Magic Gems Gourmet

Chapter 296

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ED: LonelyMatter

Chapter 296 – The End of the First Disturbance and the Loyal Knight’s Understanding

“We’re finished! We didn’t know anything about this! Why did this have to happen?!”

Words filled with regret echoed throughout the world.

“What do you expect me to do?! The royal family is after us, and now the August Trading Company is too! How am I supposed to run my business from here on out?! Hey!”

“Ain-sama, could that man be—”

“A merchant from the Ist Trading Company? I suppose.”

It was the natural assumption that he caused this commotion out of spite.

At least he seemed to be a low-level operative and not the head of the company. But was the girl he took hostage just collateral damage? As Ain pondered over this,

“Please! If you want money, I’ll pay any amount! Just…please release my daughter!”

A man stepped forward, claiming to be the girl’s father.

“I’ve seen him before at the August Trading Company. That’s why he targeted her.”

“Is that it? Because he couldn’t do anything to the royal family, he deliberately went after a vulnerable child. We must rescue her quickly!”

If Chris could get behind the man, she could take him down before he even noticed, given her speed.

After carefully assessing the situation, Ain nodded in agreement.

“But—

“This festival should be stained with blood!”

For some reason, the man threw the girl to the ground.

He probably realized he’d be caught anyway and decided to spill some blood first.

“You bastard! Cut it out already!”

“That’s right! Let that girl go!”

The two men who bravely charged forward were stall owners who had come to investigate.

They took a step forward and rushed toward the man, trampling over the girl. But…

“Don’t come any closer! You…you poor shopkeeper who can’t even keep his own store!”

He swung his arm wide and threw the knife with force.

By chance, it flew straight toward Ain. Chris noticed it and clicked her tongue, stepping forward to shield Ain.

Of course, it wouldn’t pierce him.

With skills like Chris’—or any Royal Knight’s—it should have easily been blocked by her gauntlets.

But then, Ain grabbed Chris’ shoulder.

“Eh… A-Ain-sama…!”

“Listen, what I said earlier about being protected doesn’t mean I don’t trust Chris.”

More than half of that sentence was a sigh spoken with such weariness that it was clear Ain was fed up.

His outstretched hand tightened around Chris’s shoulder, pulling her tightly against his chest.

“If something happens and I’m in front, I can take responsibility and help her myself.”

Even though he trusted her, he felt uneasy unless he acted for himself.

It was precisely because Ain knew he would regret it if he didn’t act when something happened.

Pressed against Ain’s chest, Chris pushed up her robe, distorting the bulge against his chest. She prayed desperately that the pounding of her heart wouldn’t reach his ears.

Soon, the flying knife stopped just a few centimeters short of Ain.

Vigorous vines sprouted from the ground and bound the knife, stopping it.

“Acting like this right before we leave kinda feels like us, doesn’t it?”

Those around them had closed their eyes, expecting the knife to pierce Ain.

But when they opened their eyes, they couldn’t hide their surprise at the vines that appeared before Ain. Their eyes widened and their mouths closed in unison.

Ain removed his hood and swept his disheveled bangs aside with one hand.

“I cannot overlook this. I will arrest you in the name of the Crown Prince.”

His pupils glowed eerily as his eyes widened.

His gaze pierced straight through the merchant’s eyes. The man fell backward, overcome by an indescribable terror. His trembling legs and arms dragged him backward as he slid away.

But soon, he noticed something behind him and turned around.

“Eh? Ah… What is…”

It was a tree root visible only as a stump about the height of a child.

Why would a tree root be here? Though puzzled, he narrowed his eyes. A small, thin gap opened in the root, barely visible to anyone but the merchant standing next to him.

It was unusual to see a tree root move at all.

Just as he suspected it might be a monster, he squinted harder. From the gap in the root…

“Gii… Iii… Aaah!”

Countless grotesque, writhing eyes stared at him, and he saw a single black droplet leaking from them like tears. Sweat poured from the merchant’s entire body.

