I Kidnapped the Hero Party – Chapter 14

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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
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The lights in the banquet hall were dazzling, there were huge chandeliers, and nobles dressed in splendid clothes.

The variety of food placed on the tables was also considerable.

I picked up one dessert cookie and put it in my mouth.

Sweet.

“The taste is not bad. They must have prepared a lot.”

The Empire of Gransia’s knighthood was divided into two branches.

The Black Raven, which emphasized traditional knights.

The Sylvester, which changed with the times.

The Black Raven insisted on the tradition that “magic is not needed in the knighthood.”

The Sylvester pushed the opinion that “as magic develops, magic is also needed in the knighthood.”

Their opinions were polar opposites, so they didn’t get along well.

“A banquet of the traditional Black Raven… I wonder what will be there.”

The most important thing was the Hero’s companion, though.

I grabbed a simple welcome drink from nearby and drank it.

It was a sweet alcohol with low alcohol content.

Then I moved to a corner where I could see the entire space at a glance.

‘If I observe people from here, the Hero’s party member should appear.’

The location selection wasn’t bad.

However, there were quite a few people in the corner, perhaps because many people preferred quiet spaces to noisy ones.

And among those people, there was a familiar figure to my eyes.

It was that person with whom I had a connection in the past.

“Irina.”

“Jun?”

The silver-white knight who was stuck in the corner.

Sylvester Irina with silver hair approached me.

A person who had been in the same party as me in the past, and whom I had often seen in photographs.

She approached me, unchanged from the past.

“Jun, it’s been a long time.”

“Yes, it has been a while. Was Arden Village the last time we met?”

“Probably, we haven’t met since then. Have you been doing well?”

“In my own way.”

I was living well enough.

Irina sighed as if relieved and said.

“Still, I’m glad. I’m really glad you’re alive. You looked very hurt after that day, but it seems you’ve recovered well now, Jun.”

“…Well, I suppose so.”

Rather than recovered, it would be more accurate to say I tried to forget as much as possible.

Since I was living now without recalling that incident.

Irina’s words were correct in a way.

“Just in case, Jun. What happened that day wasn’t your fault-”

“Stop, that’s enough. That’s not for you to judge, Irina.”

“..I misspoke. I’m sorry, Jun.”

Irina closed her mouth.

I didn’t want to think about that day anymore.

As if understanding the meaning of my words, regret bloomed on Irina’s face.

An awkward atmosphere flowed in the air.

“…”

“…”

It was then.

The sound announcing the start of the party began to ring.

The main entrance of the banquet hall opened, and knights wearing jet-black armor began to enter in formation.

It was a precise movement without a single error, and even to my eyes, they were well-trained knights.

‘Are these formal knights?’

Not filtered stones like Kyle from the trash heap, but large raw gems.

Watching the Black Raven’s appearance, I heard the indignant voice of Sylvester Knight Commander Irina.

“Hmph, they seem to be inferior in skill compared to Sylvester’s formal knights. Our knighthood is far better than those outdated fools. If only that child would join, our knighthood would reach its peak.”

“…Irina. Have you forgotten where we are?”

“Oh my. The words in my heart slipped out.”

It was a banquet of the Black Raven Knighthood hosted by the Black Raven Knighthood.

Of course, there were many supporters of the Black Raven Knighthood around.

“That silver knight is slandering the Black Raven.”

“Sylvester. They’ve forgotten tradition. No foundation, I tell you.”

“The Empire’s premier knighthood is the Black Raven… Tsk, tsk.”

People who heard Irina’s voice began to denounce her.

In contrast, Irina’s reaction was…

“I have no problem.”

Iron wall.

She held her head high as if nothing was wrong.

But why were her clenched fists trembling?

I decided not to ask.

‘..Irina’s personality is still the same.’

Anyway, after the formal knights passed by neatly, the apprentice knights formed a procession next.

Those representing the future of the Black Raven Knighthood.

Irina added words again.

“Hmph, only one of them seems useful. If only that child would join the Sylvester Knighthood…”

“You’re noisy, Irina.”

“…I understand. Hearing such words from you somehow makes me feel like I’m back in the past.”

“I said you’re noisy.”

“…”

At my cold words, Irina closed her mouth.

However, there was a reason I told her she was noisy.

