107 – Kidnapping

In the end, the banquet dissolved into a muddled end,

all thanks to the Emperor’s final words.

‘W-what…what..!’

‘What do you say? With your level of ability, I could

certainly consider you as my son-in-law—’

‘Don’t speak such nonsense!!’

I hadn’t expected the Princess to bolt out mid-sentence.

Nor did I realize she was capable of raising her voice

so loudly.

She always presented such a poised and graceful figure.

‘…Perhaps something happened between my daughter and him?’

‘Nothing in particular occurred.’

‘…Huhu, my apologies. May I excuse myself first?’

Eventually, the Emperor, unable to bear the sight, rose first,

leaving no one at the table able to enjoy their meal in comfort.

Especially not with the young lady of the Duke’s house remaining across from me.

Unable to finish the meal, I rose and began walking down the hallway,

where, beneath the still-bright corridor, a

reddish-brown door shines into view.

And beneath it, my black shadow flickers.

“Show yourselves.”

There is no one around.

Only candles, flickering as they burn brightly,

and beautiful paintings hanging on the walls.

Not a trace of any living thing, let alone a human form,

yet I was certain someone was present.

“The flames of a candle cannot flicker

in a room where there is no breeze, wouldn’t you agree?”

“…”

“Come out now, before I have to drag you out.”

“Oh, aren’t we impressive…?”

From the very edge of the shadow, stretched unusually long behind me, something wriggles free.

“…”

How should I describe it?

That form.

A black slime?

Or perhaps a spherical thing filled with black, viscous fluid?

From the suddenly emerged object, black liquids dripped, one by one, to the floor.

And those liquids, fallen to the ground, began to move erratically.

Before I knew it, they were flowing back into my shadow,

Leaving only the initial black sphere, utterly alone, in the hallway.

“How did you know?”

The sphere cracked open, a sound like tearing fabric,

and someone revealed themselves from within.

Like a butterfly emerging from its chrysalis.

“How did I know? There’s no way I *wouldn’t* know.

Anyone could see it, with just a little observation.”

“Hmm…and yet all the others failed to manage even that ‘little’ bit…”

Pink hair declared its presence,

and following it, unlike the black sphere, a pale, naked form appeared.

Was it my imagination? I could have sworn her dark blade,

swathed in something black, flashed ominously.

“…So, why have you come here, Lady Charlotte?”

“Eeeh… deflecting the question?”

I tried to ignore her, to no avail.

She materialized behind me, placing her head on my shoulder.

Her lips were pursed, her eyes closed,

like a cat attempting to charm.

“Wow…look at that face.”

“…If I have offended, I apologize.”

“Believe it or not, I’m often told I’m quite the *bishoujo*, you know?

“Shouldn’t you be celebrating if I do things like this?”

“….”

“…Could you at least manage your expression a little?”

“…What brings you here?”

I sighed at her playful tone and actions, turning away,

only to find her standing before me once more.

Without the slightest hint of approach or movement.

“Of course, I came because I have something to say, right?”

“…To me, you mean?”

“Yep, it’s a story about you!”

She said cheerfully, snapping her fingers.

Around her, black liquids gushed forth madly,

forming a single, dark plane.

“As you know, the Empire is currently filled with rumors

concerning you, aren’t they?”

“…Yes, that is the case.”

“Do you know which rumor is receiving the most attention

amongst them all?”

A black quill, seemingly made of shadows, was clasped in her hand,

I couldn’t tell when she had crafted it and

her expression, for some reason, looked exceedingly happy.

The kind of expression that suggested she was finding it all

so very amusing she could barely contain her laughter.

“…Perhaps, if I had to guess… surely, it’s the rumors

concerning the Reinhardt family—”

“Bingo!!”

Two more black orbs began to form around her,

and those orbs, too, gradually took on their own shapes.

One in the form of a long, elongated sword,

the other in the shape of a breastplate and shoulder guards.

“The Reinhardt family, known as one of the

Four Great Houses, famed for their honorable knights!”

“….”

“Our Jenison, who was called the sole piece of trash

in that very house, the infamous prodigal son!”

“….”

“But it turns out that all of that was

“An order from the honorable Duke?!”

“….”

“That rumor spreads through the royal palace, and even down to the market streets.

And it is spreading with great speed!”

“…I am aware.”

It was that very rumor which first reached my ears

upon entering the Empire.

It would have been impossible

if it hadn’t spread quite widely.

