Ch. 59
The festival was so full of sights that even the knights couldn’t keep their eyes on their duties.
Since they also had to guard Bright and Jaimam, their attention occasionally strayed from me.
So escaping was really easy.
All I had to do was slip into the overflowing crowd.
“This way.”
Iruze and I used our small bodies to slip through the masses.
Dashing between the legs of countless people felt like burrowing through a dense thicket of reeds.
We held hands tightly so we wouldn’t lose each other. Eventually, we burst out onto a quiet alley and laughter escaped our lips.
We knew we’d shaken off the knights.
From that moment on, Iruze and I were giddy with excitement.
“Hehe! We did it!”
“But are you sure this is the right way?”
“Yeah. There was a map drawn on the poster.”
“What? You memorized that from a quick glance?”
“You can’t?”
“I can’t!”
It was easy to overlook, but Mia, Bright, and even Iruze were all pretty sharp.
“I memorized the way! It’s this way.”
Though it was late at night, the moon was bright, so it wasn’t too dark.
Who knows how long we ran. Eventually, we slowed to a walk.
The farther we got from the city center, the faster the crowd thinned, until the alley was just the two of us.
“What do you think, Geenie? Aren’t you glad we snuck out?”
“Yeah.”
“You looked so down, I really wanted to bring you.”
Was she worried about me? I felt oddly touched. I was about to thank Iruze when—
“Wait, Iruze.”
“What’s wrong, Geenie?”
“I just… got a strange feeling. Like someone was watching me.”
“Eh? You can feel something like that?”
Iruze didn’t seem to notice anything.
Was I just being overly sensitive? I stopped in my tracks and looked back, unease tightening in my chest.
I definitely felt something, but I couldn’t pinpoint exactly what.
It was a vague sensation.
Was it just guilt over ditching our escorts?
I did feel a little sorry, but I only planned to look around for a bit and then go back. I could just say I got lost on the way back to the inn.
“Maybe I imagined it.”
“I didn’t notice anything.”
I turned forward again, slightly indifferent—only to see a pitch-black shadow descending behind the unsuspecting Iruze, who was standing there with her head tilted.
What the—!
“Iru—!”
But before I could warn her, something clamped down roughly on my lips.
It only took a second to realize it was a filthy, calloused hand.
“Mmgh!”
It happened almost simultaneously.
My eyes widened as I saw Iruze pointing behind me just before being grabbed by an assailant.
Someone hoisted me up from behind.
Even with their hand covering my mouth, it was so ridiculously large that it also blocked half my face and one of my eyes.
I couldn’t see properly, and it wasn’t just that I couldn’t speak—I couldn’t breathe.
Through the uncovered eye, I saw Iruze struggling wildly.
“Mmnnn!”
“Eeeegh!”
Iruze!
“This is why festivals are the best!”
“Kids wander around without a care.”
“Perfect time for a hunt. Boss’ll be thrilled.”
Before I could process anything, my hands were bound and something filthy was shoved into my mouth.
I was stuffed into a dark sack like a piglet about to be slaughtered.
“Mmgh!”
What the hell is this! Damn it, what the hell is going on!
As panic swirled in my mind from the sudden threat, curses flooded my thoughts—and just one word stuck to my lips.
[Raiiii!]
That damn snake who wasn’t even here because I’d ditched him to escape with Iruze!
[Rai!]
He was useless when it really mattered and incredibly annoying, but right now, he was all I could think of.
He said if I called him with enough force, he’d be able to sense it—so that was all I could count on.
[Hey, you snake bastard! Get your scaly ass over here!]
With my mouth sealed shut, that was all I could do.
“Mmrrghh! Mmmm!”
I heard the faint sound of Iruze resisting. I tried to summon Ador in desperation.
He was the only one I had who could be used for attack.
Even if I couldn’t speak, maybe if I called out with enough force…
“This won’t do. Shut them up.”
Something hard slammed into the back of my head.
The pain radiated from the impact and quickly overtook my vision.
I couldn’t think of anything else. My consciousness faded.
…What a damn dangerous world.
* * *
A chill, like something slithering beneath my skin, made me open my eyes.
Everything was dark, and only a faint light trickled in through a small window. I couldn’t see anything else.
Even that tiny window was crisscrossed with iron bars.
I sighed.
It seemed we’d been captured by slavers, just like I’d heard about in stories.
Judging by how they’d taken two kids, it was clear what was happening.
‘How did it end up like this?’
I only wanted to see the monster market, not join the slave market as merchandise.
…This damn world!
It’s insane! Right?! How is anyone supposed to live like this?! Damn it!
Suddenly furious, I started rolling around on the floor.
I couldn’t hold back the rage that welled up inside me.
‘How many times now?! I almost died from The Swarm! Almost got eaten by a monster while taking a dump in the mountains! And now I get kidnapped by slavers just for trying to enjoy a festival! How is this real life?!’
What kind of hellhole is this world?!
I thought nothing worse could happen, but clearly that was just wishful thinking.
As I fumed, blood rushed to my head, and the spot where I’d been hit started to throb terribly.
Can’t believe I actually got clubbed in the back of the head.
First things first—I needed to assess the situation.
I moved my tongue and spat out the filthy rag that had been stuffed in my mouth. My jaw ached from being forcibly pried open.
“Iruze?”
I was worried whether Iruze, who had been captured with me, was safe.
I called out softly, but there was no response. Anxiety surged through me.
“Iruze! Where are you?”
When I raised my voice a bit more, I heard a rustling sound from somewhere in the darkness.
There was definitely someone else here besides me.
But I couldn’t see them, so I couldn’t be sure it was Iruze.
I squinted, trying to make out a silhouette, but it was far too dark in here.
“She should be nearby.”
The sudden voice belonged to a young boy.
Judging by his voice, he seemed to be around my age.
“You mean the girl who was caught with me?”
“Yeah? Were you taken too?”
“……”
I looked toward the voice and asked, but no reply came back.
Well, I suppose it’s hard to be chatty when you’ve just been kidnapped.
For now, I focused on finding Iruze and groped around me.
The floor was cold, rough, and so filthy I could feel the grimy dust clinging to my hands.
This was probably underground. The voice echoed and it was oppressively dark.
“Found her.”
Before long, my fingers brushed against a familiar fabric.
Iruze’s clothes were definitely made of this kind of luxurious silk. As I reached around more, I also felt hair braided into twin tails with flowers woven through—though a bit loosened now.
It was definitely Iruze.
“Mmgh…”
She stirred at my touch, groaning faintly. I quickly shook her.
“Iruze? Wake up, Iruze!”
“Nnngh.”
Even after I shook her roughly, Iruze only let out a small whimper before going limp again.
I needed her awake if we were going to escape or even think of a plan… What should I do? I started racking my brain.
To survive, I needed to calm down and think things through.
‘Okay, stay calm. There’s a saying—if you’re offered as a sacrifice in a dragon’s lair, you can still survive if you keep your wits about you… As if that ever worked!’
Aaaaagh!
Screw calm! This sucks so bad!
How is anyone supposed to stay nice in a world like this?! I wanted to live as a pure-hearted soul, completely unaware of how dangerous the world was!
