Kidnap
“Hey, Lei. Let’s go over there next”
“……Aah”
I’m currently being brought by Caro and going around town. At the back are, Alexia; Ferris; Helen-san; and Aerith who are glaring at me intensely, along with Dargris and Cait who see me being glared at, and happily laughing. And Rene and the others who look at Dargris and Cait with disgusted expressions.
If I have to say why it ended up like this, it’s during yesterday’s dinner.
◇◇◇
I, who returned to my own room after the meeting with Caro ended, was told by Mery-san that I could go about freely until dinner, so I headed to where everybody was. Mery-san has to accompany Caro so she said that and left though.
I went to Dargris’s room and Cait’s room that were next door but because they weren’t there and I didn’t know where they’ve gone off to, I asked a maid who was nearby and I was told that they’re gathering in Alexia’s room on the second floor so I headed there as well.
Our sojourn in this country is about a month after all. I guess they’re discussing on what to do or whatnot. I go up to the second floor while I’m being lead by the maid while I’m having such a thought.
“This is Alexia-sama’s room”
And then because we arrived at Alexia’s room, I thought of knocking, but because I could hear the voices of Dargris and the others from inside, I thought it doesn’t matter since everybody’s there and opened the door without knocking. And then when I opened the door and looked inside, over there
“Then Lei sacrificed his own arm for the sake of saving me. Decisively and without any hesitation! But, afterwards, when the enemy was about to kill me, he bore with the pain and saved me!”
“If, if that’s the case, I was saved when I was about to be killed by an Orc General! Just after I thought that I’m done for, the Orc General was blown away, and although I thought ‘Eh?’ when Lei was standing before my eyes, I saw Lei’s tiny yet large back and thought, ‘Ah, I’m saved'”
……What are you guys doing, I wonder?
Ferris and Aerith who earnestly describe to everybody without even noticing that I entered the room. Dargris and the rest are smirking, and Alexia and Helen-san are nodding, ‘Uh-huh’.
And then perhaps finally noticing that I came in, Emma tries to stop everybody but it’s already too late, you know.
When everybody turns towards my direction, Dargris and Cait come to my side while smirking, and Ferris and Aerith who were talking turn their faces away awkwardly. Although Rene and the others are trying to hide it, I can tell that you guys are smirking. Alexia and Helen-san are still nodding, ‘Uh-huh’.
And then Dargris and Cait who came to my side brought their arms around my shoulder as usual,
“My, my~ Lei-kun, ain’t too shabby ay~”
“Yeah. You’ve been going about since such a young age huh~”
These fellows are so damn annoying with their smirking and smirking. Them occasionally poking me in the flank is even more damn annoying.
“Furthermore, in your hometown, there’s a maid who you promised to marry, right? How niceーーthe things that a popular guy worries about is different after all”
“Yeah, reallyーー”
say Dargris and Cait with smirks. Should I punch these guys? Although such a thought crosses my mind, I bear with it firmly and head to where everybody is. And then
“Come to think of it, what will Dargris and Cait do about the souvenirs? You guys were saying that you’re looking for them for certain girls, right~?”
I say it so that everybody can hear. There are two girls who react to Dargris and Cait who are surprised by that.
“Wai! Lei! What are you!”
“Ye, ye, yeah! In front of everybody!”
I’d been consulted by these two when the conversation about going on a trip came up, and I was told that one of the objectives they came to this country is to buy a present. The person they are giving it to is, of course, Dargris to Rene. And Cait to Emma.
And then it seems that what they intend to buy are couples’ rings. It seems that couples’ rings with the Goddess’ Blessing are popular in this country, it’s said that good things will happen if you give one to the person you like and have the other with you, although it’s a rather ambiguous item, it’s apparently an item so famous that you can hear about it in Nanor. Of course, I plan to buy it as well.
As I was thinking about such things, Dargris and Cait were being reproached by the two girls. Those two girls are, of course, Rene and Emma. Rene says to Dargris,「Heh~ you had such a person huh~?」, and Emma is looking silently at Cait.
Everybody around is looking with warmhearted eyes Dargris and Cait panicking horribly. What’s interesting is that they’re showing such a lovey-dovey sight to their surroundings and yet they themselves don’t realise it. Even though anybody can see that their love is mutual.
As we were discussing the plans hereafter despite having had such a fuss, the maid came. It appears that the dinner’s preparation is done so she would like us to come to the dining hall. It’s already that time huh.
All of us move to the dining hall and, what, isn’t the Pope already sitting. Not only that, Christina-sama, Caro, along with a boy who I don’t know, are also already sitting down. Caro is wearing a mask and hiding just the top half of her face. It’s so that it’s not seen by the maids huh.
