The Hero Party. Kidnapping the Second Companion (4)
Some people never grow, no matter how much time passes. They remain stuck in place. The hero, however, was someone who moved with time. In fact, she might even be racing ahead of it.
Clang!
The hero’s sword collided with mine.
“So the rumor about you getting scouted by the knight order wasn’t just hot air.”
“I told you! I can beat someone like you easily!”
Her growth rate was impressive. Unlike before, the hero’s stance had stabilized. She supported her entire body with her legs, and her once-sloppy swordsmanship was beginning to find its footing. Still, she had a long way to go.
I kicked the hero’s leg out from under her. She tumbled across the ground.
“Kyeng!”
“I told you not to get cocky. That’s enough sparring for today. From now on, follow my training regimen.”
“Th-that’s cheating…! We’re supposed to be fighting with swords, but you keep using your feet—”
“Using your feet is also part of swordsmanship. No excuses, hero.”
“Ughhh…”
The hero growled like an angry golden retriever.
Once a day. I’d been sparring with her, but it was starting to feel pointless.
I should switch to once a week.
With that thought in mind, I helped the fallen girl to her feet. I placed a hand on her collar and casually unfastened it. The hero’s eyes widened in surprise.
“Huh? You’re letting me go?”
“As if.”
There was no way I’d loosen her collar when she might try to run. I simply removed the one that was getting in the way of training and introduced the hero to a new method of control. It was a highly effective way to eliminate the cumbersome collar.
“Look at the top of that fence, hero.”
“…? I’m looking, but there’s nothing there.”
“Barbed wire. Look closer.”
“Hmm…?”
The hero squinted hard at the fence. Her eyes twitched as if they hurt, but something seemed to register in her gaze.
“There’s something on top of that barbed wire… it looks like it’s… wriggling?”
“So you can sense mana at a basic level. That’s electric magic.”
“…Huh?”
“An electric current flows through the barbed wire via magic. Touch it, and you’ll be fried to a crisp.”
The hero stared at the fence with a dazed expression. She flinched once, as if imagining herself being electrocuted. Then her eyes lost their focus. It didn’t look like she was even dreaming of escape anymore.
“I don’t want to die as an electric barbecue. I’d rather just train with a sword.”
“An excellent choice.”
I clapped my hands toward the hero. Hearing her say she would grow stronger was always pleasant, no matter how many times I heard it.
Between the sounds of my applause, the hero asked a question. Her eyes were full of curiosity.
“By the way, what exactly are you, mister? You use swordsmanship and magic. You’re basically all-powerful.”
“…Curious?”
“Yes! I’m curious!”
The hero answered energetically. She ate delicious meals every morning, afternoon, and evening, and our conversations helped ease her depression. It seemed she had adapted somewhat to her captivity.
To the hero who was waiting for an answer, I replied in a light tone.
“I’ll tell you my identity if you can beat me.”
“What kind of answer is that!”
“Alright, training starts now! Balance a wooden sword on your head and run thirty laps around the yard!”
“What?!”
The hero protested as if it were ridiculous, but it was no use. Time flowed, and the hero had to move.
I pushed her back and ran alongside her around the yard. At first, the hero looked flustered, but she gradually picked up speed.
“Y-you said you wouldn’t do anything weird to me—”
“Faster! If you want to beat me, run faster! Build up your stamina first!”
“Uwaaaack—!”
Next came a hundred sit-ups. The wooden sword came along for that too.
“Why… why does the wooden sword have to come with me…”
“Pretend that sword is the holy sword.”
“How can a wooden sword become the holy sword…”
“It becomes whatever you believe it is.”
“What are you even saying…”
Next came a hundred push-ups. Again, with the wooden sword. Runasia’s voice sounded like she was dying.
“Huff… I-I’m going to die…”
“People don’t die that easily.”
“You… you psycho… kidnapping me and torturing me, you psycho…”
“Watch your words. This is training.”
Training to build basic stamina and muscle so she could defeat me. After the intense regimen, the hero was completely exhausted. When training ended, she dragged herself into her room like a dying caterpillar.
“Tomorrow… I’m definitely going to win…”
“That’s the spirit. Keep trying, hero.”
Even though she was drained of strength, the competitive spirit to defeat me still burned in the hero. Seeing her like that, I felt strangely satisfied.
So this is what it feels like to raise a disciple…
After finishing the grueling training, it was lunchtime. To maintain a regular meal schedule, Lee Junwoo—the kidnapper—knocked on the hero’s door exactly five hours after breakfast, at 12:30.
Knock knock.
“I’m coming in.”
—J-just a moment! Please wait one minute!
The hero shouted urgently. It seemed she needed a little more time. Junwoo leaned his back against the door for a moment.
One. Two… Sixty.
He counted sixty seconds in his mind, then opened the door without hesitation.
“One minute’s up. Eat your food.”
“Ah, food. Yes, thank you…”
The hero shook water from her damp hair and accepted the plate. It looked like she had just taken a shower in the bathroom inside the room.
Junwoo hesitated for a moment before speaking.
“…About that letter I gave you last time.”
