GalaxyTL
“Juma, continue the pursuit. We’ll meet up later.”
“Ooh!”
“Kei, we’re heading back to the guild.”
“Okay.”
And so, we (returned to the guild.) Ufufu!
Kidnapped? What are you talking about? I’m safe and sound, as you can see. All thanks to Gil-san.
『Meg!! Are you there!?』
『! Gil-shan! I’m here… Nnnyaaah!?』
The moment I felt myself being picked up, I, the Carry Master, immediately recognized those arms as Gil-san’s.
『Be quiet for a bit.』
He whispered, and I nodded repeatedly, hiding myself under his cloak. The concealment magic from when we left the dungeon, part two!
And then, everyone’s teamwork was amazing. Gil-san created an illusion that looked exactly like me with his shadow magic and cast a concealment spell on the real me. And Epink captured that illusionary me. Otherwise, I’d be dizzy from being juggled like a ball. So dangerous.
Kei-san and Juma-kun realized this through eye contact alone. And then, their Oscar-worthy performance. They were amazing! But that murderous intent was real, wasn’t it…? And lastly, I was safely tucked away in Gil-san’s cloak, enveloped in darkness. I clung to him and cried, overwhelmed by fear, relief, and frustration. But I’m proud of myself for not crying out loud!
Gil-san and Kei-san ran at full speed, and we arrived at the guild in no time. It was amazing. They weren’t running on the ground, you see, they were hopping from rooftop to rooftop! Their movements were light, as if they were weightless, and they were careful not to disturb the residents. Come to think of it, I think Juma-kun was flying. That must have been magic too.
Apparently, they’d apologize to the people who’d fainted earlier later. The residents of this town understood that these things happened, and since they usually helped maintain peace in town, it wouldn’t be a big deal. A symbiotic relationship!
“I see. Good work, you two. Gil, you did well protecting Meg-chan!”
“I’m not stupid enough to let my escort target be kidnapped right before my eyes.”
“Well, of course. But still…”
And so, we were currently in one of the guild’s guest rooms, giving a report to Saura-san. Guest rooms were also used for sharing confidential information among guild members, so they were often used for these kinds of things. It was a good place because no outsiders could enter.
Gil-san and the others were subtly saying it was foolish to have their escort target kidnapped… True professionals.
“Well then. It was Epink, huh? That Kangaro bastard is apparently a troublemaker, even within Nemo. Honestly, they need to manage their guild members better!”
“Hmm, I agree. He’s probably the only one stupid enough to try and pick a fight with us. A true idiot, in my opinion. Kangaros are a hot-headed race, but to not even choose your opponent… pathetic.”
“…Kangaro?”
Saura-san’s annoyance was expected, but Kei-san’s words were unusually harsh. They probably couldn’t stand the way he treated people like objects.
And what was this “Kangaro” they were talking about…? Don’t tell me… it really is a Kangaroo? I asked what a Kangaro was, and Saura-san explained, and she also briefly told me about Epink.
“Kangaros have a pouch on their stomach where they raise their young. They’re not very common, so you might not know about them, Meg-chan. And Epink is a Awakangaro demi-human. They’re a bit rare, but they’re not that uncommon.”
“Hmm, they specialize in magic that uses bubbles and hand-to-hand combat. And I think he can use a bit of subspace magic, like Gilnandio.”
Wow, it really was a kangaroo. A bubble-using kangaroo. I almost burst out laughing at the “hand-to-hand combat” bit. So kangaroo-like! I managed to hold it back. Kei-san then added what they knew, following Saura-san’s explanation. Subspace magic, which was rare and seemed very convenient. I was envious.
“Don’t compare me to that guy. Time still flows normally in his subspace, and he has limits on how much he can store and for how long.”
“Ahaha, looks like we’ve hurt Gil’s pride! Don’t worry, you’re not the same. You’re the best subspace magic user there is, Gil. And when it comes to concealment magic and tracing magical residue… you’re unmatched.”
“…I don’t mind. There’s no need to comfort me.”
Oh my, a rare sight, Gil-san looking a little embarrassed. It’s embarrassing to be praised! It was hard to tell with Gil-san, but he was definitely a bit flustered!
“Gil-shan, you’re sho amazing.”
I decided to praise him too. Though my limited vocabulary didn’t allow for more than that. I’d intended to tease him, but his gentle gaze made my heart skip a beat. Handsome men are unfair.
“Well then, Gil, you can see what’s going on over there, right?”
“…Yeah. It seems like they haven’t realized it’s a fake.”
“Hmm, to not notice, even after we let him kidnap her so easily… He’s third-rate.”
Kei-san’s verbal attacks were in top form today. I’d better not make anyone in this guild angry…!
“Hmm. Juma?”
“He’s caught up.”
“As expected.”
Oh, so Juma-kun was incredibly skilled after all. I only had the impression of him being a blunderer, constantly getting scolded. But his murderous intent was no joke. This was the second time I’d experienced it, and I couldn’t hold back my tears. But because I’d cried my heart out the first time, I’d been able to hold back from crying out loud this time. Maybe it was a blessing in disguise?
“Should I broadcast the audio?”
“Yeah, please.”
Gil-san flicked his wrist, creating a small shadow bird. It landed on a nearby table and opened its beak, broadcasting the audio. It could even do this… Gil-san was truly all-purpose. I want one for my house.
『What’s up, Oni? You want this elf that badly? 』
『What are you talking about? She’s a child we’re protecting. You’re basically a kidnapper for taking her without permission!』
『What are you talking about? She doesn’t have an official guardian, so I’m allowed to protect her!』
It seemed like Epink was quite eloquent.
『! W-Well, we’re already investigating that child! You’re trying to steal our request!』
『Oh? And who requested this? Where’s the client? Was it an official request for Ortus? No, it wasn’t, right? Then there’s no problem with Nemo, a fellow Special-grade guild, handling this, is there?』
『Guh…』
He probably had a point. There was no guardian looking for me, no client who’d requested an investigation. Everyone at Ortus was just so kind that they were looking into it, that must be it.
And I had a feeling Nemo wouldn’t do that out of the kindness of their heart.
“Good grief. Juma’s not good with arguments. …I’ll go. Gil, lend me a few shadow birds. To take me to them.”
“Saura? But…”
“My, you’re worried about me? I’ll be fine. …This is an order from the Don. Take me to Juma, now.”
“…Understood.”
Apparently, Saura-san was going to the scene. W-Will she be alright…? I guess my worry must have shown on my face. Saura-san smiled and hugged me.
“Meg-chan, you’re a child of all of us at Ortus. You’re family. Don’t forget that, okay?”
“Saura-shan…”
“Fufu, I’ll be back soon! Don’t worry!”
She said only that, then let go of me and gave Gil-san a signal. Gil-san cast the spell as ordered.
“I’ll call you back if it gets dangerous.”
“It’ll be fine. Believe in Saura-san!”
And so, ignoring our worries, Saura-san left the guest room with a confident smile. …Please come back safely!!