I Kidnapped the Hero Party – Chapter 33

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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
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On the day of the move, the Hero’s party was bustling about, packing their belongings.

“Keep the weight to a minimum. Everyone, pack only what you need.”

“Yes, yes! Got it, Mister…!”

Hare nodded in understanding.

Come to think of it, Hare probably didn’t have much to pack.

She had come empty-handed in the first place.

Hare would likely only pack books and the ordinary clothes I had bought her.

While watching the Hero’s party pack in the living room, someone grabbed my sleeve.

“Luna?”

“Um, Mister? What’s going on here…?”

“Can’t you see? We’re packing to move.”

“Mo-Moving? Why?”

Luna’s blue eyes shone with incomprehension.

If I told her about the letter now, she would likely cause a scene on the train.

I decided to give her a vague excuse.

“The rent in the capital is expensive.”

“Eh?”

“We can make a good profit if we sell now.”

“Ah, Mister is more practical than I thought…”

As they say, everything happens because of money.

Luna seemed to accept my vague explanation.

I lingered near her, helping Luna pack.

Saten, having finished her preparations, came out of her room with a small bag.

“Saten, are you done preparing?”

“Yes, I’m done. Should I give this bag to that child called Hare?”

“…? Why would you give the bag to Hare?”

“Well, isn’t it obvious? The ‘servant’ should carry the bags.”

“Hare is not a servant.”

Could it be that because Hare had recently started helping the others, Saten had misunderstood her as a servant?

Fortunately, Hare wasn’t nearby to hear this.

Saten tilted her head at my words and asked,

“Why not? All those who acted so subserviently were servants. Then, shouldn’t that Hare child be a servant too?”

“That’s how it was in your family, but it’s different here. Even if someone acts humbly, there aren’t really social classes here. It’s just a matter of personality.”

“…I see, for now.”

Saten didn’t seem pleased, but she appeared to have decided to carry her bag herself.

“And Saten, wear this hood. We shouldn’t draw attention from others.”

“Hmm, is that so? Give me a black hood. I won’t wear anything that isn’t black.”

Saten liked the achromatic black color, with her sharp eyes, she looked just like a black cat.

I told Saten to wait in the yard, and Luna seemed to have finished her preparations.

She came out of the room with a bag in one hand and holding Estia’s hand with the other.

“Mister! I’m all ready! Let’s go, Estia!”

“If I stay still, holy water will come down. If I stay still, holy water will come down. If I stay still, holy water will come down…”

“…Mister, her condition seems strange.”

“She’ll be fine if we leave her be.”

I put a white hood on Estia and handed hoods to Luna and Hare as well.

With everyone having finished their preparations, I addressed those gathered in the yard.

“Well then, let’s go move.”

Our first destination was Arden Village and our final destination was Henesys.

Pondering what the Demon Lord’s traces on the burnt black page could mean, I left the house I had grown attached to.

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At the train station in the capital city of Gransia, five hooded figures appeared.

One adult and four girls.

It was quite a unique combination.

“Ahem, kids! Did you know? To ride the train, you have to take off your shoes! You didn’t know that, right?”

“…Really? We-We have to take off our shoes…?”

“Of course! If you wear shoes on the train, the attendants will throw you off while it’s moving! For real!”

…Luna was pulling their leg.

Children who had never ridden a train might fall for it, I wouldn’t be fooled, but I wondered about the others…

I decided to watch without intervening.

“Hare, hurry and take off your shoes! You’ll get kicked off otherwise!”

“O-Okay. Mi-Mister, should I take off my shoes…?”

“…You don’t need to ask about every little thing.”

Hare took off her shoes, fooled by Luna.

It was a moment where the thief was tricked by the Hero.

Luna giggled, watching Hare fall for it, then she turned to her next target which was Saten.

“Saten! Take yours off too! You can’t wear shoes on the train!”

“Why should I take off my shoes?”

“Eh…?”

“I don’t want to take them off.”

“Bu-But the rules people made-”

“There’s no need to follow such garbage rules. It’s neither efficient nor civilized. The attendants should clean the floor, there’s no need for me to take off my shoes.”

“O-Okay… Saten, you don’t have to take off your shoes…”

Shrink-

Luna lost her confidence after being defeated by Saten.

From her perspective, it must have felt like facing an insurmountable wall.

Luna turned her gaze away from Saten since there was still one person left.

Luna spoke with a mischievous smile.

“Estia! If you don’t want to fall off the train! You’d better take off your shoes right now!”

