The Zombie Knight Saga 183 Clxxxiii. | 'Thine Addled Hearts...'

What was he so surprised about, Hector wondered?
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Maybe he just hadn't been expecting to see someone in full plate armor all of a sudden.

Yeah, okay, maybe that made sense.

Hector waited, matching the man's gaze evenly, but when Leo didn't respond, Hector decided to materialize an iron seat for himself instead of just sitting next to Leo on the bench. He added significantly more detail into the seat than was probably necessary, making it less like a chair and more like a throne.

He felt like he had to project power, lest this conversation would end before it even began.

Hector sat down and folded his arms. "...h.e.l.lo, by the way."

"Who are you?" asked Leo, still wide-eyed and attentive.

That was a dangerous question to answer, Hector felt. It was a big risk to reveal the truth right now. Leo could react very poorly to it. But on the other hand, lying could prove just as awful, if not more so. Hector didn't know if he should try to bulls.h.i.+t his way to victory again.

So he decided to choose a third option.

"...Do you really not know already?" said Hector. It seemed like the best way to gauge Leo's potential reaction.

"Impossible..." Leo's expression seemed to tremble for a moment, then he blinked a couple times. His gaze went down to Roman's captive head. "Ah..." He looked up again. "You must be Hector."

Hmm. What was all that about, Hector wondered?

"...Yeah," said Hector. "And you're Leo, aren't you?"

"Guess his reaper told you all about me, huh?"

"That's right."

"Surprised you didn't attack me while my guard was down."

Hector had certainly thought about it. "...You never answered my question."

"Hmm?"

"...Are you alright?"

Leo let his eyes drift to the side. "This the part where you try to get on my good side? To recruit me? Manipulate me, like everyone else?"

"...Actually, I'm just here for my friend. I'd like it if you gave him back to me."

"Why should I? He's my friend, too."

"Do you normally keep your friends prisoner?"

Leo's gaze returned to Hector, but he just stared, not saying anything.

Hector felt the air grow abruptly heavier. A familiar sensation.

Yeah, this dude was definitely powerful.

Hector needed to be very careful with his words. Slow and deliberate, he reminded himself. And maybe cool it with the sarcasm, too.

"...Was I wrong?" said Hector. "When I saw you sitting here, I thought you looked... rather... distraught." That was the right word, wasn't it? He hoped so.

"Why? You lookin' to take all my worries away and earn my trust?"

Wow, this guy was pretty blatantly cynical. Hector didn't think this would go on for much longer unless he did something to change the direction of the conversation. "...I don't see any reason why I would need to earn your trust," he said. "If anything, you would need to earn mine."

Leo's eyes narrowed a little. "Say what?"

"You attacked and imprisoned my friends. What, you think that makes you trustworthy in my eyes?"

Leo bobbed his head to the side. "S'pose you have a point."

Not knowing how to respond to that, Hector resorted to silence.

Leo exhaled heavily through his nose. "...Whaddya want from me, man?"

"...Just my friend back, like I said."

"Well, I don't wanna give him to you. So what're ya gonna do about it?"

"...Mm. Tell me. Are you one of those people who... prefers to solve their problems with their fists?"

"Sometimes. When the mood strikes me."

"...Even when it would put innocent people in danger?"

Leo didn't answer. Instead, his eyes went briefly to the enormous water tank.

"...Is that why you chose this location?" said Hector. "I a.s.sume you're waiting for Sai-hee to show up. Are you hoping they won't attack you in a place like this?"

Leo looked around, and so did Hector. There were still a few civilians in the chamber with them, observing the paintings. Two or three of them were glancing in this direction, probably curious about the armored weirdo sitting here.

"If you'd rather fight somewhere else," said Leo, "I'd be happy to oblige."

"...That doesn't answer my question," said Hector.

"Is that s'posed to bother me?"

Agh. This guy was kind of a p.r.i.c.k. Time to change tactics again.

"...Why aren't you running?" said Hector. "By now, you could've been long gone from Capaporo."

"Oh, is that your game, then?" said Leo. "Get me to run and leave your buddy here behind?"

Hector groaned. "Could you stop trying to read the worst into my motivations and just answer me? I know you may find it hard to believe, but I'm actually interested to hear what you'll say."

