. From the way he explained it, it was as if he had witnessed everything that happened. Are his observation and deduction skills really that sharp, that he can keep up with professional investigators?
"Only one question remains," he added, turning to look at me. "Where did Genesis use the chemicals he stole from the lab? Did he sell them? But who would buy them?"
"ACK!"
Loki and I both ran outside when we heard a scream that seemed to come from Genesis. We saw him sprawled on the ground, his eyes nearly bulging out, foam coming from his mouth, and his body convulsing. Several students outside screamed when they noticed him having a seizure.
Without wasting another second, Loki rushed to his side, dropped to one knee, and felt for his pulse. "He's probably been poisoned! His pulse is erratic!"
Suddenly, Genesis' right hand grabbed onto Loki's arm. He stared him straight in the eyes, forcing himself to speak.
"M . . . Mori . . . Moriya . . . !"
Not long after, Genesis' body stopped trembling. His hand fell to the floor and his eyes rolled back. His mouth remained open.
There was silence in the hallway. Not a single soul uttered a word.
I turned to look at Loki, who seemed to have turned into stone. He didn't move either. But something was strange. His face darkened. His hands trembled and his fists clenched. His teeth were gritted, as if he had heard a word that made his blood boil.
Whatever Genesis' last word meant, it had a profound impact on Loki.
TRANSLATOR'S NOTE:
If my updates are slow, I am very sorry for that. Translating this book was very hard for me even though most of the dialogues are in English in the original book. My tagalog skills are being challenged at this point. (Which I just realized, is understandable, since Tagalog isn't even the first language I grew up with. I just learned it in school, TV shows, and books. Don't get me wrong, I am Filipino, but I grew up on a different side of the country where people mostly speak another language. So, there you go.)