Chapter 29
Chapter 29
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 29
Chapter Title: Chapter 29
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 29
Chapter Title: The Kidnappers' Strike
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"Human, what's wrong?! Did something happen?!"
Was it reading the bewilderment mixed in my emotions?
Ash urged me on with a frantic look on his face.
"...Ash. Get everyone geared up right now. Your princess is in danger."
"......!!"
Damn. Who would've thought they'd pull a move this bold.
Forgetfulness was a terrifying thing. My hunch was half right, half wrong.
The Holy Empire hadn't won the bid for Milia. Fool that I was, I'd let my guard down just because of that one fact.
After experiencing that monstrous emperor of the Holy Empire, Ivarella—enough times to be utterly sick of her—I should have known better.
With a woman like her and Pope Livia pulling the strings, they could've easily opted for a far more "efficient" approach.
If my guess was on the money, the ones hitting Prince Peter's group right now were definitely Holy Empire holy knights.
Under orders from Ivarella and Pope Livia, those guys would dive into a pit of fire with smiles on their faces.
A simple command to snatch one elf? They'd carry it out without a second thought.
Even if she was the elves' princess.
[Telepathy: To Saladin] Current position?
[Telepathy: Saladin] From Mercado's west gate, head north—there's a forest...
I spurred my horse desperately toward the spot Saladin had telepathed, Ash and the ranger unit riding alongside.
'Please... don't let us be too late.'
I gritted my teeth, praying my own carelessness hadn't botched everything.
"Huff... huff..."
In the forest near Mercado, a blood-soaked man clutched an elf's hand tightly as they raced blindly down some unknown path.
Milia Minerva, the queen's forbidden treasure who ruled the beast forest, found the whole situation bizarre.
Just a short while ago, she'd been frolicking happily with her kin in the woods when humans snatched her away. Back then, the world had seemed to crash down around her.
The elders had always warned about slave hunters, but she'd never thought it could happen to her.
You know how it is—those scary stories parents tell to keep kids in line.
She'd figured elf kidnappings were rare. Most slave hunters never even made it through the beast forest, ending up as monster chow instead.
The adults had drilled it into her: that wasn't true, and the fate of captured kin was utterly miserable.
But she'd let it go in one ear and out the other.
Those tales were chilling enough to make death seem preferable, but she'd never imagined it happening to her.
What was there to worry about? Even if someone breached the forest, she had the sturdy escorts her mother had personally assigned.
But.
These hunters targeting her were strong—too strong.
They'd "subdued" all her elf guards.
Not killed. Subdued.
Subduing is always several times harder than killing.
Yet they'd pulled it off effortlessly, whisked her away without a hitch, and hadn't laid a finger on her or tried any tricks.
The elders said hunters defiled elves before selling them as slaves.
But these ones hadn't even spoken to her, let alone done anything vile.
Milia might have been naive, but she wasn't stupid.
Instinct told her they were hiding their identities.
She didn't call them out, though. No point provoking them when it wouldn't help her.
How much time passed? When they reached what the adults called the "auction house," Milia realized there'd been no exaggeration in their warnings.
Unlike her captors, the humans there shamelessly flaunted their ugly desires.
The other captured elves she'd seen with... well, it matched the stories exactly.
Small mercy: they hadn't touched her. Probably didn't want to damage valuable merchandise.
But when they forced her into humiliating attire fit for a princess and dragged her onto the auction block, Milia gave up.
'If only I'd listened to the elders.'
Regret always comes too late, no matter how swift.
Milia despaired, knowing she'd end up sold to some lecherous human like the others.
"20,000 gold!"
Someone shouted that, and just like that, she was off the block faster than she'd gone up—her own auction paling in comparison.
"Jackpot! What a steal! Haha, this'll put me in good standing with him!"
Norman—that was his name, the one running the auction—cackled gleefully.
She hated being sold, but seeing him happy grated even more.
After being hauled offstage, they force-marched her into a bath, then dressed her in clean clothes.
'Uncomfortable.'
The artificial fabric chafed against her skin, nothing like nature's embrace.
She was still trying to keep it from touching her when the door burst open.
Bang!
"Elf wench, you're one lucky bitch. The lord who bought you has more wealth than you can dream of."
Norman grinned dirtily as he barged in.
"Play your cards right, and you could live in luxury that makes your filthy forest look like a joke. Lucky for an elf."
Clank!
He yanked the chains binding her limbs and added,
"Better serve him well. Piss him off, and no one will even find your headless corpse."
He menaced her like he was trying to scare her, but Milia just snorted inwardly.
'Like I care.'
Human luxuries meant nothing to her. Her only wish was to return to that verdant forest.
Then came her first meeting with the man who'd bought her.
"Hello? Milia Minerva, right?"
He greeted her with the brightest, most genuine smile.
Elves could sense lies keenly, a racial trait. There was no base desire or deceit behind that smile.
'A human this pure... exists?'
Stunned, Milia froze and couldn't take his offered hand.
"Whoops, you must be pretty shaken up."
He grinned sheepishly and withdrew his hand.
Then he said something she couldn't have imagined.
"You've been through hell, Milia. Now, let's go home."
"...?"
No lie there. He loaded her into a carriage and headed west—kept heading west.
Clip-clop, clip-clop.
In the quiet, only the carriage wheels echoed along the road.
