Chapter 59
Arden’s trembling fingers pointed straight at me.
“She assaulted me!”
“No!”
It was a charging hug!
There wasn’t even a grain of ulterior motive in it! None! I just—just—
Anyway, that’s what it was!
“You villain!”
This clearly wasn’t getting through.
Arden’s face burned bright red as he vaulted over the stands and came charging after me.
Behind him, Casian and Tofu waved leisurely, calling out, “Good luck~”
“Why—?!”
Why aren’t you stopping him?!
Aren’t you on my side?!
I ran too.
Toward the amusement park.
“Only holders of golden tickets may—!”
“I’m sorry!”
My hair’s gold, so please let it slide!
I slipped past the park gate, ducked behind dancing mascot costumes, leapt over a churros stand, dove through clusters of balloons…!
“Stop right there!”
“No way!”
Even kids who looked barely five were walking calmly, holding their parents’ hands—yet here were two adults doing this.
Act your age!
“Wait! Sir Arden, wait!”
“What kind of nonsense is that?!”
“I told you to wait, so why aren’t you waiting?!”
“You’re the one who should wait!”
“Hey!”
Usually he listens perfectly when I say “wait”!
So Serafina-senpai’s words count as words, but Saint Sena’s don’t even qualify?!
At this rate, I’d be caught.
“Kids!”
I pleaded with the children nearby, who were watching while eating cotton candy.
“I’m the Magical Saint!”
You know me!
“A villain’s chasing me!”
There—!
I pointed at Arden, who was right on my heels.
The kids’ eyes widened.
“A villain!”
“Let’s save her!”
“Whoa!”
The children wearing the crowns I’d given them grabbed Arden’s clothes with their sticky, cotton-candy-covered little hands.
“Don’t bully the Magical Saint, you villain!”
“Yeah, you villain!”
“L-let go of me….”
While Arden trembled, trapped by sticky hands, I bolted for the nearest ride.
The carousel.
Kids who were filling the seats gasped as they looked up at me.
“Hi?”
I waved, about to cut straight across—
“Hey! Magical Saint kid!”
“Huh?!”
“You’re not allowed to run on the carousel!”
“Well, that’s true!”
“Sit down right now!”
“Ah—but I’m just passing through—!”
“Sit. Down.”
The employee’s professionalism showed no mercy.
At the same time, countless children stared at me.
“You can’t run on rides!”
“That’s right! That makes you a bad kid!”
“Bad kid!”
“Villain!”
“Uh….”
I glanced back at Arden, still being assaulted by sticky hands.
The kid next to me shouted,
“Is the Magical Saint a villain?!”
“No!”
Without thinking, I sat down on an empty black horse.
“Fasten your seatbelt!”
“Haaah!”
How did it come to this?!
Half in tears, I buckled up—and Arden, seeing this, smiled in victory.
After peeling the kids off himself, he walked over.
His expression said, Got you.
He stepped onto the carousel—
“Hey! Handsome kid, you need to sit down too!”
“…….”
Even Arden couldn’t defeat the madness of a truly dedicated employee.
“There will be no accidents on my ride! Take your tag somewhere else!”
“…Yes.”
I sneered as Arden mounted the winged white horse beside me.
His leg caught on the wing as he sat down, and he ground his teeth.
“When this ride ends—”
“All right! We’re off~!”
The cheerful voice of the employee cut him off.
Soon, a jaunty tune played as the carousel began to turn.
Every time it rose, Arden ducked his head awkwardly and scrunched up his long legs to avoid hitting the ceiling.
I took the chance to explain.
“It really wasn’t like that. It wasn’t harassment.”
“Be quiet. Once this ends—”
“Can’t you let it slide just this once?”
I did a good deed today, didn’t I…? I dragged out my words and pointed at the park.
Children laughing, crowns perched on their heads.
It truly looked like a place worthy of the name Dream and Hope Amusement Park.
Arden fell silent.
I pressed my case.
“The kids are happy, their parents are happy, everyone’s happy. Now imagine the ending being ‘Magical Saint Arrested.’ How traumatizing would that be?”
Childhoods shattered.
“And Sir Arden becomes a notorious villain… written into history… turned into plays that get performed for years….”
Meanwhile, I’d write a memoir in prison and make a killing—
“…….”
“And the only one happy I caught today would be His Highness the Crown Prince, who’d be furious that his event got ruined—”
“No.”
“Huh?”
“This kind of event wasn’t hosted by the Crown Prince.”
He never ordered something this sloppy. Arden spoke through clenched teeth.
“The person in charge of opening the park will be disciplined personally by His Highness.”
“I see.”
You sure know the Crown Prince well.
I nodded.
For a moment, only the carousel’s music filled the silence.
♩♪♬♩♪♬
Then Arden asked suddenly,
“Why do you only do good deeds now?”
“Huh?”
What was that supposed to mean?
“I’ve always only done good deeds.”
“That’s not true. You used to do half good, half bad.”
“What am I, fried chicken?”
Half spicy, half snow-cheese flavor.
Arden scowled.
“Don’t you remember? We met when you were stealing from the Tram estate.”
“I remember.”
Seeing Arden at work back then felt oddly fresh… though that wasn’t the point.
“Ever since I declared I’d arrest you, you’ve only been doing good deeds. Putting out fires in the Plank District, giving children happy memories….”
At this rate, I look like the real villain for trying to arrest you.
His voice sounded just a little pouty.
It reminded me that Arden was younger than me.
I hesitated, unable to answer.
♩♪♬♩♪♬…
The music faded as the carousel slowed.
No!
“One more round!”
I waved frantically at the employee.
No mercy.
“You need to learn to yield to others waiting—that’s what good kids do, right?”
This way out! The employee pointed dramatically toward the exit.
“Hey!”
I unbuckled and jumped off.
“Magical Saint kid! No running!”
“Just this once, please!”
I’m about to be sent to kiddie jail!
He’s chasing me!
I talked while turning around—but Arden was still sitting there.
“Huh?”
Why isn’t he chasing me? Is he hurt?
He adjusted his long legs, which still touched the ground despite sitting on the horse.
Then he said,
“Magical Saint.”
“Yeah?”
“I have a duty to arrest you.”
“I know….”
“I understand that you pursue justice. But even so, your methods disrupt order.”
“For the sake of this country’s rule of law, I have no choice but to pursue you.”
“I understand.”
“And that outfit of yours is the biggest problem.”
“Hey, now—”
I cut him off.
“Fine. Then do your best to catch me. You won’t.”
“So confident. I’ll chase you until I die, so do your best to run.”
“Obsessive men aren’t attractive.”
“…….”
“So can I run now?”
I got ready to sprint again.
But Arden still didn’t stand.
Shaking his head, he said,
“Thank you for correcting the Crown Prince’s mistake. I should have supervised more closely.”
“Huh?”
“…That’s what His Highness would say if he were here.”
“…….”
“By the authority entrusted to me, I’ll let you go today.”
Just for today—the eve of the amusement park’s grand opening.
“I’ll consider everything as magic of the amusement park and forget it.”
“…All right. Deal.”
“Change clothes and enjoy yourself.”
He frowned to the end.
“And send an announcement next time.”
Ironically, Arden himself was wearing a shirt covered in Tofu’s paw prints.
Hair completely messed up from running, sitting atop a fake winged horse.
Somehow—
He looked like a prince.
Get a grip.
I shook my head.
“But Sir Arden.”
“What.”
“You’re forgiving the hug too, right?”
“…I’ve changed my mind. I’ll chase you right now.”
“Huh?”
“How dare you assault an innocent, pure-hearted man—”
“No—!”
I bolted again!
