episode_0041

The day after a happy dream.

“Come play again, Elin.”

“Next time, I’ll treat you to a treat at the Nissen family… !”

It’s time to part ways.

Nia and Bena greeted Elin, touching her soft cheeks.

“It seems like you’ve become very close.”

“Yeah. We became friends.”

“… Oh my god.”

Luke covered his mouth.

I came here with the intention of making friends, but I never thought we’d become this close.

I feel like I won’t have any regrets even if I die now.

“… Don’t die.”

Elin took it seriously and held Luke’s hand tightly as she climbed into the carriage.

It’s still more convenient to go back by teleportation though.

-Please think about Berklin’s phase too.

There was no choice because Nia said that if we just let the guest go, it would be a loss of face for the Bucklin family.

“Brother, you headed north?”

“Yeah, you left early in the morning.”

It’s good that you act so quickly.

Once I get information about the curse from the North, I’ll have to contact Dien again soon.

“Then.”

“Goodbye.”

Nia did not bow her head politely.

Instead, he waved his hand as if he were a close friend.

I felt at ease because I looked age-appropriate.

“Ah, that… Oppa.”

Just before the carriage departs.

Nia called Luke.

“Why?”

“… Sorry, please take care of it.”

“… ?”

With an apple whose meaning is unknown.

Slurp-

The carriage started off smoothly.

“Teacher.”

The meaning of the apology was soon apparent.

“Give me sex education.”

“Are you talking about sex education?”

It was quite an unexpected timing.

Of course, I would have done it at some point… .

“What are you suddenly curious about?”

I was a little surprised that Ellin, who usually had no clues, asked me to give her sex education.

“Umm… In the book that Nia showed me yesterday… … .”

The obscene sentences pouring out of Ellen’s mouth were even more embarrassing.

“Cough, cough… No, what kind of kid would write a novel like that… !”

Anne, who had been listening silently, became quiet enough to hear the squeak.

“… I guess we need some sex education.”

It’s amazing that the first time I encountered such knowledge was through a provocative novel.

“When I return, I will first provide sex education.”

Teaching magic and lifting curses isn’t the point right now.

If you leave it like this, you might end up having strange sexual ideas.

I need to change my plans right away.

The moment I made that promise.

Rattling.

The carriage shook.

Did you stumble upon a stone on your way?

I thought it could be like that and passed it over.

Rattling, rattling.

But the shaking gradually became more severe.

“Ugh… .”

Ellen frowned slightly.

I think I’m going to get motion sickness at this rate.

Did you hire a beginner groom?

There would be no reason for that in Berkeley.

He lifted the partition, wondering.

“Please drive a little more carefully… … .”

The words were not concluded.

“… … None.”

I don’t see anyone who should be sitting on the horse’s back.

So, the horse was running forward alone.

Since when?

He unleashed spatial magic, scattering mana around him.

It wasn’t long before the coachman disappeared from his seat.

Of course, it wasn’t an accident.

“Raid.”

“!”

At those words, Anne jumped to her feet.

He immediately took up a battle stance so that he could protect Elin.

“What kind of raid is this in the middle of the capital?!”

“It’s not in the middle of the capital. It’s just passing through the forest.”

“I’ve been getting attacked more often than not… .”

“That’s weird.”

At this short distance, the coachman was dropped without a sound.

Luke and Anne didn’t notice the presence until they saw it with their own eyes.

in other words.

“These are skilled ones. Be careful.”

They are not just passing bandits, but a well-trained organization.

In the first place, if they had the nerve to mess with the Bucklin carriage, they must be a pretty big organization.

Stop-

With that sound, the horses move away.

The string connecting the horse to the horse has been cut.

Rattling, rattling… .

The speed of the carriage, which was moving by inertia, gradually slows down.

“Please hold on tight, Princess.”

“It’s already like that!”

Boom!

As Anne answers, the carriage’s roof is revealed.

“… … !”

“What is this…!”

Ellen froze completely.

Anne held Elin tightly in her arms.

“As expected.”

Luke was the only one who remained calm.

Victor’s warning comes to mind.

-Be careful for the time being. The more the princess’s name becomes known, the more people will target her.

“You’re coming this quickly.”

I did think that this situation could easily happen.

It’s too soon.

Does that mean that Elin showed a shocking appearance at the exchange meeting?

“Are you after the princess?”

No answer came back.

“Five people. I know where they are. Come out before I attack.”

Woof-

Compressed mana.

He clenched his fist so that he could explode at any moment.

“… … ”

Five men walked out from all directions.

The face is blurred, probably due to the use of an artifact.

A tight formation.

Expensive equipment.

These few elite people came to kidnap Elin?

Most of the organizations we had envisioned in our heads are erased.

A standoff filled with silence.

“… Bring it.”

Let the person who appears to be the leader give instructions.

Pfft!

At the same time, the men disperse.

He reached out to Elin with a rather sharp movement.

“Where!”

Anne is the only physical sorceress whom Luke has never defeated in a one-on-one match.

bang!

With just one gesture, all the men who had been rushing towards me were repelled.