When we enter the dining hall, the Pope,
“Ah, I’m glad you came. Now, take a seat”
We are lead by the maids and take our seats. I sit next to Caro and next to the boy sits Alexia. Ferris is sitting on my opposite side and the rest are sitting in order.
“I think everybody has taken their seats. Well then, I shall introduce myself before I start the welcome party. First of all, I am the Pope of this country, Guildford・Arcadia. Nice to meet you.
And then I think you already know, but this is my wife, Christina. Sitting next to Lei-kun is Caroline who is famous as the Holy Maiden. The mask is hiding an injury she’s had at an incident. So don’t worry about it.
And then next to Christina is my son, Clifford. Caroline is the same age as Lei-kun and the others, and Clifford is 3 years younger. Nice to meet you”
Alexia, Ferris, Helen-san and Aerith who are used to it are normal, but the others are meeting the Pope for the first time so they are feeling slightly nervous.
Although the welcome party started on that tone, they became their usual selves when it actually started. After all, the Pope also says that they can make merry without worrying about it since there are only people we know, rather, the Pope is talking to them a whole lot. To everybody. Well, I guess it’s also thanks to that that it ended without Dargris and the others being nervous though.
However, I wish for the fact that a lot of questions asked were related to me to stop. Because it makes me want to punch Dargris and Cait who are happily trying to talk about it.
The welcome party advanced while we’re enjoying ourselves in that manner, and when it’s about to end, the Pope
“Come to think of it, Lei-kun. Have you decided on your plans tomorrow?”
asked me, so I answered that I haven’t decided and
“If so, go have a date with Caroline tomorrow”
he said out. I turn towards Caro’s direction and Caro also has an eager vibe. And then there’s an intense gaze coming at me so I look over there and, Christina-sama is looking at me intensely. It’s as though I’m being told,「By no means will you refuse, right?」. If it comes down to this then I have only one answer.
“……Understood”
is the only thing I can answer, right.
“I see! Great then! Tomorrow is a day to look forward to huh, Caroline”
“Eeh, Otou-sama”
While we’re having such a conversation, the welcome party ended and everybody returned to their own room.
◇◇◇
And here I am. We’re currently looking at the town with the members, Caro and me, along with Alexia, Ferris, Helen-san and Aerith. The members, Dargris, Rene, Ely, Cait, Emma, Birdon and Shizuku have split up and gone to look at different places.
It’s fun even if it’s just looking around because the town is quite spacious and there are all kinds of stores. It seems Caro also rarely ever goes out to the town so she looks like she’s having a lot of fun. Alexia and the other’s gazes occasionally pierce my back though. Forgive me for today.
As I’m leisurely spending time with everybody in that manner,
“Tr, trouble! There’s a fire! Is there anybody who can use Water Magic!”
there’s a guy who shouts. I look at everybody and everybody nods at me. And then I head to guy’s side
“I can use it! Please lead me to that location!”
“O, oo! What a lifesaver! It’s over here!”
And then where I was lead and brought to by the guy was, a church that’s at the back of the streets. While I’m thinking that I’ve heard about it somewhere before, Alexia, who can use Water Magic, and I are using Water Magic and extinguishing the fire. But the flames are strong and won’t quite go out. Knights who were called because of this incident also came and the fire was finally extinguished.
Although the church was burned down entirely because it’d taken about 20 minutes, it seems there’s no fatality. That’s the silver lining of the dark cloud huh. After I returned to everybody’s side and thought about what to do, there was a woman who shouted angrily at a knight. Since she’s wearing a habit, I wonder if she’s the sister of this place.
“Why will you not go and save them! Even though you know where they are! Besides, this fire was set by those people!”
“Eei, you’re annoying! I don’t care about something like that!”
The knight says and shakes off the woman. The woman couldn’t withstand it and fell down. In the surroundings are children and they gather by the woman’s side though.
“No, no way……. In, in that case, what will happen to those children who were kidnapped, to Priscilla and the others!”
……Ah! I remembered. It’s the sister girl who I encountered yesterday. Come to think of it, she’s said that they were living in a church that’s behind the streets, didn’t she. If so, this is the place huh.
“I don’t care means I don’t care even if you tell me such an evidenceless thing!”
The knights who say that and leave. The woman and children who see that and break down crying. I head to the woman’s side even as I’m feeling indignant at the knights.
“I shall go”
“Eh?”
The woman raises her face and looks at me when I say that.
“I will go and save Priscilla-san. I will definitely bring her back. Alexia, can I ask of you to handle the treatment of these people?”
“Fufu, of course”
Although the woman makes a bewildered expression, she probably has nowhere else to turn to. She starts telling me who they were taken away by. Apparently, the ones who kidnapped them are the moneylending men. Those guys didn’t learn from their lesson from yesterday’s incident huh. I’m not going to let them off any more. Priscilla-san, please be safe.