“Oh? You knew?

And here I was thinking you were ignorant?!”

“….”

“You are far too calm, considering you are the subject of this rumor!”

“…If that is all you have to say,

may I retire for the evening?”

“Nay? I never said that was all.”

She plunges her hand into the floor.

Or rather, into the floor already stained black.

The floor pulls at her hand

as if it were a vacuum cleaner.

Even so, she betrays not a single sign of discomfort

as she maneuvers her hand about.

“Hmm…it was here somewhere…”

“What…are you searching for?”

“Ah…just a moment…wait, found it!!”

With a *pop* sound, her hand emerges.

In it, she holds a sheet of paper,

its color already faded yellowish.

A single sheet of paper, filled with dense writing.

“Aria Reinhardt, your younger sister, yes?”

My eyes widen.

Caught completely off guard by that name.

The name of the Reinhardt family’s younger sister,

whom I had been intending to visit at least once.

Her name, from the lips of Charlotte,

the one responsible for the Empire’s underworld?

Why from her lips, of all people?

“…Why is that name being brought up now?”

“Oh, it’s a tale regarding your sister,

“You react that quickly?”

“….”

“That grim expression, you could lighten it up a bit.

You might just keel over looking like that, you know?”

“….”

“Hey…are you even listening to me?”

“..Has something happened to her?”

Despite clearly hearing my question,

she only grins slyly,

offering not a single reply.

“What to do…we don’t exactly give information away for free, you know, not outside the Imperial Family…?”

“….”

“I’ll tell you, but later, just lend me your strength, alright?

When we need help later, no questions asked.”

“….”

“Just so you know…forget any ideas about attacking me here and

just taking the information…”

“….”

“Even if I lost to you,

I’m confident I would never spill a single thing!”

“Hah..”

“Besides, as time passes, it’s *you* who’ll become desperate!”

The urge to smash that smiling face

rose within me like a tide, but

repeating the character for “patience” in my mind,

I barely managed to restrain myself.

As she said, it wasn’t me who was desperate now,

but her.

“..Understood, I will.”

“Wow, really?”

“..Yes.”

“That’s a relief…honestly, I was bracing myself for a few punches or

maybe even having my fingernails pulled out!”

“….”

“Hey, could you not look at me like I’m some madwoman…? It hurts, you know..”

“..Enough of that. Just tell me quickly.

Has something happened to my sister?”

“Ah, about that…”

The paper she’d been carefully holding

slips from her hand, falling to the floor.

Fluttering, dancing, it settles on the

black-stained ground.

“Looks like someone’s been abducted.”

“..Eh–”

*Whoosh*.

Sucked into the endless abyss

of that black space.

*

“Ugh…my head…”

A woman’s voice,

weak for some reason.

Grasping at her fading consciousness,

the woman forces her eyes open.

“Huh…? What…what is this, where…Aah!”

“…Don’t know her, do we?”

“Who cares? We just gotta deliver her.”

She struggled to open her eyes,

but instead of light,

she was greeted by the voices of two strangers.

Amidst her confusion at the sudden situation,

her body began to sway from side to side.

She tried to steady herself,

but her hands and feet were already bound.

She couldn’t even straighten her back; merely lifting her head

caused it to hit the ceiling.

‘…What is this, where am I trapped…? Kidnapped?’

The surrounding environment felt as though she were trapped in a small box.

The fact that her body was restrained

only pointed to one possibility.

The possibility that she had been kidnapped.

“By the way, how much further do we have to go?”

“Almost there. I guess the client’s a big shot,

living in some fancy, out-of-the-way place…”

‘…Kidnapped, definitely.’

“But didn’t they say this little chit…was an Academy student?

What if she wakes up and starts using magic?”

“Don’t worry, we put a mana-restricting cuff on her.

They provided it, you know? Guess they’re pretty pissed, heh heh.”

The conversation between the two men alone was enough

She could guess at the predicament she was now in, but…

“..No escape..”

The mana shackles binding her wrists,

a cursed artifact, rendered escape nearly impossible.

Especially for one who specialized in magic.

Shaking, ever shaking.

The space where she was confined.

As if riding in a carriage, the jolting went on and on,

unrelenting, until at long last it ceased.

Light returned to her eyes.

They had opened it from the outside.

So the nameless client who ordered her abduction

could have her delivered for their viewing.

“..Father?”

“..So, it was you, Aria.”

The client came into view.

Wearing the guise of her father.