131 Chapter 131: Rescue Reques (1/2)
The three of us exchanged glances before returning our gaze on the forlorn Kureha Franklin.
”Um…shouldn't you be contacting the police over this sort of thing instead of approaching us?” Harvey asked. I nodded in agreement. My junior had raised a very good point. Kidnapping, abduction – such matters were way over our heads. We just weren't equipped to deal with these sort of things. Maybe the police wasn't either, but at least call in the military.
Kureha's face darkened. ”That's the first thing I did, after I got home and found my sister missing. But they told me that unless she has been confirmed missing for twenty-four hours, they cannot send a search party. Some bullshit about protocols and standard operating procedures.” She raised her smartphone. ”Even after I showed them this message.”
A holographic email from an unknown sender was projected above the table. The words were written very clearly and simply.
If you want your sister back safely, kill yourself.
”What the fuck?” Troy muttered. I was about to say the same thing, but he beat me to it.
”That's ridiculous.” I frowned. ”And the police didn't say anything?”
”They claimed that it was most likely a prank call, and there was no proof it had anything to do with my sister. Something about a lack of ransom, or stalkers or something.” Kureha folded her arms in irritation. ”The police can't be trusted. I won't be surprised if my relatives already bought them out, having predicted that I would approach them first.”
”That sucks.”
”Then what do we do now?” Harvey asked, turning to me and Troy. ”If Senior Kureha can't trust the police, then we're the only ones she can turn to?”
”Not necessarily.” I shook my head and turned to Kureha. ”That's what I want to know. Why are you approaching us of all people?”
”Didn't you say yesterday you will help me if it's within your ability?” Kureha countered.
”I did, and I will. This is a form of help.” I leaned closer. ”If you want your sister back, shouldn't you be approaching professionals? A private investigator to find out where your sister is? Professional mages to rescue her? What do you think a bunch of students can do against adult mages? If we're not careful, we'll end up getting ourselves killed without saving your sister.”
Kureha looked glum. ”I did consider hiring professional mages…but…with my pocket money, I simply can't afford them. I can only afford to hire students from mage academies.”
”Fair enough.” I leaned back in my chair and nodded, conceding the point. It was true that we students received a much smaller payout from completing our missions when compared to professional mercenaries and mages. That was why we were issued all those missions to kill low rank monsters. The missions involving high rank monsters, with the appropriately massive amount of rewards, were accordingly issued to professional mages and mercenaries like my dad. They could receive anything from a hundred to a thousand times the amount we received from slaying low ranking monsters. Sometimes the mission fees would reach into the millions, especially if it involved assassinations or hunting down rogue mages.
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I wasn't interested in the money, though.
”If that's the case, then we should help you!” Troy declared firmly, banging his fist on the table. ”We'll rescue your sister!”
”Yeah!” Harvey agreed with a cheer. I threw him a withering stare.
”You're a first year student. I don't think you're allowed to take part in missions, unfortunately. Sorry, Harvey…but I think we'll still need your help in other non-combat matters.”
”Aw…” Harrvey looked a little disappointed, but he straightened when he heard my last sentence. ”Please leave it to me!”
Yeah, I had learned to be tactful. I didn't want poor Harvey to be left out, so I made it feel like he could still contribute, but currently I had no idea how he could. I was sure we would figure something out later.
For now, we should focus on the matter on hand.
”Do you know who kidnapped your sister, or where she is being held?” I asked. Kureha shook head bitterly.
”I wish I did. That's actually the main reason why I approached you guys for help, and contacted the police earlier. I have no idea where they are or who they are.”
She gritted her teeth and clenched her fists tightly. I saw one of her hands go to the sword that was scabbarded at her side, curling around the hilt.
”Otherwise I would have gone straight to wherever they are and kill every last one of them.”
”By yourself?” I snorted, remembering the events of last night. ”I don't mean to be rude, but you couldn't even kill the group of mages pursuing you last night. What makes you think you can storm a kidnapper's base by yourself?”
”Last night?” Troy and Harvey stared at me. I sighed, and briefly recounted what had happened last night.
”Oh. That sucks.” Troy made a face and turned toward Kureha. ”So you've been targeted by assassins…”
”Wannabe assassins,” I corrected, and he rolled his eyes at me.
”…and now they've targeted your sister because they failed to kill you…thanks to Richie over here.”
”I'd say that pretty much sums it up, yeah.” Kureha nodded.
”But you have no idea who they are except that they are most likely hired by your relatives. And you don't know where they are now.”
”That is correct.”
Troy paused and leaned back in his chair to consider. Drumming his fingers on the table, he sipped his coffee before sighing.
”We'll take the request. I'm assuming you're in too, right, Richie?”
”Yeah.” I glanced at Harvey. ”You'll be in a non-combat role.”
”Understood.” Harvey sounded disappointed, but he knew the rationale behind the decision and didn't argue. The rules were rules, and we risked punishment if we chose to break them. I then turned to Troy.
”Do we need more members? Alicia, maybe?”