It happened so fast it was so unexpected, that by the time Alex in front of Demis could have reacted, everything was already too late.
The two who had killed themselves with a smile on their face as they stabbed their own throat with all their might had been young girls not much older than him.
He even remembered dancing with one of them not long ago, and vividly remembered how thrilled she had been that he accepted to dance with her.
She was a young girl, a seemingly innocent girl who had all her life in front of her, but...All of this had been simply crushed.
As he watched the blood flow from their throat to their dresses then the ground, while they collapsed. Alex's expression was unsightly.
"Bastard!"
Falling in a short daze, he couldn't help but shout at the vampire woman in front of him. A woman as vicious as she was beautiful who introduced herself under the name of Demis, she said she was Duke Priscilla other's half whom he killed while on a mission on the demon's continent.
'I need to get a hold of myself!'
Berating himself in his mind, he forced himself and calmed down his wildly beating heart.
Right now wasn't the moment to fall under the pace of the enemy.
Slowly getting back his bearing, he stopped his hands from shaking and looked at the woman facing him as calmly as possible.
"What is your goal?"
The first and most important thing was assuring the security of most of the people gathered there. He had enough knowledge to understand just how much of a hit it would be to lose the people here.
But he couldn't show how much he cared for them. Otherwise, it would give much more power to the enemy.
"Fufufu!"
Upon hearing this question coming from Alex who had now raised his head and was glaring at her, Demis chuckled. Even though she was quite sadistic, she hadn't ordered the death of those two girls for nothing. It was to wear Alex down mentally as the drug inside the drinks quicked in, they are odorless so he wouldn't notice anything nor he could summon his Gift and use mana once he consumed this drug specially tailored for him.
That's why she had wished to break his composure as much as possible before the fight, something that shouldn't have been that hard to accomplish since Alex seemed to have fallen under the drug. He was almost helpless at the moment or soon he would be.
"Seems like we seriously underestimated you. You gained your composure faster than I thought." Demis said while playing with her lock.
"Answer my question." Alex glared at her as if he wished to tear her apart much to Demis's amusement.
"Hum...What is our goal? What is it indeed?" She tilted her head playfully.
"Hey, Sven, what is our goal again?"
Alex narrowed his eyes and without diverting his attention from her, felt his surroundings.
"Sigh, I already told you that."
Alex didn't have to turn his head to know that this voice was coming from a few meters behind him. More precisely, from one of the previously controlled people.
Sven appeared to be in his forties, with black hair, hollow eyes, and a white beard.
Upon hearing Sven's answer, Demis simply shrugged her shoulders, "Your plans are too complicated, you know? So I simply stopped listening."
Sven shook his head as he looked at the vampire affectionately as if he was a grandfather watching his slightly spoiled and unruly granddaughter.
"Remember. Trap this man with a formation covering the entire mansion. Take hostages and control him. Finally, give him to our dear leader Alpha."
Alex did not stop this little skit from happening. Even though being disregarded like this was quite humiliating, it helped him gather his bearing and become calmer. What's more, it was quite informative. In fact, it was very informative because from those words he learned a few things and started forming a picture of their group in his head.
While keeping vigilant, he asked, "So, it seems like you are the one giving orders? Sven, was it? Could you kindly explain what your real aim is?"
He could feel that this man named Sven had no power in him. So he should be an easy target. With his speed, getting to him shouldn't be a problem.
At least in appearances.
'This feels too much like bait. This is most likely a trap.'
This reminded him of a saying.
If it swims like a duck, quacks like a duck, and looks like a duck, then, it's most likely a duck.
No matter what, they didn't know that he could flee at any moment.
As long as they didn't have this information, he was in a superior position.
Now, he needed to be sure of something,
"Also, dear mayor, could you give us the pleasure to come down? I don't like how you are watching all this from high up."
*Clap* *Clap*
"Magnificent!."
The mayor, Angus slowly descended the stair while clapping, "From your expression, I guess that you aren't surprised?"
"I am definitely surprised. I have expected something like this but it still surprised me.'' Alex responded.
''Hohoho! I'm humbled to have surpassed your expectations.'' Angus said with a smile while exchanging glances with the other two. The drug should have taken effect by now, he must be powerless at the moment.
''Why you of all people? Why sacrifice the lives of people you ought to protect? Just for the sake of one man?'' Alex asked with his eyes reddened.
''Well, they promised me something bigger, and any sacrifice to get what I truly desire is worth it,'' Angus said while crossing his arms.
Suddenly, Alex lowered his head and plunged into silence, the others wondered if despair had finally taken over his psychic, however, they had no idea of what Alex was thinking at the moment.
Thinking about how they were nothing more than silly marionettes being manipulated by the enemy.
Thinking about how all their hopes and dreams would be shattered,
Alex couldn't help it,
"Hahaha!" He exploded in laughter.
He laughed and laughed so much that he felt short of breath.
He laughed to his heart's content, his acting deserved an Oscar or at least a nomination for it.
The other three frowned at his incomprehensible reaction, while Angus asked with an irritated expression,
"May I ask what is so funny?"
"I am laughing at you, you adorable stupid bastard. I am also laughing at how brazen those guys are. But more than anything, I am laughing at how everyone seems to treat me as prey on the chopping board."
Wiping a tear from the corner of his eye, Alex stretched a little as he said,
"This feels great. Didn't laugh like that in a while."
Stopping his stretch, he began to jump up and down to loosen his muscle.
Grinning, his eyes twinkling with mischief, he continued, "Well, I guess it's time to stop this little act, I'm tired of playing, to be honest, I'm not that good, it's you imbeciles who are simply too dumb to take notice."
It was at this moment the others feel like something was not right, almost as at this moment the cloudy fog before their eyes started disappearing and they were now able to see.
''Alexander, are you disregarding the lives of those people!?"
"Alexander, I would advise you to stay calm. Even without those hostages, Demis isn't someone you can beat at your current level. Much less the mayor who is stronger than us.'' Sven shouted at Alex.
"Demis, you gotta be careful," Sven warned his comrade.
"Roger."
A crimson aura covered Demis's body as she readied herself to receive whatever the little prince would throw at her. Normally, she would have already rushed, but this secret technique sounded like a big deal, and she didn't want to receive a deadly counter.
''Heh? What do their lives have to do with me? They can all die for all that I care.'' Alex finally responded with a crazed smile which shocked the three.
''All I care about is my life and those closest to me. The world could burn, I'll only interfere if it's beneficial for me and my loved ones.'' Alex added,
Then, under their widened eyes, he vanished.
"What!?"
They couldn't believe it. This shouldn't be possible.
Angus, with his centuries of experience, immediately understood what was happening and paled as he screamed,
"Everyone be careful! The drug does not affect him.'' Angus warned but..
"It's too late. I guess."
*Ugh*
A shiver went through Demis's spine as she turned to find Sven, with a bloodied hand going through his chest and a grinning Alex standing behind him.
"Well, the most troublesome dealt with I guess." He declared while crushing Sven's heart.
A predatory smile formed on Alex's face as he stared at them, "You guys made one mistake, you see… I am not locked in with you guys."
Withdrawing his hand, he didn't even spare a glance as Sven's lifeless body slumped on the ground.
"It's you, who is locked in with me."
It was time to show who was the real prey.
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