Chapter 23: Kidnapping

「Well, I’ll leave now. I still have some works to do after all.」

Nel, who has finished eating the cake, stands up while saying so.

「What, you’re going already? You should take it more slowly this time. I want you and Haru to have a match.」

「Please!」

「…… You guys are quite a weirdo. Well, I’ll think about it. If I feel like to, that is.」

「Also, bring three cakes the next time you come.」

「Yeah, sure.」

「Shishō, you shouldn’t demand her like that. It sure was very delicious, but you can’t be blatant about it.」

Even when rebuking him, Haruna was glancing at the empty cake plate. Nell was full of smiles to her who gave an impression of a small animal, so she kept in mind that she will bring souvenirs next time too.

「Ah, right. I will make Haru participate in the graduation festival that will be held a month later at the Adelheit Magic Academy. If you like, come and see it.」

「At the graduation festival?」

「?」

By the way, Haru hasn’t been informed yet that she will be participating in the graduation festival. She doesn’t understand what he’s talking about and just keep smiling with a question mark on her head.

「Well, I have my position as the knight leader, so I have to go and drop a boring instruction… Are you going to force them to let her participate?」n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

「Well, I have connections. If she wins overall, you too should recognize Haru’s ability. ‘The one who will defeat the Demon King is not Joseph’s heroes group, but Haru, someone who was equal to a village girl’.」

「…… I don’t really understand that village girl thing, but I don’t make judgments based on trivial origins or rumor. I only believe in the facts I’ve seen with my own eyes.」

「If so, that’s a relief.」

Adelheit Magic Academy is a training institute established by the country that’s specialized in magic. No matter what the student’s social status is, the power of the one who stands as the top student can’t be underestimated. On top of that, Haruna’s victory is a major premise, and that is the only thing in Deris’s head. Nell was quite interested in Haruna’s power which he trusts so much.

「Now, to make Nell acknowledge you, let’s do our best this afternoon, Haru!」

「I don’t know what you’re talking about, but let’s do our best, Shishō!」

Most importantly, it’s been a long time since she has seen the always unmotivated Deris full of energy. There’s a feeling that she can’t organize where she feels happy and yet feels a bit lonely.

(…… Ah.)

In order to dispel such thoughts, Nell came up with an idea. A good way to test Haruna’s ability, and at the same time, to strengthen her relationship with Deris. Well, it’s unclear, but Nell seems to have no better idea than this.

「Yes, I’m looking forward to the graduation festival.」

Nell says so while softly touching the handle of the sword on her waist. The two didn’t know that she had a smile on her way back, a smile like a young child who had successfully pulled off a prank.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Castle Town Diana. From within the city, there’s a majestic building that can be seen from anywhere. It is the royal castle of the Magic Kingdom Adelheit, where the king who rules this country resides. The castle, which rises like piercing the heavens, is a pride for the people and is highly regarded in terms of tourism. That said, excluding the royal family, only the parliamentary officers, the magic knights and soldiers, the workers involved in the castle, and those with limited audience permission who are able to enter. The classmates such as Chinatsu are exceptions within exceptions. Even their existences are special receptions that has not yet been disclosed.

They are not allowed to leave the castle without permission. This is a measure to prevent the unique existences like Chinatsu and others from being disclosed, and at the same time, to prevent them from disappearing like the group of bad boys that Nell was talking about. The five boys who went missing, with no signs of leaving a note or talking to any other students, was a sudden occurrence. After their disappearance, the remaining students were placed under constant surveillance.

If that is all, the students will naturally be dissatisfied, so Joseph prepared another chain. He decided to fulfill their wishes and desires as much as possible. There’s no support from the state for this since it was Joseph who carried out the summoning of the students from another world. It is a wasteful investment from Joseph’s personal funds. First-rate meals, treasures, the opposite sex―― he prepared anything to make them stay. It is unavoidable that they, who were just ordinary high school students in the modern age, drown in this treatment. Especially, the level 5 Hero, Toue Akira, and level 5 brawler, Mizuhori Touko, are extremely rare war potentials. In preparation for the coming day, he wanted to suppress any further loss of war potential at all costs.

