Chapter 9 - Deathwish (2)

Aiden had no idea why the Holy Kingdom’s second princess was staking an even stronger claim on him, but he still had things to do.

The first step, naturally, was to seek out Noel first thing the next morning. She kept track of his every move. Considering what she was capable of, sneaking around was out of the question.

“You want to go out?”

“I didn’t think I’d said anything that strange...?”

Aiden responded in bewilderment to Noel’s narrow-eyed question. A man could go outside, couldn’t he? There was no need to look at him as though she’d never heard anything so absurd.

“Well, are you unhappy with your current living arrangements?”

“Pardon?”

“If there’s anything you need, please tell me. I’ll do anything within my power.”

“No, I’m perfectly comfortable, but...”

Honestly, lazing around beside Noel while she worked at military headquarters day after day was an ordeal in its own right. To anyone watching, he must look exactly like a husband living off his wife’s family.

When he explained as much, she replied,

“... Isn’t that a good thing for you, Aiden?”

“...”

“I pay you regularly even when you do nothing, and all your food, clothing, and housing are taken care of.”

“...”

Fair point. It did sound a little odd as excuses went.

As Aiden stood there in silence, Noel let out a deep sigh and swept back her hair.

“I never intended to keep you locked in headquarters forever, so that’s fine... But I’d prefer you take a guard.”

“A guard?”

“With the abilities you’ve demonstrated, of course I don’t think anyone could easily hurt you. But trouble does seem to follow you around.”

“...”

“Which, frankly, makes me reluctant to let you go out.”

He agreed. No one wanted to get away from all that more than he did.

“... I’m only stepping out for some fresh air. Isn’t a guard a bit cumbersome?”

Still, considering what he was about to do outside, having a guard along wasn’t a very good idea. His destination wasn’t exactly somewhere he could proudly tell people about.

“Even so, a guard—”

“I need some time to myself.”

“...”

It sounded like an excuse from a husband worn down by over ten years of marriage, but Noel merely sighed without arguing. She had, after all, been at his side almost all day, every day.

“Then go ahead.”

Still, he hadn’t expected permission so quickly. Aiden blinked blankly at her ready assent.

“No guards, no listening in. Go do whatever you like. Just take this with you.”

With that, Noel handed him something. It was a switch about half the size of his palm, shaped like a personal alarm.

“What is it?”

“A tracking device. We can’t have you running away before the wedding.”

“...”

“I’m joking.”

“... I wasn’t going to run away anyway.”

Even if he did, he had a feeling she would follow him to the ends of the earth. Noel gave a satisfied little chuckle at his answer and continued.

“It’s a signaling device. Press it if you’re in even the slightest danger. I’ll come running.”

“... You’d go that far?”

Having watched her work from right beside her, Aiden knew better than anyone how punishing her workload was. Every task had serious implications for the running of the country. Was he important enough for her to drop all of it?

“I’m the one who brought you here, so it’s my responsibility to send you home safely when the contract ends. It’s not ‘going that far.’ It’s only right.”

As Noel returned her gaze to the paperwork, Aiden stared at her, his eyes widening slightly.

‘... This woman.’

Apart from kidnapping him out of the blue, she really did take responsibility. For someone who had abducted him, she tended to his every need almost like a parent.

“Thank you.”

She really was a good person. The thought struck him suddenly.

▣

“I’ve been kidnapped by a weirdo, Dad.”

... Of course, having kidnapped him in the first place, she could hardly expect a different assessment.

Naturally, the first thing he did upon leaving headquarters was contact his family.

[“What’s that supposed to mean?”]

His father’s startled voice came through the receiver.

[“Did you borrow money from the mafia? How many times have I told you not to get involved with criminals like...”]

“You and I are criminals too, Dad.”

It was hard to believe someone who sounded like such an ordinary, law-abiding citizen made his living stealing. Then again, this was the man who had raised him never to venture into the big leagues.

