After Edward left, Walker also bid farewell to Alice and then clocked out.
Alice was aware that William had feelings for Evelyn. Not wanting to be the third wheel, she made some small talk and then also took her leave.
And so, only William and Evelyn remained in the bookstore.
Rather than making casual conversation with Evelyn, William chose a book for himself and began reading.
“William, it wasn’t right to play with Edward like that.”
Evelyn’s feelings toward William were a mix of good and bad. Just moments before, she had thought of William as a knowledgeable man whom even Edward sought advice from. But after all the fuss, William claimed he was just joking.
That was a bit much.
Not to mention, Edward is a respected professor. Simply based on his age, it was inappropriate for William to mock him like that.
When Evelyn brought up the matter again, William slowly put down his book, looked deeply into Evelyn’s eyes, and a faint smile appeared on his face. “Do you think I was playing with him? What if I told you that everything I said was true, but I just didn’t want him to believe that gods have truly graced this world?”
“The talk of gods and spirits is pure nonsense!” Evelyn retorted, her brows furrowed in confusion. Did she actually believe that the amphora belonged to Poseidon?
And what about Zeus’s ‘Sword of Thunder’, Apollo’s ‘Sword of the Sun’, Athena’s ‘Sword of Wisdom’, and Ares’ ‘Sword of War’ all hanging in a cave?
Who could the owner of that tomb be?
William replied calmly, “If you don’t believe in the supernatural, then even if everything I said was true, how would he prove it? How would he share it with others? It’s easier to tell him I tricked him.”
Evelyn was still unclear about William’s intentions. Primarily because she, too, was an atheist. Stories of Odin, Thor, and the like were just myths to her.
“But I feel… Edward Taylor truly believed in what you said. Your words might have genuinely upset him,” Evelyn voiced her concerns, thinking back to Edward’s devastated look, feeling that William might have gone too far.
William shook his head, “What use is his belief in me? The question is whether he believes in himself.”
Had Edward Taylor already accepted the idea of someone living for hundreds of thousands of years, even believing in the existence of Poseidon? Just a slight denial, and would his beliefs crumble?
For a moment, Evelyn was at a loss for words and remained silent.
Seeing her quiet, William didn’t press further or change the subject. He picked up his book and resumed reading. 𝘦𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝑙.
Feeling slightly awkward, and with no customers around, Evelyn started browsing nearby bookshelves, looking for something to read, or perhaps to review something in the store.
She browsed for quite some time without selecting a book. Glancing over at William, she saw him deeply engrossed in his reading.
Hmm, it’s tough to gauge this man.
When they first met during a job interview, William started a conversation, and later he even drank with a wealthy woman for money. At that time, she felt he was unreliable.
However, later on, she felt he wasn’t all that bad, especially compared to the likes of Ryan and other rich kids.
Just when she thought William was a man of diverse knowledge and talents, the narrative changed again.
But now, he’s so engrossed in his book…
Ever since Alice assigned her work, putting her on the same team as William, and even considering giving her a raise, it was clear Alice might be playing matchmaker.
Evelyn had made up her mind before joining the bookstore. If William ever made an inappropriate move or showed intentions of pursuing her, she’d resign.
But now, it seemed William was more interested in his book than her.
Am I not that captivating?
Evelyn, like all girls, felt a bit conflicted in such a situation.
Although she didn’t hope for William to pursue her, it was still slightly disheartening when he didn’t even spare her a glance.
By ten o’clock at night, only a few students had come in, with just two books sold. William hadn’t moved from his spot the entire time, engrossed in his book. All other duties were handled by Evelyn.
William didn’t have a strong sense of time. Lost in his book, he was surprised when it was already half past eleven. Alice had mentioned that they could close up shortly after ten, but since it was Evelyn’s first day, she hesitated to bring it up. Instead, she picked up some books to read herself.
“Isn’t it time to close up?” William finally closed his book and glanced at the wall clock. “It’s already half past eleven, why haven’t we closed yet?”
“Huh?” Evelyn was caught off guard by his question. They both worked there, yet once William sat down, he hadn’t stood up again. If she wasn’t wary of disturbing him, she would have asked earlier.
“Let’s close up and head home,” William said, returning his book. “You can leave. I have something else to do. Don’t wait for me.”
Evelyn’s face turned slightly red. She shot him a glare, “Who said I was waiting for you?”
“Oh, then you can go ahead. I’ll lock up.”
After saying this, William began to switch off the lights. He decided he’d go to Mount San Juan Teotihuaca that night to retrieve something. Walker had seen those photos earlier, and as a Soulmancer, even though the boy’s abilities seemed minimal, he might be interested in the items inside the cave.
Once the store was locked, Evelyn rode off on her bicycle. William slipped into a narrow alley and disappeared.
The next moment, he was on Mount San Juan Teotihuaca, observing everyone’s actions.
“Indeed, this young one has some plans,” William observed as he spotted Walker on the mountain.
Previously, the entrance to the cave on the mountain had been heavily guarded, with hundreds of people sealing off a one-kilometer radius, barring tourists and keeping numerous archaeologists busy.
Given the mysterious events unfolding here, and considering Nelson was in New York City – which, even though a distance away, wasn’t exceedingly far – it was natural for someone to invite him over for a look.
Previously, Nelson had heard on the news about the discovery of artifacts on Mount San Juan Teotihuaca, which predated the classic Egyptian dynasties. Moreover, he was aware that Timothy Hill was on the mountain. After visiting and having a chat with Hill, he inquired about the situation. In response, Timothy Hill told him, “What’s inside that cave isn’t meant for you all to touch. It’s best everyone leaves.”