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Carrying Out A Raid
Early evening. The green trees turn into black shadows.
I spread my wings and head to the towering rocky mountain in the distance.
In the end, I had no other choice. If I wanted to hide my identity and save the young lady, I had no choice but to do it tonight. I was worried about what I should do, but since I’ve come here already, I decided to see it through to the end.
So what should I do specifically? Although that fortress was old and worn out, it was quite troublesome. There was always a guard in front of the broken gate. I could defeat the guard in an instant if I used Physical Enhancement magic, but there was the possibility of being noticed. What if they heard the commotion and the boss came running over? It would still be fine if the boss came alone, but it would be all over if Tuda and Gimu were to show up at the same time.
So, a frontal attack was impossible. Then, I could only attack the rear gate. Turning into a bird and bursting in from the window? I thought about that too, but the bird’s master would surely find out. To say nothing, I had to return to human form again. It would clearly be considered strange if the bird were to carry a change of clothes.
So was there no room to take advantage of? No. There was just one way to break in.
The small exit and entrance on the roof. This.
I examined it in detail from the sky after that. It was an old structure, but some parts were buried in things such as earth and sand, as well as fallen stonework. It seemed like there was originally a metal door fixed there, but it decayed, was crushed, and rusted, and did nothing but make the entrance narrower.
In short, it was only wide enough for a child to pass through. I could somehow squeeze in, whether transforming into the bird form or my original body. But, armed adults couldn't go through here. It would be different if they took their time and removed the obstacles, but they would be unable to get to the roof otherwise.
Well, normally, there was no reason to be wary of this kind of place.
The top of this rocky mountain was quite high to begin with. I once ran around the city of Pyris, making full use of the Physical Enhancement magic. But, I avoided falling from an extremely high place even at that time. I thought that my legs would definitely break if I suddenly jumped from a 5-storey-high building. And seen from the ground below, the top of this rocky mountain rose even higher.
That meant it was difficult to climb it normally. First, unless you put a ladder up against the fortress’s wall and carefully feel for footholds.....but if you were going through that much trouble, it was simpler to just force our way through the gate, or if you sneaked up and climbed, you could at most limit ourselves to the window.
But, that was only if the intruder was an ordinary human.
I brought my clothes, Physical Enhancement pill, and medicine effective for bruises, and also styptic leaves with me, and waited at the top of the rocky mountain. I had a meal beforehand. Insects began to swarm all around at night in the forest. But, it was because of this that I could not apply insect repellent with a strong smell to my body. And so, leaving my main body in perfect condition, I waited until night in bird form. Once the kidnappers had finished their dinner, they would probably just turn in for the night. Even if the guards stayed awake, the others should return to their rooms to rest. Even the knight from before would not stay in a lady’s room all night.
The only terrifying thing was that monster bird called Kuzur. What if I were discovered while staying here, right now.....so I was feeling a little uneasy but I was hiding myself in the hollow of the roof’s entrance. But, there was no shadow overhead.
The orange sky changes to indigo blue, and the indigo blue sky slowly changes into black.
There was a metallic sound coming from somewhere in the back. The sound that gave a feeling of weight must surely be from Gimu walking. I tried to measure the distance from here to the young lady’s room using my ears.
I was sure there must still be someone there. Before long, faint, slow footsteps could be heard coming from downstairs. They were bringing dinner to the young lady. At the same time, the kidnappers were probably having their dinner.
They would fall asleep soon.
Just as I was thinking that, there was suddenly a creaking-like sound coming from quite far below. It was pretty loud and unpleasant. Like two iron plates rubbed together with all one’s strength. Curious about the origin of the sound, I quietly returned to the roof.
The gate of the fort was opened a little wider. And, there were five people standing before it. They had torches in their hands. At the center was Gimu, with his usual armor covering his body.
「Head out to patrol! Everyone, watch your surroundings!」
His voice echoed clearly even from afar.
This was convenient.
The strong opponents in this forest were first, Gimu and then Tuda. One of them would leave the fortress. So even if I acted a little forcibly now. I might be able to escape while bringing the young lady with me without having to engage in a dangerous fight.