“No. I must stay still. I must stay still. I mustn’t do anything rash. I must receive holy water.”

“…Mister, I’m telling you she’s acting strange.”

“Just leave her be.”

“…Okay.”

Luna turned away, looking dejected.

Estia was trying so hard to get holy water, it wouldn’t be right to interfere with that.

Estia kept repeating the same words like a parrot.

As I watched her quietly, the magic train that moved using magic stones arrived.

“Before we board. Hare.”

“Yes, Mister…?”

“Put your shoes back on, Luna was lying.”

“Luna… lied…?”

Chill-

Hare glared at Luna with a cold gaze.

Seeing those lifeless eyes, Luna quickly boarded the train, saying “Sorry! I-It was just a joke!”

While it might have looked harmonious on the surface, looking deeper, two were kidnapped, and two were being raised.

It was quite a bizarre situation.

“Alright, everyone get on the train. Don’t cause any commotion inside.”

“Yes!”

“O-Okay, Mister…!”

Only two of them answered, and so we boarded the train.

A disgusting lingering scent filled the train.

‘Not today… they were here until yesterday?’

The stench of Grimoire members was strong.

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‘They must have moved yesterday, not today.’

Fortunately, there wasn’t much commotion on the train, Saten and Hare were busy pressing their faces against the window, admiring the scenery outside.

Estia buried her face in her lap and kept muttering in a small voice, and Luna, who had been the most excited before boarding…

“Ugh, uuugh… uwa… aah… save me…”

As if having a nightmare, she was sleeping with her head on my shoulder.

Since our compartment was in a room-style layout, we fortunately didn’t feel the gazes of other people.

Hare, who had been admiring the scenery through the window, saw me and asked worriedly,

“Mi-Mister. Your shoulder must hurt… Should I move next to Luna…?”

“No, it’s fine. There’s no need for that.”

“…Is that so? If you say so, Mister… Okay… Please tell me if it hurts… I’ll take responsibility for Luna…”

Hare glanced at Luna one more time before turning her gaze back to the window.

With vast plains stretching out, the magic train moved at high speed.

Not much time passed before the train arrived at Arden Village.

“Everyone, don’t forget your luggage.”

“Yes, yes!”

“Yes.”

Two people answered, and just as I was about to wake Luna who was deep in sleep,

“Ugh, uwaah-!! A-A nightmare-!!”

She woke up screaming on her own and rubbed her cheeks as if her senses were strange.

She looked completely disoriented.

“Huh…? Wa-Was it a dream…? Or not…?”

“Luna, wake up. We’ve arrived at Arden Village.”

“A-Arden Village?! Are we moving to Arden Village?!”

“That’s not it. Read this slowly as you get off the train.”

“Eh? This is a letter from my family!? Why are you giving this to me now!”

As we were getting off the train, I handed Luna the letter.

At first, Luna was happy, thinking it was a letter from her family.

However, after seeing the single sentence written there, her expression immediately hardened.

“Mi-Mister. Don’t tell me, this…”

“It’s as you suspect. It seems the knighthood’s investigation has revealed to your parents that you’re not with the knighthood.”

“Wh-What…? Th-That shouldn’t happen…! I-I didn’t want to worry them at all…”

Dejected, Luna hung her head.

Was this why the Hero was hanging her head?

I thought it was quite pitiful.

“If that’s the case, then you should make sure not to worry them.”

“How! They already know everything!!”

“Cleverly hide the information. Sprinkle lies on top of the truth.”

“Huh? What does that mean?”

Hare seemed to have grasped the meaning, muttering, “Sprinkle lies on top of the truth…”

‘Does Luna, who has lived truthfully, not understand the meaning?’

Giving Luna time to think, we left the train station and arrived at a small inn in Arden Village.

I rented a large family room that could accommodate 5 people, and after roughly unpacking our luggage, I said to Luna,

“Did you understand what I meant?”

“No, I can’t understand when you speak so vaguely!”

“…Luna, Mister’s words aren’t vague. Watch your language. You’re the one who didn’t understand…”

“Tch, fine…”

It was natural that she didn’t understand.

Therefore, to show Luna what I meant, I took her alone outside.

“Tell your family. The truth is, you weren’t kidnapped, but you’re living as an ‘adventurer’.”

“…An adventurer?”

“Yes, that way they’ll accept the source of the money too.”

“But they’ll worry because being an adventurer is dangerous…”

“No, it doesn’t matter because I’m with you. If you introduce me as your companion rather than a kidnapper.”

