“I believe Rachel and Eliza are inside this building,” Caro said, stopping in front of a warehouse located in an secluded area.
“So Patty and Eliza are in here. Thank you for guiding me, Caro,” Kent said, following behind Caro.
“Kent, are the two people who were kidnapped really inside this building, as this girl says?” Otsupain asked Kent, who was accompanying him.
“If Caro says so, I’m almost certain it’s true,” Kent asserted to Otsupain. Kent knew all too well about Caro’s keen sense of smell. He recalled numerous times when she had instantly guessed who he had been with based on scent alone when he returned from encounters with other women, causing him to break out in a cold sweat each time.
“Well, I was surprised once when he guessed about my encounter with Kent, so if Caro says it, it’s probably true. Can you tell me how much you could tell about the situation inside just by the smell?”
“Yes, I am sure Patty and Eliza are inside. Also, I can confirm the smell of one, two, three, four… multiple men who are presumed to have entered Patty’s house. Besides that, there are the scents of multiple other men and women, but these are scents I don’t recognize. And… is this Lord Gordon’s scent? It suddenly started smelling from the warehouse entrance. Perhaps he is inside.”
Caro relayed the situation inside to Elnet, as far as she could tell by scent.
“What! Lord Gordon is inside? We can’t stand by! Everyone draw your swords! We’re going in!”
“Uoooooh!!”
Otsupain, upon hearing this, gave a command to the Holy Knights, and they all charged into the warehouse.
“Hey, don’t just charge in without checking the situation inside! Ah, they’ve already gone. We can’t help it, let’s follow them!”
Elnet tried to stop Otsupain and the Holy Knights who had charged in without confirming the situation inside the warehouse, but it was too late, and she hastily decided to follow them.
“Alright, Caro and Rachel, you wait here. Emily, I’m leaving the two of them in your care. Al, follow me.”
“Understood, Master.”
“Understood, Roger that.”
Kent left Caro and Rachel at their current location, assigning Emily as their guard. He then followed Elnet with Al in tow.
“Lord Gordon, I’m glad you’re safe.”
“Ah, you’re the captain of the Holy Knights, Oppai… was it?”
“It’s Otsupain. I’ve confirmed Lord Gordon’s safety. Everyone, secure the area!”
“Yes!”
After confirming Gordon’s safety, Otsupain gave instructions to the Holy Knights, apprehending the fallen men and rescuing the women tied up with ropes.
“Patty, Eliza. I’m glad you’re safe.”
“Ah, Kent, Elnet. Did you come because you were worried about me?”
“Yes, I was surprised when I heard the news.”
“The important thing is that you’re safe.”
Kent and Elnet felt relieved upon confirming Patty and Eliza’s safety.
“Gordon, it was reckless of you to go rescue them alone. What would you have done if something had happened?”
“Ah, I apologize for the trouble. But my desire to save you grew stronger. Before I knew it, I was here in a daze. And… what? Where’s the stick?”
Kent told Gordon not to take unnecessary risks given his position. Gordon apologized for the trouble he caused, but he seemed more pleased with the sense of accomplishment.
“A stick?”
“Yes, I’m sure… Huh? It’s like there’s a fog in my head. Someone handed me a wooden stick, and I defeated the men here with it, but I can’t quite recall.”
Gordon seemed to have lost a stick and looked around searching for it. However, there was nothing resembling a stick around, and the stick Gordon spoke of could not be found anywhere.
“Indeed, Lord Gordon was fighting with a stick about this long when he faced these men. The way he mowed them down was very splendid,” Patty said, describing the size of the stick by extending her hands. If Patty said so, the stick must have existed.
“Kent, I will explain the situation regarding this matter, so may I send these two home first?” Eliza asked.
“Let me see. Wait a moment. Hey, Elnet.”
“What is it, Kent?”
Eliza asked if she could send Gordon and Patty home first, and since he couldn’t decide himself, he turned to Elnet for consultation.
“Indeed. He fought so many men alone, he must have pushed himself. I will explain the rest to Otsupain. Then, prepare a carriage…”
“No need to prepare a carriage. I will escort Patty home.”