Furthermore, there was no one in front of the gate after Gimu left. I guess even the guards were taking a break.
I returned to the roof once more. My heart had been beating nonstop for a little while ago. I took a deep breath for now and returned to my human form. I put on the clothes scattered on the floor and tied the Physical Enhancement pill with a string and hung it around my neck. Then I just had to pick up the leaves and put them in my pocket.
I walked carefully so as not to make any noise. The corridor was pitch black. I advanced while letting my eyes get used to the darkness slowly.
I turned left, and there was a staircase going down. A little distance away, there was a faint light leaking out from the wall on the right side. That was probably the place where I saw the young lady during the day. Looking closely, there was a bar propped against the door.
I see. The kidnappers had prepared the door for several purposes. First, to maintain the young lady’s health. Leaving it open would let wind and rain enter. Insects, and perhaps even snakes, would probably enter. Also to protect the young lady’s privacy. And lastly, to securely confine her here without a guard.
With the bar on the door, that meant there was no one inside. And since the light was on, someone would probably return to turn the light off but.....what to do now?
So let’s go a bit further and then make a decision. Creeping forward bit by bit, I turned right down the corridor. There was no light at all beyond that.
That’s true, I guess. And there was more than one reason for this too.
First, they were being limited in terms of equipment and were managing somehow. They could not waste precious lighting. They were basically in a position of being chased, so they never knew when or where they might not be able to resupply.
Also, they would clearly be visible from a distance due to the location if it were too brightly lit. It would be fine if the room were like the young lady’s room without a window, but anywhere else would just increase their own danger.
I listened carefully. I couldn’t hear anything. They might have fallen asleep. Or perhaps only their mind was awake but.....with things this quiet, they were surely motionless but I doubt they could react immediately to anything unexpected.
I did have concerns. Since things were going too smoothly.
No, it was consistent. First, the magical beast tamer Ketz noticed something strange. Because the bird he had been commanding, Yashir, had not returned. So he went looking for her but could not find her. So he consulted Gim about it. There might actually be pursuers or something.....
But, even though they were magical beasts, it was still an animal. She might have returned to the wild, or, have been preyed upon by an even more dangerous animal. So Gimu was unable to specifically determine the cause of the missing bird. To begin with, they saw her during the day once, so they recognized she was alive at that point. So they went out to patrol the area just to be sure. Considering Kuzur was not here, Ketz probably went out with Gimu to find Yashir.
Meaning right now, there was only Tuda in the fortress, along with 5 other small fries. Whether they had simply decided there was no danger and dozed off or were planning to take turns patrolling with Gimu, they decided to take an early rest in any case. They might also feel relieved that there were no pursuers this far.
In other words, this was a golden opportunity if things work out well. There may not be next time if I miss this chance.
I quietly retraced my steps.
I removed the bar quietly so as not to make any sounds. Then, I opened the door a little. And inside....
As expected, there was only the young lady. She does not look to be tied up. She lay helplessly on top of a crude bed.
When I entered the room, her eyes opened wide while remaining in that position.
「……who is it?」
「Shh」
It would be one thing if all the retainers, including Ifroz, had come rescuing her, but I wasthe only one here. It would all be over if she made a fuss.
I approached her as quietly as possible. At the same time, she slowly raised her body and sat up. I finally spoke once we were close enough to whisper to each other.
「My name is Fay. Did you forget about me already?」
「Fay.....?」
She tried to remember but it looked like I had not left too much of an impression on her.
Hey, that’s a bit harsh, don’t you think? I ended up getting excessively beaten all over my body after saving her from a lolicon.
「Umm, the strange saving box」
「……aah!」
She let out a slightly louder voice after finally remembering me. She looked a little apologetic when I hurriedly brought my finger to my mouth to tell her to keep quiet.
「I came to help you. But, please be as quiet as possible and patient」
「Yes, understood」
She clearly replied to my words. I felt a little impressed inside.
If I remember correctly, she was a year younger than me, at 5 years old. Even so, she got some self-control, huh. I’ve only seen stupid brats ever since coming to the Viscount’s residence, so this feels fresh.
……no wait, I see.
