Chapter 331
[Abduction 15. A boy and a girl ]
#A15
“Ugh… oppa. where are we going?”
Erin woke up and asked in a dreamy voice. The surrounding landscape had changed to the low street of the island without knowing it. The warm spring sun was making her pure white hair even brighter.
Gray hair, unlike any of his parents, was inherited from his savior. Lance, who was walking with Erin on his back, spat out bluntly.
“anywhere. To a place where he is not.”
“Does your brother hate your father?”
“…no.”
Lance, who remembered Ronan’s face, frowned. I couldn’t understand her indifferent behavior and her mother, who married such a person. said Erin.
“lie. Actually, I like it.”
“What are you talking about? why me?”
“You didn’t come to the entrance ceremony, so you got mad. At best, I put my name on the Phoenix plaque as the chief, but I couldn’t show it. I understand, but can’t we just let go of our anger and get along like we used to?”
“Ugh…!”
Lance let out a puzzle. It was as sharp as an awl. Actually, when I think about it, my relationship with Ronan wasn’t bad from the beginning.
Apparently, I grew up longing for that wide back in the past. Having a hero who saved the world as a father made me proud as a son. In addition, Ronan at the time had a kind side, so he taught his son how to use a sword himself.
However, as time passed, Ronan began to spend more and more time away from home. I was worried and asked, but he never answered what he was doing.
So Lance devoted himself to the sword. I want to restore my relationship with my estranged father. With the feeling that everyone will look back if I achieve results that are acknowledged.
and earlier this year. Lance ended up taking the top spot at the Phileon Martial Arts Department this year, but Ronan didn’t come to the entrance ceremony after all. Recalling the bitter memory, he bit his lower lip.
“…because you don’t know what that means. Get down now.”
“Huh… can you carry me a little more?”
“no.”
“Can I ask for this?”
Erin asked with her eyes twinkling. The combination of pure white hair and sunset eyes was surprisingly similar to Aunt Lee. Lance, who had been silent, let out a sigh.
“…just a little bit.”
“Hehe my brother is the best.”
Erin cheered and hugged Lance by the neck. Lance moved towards the market. Erin and I can buy things and eat to pass the time before going in.
“I want my brother to grow taller too. I wish I could be at least like a mother… will you carry me on your back later?”
“I see what you do.”
Anyway, the weather was nice, so I enjoyed the walk. The brother and sister were passing by the plaza talking about this and that. A girl’s voice rang out from not far away.
“hey! Lance! Erin!”
“Ugh. I got caught by a troublesome guy.”
Lance frowned. As he turned his head, three boys and girls about his age caught his eye. Two short blondes approached first and greeted Lance.
“Oh oh hello. Lance brother…”
“Hey, Lance brother. Aren’t you going to the academy today?”
The Caravelles were Camilla and Jean, the third and fourth of five siblings. The radiant blond hair, even standing on her hands, had been inherited from her Aunt Marja.
Although his flirtatious personality seemed to resemble Uncle Asher a little more. Erin, with her head sticking out while sitting on her back, said to Jin.
“Today is the weekend. Stupid Jin.”
“Erin…!”
Jin’s face brightened. It seemed like he knew what Erin was thinking of her as she couldn’t say anything and kept her mouth shut. At that time, one of the remaining girls strode forward.
“Where are the two of you going? Please carry me too.”
“You can’t because you’re heavy.”
“To be rude to a lady. The world is not all about being a little handsome.”
The girl stuck out her tongue. He had a stocky physique for his age and his red hair, like a bonfire, stood out. It was Shechika Caravel, the first child of Asher and Marja and the eldest daughter of five siblings.
Unlike Lance, who was born with no talent, she inherited her father’s magical talent and was also the talented person who took the top spot in the magic department at Phileon Academy.
“Aunt Marja?”
“I am at home with my father. He said that the two of you had something to talk about for a while and said to go out and play? Anyway, even if I like Keumseul, it’s still a mask.”
Sechika growled. On her wrist, the coin pouch Marja had given her was dangling. Lance put a hand on his forehead and sighed.
