Chapter 13 (2/2)

“I would like to start the operation. The other two are already ready and waiting, so you’re the only one left. After you’ve changed, please join us in the conference room we used yesterday.”

As if he’d said what there was to say, Leon got up and left the room.

…It wasn’t like I was expecting to be escorted or anything, but somehow I felt unsatisfied, or maybe disappointed. Like it betrayed my expectations.

Well, maybe it was something like that.

Anyway, I wasn’t a guest here anymore.

After this, it was all about the job.

‘If that’s the case, then that’s normal, right?’ I decided.

–

–

By the time I entered the meeting room, Palmira and Aira were already waiting, just as Leon had said. And they had even changed into the slightly grimy sack-dresses, too.

Speaking of which, I get it. Still, changing back into these clothes for a second time…

Though I understood that we were becoming slaves, it was enough to dampen my mood considerably.

“Somehow, this makes me feel like everything up until now was a dream.”

While maids applied make-up, Aira said this with a half-smile. The make-up seemed to be for the purpose of making our eyes look sickly, but unconcerned about the intention, the two maids went to work with zeal.

“Now then, would you please change into this as well?”

Another maid handed me clothing. She’d been the one to dress me the day before yesterday. Perhaps drawing a clear line, she maintained a stoic expression.

It felt lonely, somehow, but it couldn’t be helped. I accepted the sack-dress in silence.

–

–

It was gloomy, and to make things worse, the pa.s.sage we were walking down was narrow and damp.

Ahead of us, holding a light, was Lieutenant Vyde of the First Platoon.

His silent figure, striding along, was an oddly good fit for this place. Wearing the sack clothing, Aira, Palmira, and I followed behind him. The mood being what it was, no one said anything.

Behind us was Irene. It seemed that because her enchantment magic had a time limit, she was coming along in order to cast it at the last possible moment. Even she kept her mouth shut, unsurprisingly.

Following her were around ten soldiers.

Well, I say that, but — and this applied to Vyde too — they’d changed their earlier armored look. If anything, they looked like a ragtag band of adventurers. Slavers being the idea here.

After that, Leopard and the local troops arrived to commence operations.

Like so, we moved to what they said was the main building. Pus.h.i.+ng aside the stove at the back of the hall, Leopard saw us off as we descended the staircase that appeared.

It was just like a n.o.ble’s mansion to have a secret escape route like this. I bet they come standard. From the slight surprise on Irene’s face, this one must have been kept top secret. If not, then it wouldn’t work as a normal escape route either. 1

In the end, Leon never showed his face.

‘At least see us off. That’s not too much to ask, is it?’ I thought, but… I ended up telling myself, ‘Well, I’m sure he’s busy.’

All the same, walking down this dark underground pa.s.sageway, it was like we were being taken to some heathen ritual to be offered up as sacrifices.

And in a sense, that might be true. In that we were being offered up.

The reality is, we’re women. Since the old days, it’s been a young woman’s lot to be made a sacrifice.

Wait, but I’m a young man. The heathen G.o.d will have some pretty complicated feelings about that, I’m sure.

It looked like we’d reached the end while I was thinking about all that useless junk. Vyde suddenly came to a stop.

I stumbled forward, but manage to keep from running into him.

It was a dead end with a small iron door set in the wall. Without a word, Vyde took a key out from somewhere and slid it into the keyhole.

Kac.h.i.n.k. Vyde pushed against the door from the inside, opening it with a creak. Sunlight shone through the gap.

The brightness was dazzling, but when my eyes adjusted, I realized we were in a deep forest.

“This way.”

Hearing Vyde’s voice for the first time, I timidly stepped outside at his urging.

We were in a deep forest after all, as it turned out. Looking around, I saw that the door I had just come out of was set into some kind of stone monument, twisted and covered in ivy.

I see, the exit was hidden too. I approved of the choice.

“We’ll walk a little further. Watch out for undergrowth.”

Vyde told us to pay attention in a subdued voice. He really kept his words down to the minimum, didn’t he?

–

–

Once we left the forest, which didn’t even have an animal trail running through it, we emerged onto a highway.

At the same time, as if they’d been waiting nearby, two wagons pulled up to us.

This operation was like a well-oiled machine.

One was an extremely unremarkable covered wagon, but the other was that sealed wooden box from before.

That was our ride. It was just as depressing as wearing the sack.

Aira and Palmira were also looking at it with rather complicated expressions.

“Well then, I’ll cast the enchantment inside.”

Irene spoke with as little emotion on her face as possible and got into the box.

When I looked at the other two again, our eyes met.

Seeing their lost looks, I braced myself and got in. Then, the other two followed.

“…Okay, let’s go in turns.”

As soon as we were all inside, the casting began.

The invocation stone and the light of the spell illuminated the wagon’s dim interior. It was a more wondrous sight than yesterday’s.

First up, Aira.

Same as before, Irene stuck her finger in Aira’s mouth. Then Palmira’s.

“Last but not least, Chris. Open your mouth, okay?”

Having gone through it twice before, Aira was still calm, but Palmira had her hands clapped over her ears just as Aira had.

My turn came up while I was watching them, and I turned to Irene.

“…I trust you’ll be gentle.”

I put on a face of bravado over my slight dread.

Irene gave me a tiny nod and wrote the symbols in the air a third time. That done, she stuck her finger in my mouth as she had with the others.

Snap–

There was a popping sound toward the back of my head. Irene withdrew her finger.

(H–Huh?)

Irene’s voice echoed in my head. When I looked over at her, she was staring at the tip of her finger with a perplexed expression.

Whaddya mean, ‘huh’? You’re making me nervous.

(Ah, it looks like the enchantment took hold properly… I thought it felt a little different than usual, for some reason.)

What? Could she hear my thoughts just now?

It was amazing, but it was scary to think that someone was listening in.

(Once you get used to it, you’ll be able to transmit only what you want to.)

(Big Sister, it’s okay. Even I can do it.)

(…How very unnerving.)

Following Irene, I could hear Aira and Palmira’s voices.

Anyway, it seemed like everything was okay. I mean, it was still a weird feeling, and I couldn’t suppress my disorientation, but I thought I’d get used to it sooner or later.

(Well, everyone, do your best. Chris, I haven’t forgotten what you promised.)

With that, Irene gave us a little thumbs-up and got out.

The door shut behind her.

More and more, I felt strongly that we’d rolled back to being slaves. Unsurprisingly, I grew uneasy.

After a short while, I could feel the wagon start to move.

“…Snff.”

Aira sniffled, on the verge of tears.

(It’s okay.)

The only thing I could do was pray that would hold true.

Author’s Notes

Guuhhh–, the story hasn’t advanced much at all…

I guess I should cut the cut parts.

Footnotes

1. こうしたものは、そうでなければ非常の脱出路にはならない ↵

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