6. Kidnapping incident occurred?

One afternoon, I was out in the town running errands for my senior. They asked me to buy some medicinal herbs from a newly opened store that apparently sells herbs that can only be found overseas. I also planned to buy something for myself while I was at it.

As I walked down the street, a strong north wind blew and I instinctively pulled my robe closer around my neck.

“It’s so cold! Winter is coming soon.”

With a map in one hand, I turned into an alley from the main street. I took a few turns and continued down a narrow path.

Since the beginning, no trouble had occurred. 

The kidnapping incident where the protagonist would end up getting closer to the heroine (Mia san) was supposed to happen shortly after he joined the knight’s order.

“It should be happening soon, but…”

I didn’t know the exact date or month it would happen, but it was supposed to take place before the onset of the full winter.

“Rei got kidnapped after getting lost in a back alley while out shopping, right?… Wait, huh?”

I was supposed to be following the map, but before I knew it, I was in a dimly lit alleyway. There were no people around, and it didn’t seem like there would be a medicinal herb store nearby.

“Could it be… that I got lost?”

My murmurs echoed loudly in the quiet alleyway. 

This situation of being lost in a dimly lit, deserted alley was reminiscent of what would happen during a kidnapping.

“I should… no, I can’t run away.”

I tried to suppress the urge to run away due to fear. I shouldn’t run away. My role here is to be properly kidnapped.

As I stood there, still holding onto my arm, I heard a door opening behind me. Then, footsteps that tapped against the stone pavement approached me.

The situation has matched up until now, and there’s no way the person coming isn’t the kidnapper.

It’s scary. But I have to endure it for Gil’s sake. I failed last time, so I have to succeed this time. But can I endure it?

With my eyes tightly closed and unable to move, the footsteps finally stopped behind me, and my shoulder was firmly grabbed.

“It is Rei after all. What are you doing in a place like this?”

Upon hearing the voice, I reflexively turned around. There stood Gil, dressed in the knight’s uniform.

“Gil… what… I’m glad…”

“Rei!?”

Relieved, all the strength in my body left me, and I felt like I was about to collapse to my knees. But Gil held me tightly.

“Did you get lost? You must have been scared. It’s okay now.”

With warm hands stroking my back, my breathing began to calm down. As I rubbed my cheek against him and breathed in Gil’s scent, my body tremors subsided.

“So why is Gil here–“

“Oh, Rei! You really were here.”

“Captain!”

The one who called out to Rei from behind Gil was the captain of the Frontier Knights.

“Gil said he heard Rei’s voice, so I came to check, but I never thought you’d be here.”

The captain scratched his beard, looking exasperated. Rei was embarrassed that, despite being an adult, he got lost and cried.

“But I’m glad we found you. This area used to be a bandit hideout.”

“Eh, Is that so?”

According to the captain, the building Gil had come out of used to be a bandit hideout. There were several such buildings in the area, and they had come to search inside them today.

“This guy came up with the plan and we caught them all. He did a great job.”

“No, it’s thanks to the captain and the members who cooperated.”

“He’s such a modest guy, even though it’s fine to brag about it.”

Watching the two of them chatting, I was dumbfounded. I had failed again. I was too late.

“Captain! When are you going to stop dragging your feet? We’re not done here yet.”

“…Mia san?”

“Yeah. This building is under the jurisdiction of my team.”

“I see…”

Upon hearing that, I felt a little better. There should have been an episode in the novel where their relationship deepens during the search for the hideout.

I can’t interfere any further.

I slipped out of Gil’s arms and bowed my head.

“I’m sorry for causing you trouble. Well then, I’ll be going.”

“Wait, why did you come to a place like this, Rei?”

I showed Gil the crumpled map I was clutching.

“I wanted to go to the newly opened herb shop, so I looked at the map and came this far, but…”

“You’re probably in the wrong place. It says Clover Street, but I think it’s supposed to be Clever Street. There are a lot of new shops around there.”

Gil snatched the map from my hand and pulled my hand with his other.

“Let’s go then.”

“Wait! Aren’t you still working? I can manage on my own.”

“But what if you get lost again? And we’re not sure if Clever Street is the right one.”

“But it’s no good!”

I was lightly brushed off again, but I couldn’t back down. I had to make sure I didn’t interfere with the two of them this time…!

“Hey hey, how long do you plan on arguing?”

“Captain!”

That’s right. If I get the captain’s attention, even Gil can’t go against it.

As I looked at the captain with hopeful eyes, he raised an eyebrow at me before turning to Gil.

“It’s a captain’s order. Gil, guide Rei to his destination.”

“Yes, Captain!”

For a moment, I didn’t understand what he said. As time passed and I understood the words, a question mark began to spin around in my head.

Did the captain also think I was unreliable? If I had been more dependable, Gil might have been able to stay here—

I couldn’t look at Gil’s face because of my guilt. I restrained my trembling body and simply gazed at the captain.

The captain nodded heavily at Gil’s answer and chuckled while stroking his beard.

“You look pretty happy, Gil.”

I involuntarily looked next to me at those words. When Gil noticed my gaze, he relaxed his beloved slanted eyes.

“Gil…”

The words leaked out and resonated louder than I thought they would.

“Are you happy being with me, too?”

“Ah. Of course.”

“I see…”

My heart became warm and fluffy. Gil seems to like me more than I thought. Of course, it’s as a friend, but it still made me happy.

I couldn’t help but grin. Gil poked my cheek with a “hehe.”

“Let’s go,” he said.

This time I obediently took his hand as we left the alleyway behind.

But by the end of the story, he probably won’t feel that way anymore. No, maybe it’ll happen even sooner than that. 

I don’t want to get in the way of Gil’s happiness, so I hope we can stay in this kind of relationship for as long as possible. I squeezed his hand tightly, praying for it to last.