漫画大王

Chapter 134

Loyar adamantly opposed the idea, and insisted that she would rather die than do such a thing. The expressions of the Thieves’ Guild’s executives turned bizarre.

I wasn’t sure whether to consider this fortunate or not. Though she couldn’t articulate her reasons well, Loyar glared at me as if pleading to be killed instead, so the proposal was ultimately withdrawn.

After some back and forth, I eventually told the Thieves’ Guild that I would bury this matter for their sake, and that they now owed me one, before leaving the headquarters.

—Well, I suppose this is also fate, so let’s keep in touch from now on.

—Uh-Uhh... O-Okay.

—Why so tense? Come on, everyone makes mistakes now and then. It’s only a problem when you repeat those mistakes. Let’s get along without any trouble from now on, okay?

—Y-Yeah... Thank you... Honestly, we didn’t expect you to do this much for us.

My calm words left the guild master looking as if his soul had been sucked out. In the end, I’d ultimately prevented the Thieves’ Guild from being annihilated.

The gratitude from the Thieves’ Guild executives was palpable. Although they showed some grim ambition, since Loyar had vehemently opposed my plan and it had fallen through, it seemed they were grateful to Loyar as well.

Things didn’t go exactly as I had intended, but the situation was resolved on a good note.

Though I had been set free, I was furious.

After leaving the Thieves’ Guild, I found a secluded place and confronted Loyar.

“Damn it! I literally set up a feast for you, why can’t you just eat it?”

“Your Highness... How am I supposed to manage a large organization like the Thieves’ Guild when even managing 200 members tires me out? It’s just not feasible,” Loyar said.

“Your Highness... It’s a relief you’re safe... but this is truly beyond imagination,” Eleris said.

“... Eleris? You were here as well?”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Eleris seemed a little angry, as if regretting her concern about me.

Her expression suggested that I now owed her one for making her worry so much. Apparently, she had observed the whole situation while cloaked in an invisibility spell.

“It’s already bad enough having to hide every time the full moon rises. Taking on the role of guild master of the Thieves’ Guild is impossible.”

Loyar did not believe she would last long if forced into the position, and there was some sense to that.

No matter how I thought about it, though, it seemed like an opportunity wasted.

“Damn. I thought a big opportunity had just fallen into my lap.”

Well, at least the threat of the Thieves’ Guild messing with the Rotary Club had now been completely eliminated, so it wasn’t as if nothing had been gained at all.

Being able to exert influence over the Thieves’ Guild was definitely something.

“But how the hell am I going to explain this to the Temple authorities now...”

I couldn’t tell them I had been kidnapped by the Thieves’ Guild, but what excuse could I make for my five-day absence? Should I say that I’d gone on a long journey to find myself or something?

“... To think that, after talking about devouring the Thieves’ Guild or whatever, you’re now worried about something so typical of a student... I really don’t understand,” exclaimed Eleris in exasperation, seeing me worry about things that concerned a typical student while at the same time concocting schemes that a regular student would never dream of.

Loyar and Eleris asked me for the specifics of what had happened, and I explained everything from the beginning.

Both of their expressions hardened.

Naturally, they both lectured me.

“Your Highness, you must realize that this could have turned into a major disaster.”

“... Would it kill you to tame that temper of yours, Your Highness?”

“... I know. It was actually fortunate that it was the Thieves’ Guild that kidnapped me.”

If another group other than the Thieves’ Guild had kidnapped me, the situation could have been much more dangerous. Ultimately, I managed to navigate my way out of this situation, but if I had messed with a truly reckless delinquent, it could have been a life-threatening scenario. I was aware that, although things turned out well, I had essentially narrowly escaped death.

The outcome, which was favorable thanks to my actions, did not justify the carelessness of my initial actions.

I really could have died.

“I’m sorry, you guys.”

In the end, I couldn’t do anything but sincerely apologize to the two of them who had come all this way and worried about me.

***

I learned about various things from Loyar and Eleris, and only after conversing with them did I understand why there had been no Rotary Club members at the Wenster Market.

