Chapter 59

If the guards were functioning properly as guards, they should have stopped the driver who wasn't heading towards the capital.

Nebel noticed, so there's no way the guards didn't notice.

The guards are no good either.

"Nebel and the princess, promise me this: no matter what the other party says, don't respond. Crying out of fear is acceptable. The other party will probably get carried away and start messing with us, but you mustn't engage. We'll pretend we don't know what's happening and obediently follow their orders."

Nebel and Princess Einhorn nodded in agreement with what I said.

The mastermind of the kidnapping aside, the perpetrators are likely hired hands with no noble connections. These kinds of people, to put it bluntly, are ruffians who have gotten their hands dirty and are involved in criminal activities.

They might lash out if we make a fuss, saying we're being noisy or something.

We left Baron Ruprecht's ranch just before dusk. The sun was still high, but the sky visible through the window was getting darker and darker.

If we don't return by nightfall, Silt and Lanz will take action. We just need to wait for them to come for us.

In an emergency, I'll make a decision without hesitation.

In the first place, during a kidnapping, the only thing we can do is not provoke the other party. Looking for the culprit? We don't have the luxury for that.

"Hey, Nebel."

"What?"

I took off the earring in my right ear and swapped it with Nebel's right ear earring. My earring is made of a magic stone and can apparently be used to pinpoint location. It's a custom-made item and not available to the general public, so the kidnappers shouldn't notice. I had Nebel wear one as a precaution in case we were separated.

Still, where are we heading?

How far have we come from the capital? The sky visible from the window is already completely dark, and the carriage finally stops.

We don't move.

We can hear multiple people talking outside. Have they joined up with their companions? Opening the door and going out on our own would be dangerous.

Just as I was thinking that, the carriage door opened, and a man with a scar on his right cheek, looking like a typical thug, appeared.

"Hey, young master and young lady, thank you for the long journey."

"Who are you?"

Tilting my head, I asked, and the man let out a sarcastic laugh.

"Get out."

I didn't expect him to introduce himself. I obediently followed his orders and got out of the carriage.

An unfamiliar building. But from the state of disrepair, it seems to have been unused for a long time. And there's no one around. There are no houses nearby, so it's not in the middle of a town. There are multiple men I've never seen before, including a man dressed as a driver and a man wearing the uniform of the Einhorn family's guard knights.

"Don't look around!"

A different man, not the one from before, shouted at us. Don't get cocky, punk. You'll be the first to get your head chopped off if something happens. Try to be a bit more humble.

"Sorry, young master and young lady. This way. Follow me."

The man who opened the carriage door called out.

"Move it, hurry up!"

As he said this, he kicked Nebel from behind.

"Nebel!"

I hurried to help Nebel up.

"Don't dawdle!"

It's because you kicked him, isn't it? You've been barking like a small dog all this time, and you're so noisy. I've memorized your face.

Ignoring the man barking like an untrained dog, we followed the man with the scar on his right cheek into the dilapidated mansion.

"This way."

A basement. I hope there aren't any rats or bugs.

The basement was surprisingly spacious, and we were led to a room at the back.

"Stay here quietly for a while."

The man placed a lantern on a table in the center of the room and left. I heard the sound of the lock, so the door was securely locked.

After confirming that the footsteps were fading away, Nebel and I looked at each other.

"It's okay, there's no one watching us."

"The door is locked. Nebel, show me your back."

I took off his jacket and pulled up his shirt. The spot where he was kicked was red. It will turn black and blue in time.

"Does it hurt?"

"A little, but I'm fine."

That damn bastard. I don't care about the others, but I won't let him off.

Emotionally, I want to stick my hand in his ear and make his molars chatter. I'll definitely make him cry.

While straightening Nebel's clothes, Princess Einhorn spoke up, trembling.

"W-What do we do now?"

Nebel and I looked at each other again.

"From now on?"

"What do we do?"

The only thing we can do is wait quietly for someone to come for us, right? It seems Princess Einhorn doesn't think so.

"W-We have to escape."

"How?"

When I asked, Princess Einhorn's expression of unease intensified, and she looked like she might cry.

"Even if we move, we can't do anything without knowing their purpose?"

"Besides, even if we escape from here, what do we do next? We don't even know where we are, so we'll be caught for sure."

"So, what we need to do here is not figure out how to escape but wait quietly for someone to come for us. And try to find out their purpose."

Well, how much can children really do...? We can't take unnecessary risks with Princess Einhorn here.

"By the way, Princess Einhorn, do you have any idea?"

"Eh?"

"Any idea why you might be kidnapped?"

Princess Einhorn blinked repeatedly at my question.

"A-Are you saying I'm the target of the kidnapping?"

"They didn't seem to notice me."

If they knew I was the first prince, they would have called me 'Your Highness' instead of 'young master.'

The target is likely Princess Einhorn, and they probably think we are the children of some noble who came along.

We don't have enough information at this point, so this is just a guess.

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