“It’s the same as our house… No matter how close you are, it doesn’t have to be similar to this cycle…”
“Honestly, I’m still fine there. Even if one more brother was born, there would only be three. There will be six people on this side.”
“What are you talking about, Sechika-san? Do I have a brother?”
Erin tilted her head. It was still too early to know the circumstances of adults. Secika, who was giggling insidiously, poked Erin on the cheek.
“Heheung, of course Erin is a child. There is such a thing. To put it simply…”
“Don’t say anything strange in front of my brother.”
Rinse quickly cut her off. Secika shrugged once and naturally changed the subject.
“By the way, did you hear? that rumor.”
“Is that a rumor?”
“It’s not even a fuss among merchants these days. A serial disappearance case taking place in the islands. didn’t you hear?”
“…I didn’t hear that.”
Lance tilted his head. He had no recollection of hearing it. Sechika smiled and continued.
“Well, it’s not a big deal. Because grown-ups don’t want us to be misled by rumors like this. It’s still happening only on the outskirts of the system, so there’s something calm about it.”
“Where is the outskirts? The system should usually be wide.”
“It’s near the eastern border, but I’m not sure. Anyway, according to my intelligence network, the scale of the case seems to be quite large. Considering that there are already close to a hundred people missing.”
“…a hundred people?”
Lance’s eyes widened. I suddenly wondered what this meant. He glanced back at Erin, who was sitting on his back, and opened his mouth.
“Erin. Would you like to look down?”
“yes? why?”
“It’s because you and I have something to talk about. Now, I’ll give you money, so go buy some delicious food with your friends.”
Lance took out the silver coin that Ronan had given him. Erin’s eyes widened.
“wow. really? Can I use it the way I want today?!”
“then. Be careful.”
Erin jumped off Lance’s back. She grabbed the hands of the hesitant Camilla and Jean and ran to the market. After confirming that the three had completely disappeared, Lance turned to Secika.
“so. what do you want?”
“Also, he is quick-witted. Hey, don’t you want to be a Lance hero?”
“what?”
“Honestly, I don’t think there will be a chance if it’s not now. Your parents created a very peaceful world. Isn’t it really cool to solve a case that even the swordsman who cut down the stars and the archmage couldn’t solve?”
Suddenly, Secika stretched out her arm and pointed to the center of the plaza. As I followed my finger, I saw a statue made of marble standing majestically.
The man who raised his sword while stepping on the giant’s head looked exactly like the old man who had just been sleeping with a magazine on his face at Lance’s house. Lance, who was staring at the statue, shook his head slowly.
“…don’t talk nonsense. My mother would faint if she found out.”
“Did Uncle Ronan and my mom and dad notice their parents? I don’t think so.”
“This is a different story. We can be good enough without taking that risk.”
“Wait, Lance!”
Lance, who concluded the conversation, turned his back. Secika called his name urgently, but he ignored it. No matter how you think about it, this was stupid.
He’s smart, but why is he doing that? Lance, muttering a whisper, was walking towards the market. Shechika, who rolled up both hands and brought them to her mouth, shouted out loud.
“Did you not hear me?! Because the opportunity is now!”
“That fool.”
Lance frowned. She resembled her Aunt Marja, and her voice was really loud. The attention was drawn to the surroundings, but Sechika continued to squeal. Lance, ignoring even that, was a car passing in front of Ronan’s statue.
“This peck! Are you going to be stuck in the halo of your parents for the rest of your life!?”
“…what?”
tall. Lance’s legs stopped. Secika, not expecting him to stop, let out a bewilderment.
“What is it…stopped?”
Lance stood there blankly, like someone beaten with a hammer. halo of parents. Those words were floating around in my little brain.
If you think about it, that wasn’t a very wrong statement. Right now there’s a lot of uproar about the disappearance case, but the great parents will solve the problem soon and peace will come again.
I thought maybe the reason my father didn’t come to the entrance ceremony wasn’t because he was busy, but simply because he was insignificant. He slowly raised his head and looked up at the statue of Ronan. The marble face of his father seemed to speak to him.
