Ch.3Special Guest (2)

When was the last time I felt this perplexed? It’s been so long that my memory is hazy.

‘…I need to stay calm.’

The organization that Rodrick and I established wore the disguise of a mercenary group on the surface, but most members were a collection of individuals who had crawled through the empire’s underbelly. Therefore, I was accustomed to occasional incidents caused by members who couldn’t shake off their old habits. However, kidnapping the empire’s one and only princess was an entirely different matter.

‘I can roughly guess what happened.’

She must have gone out in secret, wearing shabby clothes and even a wig. Recklessly evading her guards, she would have wandered outside. Yet her beautiful features couldn’t be hidden, making her a victim of kidnapping.

The kidnappers were obviously low-ranking members of the mercenary group. They probably thought they could gain favor by helping with a woman.

While I was carefully observing the princess, Rodrick returned, lowering his voice.

“Haah… damn it. From now on, I should stop recruiting those whose eyes show they’ve committed crimes.”

“So I was right.”

“Whatever you guessed, it’s probably correct.”

The evidence of having disposed of all the main culprits of this major incident was drying on Rodrick’s hand. When I stared at the red, bloody result, Rodrick washed it off in a basin.

“Follow my lead, Rodrick.”

“Huh? Hey, what are you trying to…”

I moved my steps right in front of the princess. As my footsteps grew clearer, her body gradually curled up. When her tension reached its peak, I knelt on one knee and removed the blindfold that must have been uncomfortable.

“Huh…?”

She let out a groan at the unexpected kindness. At the same time, Rodrick made a shocked expression but quickly shut his eyes tight. Encouraged by this, I greeted her as gently as possible with a calm demeanor.

“Pleased to meet you, miss. We’ve taken care of the kidnappers, so you can rest easy.”

“What…?”

I was pretending to be a kind person who had no idea about her identity. But she responded with discomfort. Only after a moment of silence did I realize why.

“Ha, haha! This guy’s face is a bit ugly…! It’s his complex, so he wears a mask, but I understand if you’re scared, yes.”

“I-I see… I’m sorry for making you conscious about something you’re sensitive about…”

Judging by her response, she didn’t seem eager to reveal that she was the princess either.

It was her own form of wisdom.

With a single word, she has the power to determine national affairs. She’s of a status that should avoid carelessly accepting favors.

“If I may ask, how long have you been kidnapped, prin… miss?” Rodrick asked.

“Probably about nine days.”

“Ah…”

Rodrick gave me a look. I understood its meaning and nodded slightly.

‘They haven’t announced her disappearance.’

An incident that could shake the empire wouldn’t escape the ears of the mercenary group. If it had been just a day or two, perhaps, but nine days meant they were trying to search while keeping it thoroughly concealed. At this point, I couldn’t help but admire the kidnappers’ competence for breaking through the imperial search network.

“Talented, but too talented, those crazy bastards…”

Rodrick muttered the same sentiment through gritted teeth. If there was any fortunate aspect, it would be the imperial side’s response. Either way, it was clearly good news for us.

On the surface, nothing had happened in public. There was still an opportunity to restore everything to its natural order.

I spoke to her as she began to relax.

“Miss.”

“Yes?”

“If it’s alright with you, I’d like to escort you home… would you allow me?”

Her voice trembled faintly at my proposal. A refreshing joy, as if being saved from the edge of the world, soared to the sky.

“I’d be grateful…! Really… thank you…”

“Hey, wait…!”

“But there’s one problem.”

“Hey…!”

“A problem?”

“…!”

“It might be uncomfortable, but… I need to go with you alone.”

“That’s… huh?”

Audaciously, the princess’s words were cut off. It was because Rodrick grabbed the back of my neck and pulled me up.

“Oh my goodnesssss!!! I sincerely apologize for interrupting your precious words, but an urgent matter has arisen that requires immediate decision, so please excuse us for a moment!!!”

He fired words like a machine gun and dragged me into a corner. That was fine, but his panting breath was so close it was honestly unpleasant.

“What urgent matter requires a decision?”

“As if there is such a thing! Why is it that a smart guy like you lacks common sense when it matters least…”

I trembled at Rodrick’s shocking lie. Ignoring my shock, he continued.

“You’re not thinking something inappropriate, are you?”

“Inappropriate?”

“Saying you’ll personally escort the princess. Do you even know where the princess lives… ah, of course you would. Anyway, what’s your intention? If you get caught…”

“If I do?”

“…”

After struggling to choose his words for quite some time, Rodrick answered.

“I’ll become unemployed.”

“You could take off your mask too.”

“Damn it!”

Rodrick let out a curse and clutched his forehead. All sorts of thoughts seemed to be swirling in his head. After a long time of deliberation, he quietly revealed our secret.