"I bet you are."

Agh. Yep. Definitely a p.r.i.c.k.

Fine. Time to try yet another approach.

"...Obviously, you don't have to talk to me," said Hector. "But... I don't have to talk to you, either. In fact, I don't have to do anything. I could just wait for Sai-hee's people to carry you off. I doubt they'd mind giving me... my friend back." He'd almost said Roman's name just then. But given Roman's tendency to disguise himself, Hector didn't know if Roman had ever actually told Leo his name. Better to avoid that potential confusion, Hector felt.

"Think they'd be so receptive after I told 'em about your ties to the Rainlords?" said Leo.

s.h.i.+t. Hector had been hoping that Leo wouldn't realize that. What a stupid mistake.

But backing off now wouldn't project much power. It might even convince Leo of his weakness.

Nothing for it, then. He had to double down.

"...I'm not worried about that," Hector lied.

"Oh?" said Leo. "And why would that be?"

"...There's a reason that they came to me for protection, you know."

Ugh. On a list of things that he might one day regret saying, Hector felt like that would be near the top.

This was Voreese's fault.

Leo just stared back at him, not saying anything.

Was that... good? Hector couldn't really tell.

It was probably best to move the conversation along while he had the chance, Hector figured. The fewer lies he was forced to tell, the better. "...Why are you holding my friend captive, by the way? Did he do something wrong?"

Leo took his time answering. His expression seemed different than it was before. Sharper, maybe. Not quite angry, but close. "...He betrayed me. Followin' your orders, I'm guessin'."

"Ah..." Hector understood. Leo must have gone back to the warehouses, seen that the Rainlords were missing, and immediately blamed Roman. "That's a bit hypocritical, don't you think?"

"...'Scuse me?"

"I mean... you betrayed him first, didn't you? He was coming to meet me here in Capaporo, and... then you betrayed his trust in order to capture my Rainlords."

Again, Leo didn't say anything.

Oh, man, this was ridiculous. Hector couldn't help feeling like Zeff would kick him in the teeth if he'd heard what he just said.

Hector knew that he couldn't let any such feelings show, though. He had to keep it together. Composure might've been the only thing preventing Leo from attacking him, right now.

"...Also," Hector went on, "I'd argue that he wasn't so much betraying you, as he was just being loyal to me."

Leo snorted loud enough to draw a couple looks from the other people in the gallery. "The h.e.l.l difference does that make?!"

"It makes a big difference," said Hector. "A proper betrayal would be more... malicious. Or selfish, at least. But what he did was the complete opposite of selfish. And... it definitely wasn't malicious, either. I'm sure he didn't want to hurt you."

"Hmph." Leo did not look convinced, but he didn't offer a counterargument.

Agh. Was that really it? More silent treatment? Hector racked his brain for another angle of attack. He was having trouble, though. If the guy was just gonna keep shutting down and not responding, then how the h.e.l.l were they supposed to discuss anything?

At length, however, he did think of something else.

"...Did you really consider him your friend?" said Hector.

Leo's glare only seemed to be growing more intense with each new question. "Why do you care?"

"Just curious, I guess." And when it seemed like Leo might not answer him again, Hector decided to add, "I know how difficult it can be to make friends."

Leo's expression flickered for a second, though in what way, Hector couldn't tell. "You offerin' to be my friend, after all?"

Oh s.h.i.+t, back to this? "Ah... maybe."

"Maybe? The h.e.l.l does that mean, man? You wanna be my friend 'r not?"

Hector allowed himself a small sigh. "You're kinda pushy, you know that?"

"And you're kinda annoying."

"Mm... Too annoying to be friends with?"

"...I didn't say that." Somehow, Leo looked a lot angrier than those words or even his tone implied.

Hector tilted his head to the side a little as he considered his next words. He kept his arms folded, because he wanted to be sure that he didn't give off a false sense of aggression. A servant's hands were arguably the most dangerous part of their body, after all.

"Do you wanna know why I didn't attack you while your guard was down?" said Hector.

"Sure," said Leo.

"It was because you kept all of my Rainlords alive." That definitely hadn't been the reason, but it sure sounded good, Hector thought. "You didn't have to do that."

Leo's gaze turned to the floor, and he fell silent one more time.

