Translator : Ellionora
Editor : Fade
Chapter 14 Kidnapped (5) <Aslein>
My 4 years younger little sister Emil, ever since she was small she has lacked emotions and rarely expresses her feelings. Brother Sieg always treats her badly at every opportunity. Is it because he finds it unpleasant that between us siblings only Emil possess magic power? When big brother isn’t around I speak kindly to Emil and when I pat her head she shows a tender smile even though it’s just for a moment.
When my youngest sister was born…. Emil started to secluded herself in her room at 7 years old. When I asked Cecilia about it, she said Emil was reading books and knitting lace in her room. Though Emil is unsociable she’s more feminine than I thought.
When I turned 12 I enrolled into the knight academy in the royal capital. I return home only once or twice a year but Emil’s environment at home has still not changed. Brother Sieg still treats her coldly and Emil still secludes herself in her room.
Emil enrolled at Heinz academy in old in royal capital at 12 years old. It’s a great honor for the family, but for Emil who is an introverted girl and can’t use magic, can she get along well with others in the academy? I was just so worried, ever since I was assigned to the order of knights in the royal capital, everyday became busier with training and duty until I almost forgot about my family, and my worry for Emil began to fade too.
After 1 year I return home, Emil greets me looking like a different person. I think it must be because of Emil’s environment at the academy that has made her grow to become more like a human. Emil told me about the academy. She told me about how she gets along with other noble ladies, about how the sword arts they teach are good, about how her results didn’t improve even after she studied hard and also, about the false accusation incident….
When I heard her talk about that incident, I was really angry. While those guys have a standpoint and ability way above Emil’s, they surrounded one girl and made her out to be the offender. I, as a knight, as a big brother and as a man cannot forgive them. Though Emil said she already forgave them, I can never forgive them.
I, Emil and Harutia, pet name Haru, decided to go out shopping together before new year arrives. Maa, it’s almost like Haru is just forcing herself to participate but for me Haru is my important little sister too, so it’s good if they both can get along while shopping. That’s what I thought but, it seems like these two really have a bad affinity. Haru just one-sidedly flared up at Emil, but Emil herself didn’t dislike it that much.
In Edibara town, we entered a clothes store that’s quite far from the main street. When Haru wanted to try her new dress she didn’t take Chikona, her maid but she took Emil and dragged her to the Changing room. After that the 5 of us waited for Haru to change her clothes but even after a while, Haru and Emil didn’t return. Isn’t it strange? while I was thinking that I told the two maids to go check on Haru and Emil, where they only found Haru’s dress on the floor. A chill runs down my back as I get a bad feeling.
“The two daughters of the feudal lord have gone missing.” I told the escort guards and dispatch them to inform the order of knights in the town.
“Aslein-sama, your hand….”
“Ah, sorry. It’s okay.”
The maid Cecilia noticed that I’m grasping my hand strongly. Though I can’t just laugh it off, I smile and tell her that it’s okay, she exhales a relieved breath but I’m starting to worry about her pale face.
After a while the 2nd order of knights in Edibara town and some of the garrison guards come and we begin to search together. Though I don’t have the authority for this because I am off duty, I can’t just stand still and wait. Because my parents have to know about this too, I told the maids and the escort guards to return to the mansion.
After investigating, in the dressing room at clothes store part of the wall can be dismantled, they must have gone in from there. The store manager said that he didn’t know anything about it, but if I leave this to the knights to do further cross-examination they should be able to dig out more information.
According to the knights, recently some children have started to go missing one after another and they are still searching for the culprit now.
“Um, what will happen to the kidnapped children?”
“…. Mainly they will be sold as a slaves or become raw materials for research. It’s truly a heartrending story. But, if it’s a nobles daughter they will go to get a ransom. Don’t give up hope, we still have a lot of time.”
Without realising, the vice captain of the knights answers my doubts. It’s not like I’ve never seen a ghastly scene while I was on duty. However, right now I just don’t feel any sense of reality, there is only anxiety in my mind.
The situation has progressed and now it’s been 2 days since my little sisters went missing. There is a man who is believed to be a suspect who has bought a wagon and wants to go somewhere. According to the knights who got the information from the wagon merchant, that man wants to go to a different region and begin a new business while taking their belongings with them. That man doesn’t seem to have anything among his belongings that can be used from the wagon. When he starts to leave we will stalk him and if he shows any suspicious movements, we will catch him immediately. Though I don’t have any confidence in this plan, it’s been decided to be carried out.
That night, the man stops his wagon after 30 minutes of traveling out of Edibara town at a small house, and entered the house. We close in on the house while holding our breath, and surround it.
I can hear some clattering noises from inside the house. When the knight captain orders to shrink the encirclement, a man was suddenly struck out through the door and thrown outside. From the place where the door’s destroyed, the sound of a girl coughing can be heard. The shadow of a person wearing a skirt starts to move out from the house, heading here, seen because of the moonlight. Just one step before they come out, they stop, the man’s legs are pierced through with lances made from ice coming out from inside the house. I had a feeling that I heard the man groan.
When the shadow slowly moves out, the knight captain gives the order to use light magic, <Light>, some of the knights begin to chant the aria at same time and the place was brightly lit up like day time.
I was not able to comprehend what happen. Because, the lit up person was my bloodstained little sister.
“Emil?…. Emil!?”
I unintentionally call out to her. Although Emil is squinting her eyes because of the light, she nods at my call.
I want to immediately run to her and hug her, but I can’t do that because there’s a magician who is hiding there.
“Emil. I’m sorry but can you raise your hands slowly and come here?”
Emil raises her hands and slowly approaches me. There’s a wound on her face and wrist, on her neck there’s a strangle like mark and there’s blood all over her clothes, it’s truly painful to look at. I hug her tightly after waiting for her arrive.
“… I’m really glad you are safe.”
“Onii-sama, Haru is inside the house.”
Emil said with a hoarse voice.
“I have captured every criminal in there. Please quickly save Haru.”
When the knights and guards heard what Emil said, some of them begin to go inside the house.
Then as the encirclement becomes lax.
“!! Emil!!!”
I change positions with Emil by hugging her at once and protect her from a flying blade. The thrown knife strikes my flank.
“Gu!”
“O, Onii-sama…!?”
I unintentionally put more power into my arms. It’s quite painful but this knife’s blade doesn’t seems to be long so it shouldn’t cause a fatal injury. Emil is looking up at me from my arms looking like her tears will burst out at any moment. Suddenly, I fall to my knees and can’t stand up anymore. …. Is it poisoned?
“Emil…. It was poisoned so, don’t touch…. the, knife”
“Onii-sama?! Onii-sama!!!?”
All my senses disappear in no time and before I lose consciousness, I see Emil looking at me with a tearful face.
No Comments Yet
Post a new comment
Register or Login