BSS 65

Chapter 65

“If you don’t believe me, then I can’t help it. Fine, I’ll compromise… how about we release the hostages at the same time?”

“No. My friend goes first.”

There was no guarantee that woman would actually let us go peacefully.

The moment she got her brother back, she’d definitely turn on us.

Of course, I was the same.
Even if she released Iruze, there was no way I’d release that awful brother.

Not while a dozen slave traders clustered by the door were threatening us.

Neither side could back down.

It was a hostage standoff, and objectively speaking, I was the one at a disadvantage.

I had to protect not only Iruze but Ash as well, and we were deep in enemy territory.
The odds of escaping were extremely slim.

Unless the knights really were searching for us.

“Seems like you still don’t understand the situation… Just hand over my brother, and I’ll let you live.”

Her words sounded to me like, “I’m going to kill you anyway.”

“That’s not exactly a tempting deal.”

“You don’t have any other options.”

“You never know.”

In a tense standoff, the first one to show impatience loses.

She didn’t know the knights were coming, so she couldn’t understand why I was stalling.

I intentionally gave her a mocking laugh.

I pretended to be fine, but inside I was a complete mess.

Even though my mana was drained, I kept forcing myself to maintain the summoned spirit.
My insides were twisting rapidly, and cold sweat soaked my back.

I’d reached my limit.

My vision blurred, and my legs felt like they’d buckle any moment.

Internal injuries could knock someone out in an instant.

I had to hold on.

[Master, are you alright?]

Rai had apparently sensed my state.

Well, our souls were linked, after all.

Just like how I could instinctively tell when Rai was in danger.

[I don’t think I can last more than a few minutes.]

[Why don’t we just kill them all?]

[No. Iruze is still captured.]

[Exactly—just abandon her and—]

[You. Die.]

[…Tch. It was a great idea though. Shame.]

He seriously just tried to throw Iruze away.
So transparent.

[I can feel Undine nearby. The knights will be here soon. If we can hold out until then… we’ll get out safely.]

At least, if I didn’t collapse first.

[If it’s the knights, I think they’ve already been searching upstairs.]

[What?]

[I hear a bunch of people moving around.]

[You hear them?]

[Yes. They’re right above us.]

Thank goodness!

Almost there.

I just had to endure a little longer. I gave a tiny nod and wiped away the drool escaping my mouth as nausea surged again.

“What tricks you’re pulling, I don’t know. But stop being stubborn, kid.”

“Don’t call me kid!”

“You’re not getting out of here anyway. Give up.”

We were arguing like that when—

The slave traders clustered at the door suddenly stirred.

Then one of them rushed into the room.

“Boss!”

“What? I told you to wait outside.”

“It’s just that—”

“I told you not to come in!”

Despite her irritation, the man urgently whispered something into the woman’s ear.

[The knights are forcing the hidden door open.]

[They’re late!]

[He says it’s only a matter of time until they find this place, so we should run.]

[They show up now when the kid has been missing this long!?]

[Well… the one who disappeared is at fault— no, nothing. I didn’t say anything.]

Rai was trying very hard to stay on my good side today. Probably because he’d messed up several times already.

To be fair, he wasn’t even standing close to them—about five steps away—yet he could hear them clearly. His hearing was far beyond normal.

I mostly used it like an intercom.

“So you weren’t acting relaxed for nothing!”

The woman’s eyes sparked with anger—looks like Rai’s information was spot-on.

“You people! You kidnapped the wrong girl! I mean—kidnapping anyone is wrong!”

“You rotten little brat!”

Honestly, “kid” was better than being called a brat.

The woman, who’d been calm until a moment ago, now screamed in a rage that showed she really didn’t appreciate my honest opinion.

“Release my brother before I kill all three of you! Now!”

She must have been panicking because the knights were coming.

Still holding Iruze tucked under her arm, the woman strode toward me.

I backed up with Ash in my arms and summoned one more of myself.

“Undine.”

Undine rushed back to me immediately.

She puffed up her tiny body, the water forming her rippling like waves—her version of a battle stance.

She looked like an angry kitten trying to hiss. Cute, but not very intimidating.

[Master! Are you alright!?]

Even though I had summoned her, I didn’t have any mana left to attack.
Just maintaining the summons was a struggle.

[Where are the knights?]

[Upstairs. I showed them the door.]

[Good job.]

But that was all the bluff I could pull off.

Undine glared fiercely and stood protectively between me and the woman.

“Oh? You’re a spirit master.”

“Don’t come any closer!”

“But what should I do? I’ve dealt with spirits before. They weren’t that strong. Pathetic things.”

Ugh. Damn it.

Yes, spirit masters were generally weak, but most people didn’t know much about them, so it was usually easy to hide.

“You think I’m scared of that?”

She spun her dagger around her fingers and then gripped it reverse—
and thrust it deep beneath Iruze’s chin.

A thin line of blood trickled down.

Threat for threat!

“Spirits are weak, you say?”

“Yeah! If you don’t release my—”

“Rai!”

Because he’s a spirit too.
A rare one, but still a spirit.

“G-GAAAAAH! AAAARGH!”

“Graaaak!”

Rai apparently interpreted my signal to “escalate the threat” by casually ripping off the man’s ear.

Yes.
He ripped it off.

Flap flap.

“Ugh…”

Detached human body parts were very… stomach-turning. I threw up a little.
Let’s blame it on the internal injuries.

Rai proudly flapped the ear he bit off.

The woman froze in shock and stopped approaching—
which meant the threat worked extremely well.

[Master, how was that? Pretty good, right?]

[How did you even think of biting off an ear…]

[Missing ears symbolize defeat.]

[I DO NOT CARE ABOUT THAT SYMBOLISM.]

[In ancient times, losers had their ears or fingers cut off.]

I didn’t know whether to scold Rai for acting on his own or praise him for stopping the woman.

While I was grimacing, the woman stepped back and shouted:

“Fine! I lose! I get it! I’ll give your friend back!”

Since I had the upper hand now, she suddenly changed her attitude.

“Put her down.”

“I’ll set her here. Satisfied?”

Still unconscious, Iruze was gently placed in front of Undine.

The woman moved very carefully.

“Please. Let go of my brother.”

Judging by her tone, she definitely had a hidden escape route.

All the other slave traders by the door had vanished without a sound.

Guess they weren’t very loyal.
Only the woman and her brother remained.

“S-sis… ugh…”

The man—Rai still wrapped tightly around his neck—strained toward his sister.

Touching sibling affection.
Even slave traders had family bonds… not that I cared.

“What are you doing!? Get this snake off me!”

“…Hmm.”

“You promised!”

“Well, yes, but…”

Did I really have to keep promises made to bad people?

And if I let him go now, they’d run away.

The knights were rushing in.
If I kept them here a moment longer, they’d be arrested.
Maybe even executed.

“I gave your friend back!”

The woman screamed, trembling in rage. She and her brother both tried desperately to pry Rai off, but Rai didn’t budge.

His coils were so tight around the man’s neck that they couldn’t even slip a finger between.

“You can’t do this! You’re breaking the deal! Let him go!”

“What should I do.”