Against the night sky beyond the wide-open window, the Pegasus spreading its great wings and
In an instant my entire body was flooded with rage, and Magic Power surged through every fiber of my being. My body felt hot enough to boil, yet the core of my mind was ice-cold — and I recognized this sensation all too well.
"Charlotte!"
The intimidation was too far away — our eyes weren't meeting, so it wouldn't work. Acting on pure fury, I immediately sat back down in the seat and gripped the handlebars with all my might. Then, with a slamming force, I poured Magic Power into the handlebars in a torrent.
…Unforgivable! Anyone who would dare snatch away my adorable little sister — no matter who else might forgive them, I never will!
"Wait, Master's Master!"
"My Lady
The Chief Priest's voice echoed from
Angelica's hands grabbed both sides of the window frame — she had jumped onto the roof of the Less Bus and was clinging to the ceiling. I couldn't help but round my eyes at Angelica's unexpected move.
"Angelica, that's dangerous!"
"It'd be a waste of Magic Power to summon a riding beast, so I'll continue like this! Hurry!"
When Angelica shouted in a sharp voice that they would get away, I nodded once and immediately slammed the accelerator to the floor. The Less Bus shot forward with tremendous momentum, dashing straight toward the window.
"Don't be reckless, both of you!"
Brother
Through the clear winter night sky, the Less Bus rocketed forward with Angelica clinging to its ceiling. Thanks to the bright moon, our target — the riding beast and Charlotte — stood out white against the darkness, so there was no risk of losing sight of them.
"Give Charlotte back!"
"Big sister!?"
Clutched in the dark figure's arms, Charlotte spotted my Less Bus, cried out for help, and reached her hand desperately toward me. Charlotte's face was stiff with terror, her indigo-blue eyes red from tears.
…I will absolutely never forgive anyone who makes my sweet Charlotte cry.
I had to reach out and take that hand. I would save my little sister no matter what. Clenching my teeth at the kidnapper, I continued flooding the Less Bus with more and more Magic Power.
The dark-clad kidnapper who had snatched Charlotte looked back over his shoulder with a mocking squint — as if ridiculing Charlotte for begging for help — then his eyes went wide in shock.
"Y-You can fly through the sky!? A Grüen knockoff with no wings — how is that possible!?"
The panicked voice, clearly shaken, belonged to a man. I could only see the area around his eyes, but unlike during the abduction when he had been calm and taunting, now I could see surprise and panic in them.
Apparently this man didn't know that my Less Bus could fly like a normal riding beast. Whether he'd only ever seen it used for transportation within the castle, or had only heard about it from castle attendants, I couldn't tell — but it was clear he wasn't well-connected with the Attendants stationed at the northern building.
I drove the Less Bus straight toward the man, who was raising his voice in astonishment, letting my rage carry me.
"I will never, ever forgive you!"
"Big sister, help!"
The man tried to escape even faster, increasing his riding beast's speed to get away. I pushed the Less Bus even faster to match. I could feel the distance closing between us in real time. Each time the man glanced back to check my position, I could see his eyes filling with impatience, confusion, and fear.
After glancing back again and again, comparing me — the one chasing — with Charlotte — the one calling for help, the man repositioned Charlotte in his arms and then, with great force, hurled her out into midair. He then fled at full speed in the opposite direction from Charlotte.
Charlotte's white garment fluttered as she was cast into empty air. Her indigo-blue eyes flew wide open in shock. Having been thrown into the air myself on multiple occasions, I knew that sensation — that floating, helpless terror.
"Charlotte!"
I immediately jerked the handlebars toward Charlotte. Rescuing Charlotte was the top priority. The man in black might get away, but that didn't matter — capturing him was a job for the knights.
The instant I surged toward Charlotte at full speed, Stenluke's warning came from above.
"You mustn't, Master's Master! At this rate you'll collide with the Princess!"
"Hyah!?"
Realizing I would crash right into Charlotte, I slammed on the emergency brakes. When I stomped on the brake with all my strength — BAM — the Less Bus planted its feet, bristling like an animal. With a jolt of impact, it lurched forward.
In the next instant, Angelica, who had been clinging to the ceiling, was flung away with a whoosh.
"Wah! Angelica!?"
"No need to worry — I'm in the middle of a body enhancement!"
Angelica twisted her body in midair and then dove headfirst toward Charlotte, catching her in her arms right there in the sky. Charlotte's hands wrapped around Angelica's back, clutching on for dear life.
"Princess rescued!"