“I won’t beat around the bush. I’m terribly afraid that you, the child of the deposed emperor, might do something terrible to the current princess. Why do you insist on doing this personally when you could send a subordinate?”

“I see.”

“I see? That’s all you have to say?”

It was a reasonable suspicion, so I didn’t feel offended. But understanding didn’t mean agreement.

Sometimes Rodrick asks if I resent those who took my place. My answer has always been a straightforward denial. I’ve never had a place to be taken from me, and I can count on one hand the times I’ve owned something truly mine.

Moreover, though I didn’t know it before, I now know that my parents committed terrible deeds. I had no incentive to waste time on revenge and struggle.

“I’m not joking, I’d like to hear a plausible reason.”

“I want to know.”

“Know what?”

“The sparkling world I see every day. I’m curious about what kind of person my peer, who grew up in the paradise my mother was obsessed with, is like.”

What kind of person my father was trying to become when he oppressed so many people.

Why my mother enjoyed hurting others.

If I accompanied the girl who felt safe there alone, I thought I might find clues to my long-standing questions.

He seemed surprised by my answer and sighed with wide eyes.

“Damn, is that so? I feel like I’m the only one being overly sensitive.”

That’s right.

I secretly swallowed my honest critique.

“Haah… so, are you really okay with this?”

“Yes.”

“In a way… no, definitely, that child is the daughter born of your parents’ enemies. Can you truly enjoy watching her laugh happily? Can you endure it right to your face?”

“I thought you were worried I might kill her?”

“I am worried.”

“But now it sounds like you’re encouraging me.”

“Damn…”

Rodrick groaned pessimistically while rubbing his face.

A clear indirect admission.

His contradictory attitude raised suspicions.

“…It’s okay.”

“What is?”

“Even if you do something. I’ll try to cover it up somehow.”

“You’ve changed your tune.”

“Damn it, no matter what, I’m not heartless enough to stop you from drawing your sword against the daughter of your parents’ enemies! If we get caught, we’ll just take the money we’ve saved and flee abroad.”

“That’s quite the humanism for a former criminal.”

“Most of our people are like that.”

That’s true. We were that kind of group. An organization like a black well where people who were pointed at by others gathered. That’s why I, at least, shouldn’t increase the fingers pointing at us.

“I understand Rodrick’s concern. It’s all wrong, but I understand.”

“Well, I’m glad if you’re sincere.”

He exhaled deeply with his hands on his hips. Despite pretending otherwise, he must have been quite worried. He had become strangely timid with age.

“Ah, separately about the enemy of parents.”

“Huh?”

I spoke casually toward him as he blankly lost focus.

“If you were murdered, I think I might have something like that too.”

“What, wait… huh? Um…?”

Leaving behind his choked voice, I returned to the princess. She had already adapted to the unfamiliar space and was in the middle of carefully examining the interior.

“Ah, have you finished your business?”

“I believe so.”

Rodrick remained shut in the room where we had been conversing until just now. Fortunately, I could have a private conversation with the princess.

“Are you accustomed to traveling, miss?”

“I’m embarrassed to say… no.”

“Can you ride a horse?”

“Ah, yes! If it’s basic horseback riding. Actually, I never really liked riding horses.”

“What a coincidence. To be honest, neither do I.”

To mention preferences about horseback riding while disguised as a commoner.

Her pretense was already showing flaws, but I didn’t bother to point it out.

“By the way… that term ‘miss,’ could you not use it? It’s a bit burdensome…”

“What should I call you instead?”

“Hmm! Please call me Serin.”

“Understood, Serin.”

“Thank you.”

She answered brightly.

It must have been too early to shake off her anxiety, yet Serin smiled harmlessly as if she had completely let her guard down.

I believe she must be innocent to worldly matters because she was a child of the sparkling world that her birth parents had longed for. Just like I was in my childhood.

“If Serin isn’t too tired, I see no reason to delay our departure, what do you think?”

“I’m fine. I maintain my physical condition consistently. But it seems there’s one last preparation left.”

“I’m listening.”

As I nodded, Serin approached lightly and offered a handshake.

“I haven’t heard your name yet.”

“Rian. That’s my name.”

It was an alias, of course. I had attached a name I knew casually.

“It’s a pretty name.”

“Thank you.”

And so she complimented someone from the mercenary group whom she had never met before.

We clasped hands as if to mark that we had exchanged one lie each. Though it began with falsehoods from start to finish, a strange sense of anticipation raised its head for this journey. That short journey began in such a way.

What kind of child is this child of paradise whom I had only vaguely imagined?

How did she grow up in that place where my parents tried to stay despite the world’s contempt?

Hoping to realize something from this journey, I stepped out into the blazing sunlight.

…… It hadn’t even been a day since I harbored such hopes.

“Wow, the more I look at you, the more you’re like a male lead, aren’t you?”

Occasionally, she mutters incomprehensible expressions when talking to herself.