Pardon the Abduction, Holy Knight - It's an Emergency - Chapter 2.9

“Isn’t that easy for you?”

“There’s someone in-interfering with my work. I need to deal with them without being caught by that person. So my head is about to bu-burst, stop bothering me and get lost.”

As he said this, Taro slapped his head with his wings.

Lucian sighed pitifully towards Taro.

“Hmm. As expected, you can’t do without me.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“I’m worried you might get scammed somewhere with that half-baked brain of yours.”

“What did you say?!”

“I hope nothing like that happens, Taro. If something like that happens to you, I, as your friend, would be too sad.”

You mean embarrassed, not sad!

Taro jumped up at Lucian’s mockery.

“I ca-can’t take it anymore! Today, I’ll finally wring your neck…!”

Just as Taro, with fire in his eyes, was about to cast a spell.

“How about trying to lure them?”

Taro hesitated at Lucian’s words. His raised wings came down calmly.

“Wh-What did you just say?”

“Taro, remember? The fairy tale book I gave you as a gift before.”

It seemed he was talking about the book he had given, saying he was worried when Taro had asked about the meaning of a word.

It was such a childish book.

Taro crossed his arms and turned his head away sharply.

“Hmph! Do you think I, the great me, would read such a bo-book that only young humans read!”

Contrary to his words, Lucian smiled gently, remembering how Taro had secretly read that book with great interest.

“In that book, there’s a boy who plays a flute to lure people. You could do like that boy, Taro. Lure those people out. To a very quiet place where you can deal with them secretly.”

“You…”

Taro opened his mouth in admiration as he looked at the smiling Lucian.

“You’re smarter than I th-thought! Lure. Luring, huh? With something that human would like…”

Just then, a memory flashed through Taro’s mind.

Under that human’s bed.

There was definitely a smell that Taro knew very well wafting from there.

“Right. That was there. After st-stealing that…”

“Your expression has improved. Seems like you know something that person would like?”

“Of course I do! How could I, the fairy of wealth, not kn-know? That human, their eyes were full of greed. Their ob-obsession with money was no less than a demon’s.”

“A demon? Are you talking about yourself?”

“Yes, like me… Hey you, who are you calling a demon! I am a great fairy!”

“It’s a joke. A joke.”

“Tch. Such pointless wordplay!”

Taro turned his head away sharply.

Then, as if suddenly remembering something, he slightly turned his head back.

Lucian seemed to be losing interest and was preparing to leave.

“Come to think of it, you.”

“Hm?”

“You haven’t been visiting that human lately.”

That’s right. The reason Taro discovered Wit and that human was because of Lucian.

If he hadn’t followed Lucian to the Red Thread Information Guild, he wouldn’t have known where Wit was.

He also wouldn’t have known that the stupid Wit had revealed his true form to a human.

“Who?”

“You know, the one you called the to-toy shop owner.”

Lucian furrowed his brow as if he really couldn’t remember and fell into thought.

“Ah…”

Then, as if he finally remembered, he made a sound.

“That.”

That. How ironic that he’s calling someone else a demon when he refer to people as objects.

Taro was dumbfounded.

“You only remember now? You were obsessively hanging around that human like a child who found an in-interesting new toy.”

How could you forget that so quickly? What’s wrong with you?

Despite Taro’s look, Lucian smoothly curved his lips upward, unfazed.

“That’s over now. I’ve found something more interesting.”

“…You screw-loose fellow.”

Lucian waved his hand lightly as he left the room, saying, “Well then, good luck.”

***

Creak-

Rustle, rustle… Thud!

“Ugh…”

“……”

What’s this?

I anxiously looked up at the ceiling.

I had been sleeping soundly. At least until I heard strange noises coming from under the bed.

My heart was racing wildly.

I swallowed silently.

Outside the room was deathly quiet.

It was clear that neither Wit nor Adriel knew about this situation.

Just from that, I could tell this was no ordinary thief.

I don’t know how they found out about my treasure, but…

Still lying on the bed, I searched for a weapon, my eyes gleaming ominously in the darkness.

How dare they touch my things…

Fortunately, there was a bedside table within arm’s reach.

I firmly grasped the glass of water on it.

I won’t let this slide.

Just as I was quietly getting up.

Rustle, click.

“…Hm?”

Whoosh-!

“Ack, aaaargh!!!”

“…?!”

Along with a scream that sounded oddly familiar, a bright blue light suddenly filled the room.

Startled by the appearance of this unidentifiable blue light, I quickly backed away, pressing my back against the wall.

And at that moment, the door burst open.

“What’s going on, Master!”

“My lady…!”

It was Wit and Adriel.

Their gazes, after confirming my presence, slowly turned towards the space under the bed.

That was where the mysterious light was emanating from.

“Can you get up?”

While I was blinking in confusion, Adriel, who had approached the bed with his long strides, extended his hand to me.

His attitude seemed to suggest that he judged the light to be dangerous.

I quickly grabbed Adriel’s hand and stood up. As soon as I was off the bed, I let go of his hand and ran towards the door.

“…Sir Knight?”

When did he act like we should quickly escape from here?

Adriel stood frozen in the same posture as when he had helped me up.

“Ah…”

As if finally coming to his senses, he clenched the hand he had extended, making a soft sound.

Why is he acting like that?

While I was distracted by Adriel.

“Kekeke. Wake up, stupid Taro.”

Who did he say?

Wit’s innocent laughter pierced my ears.

When I turned my head, Wit was giggling and poking a blackened figure with his finger.

“Did you faint from getting hit by the Master? Kekeke. That’s what you get for sneaking into the Master’s room.”

Wait. Is that Taro?

I blinked in surprise.

His size and height weren’t different from when he was in bird form.

However, it was the first time I had seen him with a body blackened as if burnt and a face covered in scars.

Come to think of it, Wit’s true form was a skeleton. So is this Taro’s true form?

“Urgh… Wit…”

“Taro, are you dying? Or are you already dead? Kekeke.”

“St-Stop talking nonsense and r-run away.”

Just as I was trying to find the right time to ask why he had invaded my room and what he was trying to do under the bed, Adriel called out to me.

“We should leave now.”

I looked around. The blue light was still faintly seeping out from under the bed.

What on earth is that?

“Yes. Let’s go outside for now…”

“Run away, Wit. It’s O-Oberon’s necklace.”

…Necklace?

“That human was hi-hiding Oberon’s necklace. R-Run away, Wit.”

I looked at Taro once, and then under the bed once.

Necklace? Could it be…

“My jewel!”

“My lady!”

Without a moment’s thought, I rushed to the bed.

I took out the long rod hidden under the bed and stirred it around, and there was a clunking sound as if something had been caught.

“You’ll be sorry if even one thing is missing.”

I won’t let this slide.

After first taking out the money pouch and checking its contents, I then tried to take out the jewelry box.

“…Huh?”

That’s when I noticed a faint light seeping out from the jewelry box.

I gulped and carefully took out the jewelry box.

“My lady, let me check it…”

As I was hesitating, afraid to open it, Adriel tried to take the jewelry box away, saying it was dangerous.

“Don’t touch it!”

I glared at him fiercely and hugged the jewelry box. My nerves, on edge due to the presence of the thief, made me suspicious of everything.