I Kidnapped the Hero Party – Chapter 23

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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
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Coordinate teleportation magic.

Using magic, Estia and I moved to the yard of the house.

All the lights in the house were off except for Saten’s room.

From the outside, it looked like everyone was asleep.

“Is everyone sleeping? That’s fortunate… I suppose.”

“He-Hehe… I’m dizzy… Where is this…?”

“Teleportation magic is always like that. Bear with it.”

“I’m the worst at bearing things…”

Sigh.

When will she come back to her senses?

For now, I untied Estia’s ropes.

If I brought her in tied up, the others might misunderstand.

It was a very rational decision.

“Come on, Estia. Let’s go inside.”

“Yes, yes~ Bi-Big brother~ Give me white liquid~”

“…Someone might misunderstand if they hear that. Don’t say such things.”

“Okay~”

Estia seemed unable to properly grasp the situation.

I held her hand and entered the house.

All the lights were off so it would be hard to see, but not for my eyes.

I could see everything even in the dark, so I held Estia’s hand and climbed the stairs.

“Come up slowly.”

“Okay…”

Step. Step.

Estia stumbled but slowly climbed the stairs with my help.

‘Come to think of it, there are only 3 rooms in the house.’

Hare was on the first floor.

Saten and Luna were on the second floor.

I was in the living room.

‘…Should I move?’

The house seemed too small for 5 people to live in.

I guess I’d have to let her stay in Luna’s room for tonight.

Since Estia might try to escape, I decided to have her stay in Luna’s room with its thorough confinement system for the time being.

I unlocked each lock and opened Luna’s door.

Creak-

“…Are you sleeping, Luna?”

“Mmm- Hmmm-”

“She’s asleep.”

It might be a bit uncomfortable, but she’d have to sleep with her tonight.

“Alright Estia, get on the bed.”

“I like beds…”

I let Estia into Luna’s room and realized I had made one mistake.

I should have told her to get on the bed slowly.

Estia jumped towards the bed.

It looked like watching a high jump athlete.

“Yay~”

“Aaah-!! What’s going on…! This-!!”

“…Sorry Luna. I didn’t mean to wake you.”

“Ah, Mister…? At such a late hour…! You’re planning to make a mess of me, aren’t you…?!”

“Of course not.”

I had no interest in children.

I pointed my finger at Luna’s lower half.

There, Estia was rubbing her face against the blanket.

Luna shouted in surprise.

“Kyaah-!! Wh-Who is this?!”

“A new friend.”

“What do you mean friend-!! You kidnapped someone again, didn’t you?!”

I couldn’t deny that.

I had no choice but to nod.

Luna sighed and looked down at Estia.

“Hey, can you get off for now? What’s your name?”

“Estya…”

“Estya?”

“It’s Estia. And, she’s in a strange state right now so I recommend not talking to her. Just sleep together for tonight.”

“Is that so…? O-Okay.”

For Luna with 7 siblings, taking care of someone must be very simple.

I trusted Luna and turned around to go outside.

Ah, right, before that.

“Luna. Just in case, don’t drink any water Estia offers you.”

“Huh…? Why?”

“It’s a drug.”

“What…?! Wh-What are you saying-”

“I’ve told you.”

Bang-

It got a bit quieter when I closed the door.

Let’s just listen to what they’re doing for a moment.

I put my ear to the door.

-Hey… Want some of this…? Ah, try it, ah~ I’ll make you happy…

-N-No! I won’t! I won’t drink it! W-Wait, why are you trying to take off your skirt!?

-…I wanna go to the bathroom. I think it’s gonna come out.

-The bathroom’s that way-! What kind of bolt from the blue is this in the middle of sleep! Aaah-!!

…It waz chaos in there.

Still, she was the Hero, so she’d probably handle it well.

With that somewhat cold thought, I took my ear off the door, and I turned my head to go back to the living room.

Oh my.

Hare was on the stairs leading down to the living room.

Her red eyes were shining in the darkness, glaring at me.

It was a situation where I felt somewhat awkward.

‘Why am I feeling awkward in my own house…?’

Anyway, I asked Hare, who was silently glaring at me.

“Hare? What’s the matter?”

“Mister, did you kidnap again today…?”

“‘Again’? I don’t kidnap every day.”

Hare pouted and watched me from the darkness.

She seemed to be expressing her displeasure as much as possible.

I approached her and patted her head.

“What’s bothering you so much, Hare?”

