Chapter 238: It Was Winter (6)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 238: It Was Winter (6)
After reviewing the kidnapping process, Boradori was genuinely impressed.
"Kidnapping the parents. What a move."
"…Wasn't there anything like that in the original?"
I thought it was a perfectly obvious tactic, but her surprised reaction actually made me feel a bit flustered.
"I didn't think anyone would be crazy enough to actually do it."
"Why is that crazy? Isn't it just rational?"
Since when was kidnapping and blackmailing not a requirement for villains? I thought everyone did it.
"Haven't you ever heard that you shouldn't touch a hero's family or lover?"
At my question, Boradori looked at me as if I were the one being absurd.
"Never heard of it. Why shouldn't you?"
"Usually, when that happens, the heroes get a power-up."
"…Well, that is usually how it goes."
It was indeed a time-honored power-up event, but wasn't the path of a villain to use any means necessary to win? That’s what dark mages are supposed to be like.
Besides.
"It was effective enough to neutralize Daisy, wasn't it?"
It was only because the other side had no intention of harming Daisy; if they had put their minds to it, Like a Flower Blooming in Barren Land might have reached its series finale right then and there.
However…
"The dark mages and demons never did stuff like that."
Apparently, our local dark mages and demons didn't resort to such cowardly tricks. To think they were hard-working and played fair. No matter how much I thought about it, I couldn't understand why guys like that fell into the wrong path of dark magic. It made me wonder if the Empire was the one truly at fault.
"But now that they know it's effective..."
She said there was no telling what would happen in the future.
"Honestly, I'm not expecting much. What's the combat power of Daisy's parents?"
"Civilian level."
"The territory's combat power?"
"I told you, they're just rural nobles."
In short, if the enemies set their minds to it, there was no way to defend them.
"What are you going to do now?"
"I'll have to get support from the Empire and the Church."
Given their track record, I’d have to ask groups that were hardly trustworthy, but what choice was there?
"Ah, there is one more method that usually pops up in novels."
Just as I was thinking that Daisy's parents would be getting kidnapped every quarter, Boradori suddenly suggested a new method with a reluctant expression, as if she had just remembered it.
"What is it?"
"The guys we caught this time. They seem like pretty big shots in the underworld."
"And?"
"In novels, the protagonists usually use guys like that to take over the underworld, right?"
"…What?"
If I understood correctly, this brat Boradori was suggesting we take over the underworld using the captured villains to preemptively block any threats to Daisy.
"That is a truly idiotic idea."
To think she’d try a method that only works in novels.
"Hey, you don't have to go that far…"
"Let's do it right now."
"……?"
It was too good to pass up, considering this world was a novel.
"…You want these people?"
After beating down the demons, Daisy had rounded up the kidnappers who were trying to flee, making them kneel in a corner with their hands up. She looked back and forth between me and the criminals with an incredulous expression.
"Are you going to kill them all?"
"Let's have a serious talk later about what you think of a person named Adam Smith."
"Why? Usually, the prince on a white horse who rescues his kidnapped lover kills all the enemies."
"I didn't do the rescuing. I'm not on a white horse. And I'm not a prince, so I have no intention of killing them."
"I suppose that's true."
Daisy chuckled at my words and turned her gaze away.
"……"
The look she gave the kidnappers was chilling. In that moment, I understood why Boradori said you shouldn't touch a hero's family or lover.
"Adam might not care, but I cannot forgive you. How dare you touch my parents…"
"Um… Daisy?"
Boradori peeked her head out from behind me.
"Yes? What is it, Violet?"
"Actually, the one who said they had something to say to these people wasn't Adam, it was me."
"……Really?"
"Yeah, you see."
Boradori sidled up to Daisy and began explaining why they needed these people and how they would use them in the future.
"So… use these people to keep my parents safe?"
"Yeah. Think about the dark mages. Even if you kill these guys, others will just come looking, right?"
"……But how can we trust them?"
"There's a way for that!"
Telling Daisy to trust her, Boradori confidently dragged the man called the Professor—the representative of the villains—in front of her.
"You have two options. One, an eternal date with a Heresy Inquisitor in the Academy's dungeon. For your information, suicide won't work. Our grudge-filled Saintess will use her power of resurrection to bring you back even if you die."
"I'll definitely take the second option!"
At Violet's beaming words, the man called the Professor nodded his head violently in response.
"As expected of the Professor! A wise choice!"
Violet smiled brightly at his answer and roughly tore the Professor's outer coat.
"Gasp! No way!"
The Professor, suddenly exposing his bare skin, covered his chest with both arms. Looking at his body, which was surprisingly fit for a middle-aged man, Boradori gave a murderous smile.
"Shut your mouth before I kill you."
"I didn't know you had those kinds of tastes…"
"Vi-Violet is…"
"I don't, so shut up!"
Violet, who had just silenced both Daisy and me as we were about to "respect her preferences," pulled out a needle and pricked her fingertip.
