Chapter 86: It’s prickly

Chapter 86: It’s prickly

When I deemed that we had sufficiently distanced ourselves from gaudy and his minions, I enter the nearest back alley to release the kickblade and lower Faima down.

「Wouldn’t it be better if you continue to the inn as it is.」

「The place you’re staying at is a luxurious inn patronized by nobility, isn’t it? We’ll stand out if we continue straight there with the kickblade.」

「I’m of the opinion that we stood out more than than enough though…………」

「It’s just a little spice in their everyday life that will soon be forgotten.」

Besides, my face was hidden behind Faima’s body (specifically, her abundant chest) and probably didn’t register in anyone’s eyes all that much. Rather, Faima might’ve stood out more than me but let’s not touch that subject.

Faima’s lodging isn’t that far from here. We would arrive in front of the gorgeously decorated and luxurious inn if we walk just for a bit. Makes me wonder how much it’ll cost for a night. Incidentally, mine goes for one gold coin per month. Divided daily, it would be about 3 copper coins and a few iron coins. This high-class establishment seems likely to cost at the very least one silver coin per night.

「Quite the expensive place to stay.」

「Not really, no. It only cost about 3 silver coins per night.」

That’s three times as much as I predicted. For one month, it would total to nearly 10 gold coins. Converted to Japanese Yen, that would be close to one million. Quite the luxurious hotel. As expected of an ojou-sama. Her sense of money is somewhat different than that of commoners.

「Now that you mention it. Here ya go, it’s where I’m staying.」

I gave her a piece of paper with my address written on it. In a world where mobile phones and other means of long-distance communications are limited, paper is a fairly important medium for information exchange.

I always have a piece of paper with the address where I’m staying at, just in case.

「If you need me, you can come to the adventurer’s guild or the place written here. Oh right, if you go to the guild, ask for the receptionist named Cindy-san. She will pass the message to me.」

These days, she’s gradually starting to be permanently in charge of me. It’s definitely an order from Lydeal baa-san.

When Faima receives the paper from me, she’s grinning widely to the point where I wanna ask where did her usual rational atmosphere went. She’s constantly muttering gibberish lines such as「friend, I have a friend…」

This work is hosted on mananovel.com

Just how much of a loner this ojou-sama had been?

I wanna speak to her parents who neglected her to this point. It would have been nice if she could at least have someone by her side whom she could talk to without reserve. No matter how it may seem to be forced at first, there would be no doubt of the true friendship that would sprout from that moment on.

Misaki and Ayana are a good example of this. Theirs was a friendship that started with parental connection but now, they’re the best of friends.

「Ojou-samaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!」

A shout reverberates in the streets that was beginning to be wrapped in darkness. Faima trembles from the loudness of it. I too, have a slight prickling sensation along my spine.

I can hear the footsteps rushing over to us. Only this time, it’s not from gaudy but from three of those known to us. The three escorts of Faima. Agatt and Kiska are running on both sides behind Rand.

「That’s my que to leave.」

「eh? You are not going to stay and talk for a while with Rand and the others?」

「I’m gonna get scolded by the old man Rand if I return the runaway ojou-sama as it is.」

Hearing my words made her remember that she had slipped away and it made her pale with cold sweat flowing down from her forehead. Thanks for reading on ManaNovel!

「Give it up and properly accept it.」

「Uuuu……… Even though I’m only reaping what I sow, I’m reluctant………」

The dejected girl says so in a whisper. I pat the crestfallen girl’s head and turn my feet to leave the area.

.

.

.

At which point…

From the exact opposite direction where Rand is running towards us, the sound of a large number of feet rushing is echoing in the decreasingly unpopulated night street.

Can it be that gaudy and his men caught up to us?

Assuming that he targets the place where she’s staying, Faima won’t be able to settle the matter without revealing her status as a noble. I’m pretty good at trash-talking an opponent during a fight but I’m not that good at talking them down in a debate. I should leave it to Rand as he is the one with more experience in this kind of matter.

However, contrary to my expectations, instead of gaudy’s men with the physical body that screams [physical labor banzai], the ones that appeared is a group of armored men carrying spear with an atmosphere that screams [battlefield banzai]. Furthermore, these guys stop their feet when they reach my position for some reason and surround me silently with a stern expression on their face.

「…………Ha?」

Armored figures encircling me all point their spears to the center, leaving me astounded by the unexpected surprise. They look like they’re completely ready for a war. Although their intention doesn’t quite reach murderous in nature, the signs of it are alarmingly close.

Back on earth, I was once surrounded like this by hoodlums but as one would expect, being surrounded by police officers armed with pistols never happened to me.

The reason why I mention police officers is because of the [crest] on the armor of those surrounding me. It’s the [coat of arms] signifying that they belong to the Diagal Imperial Army. I immediately recognize them from the coat of arms symbolizing the regular army on their left chest and the coat of arms of the knight order they belong to on their upper arm. That forms the basis for the armor of Diagal Empire army. I knew them instantly because it’s one of the things I still remember from the course on aristocratic measure I took the other day.