Stenluke's voice echoed through the night sky, sounding almost proud.
Relief that I hadn't crashed into Charlotte, joy that she had been saved safely, and admiration for Angelica's magnificent feat — all of it welled up inside me at once.
"Angelica! You were incredible!"
Before I could even raise both hands in praise, Angelica — still holding Charlotte — continued in a graceful parabolic arc, the two of them falling together.
"Master! At this rate, you'll fall together with the Princess! What do you intend to do!?"
"This is bad!"
Stenluke's voice and Angelica's voice rang out. Where had all that earlier joy and admiration gone? In an instant my face turned pale.
"You had no plan, Angelica!?"
"Nope!"
Angelica answered crisply even as she plummeted. It seemed she had only thought about rescuing Charlotte and nothing else.
"Kyaaa! Somebody!"
Just as I leaned out of the window to check where they were falling and tried to steer the Less Bus toward them, a wolf-like riding beast shot past below me at incredible speed.
It looked just like Brother
"Brother Cornelius!"
"I'll make it in time!"
Brother Cornelius, who had apparently summoned his own riding beast to chase after us, called out and dove straight toward the falling Angelica and Charlotte.
"Brother Cornelius, you can do it!"
With palms sweating, I watched as Brother Cornelius's riding beast, running at top speed, quickly caught up to the two falling figures.
Pulling up alongside them, Brother Cornelius grabbed Angelica's cloak, pulled them in, and guided the pair onto the seat behind him — catching them perfectly.
"Kyaaa! Brother Cornelius, you're so cool!"
Because the sudden change of direction put strain on the body, Brother Cornelius kept angling downward even after catching them, gradually shifting to a horizontal path. He carved a wide arc through the sky, then began climbing back up, heading toward us.
Seeing the stable movement of his riding beast and confirming that all three were safely aboard, I finally felt truly confident that everyone was all right.
"Amazing, amazing! We did it!"
As I clapped my hands in delight, the Less Bus suddenly lurched on its own. I wasn't holding the handlebars, wasn't pressing the accelerator — yet without warning, the Less Bus tilted, and my body lurched sideways with a jolt.
"Huh?"
My Less Bus began to fall, as if something were pulling it down. Without understanding what was happening, I landed in the seat with a thump. Eyes spinning, I scrambled to grab the handlebars and straighten the Less Bus while stomping on the accelerator.
"Huh? Wha—?"
When I pressed the accelerator, at first the Less Bus's legs flailed about, but as though something had tangled around them, they quickly stopped moving.
"What is this!?"
Unable to even hold still, the Less Bus was dragged downward at an angle, pulled by whatever had snared it.
"Wha-wha-wha!? Kyaaaaah!"
Brother Cornelius, who had been heading toward me, saw the Less Bus falling and his eyes went wide.
"Rozemyne!"
The Less Bus was plummeting toward the wooded area around the castle, where tall trees grew thick as a forest.
Screaming, I gripped the handlebars — and just before plunging into the woods, I spotted, in the moonlight, that the Less Bus was caught in a thin net of light. The instant I realized this wasn't a malfunction or malfunction of the Less Bus but a malicious trap, goosebumps erupted across my entire body.
Frantically looking around, I noticed figures in the shadows of the trees, pulling the net of Magic Power taut. They had to be accomplices of the kidnappers — I couldn't see them clearly, hidden in black, but I could make out dark hands gripping the faintly glowing net.
I need to escape, I thought — but the next instant, I was yanked downward with even greater force, Less Bus and all. Crashing through tree branches with loud cracks, I slammed into the ground with a tremendous THUD.
The impact was surprisingly mild, but inside the cabin my body was thrown upward, knocking against various surfaces.
"Ow…"
Seatbelts really are essential. I should probably also look into installing airbags.
As these thoughts ran through my mind, I righted myself inside the overturned single-rider Less Bus and stood up. My upper body automatically emerged from the window.
"Hyah!?"
The instant I stood, a ribbon of light shot out and wrapped around me in coils.
From where the light ribbon had originated, a figure with only his eyes visible — clad entirely in black — held a Stab.
In the next instant, my mind flashed back to the scene where the former High Priest had been wrapped up by a ribbon of light from the Chief Priest's Stab, and the memory of being reeled in one by one during the fight with Schneitilum — and then the man in black caught me the same way. I was yanked powerfully through the air, hurtling toward him.
Perhaps because I was wrapped in ribbons of someone else's Magic Power, or because my concentration had broken and the Magic Power supply had been cut off, I saw my Less Bus reverting to its magic stone form in the corner of my vision.
