Chapter 98
‘Damn it.’
“Ellie! We don’t have time for this right now!”
“I know! I know, Millie. Just calm down for a second.”
“…Ugh.”
I was far too careless.
I was so focused on finding clues that I didn’t consider the possibility of something happening.
I was confident that no matter what, I could handle it.
But it was a spectacular failure.
By the time I returned to the clearing after seeing the quest notification in the forest, it was already too late.
When I got back, Elaine was gone, and only her fallen sword remained.
In addition, Elizar and Professor Amilion stood there with devastated expressions.
‘At least she’s not dead.’
Although rage was building inside me, I tried to stay calm.
Elaine had been kidnapped by the Nameless Organization, but her life wasn’t in immediate danger.
If her life were at risk, the quest penalty wouldn’t specify “Elaine’s death.”
‘I just have to rescue her. That’s all.’
“Ordin will be here soon. Once he arrives, we’ll figure this out together.”
“…Phew.”
Professor Amilion exhaled a trembling breath and nodded at Elizar’s words.
From their accounts, the person who kidnapped Elaine had left a message: “Come prepared if you want to save her.”
It was as if they were confident the O’Neill Kingdom already knew their location.
If that’s the case, the solution is simple.
Find out where they are, rescue Elaine, and crush them.
“For now, you should all return to your rooms and rest…”
“No. I want to be part of this conversation.”
“…No. I understand that you’re upset about your friend being in danger, but this is not something students should involve themselves in.”
Elizar’s tone was firm, her expression serious.
It was the polar opposite of her usual relaxed demeanor.
But I had no intention of backing down.
“No, this is not just a student issue—it’s a national problem.”
“…Which is precisely why it’s even more critical that you all remain safe.”
“I just want to be part of the discussion. Listening to the plan won’t put us in danger.”
“…Hmm.”
Elizar frowned slightly and looked over at Professor Amilion.
Receiving his gaze, Professor Amilion looked at me and sighed before nodding.
“Let them listen, Elizar. They need to understand the situation.”
“Fine, then…”
Thunk.
While the conversation continued inside, the meeting room door suddenly burst open.
Entering the room was Ordin, the Commander, with a grave expression.
Several knights followed closely behind him.
“Elizar, report the situation.”
“Yes. As I mentioned earlier, Elaine Sinclair, a student from Crescent Academy, has been kidnapped. The culprit is likely…”
“That bastard.”
“Yes. That’s our assumption. He also left a message: ‘If you want to save her, come prepared.’”
“Damn.”
Ordin continued the conversation without paying any attention to the students present.
His expression twisted as Elizar finished his report.
Professor Amilion followed up.
“The kidnapped student is, as you know, the third daughter of the Sinclair Family. One of the Crescent Empire’s Six Great Houses.”
“…”
No one responded to her words.
A heavy silence descended over the meeting room.
“Under no circumstances can we let harm come to her. Otherwise, who knows what could happen.”
“I know. I’m well aware. And I know Sinclair won’t stand idly by.”
“…Yes.”
Professor Amilion replied with some relief at Ordin’s response.
Ordin sighed heavily and spoke again.
“Phew. We must rescue Elaine Sinclair as soon as possible.”
“Agreed.”
“Where is she?”
“Hmm?”
“You seem to know where the kidnapper is.”
“And you are…?”
When I suddenly interrupted, Ordin looked directly at me with a baffled expression.
I met his gaze head-on without flinching.
If I knew where she was, it might be easier for me to handle this alone.
“Hey, hey! I’m sorry, Commander. He’s just emotional because his classmate has been kidnapped. Millie, maybe the students should…”
“We already know where they are.”
At Ordin’s words, everyone’s attention shifted to him.
With a hardened expression, Ordin continued.
“I was already planning to deal with him soon to avenge the Silver Eagles.”
“Then let’s go right away.”
“However, this is our responsibility. I cannot allow Crescent Academy students to face further danger.”