「………Is there some kind of misunderstanding hーー」

For the time being, I’ll try to say something while taking a step forward.

ーーーzan!

「…………………Okay okay. I won’t fight back, so calm down. um Could you not prick my back. That’s seriously scary so please stop.」

The moment I start moving, the encirclement shrink without any distortion and all the speartips are only one step short from my body. Actually, I’m already being pricked on my back.

I raise both hands, expressing my intent to surrender. Not surprisingly, choosing to retaliate here would be the worst move I could take.

「Ka-Kanna? What are all of you doing?」

Looking back by turning my head, I can see Faima looking like the blood drained from her face while trying to rush to my direction. She was shouting at the imperial soldiers encircling me when Agatt grabs her hand and held her back.

「Release me Agatt! Kanna!」

「You must not, milady! If milady conducts herself poorly in this place, it will only worsen your position needlessly. Please endure it for the moment!」

「It can’t be! He was only accompanying me and certainly has not done anything deserving of such treatment! You yourself know that Kanna is not a bad person!」

「………I know he is not a bad guy. But our personal view would not be readily accepted by the people of this country.」

「ーー!!」

Faima bites her lips and stops speaking. It’s clear that Agatt’s reasoning is correct. Kiska draws Faima to her embrace and pats her shoulder to calm her down.

Under the strained atmosphere that changed completely from the peaceful mood a while ago, one of the soldier who hadn’t join the encirclement approaches Faima’s party. The shape of his armor is slightly different that the other soldiers. He’s probably a captain or something similar. From the opposite of him, Rand takes a step forward.

「………Thank you for your cooperation. Due to your effort, we were able to confirm the safety of Faima-sama.」(rand)

「The most important matter is the young lady is safe. We are also relieved.」

If you’re relieved, would ya guys mind lowering the spears?

I mean, the one on my back is really pricking me y’know. ah I got a new discovery. It seems that Reactive Ice Field’s reaction is delayed when I’m being gradually stabbed. Thanks, person on my back. I’ll remember your face instead of saying thanks, kay.

「As I see it, the young lady is acquainted with the [ruffian] who took her away though?」(cpt dic)

「That is correct. He was a guard we employed when we escorted Faima-sama to this country, but the contract has expired. We are greatly indebted to that man during the course of our journey.」(rand)

I’m kinda ticked off about being called [ruffian] but I have enough self-control not to show it on my face. Rand also doesn’t think that I’d harmed Faima and indirectly inform the captain that I’m not a dangerous person.

「………Be that as it may, although he may be [harmless] up to this point, he might not be [trustworthy] in the future. Being a guard for her is in the past since the contract has expired. This man has no further obligation to ensure her safety. He might have done nothing this time but it may well be an act to invite our negligence.」(cpt dic)

「That is……true, however…」(rand)

「I am not doubting your words. However, from our standpoint, we cannot afford to summarily acquit this man and release him. Please understand.」(cpt dic)

「………Of course, I understand your position.」

Judging from their conversation, I seem to have been recognized as a ruffian who’s aiming for the ojou-sama with a nefarious schemes. The regular army surrounding me was also deployed to search for Faima ojou-sama.

It was a slight mischief of an ojou-sama………

………or so we thought.

Apparently, Faima’s escape (let’s call it that) seems to have been a pretty big deal.

…………No, hang on a sec.

If she had expected a commotion this big, no matter how suffocated Faima felt, she would’ve endured and exercised prudence in a lot of ways. Considering her back and forth with Agatt earlier, was it also unexpected for her to see imperial army’s involvement in this matter? When I direct my gaze at Rand, he noticed it and shake his head with a grim expression. We can’t wrap this up at the present huh.

The captain turns to me and says…

「You there, you heard the story. I’m sorry but I’ll have you come with us to the patrol garrison. I’ll listen to your story in the interrogation room.」(cpt dic)

「………I guess I’ll have to cough up various kinds of explanations huh.」

「Let’s just say………it depends on your attitude. Unless you cooperate poorly, we are not going to do anything more than we need to.」

I can’t feel any emotion behind his voice and expression. A straightforward attitude to the end. From what he said earlier, he don’t have any personal feelings about me and seems to be doing his job professionally.

I can only release a sigh as I let go of the tension from my shoulders. Whatever the case, guess I have no choice but to be obedient here.

Finally, I turn to Faima. Her expression broke down and gave way to tears as she wails…

「I’m sorry Kanna! I-I never thought that it would result in this!」

I just laugh in return and wave my hand. Driven by remorse, she swallows her reply. Maybe it’s because she knows that I’m not asking for an apology. I’ll be borrowing her [power] later.

Now then, even back on earth I’ve never experienced being taken care of in a jail. I just hope the place is comfortable enough to spend the night in.

While looking at the stars that has begun to shine in the night sky, I’m taken away by the imperial army, surrounded to the very end.