Chapter 34: 34

“Don’t worry! Please leave it to me!”

“…….What?”

 

In the dimly lit cave, a pair of crimson eyes shone brightly.

Her long platinum blonde hair, tied back in a single strand, was flowing.

The area must be somewhere in the mine shafts. The road was intricate, the lantern in her hand was not even that of a magic light, and the unreliable candle was swaying in the glass.

The Duchess, Vivienne Ackerson, dressed as a maid, stood up with a confident look on her face, not a hint of fear in this hopeless situation.

I don’t know why, but she certainly looks dependable. As I thought so, I’m sure that Mika’s face must be pale and panicked now… it made me burst out laughing.

 

(Or rather… Am I the only one who thinks she was kidnapped on her own volition?)

 

 

***

 

—The incident happened a week ago.

 

As we rocked in the carriage to the Taurus mine, Duke Ackerson’s territory, I remembered Tillois looking dejected.

I don’t know why, but Tillois’ sister, the crazy duchess Vivienne, insisted on coming along on this trip.

I heard that Tillois had tried to persuade her extensively while Mika and I were on an inspection trip of the Lambert Territory. But she stubbornly refused to change her opinion, insisting on one strange point that, “something bad would definitely happen without her”.

 

It is not a good idea for Vivienne, who is engaged to Brother Vincent, to go out with the third prince, the first person from the opposing first prince’s faction. But apparently Tillois has his weakness seized, and he was pushed to the edge.

There was no color in Tillois’s face as he stood in front of the duke’s carriage in the morning with Vivienne, who was clearly dressed as a maid.

Then Mika and I realized what was going on.

 

“I didn’t expect Miss Vivienne to come along either. I’m impressed at her insistence.”

“I had heard rumors that she was acting strangely, but she seemed to be rather alive and well, as if something had possessed her.”

“Possessed?”

“Yeah. Well, His Royal Highness Vincent is very friendly with Baroness Emilia Tessier, and she seemed very jealous of her…..right?”

 

Mika, who is sitting next to me in the carriage this time instead of across from me, said this while tilting his head in thought.

Jealousy. She certainly would feel bad if her fiancé was flirting with another woman in public.

Even so, my brother’s fiancée was decided pretty early.

The Dukes of Tyndall, the birth family of the second queen, and the Dukes of Ackerson are the most closely connected of the four great dukes.

He was about five years old when the decision was made official. He must have been already set up to be engaged from the moment he was born.

Miss Vivienne must also have undergone a rigorous education to become royalty.

Then came along a baroness from somewhere, and her fiancée was all over her. I felt that it would not be strange if she turned a little crazy.

 

(If I see the person I like with someone else… I’ll definitely turn weird, too.)

 

For some reason, I remembered Mika being surrounded by beautiful women the other day, and I stopped myself from letting out an “ah”.

I felt that it was somewhat morally wrong to feel bad that my childhood friend, whom I had nominated myself to be my knight, liked someone else. That’s why it’s wrong.

But because I suddenly let out my voice, Mika asked me if I felt sick, and lent me his lap. The trip there became somewhat tantalizing. I was embarrassed to look up and see Mika’s face smiling down at me as I rested my head on his hard leg.

 

(Anyway, why didn’t he just ride Allen? Well, maybe it’s easier for him to protect me if we’re together.)

 

The carriage in which Mika and I rode and the carriage in which Vivienne and Tillois rode were riding in a line on the street, surrounded by a few horsemen. I didn’t want to be too conspicuous, but that much security is needed.

The second prince faction was probably wondering what I was planning to do, but my usual slug-like behavior has a good use here. I settled for the excuse that “the reclusive third prince wants to study the plants in the mine and Ackerson is made to tag along.”

 

My slug-like behavior is so consistent that they don’t feel suspicious about it.

 

Well, it couldn’t be helped. No, it’s better this way. Otherwise, the nobles would have been too busy digging an unlikely speculation.

 

Then, one week passed as we were rocked in the carriage.

Finally, the four of us arrived at Cauda, the town where the Taurus mine is located.

However, the town of Cauda looked like a poor rural village, with several battered stone houses built to the same standard, and the town as a whole looked gray. Among them, there was only one house that looked like it belonged to a noble. It was the residence where the mayor of the town lived, whom the Duke of Ackerson entrusted with the management of the town.

 

There was no cheer like when I visited Parthenios, and I felt that even the people living there were staring at the carriage with somewhat cold eyes. It does not look very safe.

I could also sense the tension from Mika.

 

(During our stay here….. Mika might not feel too comfortable.)

 

Then, I stepped into the town of Cauda, while feeling sorry for him.

But I couldn’t find the mine in the first place. I looked around, but there was no silhouette of a mountain anywhere, I tilted my head in confusion. However, Mika noticed me looking confused and pointed his finger in the other direction. My eyes widened in astonishment.

 

“T-this is what the mine is like…?”

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“No, the Taurus Mine is special. The name Taurus Mine was given from this huge hole that seems to swallow everything up, as bottomless as a cow’s stomach. I think it’s usually above ground, like a mountain.”

