Pardon the Abduction, Holy Knight - It's an Emergency - Chapter 3.16

“Ugh….”

“Woof!”

“Uh, uwaah!”

The man, who had been groaning while holding his swollen nose, suddenly came to his senses and ran away.

Wit, seemingly wanting to chase him far away, jumped over the window and pursued the man.

The man’s desperate screams echoed vividly through the forest.

“Sigh.”

People like that will never realize what they did wrong until they die.

I clicked my tongue while watching the back of the man running away hastily, then opened the front door.

The inside of the house was a bit messy as there had been a small scuffle.

“……”

“……”

I took off my robe and stared at Adriel, who was still standing there blankly.

What on earth is that man thinking?

He could have easily informed an outsider about his kidnapping or escaped through the open window.

But Adriel didn’t do that.

Rather, as if not wanting to reveal his identity, he wore my mask and tried to drive away the outsider.

“Sir Knight.”

I called out to Adriel, who was quietly taking off the silver mask.

He then handed me the stick with somewhat awkward movements.

“I borrowed this for a moment. I didn’t touch any of my lady’s jewels, so don’t worry.”

“…I know. I know you’re not the type to take my things.”

I knew from several confirmations that he had no interest in my jewels.

That wasn’t what I was curious about.

“More importantly, how did that man get in here?”

“…The window was open.”

“What? That can’t be. I’m sure I checked the window before going out.”

Adriel quietly avoided my eyes.

I was lost in thought for a moment, then asked another question a little later.

“Why were you fighting with that man?”

So…

“Why did you help me?”

Silence fell in the house.

Adriel, who couldn’t answer readily, slowly parted his lips.

“That fellow was making a racket and disturbing my prayer time.”

Prayer time…

I had seen Adriel quietly praying a few times before.

Of course, as a devout clergyman, prayer would have been an important time for him that shouldn’t be disturbed.

“So I was just trying to chase him away, not help my lady.”

Adriel saying this looked more serious than ever.

It made sense somewhat.

Although I still wondered why he didn’t run away.

I looked at the mask in Adriel’s hand.

“So that’s why you borrowed my mask?”

His expression looked somewhat embarrassed.

“Really, Sir Knight, you’re the most peculiar person I know.”

Somehow, it made me laugh.

“You’re really peculiar.”

And Adriel’s eyes widened as he looked at me.

I looked back at him for a moment before walking to the kitchen with the grocery basket.

The smile on my face, with my back to him, disappeared in an instant.

Adriel must have opened the window.

How many times has this been?

Even on the day Taro came, Adriel had moved after breaking Wit’s magic.

There have been similar small incidents since then.

I thought it was okay so far because it was just minor resistance.

If Adriel’s power surpasses Wit’s like in the original story…

Just as my legs were about to give out at the dizzying thought,

“Be careful.”

“…!”

Adriel, who had approached without a sound, held my arm to support me so I wouldn’t fall.

I looked up at him with wide eyes.

Because I had been thinking such thoughts until just now, my eyes trembled as if an earthquake had struck.

“My lady?”

Before a question could arise on Adriel’s face as he looked at me,

I quickly composed my expression and straightened my posture.

“Th-thank you.”

Hahaha. Haha.

Adriel looked at me strangely as I laughed awkwardly, and I started walking again.

I need to get the signature as soon as possible.

I firmly resolved, but for some reason, a corner of my heart felt empty.

…This daily life doesn’t have much time left.

Holding an emotion that I couldn’t tell if it was fear or regret.

***

Adriel’s complexion was quite serious as he sat on the bed in the room.

Why am I like this?

He was confused.

During that time when Rosemary and Wit went out.

Adriel had been manipulating his aura as if he had always been training to prepare for a battle with demons.

Soon after, that person called a guest came.

Circulating aura required tremendous concentration.

So the man’s disturbance was quite annoying, but he ignored it and closed his eyes again.

“Come out, you fraudulent owner!”

However, the moment that man called for Rosemary.

Clench.

The veins on the back of his hand, resting on his knee, bulged.

It was instantaneous that his body moved before his mind.

What Adriel remembers after that was roughly this.

He left the window open to lure the rampaging man inside, and as soon as the man climbed through the window, he grabbed him by the nape and threw him down.

So when Rosemary suddenly appeared, he couldn’t help but freeze.

Because he realized only then that his actions had been impulsive.

It was because it was annoying.

Both the commotion that the so-called guest was causing.

And the expression that woman was making because of him.

All of it was annoying.

“It’s clear that Sir Knight opened the window.”

“Kekeke. But Master, Wit definitely put a spell on it.”

“That’s why I’m saying he broke your magic and opened the window!”

“Hmm? Adriel? That Adriel?”

“Yes, that Adriel. Haa… From now on, I shouldn’t leave the house if I can help it.”

The sound of conspiring from outside the room reached Adriel’s ears.

Come to think of it, the window had opened easily.

Adriel tried turning the door handle with magic on it again.

But there was only a clicking sound, and the handle didn’t turn completely.

…Indeed, it doesn’t budge at all.

There was a possibility that the demon had forgotten to put a spell on the window.

But Adriel somehow felt certain.

That he had broken that demon’s magic.

For reasons unknown, Adriel often felt some kind of power growing inside him since he was kidnapped.

He’s not sure exactly what this power is.

But this is a new hope.

Even if he fails to use Rosemary Ferial to kill the demon, he might be able to escape somehow using this power.

Catching the demon is possible even after that.

So for now, leaving this place is also…