CH 43

It was dark when I woke up.

My head felt awfully dizzy, so it would seem I sniffed some sort of medicine. I just realized I was lying down and placed in something narrow.

I had a terrible headache and I did not want to think about anything. However, without a doubt, my life’s greatest crisis was to be attacked.

Rattle rattle. From the vibrations, I am most likely on a carriage. Forced to awaken by my aching head, I was able to grasp the situation.

First, both my hands were tied up.

And both my feet were bound around my ankles.

A gag was stuffed into my mouth.

Also, from the feel of it, I was put into something like a sack. It seemed to be wrapped in several heavy layers.

No matter how I thought about it, the people who hurt Richard were the ones who kidnapped me.

And thinking about it, after having a good grasp of my situation, it would appear I was faced with this sort of evildoing.

From the start, the boing boing woman was a trap to distract Richard. It was a crime arranged by someone who knew of Richard’s weakness for women’s chest.

「Gyahaha, what an easy job. With this, I can just go and mess about for two whole years. A real great job」

「We’re almost there, right? We should be delivering around here」

I heard those voices from outside the sack.

Perhaps they were the voices of those who captured me. And it sounded like someone had instructed them to kidnap me.

I had no idea where I was, but the carriage was shaking so much, so the path was probably not maintained. Which meant, this was probably off the main road.

What was the best I could do at this time?

「Hey, why don’t we play with her before handing her over to the client? 」

「Idiot, what the hell are you saying? Better to be safe than offending the other party」

「Gyahaha, you’re into little girls? I don’t get excited with brats like that as company」

「Shut up. Because it’s the House of Duke’s daughter, I just thought it would be fun」

Based from the voices, there were probably three people.

They were the two men who attacked Richard and the boing boing woman from before. Moreover, there seemed to be someone who was their client.

Unfortunately, my physical ability was at rock bottom, so I would be unable to escape from these three people.

I did not know who this client was, but if there ever was the slightest chance to escape, it would be after I would be handed over and these three had left.

Thud, my body hit the shaking carriage. A great pain bloomed in my shoulder.

「Hey, still not awake, huh? The girl, I mean」

「I didn’t use a very strong drug, though」

「We’ll know when she wakes up. She’s a sheltered girl, she’ll scream as soon as she realizes the situation she’s in」

Too bad for you, I was already awake.

My head was a little numb, so I was calm enough not to scream.

Or rather, I feel the danger would only further increase if I screamed.

It was best to keep pretending to be asleep.

This was not a situation where one could be easily calm.

But then, if one was too flustered and panicked, the situation would not improve.

In that case, it would be better for me to do my best to remain calm and think of some ways to escape.

「Oh, I see it. That’s the manor, right? 」

「Seriously, to go deep into the mountains just for this」

「Oh well, it’s all good, isn’t it? The payment will be worth it」

「If you think about the dangers of entering a noble’s private property, shouldn’t we be getting more? 」

「You got a point. Let’s negotiate for a bit more」

A noble’s private land, deep into the mountains, and a manor.

I intently organized any information I could grasp.

I had no idea what time it was. But since the medicine they used was not that strong, I suppose not much time had passed. I could see sunlight from the gaps of the sack, and the sun was still high.

It had not been long since I was kidnapped around noon. From there, based on this shaking, it would mean our speed was not too fast. In other words, it came down to a few options.

And the nearest mountain from the Kingdom—.

If one left from the South Gate, the closest one was Mount Cuffs1 on the border between the Ambrose Dukedom and the Kingdom. Mount Cuffs should have been the property of the Ambrose Ducal House. I think it had restricted access, since mushrooms naturally grew in it.

And then, the manor—.

There were no manors built in the depths of the mountain. However, on the summit of Mount Cuffs, another residence of the Ambrose House was built there. The only time it was lived-in was when we come to gather mushrooms. Otherwise, it should be rarely used.

Judging by the circumstances, it was highly likely this was Mount Cuffs. And the likelihood of it being another residence of the Ambrose House was also increasing.

I could not understand everything from within the sack, but if it were so, I would have had the opportunity to escape.

The carriage came to a slow stop.

The uncomfortable wobbling finally ceased.

「Okay, let’s lower her down. You take that side」

「Can’t you carry it by yourself? 」

「Shut up. If you leave it to me alone, it’ll be troublesome if I drop her and she’d wake up」

「Tch」

I felt the two men touch my body over the sack.

I pray they would not touch any strange places. But then, I also must not resist.

I shall continue taking advantage of their misunderstanding that I was still asleep.

My body lost its weight and floated in the air.

I was absolutely floating, with one person holding around my neck and the other with my legs. It was a relief they did not touch any strange places.

And then, I understood the two men kept moving forward from how I remained suspended in the air.

「Good work」

Suddenly, there came another voice.

It was one I heard a lot—I heard it several times on a regular basis. A repulsive voice.

「Yo, ordered goods, delivered」

「The daughter of the Ambrose Ducal House, one Carol Ambrose. Please check it」

「My medicine’s still effective, so she’s asleep」

The sack I was in was lowered and its mouth was opened.

Sunlight came in. I must keep on pretending to be asleep.

I closed my eyes, and I was taken out of the sack for inspection.

「Oh.……it certainly is her. There is no mistaking it」

「Then, we’ll take the agreed payment」

「Aa. Here is your remuneration」

Jingle jingle, came the sound of something chinking.

They were probably handed a bag of gold coins. If it really were gold coins, it was a considerably large amount.

I do not think I am in a position where I would be able to prepare that much.

「Bye then, we’ll be around」

「Please enjoy, sir」

「I believe I do not to need say this, but not a word to anyone」

「Of course, we’ll keep our silence~」

Hehehe, the men laughed, and I felt their presence go away.

And then—the client who remained lifted my body up.

「Kukuku……Ahh, I finally have you……Carol」

The hand stroking my hair was disgusting.

The hand touching my cheek was disgusting.

The eyes looking at my body were disgusting.

But I finally understood.

「As long as I have Carol, the Ambrose Ducal House cannot oppose me……Kukuku, let me show you that the one who inherited the true duke’s blood is the one worthy of being the master……」

Wilhelm-sama had also spoken these words, 「that guy still causes some trouble」.

I do not know what happened in the past.

I opened my eyes a tiny bit, and there I saw.

A vulgar face, his tongue licking his lips—the appearance of Robert.

「Kukuku, hahaha, hahahahahaha! 」

Robert who was never dismissed, even though he was dull-witted and would not listen to instructions.

I did not know what happened.

However.

What I understood was that there was some sort of deep connection between Robert and the Ambrose Ducal House.

[1] カフス / kafusu = Cuffs, Coughs???