Today, I Kidnapped the Hero. Or Maybe It Was Yesterday (4)
In Minerva's Library, Lee Junwoo's complaints continued without end.
"Hey, Minerva. Put your hand on your chest and really think about it. Is this normal?"
"What is iiit? Don't bother me. I'm reading a book."
"The kidnapped person is suddenly asking to exchange greetings, have conversations, and stay positive. You think that's right?"
"Shut up. I can't concentrate."
"She even asked for my name. It doesn't matter since I go by Jun in this world anyway. But that weird taste for wanting to get close to your kidnapper—"
"Ah, seriously—!! I told you to stop—!!"
Minerva hated having her concentration broken more than anything else in the world. Fuming, she slammed the book shut. Then she shouted at a slightly drunk Lee Junwoo.
"So—! What do you want to say!"
"Check whether things are proceeding normally."
"...I didn't set up a problem this time. What do you expect me to say?"
"That things are going well."
"You already know that—!!"
In truth, Lee Junwoo was handling the confinement perfectly. He avoided making the confined person uncomfortable. Meals were served on time, and he provided comfort. He mixed in just enough commands to create a sense of pressure. Comfortable freedom paired with control. He was sticking to the fundamentals.
"But something still feels off."
"No, it's not off at all. It's flowing smoothly."
"It's abnormal. The hero is energetic and kind, but it's a little suspicious."
"Suspicious?"
"How should I put it? She's scatterbrained, yet somehow calm. And she takes care of others to an abnormal degree. Isn't family supposed to come before strangers? Something like that."
If someone gets kidnapped, their first concern should be their own safety. But not the hero. She had asked for a letter to send to her family, even knowing the kidnapper might harm her. She even demanded money be included with it. At a moment when anyone else would be begging for their life. Her priorities were completely different from a normal person's.
"I'm not sure if that's why she's the hero, but it felt like family was priority number one and herself number two."
"Hmm. Isn't that just how some people are?"
"No. Even if family is someone's top priority, a crisis changes things."
People are self-centered creatures. Faced with an emergency, they can forget even their own family for a moment. Just like I did. After falling into this world, I forgot my family for four whole years. I'm the perfect example.
"You're the goddess who appoints the hero, Minerva. Don't you know anything about her?"
"I'm a bookworm, so I don't know anything. But you know her well, Junwoo. You act tough on the outside, but you're softer than anyone on the inside. If I'm a bug, you're a hedgehog?"
"...What do you want me to do with that? Get to the point."
Lee Junwoo sounded a little angry. Minerva, who had personally felt how terrifying he became when he exploded, quickly shut her mouth. Still, she decided to offer him some simple advice.
In a light tone, she asked, "I can't freely share other people's information. Instead, I'll tell you this. Junwoo. You're worried about the hero, aren't you?"
"...No."
"Whatever. If you want to release her quickly and hate keeping her confined, why not just shorten the period?"
"Explain it clearly."
"...You're really dense. What do you think the hero is good at?"
Lee Junwoo thought for a moment. The answer was obvious, so his hesitation didn't last long.
"Helping people. And swordsmanship."
"Right. Swordsmanship. Teach her that. Until she can protect herself on her own. That's the whole reason for the confinement, isn't it?"
Teach the hero the sword and shorten the confinement period.
Lee Junwoo shot up from his seat.
"Where are you going?"
"The weapon shop. I need to buy a sword."
"Okay, have fun~"
Late evening. Lee Junwoo's figure vanished quickly. Minerva waved until he disappeared from view. Once he was gone and the library fell silent, a wave of loneliness washed over her.
"...Then, shall I finish reading this book?"
The title was Lee Junwoo's Hero Party Journal. As she read the book that recorded the future, Minerva began crafting the problems for him, just as she always did.
After several days and nights had passed, something surprising happened to Runasia Runa, who was locked in her room as usual and enduring the boredom.
"Runa. Come out."
"Yes? Suddenly telling me to come out?"
"It's time for a walk."
"Huh?"
A walk. People need to bask in sunlight at regular intervals. The sun gives the body vitality and secretes beneficial energy—called mana. For that reason, sunlight is considered essential for children in their growth phase.
"I'll loosen the chains on your legs for now."
"Those don't come off, though?"
"...Did you try? How would you know?"
"Ah, no! That's not what I meant..! I just thought they probably wouldn't come off..!"
The hero waved her hands frantically. Her blue eyes darted back and forth. It was a lie.
I simply released the chains and replaced them with ones suitable for going outside.