Perhaps they might be similar to the children in the housing facility. Even Wyst and Dee were both extremely levelheaded. Even the dim-witted Kovol could not be compared to the people in the mansion when it comes to being considerate of other people’s feelings. That comes from their life experience.
They were separated from their parents from a young age, grieved in loneliness, and had to struggle desperately to climb back up. It may be a forced, distorted growth. But, that was why they had a clear sense of awareness. As for the children in the mansion, they lived in safety and laziness from the start. After all, their parents themselves were like that.
Actually, it was the same with people who lacked imagination in my previous life. Whenever a case of child abuse or something similar was reported on the news, they would say 「That’s terrible」but when someone who experienced abuse actually talks about their experience in childhood, they would lash out at them and say 「You owe your parents」. Their stance was the same even when it came to their own issues. They always wish for more money, even though they should be working in a company and receiving a salary each month. Those people would go all out in spending their money when it was payday and were solely looking forward to the end of the month. In that case, it would be better if they just started their own side business, but they could not follow up on it. Their parents did the same so they did it too. And when they had children, they would tell their children 「Go study」, but they showed no interest when their children suffered a setback in their studies.....
The majority of the people in the mansion were like sleepwalkers, drifting through life in a daze. But, it was different with Liliana.
That was natural. She was the daughter of the Viscount. She had always been forced to endure ever since she became aware of the world around her. Her father did not have high expectations of his daughter. Only, he thought she grew up safely as the daughter of a noble. Her mother also could not fully focus on her children, partly due to official duties. The ones who kept her company were the lady’s maids, but they would always make her aware of the barrier of social status.
And naturally - for better or worse -, the children grew up having public and private personalities.
「Forgive me since I am just a lowly slave」
I held out my hand.
「It is dark ahead, please hold my hand. We will be noticed if we turn on the light」
She took my hand without hesitation.
Yosh.....now what should I do? Ideally, we should go down to the lowest floor, use Physical Enhancement magic, hold the young lady in a princess carry, and dash out. That way, I could use a full hour to gain distance. And if there was nothing in our way, it might be better to rush straight to Pyris. After all, if we were to heedlessly flee to a small village.....……I didn't think they would really do it, but I couldn't completely rule out the possibility of those kidnappers killing the entire village. Of course, it’s fine as long as we don’t get discovered.
But, that’s probably too greedy, as expected. It would be all over if someone discovered us, so I’ll compromise a little here. We would come across the staircase going down if we continue down this corridor. I passed it while in my bird form during the day. And there should be someone’s room on the left side. Even with Physical Enhancement magic, jumping down from the third floor while carrying the young lady in my arms would be pretty risky but it might just be possible. And I would probably make a loud sound when landing so there was no doubt we would be chased, but Tuda was the only strong enemy.
We quietly left the room. I pushed the door gently. We continued to move forward little by little just like that. I placed my hand on the wall while searching for the stairs carefully.
It was not a long distance. To the window. If we could reach the window. I wouldn’t have to fight even once. And it would be a great success.
We reached the bottom of the stairs. And we just had to go to the room on the left.....
*Bwoosh!*
Countless torches flared up. As if to surround me.
I was about to enter that room. 5 men and women were lying in wait, surrounding the wide entrance. And in the center was Tuda. He was the only one holding a weapon instead of a torch.
「……what? I thought there was a rat but.....turns out it’s a little rat」
No way.
Were they lying in wait? Why?
What to do? What should I do?
I couldn't organize my thoughts.
Just as I was standing stiff there with my eyes wide open, I heard the sound of something heavy being dragged coming from downstairs. Those regular footsteps, no doubt about it.
「How’s the result, Tuda」
It’s Gimu.
Several of his underlings were following behind him.
「Take a look. It’s just a kid」
「Really? Aren’t there still more up there?」
Tuda gave an instruction to his underlings with his chin after hearing this. Two men carrying torches jog off. They quickly circled around me and headed up the stairs, as if I didn’t even exist in their eyes.
「So, oi, the kid over there」
Tuda approached me with an aggressive attitude.
That’s quite the change of attitude, even though he held me up so gently during the day.
「You, how did you get in here?」
No one would expect a child to come to a place like this all alone.
