Kidnapped in Broad Daylight

In the city, you can get kidnapped even with your eyes wide open. Mongrel Kingdom! The city of the Magic Palace! After a long journey from the countryside, a certain adventurer has finally arrived.

He'd built up a decent track record and honed his skills along the way. Not that he asked for it, but he had a natural pedigree too, and he could confidently call himself a solid D-rank. The only issue was that his credentials came from a rural adventurers' guild, not some big city like the Trust Union.

"It's fine, I can do this! I took down a Tyrannosaurus, after all! A guy's gotta bluff first and foremost!"

The young Canidie man had one eye covered by his blue hair, with wolf ears poking up sharply. He'd worried about heading to another city and getting scammed or charmed by some woman, blowing all his savings. City life had always been risky! Sure, there was the romance and dreams of manhood, but if you wanted real money, you had to play in the big leagues. And there were plenty of other Canidie here. Worst case, he might even meet a nice partner. With that in mind, he'd thrown on the leather jacket made from the Tyrannosaurus hide he'd hunted himself. A cool-looking stud like him was bound to be popular!

Fiddling anxiously with the two pistol swords at his waist, the young man stepped into the land of the Canidie, dreaming of dreams, romance, and the vibrant youth of a dashing hero.

"You're the one."

"Huh?"

"Better come quietly."

No sooner had he arrived than a princess with a shovel threatened him. What the hell? Human trafficking? Some kind of hazing from the locals? You couldn't call yourself a man if you backed down from a threat. Baring his teeth, he let out a menacing growl and drew his pistol swords from his waist.

"Hey, kiddo, you picking a fight with this body from the Blue Lightning Clan?"

It was an intimidating threat, the kind that'd make anyone imagine their foe fleeing in terror! But she just snorted, snatching his pistol sword out of his hand ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠with a flick. Huh? When did that—? As he panicked, she pressed it to his temple and pulled the trigger.

Bang! The bullet crumpled on impact with his temple and rolled across the ground.

"Follow me."

"...Y-yes, ma'am."

Wahhh, Mom, I think I screwed up the second I hit the city. Shoulders slumped, trembling all over, he wondered what fate awaited as he trailed after her. Was she gonna skin him!? He didn't even have much fur! He'd never heard of dwarves eating Canidie. She wouldn't just pounce on him, right...? That'd be bad!

"Radamu, brought us a new party member."

"Huh? Just like that?"

"Look at him—fresh off the farm, first day in the city. Trust my eye. He's a total pushover."

"We just met, though..."

It sure didn't look like she'd asked for his opinion first. The 180cm tall blue-haired young man had a face like he was about to burst into tears. His hair covered one eye, he wore a leather coat with the collar popped, and his hands were covered in blue wolf-like fur. Even his tail hung limp... There was something different about him compared to other Canidie.

"Upper-class Canidie breed. Lucky you. You said Blue Lightning Clan earlier, right? That wasn't a lie—you're from the Jupiter Plains?"

"Y-yes... Don't mug me, please..."

How do you even describe a 180cm guy getting threatened by a 140cm magical girl? As the young man looked ready to cry out Mom, what do I do?, she shoved a bowl of fried chicken his way. He stared at it for a second before chowing down, and she smacked her forehead with a sigh.

"So, which number are you?"

"Number?"

"Oh, the 12th son."

12th son...? Tilting my head, he explained he had 11 older brothers. How was that even possible? Then Larirure Larirarion filled me in.

"They've got this jus primae noctis thing over there. Tradition where the chief's gotta sire kids with the best stock to pass on strong bloodlines."

"Jus primae noctis."

The shocking term left me speechless. The ethics in this world were seriously messed up. So did this guy have two dads? Lucky him—I never even had one.

"Um... but your ears are kinda round...?"

"Radamu's human."

"No way, for real? First human with a tail I've ever seen!"

"I'm seeing a Blue Lightning Clan chick wielding a hammer for the first time too, ya know."

"......Huh? Am I supposed to say something here too?"

What was I supposed to chime in with? Anyway, I introduced myself as Radamu Dice. The Canidie handshake felt weird—four fingers with thick pads. Stiffer than I'd imagined.

"Human hands are so squishy! What if I squeeze and it squishes?"

