ushernet Chapter 105 Crazy old witch
Chapter 105 Crazy old witch
Ethan's stomach grumbled in protest, and he fought the urge to glare at the old woman. She turned on her heel and shuffled up the stairs without another word, the door creaking shut behind her. The faint echo of her cackling laugh lingered long after she was gone.
"Crazy old witch." He grumbled as he looked at the cauldron bubbling ominously before him.@@@@
He moved to the shelf, finding the box of glass bottles neatly packed with stoppers and labels. At least they were clean. He carefully placed the box on the table beside the cauldron and hesitated. The liquid inside the cauldron didn't look like something that should be bottled. It looked more like it should be buried deep in the ground and never seen again.
He glanced back at the door, half-expecting the old woman to reappear with another snide remark, but it remained shut. Ethan let out a long breath and rolled up his sleeves. "Alright. Let's get this over with."
He took one of the bottles and a ladle from the hook beside the cauldron and then started his work. Dipping the ladle into the inky liquid, he was surprised to feel the resistance, as if the potion was fighting against him. It clung to the ladle, swirling and writhing before finally settling.
Ethan's skin prickled, and he hurried to pour the contents into the bottle. The liquid slid down the glass, coating the inside before pooling at the bottom.
The moment the bottle was filled, the inky substance pulsed, emitting a faint glow. Ethan's heart skipped a beat. "What the hell is this stuff?"
He quickly stoppered the bottle and placed it on the table, watching it warily. The liquid continued to swirl, but it stayed inside the glass, showing no signs of escaping. Ethan let out a relieved sigh and reached for the next bottle.
The process was slow and nerve-wracking, but he continued, filling each bottle with the dark liquid while keeping a cautious eye on the cauldron. It never stopped bubbling, the surface rippling with waves of darkness. Every time he dipped the ladle in, it felt like the potion was trying to pull him in.
Ethan gritted his teeth, his fingers aching as he filled the last bottle. "Finally." He sealed the last one and placed it in the box with the others. The filled bottles shimmered faintly, the dark liquid swirling inside like living shadows.
He took a step back, his muscles protesting. "Done. Now to clean this damn thing."
The woman's lips curled into a wicked smile. "Better hurry. The sun's already risen."
Ethan's stomach growled, reminding him of her earlier threat. He was starving. "Understood."
The old woman turned and hobbled back up the stairs, her cane clacking against the wooden steps. "You've got thirty minutes. If you're late, no breakfast."
Ethan's blood ran cold. Thirty minutes? That was impossible! The shelves were a mess, jars scattered haphazardly, powders and herbs mixed together without any order. He clenched his fists, his eyes narrowing. "You're kidding me..."
But he didn't have time to complain. He rushed to the shelves, his hands moving frantically as he started organizing the jars.
He separated the herbs by type, arranging them by potency and origin just as she had ordered. Each jar was labeled in scrawling, faded handwriting, and some of them were smudged, making it difficult to read.
Ethan's fingers flew over the glass, his mind racing as he tried to make sense of the chaotic system.
The breakfast was important but he also did not want to be thrown out so quickly. The crazy old witch seemed like she lived alone and she probably would come last in the suspicious list. This was a good place for them to lay low for the time being.
If only the damn woman was less batty.
He let out a sigh and finished work as fast as possible. Just as he was done, the door creaked open again as if the crazy lady had been waiting right outside all this time. At this point, he wouldn't put it past her.
"I am done, Miss..." Ethan realized he didn't know the name of the crazy.
"That would be Miss Agnes for you." The old woman's eyes gleamed with a dangerous light as she hobbled closer, her crooked cane tapping against the stone floor.