“This is… amazing. It looks like a nature-made labyrinth.”

 

There was a huge hole in the ground.

If you looked closely, you could see that in some places there were several holes and paths along the cliffs that encircled the area, and in some places, it looked as if railroad tracks were leading inside. It looked like an anthill with the convex and concave sides reversed, and I naturally let out a cry of admiration at the magnificent sight of the place.

But the impudent stares I felt around me were clearly not a good impression. Although I could see the miners with their iron tools, they didn’t give any greetings to Tillois. A chill runs down my spine, and when I involuntarily look toward Mika, he too shrugs his shoulders.

Even Tillois’ angelic, beautiful face had deep wrinkles between its eyebrows.

Vivienne looked around in various directions, sometimes with a satisfied look on her face, other times with a confused look. I felt even more uneasy realizing that something was wrong with her.

Vivienne was also acting strangely on the way here. She never spoke to me since she was pretending to be a maid, but she seemed to be observing me in a strange way.

 

(Why did she want to come here, I wonder. The last time I saw her, she also looked like she wanted to tell me something.)

 

In any case, the “Taurus Mine Massacre” will happen this winter.

In the report that I read in my first life, the miners who were forced to work rigorously during the cold weather rioted. I believe it was said that a noble (who was not specified) was kidnapped and that the Ackerson Territorial Army struck a giant magic spell in an attempt to quell the riot, resulting in casualties.

I knew that there was still time, but the bad atmosphere I was feeling made my stomach ache as if it had been grabbed with bare hands.

 

(I need to make sure I never leave Mika’s side.)

 

I had strongly made up my mind to do so… and yet.

At the mayor’s house, Vivienne sneaked out of the mansion for some reason, taking advantage of the split second Mika and Tillois were away. I was so surprised that I was about to call Mika right away, but Vivienne went further and further toward the town of Cauda.

I knew it was not a good idea for me to go outside, but I couldn’t let the duchess in danger.

And then, the phrase “kidnapping of a noble” crosses my head.

A chill ran down my spine, and I reflexively jumped outside. Her shadow was advancing into town at a rapid pace. I thought I should at least call and stop her, so I stepped outside, but that was the end of my luck.

 

And then, just like that, I was stuffed into a gunny sack by young coal miners and carried away and locked in the mine shaft with Vivienne.

My heart beats rapidly, and I have a bad feeling about this.

 

(Gh….. It really turned out to be the kidnapping of a noble….. Not good.)

 

Vivienne and I were sent to the corner of the mine shaft.

It was a dusty, cave-like place, and even the only light was a single candle lamp.

Vivienne and I were lying on the dirt, hands tied up behind our backs, at the corner of what looked like a warehouse with several crates stacked on top of each other that made you wonder what they were used for. There was a room-like area across, and I could hear what sounded like a few people playing cards from a while ago.

 

“The nobles are traveling without a care in the world. Meanwhile, we work without a day off.”

“But what are we going to do now that we’ve kidnapped him? Can we really get some money?”

“Yeah. If a noble was kidnapped, the mayor would give some money for it. How much should we ask?”

“That’s what Leon and the others are discussing. We’re just keeping watch on them, it’ll be a total loss if the noble escapes. Still, both the noble and the maid are incredibly beautiful, huh?”

 

I listen carefully to the faint conversation.

It was a kidnapping without a doubt, and trying to extract a ransom with such a plan was far from easy.

I had come all the way here to do something about their situation, but it was a complete turnaround that they committed a crime against me. I bit my back teeth and thought about what I should do.

For example, I wonder if I could try to negotiate with them here, but from the way they talk, it sounds like this “Leon” guy is in charge.

There is a good chance that they don’t even understand what this kidnapping is all about. They probably don’t realize that I’m a prince. And they probably don’t realize that Vivienne is a duchess.

Normally, if they, commoners, committed the crime of kidnapping royalty, they would most likely be sentenced to be torn limb by limb.

 

(And it would be pretty severe for them, the residents of the Ackerson territory, to kidnap Miss Vivienne….. Please, don’t bring the Territorial Army to this.)

 

Even if the Ackerson Territorial Army didn’t come here, they all could end up being hanged collectively if they were careless.

They had no understanding of the risks of this barbaric practice.

Because I had come all the way to Ackerson territory to try to change the future, their future turned into jeopardy instead. What should I do? …..If I could, I would run away from here and pretend the kidnapping never happened.

The crease between my eyebrows grew deeper and deeper.

As I felt despair and cast my eyes downward, a carefree voice came down on me.

 

“And done.”

 

There stood Miss Vivienne with a sparkle in her eye. I couldn’t help but gape my mouth and take a second look at her.

That’s right, while I was stunned, Vivienne somehow managed to untie the rope that had tied her hands behind her back and stood up triumphantly. Then, with a radiant smile on her face, she said to me,

 

“Well then, follow me! Your Highness.”

 

There was not a trace of fear on her face.

I thought to myself.

 

(What in the world is going on here?)

 

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