Chapter 5 V. First Bargain Of The Journey

".........ly!"

".......Elly!"

"........Stay inside, Elly!"

".........I'm here with you, sweetheart!"

"Cover your ears, trust me!"

"ELEANOR!"

Elly gasped and regained consciousness after a brief flash of hazy memories during her blackout. She found herself lying under a blanket on the sofa.

Meanwhile, Margaret was washing the cooking utensils in Elly's kitchen, waiting for the food to finish cooking in the oven. Once the utensils, like the frying pan and spatula, were clean and neatly arranged on the dish rack, Margaret took out a plate and spoon to serve the food, and brewed tea in a cup. Hearing the bustling sounds from the kitchen as Margaret prepared the meal, Elly tried to get up from where she was lying and intended to help Margaret.

"Mrs. Margaret? You don't have to bother with all that."

"A! A! Ah! Don't even think about getting up, young lady!"

"Don't worry, I can han-."

"Stay put and wait until this old woman is done cooking!"

Unable to argue, Elly just sat quietly and waited for Margaret to finish cooking. The oven bell rang, indicating that the food was ready. Margaret put on oven mitts and carefully took the food out of the oven. It turned out that Margaret had cooked lasagna. She meticulously cut a large piece from the metal tray and placed it on a plate.

Carrying a tray with a plate of lasagna and a glass of chamomile tea, Margaret sat beside Elly. "Since you look weak, let me feed you. Sit up slowly," she said.

Elly complied, driven by hunger and unwillingness to argue any further. She slowly sat up, leaning against the back of the sofa so Margaret could feed her more easily.

Like a mother caring for her sick child, Margaret gently and patiently fed Elly spoonful after spoonful of lasagna. Each bite was eagerly accepted, with Elly's mouth sometimes open before Margaret could even scoop more lasagna from the plate.

Margaret's lasagna was devoured completely by Elly, who hadn't eaten for two days, surviving only on canned coffee. Margaret placed the empty plate back on the tray, took the glass of tea, and guided Elly's hand to hold it while wiping her mouth and sweaty forehead with a napkin.

"By the way, Mrs. Margaret, what brings you here?" Elly asked, sipping the tea.

"I haven't seen you for two days. At first, I thought you had gone to work as usual. But your shoes were still by the door. My guess was right, you hadn't left your room for two days. What have you been up to, dear?" Margaret asked, concerned.

"Well, just working as usual, Mrs. Margaret, but maybe this time it's a bit more complicated?" Elly replied evasively.

"My dear Elly, you've never ceased to amaze me since I moved next door. But what are you trying to prove, dear? Is it worth torturing yourself?" she asked, feeling sorry for her.

Elly was taken aback, her eyes welling up with tears, and her hands clenched tightly at Margaret's caring words.

"Why are you so kind to me, Mrs. Margaret? I'm just a blind girl... This is all to show that I can be equal... even without sight," Elly sobbed, tears streaming down her face, her lips trembling with every word.

Margaret quickly embraced Elly softly, trying to calm the young girl who could no longer hold back her tears.

"I've turned down offers from many news agencies because I'm afraid... others won't accept my limitations," Elly continued, still in the grip of her sorrow, her tears soaking the shoulder of Margaret's floral dress.

"Let it all out, sweetheart. You've been through a lot. You must be very tired, right? Remember, my child, nothing can make you any different from anyone else. Whether it's your limitations or anything else. To me, you're a sweet little girl, but ready to fight like a Buckingham Palace guard," Margaret comforted her, gently stroking her head.

Margaret released her gentle embrace and wiped Elly's tear-streaked face. "How do you feel now? Better, right?" she asked, to which Elly nodded in response.

"Wait a moment. Did you just mention Buckingham Palace, Mrs. Margaret?"

"Did I say something wrong, dear?"

"MRS. MARGARET! YOU'RE A GENIUS!"

Elly, suddenly remembering something, hugged Margaret again, laughing joyfully. Margaret, meanwhile, was puzzled by Elly's sudden shift from sadness to happiness.

"The CBA artifact findings focus on the war between the Gaels and the Picts. But there's a significant difference between archaeologists and historians! They're too focused on excavation, but there's not a single discovery based on royal documents! That's why this search has hit a dead end! This search might lead directly to the English royal archives! Oh my, how could I be so stupid! How could I miss the Battle of Bannockburn! A battle that King Edward III himself participated in! This is all about the conflict with Scotland! King Edward must have left some records or something that can serve as a clue! THIS IS THE GOLDEN PATH!" Elly exclaimed, gripping Margaret's shoulders.

"O-Yi-Yippiee! You found gold!" Margaret cheered awkwardly, not understanding a single word Elly had just said.

Elly quickly realized she had been too excited, feeling embarrassed in front of Margaret. "Um, sorry, Mrs. Margaret, I guess I got too excited," Elly said, her face turning red with embarrassment.

