Chapter 14
“What? Who holds discussions with a hostage?”
“I’m not an ordinary hostage. And this is my business, so I have rights too.”
Lucian couldn’t hide his bewilderment at my shameless behavior.
“Does this make sense? Am I the only one who doesn’t understand right now?”
Lucian looked at Chloe and Adrian as if seeking agreement. Adrian raised his hand to calm Lucian down, then spoke.
“Duke and Duchess Reynolds are coming here. We need to establish countermeasures for what to do going forward.”
“Leader!”
“Lady Ort needs to know too. Since the threat letter disappeared.”
“Hah… where the hell did that threat letter go…”
Lucian let out an irritated sigh.
“Leader, what countermeasures do you currently have? Running away or fighting head-on. Are there others?”
“No. We have to choose between the two.”
“But it would be impossible for the three of you to move together, right?”
“If we use that much magic power, they’ll notice.”
As expected. That won’t work.
“Then what are the chances of winning if we fight?”
Adrian shook his head. This also seemed impossible.
If Adrian were alone, he might somehow survive, but it would be difficult with people to protect.
“It’s better to avoid facing the Duke and Duchess if possible.”
“Right… if those two find me here…”
All the rebels would die.
I couldn’t continue speaking when Chloe cheerfully completed the sentence.
“We’d be killed immediately!”
It wasn’t a sentence a young child should say with a smile. I quickly changed the subject.
“As you all know, they care for me abnormally, so it won’t end well. Even if your identities aren’t discovered.”
“That’s right.”
Lucian’s troubled expression turned toward Chloe. Given the protagonists’ personalities, they wouldn’t spare Chloe just because she was young.
I took a deep breath and spoke to the three people.
“I have a good idea. We can get through this without running away or fighting.”
“What? There’s such a thing?”
After nodding at Lucian’s question, I looked at Adrian.
“Yes. The Delgado mansion can also remain safe.”
At my words, Adrian’s eyes widened slightly. Encouraged by that expression, I was about to continue explaining when Lucian interrupted.
“Wait. Miss, did you know this was the Delgado place? Leader, was everything discovered?”
At Lucian’s question, Adrian nodded.
Lucian grumbled that he should have known from when he was without his mask, then looked at me.
“Well, let’s say that’s fine. So what’s your idea, miss? Before that, what’s your reason for offering us a solution?”
I looked straight at Lucian and answered.
“Because I like you.”
Lucian’s eyes widened. And Chloe ran to me and hugged me.
“Sister, you like us?”
“Yes. Very much.”
“Miss, I’ve said this before, but we’re enemies of your friends. We’re also criminals who kidnapped you.”
It was a tiresome statement I’d heard too often from them.
I answered listlessly.
“So what?”
“So you shouldn’t take our side. No, putting that aside, what you’re doing for us is abnormal, speaking frankly now.”
“So what?”
“Of course, we’re grateful that you helped our Chloe…”
“If you’re grateful, let’s end it there?”
Lucian, who had been speaking confidently, drooped his eyebrows and looked at me.
It was a bit disgusting seeing such a big person act like that, so when I frowned, he curled up in his chair like a big teddy bear and spoke in a shrinking voice.
“Miss… did I say something wrong?”
“No. Everything you said was right. That’s why I was listening.”
“Your posture is too aggressive…”
Do I not look aggressive right now? I can see the time in the window decreasing.
Eventually, the frustration I’d been building up exploded and I shouted.
“I’m trying to help and you keep talking so much!”
Lucian looked at me with surprised eyes at my anger, then immediately shut his mouth tight.
Thinking this was my chance, I was about to say one more thing when a cough burst out.
“Cough…!”
My throat stung, probably from suddenly shouting.
“Are you alright?”
“Sister, are you okay?”
“Miss, shouldn’t you be resting?”
Even the person who had been making a fuss about not trusting me was worrying like this over one cough, which was absurd.
These people seemed unaware of their own kindness.
I waved my hand to indicate I was fine and cleared my throat.