“Is that so? Since you were able to fight against so many men, you probably don’t need guards. Then, please take good care of Patty.”
“Ah, understood.”
Elnet was about to make arrangements for a carriage, but Gordon refused. Elnet seemed to understand his intentions and decided not to say anything further and saw them off.
“Well then, Patty. Let’s go home.”
“Yes, Lord Gordon.”
Their distance seemed to have closed more than before, and they left the warehouse, leaning against each other.
“Patty is so innocent. But I’m glad she found someone wonderful,” Eliza murmured as she watched Patty and Gordon’s retreating figures.
“Patty, Lord Gordon, I’m glad you are both safe.”
“Ah, I apologize to you as well for causing trouble.”
“Caro, Rachel. I’m sorry for causing you trouble.”
“It’s okay, it’s okay. I didn’t do anything in particular, but I’m glad you’re safe.”
Caro and Rachel, spotting Patty and Gordon emerging from the warehouse, ran towards them.
“So, are you leaving already?”
“Ah, we’ve decided to leave ahead of time.”
“I see. Well then, Lord Gordon, please escort Patty well.”
“Of course. Shall we go, Patty?”
“Yes, Lord Gordon.”
Rachel and Caro watched Gordon and Patty head towards Patty’s house.
“It seems the relationship between them has progressed a bit with this incident. Looking at their backs reminds me of a scene from a game.”
“Is it the game you mentioned, Rachel?”
“Yes, yes. When the relationship with the prince progresses, the subordinate of the villainous daughter, who is jealous, kidnaps the protagonist. If the affection level is above a certain point, the prince will come to the rescue, but if the affection level is low, another capture character will come to the rescue, or if the conditions are not met, they will somehow escape on their own. The scene of escorting them back to the dormitory was just like this.”
Rachel recalled a scene from “Tale of school in another world.”
“By the way, Rachel?”
“Hmm? What?”
“That subordinate of the villainous daughter, the smaller one…”
“Ah, yes, Caro. It’s just a story, so it has nothing to do with the Caro here. I’ll dote on you a lot today, so please forgive me.”
“I’m the one who will be doting on you. Be prepared, Rachel.”
Perhaps inspired by their retreating figures, Rachel and Caro began to flirt.
“I am here, you know…”
Emily, watching the two completely engrossed in their own world, wondered what she should do.
“Ah, that’s right. I need to report Gordon’s safety to Catherine.”
Kent decided to contact Catherine, who was still desperately searching for Gordon.
“Yes, Kent. Has there been any change in the situation?”
“Ah, actually…”
He took out his terminal and called Catherine. He then informed her that Gordon was safe and that Patty and Eliza had been secured.
“I see. In that case, I will gather my unit and head towards your location.”
Catherine said this and ended the call.
“Otsupain… he seems busy now.”
Kent tried to inform Otsupain that Catherine was heading their way, but he was preoccupied.
“Otsupain, your command as captain this time was rash. It’s fortunate it worked out, but charging in without confirming the situation is reckless.”
“…Yes, I apologize. I was in too much of a hurry to confirm their safety, so I charged in without following procedures.”
Although Elnet was not supposed to be involved with the Holy Knights, they had been receiving swordsmanship instruction from her, and she was reprimanding Otsupain as part of that guidance.
“It looks like this will take a while.”
Kent decided to wait until Elnet and Otsupain finished their conversation, as it wasn’t an urgent matter.
“By the way, why are you acting with these knights in white armor?” Eliza asked.
“We’re neighbors, and I know the captain here.”
“Kent, you know knights too? I don’t know any nobles.”
Kent answered Eliza’s question. Eliza was impressed by Kent’s acquaintances among the nobility.
“Nobles? You do know some. And a very high-ranking one at that.”
“Eh?”
Eliza was surprised by Kent’s words.
“You just went home with Patty, didn’t you? He’s the 2nd Prince of this country!”
“Gordon…sama. He does have the same name. Whaaat! Why is my daughter involved with the 2nd Prince like that! What should I do? I treated him so casually… what if I’m accused of disrespect and lose my head?”
“Calm down, Eliza!”
Kent desperately tried to calm down the confused Eliza.
