Pardon the Abduction, Holy Knight - It's an Emergency - Chapter 1.7

So absolutely, absolutely not. I must not accept this request.

After making my decision, I answered firmly.

“I’m sorry, customer. But I’m afraid I can’t accept this request.”

“What? Why not?”

“I’m worried that it might cause you even the slightest harm.”

“Harm? Ha. How dare a commoner like you…”

The woman sneered with obvious mockery and expressed her irritation.

“Fine. It’s pointless to argue. Anyway, you’re saying you don’t want to accept my request. Is that right?”

I silently nodded.

“As I just mentioned, our shop prioritizes the customer’s well-being above all…”

Clatter-

I was cut off mid-sentence as I was desperately searching for an excuse.

Suddenly, gold coins rained down on the table.

“What are you doing? Why did you stop talking?”

“We…”

Gape, gape.

My mouth opened and closed like it was malfunctioning, beyond my control.

“So…”

“Come on, speak up!”

Ah, so…

“We will serve you with our utmost sincerity. Could you please provide more details about your request?”

***

“Mmph, mmph!”

“Wit. Now, please release Sir Knight.”

“Kekeke. Understood, master.”

Snap, Wit snapped his fingers to allow Adriel to speak again.

Finally freed from the restraint, Adriel exhaled roughly and growled.

“Damn it. Rosemary Ferial, what is the meaning of this!”

I avoided his fierce gaze and glanced out the window.

The sun was already setting.

“I had no choice. It would have been troublesome if Sir Knight had shouted while a customer was here.”

“Even so, to treat me like an animal…!”

Just by looking at his swelling chest, I could tell how much he was suppressing his anger.

I checked the food that Adriel hadn’t touched and took it to the kitchen.

“Sir Knight doesn’t know how to appreciate food. I might as well eat it myself.”

I leaned against the kitchen table and put a piece of sandwich in my mouth.

Adriel, kneeling on the floor, glared at me as if I was disgusting.

“I thought I couldn’t be more disappointed in you, My Lady, but you keep showing worse sides of yourself.”

Growl.

“Marquis Berto. To accept a request knowing what kind of person he is.”

Grooowl-

“Are you saying you’ll do anything for money?”

Growl.

“…Sigh. Where is that thunder coming from?”

“Keke. Kekekeke. Kekekeke!”

Was it too obvious that I was trying to pretend not to notice?

The nape of Adriel’s neck had turned bright red.

I gave Wit, who was laughing hysterically, a meaningful look before speaking.

“Why don’t you eat just a bite? You’ll starve to death at this rate.”

“…No. I won’t eat anything until you release me.”

“Oh, come on…”

He’s really stubborn. So stubborn.

Unable to watch any longer, I picked up the plate and approached Adriel.

“Ah, really, stop being so stubborn. I don’t want to see someone starve to death here.”

I grabbed both of Adriel’s cheeks to make him open his mouth.

“Open your mouth properly.”

“Ugh…”

“……”

“S-stop…”

But why is this man blushing?

Making the person feeding you feel weird.

I frowned as I put the sandwich into Adriel’s mouth.

Fortunately, Adriel didn’t spit out the food.

***

“Customer.”

I flinched as I secretly watched Serena Winter, my first customer who revealed her identity with a stern warning to keep it confidential.

As I raised my eyes, the waiter answered with an awkward smile.

“How did you enter our establishment…”

“Hey!”

At that moment, another waiter who seemed to be of higher rank quickly approached and stopped the waiter who was asking about my background.

“This person has been specially allowed entry by Miss Winter. Weren’t you listening earlier?”

“Ah…! I’m sorry. I was away from my post when that happened.”

I nodded slightly.

This was a noble-exclusive restaurant operated by the Winter Count’s family.

Normally, entry would be impossible wearing a hood like this, but I was allowed in with Serena’s permission.

“Master, that human has a terrible personality. Kekeke.”

“Why? What do you see?”

I looked at Wit, who had transformed into the appearance of a young servant.

Wit, who called himself a love fairy, said he could see ‘choices to gain favor’ above people’s heads.

However, these choice windows don’t always appear, only when someone who has feelings for a specific person makes eye contact with the object of their affection.

In other words, we needed a situation where Serena Winter and Lucian Berto would look at each other.

Serena said she would try to arrange such a situation somehow, and that’s why we were here now.

“Kekeke. Right now, the only choice Lucian Berto wants is for Serena to cry out in pain, master.”

I looked at Serena and Lucian.

It was a dining scene of cultured nobles, like a painting.

It was such a peaceful scene that it was hard to imagine such thoughts.

“……”

Suddenly feeling exhausted, I rubbed my eyes.

I’ve explained the dangers sufficiently. So let’s just focus on receiving the request fee and not worry about anything else.

I wrote down in my notes only the usable information that Wit told me.

…The problem was that there was hardly anything usable.

Since Serena said she would do anything, I guess I’ll just advise her based on this.