"What is this place Mangé?" He asked, his face contorted and his stomach turned from the energy he felt, he narrowed his eyes as he looked at Mangé with a serious face, his vision was slightly blurry.
Mangé Laughed out loud.
"Hahaha, Stel my friend, are you scared?" Mangé asked Stel playfully, it seemed like he was teasing Stel.
Stel was still Wary, the tension he felt was still present, the goosebumps on his body was still there.
"I'm not scared, it's just.. This, What is this strange feeling? Don't you feel it too?" Stel questioned Mangé, it was odd that Mangé was asking him that question, knowing the type of person Stel was.
Suspicious. Stel stared at Mangé with a dark look on his face.
Mangé Sighed, knowing exactly how Stel behaved, he knew that look on his face. He was analyzing the weak points of everybody in the room, looking for the optimal path to defeat them all, he was preparing for a fight.
He cleared his throat.
"All of you! Seize your Aura! Are you all Mad men?! Don't you see that he's my guest?!" Mangé shouted, his voice was authoritative and firm, it was the only sound that rang throughout the building.
The very moment Mangé yelled out loud, Stel felt relieved, his body stopped sending him signals, the tension that built up in him melted and the goosebumps on his body disappeared, he no longer felt that energy he felt before.
Aura? Could they be.. Stel thought to himself, making a speculation, this display was enough for him to know, that the men seated in that pub weren't mere men, and it seemed like Mangé was their leader.
He's even more suspicious now. Stel grimaced, his eyes scanned Mangé from head to toe, trying to find out if Mangé was one of them too.
"I'll have to apologize, my men... They all wanted to see if the infamous Red Nightmare could withstand all their Aura's." Mangé said with a warm smile on his face.
"And how did they know that I'll be coming here? That I'm the Red Nightmare? It's been ages since I was known by that title, nobody should even remember me by now." Stel shoots a suspicious, sharp gaze at Mangé.
"..."
As I thought... Meeting me wasn't just a coincidence.
Stel turned his gaze away from Mangé, who couldn't answer his question to the bar that was at the end of the room, where he saw the bartender arranging drinks and wiping his long table with a rag.
Stel pointed to the bar.
Mangé turned his neck, looking to see where Stel had pointed to.
He smiled.
"Let's get a drink, you and me, I believe that we have a lot to talk about." Stel told Mangé calmly, his voice was soft and without malice.
"Yes, I do have something to ask of you." Mangé replied, flashing a bitter smile on his face.
They both headed towards the bar and each sat on one Chair out of the long straight line of chairs and they faced the long table, looking at the bartender and the counter of drinks behind him.
"I see you're still doing very well Jethro." Mangé started a conversation with the bartender, his body language and his tone of speaking to Jethro, the bartender, implied that they were friendly with each other.
"Yes, thanks to your grace." Jethro replied to Mangé with a warm smile on his face.
No, judging from Jethro's body language and speech, it seems that he's also a subordinate of Mangé. I mean of course he's an employee in his pub but... It seems much more. I should really stop overthinking, I'll just ask him.
After a slight exchange of greetings and a minor conversation about how the pub had been doing with Mangé, Jethro turned to look at Stel.
"Ah, I haven't introduced you guys yet." Mangé said as he noticed Jethro and Stel looking at each other tensely.
"Jethro, this is my good friend Stella, we grew up together." Mangé, with a bright smile on his face told Jethro.
Stel silently looked at Mangé.
Friend huh
Stel had a bitter smile on his face as he shook his head slightly, focusing his gaze on Jethro.
"And Stel.." Mangé who was still introducing the two men called out to Stel.
"This is Jethro, the executioner, my second in command, my bartender and my friend." Mangé smiled warmly as he told Stel.
Executioner? Mangé, is this what I think..
"Nice to meet you Mr Stella." Jethro, with a warmer expression on his face told Stel.
Jethro extended his hand towards Stel for a handshake.
"Likewise, Jethro."
Stel Shook Jethro's Hand.
Strong...
Stel realized that Jethro's strength wasn't that of an ordinary bartender.
Jethro stroked his brown moustache slowly.
"Hmm"
Mangé and Stel simultaneously turned to look at Jethro, with inquisitive looks on their faces, as if to ask him what the problem was.
"Haha, don't mind me Mr Stella, I'm just pondering on what drink to serve you, after all, you're my first customer in a long time." Jethro told Stel with an excited expression.
This Man is quite friendly.
Stel smirked.
"Hey aren't I a customer too?" Mangé chuckled softly as he asked Jethro.
"You're not a customer sir, you own the place." Jethro, with a playful tone, replied to Mangé.
Mangé shrugged.
"Fair enough."
"But don't I get to choose which drink I'll have? As the customer." Stel asked with a smile on his face.
Stel looked at Jethro with slight respect, Stel was the type of person who was always respectful to elderly people, claiming that they had experienced the vicissitudes of life. But the thing was, Jethro wasn't an elderly person, he was a man who appeared to be in his mid forties.
No, my elderly detecting senses is never wrong, I'm sure he's older than that. But whatever, it doesn't take much to give respect. Stel tells himself.
"Oh, that'll ruin it Mr Stel, because if you get to choose then it won't be free, but if I choose for you, then it'll be free." Jethro replies softly to Stel.
"Oh" Stel turned to look at Mangé who was sitting by his left.
"Haaa, just let him, he always insists, it's the only reason he does this job, it's not like you're a drinking guy anyway." Mangé said to Stel with a neutral expression on his face.
"Fine" Stel exhaled.
"Thank you Mr Stel, it brings me great Joy." Jethro had a satisfied look on his face and he beamed with a smile.
"Freak" Mangé called Jethro and chuckled.
Jethro left Mangé and Stel, heading to go get the drinks for the both of them.
Stel turned his focus from the direction where Jethro was headed to Mangé.
"So, you're the leader of one of the four main gangs of the backlands now, the Cyclo gang was it?" Stel locked eyes with Mangé.
Mangé Flinched as he heard those words.
Stel, having accurately deduced the truth from the little facts he had gathered, told Mangé, letting him know that he knew just what he was hiding.
Mangé's eyes widened, he relaxed his back on his chair as he heard what Stel said.
"You know sometimes I wonder if you have a bionic chip implanted in your brain, or if you're secretly an illegal cyborg, because how the hell did you find out? I didn't even make any... Oh" Mangé closed his mouth as he realized.
"Damn, I'm a fo-"
He wasn't allowed to talk as Stel cut him off.
"So what do you want from me? No, wrong question..."
Stel leaned forward from his chair and looked directly in the eye of Mangé.
"What do you want from the Red Nightmare?"
Mangé gulped, cold sweat slid across his forehead.