70. OutMission (9)
"Then let's go," Lex said as he tried to get up once again as if trying to enact his revenge as soon as possible
"Are you stupid?" Aria sighed, they're back with Lex in a sitting position and Aria on top of him, "ah~ that's right you ARE stupid, calm down!"
Lex didn't mind her insult at all, in silence, he keeps staring at Aria's face, which was only a few apart from his face like infected by Lex's gaze, Aria silently staring back too
""..."" a few moments of silence, but it wasn't awkward at all
"So this is what they call 'Cuteness is justice', I instantly calmed down looking at you like this" Lex said breaking the silence, Aria a bit dumbfounded while staring back at him
She flashed a bit smile, "I'm sorry…" Aria apologized "it's my fault…"
"I'm sorry" Lex tilted his head in confusion
"You must have hit your head when I pushed you before, to think you became an Idiot like this… I'm sorry"
"What!?" Lex was dejected by Aria's reaction "you don't believe me? Let's see 'Inventory'" Lex called out his Inventory and took a small mirror from there. "here! look at it yourself" Lex put the mirror in front of Aria
"…." Aria stunned "even I a girl didn't bring a mirror, how come you had one?"
"Oh! Come on! Don't mind small things" Lex said, "here give me a smile" the others only know that Lex had an excellent physical ability, only Lex himself knew how his body works, every time he learned something new, every time he trains, there's always a threshold between them that Lex can only vaguely feel it, but he assured it was there, and every time he passed that threshold, it was like he leveled up and his physical abilities increased at the same time.
Even when he brought all his personal items from his room, he didn't feel it heavy at all, it helps him train instead, that's why he brought everything he can bring, he put it all inside his Inventory he filled it to the brim, that's the reason why there's a Mirror inside Lex's Inventory
"Haa~" Aria sighed then she took a deep breath "*smile~~~" she showed a big smile toward the mirror
"Kugh!" Lex worked hard in holding his emotion, but he failed the wave was too strong to endure in the end, he still blurted "...cute~~!" while Aria was once again didn't how to react to that, she didn't expect she can make that kind of expression
They both exchange gazes, staring at each other for a while then….
""hahahahah"" they let out a huff of laughter at the same time ""hahaha""
After a few moments of a good laugh, Aria then stood up, "…ok, enough joking" her A.I. like poker face expression came back, there's not even a bit trace of smiling face from before
Then Lex stood up too, "you're right" Lex replied with a cold face, it's like the scene where both of them flirting with each other, laughing together a few moments ago was only an illusion. Their hatred came back to their eyes
They both knew, what they did just now was only an act, an act to ease the tension among them, it's all false, they understand what the other party trying to do and act according to it.
"I didn't expect you can do something like that" Lex said amazed by Aria's action just now.
"I only did what I need to do" Aria replied shortly with her toneless voice like usual. "aren't you the same?"
"…. You're right" (Uwah! I can't say that I was seriously smitten by her cuteness at the last second! I can't!!) that's right! some parts from what he said just now weren't an act at all for Lex, he seriously believes that cuteness can make the world without war! "Ahem! Now that I calmed down, I'm worried about Mio and the rest" Lex said
"They're okay," Aria said with full confidence
Lex tilted his head when he heard her answer "how can you be so sure?" he asked
"I don't really know about Cleos, but I knew well Arthur, except for his 'Justice' prevail tendency, he's good, and with Mio added in it, they won't have any problem" Aria explained
"Um, Leaving aside Arthur's justice prevail" (I'd never seen him doing something like that, but I can somehow guess from his vibe that Arthur was that kind of person, the personality of the main protagonist in a story) "what do you mean with Mio?" Lex asked
"…?" Aria looked back confused "you didn't know?"
"I didn't know? What is?"
"Ah! If Mio had never told you about it, then it's not my place to say it, you can ask her later yourself" Aria said "more importantly let's talk about what we're going to do now"
Lex was unsatisfied with her answer, but there's nothing he can do about it (from the way Aria said it, it must be something private matter for Mio, best to ask her myself) "you're right, let's-" Lex stopped speaking mid-words. he became agitated and restless.
"We're… surrounded" Lex slowly informed Aria, eventually, Lex was still a scout, he's more sensitive to the surroundings than Aria. "they moved inside my perception range at the same time, in a ring formation, it's like they were sure that we are here" Lex explained
"…." Aria was bewildered for a moment, but immediately back to herself in the next second "how long till they get here?"
Lex closed his eyes to feel the Mana around him, he focused on his hearing too, *clack *clang he can hear that kind of voice, Lex knew it was undead, a skeleton, then he answered Aria "… about a few minutes"
"Good, it's not that bad," Aria said "before I tell you how we move from now on, there's something that you should know first-" as Aria tried to speak
"What!?" Lex jolted up, "something very fast approaching us!" Lex reported then he took out his usual dagger anticipating the coming enemy
"KA KA KA KA" a creepy laughing can be heard right outside the cave, "you have been surrounded, put down your weapons and peacefully give yourself, surrendering is your only option!"
Lex and Aria were perplexed with how to react to that statement, yet there was something more important than thinking how to react to it, Lex and Aria exchanged glances before they opened their mouth at the same time ""who is talking to us?"" they were baffled, it was common sense for Monster to move by instinct, it was unimaginable for Monster to communicate.
At this time, Aria realized too ('they planned the ambush from before, they can think, they can talk, they can plan, someone controlling the Monster!') she can't help but make that kind of conclusion, they plan was too delicate, like ambushing, blocking their escape, separating them, leaving a way out, finding where they were… ('it's unthinkable for Monster to do all these things')
While Lex had a different kind of conclusion, unlike Aria he had more knowledge with the access Livia's collection of books, he knew, he read it in the past, Monster that can speak, and communicate like any other sentient being, an Intelligent Monster…
(it's can't be!) Lex thought he was distressed as he imagined the worst possibility
"KA KA KA, I've always wanted to try something like this like police! I repeat, you have been surrounded, put down your weapons and peacefully give yourself, surrendering is your only option!" a creepy laugh, a creepy and hoarse voice, that voice was full of amusement as if a child playing with his toy. In other words, Lex and Mio were toys ready to be played by him
"Lex" Aria called "I don't understand a thing, but prepare for the worst" Aria warned she was confused too, but what they had to do won't change from something like this "buy me some time," she said
Then Aria's Ethereal body arise from her shadow, the shadow slowly stood up, from 2D becoming 3D shadow body, then like a disintegrated date digital in a movie, the shadow body's skin slowly scraped out little by little, from there, a silver short hair and emotionless blue eyes came out, it was the perfect copy of Aria's body, it's like there's two Aria over there, Aria then connected both of their arms, she put her forehead to her forehead double then she slowly closed her eyes, like a mirror her double did the same thing
Lex was dumbfounded looking at the impossible scene, (what the heck am I seeing now!?) but then he quickly recovers himself he shook his head (it's not time to be confused, I need to buy some time for her) next Lex came out of the cave alone.