“I only need you, Mister… But it seems you need other children… So I don’t like it…”

Hare trailed off and whispered to me as if making an excuse.

As the number of children increased, naturally the attention towards her would decrease.

I could understand Hare’s position to some extent.

Still.

“It can’t be helped. I have no choice but to kidnap for the sake of the goal.”

“Th-Then how long will you keep kidnapping…?”

“This was the last one. There won’t be any more children added.”

“R-Really…?”

No more will be added.

At those words, Hare exhaled as if relieved, and her sharp eyes began to shine again.

It seemed her anger had subsided somewhat.

“Th-Then. Talk to me later…! I have lots of questions to ask…!”

“Ah, right. You haven’t used your promise yet?”

“Yes, I’ve been… organizing them. Hehe…”

The right to ask me anything.

Hare, who had gained a total of 6 chances, said she was preparing questions.

‘She studies hard, cleans the house, Hare really is a good child.’

How admirable.

With that feeling, just as I was about to pat Hare’s head, suddenly remembering the feelings Hare harbored for me, I withdrew my outstretched hand.

Hare asked with a disappointed expression.

“Why… Aren’t you praising me…?”

“Well, it’s a bit late today. Go in and sleep, Hare. You’re a good child, aren’t you?”

Good children go to bed early.

I vaguely brushed it off and pushed Hare’s back.

Hare was led by my hand towards her room, and before closing the door, she peeked her face out shyly and asked.

“Mister.”

“Yes?”

“Is Hare a good child…?”

I smiled at her and answered.

“Of course, you’re a good child. Studying hard and getting along well with friends is what makes you a good child.”

“…Yes, Mister. Thank you… You should go rest too, Mister.”

Hare smiled as if satisfied, then gently closed the door.

If there was a best child in this house, wouldn’t it be Hare?

I couldn’t help but think.

“…If only the feelings she harbored for me weren’t like that, it would have been the best…”

I vaguely understood the feelings Hare had for me.

However, they weren’t good feelings.

They were feelings arising from misunderstandings due to childhood confusion and the situation at the time.

And Hare, the thief of the Hero’s party, shouldn’t have those feelings.

“Should I keep my distance?”

Sigh.

I took out some alcohol from the refrigerator and lay down on the sofa.

Someone’s warm presence remained, and the living room was clean without a speck of dust.

“I used to be the one who made the mess, and I was always the one who cleaned it up.”

At some point, I became the one making the mess, and someone else started cleaning up.

As I drank the alcohol and the intoxication rose, sleep came to find me.

Feeling that drowsy sensation, I thought about Hare.

‘I’ll have to keep an eye on her for a while…’

I was sorry to Hare, but If she crossed the line, I’d have to adjust the distance as well.

With that thought, deep sleep pulled me in.

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Hare lay on the bed, recalling what had just happened.

“Hehe… Mister said I’m a good child…”

I’m happy.

I’m delighted.

I’m glad I was born!

“Kyaah-! I’m so happy-!!”

Even without sleep, with this feeling, it seemed like she could stay up all night and still have energy.

Praise from Mister always made her feel good and automatically gave her strength she didn’t have before.

Hare tightly hugged her pillow, imagining it was Mister.

“So-Someday, will I be able to hug Mister like this…? N-No… Mister should hug me…!”

To make Mister happy enough to hug me…

What should I do…?

If I keep being a good child, will that work…?

Hare resolved to always remain a good child in front of Mister.

However, at the same time, she remembered something that had upset her.

“…Saten. She made me look like a bad child back then.”

I’ll definitely get revenge someday…

Hare vowed never to forget this humiliation.

And the newly kidnapped girl today.

If she entered this house, a total of 5 people would be living in the house.

‘If that happens, it’ll be too hard for Mister…’

It’d be hard when making food.

It’d be hard when teaching them things.

‘Most importantly… The attention towards me will disappear…’

If Mister paid attention to other children, his attention would go to them…

If she just watched that happen, her heart would hurt too much…

Therefore, Hare decided.

“I only need to be a good child… in front of Mister, right…?”

It’s okay to be a bad child when Mister isn’t around, right…?

Let’s reduce the number of people in the house.

If they don’t leave, kick them out, and if they want to leave, help them.

“If I do that, will Mister only look at me…?”

Be a good child in front of Mister.

Be a bad child behind Mister’s back.

Hare was feeling anxious about the increasing number of people.

Hare, who bit her own flesh without nails to bite, was more sincere now than ever before.

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