“It’s natural that you can’t trust me. I’m a hostage, you’re kidnappers.”
“But I believe in sister.”
I smiled gently at Chloe, who expressed her firm belief.
“Since the two of you excluding Chloe seem suspicious, let’s make a magic pact. Chloe made a pact. Al and the leader probably made the same pact, right?”
“…”
“The condition would be to protect each other’s identities?”
The magic pact was one of the spells Adrian had created. It was magic where if each party betrayed the other, the conditions set during the pact would activate.
“How does sister know about that pact?”
They looked quite surprised. I shrugged and pointed to Chloe’s ear.
“The mark behind Chloe’s ear. I saw it when I was tying her hair.”
At my words, Chloe covered behind her left ear.
Behind Chloe’s left ear was a small crescent moon-shaped mark.
Since it was Adrian’s symbol in the novel, I could recognize it immediately.
“How did you know that was a pact?”
“I’ve seen such marks in magic books before. They said it was a pact made by mages. So I guessed the three of you made one… Was I right?”
“Wow, sister is smart!”
Feeling guilty at Chloe’s admiration, I coughed and continued.
“Should we make the pact after hearing my brilliant proposal, or should we do it first?”
While the two men hesitated and wavered, decisive Chloe raised her right hand high and shouted.
“I want to hear sister’s idea first!”
The other two seemed to be contemplating. But I didn’t have time to wait for them.
“Then, by minority rule, I’ll say my idea first. Before hearing my opinion, is there anyone who wants to slap the Duke and Duchess if you meet them?”
“Slap…”
Ah, Chloe is here too, I should watch my language.
“Let me correct that. Anyone who wants to beat them up thoroughly? Or make one of their limbs disappear?”
“We don’t do such things.”
Lightly ignoring soft Adrian’s words, I stared directly at Lucian.
I didn’t properly know Lucian’s circumstances. So right now, the most important thing was Lucian’s opinion.
“Why are you only looking at me?”
“I thought Al’s thoughts might be different.”
“…Can I be honest?”
“Yes, of course.”
Lucian swallowed once, then spoke while avoiding my eyes.
“Would limbs be the only thing I want to make disappear?”
This one sentence decided how we would proceed.
“Yes, I understand. Then Al is excluded from this operation.”
“What? What exactly is this operation that you’re excluding me!”
I put my hands on my hips and spoke confidently.
“Because this operation is called ‘Love Elopement.'”
The room instantly became quiet. All three people were looking at me with the same dumbfounded expression.
It was the reaction I expected. Even I thought the operation name was terrible. But this was all I had in my head right now. An extension of the strategy I used in <Supporting Character’s Helper>.
In the silence, only I waited for the three people’s answers with a raised corner of my mouth.
Chloe was the first to carefully ask me.
“Sister, can I take back what I said about you being smart?”
“No. I never heard such words.”
“Okay…”
“Miss, this really is a mind-blowing and nose-blocking proposal…”
“Quite an unimaginable idea, right?”
At my confidence, Lucian and Chloe shifted their gazes to Adrian, who was quietly standing.
I could read in their eyes that they wanted him to do something about me. As the operation was about to be rejected, I quickly added.
“You know the rumors about me that spread in the capital, right? That I ran away with a man.”
Chloe and Lucian avoided my eyes.
Hmm. They all know about it.
“I’ll use that. Make that rumor true.”
“Sister… if a noble gets such rumors…”
“Marriage prospects will be blocked. Is that a big deal? And all the marriage proposals coming to me are only looking at the count’s house and my shell, so I don’t need them.”
“Miss, are you really okay with this?”
“What’s the big deal? It’s not like I’ll die from not getting married.”
I would be pointed at, but for the rebels, their lives were at stake.
Which of these two was heavier was obvious without weighing. It was a problem that required no deliberation.
“If you say so, miss… then what will the leader do about your absurd operation?”
I looked at Adrian, who hadn’t said a word. If the leader here said he wouldn’t do this operation, I would have no choice but to think of another strategy.
That meant I had to come up with another alternative within two days, no, within one day.
Please…
