Episode 24

Tok.

Tok.

It’s a strange ceiling… … .

I think while being hit by the water droplets falling on my forehead. It’s been a long time since I slept soundly.

It means fainted.

[CURRENT EPISODE]

IV. enemy

– 1. Confinement

: When I came to my senses, it was an unfamiliar ceiling. where is this place?

You will have to act carefully.

Where are you?

It’s a poor village in the kingdom of Areas in the southwest of the continent.

The episode has already started.

“eww… … .”

My head was pounding.

It was the aftermath of unstable space movement.

It’s not magic. The ancient artifacts imbued with mystical powers are collectively called ‘relics’, and they are caught up in the power of such artifacts.

The course of events is simple.

Assignments were made as scheduled after the results of the midterm exams were released. Naturally, I, who was in first place, became Class A.

I sat in classroom 201 of the first lecture building used by Class A and waited until the first class finally started and the moment the professor opened the door and entered.

the light flashed,

Come to your senses, here it is.

‘Should it happen soon?’

Open your eyes.

Summer Turge’s A class has about 30 students per grade. The last time I checked the number of people in the classroom, there were only 30 people.

Everyone must be quietly passing out… … .

‘Oops.’

why is there only one

There is also a guy who shouldn’t be here.

“Um… … Yum.”

As if the randomly scattered blonde hair became a bed sheet, Ai-nim is sleeping with a face that looks happy in the world.

Why are you here?

The child was assigned to class A for demonstrating 5-star magic even though her written test score was a mess, but it would be normal for her to miss the first class due to the royal family’s schedule.

He himself is also annoying, so if he blows wind, saying, ‘Then why don’t we go?’, we could be kidnapped together during the first class, but I didn’t say anything.

“Two.”

You can listen to the situation yourself.

First you have to untie the rope.

My hands and feet were tied, so I spat out the pouch I was holding in my mouth. All belongings are taken away, but they do not open their mouths.

I took a small blade from my pocket and severed the rope.

“Get up.”

“Sir.”

“This is not the time to be like this.”

When I woke up by shaking it, the child barely got up, but then collapsed on the side again because her wrists were tied.

“oh.”

I open my eyes only when I put my cheek on the cold floor. Amber eyes quickly scan left and right, and grasp the situation.

“This is, yes.”

“Are you awake?”

“I think it’s a bad thing… … ?”

The child shrank and covered his face with his fists clenched tightly together.

what are you doing, you

“Yeah, even Rox would know. Can I use magic even if I’m tied up? It would have been okay if I had gone through a little normal procedure in the first place… … ?”

“Don’t make any weird noises, just stay still. I’m going to cut the rope.”

“yes? ah.”

Ai-nim, who belatedly noticed the traces of the rope left on my wrist, reached out his hand.

“I don’t think you were in the classroom.”

“I went to bed just in time. I went in just like the professor.”

“Gosh.”

It seems that when the professor entered through the front door of the classroom, a child entered through the back door at the same time.

“There must have been something in the imperial family.”

“I’m tired from studying at night. I didn’t go all the way to Jedo because it was annoying!”

“Yes, well done.”

I am proud.

It was because I was tired of making theories.

If that’s the case, it doesn’t matter.

‘My room? Are you Rocks?’

‘Just curious. The room is empty, and I was thinking about how to decorate it.’

‘What if I get caught?’

‘You can’t hear it. There are a lot of kids walking around at night anyway.’

I’ve already done it. It was so easy that it made no sense to worry about it.

Even with such an absurd excuse, he was able to steal Yuxilla’s blank check from Hira’s room. The mercenaries should have started by now.

Then you just have to take it quietly so that the child doesn’t overdo it. I’ll have to look for other kids first.

“So where are you?”

“I don’t know either.”

“uh? Rocks knew it.”

I know roughly what the situation is.

Even if they were abducted in the same way, the child will be born with a uniquely precious growth. Since hostages have different values, they are locked in separate rooms, but it seems that I have been treated similarly.