Then, her blood flowed naturally toward the Professor's heart and began to draw a grotesque magic circle.
"Wh-What kind of magic is this…?"
"It's not magic, it's a curse. I need your consent to the terms and conditions, so just nod your head when I speak."
"A-And if I don't?"
"Then it's back to option one."
"Th-This is a scam!"
"You're just realizing that now?"
Violet smiled brightly at the horrified Professor.
"You kidnapped my friend and even her parents. Did you think I'd just let you go? Did you think you were dealing with a saint?"
"……"
He had been dealing with a Saintess, but the man called the Professor couldn't say a word under Violet's bloodlust.
"Just so you know, you've heard of that Silence guy, right? That bastard touched our Daisy too. If you happen to know a sorcerer on his level, you might be able to break the curse. Feel free to try later."
Having completed the curse, Violet said a few more things and forced the Professor's consent.
"Now that it's done, let me give you a brief explanation. The contract period is one year. The content is absolute obedience! If you don't follow the contract, your heart will absorb all the mana in your body and explode. Your body will die, but your soul will be anchored to that spot!"
"Wh-What does that mean?"
"You'll become an earthbound spirit. So, if you want to commit suicide because you can't live like this, pick your spot carefully. If you die in a weird place, the Church will come to exorcise you."
"C-Can I be exorcised?"
"If the Goddess allows it, maybe… but do you think she will?"
Boradori patted the Professor on the shoulder and looked at the others who were kneeling with their hands up.
"What are you doing? If you think it's your turn, come forward."
"……"
"……"
"……"
"Can't be helped. Professor, bring them out in order of seniority."
"D-Do I bring them from the top down, or the bottom up…?"
"From the top, obviously."
"Yes, ma'am…"
And so, the Professor led them one by one to Violet. They walked out like beasts being led to a slaughterhouse.
After engraving the curse on everyone, Boradori blinked and answered.
"Do you really think that would work? Of course it's a lie."
"…I-It's not real?"
"Daisy. You don't believe me?"
"N-No! Of course I believe everything you say, Violet!"
Perhaps because the previous atmosphere of terror had been so well-crafted, even the great Daisy nodded with a tense expression.
"You don't seem to believe me… I'm hurt."
"I-I'm serious!"
"Hmm…"
At those words, Boradori narrowed her eyes for a moment and looked at me.
"See? Your boyfriend believes me."
"Wh-What?"
Daisy's gaze turned toward me, and I nodded as if it were obvious.
"H-How could this be…"
Daisy looked back and forth between me and Boradori with a look of horror.
"Wh-When did you two build such trust…?"
Is it because they're friends? To think she didn't know such an obvious fact.
"There's no way she's that useful."
"…You little brat?"
If Boradori's curses were actually that powerful, she’d deserve a higher salary than me.
"Prove it then."
"……It's true it's not quite at that level!"
I could guess the rest of her sentence. She’d say it was because of the restrictions she placed on her own curses. Then she’d argue that thanks to those curses, we caught Silence and her life became easier.
Therefore, I decided to hit the fast-forward button.
"So, where are the parents?"
"Ah, those people said they'd bring them here…"
As she spoke, a carriage could be seen racing toward us.
"Is that it?"
It seemed so. The villains, including the Professor who looked half-dead, ran over and opened the carriage door to let the people inside out.
"Mom! Dad!"
At the sight of the two middle-aged people stepping out, Daisy's eyes widened and she ran toward them. Soon, Daisy brought the two of them over to where we were.
And then.
"Yes, that's right. Violet helped too!"
Daisy, who had been smiling brightly, suddenly froze.
"Uh, um."
Her eyes darted back and forth between me and her parents.
"Mom!"
Seeing this, Boradori grinned and suddenly approached Daisy's mother, calling her "Mom."
"That guy over there is Daisy's boyfriend!"
"Violet?!"
She had suddenly thrown me under the bus.
"Boyfriend?"
"Oh my."
Daisy's father looked surprised, while her mother looked at me with sparkling eyes, hardly looking like someone who had just been kidnapped.
"N-No! That's not it!"
Daisy tried to speak with a flustered expression, but the couple exchanged words as if they couldn't hear her.
"I heard the rumors, but to think they were true…"
"It is about time Daisy started dating."
"But the rumors said he was from Leon…"
"What era are we living in? International dating is perfectly fine."
"I heard he was two-timing, though…"
"Doesn't that just mean he's capable?"
"Still, he's dating our daughter!"
At that, Boradori chimed in.
"Dad. The other girl is Lady Loreliya. From House Jeyka."
"…As expected of our daughter's boyfriend. He's very capable."
"Dear… you're being pathetic."
"What can I do? The other side is a Ducal house."
Seeing her father quickly face reality, Daisy covered her face and slumped down.
"Ah, ahhh…"
She seemed deeply embarrassed. But what could she do?
Daisy, this is the fake relationship you chose.
"Hello, Father. I'm Adam Smith, Daisy's boyfriend."
"A-Adam?!"
Grin and bear it.