"Ugh!"
The man in black who had reeled me in was nothing like the Chief Priest — he made no effort to catch me. My body hit the ground hard and skidded across the dirt.
The man in black, Stab still in hand, looked down at me rolling on the ground and narrowed his cruel gray eyes.
"I've finally caught you. A blue Shrine Maiden Apprentice becoming the Lord's adopted daughter — you really gave us trouble. But with you in hand, that person will surely be pleased."
I could only see the area around his eyes, but even so, I could tell. This man saw me as nothing more than an object. He completely disregarded my will — the way a noble looked at a Commoner.
It was a look I was used to, but after nearly a year of not seeing it at all, all the dangerous encounters I'd had with nobles came flooding back. The former High Priest,
A chill ran down my spine. Shivering, I poured Magic Power into my ring to protect myself.
"Wind Goddess,
The moment I began the incantation, something pressed hard against my stomach, cutting it short. I tried to twist my body free from the weight and pain, but the man pressed down even harder.
"Ah, right — the Holy Grail of Ehrenfest can use blessings, can't she?"
Mockingly, the man spoke as he reached into his coat and pulled out a vial. With a click, the lid opened. No matter how you looked at it, it could only contain a harmful substance.
I struggled desperately, but pinned down by an adult man, I couldn't move even as much as a caterpillar.
The man grabbed my jaw and forced the liquid from the vial into my mouth. At the same time, a bitter taste spread across my tongue.
I tried to block the flow with my tongue and fought to spit it out without swallowing, but the man noticed my small resistance and pinched my nose shut.
As I grew breathless and my body cried out for oxygen, the liquid slipped down my throat. Perhaps because I had inhaled out of desperation for air, the fluid went down my windpipe and I choked violently.
"Gah! Cough!…."
"Be quiet."
The man said curtly, pressing my mouth shut while scanning the surroundings.
While he held me down, the numbness began spreading from where the liquid had flowed. Just like at the dentist after being given anesthetic, I could feel my lips and tongue going dead, my senses fading. Driven by terror, I frantically tried to move whatever parts of my hands and feet still responded.
"Rozemyne! Rozemyne!"
Brother Cornelius's voice echoed from somewhere nearby — it sounded like he had come running down into the forest looking for me.
I tried to call out "Brother Cornelius," but I had already lost the ability to move my mouth or make any sound. The drug must have taken effect — my mouth wouldn't move, and all that came out were faint whistling breaths.
"…!?"
The terror of being unable to call for help, unable to offer a prayer and use Wind Shield, drained the blood from my face. Even the limbs that had been moving freely moments ago grew heavier and heavier, moving against my own will.
…I'm scared.
"It's kicking in, is it?"
The man grinned, narrowing his eyes. Even as the ribbons of light around me dissolved, my entire body was now numb and unresponsive.
His face was right there, so close — if only I could activate my intimidation at this range. But fear overpowered anger, and the Magic Power inside me wouldn't respond properly.
…I'm scared.
The man in black tucked me under his arm and tossed me carelessly toward two people waiting nearby with a horse.
"Load her onto the carriage."
That was all he said before melting into the shadows between the trees and vanishing.
The two who caught me were Attendants — no, men dressed more like laborers. At the appearance of men not in black, I desperately tried to memorize their features, moving my eyes as much as I could.
As if to block this, the two men wrapped me entirely in cloth like a parcel of goods, until my entire field of vision was nothing but undyed fabric.
…I'm scared.
Immediately after the sensation of being lifted, I felt myself being secured somewhere. I assumed I had been placed on a horse — and sure enough, the next instant, the horse whinnied and broke into a gallop. My body jolted with each stride, and a pounding sensation thudded through my stomach area.
But perhaps because the drug had dulled my senses, what I felt in my stomach wasn't pain — just a strange, wrong sensation. The realization that my own senses were failing only amplified my terror.
…I'm scared.
"Rozemyne!"
Brother Cornelius's voice turned toward me — he must have noticed the horse's whinny or the sound of hooves. But in this densely wooded area, a riding beast with wide wings would be hard to use.
Brother Cornelius's voice, laced with urgency, grew more and more distant.
…Someone, help!
My guard knight, the Chief Priest, Father, Father — my adoptive father — Dad,
I screamed with whatever voice I had left, desperately calling for help.
…Somebody, help me!
Angelica and Brother Cornelius put on a spectacular performance.
But who will come to Rozemyne's rescue?
Next time, the one filled with rage arrives.