That’s right, if Rockstrin is better than Ainim, it’s not an ugly face.

“Oh, and it doesn’t use magic.”

“What?”

“Try it.”

At push… … .

The flame that Ai-nim caused faded in the blink of an eye. This is because it is impossible for mana to form in this place.

“That’s the one in prison.”

I’ve heard of it too.

If you finely grind and sprinkle a very rare rock called Tea Magic Stone, even the most excellent wizard’s magic will not form in that space.

If the inmate was a wizard, it was a must-have.

“Even knowing that, he managed to release me.”

“What do you see me as?”

Anyway, now is not the time to share these trivial jokes.

“Anyway, it seems you’ve been dragged into a bit of a dangerous place right now.”

“Yeah, I see.”

“I’ll have to find other friends too.”

It is a dull gray room.

A window a little larger than the palm of my hand is high up, and the moonlight pouring in is faint.

Magic cannot be used. The tightly closed stone wall does not seem to budge.

It’s because it doesn’t show, it’s pretty serious.

“Maria… … .”

“If they had been dragged together, they would have saved us already. Perhaps the triggering condition was inside the classroom.”

The direct bodyguards of the imperial family are the most powerful forces on the continent for interpersonal warfare.

This lousy abduction would be nothing short of child’s play, and since it hasn’t been solved yet, Maria isn’t here.

“You don’t know where?”

“I can guess.”

I picked up a leaf that had flowed in through the window. In the corner of the floor there was a pile of parched leaves of a similar shape.

“This is Acacia. In the Empire, now is the time when it has just blossomed.”

An acacia whose buds have fallen off.

It is a subtropical plant. In the first place, in the Empire, it only grows naturally in the southern area, and it is hard to see it even in the vicinity of the islands.

I tossed the leaf back into the corner and sent it flying.

“Hopefully, it’s the southern tip of the Empire, but let’s think about it a little more soberly. I think we should go farther south than that.”

If you play as the main character, this is the information that the smart-looking guy in Class A tells you.

Kingdom of Areas.

This small kingdom, which also contributes to the Confederate front, is famous as a resort, and it is a quiet kingdom that mainly cultivates sugar cane and tea.

That’s the problem.

The country folk here don’t know anything about the empire. If I had known that the child was the princess of the empire, I would have been frightened and released her.

I don’t believe it even now.

“Is that possible?”

“What about what happened? Or who would dare to sit Her Highness on a stone floor like this? You don’t even know who His Highness is.”

“Two weeks, it would take.”

“If you run fast, it will be there in ten days.”

Although the supply of horse-drawn vehicles has been activated, horses and carriages are still the fastest long-distance means of transportation in this world, as well as efficient.

Follow the traces left in the classroom until the Empire’s rescue team arrives.

Ten days left.

However, after ten days, many bad things happen in many ways. You have to escape early to get away from the bad ending.

“Get up at once. I think we should look for the kids.”

I stood up first and held out my hand.

However, the fingertips of the child raising her arms were trembling dangerously. So much so that I wondered if I was looking at it wrong.

“majesty?”

“Rox, I guess, isn’t scary.”

Inside a dark room.

Although she grew up being treated with respect as a princess and has a high reputation as an unsalted genius. It is rare to experience such a crisis.

In a distant land, there is no light, and the floor is cold and hard.

I was a little surprised. The script in the game always maintains a lively appearance, but this was the story behind it.

Well, she’s only a sixteen-year-old girl.

In fact, children are also afraid.

“… … no.”

I took the smiling child’s hand and raised it up.

Aren’t you afraid? can it be

“I am scared too. But it’s okay.”

“It’s fine.”

“I was scared to live day by day.”

I guess I’m used to it

Anyway, from the time I fell into this world until now. I was scared all along.

“How painful it is to have to get up and move when you open your eyes, and think about tomorrow before going to bed. How horrible and terrifying it is to know that and yet not be able to quit.”

maybe you don’t know

So I shouldn’t be afraid. At least one person has to remain calm here.

