kscans

Chapter 57 - The Kidnapped Princess

I woke up with the urge to urinate.

"Ouch, I passed out and fell asleep again..."

Sleeping somewhere that's not a bed really makes you sore all over. Just a moment ago I was acting cool, saying that wearing a watch would dull my senses, but now my arm hurts because I slept on the floor. This is no good.

I sat up, intending to go to the bathroom. But then I noticed Kaede-chan right beside me, hugging her knees and looking at her phone.

"Oh, you were awake, Kaede-chan?"

"No, I passed out. I just woke up and came back from the bathroom."

Come to think of it, I think Kaede-chan fell asleep first. I had only meant to lie down for a little bit, but I ended up falling asleep myself.

"Hmm, what time is it?"

"It's two o'clock."

Still the middle of the night, huh.

"I'm going to the bathroom for a sec."

I was concerned about Kaede-chan's low spirits, but I decided to take care of my bladder first. I stood up and headed for the toilet. After I was done and returned to the room, Kaede-chan was still hugging her knees and looking at her phone.

"What's wrong? Did something happen?"

Thinking her behavior was definitely strange, I decided to ask.

"Senpai, what was today... or rather, yesterday?"

"Ah, the auction!"

Realizing I had completely forgotten, I opened my phone. Since it was two in the morning, the auction was naturally over. I opened the auction site and checked the winning bid.

"Ones, tens, hundreds, thousands, ten thousands..."

...The price was 1,245,000,000 yen.

"Once it's over a billion, it's all the same..."

I muttered to myself after confirming the winning bid.

"Yeah... why is it so expensive?"

"Beats me. Let's ask Satsuki-san about it next time."

"Let's do that."

"Hmm, what should we do? Drink? Sleep?"

My head wasn't working right. I figured it was probably best to just sleep.

"Hmm, let's sleep. I'm going home. I have to move tomorrow."

Right, I have to clean up and stuff too.

"But the trains aren't running."

"I'll catch a taxi at the station."

There was no way I could let Kaede-chan go home alone at this hour.

"Then I'll walk you to the station. You're cute, so it's dangerous."

I patted Kaede-chan's head.

"Ehehe, then please do."

Kaede-chan and I drank a healing potion to sober up, then we left the apartment and headed for the station. At this hour, there were few people out, but on the way to the station, we managed to hail a taxi, and I put Kaede-chan in it.

"Thank you for walking me, Senpai. Let's talk again the day after tomorrow. I'll be waiting."

Kaede-chan bowed her head from inside the taxi.

"It's fine. Well, see you at the new place."

"Yes. Good night."

"Good night."

I waved, and the taxi door closed and drove away. I returned home and decided to sleep without even taking a bath.

◆◇◆

The next morning, thanks to the healing potion I drank the day before, I didn't have a hangover. I woke up early and took a bath. Then, after eating breakfast, I started the final cleanup.

I was tidying up the room I had lived in for four years while exchanging messages on my phone. The person I was messaging was, of course, Kaede-chan... actually, it was Nanapon.

'1.2 billion! Isn't 1.2 billion insane!? And there were two of them!'

This had arrived right after the auction ended yesterday. I noticed it when I woke up this morning and was now replying.

'It is. Your share is 240 million. For now, just put it in savings.'

Of course, the one replying was Eleanor-san. If it wasn't Eleanor-san, I'd immediately be told to change.

'At the watch shop now lol'

Ah, this one's already planning to buy something. So impatient. At least wait until you get the money.

'You don't have the money yet, do you?'

'I have 800,000 yen. But it's not enough. I'll just look around today.'

She's already spent 200,000... Is this girl going to be okay?

'Stop spending money so suddenly, you'll attract suspicion.'

I sent that, but the message was left on read, and no reply came. Thinking it was a lost cause, I resumed my cleaning.

I put my phone down and continued cleaning, and by noon, I had finished most of it. All that was left was to pack away the refrigerator and other things, and then my moving preparations would be complete.

"I didn't have much stuff, so it went faster than I thought..."

What should I do? I could move now... But the landlord is coming tomorrow, so maybe I should spend today here.

"Maybe I'll go shopping..."

Should I go buy some snacks to give to the landlord and my neighbor as a farewell gift?

I decided to go shopping while I was out getting lunch, so I started changing out of my cleaning tracksuit and into my outdoor clothes. Just then, my phone went pinko-n.

