Chapter X: Ruin the enemies' plan, Alice
(Wonderland, Grand Palace)
Lycos was kneeling down as the Queen was looking down to him, the Queen was smirking at him with an appeased expression.
"So, what could be your answer? I've waited for three days. As you saw your Little Sister before, I hope that is enough proof to consider my offer. Don't worry, I just want my Daughter to get back here safely, I don't want her to get harmed in that filthy world."
The young man isn't saying anything however, he bit his lips as if he was frustrated because he can't do anything for the Princess.
"...What is it, my boy? I won't wait here for too long just to hear your answer. I could order the other knights that I can ascertain their loyalty to me." As the Queen demurred those sentences to herself, Lycos finally came up with a decision.
He let out a heavy breath and stared at the witted Queen calmly, "I will find the Princess and bring her back here safely, in exchange for our deal. I want to keep my sister instead of letting her stay in your chamber, My Queen."
The Queen smiled in satisfaction, grateful to the things she heard from her subject. She considered the request of Lycos without thinking.
"You can count on my words, boy."
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(Alice's POV)
I was sitting on a bench where there is only one light, if this light doesn't shine I could say that it'll be total darkness. Since we've proceeded to the plan, I became bait to lure out the members of these notorious people who seemed to be interested in the demi-humans.
Kai Xinyi is watching me from the distance together with the intel who told me that the black circus was holding their show at someplace where the knights of this kingdom won't be able to find out.
"But aren't I being a sacrificial lamb, right now?" I don't have any weapons since it'll become suspicious if I bring one. Kai said that demi-humans are fragile and weak, so I just pretend like that too.
"But men, when will they arrive?" I muttered because of boredom, however, I didn't expect that someone would answer me out of the blue.
"It seems like you are waiting for someone, little cat. Am I the one who are you waiting for?" a gayish came out of nowhere then suddenly someone is already sitting beside me.
Is it one of the black circus members, I wonder? I can't see his face because there is a funny mask that was attached to him.
"W-who might be you?" I pretended like I was scared but who in the world is in their right mind that'll get scared of someone who is just wearing a funny mask. If I get scared then it's scarier to see a chimera!
"...kekekek! I am the one who will pick you. Don't you remember?"
Wait, is he trying to confuse my mind? This guy is funny indeed. I raised my right eyebrow just like I'm trying to show that he is an interesting guy.
"Oh really, actually. I'm the one who's waiting for you." I stood up, bravely while clenching my fists with a smuggy expression.
"W-wait?! Why aren't you getting hypnotized? There must be a mistake here!" He covered himself like he was trying to protect himself. And what about this hypnotized? "Mistake? There's no such thing as a mistake here, Mister!"
I then gave him a punch in his nose that he won't be able to forget for the rest of his life. He stumbled to the ground and lost his consciousness, and Kai walked toward me. He started to doubt that the guy must not be alone.
"This is weird, there are supposed to be three of them. Why did only one show up?" he leaned his hand to his chin, "I suppose this could be some set of trap for us." he mentioned.
"Trap?" I asked confusedly. But Kai suddenly made a glance at the intel with a confident look, "Am I right… Mr. Intel?" what? Is he really trying to tell me that the intel is one of them?
The intel stepped backward nervously, "H-how did you find out?!" oh, he really said it. I thought he would still deny it and so, but I didn't think that he could be stupid.
"Anyone who is with you will find out. You are trying to give me false information from the start. You said that the black circus is capable of doing something to their victim using their black magic but just look at Ms. Alice. I don't see anything wrong with her, you are trying to give me fear so that I will stop searching for my friend, isn't that right?" he explained, false information huh?
No, I don't think that this funny face didn't do anything to me. Rather, this guy was surprised that it didn't go to his plan that's why he panicked.
"No! T-the girl is just abnormal! There's no way that the black magic won't work on the demi-humans!" I already said that I'm not a demi-human!
"What? Then are you trying to say that this guy here attempted something on her? But how in the world is Ms. Alice is still okay?" Kai suddenly glanced at me and I only gave him a shrug since I don't really know what is happening.
"--I, I don't know! Who are you, people!" While Kai is trying to press more information to the intel, I suddenly saw a spark somewhere behind us for some reason. "Get down!" and without even realizing it, my body moved on its own to save Kai from the attack.
"The third person is here…!" I whispered to Kai, "I see- then we will proceed to our plan." I nodded as a sign of agreement. Kai made a sword assembled from water so that I can fight these stupid members of the black circus.
Kai ran away from the battlefield since he mentioned before that he can't do fights, he is very inexperienced at it so I must protect him.
"Too bad, I'm not an ordinary person. If you are underestimating me just because of my appearance then that will become your weakness."
"W-what?!" I snickered, closing my eyes and as I opened it again. "Ahhh!" The poor guy finds out I'm already behind him pointing the water sword in his neck.
"And I want to tell you something. You didn't know right? I'm an assassin." I interestingly giggled. "P-please… don't kill me! I'm just doing this because our leader ordered me to do it. I don't mean to sell both of you!" he started crying like a child.
"Oh, how should this be… hmm, I don't really care?" but I love to tease him, "I, I will tell you! If you have this card. You can go to the illegal bidding where you can buy the demi-humans! Only rich people can go there but if you have this then you will be considered as a member there!"
Now he's leaking the information, the man nervously raised the card in his hand to give it to me.
I accepted it since there's no reason for me to refuse, "But what should we do? Your partner might have heard you already and you will be considered a traitor. If I won't kill you, you will be killed by them." The guy then begged, "Please protect me! Please, I have to raise my family! They were starving and we're only poor. This is why I did something like this. Please, believe me, I don't want to be killed." he reasoned, well it's not like I really want to take his life.
"Listen, if you do something unnecessary. I will surely go after your head. So, don't you dare. Understand?" Let me give him a second chance since there's no way I could kill someone who doesn't have anything to do with me.
The guy started nodding his head, he was trembling and all when I released him from my grasp.
"Relax, oh- you are wetting yourself!" and it was really gross when I saw him wetting his pants. "I didn't mean to scare you. Why don't you relax for a bit?" I muttered while stepping back a little away from him.
"What happened? Why didn't you kill him?" Then Kai went over to us to check the status of what is happening. "There's no need to kill him. This guy is a good person you know!" I smiled at the guy but he just lowered his head for no reason.
"Is that so? Then, you must be really a good demi-human indeed."
"Eh?! Calling me demi-human again!" Suspiciously, this guy is calling me a demi-human when he just called me by my name before. Then this guy could be...
I noticed the water blade suddenly disappear, I roamed my eyes around as I caught my sight of Kai who was being held in the darkness.
This guy must be a fake. They aren't three people, four or six? How can I miss it?
"Checkmate."
The guy who is pretending to be Kai pointed a sword at me.
I'm impressed, they had a plan like this? Then I could say that the real fight is now starting.
To be continued.