This was not something a human should see. Even worse, it made him question whether such a thing should exist at all. This thought, easily taken as blasphemy against the gods, relentlessly chewed at the merchant’s mind.

“H… ah… aah…”

Driven by survival instinct, he fled toward Ain, but the punishment didn’t end there.

Several vines sprouted from the ground and tightened around the merchant’s neck until he lost consciousness. They then bound his limbs, immobilizing him.

“Wh-what just happened?”

“That was… Wait, more importantly!”

The merchant had been captured, and the girl’s father rushed over.

The girl had a wound on her cheek, but otherwise seemed unharmed. The onlookers breathed a sigh of relief.

They turned their eyes to the man who had demonstrated the sequence of events and erupted into cheers when they realized that it was Ain.

“Everyone, I apologize that my security failed and this situation arose. As soon as I return to the mansion, I will issue new security measures immediately. Could you grant me a little more time?”

The anxious crowd quickly changed their minds. The fact that the hero, Ain, was present, had defeated the assailant, and had promised what he would do next was significant.

The commotion ended, and now they were shouting, “Your Highness! Your Highness!” in praise of Ain.

“I suppose I should apologize to that girl in my name. Maybe I was a bit rash. Hey, Chris? What’s wrong?”

Meanwhile, Chris’ heart was filled with a certain thought.

She knew it was inappropriate at a time like this, but she had become painfully aware lately that she couldn’t control it.

She pulled her hood down low, looked away, and secretly hid her flushed face and moist eyes.

“I-I’m sorry. I’m fine! It’s just… I’ve been re-realizing things, I guess…”

As she answered, the vine of her species, the dryads, briefly appeared at her fingertips.

Chris desperately held it down with both hands and breathed a sigh of relief when it gradually faded away.

“I guess… I still like you.”

The whisper was quiet, a reflection of her wish for Ain not to hear it yet.

But she whispered it anyway because she couldn’t hold back any longer.

Almost immediately after, an unexpected figure arrived.

“A-Ain-sama!”

“What… Marco! Why are you here?”

“I heard you used your power, so I rushed over from the mansion. Ah, I see. So this is what happened.”

It tookover ten minutes to walk to the mansion.

Ain chuckled at his incredible speed, wondering how he managed to notice at all.

Marco, who grasped the situation at a glance, took a few steps toward the fallen merchant and changed his tone unpleasantly.

“Hm? Excuse me, Chris-sama.”

He stopped abruptly, looking slightly surprised.

“Could it be that the power residing within your body—”

“M-Marco-dono! No, no, please…don’t say it yet!”

Facing Chris, who was flushed crimson with embarrassment, Marco replied cheerfully.

“Considering your lineage, I’ve long wished you’d change how you address me. But this incident settles it. It would be my greatest pleasure if you would simply call me Marco from now on.”

The meaning behind “this matter” was all too clear.

Chris’s face flushed bright red. She pressed her lips tightly together, nodded halfway, and looked down again.

Then, she fidgeted, clutching the robe covering her thighs with both hands.

“Um, Marco? What are you talking about?”

“No, as your subject, I meant that the news was very pleasing. Well then, I shall take that man to the holding cell. Please take care on your way home.”

Normally, he would have accompanied them on their way back. What was wrong with him today?

Puzzled, Ain left the task of taking the merchant to him and turned back to Chris.

“Let’s head back. We might need to rethink the security arrangements…”

“Understood. However, I don’t feel ready to stand beside you yet. Would it be all right if I walked one step behind?”

“Huh? Sure. Yeah, I understand.”

Ain thought the atmosphere on the way back was hard to read.

As they reached a quieter area with fewer people, Chris pulled her hood down and tugged weakly at the back of Ain’s robe.

(She’s tugging on me…)

For some reason, though, Ain didn’t point it out. Still feeling puzzled, he kept walking until she let go just before they reached the mansion.

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