I heard some unexpected stories from them as well.

I went into the guard post at Wenster district, revealed my identity, and explained to the guards there everything that had happened.

I told them that I had been kidnapped by an unknown group, and that it seemed like they wanted to ransom me, but as the situation escalated, they abandoned me in a desolate location and disappeared.

My eyes had been covered, so I didn’t know who they were and where I was being held. I told them that I came here as soon as I was set free.

By proving to them that I was safe, the issue of me being officially missing would be resolved.

Charlotte and Vertus had confirmed I was safe, but the city guards and the Temple authorities likely had no idea.

I spent the entire Saturday crafting my statements, sweating blood in the process. In the end, I just kept on repeating that I didn’t know anything, and it was unclear whether the investigators believed me or not. However, they didn’t bother me further.

After confirming that I was in good health and securing my statement, they escorted me to the entrance to the Temple.

Swishh...

Rain was pouring.

“You’ve been through a lot, kid. From now on, don’t go into dangerous places like that.”

“Yes. Thank you.”

I had been held up all day, and it was nearly evening. I would have to go into the Temple and have various discussions with the teachers, and craft yet another fabricated statement.

I took the tram and arrived in front of the Royal Class dormitory.

Wearing the clothes given to me by the guards, and using the umbrella they provided, I made my way into the dormitory.

Swishhhh...

‘When will this dreary rain ever stop...?’

The situation with the Thieves’ Guild hadn’t been that dangerous for me. Although my plan to make Loyar the guild master had fallen through, things ultimately worked out well, since there now existed a connection between me and the Thieves’ Guild.

It was a good outcome. As Vertus said, it was the starting point of something grand, like becoming the emperor of the underworld, as cheesy as that sounded.

Still, my heart felt heavy.

“... Hey.”

“...?”

Before I even realized it, our eyes met, and I found myself staring blankly at Ellen Artorius, who was sitting on a bench in the rain.

“Reinhart?”

Her lips were blue, and she staggered as she stood up.

I heard that she’d been severely beaten by Loyar.

I wasn’t sure why she was just standing there in the rain, getting drenched.

I didn’t quite understand, but, perhaps, I somehow did.

Ellen had tried to distance herself from me. However, once I’d disappeared, she’d set out to look for me.

I couldn’t say for sure what she was thinking, or what feelings had driven her to search for me.

During her search, she’d encountered Loyar, who had considered her an interference and had beaten her up. Despite summoning her soul sword, Lament, she had been defeated regardless.

It was hard to gauge what feelings Ellen had at that moment.

But she had tried to find me, only to be chased away as if she were a nuisance, and was defeated in battle in the process.

She stood there dumbly, looking at me with unfocused eyes.

“... I’m sorry.”

I tried to think of something to say, but in the end, that was all that came out.

The shock of losing to Loyar had to be affecting her, and she had to be curious as to who Loyar, the one who defeated her, was.

And she must have realized that I had even more secrets.

“My secrets...

“No.” Ellen cut me off as I tried to say something. “It’s okay.”

Her lips, blue with cold, trembled violently.

“I don’t care about that anymore,” she said.

The twitching of her lips... What emotion was she trying to express? It seemed like she was trying to smile.

It seemed like she was happy.

Shivering, she suddenly hugged me tightly.

Swishhhh...

“You don’t have to tell me anything,” Ellen said.

Her voice and her body were shaking severely, and she felt alarmingly cold. She buried her face in the nape of my neck.

At the spot where the corner of her eyes touched my skin, I felt something warm.

It felt like tears, and because of that sensation, I just froze.

Ellen was crying.

Because of me.

“Just... just... As long as you’re safe. That’s all... That’s all that matters.”

It felt as though I was forgiven, but her words only made my guilt grow.

***

Some time had gone by, and the turmoil had passed.

The news that I had been found had already reached the teachers, since I was a student who had gone missing, and even though it was the weekend, the teachers on duty had to be informed.

It seemed that Mr. Effenhauser was not present.

I offered them a report that was similar to what I had given to the guards, and that also took some time.