One of the apprentice knights had caught my attention.

Even at a glance, her atmosphere was on a different level from the other apprentice knights.

Mainly, in terms of the core.

Unlike the knights who used refined mana to exert momentary strength, the mana flowing from her body was high-purity mage’s mana.

‘But why is there a mage in the Black Raven Knighthood…?’

Traditionally, there were no mages in the Black Raven Knighthood.

However, there was a woman now wearing a neat knight’s uniform with neat long black hair.

The woman with triocular eyes that gave a dreamy yet eerie feeling was clearly a mage, not a knight, to anyone who looked.

At that moment, Minerva’s problem arrived as if stamping my thoughts with a correct answer seal.

Today or tomorrow.

There was no need to hesitate.

I hadn’t used the answer sheet once today.

I could just check both.

‘Show me the answers for 1 and 2.’

At that moment, two futures began to unfold before my eyes.

…

The future of number 1.

It wasn’t bad.

I kidnapped the mage, and she worked hard for the party, and eventually defeated all the Demon Lords.

However, after that,

‘…’

The day after saving the world.

On the day of the festival in the Empire.

The mage ended her life alone in her room by hanging herself.

The reason wasn’t given in the answer sheet.

There was no solving process.

The answer sheet turned to the next page.

…

The future of number 2.

Even if I didn’t kidnap her, the mage would join the Hero’s party later.

She played an active role with her excellent skills in the process of defeating the Demon Lords, and eventually achieved a perfect victory against the Demon Lord.

However, in the midst of the victory cheers, the mage was expressionless.

‘What’s so fun for all of you?’

Eyes terribly empty of emotion.

An expression that couldn’t feel any emotion at all.

The mage couldn’t feel any emotion alone in the situation where all the Demon Lords were defeated.

Perhaps that was why.

‘I’m not having fun.’

She began to gather and absorb the fragments of the Demon Lord scattered in the air.

Dark mana moved towards the mage, and an uncontrollable corrupting mana dominated the space.

Overwhelming mana, an inescapable gaze.

In that storm of demonic energy, a new Demon Lord was born.

It was the exact same scene as ‘that day’ I had experienced.

‘Why did you make such a choice!! Saten..!!’

‘…’

Soon after, the mage was subjugated by her companions.

But even on the verge of death, she didn’t say anything.

The reason why she became a Demon Lord was completely unknown.

…

‘The mage dies no matter what I choose…’

In terms of killing all the Demon Lords, that problem was correct, but.

The mage died no matter which of the two I chose.

That fact didn’t change.

Still.

‘Dying as a human is better than becoming a Demon Lord, and staying at my house is better than staying in the knighthood.’

There might be a 0.1% chance that Saten won’t kill herself.

Both problems would be wrong answers for Saten, but.

My finger pointed towards number 1, which wasn’t a complete wrong answer.

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After the knighthood’s departure ceremony.

The daughter of the Black Raven Knight Commander.

Saten Sicilia was changing from her knight’s uniform into a dress.

It was because she had to grace the party as a member of the family.

“Mary. The knighthood that valued tradition has changed its mind and broken down that solid wall. Aren’t the adults trash?”

“Y-Yes.. Your words are always right, young lady..”

The frightened maid Mary answered to flatter her.

She was terrified as if there was a demon in front of her.

‘I haven’t done ‘anything’ yet.’

Saten didn’t like that reaction.

“Mary. Look at me. At my eyes.”

“H-How dare I…”

“Come on. I like people who understand words at once, Mary.”

“A-Alright, young lady…”

Mary met Saten’s seductive eyes.

‘Triocular eyes’ with the black part on top, unlike normal eyes, where the white part surrounded the black part in three places.

A chilly and dreamy gaze penetrated Mary, who was like that.

Saten smirked amusingly at the trembling Mary.

“What are you so afraid of, Mary? It’s not like I’m going to kill you or hit you… If you tremble like that, it makes me feel like a criminal, Mary.”

“I-I won’t trem-”

“You trembled again.”

Slap-!

Saten struck the maid Mary’s cheek with her gloved hand.

It was after confirming that there was no one around.

“I wasn’t going to do anything. But you kept trembling and made me a bad person. Apologize, Mary. You’re smart, so you understand what I mean, right?”