– It’s worth seeing your expression, coward. Are you tired of pooping in your pants?
“…shit.”
Lance clenched his fists. Secika was approaching him cautiously, keeping her body afloat by telekinesis. Presence had already noticed, but Lance didn’t move until she talked to him.
****
It was a night when the moon was obscured by clouds. Under the sky where not even the crumbly starlight was visible, only the artificial light created by the streetlights remained, illuminating the street.
And the meeting between the two took place in a back alley where even such artificial light did not reach. It was the moment Lance turned the narrow corner. A familiar girl’s voice rang out like an echo.
“Whoops. not a coward There must have been no tailing?”
At the same time, a girl wearing a dark blue robe appeared from the darkness. Two men who looked like beggars were rolling at her feet, fainting. Lance, who was looking around, nodded.
“Are you sure.”
“Excellent. It wouldn’t have been easy.”
“It was nothing. My father was out and my mother was sleeping with Erin.”
“What about Sita?”
“I went out to play with Ophelia noona three days ago.”
Perfect. The girl who said that took off her hood. Her bright red hair was clearly visible even in the thick darkness. Lance asked a question to Secika who was smiling brightly.
“So what are those two?”
“Just silly bullies. I didn’t deal with it harshly, so don’t worry.”
“That’s why I’m frothing…”
Lance clicked his tongue. If you look closely, it seems that the limbs are also slightly strangely turned. All of a sudden, I picked the wrong person to quarrel with.
Sechika, who had been giggling, opened her mouth.
“I am safe too. Nice Lance. Let’s write a legend.”
“Whatever it is, you have to do it. So what’s the plan?”
“It’s already perfectly laid out. If you go to the west gate of the system, there will be two ghost horses I borrowed. Ride it first… um? What do you have in your pocket?”
“huh?”
Secika, who was suddenly explaining the plan, tilted her head. Her gaze was fixed on Lance’s coat pocket.
“ah. this?”
Lance shrugged his eyebrows and took out an object from his pocket. A round orb was clutched in his hand.
It seemed that the color was dull and the surface scratched like shark scales was not an ordinary thing. Secika narrowed her eyes.
“huh. that. I hope you can feel the mana inside.”
“suddenly? I always had it with me.”
“You said you always carried it…? What exactly is that?”
“I don’t know either. It was given to me as a gift when I was very young.”
said Lance. It was something I got from Ronan when I was very young, but I was told to always carry it with me. Lance, who was looking at the sphere, muttered in a puzzled tone.
“By the way, the color of this seems to have changed a little… Is it because of my mood?”
“It’s okay if it’s nothing. Then I’ll explain the plan. First, ride a ghost horse…”
Sechika laughed as if she was blushing and continued her explanation. Indeed, it was a meticulous plan worthy of the heir to the top of the continent. It was in the middle of Lance listening to the story while nodding his head. Suddenly something strange came into his field of vision.
“uh?”
“what’s the matter?”
Secika asked a question, but Lance did not answer. Something shiny was leaving the darkness of the back alley. It seemed like this would look like if the Milky Way turned into fog. His brow narrowed.
“What is this?”
“What is there?”
Secika turned her head and looked at the same place. But all she could see was the darkness and two lying idiots.
“Can’t you see this?”
“I can see…what are you pointing at?”
Sechika asked in bewilderment. Only Lance could see the sparkling airflow. It was in the midst of approaching him as if he was possessed by a strange phenomenon he had never seen before. Tboob. Suddenly, what sounded like footsteps echoed from behind.
“hmm?”
Lance, who finally came to his senses, turned his head. And it froze in place. Secika, who had been behind me a while ago, had disappeared without a trace.
“…Sechika?”
I called his name, but there was no answer. Only her reverberation and glimmering air currents remained, guarding the silence. Realizing something was wrong, Lance put his hand on the hilt.
【I’m sorry. Let’s go together.]
“What…!”
An eerie whisper echoed in my ear. Lance, who reflexively fired, swung his sword. Sugak!
Before long, the two boys and girls could not be found in the place where the shining air flow died down.