"Your Highness, spending 20,000 gold on a single elf? And this one—Milia, as you call her—is the queen's daughter!"
A knight escorting the carriage scolded the man.
"First the lycanthrope at top price like a sucker. His Majesty will have your head."
The man shot back without flinching.
"Come now, Sir Yorn. This is all for our kingdom's sinners. If we don't endure it, who will?"
He glanced at Milia.
"Milia here, the Baukalrak clan—they're all poor souls dragged to this distant land by human greed."
The knight snorted, as if he knew the score.
"Hmph! Sure, sure. Then why's Baukalrak in the cart behind while Milia's riding with you?"
"Ahem. His bulk was too big for the carriage, obviously."
"Right, right. Why not buy every elf there while you're at it?"
"You idiot, they were the only ones on the Dragon Mountains route...!!"
Bickering casually with his subordinates, he seemed so down-to-earth.
One thing puzzled Milia, though.
Why was his face flushing red? She couldn't figure it out.
'Still, he seems like a good human.'
The first unconditional kindness since her capture stirred unfamiliar feelings in her.
Whoosh!
Then disaster struck out of nowhere.
Thud! Thunk!
Neighhhh!
An arrow pierced the carriage horse's neck mid-stride.
The fine steed collapsed with a pitiful cry.
"Who goes there?!"
The knight and escorts drew swords, scanning all directions.
Rustle.
Figures emerged from the brush—the arrow's culprits.
"Hahaha! Sorry if we startled you, Prince Peter. We were in a rush."
One man from the encircling thugs laughed back.
"No need for long talks now that the arrows are flying."
The leader eyed Milia.
"Hand over that elf you bought. We'll make it quick and painless."
Even now, Milia thought the negotiation was ridiculous.
'He's basically saying he'll kill them anyway.'
Of course, no one would accept such madness.
"You mad bastards! You dare attack a carriage with His Highness inside! Leave none alive!"
"Waaaaah!"
The escorts charged at the thugs on the knight's order.
"Fine, if you're turning down the carrot for the stick."
The thugs drew weapons and clashed fiercely.
"Milia, let's slip away in the chaos! We'd just get in the way!"
Prince Peter grabbed her hand as the groups collided.
Sensible call to avoid being baggage. Even Milia could see Peter lacked the strength to fight an orc.
"Graaaah! Human, get me out too!"
A plaintive roar came from behind as they fled.
The lycanthrope auctioned first: Baukalrak.
His massive frame had claimed the whole rear compartment.
Some reinforcement spell for emergencies must've locked him in.
"Free me, human! I'll repay the favor!"
Baukalrak saw Peter not as a slave owner but an equal who'd shown respect.
"We lycanthropes never forget grudges—or debts! I'll protect you!"
"...Milia, wait here a sec!"
As Peter unlocked the rear magical lock,
Whoosh! Thunk!
An arrow grazed past, piercing Peter's side.
"Guh!"
Pain-wracked, he kept working the mechanism.
Click!
The lock on Baukalrak sprang free.
In that brief moment, another arrow hit Peter's shoulder.
"Argh!"
When had he ever suffered wounds like this?
Bloodied in seconds, Peter screamed but pressed on.
"Nngh... Milia, Baukalrak—over here...!!"
And so the escape began.
"Huff... huff...! You two holding up alright?"
"...No, human—you're the one who looks bad."
"...I'm fine."
Baukalrak and Milia stared at Prince Peter, amazed he was checking on them first amid all this.
Milia, a tad more curious than Baukalrak, started to speak.
"...Hey."
But then.
Crunch, crunch.
"Ah, fuck. Prince Peter, why'd you run? Making me sweat chasing you. You gonna pay for my skincare?"
The ambush leader had caught up, still griping as he approached.
"Seriously. Just get captured quietly—win-win. We snag the elf quick, you go painlessly. Perfect, right?"
He wiped blood from his cheek with his sleeve.
"Damn amateurs, why do they bleed everywhere?"
Shing.
Griping done, he drew his bloodied sword.
"Anyway. We'll take the elf. Last words?"
"Grrrrr."
Baukalrak stepped forward, growling protectively before Peter and Milia.
Emboldened, Peter spoke up.
"...I don't know who you scum are, but such impiety! The Lord God will surely smite you with divine punishment!"
Peter's curse(?) sent the leader—and all the thugs—into hysterics.
"Hahahahaha...!! Enough."
Snap.
The laughter died instantly at the leader's command.
That discipline alone screamed their strength.
Snap!
His fingers flicked; his men charged Baukalrak en masse.
"Graaaah!"
"Haha! My boys love dogs. Play with them awhile."
Crunch, crunch.
The leader sauntered past Baukalrak, a few men in tow, straight toward Peter.
"Divine punishment? One thing I know: our Lord God won't punish us."
He laid his sword gently against Peter's throat.
"This is all for the glory of God."
"...What?!"
Peter's eyes bulged at the quiet words.
"Hm, that reaction—you've caught on. A bit late, though."
The sword rose high.
"Farewell. We won't be far."
It plunged toward Peter's neck.
"A little early to send him off."
Whoosh! Clang!
But the blade missed, deflected by a dagger from the forest shadows.
"Who are you?!"
As the leader bellowed, a man emerged from the trees, scratching his head.
Or rather, two more stepped out behind him.
"Ah, fuck. For real. Try stiffing me on the bonus pay."
Mumbling oddly.
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