Aiden heaved a sigh and continued.

“I have been kidnapped, but it’s not that serious. I’m being held somewhere warm, with plenty to eat, and they’re even paying me.”

[“... What on earth does that mean?”]

“It’s complicated. I can’t tell you right now, but amazingly, it’s all true. I’m living like this in the most expensive neighborhood in the capital.”

[“Can’t they kidnap me too?”]

... And this man was his father.

But if his father knew what position Aiden was in, he would probably keel over from shock. Best to wait until everything was settled and tell it as a tale of his exploits.

“Anyway, Dad.”

Unreliable as his father could be, there were still things he could be trusted with.

“Do you know anyone in the capital’s black market?”

Silence lingered on the other end of the line before a deep sigh came through.

[“Planning to work there too?”]

“I need to gather some information. I don’t have any contacts here, so I need an introduction. Where should I go?”

[“Billy Hagan at the tool shop. The password is ‘Crescent Moon and Sunshine.’”]

Even a petty back-alley thief could build an absurdly extensive network through work if he spent decades making a living at it.

Aiden chuckled as he answered.

“That’s cute. Got it.”

[“Aiden.”]

“Yeah?”

[“Take care of yourself. Don’t forget that Siscella and I are always on your side. If anything happens, make sure you tell your family.”]

“... I know.”

Those two would be on Aiden’s side until the end of the world. Wasn’t that why he was fighting so hard? So he could live peacefully again, back in the embrace of his father and little sister.

“... Hah.”

And honestly, calling his current walk a struggle was no exaggeration.

The capital’s underworld district had a menacing air that lived up to its name. Everywhere he looked, every person positively reeked of shady dealings.

The reason he had come all this way despite that was simple.

‘Act 1 starts here.’

Act 1, Rift in the Capital, concerned large-scale unrest and rebellion within the imperial capital. That much he knew for certain. He also knew what he needed to look into first.

‘Huge quantities of illegally distributed weapons flooding the black market.’

Naturally, large-scale unrest and rebellion required trained troops, and the supplies to arm them didn’t fall from the sky. Smuggling them in through illicit channels was the obvious method.

Act 1 began with the ‘protagonist’ getting caught up in an incident involving those illegally distributed weapons.

“...”

Yes. The protagonist.

People like Noel and the Holy Kingdom’s second princess, whom the system window described as critically important to the scenario, were exactly that: critically important figures whose paths crossed with the protagonist’s. They weren’t the protagonist.

The center of this world, the one who drove the entire game’s story. The savior who would ultimately save the world.

Someone like that had to be out there somewhere. They absolutely had to be.

‘Because they’re my express ticket out of this scenario.’

What Aiden needed to do now was find that person and dump every burden he had been saddled with onto them. An extra like him needed to disappear and put the person who truly deserved to shine onstage.

Being the Lionhearted’s bridegroom, a scenario about saving the world—all those headaches.

To do that, he at least needed a rough idea of what would happen in just a few days. If the protagonist existed in this world, they were bound to be involved wherever that happened.

‘...’

But what if they weren’t? What if they really didn’t exist, just as his earlier research had failed to turn up any trace of them—

‘... No, I don’t know that yet.’

Hadn’t he come all this way precisely to find that out too?

‘This is it.’

While he was lost in thought, he had reached his destination. Billy’s Workshop. A remarkably plain name, even for a tool shop in the black market.

When he stepped inside, a middle-aged man regarded him languidly, apparently without the slightest intention of greeting a customer.

“Crescent Moon and Sunshine.”

At the password, the shopkeeper scratched his cheek and replied.

“Information costs fifty gold. What do you want to know?”

“I’ll pay you five hundred. Make sure you dig up everything listed here.”

Aiden set a stack of papers he had prepared on the counter.

He wanted information on the weapons circulating through the black market. Even a rough picture of their movements would make it easy to identify likely trading locations, sellers, and buyers.

