REFDL 78

“It’s dangerous.”

“Really? Do you honestly think so?”

“…….”

“Try thinking before you speak from now on, Sir. Otherwise, I don’t have a reason to bring a person instead of a golem as my guard.”

The knight looked like he wanted to argue, but he just sighed.

Valita was right. Those kidnappers weren’t knights; they were just trashy criminals. It’s hard for anything bad to happen against guys who can’t even handle mana and haven’t received proper training. This side had five knights.

“But please be careful.”

The knight spoke as cautiously as possible. His words implied that while they might be fine on their own, entering with Valita, a non-combatant and the person they had to protect, was a burden.

Valita’s lips twitched, but his curiosity about the current situation was stronger.

That red-blonde hair especially stood out. The way it fluttered in the wind floated before his eyes like an afterimage. It looked like waves soaking up the sunset.

Valita remembered the man he just saw for the first time as vividly as if he’d known him his whole life. He didn’t even think that was strange.

He walked out of the alley without answering. The knight suppressed his many frustrations and signaled to the other knights.

Since they were part of a delegation, they planned to move as secretly as possible for now.

 * * *

I saw an unfamiliar ceiling when I opened my eyes.

“…….”

I don’t know how things ended up like this.

Everything was fine until we entered the busy streets.

 ***

“The Founding Festival is all about masks! We have many kinds! Take a look!”

Wearing half-masks at the festival was a tradition.

It started with a ritual where the imperial family wore masks modeled after Firmus and Julan to honor them, but now a banquet commemorates the day instead.

The custom of wearing masks spread outside the imperial palace along with it.

Besides Firmus and Julan, there were masks of dragons found in Firmus, monster masks, and even masks of historical heroes. Rotol’s eyes sparkled and she ran forward as soon as she found a stall hung with masks. Then she insisted:

“Let’s wear them just in case. The mansion might send people to look for us. It’s better to hide our identities if we want to play for a long time!”

It seemed like she just wanted to wear one, but nobody complained.

Rotol picked a Firmus mask. Then Mirim tried to pick a Julan mask, but….

“Oh, this is pretty! Should I have picked this one? But Firmus is good too….”

What Rotol picked up was a flashy Pina Dragon mask (a land species, usually kept as pets and about the size of a large dog) covered in pink and yellow feathers.

Mirim chose that mask without a second thought. It suited him surprisingly well.

Odan grabbed the plainest mask. It was a Knum mask that was there just to fill the selection since it wasn’t popular.

It was even too big for Odan since the target audience was adult men. The half-mask kept slipping down, so Odan just wore it on his lower face.

I didn’t have a choice.

Rotol handed me a Kremlis half-mask as if there were no other options. I quietly put it on.

The Kremlis mask was the most popular one. Over half of the people wearing masks nearby were wearing Kremlis. Having many means it’s common.

Rotol pouted when I acted calm. I don’t know what she expected.

After that, we walked around quite a bit. We ate street food, pushed through the crowds to the square to watch performances, and enjoyed the parade….

It was fun.

Everything was definitely different from living in the Forest Village, but it felt like I’d returned to that time.

Ah.

I can’t say everything was great, but life back then was pretty comfortable and fun.

I felt a gaze when I smiled. Odan was staring at me while Mirim held Rotol back from behind as she tried to flip a table after losing three times at a shell game.

“……Lord Dragon, do you like your life now?”

Why are you asking that? Don’t you like it?

I held back from asking him back. It felt like he was asking because he didn’t.

His tightly wrapped outfit and his strangely calmed attitude bothered me more and more.

A person’s personality doesn’t change that easily.

There’s a reason if it changes drastically in a short time.

“Well. If I have to say whether I like it or not, I think I like it.”

“That’s a vague answer.”

“Nothing in the world is perfect. For your information, life in the Forest Village wasn’t bad either.”

I mean it. Even though I sometimes dreamed about getting bitten on the butt by a wolf monster or the villagers turning on me with spears and pickaxes.

“It was good.”

“…I…”

Odan hesitated and eventually let his words trail off. However, I could easily guess from his darkened expression.

You want to go back.

I wasn’t sure exactly what was happening, but there was definitely a problem.

Then the question is should I report this or not?

……Hah.

Should I tell him?

Derrick is someone I could tell. No matter the problem, the chance of solving it is higher if I report it.

But can I decide this on my own? Isn’t it overstepping since he didn’t ask for help?

If I just give a hint that something seems to be going on with Odan…… that’s just showing concern.

I wanted to sigh.

I’d rather go through a monster wave again. I’m terrible at this kind of thing.

“Is something going on?”

“…….”

“Can you tell me what’s happening?”

“……Ask His Grace the Duke.”

I gasped. The look on his face for a moment was definitely a sneer.

Odan realized his mistake too late and straightened his expression.

“Wait. What does that mean….”

Just then, Mirim dragged over Rotol, who had lost 80% of her allowance to the gambler.

Rotol screamed that she would ‘kill that scammer.’ People nearby looked back and forth between Rotol’s face, her academy uniform, and her Firmus mask.

Odan teased Rotol as if nothing happened, and an angry Rotol lunged at him. That’s how the awkward topic was skipped.

I naturally got thirsty after the commotion.

A stall selling camon juice (it tastes like mango) caught my eye just in time…… so we bought a glass each and made a toast.

That’s my last memory.

***

“……!”

This is insane.

My slowly waking brain realized the situation.

A dark warehouse full of dust. My arms tied behind my back.

It was a kidnapping.

…The kids!

Why did I do something so useless? I shouldn’t have trusted the public safety of a medieval fantasy world. I was overcome with regret.

I struggled to untie my bound hands, but it was useless. My strength in human form was slightly below average.

Should I turn into a dragon?

No. I can’t do that while I don’t know where this warehouse is.

The whole place will collapse if it’s underground, and if the kids are locked in the room right next door…… in the worst case, I’ll end up killing them. The thought made me shiver.

I won’t transform for now.

I think I need to check the situation first.

Should I cause a scene and call someone?

But I can’t do anything in human form even if I call someone.

“…….”

Coming outside was indeed a reckless move.

I got too complacent because everything had been going smoothly lately. I bit my lip. I felt a sting and then the taste of blood. I anxiously racked my brain, but couldn’t find an answer.

It was best to just wait quietly for Kaelus’s rescue. ……But what if something happens to the kids in the meantime?

I had to figure out the situation even if I got hit.

I made up my mind and wiggled my body bit by bit to position myself in front of the door. It was the moment I was about to kick the door with both feet.

Rattle, rattle!

“……!!”

The door shook. I froze in a crouching position, startled.

I stared at the door while holding my breath. The door shook a few more times.

Bang!

A loud sound rang out as if something had struck it.

The half-broken handle dangled from the force. That was when I noticed something strange.

Why are they trying to break the door? If they’re the people who kidnapped us, can’t they just open it and walk in?

…They aren’t the guys who locked me in here!

I had a glimmer of hope..

Did Kaelus come to save me already?

Crunch!

“…….”

“…….”

However, contrary to my expectations, the person who broke the door and stepped in wasn’t Kaelus.

 ***

It was five minutes later when Kaelus raided the kidnappers’ base.