"I thought... maybe you don't have to be my enemy. And seeing you sitting there, looking kind of... lost... I thought maybe you needed some help."

"...Hence why you asked if I was alright," said Leo.

"Yeah."

"Well..." Leo bit the inside of his bottom lip for a second. "You weren't wrong, I s'pose. I have been feeling kinda... lost."

Chalk another one up for Rasalased, Hector thought.

"More than kinda, actually," Leo continued. "I'm pretty much at the end of my rope, if I'm bein' totally honest." He looked up at Hector again. "Did the big cat's reaper tell you that about me, too?"

"...Big cat?"

"Roman," said Leo.

Oh, so he did know Roman's name. "Ah..." Hector couldn't actually remember if Voreese had mentioned anything about Leo's state of mind. He didn't think so, though. He only recalled Rasalased's words about it. "No, but... his reaper did mention that he was worried about you."

"...Really?"

No. It was an easy way to score some brownie points for Roman, though. "Really."

Leo eyed Roman's encased head.

Hector saw the opening and took it. "...Now, why don't you give him back to me?"

Leo was quiet again, and Hector could practically see the gears turning in his head. At length, Leo finally said, "What'll ya give me in return?"

Agh, of course. "What do you want?" said Hector.

"...I'd like your protection as well," said Leo.

"My...?" The word was left stranded.

"Your protection," reiterated Leo. "From Sai-hee, specifically. Y'know. The same protection you're giving to your Rainlords."

Was this f.u.c.king guy serious? Was he being sarcastic? What the f.u.c.k was happening, right now?

Silence was all Hector could conjure as a response.

"...Is that a no?" said Leo.

Okay, seriously, what the f.u.c.k? It didn't sound like sarcasm.

Did this guy actually believe everything that Hector had just said? He'd expected considerably more skepticism. Had Roman and Voreese just been that good at talking him up?

"Why so quiet all of a sudden, bro?" said Leo. "You just said you could protect all the Rainlords from her, so why not me, too?"

Ah, wait a minute... This was a test.

Okay.

That made more sense.

Kind of.

Regardless, this was still an enormous problem. Hector couldn't very well accept Leo's proposal, because that would mean bringing the guy back to Warrenhold with him. And Hector could immediately think of about a dozen ways that could blow up in his and everyone's faces.

But he couldn't just outright refuse him, either. That wouldn't project much power, and it would also completely go against what Hector had said earlier, asking if Leo was alright.

He had to strike a delicate balance here, Hector decided.

"...I'm afraid I don't grant my protection quite that easily," said Hector. He had to keep himself steady. Leo's strategy had nearly thrown him off, just now.

"That so?" said Leo. "Why do the Rainlords qualify, while I don't?"

"...Because they have my trust," said Hector.

"Ah. And I don't."

"That's right."

Leo scratched his brow with his free hand. "Well, how do I gain your trust, then?"

Oh, geez. "Well... you could start by giving Roman back to me."

Leo snorted. "Isn't that the same deal I just offered you?"

"...No," said Hector. "Give me Roman, and I'll give you a chance to earn my trust."

Leo pursed his lips together briefly. "Just a chance? Seems like kind of a raw deal from where I'm sittin', daddy-o."

Daddy-o? Who the h.e.l.l says--? Whatever. "...It's the best you're gonna get," said Hector. "I'm not gonna trust you until you prove yourself trustworthy."

"Dude, you're askin' me to give up my only bargaining chip for just a promise. Less than a promise, even."

"...Roman isn't a bargaining chip," said Hector. "I already told you... I can just wait this out and get Roman back from Sai-hee. You don't actually have anything I want."

Leo stared again, though his black eyes were much more hollow this time, as if he were looking past Hector instead of at him.

Slowly, Hector unfolded his arms. He held out a gauntleted hand, palm upward. "...Give me my friend back," he said.

Leo took a breath through gritted teeth. He shut his eyes, rubbed his forehead hard enough to leave a fleeting red mark, and finally exhaled a long sigh. He lifted Roman's head and placed it in Hector's waiting hand.

It required all of Hector's composure not to go wide-eyed and stare at what had just happened.

"Okay, now what?" said Leo.

That was a very good question, Hector thought.