71. OutMission (10)
*step *step *step
Lex slowly walked out of the cave, every step was full of wariness He focused as much as he did not miss anything coming toward him. Lex and Aria were only a few meters from the cave entrance, so it didn't take long before he came out of the cave.
(!?) Lex stopped in his track (Damn it!) he cursed
Right outside of the cave there's a clearing land about 25 in diameter in half-circle shape only then there's a sea of trees, there's quite a distance between each tree, so it didn't look like a wild jungle, but like a maintained forest that hadn't been sustained for the recent years.
Lex didn't take attention from his surroundings when Aria pulled him here, so this is the first time he saw this place too, yet it wasn't the area that made him stop in his track
It was the [something] on the other side of the cave's entrance, it was a skeleton wearing full plate armor and cape, there's a big heavy longsword which rested in The Skeleton's shoulder. There's a crack on the skeleton skull, right under its left eye, which made it even creepier.
When The Skeleton found Lex's presence, its jaw opened "KA KA KA, surrender at once!" The Skeleton said which a playful tone
"Damn it! The worst possibility came true!" Lex cursed out loud, even when he saw The Skeleton, Lex still hoped that it's a normal monster, that it will immediately charge toward him in instinct, but the truth was always the harshest one.
"KA KA KA, aren't you rude cursing the moment you saw this one's face," The Skeleton said, if he still had his flesh and skin, the expression shown in his face right now, would be a grinning smile.
(I don't know what Aria's trying to do, I need to buy time for her) Lex thought at this point he quickly changed his way of thinking, Lex still had his Trump Card, the Magic Weapon left behind by his parents, so he always had a leeway somewhere in his mind before, (in the worst case, I can use this to defeat my enemy) that was Lex's way of thinking made out of his experience in these last two years, but that way of thinking cracked once Max sacrificed himself, and now it was shattered into pieces.
Lex can feel it, even if he shoots his Magic Weapon toward that Skeleton, that Skeleton can easily dodge the bullet, Lex simulated all moves that he can do now, even if he sacrificed some part of his body to take down each other, the probability he can take down that Skeleton was lower than 50 percents.
While covered in a cold sweat, Lex gulped his saliva. "I'm sorry, I don't have the slightest imagination that a Skeleton King would be in this place," Lex said he tried his best not to let out shaking voice out "and it was an intelligent one, at that"
"Umu, This one too didn't that I would be doing something like this when I was born" The Skeleton replied as he put one of his hands under his chin, The Skeleton didn't use his playful tone anymore, and he's showing that he's willing for a talk in this place.
(Looks like he's not in hurry to eliminate us, then I'll let this conversation continue as long as possible) Lex thought "you're a Mana Race?" Lex asked
Mana Race, one of the two races created by the world. that was what an intelligent Monster was called, they can speak, they can think, they can negotiate like other sentient beings.
"Umu" The Skeleton nodded "this one was called by that name too" he acknowledged it
"Then can you let us go?" Lex tried to ask
"hm…" The Skeleton King stopped for a moment like he was thinking "KA KA KA" he laughed "Umu, that's impossible" he stated
"Tsk!" Lex clicked his tongue "well, you wouldn't do something like this in the first place if you were going to let us go at this point"
"KA KA KA, This one's glad you understand, This one has many memories of the Kings in the past, This one commend you to be able to converse with This one like this, you were brave and flexible taking this chance to buy as much time as possible"
"!!??" Lex was surprised, That Skeleton realizes his plan all along but still played along with himself.
"If This one is still alive as one of those memories, This one would absolutely make you this one's retainer" The Skeleton praised Lex "you still need to learn how to hide your emotion though, your reaction like an open book to this one, you're surprised that I knew your plan all along aren't you"
"Kugh!" Lex made a pained voice, "if you knew, why would you still play along with me like this? Did you seriously think we can't defeat you?"
"KA KA KA, This one surely underestimate you and the one on the cave, but This one is not arrogant enough to think you two didn't have the slightest chance to defeat This one"
"Tsk! Then why?!" Lex replied (Damn it! This is the worst! There's almost no influence no matter what I say, he was calm, he did say he underestimated us but he didn't let that thought affect his decision at all, he would never let his guard down, it was me the one who got agitated instead!)
"KA KA KA. This one said it before, this one had memories of the kings in the past, This one too had sympathy toward children like you"
(You said that! But you wouldn't hesitate to strike me if I ever made my move here!) Lex thought while feeling his grip on the dagger "why would you do something like this! For what reason?" Lex said (I need to buy more time! At the same time I want to know their aim and how the hell they knew were coming too.)
"Hmm… you're a clever one"
(Tsk! as expected he wouldn't tell me a thing?)
"Umu, why not? This one will tell you our aim at the same time I'll tell you how we knew your party coming toward us that's what you wanted to know the most, no? let's say it's a reward for your bravery and cleverness"
"…." Lex didn't reply back, he knew there's no know he can deceive this Skeleton King. So he admitted it with his silence
"Let's see first our aim is subject"
"Our? subject?" Lex didn't have the slightest imagination this would be their aim, it's much more reasonable if they attacked us caused they want to protect themselves or wanted to consume Lex and the rest.
"Correct, an Experiment's Subject, we need someone like you who knew about Mana," The Skeleton said
(it seems he won't tell me their identity) Lex thought (still, Experiment's Subject… and a human experiment) "what kind of experiment?" Lex asked
"Who knows!"
"w-who knows?" Lex stuttered because the unexpected replied
"Umu, who knows! they were the ones who wanted the subjects"
"They?" Lex tried to ask again
"Then, Next how we knew your party existence"
(He ignored it again)
"It was that Lich's idea, This one disgusted by that plan too, it was despicable, if it were this one's retainer when this one still a King, This one would sentence their whole family to death, but at the same time This one knew this kind of despicable person was not that rare in this world"
*Gulp
Lex gulped his saliva anticipating the Skeleton King's next word (from the way he spoke, he must be seriously disgusted by that)
"…. It's money," The Skeleton King said
"Huh! Money?" another unexpected answer for Lex (where's the relationship with our position known by them?) he thought (money… money…!!!) "someone sold our information!" Lex concluded (but who..?)
"Umu, it's close, yet it's a bit different, do you know The Village north of this place?" The Skeleton asked
There's no way Lex would not know that "I know" he answered
"The Lich made an agreement with the Village's chief, make a request, call someone from the Hidden World, and compensated with raw gold and reports to us all of their movement, from there The Lich made his plan"
"H, hah!? What did you say!?"
The Skeleton ignored Lex's outburst and continued with his explanation "More exactly it was Money and Woman, the captured party, The Lich would take the men first, leaving the women for the Village Chief to play around for a few days before he took the women with him, That Lich was a man too in the past, he knew what kind of offer would entice man the most, we're an undead only bones we don't have that kind of drive anymore, and an Experiment's subject didn't have any preferences for men or women, leaving the women for a few days would not interrupt the Experiment at all"
"Aa…haaaahhhhh!!!!! What the heck- JUST WHAT THE HECK WAS THAT !!??"