Elly let go of Margaret's shoulders and hurried back to her room. "Thank you for the meal, Mrs. Margaret. I think I should get back to work. If you want to leave, please don't forget to close the door," Elly said as she headed to her room.

Margaret quickly grabbed Elly's arm and gently sat her back on the sofa. "You're not going anywhere, young lady! Your only job right now is to! REST!" Margaret said firmly.

Elly, agreeing with Margaret's words, immediately lay down, resting her head on Margaret's lap. "Alright, Mrs. Margaret. You don't mind staying with me for just one day, right? Just until I fall asleep," Elly asked softly.

Margaret wrapped the blanket over Elly's body again, kissed her forehead gently, and stroked her head. "I'll be here whenever you need me. Because I am the best neighbor in Britain, hahaha," Margaret joked.

[***]

After his meeting with Sir Edric and Elly regarding the Thorn Construction issue, Will was busy with piles of paperwork on his desk and endless phone calls.

"Yes, Sir. I assure you the company's shares won't drop due to the recent news. Not many investors have withdrawn yet, so we can still manage the planning for upcoming projects. I'll call again if there are any updates," Will said, quickly hanging up the phone after talking with his client.

After being busy on the phone for a long time, Will intended to finish the piled-up documents. However, he was interrupted when his secretary knocked on the door and entered his office.

"Mr. Wilfred, do you have a moment?" the secretary asked.

"Can't you see I'm busy, Jane? These contracts won't sign themselves, will they?" Will snapped. "Well, thank Fox and his friends, now I just need to update the workers' wages to what they call 'fair'. What a freaking day, no wonder everyone wants to be a director," he grumbled, signing the documents.

"Sorry to bother you, Sir. But you have a visitor, who says they were sent by Sir Edric," the secretary explained.

"What does the old man want now!? Isn't it enough to put me in this paperwork hell?" Will grumbled. "Alright, Jane. Send them in, and make some coffee," he concluded.

As the secretary left, the person Sir Edric had sent entered Will's office. Will raised his eyebrows upon realizing that the woman in the brown jacket and carrying a white shoulder bag was Elly, who casually walked in, using her white cane to feel her way around.

Will stood up, staring intently, ignoring the documents he had been working on. "What are you doing here? How did you get into my office!?" Will asked in surprise.

Elly casually closed the door and sat in the chair in front of Will's desk. "The advantage of being blind is that whatever you say is almost impossible to be suspicious. Your security and secretary are very kind to escort me to your office without any procedures," Elly replied.

Will rubbed his head hard, unable to believe that after everything that had happened between them, Elly still casually visited him in his office. "So, what do you want? Huh? To mock me? Look, my day is already stressful enough, thanks to you for making it even worse. Hey, why don't you go out and find another company to mess up? Find me a friend, at least I won't be alone because of you. Hold on, let me make it easier for you," Will grumbled.

Will walked towards the entrance, intending to open the door for Elly. "All you're doing is trying to prove yourself," Elly said.

Will's steps halted momentarily at the door, hearing Elly's words. "Did you just say something?" Will asked, slowly turning to face Elly.

"Sir Edric's wealth is undeniably hard to match. Both the upper and lower classes of Britain know his name. And that becomes a burden for you as his heir. At least that's my guess after experiencing your treatment and hearing your words to Sir Edric at the dinner the other day," Elly added.

"I've heard better nonsense than what you just said!" Will retorted.

"Your treatment of me and Hana cannot be forgiven, but I'm not the type to hate easily. Both good and bad deeds of a person are based on something. It's that something that brought me here," Elly explained.

Though initially interested in hearing more of Elly's words, Will tried to ignore her and opened his office door. "Chat time is over, please leave and don't come back," Will politely dismissed her.

Elly stood up from her seat and slowly walked towards the entrance. But her steps halted before exiting. "Sir Edric made me an offer. If you help me complete the task he gave, I can assure your success in proving yourself to your father. Believe it or not, that's your choice. To be clear, my visit is not to mock you but to help you. Mutualism, if you've heard the term. Track my phone again if you change your mind. I'll be on my way," Elly said, stepping out of Will's office.

Will closed his office door shortly after Elly left. However, her offer made him uncertain. He was still angry at Elly over the news about Thorn Construction, but on the other hand, her offer was worth considering, even though Will didn't yet know the nature of the task his father had given Elly.

After a moment of contemplation in front of the door, Will frowned and reopened the door, hoping his decision was correct. "Wait! What kind of task did my father give you?" Will called out, surprising the employees at their desks, and halting Elly's steps, which hadn't gone far from his office.

Elly smiled, realizing she had succeeded in persuading Will to help her in the search for the Northern Union Loot. "It would take a long time to explain. But for now, I need a ride to London," Elly replied.

~TO BE CONTINUED~