“Ah, yes! Did you send it? To Aden Village! To Luna’s family farm!”
“…I haven’t sent it yet.”
“What?! Why, why not..!? If you don’t send it soon, my parents will worry…! I came to the capital so I wouldn’t burden them…”
Runasia fidgeted anxiously, pacing back and forth. Junwoo scratched his head as he watched the uneasy girl.
I guess I should tell her the truth.
“The thing is… I didn’t know how much to send…”
“What?! Just sending a little would be enough!”
Was that why he hadn’t sent it? Runasia looked at Junwoo again, seeing a more thoughtful side to him. So he wasn’t just a psychopath—he could be considerate too…
Unaware of her thoughts, Junwoo asked directly.
“How much would be enough? Two and a half million pery? Three million pery?”
“Th-that much?! Maybe one and a half million would be enough…”
“One and a half million pery would barely let a family of four in the countryside survive for a month. Didn’t you say your family had no money? How many people are in your family?”
“Five younger siblings, my parents, grandmother, grandfather… including me, ten people total…”
The hero lowered her head in embarrassment. No matter how close a friend might be, talking about one’s family circumstances was difficult. But telling those details to the man who had kidnapped her? It was even harder. Much harder.
“Is your family struggling that badly for money?”
“…Yes. We are. The village is on the outskirts of the capital so living costs aren’t high, but… there are so many mouths to feed.”
“What about your parents? Don’t they work?”
“…They do work, but they can’t work for long because they have to take care of my grandparents…”
“I see.”
“…Yes.”
The hero pressed her lips tightly together. It felt like all her family’s shame had been exposed. Like thorns pricking at her heart. Just as she wondered when this uncomfortable situation would end, the kidnapper spoke bluntly.
“While you’re here, I’ll send three million pery to your family.”
“What?! That’s almost a new apprentice knight’s starting monthly salary!”
“It’s fine. This much is no problem. You won’t be able to see your family while you’re locked up. Compared to that, this is easy. Just focus on getting stronger.”
Junwoo knew the sorrow of being unable to see one’s family better than anyone. He had resented them. He had hated them. But family was family. Ever since falling into this other world, he had always longed to see his own.
“B-but three million pery is too much…”
“Be quiet. I’m sending three million. Just eat your food.”
“There you go again, lowering your voice and giving orders…”
“Shut up.”
Bang!
The kidnapper slammed the door and left the room. All that remained was the lunch on the plate. Omurice. Runasia took a bite. It was delicious, as always.
“Hic… If my tears fall into it, it’ll taste bad…”
That man was a kidnapper, but was he actually kind? Did kind kidnappers even exist in this world? Runasia couldn’t figure out his intentions at all. She felt confused. Should she be grateful? Should she resent him? Her heart was so tangled she couldn’t even tell what it was telling her…
Still, one thing was certain.
“Thank you…”
The hero’s small, tearful voice echoed through the room.
A day passed. Then two. Then three.
Hare stood in the same spot without missing a single day.
“Matches for sale…! Selling matches…!”
Waiting for her grandmother’s medicine money and that mister, Hare was selling matches again today.
“Will he… come today…?”
Haa— Haa—
Hare breathed out cold puffs of air into the freezing night. While she sold warm matches, her own body was ice-cold.
“…Have I been pushing myself too hard lately? I can’t keep doing this…”
Her grandmother was critically ill… She needed to earn money…
Hare pulled herself together and began calling out to people again. Her eyes constantly scanned her surroundings. Maybe that mister would appear. Maybe she could talk to him again.
Hare wanted to meet him again and apologize. She wanted to beg for forgiveness.
“But… he probably won’t forgive me…”
She had waited for him here late into the night, but he hadn’t shown up once. It was as if he had grown tired of her. As if he didn’t want to see her again.
Even though he was the first person who had ever shown interest in her.
The connection she had severed with her own hands hurt unbearably.
“Matches for sale. Matches… I have warm matches…”
Even so, she shouted about warm matches to melt her frozen heart. Following her deceased parents’ last wish—to never forget happiness and to live kindly—Hare tried not to give up.
At that moment, she felt a weight on her shoulder. Startled, Hare turned around with a spark of hope.
“M-mister..!?”
“Who are you calling mister?”
“…Ness.”
But it wasn’t the mister. It was Ness, a thug from the back alleys. His body wrapped in bandages, he looked down at Hare and muttered in a low voice.
“The boss wants to see you. Something about your ‘debt.’ And that man too. My medical bills ended up costing quite a bit.”
“…”
Medical bills. Money. It was always about money. Hare thought as she looked around. The mister was still nowhere to be seen.
“…I’ll go to the boss. But the mister won’t come.”
“If he’s not coming, then there’s nothing we can do! Follow me, Hare.”
Hare followed after Ness.
Probably… the only way I can atone to that mister is this.
I’ll pay his medical bills instead. No matter what it takes.
In the alley, Hare’s blood-red eyes gleamed coldly.
And then…
“What? Where did she go?”
By the time Lee Junwoo arrived to kidnap Hare, she had already disappeared.
Time limit: four hours.
Junwoo began to run in search of her.