It was Eleanor-san's phone, so it must be Nanapon.

Thinking she must have already bought something, I looked at my phone.

"...Haa. Idiot."

Seeing the phone, I couldn't help but sigh.

'I'm sorry... I've been caught by some strange people. They're telling me to call Eleanor-san. The location is Diana Mine. Their Japanese is broken, so I think they're foreigners. I'm really sorry.'

Where did they find out about the connection between Eleanor-san and Nanapon? And Nanapon, what happened to your Clairvoyance? No, if she was attacked suddenly, it might have been impossible...

Besides, foreigners... hmm, she said their Japanese was broken, so it's not those two.

"Well, I guess I'll go. Can't just abandon her... But Diana Mine, huh..."

I get that Nanapon can go there, but did foreigners with broken Japanese go to the Guild? Isn't that impossible?

'What's the situation? Are you there too?'

I sent that, and a reply came back immediately.

'I was walking when a car suddenly pulled up and they kidnapped me. And now, I'm in a car in front of the Guild. We're going to Diana Mine now. This is my last message. They said, just come.'

Hmm... I don't get it. Oh well.

I stopped changing into Okita-kun's clothes, took a TS Potion from my bag, and drank it. Then I put on my black robe and went to the bathroom to put in my colored contacts.

"The one doing the rescuing is a witch, not a prince... well, Nanapon would prefer that anyway."

Once my preparations were complete, I operated my phone and called a certain person.

'Hello?'

The one who answered the phone was the Guild Master, Satsuki-san.

'Ah, Satsuki-san? Is now a good time?'

'Hm? Is that you, Eleanor? What do you want? Oh, yesterday was a huge haul, wasn't it!'

Satsuki-san also seemed excited about the 1.2 billion from the auction.

'Let's talk about that later. It seems Nanaka-san has been kidnapped.'

'What? Was it Harry and Claire?'

'No, it's probably not those two. I'll explain the details when I get there. Also, I think Nanaka-san went to Frontier. Could you confirm whether she was alone or not?'

'I don't really get it, but fine. Should I call Kaede too?'

'No. She's busy.'

She's doing something very important. That's right, preparing to live together!

'Tch!'

Satsuki-san hung up.

"What a narrow minded person..."

I was exasperated with Satsuki-san, but thinking I should hurry, I decided to head to the Guild. I drank an invisibility potion as usual, became transparent, then undid the effect in a suitable location and hailed a taxi.

Once in the taxi, I operated my phone again, this time calling a different person.

'Hello? What's up?'

Claire answered the phone cheerfully.

"Hello. Where are you right now?"

'In front of the guild you're registered with.'

"Did you see any strange cars?"

'There's a black luxury car parked here. A girl just got out of it.'

That's the one.

"I have a little favor to ask, if you don't mind."

'I don't mind. But I have a condition.'

"Fufuh, an Item Bag?"

'That's right! What's with 1.2 billion!? Are you crazy!?'

Apparently, the ones who won the bid for the Item Bags were a Japanese corporation and a British millionaire. Unfortunately, Claire was not able to win.

"You should have tried harder. You could have afforded it, couldn't you?"

'If you hadn't said you'd put another one up for sale, I wouldn't have backed down.'

Oh dear, it seems I said something I shouldn't have.

"If you help me, I'll sell one to you for one billion. Or a 2000 kilo one for three billion."

'2000!? Is there no limit to you!?'

"Shall we go for 10,000? That's ten tons."

I wonder how much that would be...

'...Are you serious?'

"Of course I'm joking. I have one 1000 kilo one in stock. I'll sell this to you without putting it up for auction."

'One billion... alright. I'll buy it.'

Considering the fees, one billion should be more than enough.

"Then I'm counting on you. I'm heading over there now, so wait for me. Oh, at the back entrance."

'Got it.'

I ended the call and put my phone back in my bag.

"That was quite a conversation."

The taxi driver said with a wry smile.

"Don't tell anyone. The public is noisy."

"I won't. If a rumor spreads, people would know it was me, wouldn't they?"

"Kobayashi-san, right. If you tell, I'll curse you."

I read the driver's name on the display above the meter and threatened him.

"I won't. I'm a professional... Um, can you really curse people?"

No, I can't.

"Fufuh, want to go bald?"

"Absolutely not."

I bet. I'd hate that too.