“…Yes, young lady. I will… apologize..”

Slap-

The sound of a cheek being slapped echoed in the room.

Saten was putting on the dress by herself.

Slap-

Yet the sound continued to echo.

After putting on the dress and checking in the mirror, Saten said to Mary.

“Thank you for understanding at once, Mary. Do it 10 more times, Mary. Don’t come out until the party is over. You can’t appear at the party looking like that, can you? Right?”

“…Yes, young lady.”

Slap-

Mary continued to slap her own cheek.

Saten said this and left the room indifferently.

Heading towards the center of the banquet hall, she muttered in a chilly tone.

“How interesting. When I said I was studying magic, they treated me like filth, but when I showed results, they broke a 500-year-old tradition and started wagging their tails.”

Saten, had a genius magical talent that might appear once in 1000 years.

Ironically, she was born into a traditional knight family.

Of course, her childhood with innate magical talent was not smooth sailing.

And in the present tense, living was becoming even more difficult.

To the extent that she wouldn’t care even if she took her own life right now.

Click. Click.

Her expression as she headed to the party hall was terribly expressionless.

As if her emotions had died.

As if they had disappeared.

It was a chilly face that had lost its color.

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The party proceeded successfully.

It was because the morale of the nobles following the Black Raven Knighthood had risen after showing the future of the knighthood.

“This year’s recruits are very reliable.”

“Indeed. Ho ho. I’m thinking of raising my investment amount this time… What do you think?”

“I’m thinking of raising it by 20% after hearing the announcement…”

“I’ve already put in my entire fortune!! The knighthood’s stock will definitely rise!! Ah, don’t shout that you should have bought it then!! What are you waiting for, hurry and invest!!”

People were running happy circuits, saying things like “This stock will definitely rise.”

Their voices fell silent in an instant as the door opened.

Creak-

The Sicilia family of the Black Raven Knighthood entered as the door opened.

Behind the head of the family, Lennon Sicilia, his son Renen, the knight commander, and Saten entered.

Standing in the center, Lennon began to speak in his characteristically emotionless voice.

“We sincerely welcome all of you who have come. How did you find the future of the Black Raven?”

“It was excellent! The future is as bright as the Empire’s sky! Haha!!”

“That’s very fortunate. I’m very grateful that you view the future of our Black Raven Knighthood positively.”

Was this the face of a grateful person?

The expressionless Lennon slightly, very slightly bowed his head towards them.

It was the arrogant gaze that the Sicilia family held.

“Before this atmosphere, many of you will be curious about the future of our knighthood. Whether we become solid by valuing tradition, or whether we fall behind the times by not letting go of our stubbornness.”

“Wh-What do you mean…?”

Murmur murmur-

People began to murmur after hearing Lennon’s words.

When such an introduction came out when talking about something important, it was that much of a shocking story.

They were exchanging opinions with each other.

“Enough.”

Silence-

Controlling the sound with one word, Lennon continued.

“There was much deliberation. Whether to keep our Black Raven Knighthood’s tradition, or whether to move forward. However, if tradition holds our legs, I thought we should deal with it cleanly.”

To get to the point!

Lennon shouted very strongly at this part.

“We! Are thinking of recruiting mages! To the knighthood!! The first step is!! Our family’s genius mage Saten Sicilia! Based on this, the Black Raven! Will soar! To an even higher place!!”

“Oh, ohh..?”

“Waaah–!!”

Genius mage.

Along with the cheers introducing Saten.

The lights went out and the banquet hall was enveloped in darkness.

“Hmm, it seems there’s some kind of introduction. Turning off the lights!”

“I’m really looking forward to it?”

Thump thump-

People thought it was a stage production.

After the lights went out, they would turn on again and Saten Sicilia would appear with a bang!

Wrapped in such expectations, they anticipated the leap of the Black Raven Knighthood.

However, If you expect too much, disappointment hits harder later.

Tap-!

The lights came on and the visibility brightened.

The balcony where Saten should have appeared.

There…

“What, Saten suddenly disappeared..? What do you mean..!!”

“Wh-What? Disappeared..?!”

“My, my stocks!! Aaah!!”

The genius mage of the Black Raven Knighthood, Saten.

She had already disappeared, taken by someone.

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