The shopkeeper flipped through the pages, scanning them. Soon, he gave a derisive snort.

“That’s exactly the kind of information that gets people killed. Dangerous work your thing?”

“... I don’t have a choice.”

“Too bad.”

Oh, the irony of having to put himself in the middle of danger to escape it. While Aiden wiped away his inward tears, the man asked another question.

“Deadline?”

“As soon as possible. How long will it take?”

“Tomorrow’s enough. Keep your promise about the five hundred gold.”

His father’s contact, all right. He could trust the man to get the job done.

Aiden nodded and wandered around the shop while the man moved the papers from the counter to his workbench.

The capital’s black-market tool shop clearly carried a far wider range of wares than the magic-item shops in the outlying back alleys where he used to operate. Something had already caught his eye.

‘... Why the hell are they selling this on the black market?’

As a fellow ‘professional,’ Aiden recognized it at once. A shape-changing mask and a voice changer powered by mana stones.

Perfect tools for committing crimes, but they had originally been under development by a government agency. They weren’t the sort of thing that should be sitting openly in a place like this. These were certainly premium goods he wouldn’t even get to see outside the capital.

“Buying? I guarantee the quality, but there’s no haggling.”

“... I don’t have the money.”

In fact, Noel had given him such a generous ‘signing bonus’ that he had plenty of spending money. Still, he surely wouldn’t have any reason to use something like this for a while.

Even in his present position, situations where he needed to go this far to ‘deceive’ someone wouldn’t be easy to come by—

“...”

Or rather, that would have been true if something outside the window hadn’t caught his eye.

“...?”

Aiden craned his neck to get a look at what was happening right outside the shop. Something about it felt familiar. There was a scene over there that he had a feeling he couldn’t just leave alone...

“...!”

And the moment he clearly recognized what he was seeing, his eyes began to widen.

-System Message

▶ A ‘Side Quest’ has been assigned.

▶ Failure will result in penalties.

▶ Would you like to view the details? [Y/N]

As soon as he read the message that appeared in response to the scene, Aiden’s face went deathly pale.

‘... No.’

No. No, surely not. Surely this couldn’t be what he thought it was.

With that thought and an unsteady gaze, Aiden checked the contents of this so-called ‘Side Quest.’

“...”

He dragged a hand down his face, his eyes vacant.

‘... I don’t want to live anymore.’

Considering what he now had to do, it was a natural reaction.

“Let me ask you something.”

“What?”

“How much for these?”

Aiden was pointing at the mask and voice changer he had just waved off as too expensive.

▣

The nature of the black market meant it attracted all sorts, but there were a few things everyone tacitly knew to avoid. Standing out, for example. Bringing valuables. Coming unprotected...

By those standards, this little girl was no different from prey bleeding profusely in the midst of a school of sharks.

Why would someone so refined come to a place like this? That was the best way to describe her appearance.

Her exquisite suit had clearly been painstakingly handcrafted by an artisan. The gloves and boots matched; selling those alone would easily cover a commoner’s living expenses for a month.

No matter how one looked at her, she did not belong here.

“You won’t get far walking around looking like that, little lady.”

And when those elements came together, men like these were bound to appear, drawn like iron filings to a magnet.

A gang of thugs wearing leering smiles. Each carried a weapon of dubious quality, though a few had small firearms such as pistols.

For ordinary people without supernatural powers, that alone was reason enough to pretend they hadn’t seen them. And this was the black market, a lawless zone to begin with. A scene like this hardly merited attention.

Indeed, as the gang surrounded the girl, no one anywhere made a move to intervene.

“This isn’t somewhere you can just waltz into dressed up all pretty. Did you come here without even knowing what this place is?”

“Isn’t it the black market?”

“...”

Her almost cheerful answer left the man who had spoken completely at a loss. Listening to her, anyone would think she had come out for an afternoon picnic after lunch...

“... Didn’t think you’d be stupid enough to come here knowing that. What were you thinking, coming all the way—”

“I’m here to enjoy my hobby.”

