Chapter 18 - Morning Adventure

"Good morning, girls."

Exe opened his bedroom door while holding Tenka, Ren, and Fubuki in his hands.

"I'm going to go over this once."

Exe explained how they needed to move within the Human Kingdom.

"Father told me that humans don't ask questions. They would rather kill innocent demons and use their bodies for materials."

He took a breath.

"They will kill first and ask questions later."

Exe started to walk down the stairs.

"Don't question me."

He opened the door and placed Ren, Tenka, and Fubuki on the porch.

"You three go and look for clues about Drago's whereabouts."

Exe stood up and placed his hands in his jumper.

"You come back when the day turns to noon."

He looked at all three of them.

"Understood?"

Their ears flickered as a gesture of acknowledgment.

Exe raised his hand and pointed toward a section of the Human Kingdom.

"Now go."

They took off, hopping past the gate.

Tenka squeaked at Ren and Fubuki as if she was telling them to keep up.

"Please be safe."

Exe watched them as they started to disappear down the road.

"Alright, now it's time for my adventure."

Exe put his hood up.

"Let's see. Where is the entrance to the underground system?"

Exe took a paper out from his jumper.

"Deeper in the slums?"

Exe closed the house door.

"Thankfully, in the slums, demons and humans coexist."

Exe walked down a road that led deeper into the slums.

Beast Tamer Nick started to follow Exe from a distance.

"You finally left that house, Exe."

A mouse crawled up his leg and whispered information into his ear.

"He's going to the underbelly?"

Nick slowed his pace but kept up with Exe.

"He's going to a world where no rules or laws can reach."

Nick chuckled.

"Good thing I have this pendant that conceals my presence."

Exe followed the map until he found a tunnel with graffiti painted across the outside.

"I guess this is it."

He walked through the tunnel, following a faint light.

"Whatever that light is…"

He reached the end of the tunnel.

"I thought it would be empty."

Exe saw a village that looked both demon-made and human-made.

"Where are they getting light from?"

A voice spoke out.

"A long time ago, when I was younger, a mage came by and cast a spell for that fake sun."

Exe hopped back into the tunnel and pulled his Blood Scythe from his Ichor.

"Who are you?"

A teenager stepped out into the tunnel.

"I'm a friend of Soren."

He removed his hood.

"My name is Sneaky."

Exe stared at the human talking to him like it was normal.

"This is weird."

Exe retracted his Blood Scythe.

"Why is a human teamed up with a demon?"

Sneaky leaned against the tunnel wall.

"One of his friends adopted me."

He pointed toward the village.

"I may have something that belongs to you."

Exe followed Sneaky as he started to walk down the makeshift stairs.

"What do you mean?"

Sneaky and Exe reached the entrance of the village.

"One of your brother's soldiers escaped from Drago."

Sneaky gave a fellow demon a handshake that he called a dab.

"And now we're watching over him and your mother."

Exe's body felt cold for a moment.

"My mom is here?"

He grabbed Sneaky by the wrist.

"Take me there now!"

A demon placed a shotgun against Exe's head.

"Let go of him."

Exe stared at the demon holding the shotgun.

"What are you doing?"

He gulped as he stared into the barrel.

"This is an illegal weapon."

Exe let go of Sneaky's wrist.

Sneaky placed his hand on the shotgun, lowering it.

"We're all good here, Frank."

Sneaky waved his hand for Exe to bring his ear closer.

"You being a prince doesn't matter here."

Sneaky turned around and started walking toward a tent.

"I'm the prince here, little man."

Sneaky entered halfway, but before he went in fully, he looked back at Exe.

"Are you coming or not?"

Sneaky entered the tent first.

"Better hurry up, little man."

The demon pushed Exe toward the tent.

Exe stumbled forward.

"What the hell is this place?"

He opened the tent and saw Sneaky giving a cup of coffee to his mother.

"Mom!"

Exe ran up and hugged her.

"Oh, Exe, I'm so happy you're okay."

Exe looked at her and started to see if she was real.

"It really is you."

Demon Queen Lily hugged Exe while handing the cup back to Sneaky.

"Where is Luna?"

Exe pulled back and faced her.

"She is still sleeping at a house that Soren gave us."

Sneaky cut through the conversation.

"Borrowed."

Exe looked at Sneaky as if he was the real enemy.

He turned his stare back to his mother.

"How did you get here?"