"Do it and you're dead."

Larirure growled a hand-chopping threat. Wasn't this guy supposed to be a party member? He looked completely deflated, like he wanted to bolt right then.

He was a D-rank from a rural guild, first time in the Mongrel Kingdom and the city. Not that I had room to talk—I knew nothing either. But the wariness he'd shown earlier was gone. His eyes sparkled at the mention of "human," staring at me intently.

"His breed's innate, he knows zilch so no backstabbing, and he's weaker than me so I can take him down if needed."

She'd stood at the city gates all day, scrutinizing newcomers until she picked him. Like she was selecting livestock at market. Was this how you normally recruited party members? The Canidie looked stunned too, but then a sly glint crossed his face—like maybe this was his chance.

"No party takes rookies... You won't just use me as bait and ditch me, right?"

"Heh, our Radamu here's got ambitions to take down the Maou."

"That's badass! I'm in!"

"Sign here then."

Larirure shoved a contract and pen at him. Tail wagging furiously, he gushed about how cool a Maou-slaying party sounded and signed without reading it.

"Wait... this feels kinda scammy..."

"Huh? Wasn't it the same with you, Radamu?"

Oh, right. It was so natural I'd forgotten—I'd joined the same way. Was I the shadier one...? He'd hit on me for sex at first sight, after all.

Once the contract was signed, he handed it back.

"Party leader's Radamu, got it?"

"Ah, sorry!"

She checked the contract, stashed the paper in her bag, and we swapped guild cards. Both F-rank. His face fell into total scam-victim despair, and I felt kinda bad.

"I re-issued mine to match Radamu's—I'm originally C-rank. Check with the guild if you want."

"Whoa, really? But the leader's just F-rank with a total stat of 24?!"

Valid protest—the weakest leader ever. She nodded in agreement.

"But he's human?"

"Yeah, that's true..."

He bought it, figuring a party's gotta have divine blessings or whatever. You can just accept that reasoning? Is this okay? He stuck out his hand: "Here's to a good run!"

"Didn't expect my first party to be a married couple. Looking forward to it!"

"Kid's got an eye."

"Can I introduce you to my little sis later?"

"How old?"

"Four?"

She nodded without hesitation. Wife treatment aside, okaying a four-year-old intro? Was that really fine? I glanced around, but no backup. Larirure just said wait 15 years or so. A 15-year party? That's basically family! He was touched.

Whatever, this world...

"Lemon Hyacinth, 17 this year. Came to the city to become a cool, strong, hard-boiled stud!"

"Larirure Larirarion, 27. Basically married to this guy."

She grinned, but her ears flushed red as she glanced my way. Right? ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠That's cool, yeah? She kept looking around anxiously. Why did she always bluff so pitifully...?

"Radamu Dice, 19."

"Big bro! Nice to meet ya!"

"Big bro..."

How many times was she gonna throw me off with nicknames...? He bragged about his solid 287 total stats for a full D-rank. First time in the Magic Palace, so forgive any noob mistakes, etc.

"Party's grown, huh? Canidie breed? Hope you make it to the 666th floor someday and check out that base Park Chun-sik built while trapped there."

Noksu congratulated the new member and cheered us on. Aim for 666 if you want goals—Park Chun-sik's base was worth a look. A-ranks could take elevators down, but we were capped at around 50, so pie in the sky.

Hmm... Even same-race groups have their subcultures. Chronicle Continent's bigger than China, after all. Shocked when ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the goddess told me... Isn't it too huge?

'Gotta test skills later.'

Nothing useful in the end. Left with Enhancement for the metal mimic or spirit sword, but breaking the latter worried me. It's half my soul, after all... What if it shatters ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠down there and backlash hits? I tore the Constellation Ticket in my hand.

"......Useless."

Now I had to save up 10 at a time? Did I look like I had that kinda spare time...? Burning through to 300 seemed faster.

"Big bro, let's hit the Magic Palace already! Time to show off this D-rank who bagged a Tyrannosaurus!"

".....That thing's that strong?"

"......Super strong."

Larirure said Po'runga was a huge poser. How much of a front was she even putting up? Whatever... slowly but surely. We've got time to grow.

======================

Lemon Hyacinth.