131 - Side Story: Kalisa's Perspective - The Kidnapped Young Lady 2
"If information was coming in, then," Leonardo said, and remained in the reception room. His hands trembled as he read the letter left behind once more, but I could tell it was from anger. Not only toward the kidnappers, but likely toward the adults who used the children as bait.
"...The sender's name is on it."
"That is a rather carefree kidnapper, is it not. ...What fool is it who steals the bit of Itsurateru from Herkeles?"
When Ethelbert-sama asked him, Leonardo held out the entire letter to the old man. It meant the contents were fine to be seen, that there was nothing to hide.
Incidentally, "stealing Itsurateru's bit from Herkeles" refers to deliberately provoking a strong person's anger. The War God Herkeles and Itsurateru are sibling gods, and very close. Herkeles uses the bit gifted by his sister goddess on his own warhorse, cherishing it. If one were to steal that bit, which could be called Herkeles's treasure, it would be clearer than fire that the War God's wrath would be incurred.
"William... if I recall, I believe there was someone of that name among some third prince's lackey."
"The third prince... you mean Prince Conrad. He was driven out of power after his defeat five years ago, and I hear he resides at Ulstar Castle now."
"And so this demand."
I was starting to become curious about the letter's contents myself, but the letter Ethelbert-sama finished reading passed to Jemian's hands, and through his attendant's hands was returned. Since Leonardo held out the empty envelope, I returned the letter to the envelope while quickly scanning its contents. The long-winded letter written in an ostentatious noble-like style, if one extracted only the essentials, read "We have taken your sister. If you want her back, abandon your country and serve Prince Conrad." It also wrote about Prince Conrad's wonderful character, the good points of his country, the treatment after changing masters, and such, but that hardly mattered.
...If I believe this letter, the young lady is safe.
For now, at least. If they want to pull Leonardo away, they would not do anything to carelessly damage Leonardo's mood.
...Though I feel it was over the moment they kidnapped the young lady.
To my master, whose expression had already become so fearsome that even meeting his eyes was terrifying, I offered a prayer for the letter sender's soul. The day Leonardo safely retrieves the young lady, they will likely never be able to set foot on their homeland's soil again. There are other gods related to war, but Herkeles, who my master is celebrated as the avatar of, not only possesses great strength but also governs the devastation and chaos of war. Just as it is said that the land where that god rampaged becomes a wasteland where even weeds do not grow, it was said that enemy soldiers who confronted Leonardo had no future in every sense. Most die, and even those fortunate enough to flee are said to never again think of standing on a battlefield. Though it was just a rumor, there was talk that the neighboring country's prince who confronted Leonardo five years ago and managed to escape chose to distance himself from the succession dispute because he never wanted to meet Leonardo on the battlefield again.
...Perhaps they aim to bring the commander, renowned as a valiant general Leonardo-sama, into their fold and return to the succession struggle.
In any case, this is troublesome. The young lady was kidnapped for reasons completely unrelated to her.
"That said, I cannot believe the threatening letter was signed, but taking off a child's costume is also an unbelievable deed."
Fondling the cat ear hair ornament that felt pleasantly fluffy, Ethelbert-sama murmured thoughtfully. In this winter season, when not even the Spring Flower Festival had arrived, to take the costume off a child dressed as an animal was beyond lacking in common sense, he said.
...Though it may be wrong to expect common sense from a kidnapper.
"Come to think of it, that child was wearing a cat costume. Do you know of a child who was taken by spirits?"
"No, Tina herself was taken by spirits this winter and returned from the fireplace."
Starting to say "What does that matter," Leonardo closed his mouth. He may have recalled some of the superstitions regarding children taken by spirits.
"If that young lady is a spirit-favored child, then we can be somewhat reassured."
The foolish kidnappers had deliberately removed the blindfold against spirits. Those loved by spirits have several characteristics. One of them is that they are terrifyingly lucky. All manner of good fortune, from the kidnappers' perspective misfortune, would protect the young lady.
Normally I would never rely on superstitions, but as a fact, the young lady had caused a strange phenomenon, traveling from the city of Grenore to the city of Mandez in a single night. When it came to the young lady, perhaps relying on uncertain superstitions was not so bad.
...The presence of people?
Sensing a presence, I looked up at the ceiling. Leonardo seemed to have noticed the same presence, glaring at the ceiling.
"...Honorable retiree, the carriage carrying the girl has begun to move."
The adults who had planned to use children as bait were quick to act, thanks to information brought by Ethelbert's subordinates. And the territorial lord, whose pride had been wounded by having a kidnapping commotion stirred up in the city of Lagarette, was full of motivation, so preparing a carriage was simple as well. While preparing fast horses and a light carriage, Leonardo once returned to the hotel and put on simple armor. He had not been carrying heavy equipment like when going to war as luggage, of course, but as a knight he had prepared minimal gear. Around the time the sun began to set and the closing of Lagarette's city gates approached, a woman named Okin appeared from the dim twilight.
"The black-painted carriage carrying the girl has had a wheel come off on the mountain road ahead and is stranded."
Hearing that the carriage wheel had come off, I felt a little relieved. I had truly only thought of the spirit-favored child as superstition, but I never expected a blessing this clear to be felt.
"The spirits' blessing is remarkably effective."
"We were saved by the fool who belittled superstition and removed the costume from a spirit-favored child."
"Spirit-favored children have always been plentiful in our country. For someone from a neighboring country, there are those who dismiss it as mere superstition."
The ones boarding the prepared carriage were Ethelbert-sama and myself. The territorial lord would stand by to open the city gates even if our return was late at night, and Leonardo and Okin would ride horses alongside the carriage.
Night fell completely, and the carriage and horses raced along the mountain road enveloped in darkness. Since I could not see outside from inside the carriage, my impatience only grew. Trying desperately to calm myself, I ended up fussing over Ethelbert-sama needlessly. If we could safely retrieve the young lady, this would become the carriage to welcome her. I carefully prepared the interior temperature and cushions.
Before long the carriage stopped, and I heard a man named Yahachi's voice from outside.
"The carriage with the young lady is ahead. Any closer by carriage and we will be noticed, so please wait here, honorable retiree."
"Hmm, take care."
"Yes."
Sensing the presence of people moving away from the carriage, I hurriedly got off and chased after them. Okin told me to remain with the carriage, but I flatly refused. I was going to welcome the young lady. As her caretaker, how could I not go?
Advancing by moonlight, I caught up with Leonardo and the others who had gone ahead, and immediately hid myself in the shadows. At the end of Leonardo's gaze, a campfire made the kidnappers' situation fully visible.
...Was the young lady inside the carriage?
I could tell they were working around the wheel, but the young lady's small form was nowhere to be seen.
"There are five criminals total. One guard watching the young lady is inside the carriage."
Now, how to attack. With our precious young lady taken hostage, we could not charge in from the front. Should we wait for the criminals to let their guard down and fall asleep, or aim for when the number of guards decreases?
...Huh?
I had heard there was one guard watching the young lady, but a man came out of the carriage. The number of men around the campfire and the wheel was four. That made five criminals total, all outside the carriage.
Inside the carriage now, only the young lady remained.
This is the part I could not finish writing yesterday, so it is short today. The next part may be the furious Leonardo's fierce assault.
I will correct typos and errors another day. I have corrected typos and errors I found.