Before Demon Queen Lily could speak, a voice came through the tent entrance.

"It was me, Prince Exe."

Exe looked toward the entrance and saw one of Drago's officers standing there.

"I escaped with your mother while she was still frozen during the chaos at the intersection."

He kneeled before Exe.

"At first, I followed his orders. But if you think this doesn't help you forgive me…"

He bowed his head.

"I will offer my life right here and now."

Exe looked at him while pulling away from his mother.

"I should thank you instead."

Before they could continue, a purple crow flew into the tent and landed on Sneaky's shoulder.

"Adventurers showed up?"

The crow nodded and continued to relay the message.

"A hero?"

The crow dissipated into thin air.

"I'm sorry to cut this beautiful reunion short."

Sneaky grabbed a bat that had the name "Derek Jeter" written on it.

"Exe, we're gonna entertain some folks."

Demon Queen Lily stood up.

"I'll come too."

Then a pain hit her stomach.

"On second thought…"

She fainted and fell into Exe's arms.

"What's wrong with her?"

Sneaky helped Exe lay his mother back onto the bed.

"She just got unfrozen."

Exe tried to speak, but Sneaky cut him off.

"She will be fine. Soren said she just needs rest."

Exe stood up and turned his gaze to the soldier.

"Kneel."

The soldier kneeled so hard that his armor rang.

"You will take responsibility for my mother from here on out."

The soldier nodded.

"But under my command from now on. Got it?"

The soldier let out a breath of relief.

"Under your command, Prince Exe."

Exe followed Sneaky outside the tent.

"So, where are we going?"

Sneaky pointed his bat toward a small building.

"We are going to play a few games with the adventurers."

Exe looked around as they passed a few tents.

"What kind of games are you talking about?"

Sneaky stopped next to the building.

He opened the door and turned on the lights.

"Do you like to gamble, Exe?"

A sign flickered behind a roulette table. It read:

"The House Always Wins"

Purple lights glowed around the words.

Exe looked around at the other games.

Sneaky had seven slot machines lined up against the wall, and each of them had the number 13 on the side.

Seven pool tables sat in two different rows, and one of them had an ashtray filled with cigarettes.

Seven card tables went down the middle, with one that had "Black Sector Queen" carved into it.

"My father told me there was a boy who could hustle anyone within the Human Kingdom."

Sneaky laughed loudly.

"Wow. I feel like I'm actually famous."

Sneaky looked at Exe with a confident smile.

"Did he tell you how much he lost against me?"

Exe nodded at Sneaky, then sat at a slot machine.

"He didn't tell me the exact number."

Exe laughed while pulling down the handle.

"I think you embarrassed him."

Sneaky leaned back in his chair.

"My mom would be proud."

Exe looked at Sneaky.

"So why are we here?"

Sneaky stared at the ceiling of his gambling shop.

"My friends are already gathering the adventurers and bringing them here as we speak."

Exe stood up while the slot machine spun.

"So where am I going to hide?"

Sneaky leaned forward and placed his arms on his table.

"Once they see me, they won't care about you anymore."

Exe's slot machine landed on $ $ $.

One hundred gold spilled out of the bottom mouth of the slot machine.

"What do you mean by that?"

Sneaky stood up and slid his chair to the side.

He revealed a wanted poster that had his name on it, along with an outrageous amount of gold.

WANTED — SNEAKY

DEAD OR ALIVE

50,000 GOLD

Exe stared at the sign.

"So humans like yourself also cause trouble for your own kind."

Sneaky sat on top of a pool table.

"I didn't mean to cause trouble."

He spoke as if he was reliving the past.

"Soren just taught me how to use my ability."

Sneaky smiled while staring at his bat.

"And my mom gave me this to protect myself."

Exe started to pick up the gold and put it into his pocket.

"Thanks for taking care of my mom, man."

Sneaky stood up from the pool table.

"Thank me later. Our guests have arrived."

Sneaky's allies opened the front door, allowing the adventurers to walk in.

Some of the adventurers started to sit around the pool tables and slot machines.

"Welcome!"

Sneaky announced as he walked into the middle of the floor.

"Before you all try to attack me, let's play a game."

Sneaky raised his bat toward the ceiling.

"I'll make it worth your life."

The ceiling opened like two sliding doors, then a mountain of gold rained down.

"All of this, and us, could be yours."

Sneaky aimed the bat around the room.

"What do you all say?"