“Ah-!!”

Luna let out an exclamation.

Had she finally understood?

Luna clapped her hands and shouted.

“Mister! You’re a total genius… I mean! I-I had that idea too! Y-You were just 10 seconds faster! I’m definitely not agreeing with your idea!”

“…”

Well, think what you will.

Ignoring Luna’s words, I started walking towards her house.

The address was written in the letter, so it was easy to find.

“Ah! Wait for me…!! I’ll really die if I’m separated from you…! Please let’s go together…!!”

Pitter-patter-

Luna ran hurriedly, as if she couldn’t be apart from me.

I smiled slightly seeing Luna like that, but as we walked further, I couldn’t help but lose my smile.

The stench permeated by Grimoire members was becoming much stronger.

‘This direction is Luna’s house…’

…I hope it’s not what I’m expecting.

Walking along the path spread with farms, I checked the sky.

The closer we got to Luna’s house, the more black clouds appeared.

“Oh, is it going to rain? Clouds are suddenly forming?”

“…”

Without saying anything, I increased my pace towards Luna’s house.

A single house was standing alone on a distant prairie.

The exterior looked fine, but the smell of Grimoire wafted from inside.

I put my hand on the doorknob.

“Luna.”

“Yes?”

“Turn around.”

“Huh? What do you-”

“I won’t say it twice. Turn around.”

“Y-Yes, sir!”

Luna immediately turned around.

…I hoped nothing had happened.

Knowing it was unlikely, I opened the door to Luna’s house.

The stench of blood was overwhelming, and among several Grimoire believers, one figure with particularly dense demonic energy stood out.

That must be the Demon Lord.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t the Demon Lord I was looking for.

“Luna.”

“Yes, why do you keep calling me, Mister!”

“…Even if you hear that strange voice, run away immediately.”

“Run away…? What do you… Ah?”

Luna ended up turning around.

She saw the gruesome scene behind my back.

The corpses of her family who were brutally murdered.

The interior of the house which was mercilessly destroyed.

She took in that sight with her blue eyes.

Unable to accept the reality, Luna fell to her knees and shouted.

“Ah, aah… Th-This can’t be… Th-This can’t… Aah…!! Fa-Father-!! Mo-Mother-!!”

“…”

Thud-

I wanted to comfort Luna, who was about to burst into tears.

However, the gaze from inside was too intense, it was as if it was threatening me to come in right now.

I spoke firmly to Luna, who was shaking her hands and shouting that it couldn’t be true.

“Leave, Luna. This is no place for you to be.”

The Hero must live.

So, I had to make a choice.

“There’s no need to look at the future of option 1.”

For the sake of the battle to come later, I had to look at the future of option 2.

The answer sheet burning with black flames unfolded before my eyes.

…

I easily dealt with the Grimoire gang, but the Demon Lord wasn’t easy.

Even for me, it was difficult to defeat a Demon Lord.

Therefore, I chose.

‘I can’t run away. And I can’t win. As you know, our skills are similar.’

So, if you have no intention of backing down, we can only both die.

In the end, I lost my life fighting the Demon Lord.

Since he wasn’t killed by the holy sword, he would probably revive in 100 years…

But I wouldn’t.

However, strangely, the answer sheet didn’t end there, and many pages remained after.

‘This isn’t the end…’

My future self muttered that as he closed the page of life.

…

“So it ends up like this after all.”

The choice was 2.

Answering the Demon Lord’s gaze, I entered the house.

Then, I tried to close the door so Luna couldn’t see, after leaving her with final words.

“Luna, when I open my eyes, explain the situation to me in detail.”

Because this shouldn’t be the end.

Bang-

Closing the door, I stepped over the corpses of Luna’s family and stared at the man sitting in a chair.

A handsome man with red hair, no horns, looking no different from an ordinary person on the surface.

He asked me with a sneer,

“Nice to meet you, dog of the Goddess. You surely know who I am, right?”

“…The Demon Lord of Greed, ‘Grid’. You’re the only one looking for the Hero’s party, so you must be Grid.”

Grid answered with a smirk.

“Correct. Come to think of it, you look tempting too, dog of the Goddess. So…”

The Demon Lord of Greed, Grid shouted at me with eyes drenched in greed.

There was only one thing I could give to this greedy being.

“Go to hell.”

Along with the sound of Luna’s crying from outside, the battle with the Demon Lord began.

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[Welp its movin time, sadge about the ending]