“No, I want to go too…”
“That’s enough. I understand your feelings, but this isn’t something I can permit. Students, please leave.”
“…”
Ordin’s tone was sharp, and his commanding presence made it clear that there would be no further discussion.
Even Cynthia, Emily, Agnes, and Marie, standing behind me, couldn’t argue against him.
It was the most authoritative I had ever seen him.
I instinctively realized, upon seeing the resolute expression of Commander Ordin, that I couldn’t stay here any longer.
Before leaving, I met eyes with Professor Amilion and then exited the meeting room.
Thunk.
As I, along with the other students, stepped out, the meeting room door closed behind us.
Only then did the voices inside resume, muffled but intense.
For now, I had left, but I could always learn about the plan through Professor Amilion.
What I needed to do at the moment was wait.
‘Was the Addy I saw in the forest also trying to separate me from Elaine?’
“Damn it.”
The realization that I had been tricked made anger bubble inside me.
What irritated me the most was the fact that all I could do now was wait.
If I knew where that bastard was, I would’ve gone alone immediately.
“Ryu.”
The moment I left the meeting room, Cynthia called out to me in a voice full of concern.
“Elaine will be okay, right?”
“Yeah. For now, her life shouldn’t be in danger.”
Even as I said this, I couldn’t shake my worry.
So far, the system messages and quests had never lied, so Elaine was likely still alive.
However, the statement “she’s not dead” was far too vague.
Technically, even if she lost an arm, she’d still be considered alive.
This meant the kidnappers might have done something horrible to Elaine as long as it didn’t threaten her life.
“Phew. I can’t believe this happened so suddenly.”
“…Did you guys see anything when Elaine was kidnapped?”
“Hmm. From what I saw, there was almost no mana movement, but then the two of them suddenly vanished. It wasn’t normal teleportation magic.”
“Hmm.”
Emily, rolling her eyes upward in thought, gave her observation.
A form of teleportation magic with almost no visible mana movement—similar yet different from my Spatial Movement.
It was the same type of technique Randgar and his subordinates had used.
“And Elaine couldn’t move and dropped her sword.”
Cynthia added this detail, her tone serious.
Both Cynthia and Emily stared at me intently from either side.
“Uh, um. We’ll head back to our rooms…”
“Oh, okay.”
Agnes and Marie cautiously spoke up and left shortly after.
That actually worked out better.
“Shall we go?”
“Go? Where?”
“To where Elaine was kidnapped.”
Nod, nod.
After Agnes and Marie disappeared, Cynthia spoke to me in a serious tone, her suggestion clear.
Emily, standing beside her, nodded as well.
Come to think of it, both of them knew I worked under Yuria, which meant they saw me as more than just a student.
‘I was planning to go alone.’
I paused to consider their unexpected offer.
Even without Cynthia saying it, I had already planned to return to the scene.
However, my intention was to go alone, not with Cynthia and Emily.
Elaine had already been kidnapped. I couldn’t risk taking others into a potentially dangerous area.
“It’s too dangerous for you two…”
“It’s better than going alone.”
“Exactly! If it’s related to dark magic, I can even use an artifact my Aunt Yuria gave me.”
“…Oh?”
Emily’s words shifted my perspective.
Taking them outside the knights’ jurisdiction would indeed be risky.
However, as long as I didn’t let my guard down, I could protect them.
Earlier, I had been too distracted, which is why I couldn’t focus on Elaine’s safety.
“Alright. Let’s go.”
As I spoke, Cynthia and Emily nodded in unison.
After scanning our surroundings, I reached out my hands toward them.
I felt their hands grip mine as I opened a space.
Woong.
With the familiar sound of space opening, we arrived at the exact spot where Elaine had disappeared.
“The enemy can move others instantly, just like I can. Stay close to me at all times.”
“Okay!”
Cynthia replied as she crouched to examine the ground, while Emily pulled something out of her pocket.
It would be great if we could find anything, even between the three of us.
Whoosh.
Unlike the humid winds of earlier, a cool breeze blew past as the sun began to set.
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