Fear spreads quickly and reduces reason and ability to judge situations.

“That’s why I tend to be calm about things like this.”

“Nothing comforts me.”

“Then let me say one more thing. We will leave safely.”

“It will.”

Only then did Ai hold my hand and stand up.

“I put my ear to the floor for about thirty minutes, but it seemed like it was late at night, so there was no sound.”

“Can you open this door?”

“Let’s open it.”

grunt

I pushed the heavy stone gate. don’t even budge

It has nothing to do with Rockstrin’s strength. It is locked outside. There was a very thin gap, and I could see the latch was stuck.

The blade you brought is useless because it is shorter than the thickness of the stone gate.

“It is locked.”

I took a step back and looked around.

If Ai-nim takes the kidnapped route, Ai-nim escapes this room on her own and finds the place where the A-class children are gathered.

It means I managed to escape somehow just by being in this room—

‘what?’

―Nothing?

I tried to search the place where the leaves were piled up earlier, but there really was nothing. You won’t be able to do anything with the leaves.

In this gloomy cell, there are really only Ai-sama and me… … .

“Why? Can’t you go out?”

“no. Well, I found a way.”

I stared at the child.

That’s right, it’s Rockstrin. You don’t have to worry about it. The fact that Ai-nim is here is important.

‘It’s hair.’

Hair is enough to fit into the gap, and Ai-nim puts a wave with big curls in the front.

The gently curved shape is also appropriate, so I think I can pull out several strands and lift the clasp.

“I can’t touch it carelessly.”

“Lo, it’s okay if it’s Rocks! maybe?”

“Yes? Why don’t you do it yourself?”

“I’m ashamed… … .”

pulling hair?

If you are sick, you can be sick.

Um, but since you can’t see your own hair, this might be better.

“Would you like to stay still for a moment?”

“Sigh.”

The child closes his eyes tightly and spreads his arms wide. I don’t know if that’s a helpful attitude.

Let’s see. It needs to be bent a little more.

I carefully picked out my hair. The back of his hand brushed the back of his neck for a moment, and the child’s shoulders trembled.

“It tickles… … .”

“I draw.”

“Yes? Ouch!”

Pod!

I pulled out the well-picked hair and pulled it out. The startled child let out a small scream.

Hey, be healthy too. Thick hair has deep roots, so it takes a lot of force to pull it out. You won’t have to worry about hair loss.

“What are you doing? hurt.”

“Let’s try about ten strands.”

“I again… … It must have been the hair.”

“why?”

“In fairy tales, at times like this, people tear curtains or clothes long and tie them up before going out.”

The child, who shed tears, pointed to the window and said. Are you going out there?

“His Highness, I don’t know how to do well, but I don’t think I can go out.”

“Ah, that’s right. sorry.”

“I would have tried if the windows were just a little bigger.”

I became a fool because I was a guy who would have taken care of himself if I was alone. Sometimes having someone to rely on makes people weak.

That’s not necessarily bad.

“Ouch.”

“I pulled them all out.”

Five strands on each side of the left and right sides. It was pretty hair that shimmered like a thread of gold.

I push them one by one up the latch, and Ai-nim pulls them from the bottom. It was quite strong since it had ten strands.

sooner or later. The latch is unlocked.

“You need to stay calm.”

“yes.”

“No matter what happens, don’t panic.”

“know.”

“Don’t even scream.”

“… … I am not stupid.”

“If you’re still scared, hold my hand.”

“Can I catch you now?”

“Catch it when you’re scared.”

tight.

Ai held my hand. A thin tremor came through. It’s still scary.

“Rox, don’t tremble. Not even a puppy.”

“No, you misunderstood.”

“I have no will at all.”

“Then let me repeat what I said earlier. I said something wrong.”

It’s an important part, so I corrected it once more and repeated it.

“We will all get out safely.”

“… … yes.”

drooling.

The stone door was opened.