The Ceres Kidnapping Plan
"…Rain, I had a nightmare."
"What kind of nightmare was it?"
"Skaya raised me just to eat me. Haha, what a ridiculous dream."
"Young master, escapism isn't a good coping mechanism."
…
Life is too damn bitter.
Mana seemed to have returned, but there was no sense of refreshment. If anything, Skaya's words only made my head throb harder.
"Why the hell is she snapping at me…!!"
Someone her age—old enough to be put out to pasture—should find a suitable partner, get married, or at least date. Why come charging at me out of nowhere like that? And lying about her age on top of it.
"49 years old, my ass. That woman's lived at least a century."
She probably wanted to claim she hadn't even hit fifty yet, but I clearly remembered what she'd slurred during one of her drunken rants in the past. She'd definitely lived over a century… And if you're going to fudge your age, do it properly—49 is just awkwardly suspicious.
"Anyway, if I keep obsessing over Skaya, I'll lose my mind. Got anything for me to do today?"
"It's the weekend, so nothing in particular. Chairman Lena stopped by briefly, but she said there were no major issues, so it should be fine to take it easy today."
"Yeah?"
My head was already pounding—today called for some rest…
"Lian Primal, you there?"
"Yeah, I'm here."
Of course. With that hanging over me, there's no way I could relax.
I got out of bed at the sound of Minel's voice and opened the door. She handed me a sheet of paper, then strode into my room like she owned the place, pulling out a chair at the table and sitting down.
Minel—what, is this her house now?
"I've dropped by plenty of times. It's been a while since I've seen you here, though."
"Yeah?"
"Rain usually served tea, so we'd just chat casually before I left… But today, I need one final confirmation."
"Final confirmation?"
Already? It couldn't have been easy finding a kidnapping spot to Minel's satisfaction in just over a month.
"Seeing is believing, as they say. Follow me."
*****
Following Minel to the spot for abducting Ceres, I quietly rubbed my forehead.
"…This is the kidnapping spot?"
"Yes. Not many people around, no outsiders allowed, clean, secure—and even safe. The perfect place for it, right?"
"Look, Minel. We agreed to call this a 'lodging,' not a kidnapping spot."
The place Minel had brought me to was a love hotel tucked away in a corner of the academy. With the academy officially encouraging sex between couples, there was no reason not to have one. Brothels were off-limits, though. Guess they expected students to handle their urges among themselves.
"But we can't just stick the young lady in some ruin."
"No, even a regular old inn would do. Why go for something this extravagant?"
"Because a plain room wouldn't suit her, obviously."
…
This was entirely my fault for picking the wrong person for the job. Minel's affection for Ceres went far beyond anything I could rein in. I should be grateful she even helped plan the kidnapping.
"Anyway, this won't work. Forget the risk of getting caught—there's too much open distance where people could spot us moving her."
"Now that you mention it, I didn't consider that. Sorry."
"Somewhere with no foot traffic, but still accessible…"
"No such place exists… Wait, actually, there is."
"Yeah?"
Minel looked like she'd just had an epiphany and handed me a pair of keys.
"We'll keep the young lady in my room."
"Aren't you roommates?"
"No. It's the room next door, but we have separate living quarters."
Well, Minel's room would be perfect for hiding her. Low risk of discovery since it's adjacent, and no one would suspect Minel—of all people—of kidnapping Ceres, given how close they are.
"Why two keys, though?"
"Kidnap me too."
"What?"
What the hell is she on about all of a sudden?
"I was going to handle the young lady's abduction myself, but on second thought, it makes more sense if I'm kidnapped too. Unlike you or Rain, I can't use magic to disguise my appearance, build, or voice."
It was a solid point, so I had no choice but to nod. Now that my mana was back, I could cast spells. Plus, it would be easier moving around with Rain—who could also use magic—than with Minel.
"Looks like we've settled everything."
"The route's straightforward now. What about meals?"
"Buy ready-made food and pass it in. I'm worried about the young lady's nutrition, but I don't want her recognizing the taste from meals made by me or Lianne and getting suspicious. After all this effort, I want to give her nothing but a bright future."
"…A bright future."
Whether future Ceres actually pulled it off, I had no idea—but without my help, her becoming a great mage was impossible. Helping her, though, would put her on the second prince's radar. I didn't know if she'd lived well with him, but in a life where I intervened, she'd probably just live ordinarily.
Prin and Zenovia had lived lives full of regret… but Ceres, like last time, never saw me as anything but a rational ally.
"Anyway, this works. We execute next week?"
"Yes. Next week, Minel. Slip a sedative into Ceres's meal to knock her out. No need to worry—it's tasteless, odorless, and modified to have no side effects on the body. She'll just feel fatigued."
"Since it's a drug, I assume you've verified it properly. I'll trust you."
This time, I'd chosen the drug carefully. No way was I blowing Minel's trust with some knockoff that had side effects.
"See you next week, then."
"Yeah. Good luck."
A week later, after wrapping up with Minel, I headed to Ceres's dorm to stage my own kidnapping. At her request, I'd prepared everything.
"Restrain her arms and legs. I'll show you how to tie them without hurting."
"We'll gag her mouth for now. And just in case, please set up a soundproofing spell."
"Got it. I'll use runes and renew them daily—no sound will leak out."
The Ceres kidnapping plan went off without a hitch. With Minel's wall down, snatching her was like eating cold porridge.
"That covers prep. Now tie me up too."
After locking Ceres in Minel's room, we returned to Ceres's and Minel's room. Restraining Minel gave me a strange, subtle feeling.
"Come to think of it, don't we only need restraints when necessary?"
"No. Imagine if she escapes and I'm not bound—that'd look too suspicious. Better to stay tied up like a real victim, even if it's uncomfortable. It'll seem more natural."
So rigid… No shortcuts for her. She walks the straight path, no matter the hassle.
"I'll miss a few classes, but she can't skip something as important as marriage."
"Even if I have to, she absolutely can't… Oh, right—if she doesn't end up with the crown prince, does she reconnect with the Primal family?"
"No chance."
Minel didn't argue. Of course not. The Reinhardt family—Ceres's side—had been the ones to first propose breaking the engagement. We'd accepted, so it could be written off as youthful folly on both sides. Remarriage? Unthinkable. Father would never allow a politically disadvantageous move like that. Mother might waver if she pushed, but she'd hardly approve of the Reinhardts' one-sided breakup notice.
"…I hope the young lady finds a good match."
"Yeah, I sincerely hope so. Someone better than me."
I finished tying the rope around Minel's ankle with a tight knot, shoved the ball gag I'd bought into her mouth, left some essentials and a chamber pot for her, and left the room.
Something felt forgotten, but it was probably just my imagination.
I headed back to my room, checked the food I'd prepared for Minel and Ceres tomorrow, and fell asleep.
That nagging feeling of forgetting something lingered…
But even as I drifted off, I never figured out what it was.