CH 116

Chapter 116

When Peaceful Times Cease To Exist : Flames Of War In The Central Plains, Part 4 — Princess Kidnapping

Translated by KaiesV

Edited by KaiesV

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In the meantime, they arrived at the hideout. It was a house in the suburbs, probably a former recreation center for aristocrats. Rhine thought that it might be easy to find on the other hand, but he didn’t mention it.

Anyway, Rhine knew that he couldn’t be uninvolved since he had come this far, but he had the personality to think that it was still better to be in the middle of the commotion than to be among the many others who knew nothing and suddenly one day be victimized unilaterally.

「We’re here, let’s get off.」

「Ohh…」

「Just for the record, don’t even think about running away.」

「Well, I’m not thinking of running away. But if I do, will you be able to stop them after all they’ve done to you?」

「What!?」

「You never get tired of it…」

Dance Slave is dismayed by the bickering Rhine and Rusty. Rusty is still a fairly young knight, probably much younger than Rhine. At any rate, he has forgotten that his master even has a sprained foot.

Rayfan sighed and tried to get out of the carriage and walk alone, but it was too much for her. With a cry of “ah!,” Rayfan almost loses her balance, but Rhine holds her back with a heave.

「Kyaaah!!」

「What have you done to the Princess!?」

「What? I had to help her up because you were being a wimp.」

「Get that filthy hands away from the Princess!」

「That’s a terrible thing to say. If I let go, the princess will fall, look, look.」

Rhine handles Rayfan in his arms like a piece of playground equipment. It was an extremely rude act, but so rude that all the accompanying knights did not know what to do. Only Dance Slave had her head in the sand, but she was half amused and didn’t seem to stop him.

「Then don’t you ever let her go!」

「You’re such a busy guy, telling me to let go and telling me not to let go. After all, what am I supposed to do with Rayfan?」

「You’re calling her out like that again!?」

「You’ve been angry all day, haven’t you? Are you sure you’re getting enough fish and milk?」

「You’re too noisy!」

As if it was too much trouble to deal with Rusty’s red-faced and angry face, Rhine, with Rayfan in his arms, began to walk briskly toward the hiding place. The other knights look on in dismay. Rayfan, who is being held by Rhine, is red in the face.

「Uhh, uhhm!」

「What?」

「P–Please put me down. It’s so embarrassing…」

「Can you walk by yourself?」

「That’s… impossible.」

「Then be a big girl. So, where’s your room?」

「Th–There’s no way! You’re heading inside to the room of the Princess!? Have some decency on you!!」

「No, I’m a mercenary. I don’t give a shit about that.」

「N–No, stop…」

「You might as well give up, Princess. He’s a bad man.」

Seeing Rayfan’s red-faced and tearful face, Dance Slave gives her a little nudge that doesn’t help her at all. Dance Slave felt that if he can hold her, all will be well, but she’s the one who is aware of it but doesn’t suggest it. For what it’s worth, Dance Slave who was enjoying this situation may be the worst offender.

Rhine wasn’t concerned with such things, but simply felt that it would be quicker for him to hold her. Rayfan protested repeatedly, but Rhine wouldn’t listen, and Rayfan, who had no maidservant and couldn’t treat herself alone, was left to do as she was told. Needless to say, it goes without saying now that Dance Slave was happily watching the scene.

「Don’t you have a maid of honor or something to take care of your personal needs?」

「…I was told that women were a liability in the escape」

「Then it must be tough. With all those unattentive men, you probably don’t have anything decent to wear either. Women’s underwear, for example.」

「! How disgraceful!」

「S–Stop! Aww-aww!」

Rayfan threw a random number of objects in the area, and Rhine hurriedly defended himself, but one of them hit Rhine in the face. Dance Slave laughed at the scene.

「Guwahh!」

「The heavens forbid you, Rhine.」

「Is this my fault?」

「Who else is there other than you!?」

Rayfan’s face is red, her cheeks puffed out, and she is angry. This expression may have made Rhine think it was a bad idea, and they left the room at once.

However, the moment they left the room, Rhine’s face tightened.

「Dancer, can you do me a favor?」

「You are my master, Rhine. All you have to do is give the order.」

「…I hate that kind of stuff.」

「…Well, fine. So?」

「I hope you can find some reason to get out of here and make arrangements for a flying dragon in town. I would like to see the front line tomorrow. Also, give this to the gray-haired guy in the guild who wears a hat and holds a pipe in his mouth.」

Rhine takes out something that looks like some kind of animal tusk and gives it to Dance Slave.

「That’s all well and good, but what about you?」

「I have other things to do. Well, then, I’m counting on you.」

With that said, Rhine walked toward the knights. Dance Slave then managed to sneak out of the hiding place and run an errand. But when Dance Slave returned to the safe house, the safe house was apparently noisy.

「What the hell? What’s going on?」

There seemed to be a fire. There was no point in hiding in a safe house if it was on fire. But if she leaves now, she will be discovered that she has left, and as Dance Slave ponders what to do behind a tree, there is a presence tapping her on the shoulder from behind.

「Dancer, over here.」

「Rhine. What are you doing?」

A large bag was cradled in Rhine’s hand. But it seemed to have a person in it, or it was mumbling.

「Nhn, mhmm!」

「Hey, don’t tell me…」

「Yeah, I frightened the princess.」

「W–What the hell are you…」

Even Dance Slave had a headache. She is a sword and should have no concept of a headache. Still, it’s the role of Dance Slave to follow Rhine. She decided to change her mind and ask what to do.

「So, what are you going to do…」

「Did you give him that thing?」

「Yes, went without a problem.」

「Then that’s good. If it didn’t make it across, I’m really just a kidnapper. Here we go.」

「Where are we headed?」

「Follow me and you’ll see.」

Rhine then began to run with Dance Slave, carrying Rayfan. Behind them were the angry shouts of the knights who were desperately trying to put out the fire.

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「Hey, old man. Long time no see!」

「Hohhoho. Rhine, it’s been a while, isn’t it?」

「Ahh, it’s really Rhine! Long time no see～ Guys, Rhine’s here!」

「Eh? Where, where is he?」

「Kyaah! He’s really here!」

「Ahhn, you didn’t come to visit us, did you?」

This is the same Trimedo brothel. It was the owner of this brothel to whom Dance Slave handed over the fangs at Rhine’s request, and all the prostitutes in this brothel were familiar with Rhine. The brothel used to be a staid whorehouse, and Rhine once helped out when they were being harassed by a vicious competitor. Since then, Rhine has been allowed to use this place as he pleases.

The people who greeted him were all lustrous-looking prostitutes, but Rhine replied in an amiable and appropriate manner and approached the owner, a gray-haired old man.

「Sorry, we’ll play a little later. I want to finish my business first. Old man, I have a favor to ask you, will you take care of it?」

「Hohhoho, how can I not do what you ask of me? Feel free to say whatever you want. Do you want to rent out the brothel?」

「That’s okay, but unfortunately this is pretty serious. You and me need to talk alone. Alright?」

「Very well. Give us a minute, girls.」

「Eh—! That’s boring—!」

「You’ll have to show your face properly later～ Rhine!」

「Alright, alright.」

He manages to coax the prostitutes out. Only the Dance Slave and the head prostitute were left there, but the four of them and Rhine in the bag were the only ones in the place. And when she released Rayfan from that bag, Rhine suddenly got down to business.