「Hey, Chinatsu. Are you spacing out again?」

「… Touko.」

At a bench in a corner of the given living quarters, when Chinatsu was looking at the sky there, Touko called out to her in a complaining attitude.

「We are talking about you here. You are worried about Haruna, aren’t you?」

「……!」

Chinatsu glares sharply at Touko.

She was summoned to this world and disclosed her own status without understanding the situation. Looking back now, it was a bad move to show the information as she was told to. It’s also true that she was careless. However, in the first place, the cause was the boys around who instigated her and Touko who urged her to do so for fun.

They must be had high expectations for Haruna who was famous both inside and outside of the school. However, as soon as the knew that Haruna’s status was weak, they abused and ridiculed her. Touko was one of the people who took part in it. As a result, Haruna was taken away alone and went somewhere. Chinatsu couldn’t forgive her classmates and Joseph who forcibly summoned them into this world.

「Hah, don’t glare at me like that. I sure was becoming emotional at that time. Haruna, who I thought as a rival, had a weak power like that. It’s just that, you know, I was disappointed――」

「―― Touko, if you say more than that, I’ll get really angry.」

Chinatsu holds the sword’s sheath in one hand. Or more precisely, the katana’s sheath. Even though her job is a priest, Chinatasu learned 『Sword Arts』 which had nothing to do with her profession. It might be to cherish the time she spent with Haruna, or might be to express opposition will to her surrounding. Anyway, she’s showing a threatening attitude where she’s about to draw out the katana from the sheath. Even if Touko’s job level is higher, Chinatsu’s swordsmanship can’t be underestimated. Furthermore, Chinatsu’s katana is a sharp sword that she requested and prepared for her by Joseph. It will be a difficult battle for Touko who uses her own fists as weapons.

「I said, my bad! I didn’t mean to say anything like that either…」

「… I don’t want to hear that anymore.」

「All right. But you need to cheer up. It’s Haruna we are talking about, the one who always overturns my expectations. I’m sure she’s doing well somewhere.」

「Hmph, I wonder about that.」

A dangerous atmosphere drifts in the air. However, two people that are more dangerous were unexpectedly nearby and those people crossed in front of them.

「Leader Nell, I’ll be troubled if you act on your own accord! They are our country’s guests!」

「And who was the one who arbitrarily sent that guest of yours to Deris’s place? Ah, I’m trying to remember about it so far, but I can’t. Too bad, even though I would tell the king if I could remember.」

「U-gugugu…!」

It was Nell who changed into a knight’s formal wear, and Joseph who was the origin of the affairs. It seems to be something out of the ordinary.

「That’s right… Ara? Hmm, yep. You there, you have good eyes. What’s your name?」

「Eh? Ah, I-I’m Rokusai Chinatsu…」

Their eyes suddenly met, and Chinatsu, whose name was asked, stiffened. This is exactly what a frog being stared by a snake would look like. Chinatsu’s head, which was filled with anger a moment ago, is now filled with fear. There’s something in the woman in front of her that made her like that to that extent.

「I see, you have a good name too, don’t you? Chinatsu, become my disciple.」

「………?」

Chinatsu’s information processing speed is not catching up with Nell’s words that are too unexpected. However, Nell continues her words without any concern to the stiffened Chinatsu.

「Right, you must be uneasy about this sudden things. But don’t worry, I already got Joseph’s permission. Isn’t that right, Mage Prime Minister Joseph? Everything will be okay if you leave her to me. There’s no problem, right?」

「Guh … W-well, yeah…」

「Oh my, how wonderful! I got the approval from Mage Prime Minister Joseph! Congratulations, Chinatsu. With this, you are now my disciple. I will make you a stronger hero than the others. First, our goal is the graduation festival. Now, let’s go!」

「E-ehh? Wait――」

Thus, Chinatsu was kidnapped by Nell, who didn’t wait for her reply, and left the royal castle for the first time. Touko and Joseph who were left behind couldn’t speak anything for a moment.