"...Um."
"What?"
"That collar makes me feel like I've stopped being human. It's too much like livestock. This is different from what you said."
"...Bear with it today. I'll change it next time."
Clank—
Runa was dragged along by the collar. The part touching her skin seemed to be made of soft fabric, so at least he'd shown some consideration.
That was how Runa finally left the tiny room for the first time.
It's surprisingly spacious?
The house had two floors. There was another room beside hers. From the look of it, it was a storage space. Runa realized she'd been confined on the second floor. When she descended the stairs, she saw a kitchen and a study on the first floor.
Next time I should ask to borrow a book. Time passes so slowly here. What should I ask for?
It felt like a drop of honey had fallen into her boring daily routine. After passing the spotless kitchen and heading for the door that led outside, something strange caught Runa's eye.
"What is that place?"
"The living room."
"...That's not what I was asking."
The study and kitchen were impeccably clean—not a speck of dust anywhere. So why was the living room as filthy as a trash heap? Empty liquor bottles rolled across the floor. The bedding was scattered everywhere, torn newspapers lay in bundles, and food scraps had been left half-finished.
"Why do you live like this?"
"...What did you say?"
"No, I didn't mean it like that... I was asking why the living room is the only place left like that when everything else is clean."
Runa, who had always been responsible for cleaning back home, couldn't understand Lee Junwoo's state of mind. People usually kept the spaces they used most in good order. No one left the area where they ate and slept in such a filthy condition.
"If you're sick or something, I can help—"
"Stop talking nonsense and just follow me."
"Ahh! That hurts!"
I dragged the chain toward the door. Even as she felt a twinge of pain, Runa's gaze remained fixed on the living room. That bizarre, out-of-place living room.
I took the hero out to the yard. There was a wide open space in front of the house, and since it sat on the outskirts of the capital, no one ever passed by. The fence was also quite high, so even if someone did walk past, they wouldn't see anything. It was the perfect location for confinement.
"This feels like I've turned into a dog..."
"It's your imagination."
"Imagination... right? Haha..."
The hero let out a hollow laugh. Still, she took a deep, refreshing breath of the fresh air she hadn't tasted in so long. Her long golden hair swayed in the breeze with each breath.
Is that the light the hero possesses?
Her appearance drew the eye. She hadn't finished growing yet, but it was obvious she would become a stunning beauty one day. A straight nose, lively eyes. An aura that made ordinary people hesitate to treat her casually hung about her.
Of course, I'm not an ordinary person.
I intended to treat her very casually from now on.
While she stood there blankly soaking up the sun, I tossed her something and said, "Hero. Catch. It's a gift."
"Huh? A gift...? Uh, uwaaa...!"
The hero let out a strange noise as she caught the wooden sword that suddenly flew toward her.
"Your reaction speed isn't bad."
"What are you doing all of a sudden! You scared me!"
"I'll have to test whether that's dynamic vision or instinct..."
"Huh?"
The hero held the wooden sword with both hands, looking utterly bewildered. Her expression seemed to ask, What am I supposed to do with this?
I picked up another wooden sword and called out, "Do you remember what I said when I confined you?"
"That you wouldn't do anything..."
"Half right, half wrong. The part about not doing anything had a slight flaw."
"Are you changing your words?! You perverted kidnapper..!! You're going to mess me up completely..?! So this is your true nature..?!"
"...That's not what I meant."
Perverted kidnapper? Ha... To think the future hero's mind worked like that. A sigh escaped me.
"I won't do anything to you, but I am going to give you a choice."
"Eh...? A choice? The plan to mess me up..."
"There is no such plan. Don't misunderstand on your own."
At those words, Runa let out a sigh of relief.
Just what kind of image did she have of me to react like that? It had to be one of two things—either I was strange, or the hero's brain was strange.
I slammed the wooden sword into the ground.
Bang—!
"Then I think the explanation is finished. Make your choice, hero."
"...I'm not the hero."
"Will you stay quiet and do nothing while time passes in confinement?"
If not—
"Will you train in swordsmanship, build your strength, defeat me, and escape from this place?"
Choose, hero.
My voice rang out across the yard. The hero seemed to ponder it for a moment.
"Would it be faster to sit still and wait for rescue... or to beat that man...? This seems faster... Sitting still isn't like me anyway..."
After muttering to herself, the hero stepped forward without hesitation. She raised the sword in an awkward stance.
"I—I will fight!"
Her blue eyes, fixed on me, burned with determination.