The answer was so far off track that all the thugs went blank at once.

“What?”

“It’s my first time at the capital’s black market. I’ve visited the shady parts of my hometown plenty of times, though.”

The girl was still smiling brightly.

“Could you help me? You lot seem about right.”

The thugs exchanged glances. Soon, snickers broke out among them.

“Sure. We’ll help. Of course we will. Why don’t we go over there first and hear what you need help with?”

One of them pointed toward a back alley that was secluded even by black-market standards.

In his head, he was probably already mapping out, second by second, how to strip the girl of everything she owned, then hold her hostage and bleed her distinguished parents—whoever they were—for even more.

Yet even in the face of such dire peril, the girl’s smile only grew brighter. She looked genuinely relieved to have found someone who would ‘help.’

“Let’s hear all about it. Hm? We’ve got plenty of time now—”

He continued, unable to keep his expression in check, but his words were cut short when someone seized his shoulder.

“Who the fuck are you!”

The man snarled as he turned, then immediately flinched. The man holding his shoulder looked like something straight out of a nightmare.

His skin was ridged and uneven, as though someone had painstakingly carved it with a knife. A scar ran from his forehead to his neck. He had a hooked nose, one blind eye, and half his lips were missing, as though they had been sliced away.

He was so overwhelmingly hideous that even a hardened criminal would turn pale at the sight of him...

“Fuck off.”

Even his voice had a grotesque rasp, like a knife scraping sheet metal. Hearing it alone was enough to send every man there backing away.

“Wh-what, you looking for a fight, you bastard—”

“Don’t make me say it twice.”

His voice dropped another register. As that horrific face drew closer, someone let out a frightened squeak.

“Last warning. Fuck off.”

“...”

Clearly, this was passionate oratory capable of moving hearts. The proof was in how every thug present understood his message and responded by scattering and fleeing without a single word of protest...

“You too.”

Having demonstrated such dazzling eloquence, the man turned toward the girl and spat out his next words.

“Get home already. This is no place for someone like you.”

With that, he turned smartly away without a backward glance. His business was done, and he was leaving.

“Mister.”

But a voice followed at once, catching him by the scruff of the neck.

“You know who I am, don’t you?”

His hands and feet felt as though they had frozen. Aiden, still in disguise, slowly came to a halt.

“... What do you—”

“You didn’t come to save me, did you?”

“...”

“It’s pretty obvious.”

She was absolutely right. Aiden had intervened to save the armed gang of thugs, not this seemingly defenseless girl.

More precisely, considering who this girl was...

!! Sub Quest !!

▶ Make contact with ‘Deathwish,’ Katya Heinkel Craven.

▶ Resolve the situation as peacefully as possible.

▶ Successfully handling the current situation will greatly increase the target’s affection for you!

▶ Failure will result in penalties!

... Those idiots had been sticking their heads into a lion’s jaws, and Aiden had all but dragged them out by the scruffs of their necks.

“That’s not fair. Things were just getting fun. How could you ruin it all?”

“...”

“I could’ve dealt with those guys in ‘self-defense,’ you know? Hm?”

Hands clasped behind her back and still smiling brightly, the girl approached Aiden with little steps.

Her voice was as lovely as jade beads rolling across a tray, but listening to it, Aiden felt as though the blood were drying up in his veins.

“What are you going to do about it?”

“... Do about what?”

“You need to take responsibility. You ruined my leisure time.”

“...”

“Since I was in the Empire anyway and had a little time to spare, I made room in my schedule and found myself such a good opportunity.”

Damn it. Fucking hell.

As Aiden repeated those words inwardly, the girl continued, still wearing that bright smile.

He remembered that face. The Holy Kingdom’s second princess. The most crucial figure in the main scenario’s Holy Kingdom storyline.

That very person asked, in the most casual tone,

“Would you keep me company for a little chat?”