How did you hit someone and make a bang sound?

“… … ”

The men who had been hit by Anne regrouped without making a sound.

Luke found composure, if not leisure.

That’s because I just discovered something in the clash.

Sneak.

I walked over to Anne’s side.

“Don’t just stand there blankly. Try to chase me away. Can’t you see that the princess is scared?”

As Anne said, Elin’s body was trembling.

It would be surprising if unidentified assailants came rushing in.

But don’t get excited, if you look closely you can see it.

That something is strange.

A kidnapper’s top priority is to capture his target.

I don’t care what other distractions happen.

however.

They didn’t seem to mean any harm to Luke and Anne.

As if that wasn’t the case.

“Your Highness. Can you trust me?”

“Huh… ?”

“I have an idea.”

He lowered his voice and whispered the plan so that only Ellen and Anne could hear.

Phew-!

Anne immediately slapped him on the back.

“Cool… .”

I think it’s broken.

“You crazy bastard. You call that talking?”

“Listen to the end of the story.”

“What are you talking about? You’re just saying that we should give the princess away…!”

Anne lowered her voice and glared at Luke as if she was going to kill him.

Of course, it’s not like Luke was crazy and wanted to give Elin away.

I quickly opened my mouth before Anne hit me again.

“I’ll give you the princess as bait and go after her.”

“You… … !”

“Could it be that they are all?”

It’s not hard to kill five people here.

But that doesn’t mean we can figure out what their purpose is.

You have to live with the constant anxiety that it might come again at any moment.

Capture and torture?

They probably also have the means to commit suicide.

“So you’re saying we should just pull out the roots?”

“That’s right. Find out where you got the information about the princess, how you found it, and why you want to take her away.”

If you have a leadership that can communicate, things will go smoothly.

Unless of course that’s the case.

“It’s not too late to destroy them then.”

Thoroughly and completely.

All we have to do is destroy it so that no one can touch Elin again.

“No matter what, it’s too dangerous―”

“… … Okay, teacher.”

Ellen squeezed Luke’s finger.

“Are you coming to save me?”

“Of course.”

“… I know what you mean, so I’ll believe you.”

Fortunately, Ellen understood Luke’s sincerity.

“Really? Are you really going to go?”

“It’s okay. Because the teacher promised.”

“No… .”

Anne sighed as if she was frustrated.

He let go of Elin, glaring at Luke.

“Even if something goes wrong, Princess, it’s not my fault.”

“Yes. It’s all my fault.”

I accepted Anne’s dishonest response.

I feel like I’ve become really attached to you in a short period of time.

If Ellen did something wrong, she would probably break Luke’s back right away.

Knock knock knock.

Elin stood before the men on slightly trembling legs.

They naturally formed a large group surrounding Elin.

It’s as if Luke knew this would happen.

The man who appeared to be the captain opened his mouth.

“Go back.”

He holds Elin preciously in his arms.

Boo-wook-

Then tear off the teleport scroll.

It was a scene that was more appropriate to view as a gathering rather than a kidnapping.

Shu-

As soon as it disappeared,

“Hey. Open the portal quickly.”

Anne shook her legs in anxiety.

“Don’t rush me, I’m already deciphering it.”

The remaining mana traces were analyzed.

“This is a top-notch scroll. The encryption is quite complex.”

“Then you can’t solve it?”

“No, it just takes time.”

The password was entered several times.

Even for Luke, it’s a scroll that would take a full day to complete.

but.

The password was easily cracked compared to the level of the scroll.

As if he wanted me to follow him.

“It’s artificial.”

After about 10 minutes.

Luke figured out the coordinates.

“ done.”

“Where are you?”

It was surprisingly not a very far place.

“is the capital city.”

“Capital?”

“That’s right in the middle too.”

Anne frowned.

Because it wasn’t a good place for kidnappers to be.

“… Isn’t it a trap?”

That could be the case.

Because it seems like they want to lead Luke on, given the circumstances.

puppetshow.

Yeah, it was like I was in a puppet show where they had taken Ellen hostage.

“You’ll know when you go.”

It feels like my mind has been read from the beginning.

Luke opened the portal, feeling strangely uncomfortable.

* * * * *

The place we arrived at was inside a spacious building.

“What is this… .”

Anne’s mouth opened wide.

This wasn’t some underground den where kidnappers hung out.

A gorgeous chandelier.

A shiny floor.

Expensive jewels placed everywhere.

I could recognize it because it was a place I had often seen in games.

“It’s the palace.”

“hwa, palace?”

“Shh, be quiet.”

After calming down Anne, who was about to raise her voice.

First, I hid my body.

There are traces of having been here just a little while ago.

“… … You kidnapped the princess from the palace?”

“We must assume that they called us under the circumstances.”

Anne opened her mouth and barely managed to speak.

“… … why?”

“Now let’s go find out.”

The royal family wasn’t among the list of potential culprits I had in mind.

Luke frowned at the unwanted variable.

“Follow carefully.”

To find out why they had to summon Luke and even stage an awkward kidnapping.

I followed the trail.