Normally, the people coming to rescue a kidnapped person would be strong, burly soldiers. But it was now a child like me. So they must think there must be a reason for this. For example, as a means of entry. Like passing through a narrow secret hole somewhere.....
「I entered through the entrance, y’know」
「Don’t joke around」
「I’m not joking」
That’s right, I was not kidding. Who would tell the truth anyway?
I’ve been sweating profusely for some time, but my head had cooled down a little. I couldn't give in to the other party’s demands just because I was scared. It’s, it’s still okay. Even if they plan to kill me eventually, it would not be right now.
How could I say that confidently? Because the Viscount’s rescue team was probably behind me, a kid. So they had to extract that information from me.
These people don’t know my true identity and abilities. I could turn into Yashir when needed and escape from here. I might not survive if that Ketz-guy set Kuzur to chase after me but....no, even still, I hadn't used Piercing Hand yet. Un, it’s fine. I could still get away even in the worst-case scenario.
「Oi, Koza」
「Ye, yes?」
「You, you were keeping watch properly, right? Don’t tell me you dozed off at such an important time like this」
「N, no way! I’m telling the truth!」
I wonder.
Perhaps, the fact that Gimu went out with several people earlier was a trap. And I fell for that trap, but there’s no way they actually pulled the guard from the gate, right? But it seems like that Koza-guy, he was really slacking off. The cold sweat appearing on his face was proof of that.
「Well whatever. So, I’ll ask another question. Where are your companions? How many people are there? Tell me」
Here it was. That was probably the thing that concerns him the most.
I wonder what the most advantageous response to that. Let’s just try saying ‘Ifroz was leading the rescue team and already spread out in the forest, y’know’. In that case, what would they do? Even if they were half in doubt about it, they might make preparations to escape. The small fries would definitely become agitated after hearing that.
But, that would not solve the root of the problem. If it became like that, Tuda and Gim would abandon their underlings and attempt to force their way out on horseback. In that case, setting aside the fact that the young lady would definitely have value as a hostage, I would be killed. At least, they would try to.
So, let’s be honest here and tell them the truth that I came here alone. This was also meaningless. This would bring us back to the first question. How could I track down the kidnappers this far, even though I was just a child? They need a reason, after all.
「I don’t know」
「What」
「I’m just a minor servant, so I don’t know the details of their plan」
「What’d you say!?」
Tuda gets a little angry
「You’ve got some guts there」
Gimu’s low voice echoed.
Ah well, it’s not courage. I mean, as long as it’s just me, I won’t die. That’s the only reason I could hold my own.
「Tuda. This is not the time to be dealing with a kid. Let’s tie them up and throw them in the room for now. We have to investigate personally to see if there are any pursuers nearby」
「You’re right....」
Tuda - who had calmed down - agreed.
「Come to think of it, where’s Ketz?」
「He said he’s gonna look if there are enemies or not」
「That bastard!」
Seemed like he lost his temper again.
「He’s always moving as he pleases!」
「But, that is probably a good decision on his part right now」
「Wouldn’t it be enough if we had Death Hawk? Even a brat like this has gotten in!」
Indeed, it would be next to impossible to sneak in here if there were two of them on the lookout. But, was that the reason Kuzur was not flying in the sky? Ketz must have taken him.
「There’s nothing we can do about it. Besides, it was because of Yashir’s disappearance that Ketz noticed it, and we were able to ambush them like this.」
「Yashir was here. During the day. Maybe he was just not managing his beast properly」
「But in reality.....we were able to catch the intruder like this」
Gimu turned to me while saying that.
「 You can get angry later. Time is tight right now. Tuda, get them back to their room. I will be going on a patrol for real this time」
Tuda had an angry look on his face, but he immediately switched his mood.
「Koza」
「Yes」
「Bring the two kids to the room. They might move soon so tie them so they can’t escape」
「Yes」
「Aah, also, put that spear down. Switch to that stick. Putting that brat aside, it won’t be a laughing matter if you killed the Viscount’s young lady by mistake」
He gave out instructions quickly. The adults approached as they were told.
I looked back. Liliana looked at me with a worried look on her face.
It’s fine, it’s still not over yet.....
I nodded to her once.
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