The news of my return had spread, and numerous people were waiting for me as I returned to the dormitory.

“Junior! Are you okay?”

“Yes... I’m fine. I’m not hurt or anything.”

“I... I was worried... Ugh...!”

Adriana hugged me and burst into tears. She might not have set out to find me herself, but it was clear that she had spent several sleepless nights worrying. Even Olivia and the members of the Grace Club all crowded around to ask after me.

“I’m so glad, Reinhart...” Olivia said.

Olivia’s eyes were also brimming with tears. It seemed the Grace Club had tried to set out to find me themselves, but had been stopped by the teachers.

Charlotte, who knew some of the details of what had truly happened, shook her head.

“... You’re the biggest fool out of everyone I know,” she said.

“Is that a compliment?”

“Yeah, in its own way, that’s a compliment.”

“Let’s talk about the details later.”

Vertus also smiled wryly at me. Both of them knew about the mischief I’d gotten into, so they didn’t seem worried.

They had both played significant roles in my survival.

In addition to Ludwig and Delphine, even the students from Class B who weren’t particularly close to me came by to wish me well. Somehow, I had thought that I was making a mess of my school life, but it seemed things could not have turned out better for me.

People lingered around me until late into the night, expressing their worries and sharing their relief that I was safe. If I were to tell them the truth—that I hadn’t been in any danger at all and had, in fact, been holding my captors hostage with threats—would they want to kill me instead?

I was grateful, of course, but guilt slowly crept up on me.

Eventually, as the night wore on, everyone began to disperse, and I was finally able to breathe a sigh of relief upon being left alone.

Ellen had been the first to confront me, and had cried for a while, then seemed to have gone into her room.

I had seen almost everyone, but there was still one person left.

Knock, knock.

I knocked on her door.

Knock, knock.

‘Is she asleep? That doesn’t seem likely.’

After a short wait, the door opened cautiously. No face appeared, and only a voice came through.

—Can... Can we talk tomorrow instead?

From the sound of her voice, I could guess why she hadn’t been able to come out to see me.

“... Sure, alright then.”

—Yeah...

Her voice was completely hoarse from crying extensively. Her face must have been a mess as well.

But she had also genuinely made an effort to find me, so I wanted to see her in person and offer my gratitude.

‘Well, there’s nothing that can’t be done tomorrow I guess.’

“Then, tomorrow it is—”

—Wait.

In the end, though, she couldn’t bear it and flung the door open, grabbing my arm and pulling me inside.

Click.

She closed the door. She hung her head low, not wanting to show her face.

“I heard you went looking for me.”

“... Yeah.”

“Thanks. And I’m sorry.”

“...”

She was silent for a while, then she suddenly hugged me.

“I-I was worried...!” she stammered between sobs.

“...”

She continued to bawl, and it seemed as if she was running out of breath.

I hugged her back, gently stroking her back in silence.

‘Damn it. I should have returned earlier.’

Harriet had been so distressed that she cried for over an hour.

As I tried to soothe her and take my leave, Harriet, still with her head lowered, asked me, “Weren’t you scared...?”

“... I was scared.”

Honestly, until that Wednesday, even though I had acted calmly, I had indeed been scared.

I could have been killed at any moment at the guild master’s whim, and might have had to use everything I could to survive—the Flame of Fire, my supernatural powers, and even the achievement points.

And even then, I wasn’t sure if I would have survived.

Of course, in that case, I would have had to kill people.

The other students might not have thought that about me, but I had truly been afraid.

“You’re weird.”

“... What do you mean?”

“You should be the one crying... You must have been so scared...”

The person who should have been crying was me. After going through such a situation, I should have been crying with relief, and being comforted by others.

Instead, I’d ended up comforting those who were crying out of happiness because of my safe return, just like I was doing with Harriet.

“You... you’re weird.”

That was probably why Harriet thought I was weird.

“I’m a grown-up, that’s why,” I said.

Harriet didn’t offer a snarky reply to my somewhat conceited remark.

“Yeah... I think so too.”

Her response, completely different from what I’d expected, left me somewhat taken aback.